How many people have said that over the years. The dead have monuments and holidays, the veterans (SHOULD) have respect in the free country they fought for, but remember the sacrifices of the ones left behind.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
A moving blog by a dead person...
Really. Words of Grandma is diary entries from the poster's grandmother's diaries. Here's one from 1945-
"I hope Duane doesn't have to go - not that he's better than anyone else but . . . I love him."
How many people have said that over the years. The dead have monuments and holidays, the veterans (SHOULD) have respect in the free country they fought for, but remember the sacrifices of the ones left behind.
How many people have said that over the years. The dead have monuments and holidays, the veterans (SHOULD) have respect in the free country they fought for, but remember the sacrifices of the ones left behind.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Back to the U. S. A...
Or as my littermate calls it, "God's own country".
Glad to be back! Unfortunately CNN did not vanish during my absence, but it still provides TV-B-GONE with lots of fun as I stroll the halls.
Airplane boarding is delayed because the airplane has a flat tire!!
No, wait, it's a thumbtack! I'm off!
Glad to be back! Unfortunately CNN did not vanish during my absence, but it still provides TV-B-GONE with lots of fun as I stroll the halls.
Airplane boarding is delayed because the airplane has a flat tire!!
No, wait, it's a thumbtack! I'm off!
Monday, December 11, 2006
I RODE THE SLIDES !!!
A friend suggested that I try these out, so I did. The first time I couldn't get tickets, so the next week I arrived at 7:30 on Sunday morning. The next person in line (at a more sensible 9:30) was a fellow American from San Francisco. By the time the doors were opened, there was a long line. SF had spoken with a slide veteran who revealed that the fourth floor slide was the one to finish with, so our selected order of go was 5-3-4. Up to the 5th floor, feet in the bag, and WHOOSH! There is no way to describe it other than being sucked down the drain! Not some weak drain, but some sort of power assisted evacuation pump from a battleship or a skyscraper.
The sensation is just delicious. It is sudden, instant, and intense. And over WAAAAY too quickly, before I knew it I was spewed out onto the landing ramp, slowing to a gentle stop. I had a HUGE SMILE and my whole being was shouting, I WANT SOME MORE OF THAT !!!
So I barreled up to the third floor, a little line but only a couple of minutes. Whoosh! Not as long as 5, but similar.
Dash to 4, a 5 minute wait. The attendant made his sliders put on elbow pads. Feet in the sack, push off...
WHOOSHBAMWHOOSHBAMWHOOSHBAMMMWHOOOSH!!!!
THAT's what I'm talking about! 4 is not just a cork screw, it has straightaways. So in addition to being sucked down the drain, there is this powerful side to side slamming sensation.
The only way I can describe it is that I felt like a living physics experiment. No, I became physics, a living demonstation of Newtonian dynamics.
PROFOUNDLY head clearing.
I don't know who you are, gentle reader, but YOU WANT TO DO THIS.
SF, who had to leave to catch a flight, was in the landing area and pressed an extra set of tickets on me. Turns out that the admitters had provided an extra set upon SF's request. So I used those, and waited for one more round. And I was still driving past Heathrow at 11.30.
I spent about 10 minutes in the landing area watching the reactions. EVERYONE had a big smile, except for one child who had bumped his head.
Sliding tips-
GET THERE EARLY.
5 and 4. Don't bother with the others.
I saw all ages from 7-8 to late 60s.
Wear clothes without big buttons or other protrusions, be "slick".
Keep your head off the bottom of the slide and your elbows in.
Try it with eyes closed, also eyes open. Just for variety.
Spend a few minutes watching the landings.
Final event, when I was leaving I was meeting an incoming group of twenty five year olds who looked like the sort who go to modern art galleries for the effeteness fix. Front and center of the group was a standard artsy pretty girl, with a Persian cast to her features. She had the standard "I am so above/bored/uninterestable" expression, her mouth a dead straight line and her face like a botox advert. Clearly she was out to impress the boys around her with her unimpressability.
Having been on holiday for a month, I was at the no editing at all stage of behaviour. The slides had pasted a huge dazed idiot grin across my face, which stayed there as the group and I approached. I looked her full in the face, and we made eye contact. My smile got even bigger as I thought, and then said, "You won't look like that after you ride the slides- you'll look like THIS, too!" (Pointing to my face.)
Her mouth twitched just the least little bit, and she looked down to avoid showing emotion. But she smiled later, I'll bet.
And to the San Franciscan, thank you for the guidance, the tickets, and mostly for the improvement that sharing brought. Seeing you experience it and light up too made the day even better. I hope you made your flight.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Am I looking for or at trouble?
The commenters to my last post, though they seem to have misunderstood the complex phrase "hope there areN'T any bombings", ask a fair question. So I thought about whether I am too insouciant about death. Even we crackpots wonder about larger issues on occasion.
Every year we all have two anniversaries. We know our birthday, but we also pass the unknown date on which we’ll die.We live in a strange culture which tries to hide death, at least as a personal rather than an entertainment experience. I use that term carefully, because we produce and buy thousands of hours of moving picture slaughter in which the dead are explicitly not like the viewers. And aside from the death on the stupidity machine, most Americans see little death close up.
I have had enough of my own “marked for death” experiences that I’m perhaps more aware than I should be that I’ll personally find out what is on the other side of the door. I think of death not as just something that happens to other people but as something that will happen to me.
Fear and gloom about death are harmful. Worrying about anything is useless at best, and usually makes the event seem worse than it is. That’s been my experience so far, with few exceptions. And death is the most completely, utterly, entirely inevitable event of all, isn’t it? Sure, there is an element of whistling in the dark there, too. The dark is lonely, so why not whistle? I can't sing worth a hoot.
On the specific level of the war, the jihadis want us afraid. Every packing of a suitcase requires thoughts about the holy 19, and that’s all the faithful are getting out of me. I know that living one day in anytown, USA is far more dangerous than flying. I’m at more risk from a cell phoner on the road or some pistol waving dope fiend than I am from all the minions of Allah. So why not have a laugh at the shaheed? If the best they can do to destroy western civilization is to blow up a Jordanian wedding and make some happy, decent people into corpses, widows, and orphans, they deserve mockery, not fear.
And NO, I do NOT slow down to look at traffic accidents, and I have seen, smelled, and heard enough people burned alive to last me more than a life time. I feel for the mourners, and I do NOT take the tragedies of others as entertainment.
So there are some thoughts, for what they are worth.
Every year we all have two anniversaries. We know our birthday, but we also pass the unknown date on which we’ll die.We live in a strange culture which tries to hide death, at least as a personal rather than an entertainment experience. I use that term carefully, because we produce and buy thousands of hours of moving picture slaughter in which the dead are explicitly not like the viewers. And aside from the death on the stupidity machine, most Americans see little death close up.
I have had enough of my own “marked for death” experiences that I’m perhaps more aware than I should be that I’ll personally find out what is on the other side of the door. I think of death not as just something that happens to other people but as something that will happen to me.
Fear and gloom about death are harmful. Worrying about anything is useless at best, and usually makes the event seem worse than it is. That’s been my experience so far, with few exceptions. And death is the most completely, utterly, entirely inevitable event of all, isn’t it? Sure, there is an element of whistling in the dark there, too. The dark is lonely, so why not whistle? I can't sing worth a hoot.
On the specific level of the war, the jihadis want us afraid. Every packing of a suitcase requires thoughts about the holy 19, and that’s all the faithful are getting out of me. I know that living one day in anytown, USA is far more dangerous than flying. I’m at more risk from a cell phoner on the road or some pistol waving dope fiend than I am from all the minions of Allah. So why not have a laugh at the shaheed? If the best they can do to destroy western civilization is to blow up a Jordanian wedding and make some happy, decent people into corpses, widows, and orphans, they deserve mockery, not fear.
And NO, I do NOT slow down to look at traffic accidents, and I have seen, smelled, and heard enough people burned alive to last me more than a life time. I feel for the mourners, and I do NOT take the tragedies of others as entertainment.
So there are some thoughts, for what they are worth.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
On HOLIDAY...
I'm off! I'll blog now and then. Let's hope there aren't any bombings where I am this year as there were last year. If there are, I'll get the feeling it's personal.
Whooo- WOOP!
Whooo- WOOP!
Friday, November 10, 2006
Best voting or election comment ever...
On the night of the election, a friend told me,
"I don't vote, because I'm afraid I might make a difference."
What he meant was that he found himself unwilling and or unable to educate himself to understand enough about the issues to make an informed decision.
His attitude is WAAAAAY better than "I always vote for the (name of party)."
It's a great line, anyway.
"I don't vote, because I'm afraid I might make a difference."
What he meant was that he found himself unwilling and or unable to educate himself to understand enough about the issues to make an informed decision.
His attitude is WAAAAAY better than "I always vote for the (name of party)."
It's a great line, anyway.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Montage, c'est tout...
Eisenstein said editing is everything, and I enjoy the genre of reedited movies. Check YouTube for words like "recut" or "reedited".
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Election approach question...
I've been getting a lot of election telephone calls, computer ones and live too. I saw on a lefty web site the other day a suggestion that when a call comes from a "Rethuglican", to not hang up but to spin out the call as long as possible, thus decreasing the enemy's contact time with voters.
This sort of tactic is, to my mind, right up there with stealing yard signs. But my question is, how do others handle these election calls? I've already voted, so I just hang up.
This sort of tactic is, to my mind, right up there with stealing yard signs. But my question is, how do others handle these election calls? I've already voted, so I just hang up.
The German pastor is not the first...
person to self immolate over the religion of peace.
"Dr. Darabi practiced for two years in Bahmanier, a village in northern Iran. In 1968 she passed the Education Council Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) examination and came to the United States to further her education in Pediatrics. She later specialized in Psychiatry and then in child-psychiatry and was licensed to practice medicine in the States of New Jersey, New York and California. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in mid 1970's...
When a 16 year old girl was shot to death in Northern Tehran for wearing lipstick about a month prior to her death, Dr. Darabi could no longer handle the guilt she felt about her favorable involvement in the Iranian Revolution, and the way women were being treated in Iran, she finally decided to protest the oppression of women by setting herself on fire in a crowded square in northern Tehran, on February 21, 1994. Her last cry was
Death to Tyranny
Long Live Liberty
Long Live Iran. "
I have never understood this sort of self destruction, and believe it is madness not self sacrifice. I suppose he despaired, but is not as though no one knows about the problem. Find another way to help.
When a 16 year old girl was shot to death in Northern Tehran for wearing lipstick about a month prior to her death, Dr. Darabi could no longer handle the guilt she felt about her favorable involvement in the Iranian Revolution, and the way women were being treated in Iran, she finally decided to protest the oppression of women by setting herself on fire in a crowded square in northern Tehran, on February 21, 1994. Her last cry was
Death to Tyranny
Long Live Liberty
Long Live Iran. "
I have never understood this sort of self destruction, and believe it is madness not self sacrifice. I suppose he despaired, but is not as though no one knows about the problem. Find another way to help.
Friday, November 03, 2006
The box of joy...
I am remembering a time a couple of years back in England. I was at Greenwich, which is one of my very favorite places. It's so gorgeous and peaceful. Anyway, the old Royal Naval College, a fantastic beautiful work of art, is now
Trinity College of Music
The world can hold such unexpected brilliance.
The world can hold such unexpected brilliance.
Pastor sets himself on fire as a warning...
There's no other word but Christ, is there?
"In a farewell letter to his wife the vicar wrote that he was setting himself on fire to warn against the danger of the Islamization of Europe."
Of course, "Bishop Noack emphasized that the motive for the suicide complicates matters. He said he hopes that the affair and the question of how Christians should relate to Muslims will not lead to unrest."
Because there isn't any unrest already. Oh no, pay no attention to those youths behind the banlieu, the great and powerful PC has spoken!
Of course, "Bishop Noack emphasized that the motive for the suicide complicates matters. He said he hopes that the affair and the question of how Christians should relate to Muslims will not lead to unrest."
Because there isn't any unrest already. Oh no, pay no attention to those youths behind the banlieu, the great and powerful PC has spoken!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
If Kerry were a man, or an American,
This is what he'd say:
"There is no excuse or explanation for my comment. I am so ashamed of my insult to the millions, living and dead, who have served and saved our liberty as enlisted service members that I am today resigning from the senate and retiring from public life. Any pension to which I am entitled will go to (name of charity serving enlisted service people). That is all I can do to demonstrate my shame. Thank you, and once again I apologise for what I said, and more for the fact that I thought it.
"There is no excuse or explanation for my comment. I am so ashamed of my insult to the millions, living and dead, who have served and saved our liberty as enlisted service members that I am today resigning from the senate and retiring from public life. Any pension to which I am entitled will go to (name of charity serving enlisted service people). That is all I can do to demonstrate my shame. Thank you, and once again I apologise for what I said, and more for the fact that I thought it.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
ACTUAL MODERATE MOSLEMS!!!!!!
No, seriously!
(I despise that term, "moderate Moslems". What, they believe in Allah, but not too strongly? That's an insult. What is meant is "decent" or "law abiding" Moslems.)
The dhimmi Manchester Police Department commanded its officers to avoid arresting ROP members during Ramadan as a matter of "sensitivity".
"Police shouldn't hesitate to arrest any Muslims they had planned to during Ramadan. We must all be equal under the law. If people think Muslims are immune from the law, it will only stir up tensions within the community."
That's not me, or some BNP "Racist", but Mohammed Shafiq, from the Ramadhan Foundation! PRAISE BE UPON HIM. When the fatwas come, he's welcome at my house.
And more!
"Boxer Amir Khan is supporting a police campaign to keep the festival of Eid trouble-free in Greater Manchester."
Even more!
"Let not hatred of any people seduce you into being unjust. Be just, that is nearer to piety (al-Ma’idah 5:8). In this context we must state that the murder on September 17th of an innocent Catholic nun in Somalia—and any other similar acts of wanton individual violence—‘in reaction to’ your lecture at the University of Regensburg, is completely un-Islamic, and we totally condemn such acts."
Thans to PC Bloggs and the Dinocrat for the tips.
(I despise that term, "moderate Moslems". What, they believe in Allah, but not too strongly? That's an insult. What is meant is "decent" or "law abiding" Moslems.)
The dhimmi Manchester Police Department commanded its officers to avoid arresting ROP members during Ramadan as a matter of "sensitivity".
That's not me, or some BNP "Racist", but Mohammed Shafiq, from the Ramadhan Foundation! PRAISE BE UPON HIM. When the fatwas come, he's welcome at my house.
And more!
Even more!
Thans to PC Bloggs and the Dinocrat for the tips.
Monday, October 16, 2006
School shooting solution...
Well, termination anyway.
Of course, the usual suspects have the usual response to the providing of self defense information- doubleplusungoodthink!
"Five or six seventh-grade kids and a 95-pound art teacher can basically challenge, bring down and immobilize a 200-pound man with a gun."
Of course, the usual suspects have the usual response to the providing of self defense information- doubleplusungoodthink!
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Servant problems...
I may have blogged this First Post series before, but these are some fine honest stories. I'd be intrigued and moved even if I were not a former servant.
I was once accused of the cold, coldness in the heart.
For three months all I hear was "You are stupid"...
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Infidel harlot in France stoned for eating a sandwich...
Sorry to steal the infidelharlot 's name, but really- this 14 year old girl was eating a sandwich in Lyon when some Moslems decided to enforce ramadan.
Do you notice that these characters never go one on one with big strong men? The religion of bullies, too.
The original report is in French.
This is the Babelfish translation. (In France a College is what Americans would call a high school.)
Attacked because she lunched during the Ramadan
The incidents took place in the playground of the Jean-Mermoz college
Four minors were put in examination Tuesday to have thrown stones with a girl who ate a sandwich in a college, in Lyon.
Amélie GAUTIER - 10/10/2006 - 16h49
The headmaster speaks about a "phenomenon of violence in a small college of ZEP", a source of the newspaper the Progress, which reveals information, speaks about teenager attacked "under pretext which it did not observe by the fast of the Ramadan". A pupil of third to the Jean-Mermoz college located in the eighth district of Lyon was slightly wounded Thursday after having received stones thrown by four old boys from 12 to 16 years, according to sources'. The latter reproached him for eating a sandwich during the Ramadan. The facts occurred in the morning in the course of recreation. The supervisors quickly intervened, the 14 year old teenager examined by a doctor was slightly wounded with the face and "very shocked". She did not have a ITT.
"It is a school incident of life which occurs in a a little difficult district", the director of the establishment Philippe Vanzetti in station estimates since September in this small college located at 500 meters of the Large mosque of Lyon. Side of the vice-chancellorship, one refused Monday to evoke the non-observance of the religion as reason for the aggression of the teenager "It is necessary to take time to analyze the facts. However, being in in full period of Ramadan, one can put the question. " According to Progress's, "the thesis of an act related to the non-observance of the Ramadan is however confirmed by the court of Lyon on the faith of the first elements of the investigation". In addition, two minors recognized the facts.
The following day of the aggression, the headmaster joined together all the college "to make a recall with the law". "Each teacher also took time at the beginning of his course to speak about violence at the school with the pupils", specifies Philippe Vanzetti in LCI.fr. And to set up this week of the publicity campaigns at the compliance with the rules "It is necessary really that the pupils understand that violences must remain with the doors of the college", hammers the headmaster. The family of the teenager carried felt sorry for Friday. Six people were heard with the police station of the 8th district. Presented at the court Tuesday, four minors were put in examination.
Do you notice that these characters never go one on one with big strong men? The religion of bullies, too.
This is the Babelfish translation. (In France a College is what Americans would call a high school.)
Attacked because she lunched during the Ramadan
The incidents took place in the playground of the Jean-Mermoz college
Four minors were put in examination Tuesday to have thrown stones with a girl who ate a sandwich in a college, in Lyon.
Amélie GAUTIER - 10/10/2006 - 16h49
The headmaster speaks about a "phenomenon of violence in a small college of ZEP", a source of the newspaper the Progress, which reveals information, speaks about teenager attacked "under pretext which it did not observe by the fast of the Ramadan". A pupil of third to the Jean-Mermoz college located in the eighth district of Lyon was slightly wounded Thursday after having received stones thrown by four old boys from 12 to 16 years, according to sources'. The latter reproached him for eating a sandwich during the Ramadan. The facts occurred in the morning in the course of recreation. The supervisors quickly intervened, the 14 year old teenager examined by a doctor was slightly wounded with the face and "very shocked". She did not have a ITT.
"It is a school incident of life which occurs in a a little difficult district", the director of the establishment Philippe Vanzetti in station estimates since September in this small college located at 500 meters of the Large mosque of Lyon. Side of the vice-chancellorship, one refused Monday to evoke the non-observance of the religion as reason for the aggression of the teenager "It is necessary to take time to analyze the facts. However, being in in full period of Ramadan, one can put the question. " According to Progress's, "the thesis of an act related to the non-observance of the Ramadan is however confirmed by the court of Lyon on the faith of the first elements of the investigation". In addition, two minors recognized the facts.
The following day of the aggression, the headmaster joined together all the college "to make a recall with the law". "Each teacher also took time at the beginning of his course to speak about violence at the school with the pupils", specifies Philippe Vanzetti in LCI.fr. And to set up this week of the publicity campaigns at the compliance with the rules "It is necessary really that the pupils understand that violences must remain with the doors of the college", hammers the headmaster. The family of the teenager carried felt sorry for Friday. Six people were heard with the police station of the 8th district. Presented at the court Tuesday, four minors were put in examination.
I am stolen from...
I hired well reccommended roofers to repair my roof. I was clear and direct about how the work was to be done, the roofer boss repeated the job details to me.
I came home unexpectedly, to find the job being short cut. I remonstrated, and the roofer boss was surly but ended up doing the job right.
When I came home the next day to pay him and his crew off. I noticed that my recently filled 5 gallon gasoline can was not in its correct place on the porch. After I paid him, he drove away in his shiny new looking pickup truck. And when he had cleared the driveway, I saw the gasoline can sitting beside where the truck had been parked.
Yes, only about a half gallon left. He'd obviouslt poured 4 1/2 gallons into his truck.
Although the can says gasoline, I had just filled it with DIESEL FUEL.
I love it when the crime choice process fails dramatically.
I came home unexpectedly, to find the job being short cut. I remonstrated, and the roofer boss was surly but ended up doing the job right.
When I came home the next day to pay him and his crew off. I noticed that my recently filled 5 gallon gasoline can was not in its correct place on the porch. After I paid him, he drove away in his shiny new looking pickup truck. And when he had cleared the driveway, I saw the gasoline can sitting beside where the truck had been parked.
Yes, only about a half gallon left. He'd obviouslt poured 4 1/2 gallons into his truck.
Although the can says gasoline, I had just filled it with DIESEL FUEL.
I love it when the crime choice process fails dramatically.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Veil nonsense...
Can you explain the difference? Because I can't. Other than, "My invisible friend told me to".
It is an offence here to go masked on the public streets. It should be everywhere, if you're hiding your face you're up to no good.
And I'd be ashamed to belong to an organisation which required, or even permitted, such a filthy and disgusting practice.
The Turks prohibited the veil 80 years ago, and most of them are still Moslems.
It is an offence here to go masked on the public streets. It should be everywhere, if you're hiding your face you're up to no good.
And I'd be ashamed to belong to an organisation which required, or even permitted, such a filthy and disgusting practice.
The Turks prohibited the veil 80 years ago, and most of them are still Moslems.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Christmas at Auschwitz...
Or maybe "Last train to Dachau".
Is it just me who thinks this Christmas plate is not as festive as it might be?
Is it just me who thinks this Christmas plate is not as festive as it might be?
Knoxville blogdezvous...
Thanks to Rick's kindness, the "Rocky Top Brigade" held a blogdezvous in Knoxville. I snuck across the state line to attend. It was fun indeed- laughs, dog stories, politics, religion, husbands, wives, sweethearts, you name it. It has been a few years since I was in Knoxville's "old city", which is a gaggle of turn of the last century stores and warehouses whose owners are trying to make into an urban hot spot. All I can say is, if I were spending a half million dollars for a place to live, it wouldn't be a loft in an old warehouse in Knoxville, Tennessee. That's a Somerset house price!
These were the bloggers who showed- Rep. Campfield and Tam had more important things to do.
Shots Across The Bow
No Silence Here
Juliepatchouli
Frank Murphy
Swap Blog
Staghounds
Domestic Psychology
Knoxviews
TN Girl
jonathan hickman
katieallisongranju
Cafkia
Tennessee's Progressive Report
These were the bloggers who showed- Rep. Campfield and Tam had more important things to do.
Shots Across The Bow
No Silence Here
Juliepatchouli
Frank Murphy
Swap Blog
Staghounds
Domestic Psychology
Knoxviews
TN Girl
jonathan hickman
katieallisongranju
Cafkia
Tennessee's Progressive Report
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
THIS is an immigration procedure...
More Swiss goodness.
Lefties HATE democracy. When the dumb old people make the wrong choice, the answer is to take the people's authority away.
" “The Milovanovics have met all the legal requirements for citizenship: They have paid 1,000 francs for their application to be considered, they have been interviewed by the local council, they have passed German tests, and demonstrated their understanding of the Swiss way of life. But now they have to convince Emmen's 10,000 voters. "
Have to fisk this one, my cracks are italic.
But all this is not enough: The local political parties in Emmen have been holding meetings so that voters can ask the applicants questions.
The Milovanovics answer everything patiently, meekly, with great courtesy.
As I would be happy to do, if I were asking to be given the priviledge of citizenship.
But why submit to such a humiliating public examination?
Um, because they want to be citizens and are happy to show themselves to their new neighbors?
"Well, if it has to be, it has to be,'" she says. "We'll just put up with it." Where is the outrage?!?! Doesn't she understand that she is a VICTIM with a GRIEVANCE?!?!
Locals' whims
This is the lefty world view in two words. When it's a decision we agree with, it's the sovereign majesty of the people's will expressed through the sole legitimate test of democracy. When we disagree, they are "locals" with "whims".
There is good reason for her stoicism; last year when Emmen voted on applications for nationality, 48 out of a total of 56 were rejected. Not a single person from the Balkans was accepted.
Well, Ms. Foulkes, let them come live in your house.
It is democracy gone sour, a way to express prejudice, and punish innocent people.
No, it's democracy with a result you don't like. I don't suspect that you thought the British pistol ban was democracy gone sour or a way to punish innocent people.
After watching the goings on in Emmen with increasing unease, I asked a Swiss friend whether it would not be better to take the whole nationality issue away from the local communities and make the decision anonymously at federal level. He too is repelled by the prejudices expressed in Emmen, but he looks at me in surprise.
"That could never happen in Switzerland. The people always have the final say," he said.
If only everyone reacted with surprise to the idea of surrendering his sovreiginty to a faceless, uncontrolled bureaucrat. THAT IS A FREE MAN SPEAKING, Ms. Foulkes.
But because in theory it is democracy, no one, it seems, wants to challenge it.
No, this is GENUINE PRACTICAL democracy. Where is the theory part?
"People would vote the same way in your country if they could," said one Swiss friend.
I am sure many would, but they do not have the right to, and quite frankly after watching the ordeal of the Milovanovics I think I prefer a more limited democracy.
That is to say, not democracy.
The irony of the whole miserable Emmen episode is that if the Milovanovic family's application for citizenship is rejected, they will still live permanently in Switzerland, doing the same jobs, going to the same schools and visiting the same shops.
They seem just fine with that deal. I certainly would be.
But they will be doing it all in the knowledge that for some reason their neighbours did not think they were good enough to be Swiss, and worthy enough to vote alongside them.
An important supplement to the lefty creed. I live in the smallest pokiest house in the best neighbourhood in town. I have never been invited into most of those fine houses. I don't demand or care to be, and that doesn't bother me. They don't have to have a reason, as I don't have to justify whom I have visit me. But that won't do for the lefty. Look at the big house, look at the little house. RESENT.
Lefties HATE democracy. When the dumb old people make the wrong choice, the answer is to take the people's authority away.
Have to fisk this one, my cracks are italic.
But all this is not enough: The local political parties in Emmen have been holding meetings so that voters can ask the applicants questions.
The Milovanovics answer everything patiently, meekly, with great courtesy.
As I would be happy to do, if I were asking to be given the priviledge of citizenship.
But why submit to such a humiliating public examination?
Um, because they want to be citizens and are happy to show themselves to their new neighbors?
"Well, if it has to be, it has to be,'" she says. "We'll just put up with it." Where is the outrage?!?! Doesn't she understand that she is a VICTIM with a GRIEVANCE?!?!
Locals' whims
This is the lefty world view in two words. When it's a decision we agree with, it's the sovereign majesty of the people's will expressed through the sole legitimate test of democracy. When we disagree, they are "locals" with "whims".
There is good reason for her stoicism; last year when Emmen voted on applications for nationality, 48 out of a total of 56 were rejected. Not a single person from the Balkans was accepted.
Well, Ms. Foulkes, let them come live in your house.
It is democracy gone sour, a way to express prejudice, and punish innocent people.
No, it's democracy with a result you don't like. I don't suspect that you thought the British pistol ban was democracy gone sour or a way to punish innocent people.
After watching the goings on in Emmen with increasing unease, I asked a Swiss friend whether it would not be better to take the whole nationality issue away from the local communities and make the decision anonymously at federal level. He too is repelled by the prejudices expressed in Emmen, but he looks at me in surprise.
"That could never happen in Switzerland. The people always have the final say," he said.
If only everyone reacted with surprise to the idea of surrendering his sovreiginty to a faceless, uncontrolled bureaucrat. THAT IS A FREE MAN SPEAKING, Ms. Foulkes.
But because in theory it is democracy, no one, it seems, wants to challenge it.
No, this is GENUINE PRACTICAL democracy. Where is the theory part?
"People would vote the same way in your country if they could," said one Swiss friend.
I am sure many would, but they do not have the right to, and quite frankly after watching the ordeal of the Milovanovics I think I prefer a more limited democracy.
That is to say, not democracy.
The irony of the whole miserable Emmen episode is that if the Milovanovic family's application for citizenship is rejected, they will still live permanently in Switzerland, doing the same jobs, going to the same schools and visiting the same shops.
They seem just fine with that deal. I certainly would be.
But they will be doing it all in the knowledge that for some reason their neighbours did not think they were good enough to be Swiss, and worthy enough to vote alongside them.
An important supplement to the lefty creed. I live in the smallest pokiest house in the best neighbourhood in town. I have never been invited into most of those fine houses. I don't demand or care to be, and that doesn't bother me. They don't have to have a reason, as I don't have to justify whom I have visit me. But that won't do for the lefty. Look at the big house, look at the little house. RESENT.
Swiss Bicycle ANTI TANK UNIT...
I'm all Helvetophilic today. But there are some serious philosophical points in this article.
"We can be sitting in a room and if the call comes for action we can get to anything within 50 km before the tank boys have even got their vehicles ready,"
But year after year, as they wait for this action, the same thing happens, and it is beginning to sap the strength of even the hardiest of them - nobody invades Switzerland.
If nobody invades you, you won.
It is a pattern seen right across Swiss society, a dissatisfaction building up with neutrality and isolationism - both of which seemed wise in the past but do not meet the needs of modern life.
Nobody complained about isolationism and neutrality in, say, 1942. Or 1917.
But it also comes from soldiers who want to practise their craft keeping the peace in the world's hotspots, not sit around at home peering over the mountains in mock fear of the threat they know does not exist.
1. Experts like to work, that's where the ego points are. KEEP THE GENERALS ON A SHORT LEAD. When your tool is a hammer...
2. The threat exists. Just because the old bear died doesn't mean there will never be another bear. See lack of threat in 1872, 1919, 1945...
The soldiers - part of a militia army designed purely to defend Swiss doorsteps - feel particularly excluded from global opportunities and challenges.
Five centuries ago the Swiss were the terror of Europe. There's a reason those long ago warriors passed on the empire opportunity. If it works, don't fix it!
Soon perhaps the Swiss will be in the UN and the EU and their bicycle troops will be reduced to ceremonial duties.
I hope not, Brussels is fouling up enough places!
But year after year, as they wait for this action, the same thing happens, and it is beginning to sap the strength of even the hardiest of them - nobody invades Switzerland.
If nobody invades you, you won.
It is a pattern seen right across Swiss society, a dissatisfaction building up with neutrality and isolationism - both of which seemed wise in the past but do not meet the needs of modern life.
Nobody complained about isolationism and neutrality in, say, 1942. Or 1917.
But it also comes from soldiers who want to practise their craft keeping the peace in the world's hotspots, not sit around at home peering over the mountains in mock fear of the threat they know does not exist.
1. Experts like to work, that's where the ego points are. KEEP THE GENERALS ON A SHORT LEAD. When your tool is a hammer...
2. The threat exists. Just because the old bear died doesn't mean there will never be another bear. See lack of threat in 1872, 1919, 1945...
The soldiers - part of a militia army designed purely to defend Swiss doorsteps - feel particularly excluded from global opportunities and challenges.
Five centuries ago the Swiss were the terror of Europe. There's a reason those long ago warriors passed on the empire opportunity. If it works, don't fix it!
Soon perhaps the Swiss will be in the UN and the EU and their bicycle troops will be reduced to ceremonial duties.
I hope not, Brussels is fouling up enough places!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
All penis restaurant...
Aren't you glad you don't work at a place where you have to say to a reporter,
"Women don't come here so often, and they shouldn't eat testicles"?
The Torygraph is direct-
In China, you are what you eat.
Whereas Al-Beeb is informative.
"Snake. Very potent. They have two penises each."
I did not know that.
"Women don't come here so often, and they shouldn't eat testicles"?
The Torygraph is direct-
Whereas Al-Beeb is informative.
I did not know that.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Terrorism has no religion adverts...
"To reveal the true and ample doctrines of Islam, and expose the contempt these terrorists hold for the spiritual essence of our religion. These terrorists and their ungodly way are the ones responsible for making Islam an easily marked target in the eyes of the world, as well as causing Muslims to be the subject of criticism before the world community."
I don't know how to "embed", so click on the links to see the adverts.
http://www.noterror.info/STL-High.wmv
http://www.noterror.info/Routine-45sec-High.wmv
Click here for the campaign web site. There are also links to the adverts in smaller form, if you can't play the larger ones I've linked.
Thanks to my littermate, living in a sandy place.
I don't know how to "embed", so click on the links to see the adverts.
Thanks to my littermate, living in a sandy place.
Monday, September 11, 2006
An interesting Libertarian take on the burka...
And not just because it describes my attire!
" “Whereas your clothes will never go out of fashion; they'll just look dreadful year after year,” came the cutting reply."
Thursday, September 07, 2006
A GREAT new word - DIVERSOMETER...
This is a perfect neologism, courtesy of Discriminations.org:
"Also note that neither Muslims nor Arabs were even mentioned. Presumably there are none in Rochester, or if there are for some reason they don’t register on the diversometer."
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
A brave and clever English lady...
So this young lady carried an Israeli flag around Oxford to see what happened.
"“If Galileo gave in, why shouldn't I?” Sharansky thought.
No. It was precisely because of Galileo that Sharansky did not give in. Because of Galileo, the world stayed in the state of having bad science for a lot longer than needed. Because of Galileo, people in similar situations ever since have thought “If he gave in, why shouldn't I?” Sharansky did not want people to think the same thing with him. In the end, after his years of imprisonment and mistreatment, Sharansky was freed. He had not once given in.
I don't want to be like Galileo. I want people to think, “If Lulie stood up for what she believes in, so should I!”, just as Sharansky did."
Hurrah for Lulie. Not because it's an Israeli flag, but for putting the principle into practice.
Maybe next she'll try an American flag, or a Turkish one.
No. It was precisely because of Galileo that Sharansky did not give in. Because of Galileo, the world stayed in the state of having bad science for a lot longer than needed. Because of Galileo, people in similar situations ever since have thought “If he gave in, why shouldn't I?” Sharansky did not want people to think the same thing with him. In the end, after his years of imprisonment and mistreatment, Sharansky was freed. He had not once given in.
I don't want to be like Galileo. I want people to think, “If Lulie stood up for what she believes in, so should I!”, just as Sharansky did."
Hurrah for Lulie. Not because it's an Israeli flag, but for putting the principle into practice.
Maybe next she'll try an American flag, or a Turkish one.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Since we aren't serious...
I have been beating the drum about the risk of disturbing the Western bees too much for some time
The problem is that there is currently no way to transmit general public anger to the missiles. They are controlled by politicians, who are the craven tools of media and their polls. Those media do not want us to respond effectively, and will treat anyone advocating effective response with blackout and then the harshest criticism.
The only effective response other than genocide is direct attack on the persons of those who encourage and subsidise jihad. That means impoverishing and killing very powerful men who have no direct- in the sense of provable criminal liability- connection with the actual murderers. It means seizing assets, including the oil weapon, from countries who will mouth anti-terrorism platitudes. Mistakes will be made.
And the very WORST thing it will require is that discretion be used without endless public debate, scrutiny, and second guessing. If we kill the wrong tyrant, our response should be "He should have been a better friend", not gallons of tears. Killing a counter insurgency means forcing open choice on others. Killing a religious war means killing the idea.
(Hold up, I'm having a thought.)
Really, it's not a world wide counter insurgency, it's a world wide religious civil war. The jihadis are quite as much citizens of our world as my Confederate ancestors were of the United States. Western liberty of thought is no more historically inevitable than abolition was. We and the jihadis share competing life templates is all. Theirs- narrow codes of personal behaviour, subjection of women, tightly limited expression, criminalisation of homosexuality- are pretty much the historic human state, and do not differ much from the European template of four centuries ago. Or four minutes ago if you ask Pat Robertson about buggers.
My point is that since it IS a civil war, we really do have to STAMP OUT the very idea of "Islamism", which I define as using the power of the state to enforce, or recognise, the behaviour requirements of the Moslem faith. That means Ataturkism at home. No hijab on the street. No time off to pray or for Ramadan for government employees. Islam and its adherents get no more recognition than Catholics or Amish.
And it means fighting our enemies abroad, and our enemies are EVERY ADVOCATE OF ISLAMISM. Every one of them. Every Emir, every Madrassa, every newspaper. Every riyal spent on encouraging murder. Every cell tower and lap top that calls for jihad. You might think it, but if you express it, we'll be after you like white on rice. And we have really big ears, and our aim might be poor.
Which is the third point of the trident, we have to force people to decide which side they are on, and act on it. Only when the populations of Moslem countries are as upset about bombings as they are about bacon will we turn the corner.
We have to be overt about it. We can't just be against airplanes blowing up. "Please don't kill us" is not an aim. And it's defeat, because it's really "please kill us after you reduce the rest of the earth, and us, to the point of submission that killing us is the only thing left."
We have to say NO. We have to make support for sharia as inexpressible as is support for another great Moslem institution, slavery. We have to make it clear that Islam may only be a private matter, not a public institution. Once we accept that responsibility our course will become much easier.
The problem is, who will say these things? They are unsayable in public because they will always be designated as racism, intolerance, paranoia, or some other evil by any media or educational outlet.
Don't think that mushroom clouds over Paris or London or New York will make a difference, they won't. Do you really believe that a few hundred thousand dead westerners will make the New York Times editorial board say "We were WRONG. Kill millions. We won't complain."
Hell, we won't even dispose of Terry Nichols.
Which leaves us with three concieveable futures.
1. More of the same bombing outrage/tough talk/appease/repeat cycle. Eventually we will allow the world to become so chaotic that China steps in to restore order.
2. Public anger so pervasive and powerful that it installs serious people in authority. These serious people will come from no current large political machine, by definition they are not serious. Dark horses, third parties, or revolution. Don't look for much proportion or moderation from them.
3. The jihadis finally DO fuck with the wrong people. They blow up a school in the Ukraine, an airport in India, or a train station with a French nuclear submarine captain's family inside it, and a serious leader does what we aren't tough enough to do. What harm would befall Belarus or Esthonia, or Capitaine de Vaisseau D'X, if one of them puts a few megatons on Mecca or Riyadh?
The problem is that there is currently no way to transmit general public anger to the missiles. They are controlled by politicians, who are the craven tools of media and their polls. Those media do not want us to respond effectively, and will treat anyone advocating effective response with blackout and then the harshest criticism.
The only effective response other than genocide is direct attack on the persons of those who encourage and subsidise jihad. That means impoverishing and killing very powerful men who have no direct- in the sense of provable criminal liability- connection with the actual murderers. It means seizing assets, including the oil weapon, from countries who will mouth anti-terrorism platitudes. Mistakes will be made.
And the very WORST thing it will require is that discretion be used without endless public debate, scrutiny, and second guessing. If we kill the wrong tyrant, our response should be "He should have been a better friend", not gallons of tears. Killing a counter insurgency means forcing open choice on others. Killing a religious war means killing the idea.
(Hold up, I'm having a thought.)
Really, it's not a world wide counter insurgency, it's a world wide religious civil war. The jihadis are quite as much citizens of our world as my Confederate ancestors were of the United States. Western liberty of thought is no more historically inevitable than abolition was. We and the jihadis share competing life templates is all. Theirs- narrow codes of personal behaviour, subjection of women, tightly limited expression, criminalisation of homosexuality- are pretty much the historic human state, and do not differ much from the European template of four centuries ago. Or four minutes ago if you ask Pat Robertson about buggers.
My point is that since it IS a civil war, we really do have to STAMP OUT the very idea of "Islamism", which I define as using the power of the state to enforce, or recognise, the behaviour requirements of the Moslem faith. That means Ataturkism at home. No hijab on the street. No time off to pray or for Ramadan for government employees. Islam and its adherents get no more recognition than Catholics or Amish.
And it means fighting our enemies abroad, and our enemies are EVERY ADVOCATE OF ISLAMISM. Every one of them. Every Emir, every Madrassa, every newspaper. Every riyal spent on encouraging murder. Every cell tower and lap top that calls for jihad. You might think it, but if you express it, we'll be after you like white on rice. And we have really big ears, and our aim might be poor.
Which is the third point of the trident, we have to force people to decide which side they are on, and act on it. Only when the populations of Moslem countries are as upset about bombings as they are about bacon will we turn the corner.
We have to be overt about it. We can't just be against airplanes blowing up. "Please don't kill us" is not an aim. And it's defeat, because it's really "please kill us after you reduce the rest of the earth, and us, to the point of submission that killing us is the only thing left."
We have to say NO. We have to make support for sharia as inexpressible as is support for another great Moslem institution, slavery. We have to make it clear that Islam may only be a private matter, not a public institution. Once we accept that responsibility our course will become much easier.
The problem is, who will say these things? They are unsayable in public because they will always be designated as racism, intolerance, paranoia, or some other evil by any media or educational outlet.
Don't think that mushroom clouds over Paris or London or New York will make a difference, they won't. Do you really believe that a few hundred thousand dead westerners will make the New York Times editorial board say "We were WRONG. Kill millions. We won't complain."
Hell, we won't even dispose of Terry Nichols.
Which leaves us with three concieveable futures.
1. More of the same bombing outrage/tough talk/appease/repeat cycle. Eventually we will allow the world to become so chaotic that China steps in to restore order.
2. Public anger so pervasive and powerful that it installs serious people in authority. These serious people will come from no current large political machine, by definition they are not serious. Dark horses, third parties, or revolution. Don't look for much proportion or moderation from them.
3. The jihadis finally DO fuck with the wrong people. They blow up a school in the Ukraine, an airport in India, or a train station with a French nuclear submarine captain's family inside it, and a serious leader does what we aren't tough enough to do. What harm would befall Belarus or Esthonia, or Capitaine de Vaisseau D'X, if one of them puts a few megatons on Mecca or Riyadh?
Monday, August 14, 2006
Welcome to a new police blogger!
Courtesy of PC Copperfield. She's accurate and funny!
"For the first time, not all female police officers are lesbians, so that makes for a much happier atmosphere of flirting and inter-colleague affairs, rather than all the nasty insults about "dykes", which are now just reserved for those women officers with short hair."
A perfect jihad victory!
Attention jihadis!
Every time you fly, carry a cellular telephone. Be sure it can't be traced to you- steal one, or just get a broken one at a junk shop. When you fly, take it with you. When you arrive at your destination, leave it between the seat cushions. Eventually the infidels will find it. They will panic- I wonder how many tens, or hundreds, of thousands of pounds are sucked out of their economy by turning around a trans atlantic flight? Plus it reinforces the whole point of the jihad- the kuffar are craven weaklings.
Their fear makes them stupid, too- no one thought to eject the thing from the airplane, take the batteries out, or just stamp it to bits?
Allah is truly great.
" LONDON - A British Airways flight to New York was turned back to London’s Heathrow airport on Sunday because of a security scare over a mobile phone that did not belong to any of the passengers, officials said."
Every time you fly, carry a cellular telephone. Be sure it can't be traced to you- steal one, or just get a broken one at a junk shop. When you fly, take it with you. When you arrive at your destination, leave it between the seat cushions. Eventually the infidels will find it. They will panic- I wonder how many tens, or hundreds, of thousands of pounds are sucked out of their economy by turning around a trans atlantic flight? Plus it reinforces the whole point of the jihad- the kuffar are craven weaklings.
Their fear makes them stupid, too- no one thought to eject the thing from the airplane, take the batteries out, or just stamp it to bits?
Allah is truly great.
Suppose we hadn't "foiled" the latest bomb plot...
It's a shame if the "liquid bomb" plot people actually went to the trouble of buying the chemicals, since they got 110% of their goal- demonstrating their mastery of us by fear- just by talking.
But assuming they had succeeded, and on one day 10 airplanes had made unscheduled mid ocean landings, what would we do?
I know, panic and cower, just like we have done. And our leaders would go obediently to mosques, to apologise for anger against Moslems that no one has or acts upon, and to explain that as long as one merely sympathises with murderers, one has a free ride. And there would be lots of appeals, weepy services, and the families of the dead would be sad and/or richer.
But I mean, what would we do against the enemy?
The actual plotters would be dead. Assuming we ever found out who on the missing airplanes blew them up- fat chance, unless someone talked- they are British. Their encouragers are British. There is no "proof" that there is any participant in, or financier of, the outrage who is not British.
What do we do? Aside from just take it?
Until we get aggressive with those who encourage murder, that's what we'll have to do. Get used to the idea, presidents and prime ministers. Now and then, you'll have to execute the sad announcement/grovel at mosque/memorial tribute/we are resolved speech/ wait for the next one gavotte. Your masters in Bradford and Dearborn will be in touch.
Don't feel badly about being the puppet of random criminals. I'm sure that Washington and Pitt and Lincoln and Curchill would do exactly the same thing in your place.
But assuming they had succeeded, and on one day 10 airplanes had made unscheduled mid ocean landings, what would we do?
I know, panic and cower, just like we have done. And our leaders would go obediently to mosques, to apologise for anger against Moslems that no one has or acts upon, and to explain that as long as one merely sympathises with murderers, one has a free ride. And there would be lots of appeals, weepy services, and the families of the dead would be sad and/or richer.
But I mean, what would we do against the enemy?
The actual plotters would be dead. Assuming we ever found out who on the missing airplanes blew them up- fat chance, unless someone talked- they are British. Their encouragers are British. There is no "proof" that there is any participant in, or financier of, the outrage who is not British.
What do we do? Aside from just take it?
Until we get aggressive with those who encourage murder, that's what we'll have to do. Get used to the idea, presidents and prime ministers. Now and then, you'll have to execute the sad announcement/grovel at mosque/memorial tribute/we are resolved speech/ wait for the next one gavotte. Your masters in Bradford and Dearborn will be in touch.
Don't feel badly about being the puppet of random criminals. I'm sure that Washington and Pitt and Lincoln and Curchill would do exactly the same thing in your place.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
"Islamic Fascism" is a term for the ignorant...
This “Islamic Fascism” is a stupidly ahistorical phrase. The people engaged on the other side aren’t fascists, they have no political or economic ideology at all, fascist or otherwise. People just say “fascists” because that’s the leftover Soviet term of abuse, and it sounds bad.
May as well call them “Islamic Klansmen” or "Islamic paedophiles" or "Islamic wearers of checks with stripes" for all the sense it makes.
They are Moslems. Fanatical, extreme, fundamentalist, or just true believers, but their religion IS their ideology and war aim. It’s like saying the Crusaders were "Catholic Nazis" or those of Gustavus Adolphus “Protestant White Supremacists”.
It still beats broad strata, though.
May as well call them “Islamic Klansmen” or "Islamic paedophiles" or "Islamic wearers of checks with stripes" for all the sense it makes.
They are Moslems. Fanatical, extreme, fundamentalist, or just true believers, but their religion IS their ideology and war aim. It’s like saying the Crusaders were "Catholic Nazis" or those of Gustavus Adolphus “Protestant White Supremacists”.
It still beats broad strata, though.
Quoted on the Belmont Club!
I'm famous, uncredited but even so.
http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/2006/08/always-look-on-bright-side-of-life.html
http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/2006/08/always-look-on-bright-side-of-life.html
Friday, August 11, 2006
Unintentionally hilarious OFFICIAL police blog...
Thanks to P. C. Copperfield!
" IKrishna @ Babu R/o Mudadi house Batwal Taluk abused one Vishwanatha Poojary (43) R/o Mithakodi house Mudadi Bantwal Taluk in filthy language and assaulted by hand and also gave life threat owing to a trivial issue. "
Isn't it always a trivial issue?
Isn't it always a trivial issue?
Franklin Roosevelt would FIRE CHERTOFF!
"Look at CNN, Mumtaz! The brothers made the Jew Chertoff piss himself with fear! Over some bottles of peroxide!! Truly Allah is mighty."
If he is "rattled", he is in the wrong place. If he can't keep it to himself, he is in the wrong place. The chatterboxes who talked to the media about this are in the wrong place.
SHUT THE FUCK UP, idiots! Knowledge is power, but only if you keep it to yourself. The answer to "How was the terror plot foiled?" should be:
"Infidel magic. Next question."
""Wednesday night was a long and troubling one for Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. A bubbling plot by British citizens to blow up airplanes had come to a boil in the past three days, and as British authorities arrested dozens of suspects around London, it was Chertoff's job to coordinate the U.S. defenses. Scary intelligence reports pop up all the time, but this particular terror operation got close enough to being carried out that it rattled even the normally sedate Chertoff. "Very seldom do things get to me," he told Rep. Peter King, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, in a phone call late Wednesday night. "This one has really gotten to me." "
If he is "rattled", he is in the wrong place. If he can't keep it to himself, he is in the wrong place. The chatterboxes who talked to the media about this are in the wrong place.
SHUT THE FUCK UP, idiots! Knowledge is power, but only if you keep it to yourself. The answer to "How was the terror plot foiled?" should be:
"Infidel magic. Next question."
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Another Moslem victory, with not a single casualty...
“Did you see the news today, Ahmad? All the brothers had to do was TALK ABOUT carrying bombs onto airplanes, and now they quake in fear of every gym bag! Until the end of time, no Infidel will carry a Godless bottle of water or satanic book onto an airplane! Millions of money and thousands of hours of aggravation, just from talk!
Allah is truly mighty, that the west cowers from the very thought of martyrdom operations!”
Next year, look for a terrorist plot involving exploding underwear. Then we'll have to fly naked.
If we overreact to the point where millions of passengers can't carry a laptop onto an airplane, then they have beaten us. We're just waiting for the next command. When there's a conspiracy about bombs in ships, look for multi billion dollar ship precautions and follow on delay and expense. Train bombs? Inspect every boxcar with the new Federal Department of Every Box Car Inspection.
What strikes me is that they are winning huge economic victories without taking a single casualty. They just have to find some jihadis who are willing to "conspire", get caught, spend a few years in a safe western prison, and come out as heroes. We- as we permit our masters to direct us- deserve to lose.
The proper reaction is this:
"Today, we discovered a plot to bomb airplanes. We know that the oil revenues of Saudi Arabia are used to finance the men who encourage and plan similar conspiracies- maybe this one, maybe not. I have today ordered the sequestration of every bank account and financial instrument owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ten per cent of each account or instrument will be deducted to pay for investigation, infiltration, and destruction of jihad encouragers. To help prevent conspiracy, every cellular telephone tower in Saudi Arabia has been disabled. To promote air safety, no airplane may fly to, from, or over Saudi Arabia. These measures will continue for at least the next 180 days. Since no one was injured in this jihad attempt, we have not killed the hundred most senior government officials of Saudi Arabia, nor have we confiscated that country's oil infrastructure. We hope this encourages the government of Saudi Arabia to bend its efforts to discourage murderers rather than to incite them. To other governments, Saudi Arabia was a random choice among jihad encouragers. Next time it could be you. To our own citizens who side with our enemies, think again. To those who call this disproportionate, if you were on those airplanes you would think differently. No reaction to threats against Americans is disproportionate or beyond imposition. I will not go to another funeral caused by our weakness."
"The carrots have failed. I will fight the war they want. I will over react. I will profile. I will punish disproportionately. I will put cruise missiles and SEAL / SAS teams on the kings and prime ministers who finance this. We will ATTACK our enemies. THEY will never know where the next blow will strike. THEY will wonder what form it will take. THEY will fear US. That is all."
No one walks around Germany with a swastika on. Why not? It's not sensitivity or guilt, it's because the last time that happened, Germany was turned into a smoking ash heap.
SOME political leader is missing a real chance.
Allah is truly mighty, that the west cowers from the very thought of martyrdom operations!”
Next year, look for a terrorist plot involving exploding underwear. Then we'll have to fly naked.
If we overreact to the point where millions of passengers can't carry a laptop onto an airplane, then they have beaten us. We're just waiting for the next command. When there's a conspiracy about bombs in ships, look for multi billion dollar ship precautions and follow on delay and expense. Train bombs? Inspect every boxcar with the new Federal Department of Every Box Car Inspection.
What strikes me is that they are winning huge economic victories without taking a single casualty. They just have to find some jihadis who are willing to "conspire", get caught, spend a few years in a safe western prison, and come out as heroes. We- as we permit our masters to direct us- deserve to lose.
The proper reaction is this:
"Today, we discovered a plot to bomb airplanes. We know that the oil revenues of Saudi Arabia are used to finance the men who encourage and plan similar conspiracies- maybe this one, maybe not. I have today ordered the sequestration of every bank account and financial instrument owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ten per cent of each account or instrument will be deducted to pay for investigation, infiltration, and destruction of jihad encouragers. To help prevent conspiracy, every cellular telephone tower in Saudi Arabia has been disabled. To promote air safety, no airplane may fly to, from, or over Saudi Arabia. These measures will continue for at least the next 180 days. Since no one was injured in this jihad attempt, we have not killed the hundred most senior government officials of Saudi Arabia, nor have we confiscated that country's oil infrastructure. We hope this encourages the government of Saudi Arabia to bend its efforts to discourage murderers rather than to incite them. To other governments, Saudi Arabia was a random choice among jihad encouragers. Next time it could be you. To our own citizens who side with our enemies, think again. To those who call this disproportionate, if you were on those airplanes you would think differently. No reaction to threats against Americans is disproportionate or beyond imposition. I will not go to another funeral caused by our weakness."
"The carrots have failed. I will fight the war they want. I will over react. I will profile. I will punish disproportionately. I will put cruise missiles and SEAL / SAS teams on the kings and prime ministers who finance this. We will ATTACK our enemies. THEY will never know where the next blow will strike. THEY will wonder what form it will take. THEY will fear US. That is all."
No one walks around Germany with a swastika on. Why not? It's not sensitivity or guilt, it's because the last time that happened, Germany was turned into a smoking ash heap.
SOME political leader is missing a real chance.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Quote for the day...
Means more with the picture.
Courtesy of http://www.lileks.com/patriotica/CivilDefence/YouAndTheWar/2.html
Courtesy of http://www.lileks.com/patriotica/CivilDefence/YouAndTheWar/2.html
Saturday, July 15, 2006
This may be the last time I vote...
I went to vote the other morning. In addition to primaries for November, there were about 40 state races, mostly appellate court judge retentions. I studied up, even on the ones from far away so I wouldn't be voting uninformed.
As I left the poll, the next voter was a big fat man wearing a FAR TOO tightly stretched tee shirt. It was dirty, but still proudly emblazoned:
BOOTY PATROL
Universal suffrage is silly.
As I left the poll, the next voter was a big fat man wearing a FAR TOO tightly stretched tee shirt. It was dirty, but still proudly emblazoned:
BOOTY PATROL
Universal suffrage is silly.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Airbus as work of art...
Is it poetry, or romance? I love this sort of connection between our hearts and our tools.
"I reached up and tentatively curled my fingers over the metal. "Now pull down," he said.
The A380 wing is one of the mightiest structures ever created—9,100 square feet of ribs, spars, and skin able to thrust itself out 147 feet into nothingness and give lift to its half of 1.235 million pounds. I pulled, and this great formation bowed to my eye level, supple as a living thing.
With the whole wing flexing at my light grasp, all the poetic, fanciful wonder of living in 2005 came back to me. I'd outdone Keats and Shelley in matters of the sublime. It touched them. I touched it. "
The A380 wing is one of the mightiest structures ever created—9,100 square feet of ribs, spars, and skin able to thrust itself out 147 feet into nothingness and give lift to its half of 1.235 million pounds. I pulled, and this great formation bowed to my eye level, supple as a living thing.
With the whole wing flexing at my light grasp, all the poetic, fanciful wonder of living in 2005 came back to me. I'd outdone Keats and Shelley in matters of the sublime. It touched them. I touched it. "
Monday, June 26, 2006
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Now THIS is a case report...
My new colleague is the BEST. I asked how a case went, and I got this report.
Wee Willie Something
Went for a ride.
As it turned out,he
should have stayed inside.
It was Wee Willie's cousin
who led him astray,
He said, " I will steal me
a nice car today."
And wouldn't you know it
there sat the Crown Vic,
keys in it, still running,
just ripe to be picked.
So in it they jumped
and took off down the screet.
If the man hadn't seen them
it would have been sweet.
Then Wee Willie's cousin
let Wee Willie out.
And there stood the owner,
who said with a shout,
"Who is that sitting
behind my Vic's wheel?"
But loyal Wee Willie
wouldn't dare squeal.
That's how Willie wound up
under arrest.
He'd have been better off
If he had just confessed.
When the police came to get him
they sure didn't smile.
Wee Willie's seventeen,
a mere juvenile.
Will dealt with his charge
in the very worst way.
He said,
"I just won't go to court today!"
Wee Willie's eighteen now-
when they see him around
the cops will arrest him
and take him DOWNTOWN.
With Wee Willie's luck
they will add to the docket
a charge for the drugs
that he'll have in his pocket.
Watch out, Judge Kosinski!
Wee Willie Something
Went for a ride.
As it turned out,he
should have stayed inside.
It was Wee Willie's cousin
who led him astray,
He said, " I will steal me
a nice car today."
And wouldn't you know it
there sat the Crown Vic,
keys in it, still running,
just ripe to be picked.
So in it they jumped
and took off down the screet.
If the man hadn't seen them
it would have been sweet.
Then Wee Willie's cousin
let Wee Willie out.
And there stood the owner,
who said with a shout,
"Who is that sitting
behind my Vic's wheel?"
But loyal Wee Willie
wouldn't dare squeal.
That's how Willie wound up
under arrest.
He'd have been better off
If he had just confessed.
When the police came to get him
they sure didn't smile.
Wee Willie's seventeen,
a mere juvenile.
Will dealt with his charge
in the very worst way.
He said,
"I just won't go to court today!"
Wee Willie's eighteen now-
when they see him around
the cops will arrest him
and take him DOWNTOWN.
With Wee Willie's luck
they will add to the docket
a charge for the drugs
that he'll have in his pocket.
Watch out, Judge Kosinski!
Monday, June 05, 2006
Where is God?
I know strong faith should prevent asking the question, but mine is weak and I struggle with reason. This is not for the faint of heart.
Click here to see the Fusco Chernobyl slide show.
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