Wednesday, August 31, 2005

To do list

First go here and read the letter.


Then go get a credit card, and go here.

Update - link corrected to the "main" page, but it is very slow to load. Which, probably means they are getting lotsa donations, which is a good thing.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Space Monkey

You know, Space Monkey is missing. Well, I don't know if he's exactly missing, but he's not on his site, or the IMAO site. He's the muck who MADE me start this silly blog. Let's all hope he isn't suffering anything more than a lack of electricity (from Katrina.)

WHAT HAPPENED?

RIGHT WING SPARKLE looks just like me now. I had to do a double take (her site used to be pink, and hard for me to read, so I rarely visited.) Except for the blond/babe picture on the right- that's different - but it's kinda creeping me out.

Monday, August 29, 2005

No, really

WTF is wrong with this man? Something in his head just isn't working right.

Update

"The U.S. and Venezuelan leadership must have a detente on rhetoric. That exacerbates tensions," Jackson told the AP. "We need to have a cooling down of divisive rhetoric.


This from the man who called New York "Hymietown".

Update Deux

For those who are so upset that a (private citizen) Republican would advocate for the murder of a Fascist thug, I offer this from none other than George Stephanopoulos:

"If Clinton decides we can and should assassinate Saddam, he could call in national-security adviser Sandy Berger and sign a secret National Security Decision Directive authorizing it."

The Stephanopoulos plan: "First, we could offer to provide money and materiel to Iraqi exiles willing to lead an effort to overthrow Saddam. . . . The second option is a targeted airstrike against the homes or bunkers where Saddam is most likely to be hiding."

The one-time top Clinton aide said that, far from violating international principles, assassinating Saddam would be the moral thing to do, arguing, "What's unlawful - and unpopular with the allies - is not necessarily immoral."

What I wouldn't eat

I love sushi - but I refused to try this. Does that make me boring?

Hey mom!

Regarding the Palestinians celebrating on 9-11. I would connect the dots to Cindy Sheehan's anti-Israel comments, but I'm just not in the mood. Speaking of which, you know the Palestinians want an airport - I suppose it would just make things easier??

H/t: Little Green Footballs

"Eldest"

My boys have to go check if they got one of the misprinted copies of Eldest. They had been waiting since January for that book to come out, and last tuesday we had to be at the store when it opened.

Half empty or half full?

What does it mean when I go into a book store and they don't have a single copy of this, but many piles of this and this?

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Sad news


DSC00418
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.
Well, I was in Chicago, visiting a friend, and I thought it would be a great idea to take a picture of the little tikes in front of a jet engine. They never knew what hit 'em.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

See ya later-

I'll be back Monday! I'm going away for a long weekend.

A few who agree with Pat

For all those who are just SHOCKED at what Pat Robertson said, here are a few guys who aren't afraid to say they agree with him:

MyPet Jawa

and

Jeff Harrell

And now, a word from Leo

I thought the following comment of Leo's was so special, it needed it's own thread:

What's with right wing America's fear of Communism? Why does America fear Communism so much that historically it has propped up all kinds of nasty dictators (Saddam, the Shah of Iran, Pinochet etc) to stop Socialist governments springing up?

ACK!

Mu.Nu has died!!! No Ace. No Ilyka Damen. Someone hold me.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

snort

Sondra's so funny, now click.

I'm sorry

But, I commented here just so I could pretend I was in a conversation with Lileks.

A Republican in Hollywood

Jewish screenwriter Rober Avrech:

Hollywood, once upon a time, was one of the most patriotic colonies on the planet. During World War II, Frank Capra made a series of propaganda films titled “Why We Fight.” Marlene Dietrich put herself through a most grueling schedule visiting and entertaining our troops and selling war bonds. Jimmy Stewart joined the Air Force. Numerous movie stars put their careers on hold to help the war effort. These men and women loved America and understood who the enemy was and why the enemy had to be not only defeated but obliterated from the face of the earth.

Look at Hollywood now. Sean Penn goes to Iraq and apologizes for American war crimes. Hollywood’s patron saint is Michael Moore, its liturgy his package of lies, the movie “Fahrenheit 9/11.” When this film had its Hollywood premiere, the red carpet was choked with stars just dying to make an anti-Bush statement. We’re talking about movie stars who know basically nothing about politics. To call them fools would be generous. I have spent time with too many of these people, and believe me, if you’re not talking about how beautiful or how talented they are, the conversation sort of just dies.

It is, I kid you not, a badge of honor in Hollywood to hate America. These airheads who have amassed millions through the free market economy constantly spout nonsense about the need for a Scandinavian style socialist government. They don’t even know that the Scandinavian countries are economic basket cases. I’m not making this up. They actually cruise Sunset Strip in their Bentleys and accuse Republicans of being greedy.

Let’s not forget that at the 2004 Democratic National Convention Michael Moore was given a seat of honor next to — who else? — Jimmy Carter. And the speaker who received the longest standing ovation was none other than the Rev. Al Sharpton, America’s most visible race hustler since Jesse Jackson. It was as though the party had been taken over by the Three Stooges. And Hollywood loved it, showering the Dems with more money than ever.


Really, the loving embrace of Al Sharpton was a signal to me that the Democrats had lost their mind.

I'm stuck

Here, reading the most romantic love story. A "true" love story, not fiction. Very captivating.

Thanks to Ace for linking it.

Monday, August 22, 2005

I should have DONE something


DSC00413
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.
One never knows how they will react when they are tested in life. Will they step up? Will they make a difference? It is with heavy heart that I must admit that yesterday I was tested, and failed. WHY did I not do something? I could have put a stop to the savagery. The brutality. What was once beautiful in life, is now but a mockery of my lack of conviction.

I watched, and did NOTHING as my neighbor brutalized his tree. I regret I did not have a photo of it in it's former glory; it's prouder days. Sure, I watched. AGAST. But I was silent when I should have spoken up. Perhaps I could have said:
What the fuck are you doing? I know you're engineer, and smart and all that, but perhaps, JUST PERHAPS you have no clue that you are RUINING that tree. Now put the damn pruners down, and back away slowley.


Yea. I should have said something like that.

I swear, there is no rhyme and reason to what he did to this tree. He took some off the top- which was ok, but then he just started digging in and taking branches off helter skelter. If you click the picture bigger, you can really see how awful it looks. It was really a beautiful tree. Perfect shape. It just needed a few stray branches clipped from the top, and then then normal "bowl cut." Sigh.

Neighbors

Ok, two things for you this morning. First, I just discovered (yesterday) that my next door neighbor is a WW II vet. He fought in Africa and Germany. He told me that he was behind enemy lines (in Germany) and some German women hid him and his buddies for days, feeding them. Saved their lives. How many of YOU live next door to a black WW II veteran? I'd say not many...

Later- I have to show you what my OTHER neighbor did to his tree. Need to get the camera out first, so you must wait.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Quirk meme

Ok, I don't have any cool, interesting quirks. Rather boring, and barely worth a post, but I'll try to pinch one out.

1) Indoors, shoes must ALWAYS be one. Outside, barefoot is cool.

2) Nothing irritates me more, than open cupboards, drawers, closets, etc. Closing stuff it the first thing I'll do when walking into a room.

3) Ice. Hate it.

4) I cannot sleep without a sheet. Even camping, I must have a sheet, and it must be OVER my feet.

... that's all I got. I'm sure I'm 'all-sortsa-weird', but I don't think I have many "quirks."

Friday, August 19, 2005

An example of the bottom falling out?

It was suggested that the bottom is falling out; that support for Bush and "his war" is collapsing. And then there is this:


I actually felt myself become a republican today. It was around 10am, when I read the latest update of the Cindy Sheehan saga in CNN.com. I then shot over to read some blogs about it, and perused the comments in some of them, which was nothing but a long series of petty (albeit entertaining) partisan bickering.

Then it happend. The good little democrat in me tied the little noose around his neck and jumped off the stool. He just couldn’t take it anymore.


Take what? The whining. The constant whining by the extreme left about the reasons for war, the incompetence of this administration, and how we’ve all been lied to, and how we should pull out of Iraq immediately, because, *gulp* our soldiers were in danger
**********
Here’s a breakdown of the way I see things:
-right or wrong, we’re at war. no amount of yelling will fix that now.
-we have to finish the job. HAVE TO. it may take another 1800 soldiers, but it has to be done
-whether or not we’re there for the right reason, we’ve done something great for that country

I never was a big fan of Bush. But, one thing I do believe….he honestly wants to make this country, and this world a better place. Think about it…the war almost cost him the election. If we hadn’t invaded Iraq, he’d have won in a landslide.

I think it’s just my personality that lead me to this decision. I think the left is too concerned with everyone’s immediate rights and needs, and refuses to sacrifice a bit of comfort and happiness in the present, for something that will make life better for everyone in the future.


H/t:Rush and Ace

Canada is a scary place

Don't believe me? Well, how about this little tidbit; they have a " violent-crime rate of 963 per 100,000 in 2003, a rate about twice the U.S.'s (which is 475)". Of course, they are blaming America. Unfortunately, they are talking out of their arses on that one, since they don't even know how many guns were seized in violent crime, let alone where the guns came from (if they were smuggled from the US). I'm gonna guess they got the guns from the same place they got the drugs, which is why they have the guns in the first place.

Of course, you could always ban guns - which worked so well in the U.K. (murders are up 54 percent there), and Autralia (where armed robbery is up 74%). It's easy to get the law-abiding citizens to obey the law. It's those pesky criminals that muck things up. Guns are the boogyman, yet when they are banned, gun crime goes UP. Humn.

Read the whole article, on which this rant was based: John R. Lott Jr.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Why I heart Jeff Goldstein

You know, adding extra questions marks don’t make your questions any more legitimate or interesting.

When Israel starts flying airplanes into our buildings—hell, let’s just say when they declare war on us—we can think about “profiling” people by last name, or circumcision, or stock portfolio, what have you.


But, hey, maybe you had to be there.

Deconstructing

"We are not waging a war on terror in this country. We’re waging a war of terror. The biggest terrorist in the world is George W. Bush!"

Sounds like standard moonbat ravings.

"We are waging a nuclear war in Iraq right now. That country is contaminated. It will be contaminated for practically eternity now."

Come again?? Nuclear war? That will be a surprise to all the military guys over there right now. I'd better go warn them.


"If George Bush believes his rhetoric and his bullshit, that this is a war for freedom and democracy, that he is spreading freedom and democracy, does he think every person he kills makes Iraq more free?"

When they kill foreign insurgents in Iraq - I'd say they are making Iraq more free. When they nabbed Saddam and his lovely sons, I'd say we made Iraq more free.

"The whole world is damaged. Our humanity is damaged. If he thinks that it’s so important for Iraq to have a U.S.-imposed sense of freedom and democracy, then he needs to sign up his two little party-animal girls. They need to go to this war."

So much wrong with this one- where do I start? US-imposed freedom and democracy? Damn us and our freedom. Why can't we just let them be a military dictatorship like they want to be? Damn us to hell.


"We want our country back and, if we have to impeach everybody from George Bush down to the person who picks up dog shit in Washington, we will impeach all those people."

Who is this "we" you are talking about? Shit, the very idea that Cindy and her ilk might be in control of our country makes me want to run out and get a gun right now.

Beautiful piece

A beautiful piece in NRO today on duty and one's calling in life.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

My daughter

This morning, my daughter asked for a doughnut. I said no. So she asked again and again and again, seeking a different answer *. I guess she figures she'll just keep asking until she gets the answer she likes.

But then, she is 7.

Update:

Ok I lied. After the tenth time she asked, I broke down sobbing and admitted that Bush had lied; it was blood for oil, and that by supporting him, we were going to be rewarded -although I still haven't figured out if I'm a "have" or a "have more." Regardless, soon we are going to be VERY VERY rich - I think we get our own oil well or something. And, I get my own little Iraqi boy to help around the house. I SO need that.

In her own words

MATTHEWS:  All right.  If your son had been killed in Afghanistan, would you have a different feeling?

SHEEHAN:  I don't think so, Chris, because I believe that Afghanistan is almost the same thing.  We're fighting terrorism.  Or terrorists, we're saying.  But they're not contained in a country.  This is an ideology and not an enemy.  And we know that Iraq, Iraq had no terrorism.  They were no threat to the United States of America.

MATTHEWS:  But Afghanistan was harboring, the Taliban was harboring al-Qaida which is the group that attacked us on 9/11.

SHEEHAN:  Well then we should have gone after al-Qaida and maybe not after the country of Afghanistan.

MATTHEWS:  But that's where they were being harbored.  That's where they were headquartered.  Shouldn't we go after their headquarters?  Doesn't that make sense?

SHEEHAN:  Well, but there were a lot of innocent people killed in that invasion, too.  ...  But I'm seeing that we're sending our ground troops in to invade countries where the entire country wasn't the problem.  Especially Iraq.  Iraq was no problem.  And why do we send in invading armies to march into Afghanistan when we're looking for a select group of people in that country?

So I believe that our troops should be brought home out of both places where we're obviously not having any success in Afghanistan.  Osama bin Laden is still on the loose and that's who they told us was responsible for 9/11.


*********

So, in other words, we shouldn't actually be going after anyone but OBL. Not states that supported terrorism, nor those that help fund terrorists. If one innocent person is going to be killed, it's not worth it. Following the Sheehan model, we should all order our Burkas now.

Personally, I am of the ilk that we should go after the families of terrorists. But, you know, I'm a neo-con.

Yea me

Ok, it is just one crappy ranking, but I just moved up to "Slithering reptile". Funny, though, it doesn't sound like something I'd want to be. That thing hasn't moved in AGES.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Someone 'splain

Can someone explain to me how when Bush was elected, the whole country was stupid. But, now that the polls aren't in his favor, suddenly they carry more weight with the left? Did everyone get smarter?

We're all STUPID, remember? Why are you paying attention to polls?

Pardon my French

A Petition for an Iraqi Peace Process. Dipshits.

Their "outline" :

First, as a confidence-building measure, the US government must declare that it has no interest in permanent military bases or the control of Iraqi oil or other resources.

We don't control Iraq's resources now. Only the leftist moonbats- an Al Queda - believe that. As for permanent military bases - why aren't they complaining about bases in Germany or Japan?

Second, as a further confidence-building measure, the US government must set goals for ending the occupation and bringing all our troops home - in months, not years, beginning with an initial withdrawal of troops by the end of this year.

What's with all this "confidence-building" crap? I tell you what would build their confidence- STABILITY. And, that will come when their own troops are trained, and foreign insurgents (I mean "minutemen") are eliminated.

Third, the US government must request that the United Nations monitor the process of military disengagement and de-escalation, and organize a peaceful reconstruction effort. The US must accept its obligation to fairly compensate Iraqis for damages and assist Iraqi reconstruction while not imposing privatization schemes and while ending the dominance of US contractors in the bidding process.

We are the United Nations security forces. To agree to this means our boys are still there, just under the auspices of the UN. And you know how many Americans feel about the UN...As for damages - someone remind me - did Iraq compensate Iran for damages? Did they compensate Kuwait? Did they compensate the Kurds? Did they compensate their OWN people? We have compensated Iraq by eliminating a Mass Murderer. By building schools and hospitals. Of course, you might not have heard about any of this stuff, since everyday the newspapers limit their coverage to a body count and IED explosions.

Fourth, the US government should appoint a peace envoy independent of the occupation authorities to underscore its commitment to an entirely different mission, that of a peace process ending the occupation and returning our soldiers home.

No comment. Except this ---@@. Lemme guess- you Want Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter to head this 'Peace Envoy'?

Fifth, the peace envoy should encourage and cooperate in talks with Iraqi groups opposed to the occupation, including insurgents, to explore a political settlement. The settlement must include representation of opposition forces and parties, and power-sharing as a core principle of governance and economic and energy development. We believe such an initiative will reduce though not eliminate violence, by lessening any rationale for jihadist or sectarian conflict.

Well, seeing as though this is already occurring (except the "including insurgents" BS), I have to wonder if these nimnuts even read the news. Hello - they are drafting a Constitution. What part of "political settlement" is not included in a Constitution?

Semi-Random Ramblings

Tall Dave over at Semi-Random Ramblings offers a different perspective than both the mainstream media, and those who criticize the President's "Mission Accomplished" sign a few years ago. Criticism which really misplaced, since the ship was returning home, and it's mission was accomplished at that point.

The problem is not that administration goals are being downgraded, it’s that people outside the administration are now setting a totally unrealistic goal of a violence-free Iraq as a condition for declaring victory. Ain't gonna happen, at least not anytime soon. Free and democratic, yes, maybe; as peaceful as Vermont, no. The essential condition of victory, control of the country, was mostly achieved in the first three weeks of the war, finalized after Fallujah, and cemented firmly into place by the standing up of the Iraqi forces, who are good enough to stand their ground: they have not lost a single police station or checkpoint to insurgents in over a year now. The promised democracy is well underway.


Nod to Jeff.

News from North Korea

Just found this site (via Winds of Change), and I'm bookmarking it because it's just a HOOT! It links news from North Korea via the KCNA - propaganda straight from the Madman in Pajama's mouth - with comment by the site's author. Try this one out for size:

”Mr. Roh, tear down this wall!”

Not content to let Western democracies corner the market on outrage over nation-splitting concrete walls, North Korea has angrily demanded for years that South Korea tear down a 240 km, 10 m high concrete wall that transverses the entire width of the Korean peninsula, running just below the DMZ. This demand would be exceedingly difficult for South Korea to meet, however, for the following reasons.
Dissembling the wall would take quite a bit of time
It would cost a lot of money
It would remove a deterant against a North Korean invasion
The wall doesn’t really exist
Of these, I happen to think that point #4 is the biggest obstacle, though no doubt others would disagree. The phantom wall was not-built in 1979, is 10-19 metres un-wide at bottom, 3-7 metres un-wide on the top.


I can't keep copying stuff from the site, but I just want to include this little factoid- when reading through the "news" (I learned the scarequotes trick from the New York Times), the word Juche pops up. So, what the HELL is Juche?

"Juche” is the North Korean ideology of extreme national self-reliance, first developed in the 50’s by a high-ranking official (who later defected), but heavily emphasized by the regime starting around the early 70’s. It is used in part to justify shutting the country off from the rest of the world.

Numbering years by Juche is the North Korean equivalent of the western (Gregorian) “A.D.” or “C.E.”, except that it starts from the year of birth of Kim Il Sung (1912) rather than Jesus Christ. The idea, obviously, is that Kim Il Sung was such a monumental demigod that time should be centered around his birth. For more on this, visit the Gregorian-Juche Era conversion tool.

Interestingly enough, this “year zero” philosophy was also practiced by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, who reset the world’s timeline according to their revolution. They thought their ideology was so perfect and complete, in and of itself, that whatever came before it in the river of history was irrelevant and could be discarded.

If the leader of your own country ever implements some kind of “year zero” policy, I suggest getting the hell out of Dodge.


Heh.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Defending Mother Cindy

Here’s a short list showing why Cindy Sheehan is right!

1) It was criminal for Cindy Sheehan’s son to die for Israel rather than for the true interests of America.

From the beginning, this war was orchestrated from top to bottom by Jewish Neocons that saw the war as one for Israel’s strategic objectives. They ramped up the war through Jews such as Perle and Wolfowitz, the false intelligence through CIA analyst Stuart Cohen and by Israel’s Mossad, and had a compliant Jewish-dominated media to cheer on the war. The truth is the Iraq War has inflicted incredible damage on America and the American people. It is war against America rather than in defense of America.

2) It was criminal to send her son to die for a lie.

There were no weapons of mass destruction, no nuclear program, no uranium from Niger, no links with Al Qaeda, no imminent threat to the American people. Every reason the American people were given for going to war has turned out to be a lie.

3) It is criminal for her son to be forced to die for democracy in other ountries.

If Americans were sent to die for democracy or justice in all the countries of the world we deem unjust or undemocratic, then we must be ready to send millions of our sons and daughters to war all over the globe.

4) The lie that her son died for the good of the Iraqi People is false on its face.

Hundreds of thousands of Iraq men women and children have been killed, injured, made homeless and suffered from this war. You don’t save people by destroying their homes and hospitals, and throwing their country in chaos.

5) The Iraq war and her son’s death did not defend American from hatred or terrorism.

In fact, the war is massively increasing hatred and terrorism. For every one terrorist killed in Iraq, we are creating thousands more who hate and want to hurt America and Americans. This is the surest way to lose the war on terror not win it.


6) Cindy Sheehan’s son died for no true interest for the American people.

It has secured us no new or cheaper oil, it has cost a national treasure of hundreds of billions of dollars, it has alienated friends and allies, it has hurt American business around the world, it has separated and caused hardship upon millions of American military and National Guard families. It has killed almost 2000 and maimed tens of thousands of loyal and brave Americans who do their duty in Iraq. Again, this is war against every true interest of the America. The only nation that benefits from it is Israel!

Cindy Sheehan has a lot to be angry about. Her son was betrayed and his life lost by government officials who treasonably created and continue a war for Israel and the Jewish supremacist agenda rather than that of the United States.

We stand with Cindy Sheehan and the memory of her son which should spur all truly patriotic Americans to demand an end to this war for Israel, this war against America, the Iraq War.

It is not Iraq’s borders that need protecting, it is the American border with Mexico!

Support our troops…bring them home!
Let them protect America and not die for Israel.

Sincerely,

David Duke

H/t- Taranto's Best of the Web

Saturday, August 13, 2005

I question the timing

Of this whole Sheehan dealo. Able Danger-gate is coming out, yet the media is obsessed with Sheehan and no one is paying attention.

As I said, I question the timing.

Friday, August 12, 2005

In an effort to cause Cognitive Dissonance

The following are the words of Cindy Sheedan at the Veterens for Peace convention:

And I'm gonna say, "And you tell me, what the noble cause is that my son died for." And if he even starts to say freedom and democracy' I'm gonna say, bullshit.

You tell me the truth. You tell me that my son died for oil. You tell me that my son died to make your friends rich. You tell me my son died to spread the cancer of Pax Americana, imperialism in the Middle East. You tell me that, you don't tell me my son died for freedom and democracy.'

Cuz, we're not freer. You're taking away our freedoms. The Iraqi people aren't freer, they're much worse off than before you meddled in their country.

You get America out of Iraq, you get Israel out of Palestine .


And here are the words of Mohammed of the blog IRAQ THE MODEL:
I know how you feel Cindy, I lived among the same pains for 35 years but worse than that was the fear from losing our loved ones at any moment. Even while I'm writing these words to you there are feelings of fear, stress, and sadness that interrupt our lives all the time but in spite of all that I'm sticking hard to hope which if I didn't have I would have died years ago.

Ma'am, we asked for your nation's help and we asked you to stand with us in our war and your nation's act was (and still is) an act of ultimate courage and unmatched sense of humanity.
Our request is justified, death was our daily bread and a million Iraqi mothers were expecting death to knock on their doors at any second to claim someone from their families.
Your face doesn't look strange to me at all; I see it everyday on endless numbers of Iraqi women who were struck by losses like yours.

Our fellow country men and women were buried alive, cut to pieces and thrown in acid pools and some were fed to the wild dogs while those who were lucky enough ran away to live like strangers and the Iraqi mother was left to grieve one son buried in an unfound grave and another one living far away who she might not get to see again.

We did nothing to deserve all that suffering, well except for a dream we had; a dream of living like normal people do.

We cried out of joy the day your son and his comrades freed us from the hands of the devil and we went to the streets not believing that the nightmare is over.
We practiced our freedom first by kicking and burning the statues and portraits of the hateful idol who stole 35 years from the life of a nation.
For the first time air smelled that beautiful, that was the smell of freedom.


I don't need to add a thing.

Speaking of Afghanistan/ Chrenkoff

Just added Major John to my blogroll, which reminded me that pehaps I should link Chrenkoff's most recent Good News from Afghanistan, part 15.

Just because*.



*(Just because it makes me feel not so bad about that last post)

Call me a hypocrite, I don't care.

But, I want Marty to win.

Riddle me this

The LA Times brings up a reoccurring theme of the anti-war movement in an article about Cindy Sheehan:

Antiwar leaders hope that putting the spotlight on Sheehan will motivate Americans who oppose the war, creating a political force strong enough to compel the Bush administration to change course.


Change the course to what? It's not that I agree, or am supportive of their message, I just truly and honestly want to know what the "anti-war" people would like to happen? Complete withdrawal of American troops from Iraq (and Afghanistan)? Because that, of course, would unleash all sorts of hell in the Middle East. The old drumbeat "Bush lied" has gotten just so tired. Ok, what if Bush lied (since evidence to the contrary doesn't stop the accusations) - what NOW? Part of the anti-war movement that is so tiring is the "everything we've done is wrong" wing. Well, ok. Even if that were true, since we don't have a time machine exactly WHAT is it they would like us to do now? What course would they like our President to take?

Besides, of course, Bush sending his daughter's into combat. Because that is really the only definitive action Anti-Bushies seem to be suggesting.

Cindy Cindy Cindy

That blog that will not be linked has article after article on Cindy Sheehan. Anyone want to venture a guess how many of them are in support of her?

Thursday, August 11, 2005

What bias in Hollywood?/updated

Well, read it and weep. That is what Hollywood has in store for us. Take this one for starters:

-  "V For Vendetta." From Warner Brothers and the creators of "The Matrix" comes this film about a futuristic Great Britain that's become a 'fascist state.' A masked 'freedom fighter' named V uses terror tactics (including bombing the London Underground) to undermine the government - leading to a climax in which the British Parliament is blown up. Natalie Portman stars as a skinhead who turns to 'the revolution' after doing time as a Guantanamo-style prisoner.


That's funny - because you'd think that Hollywood would be a tad more interested in ACTUAL fascist states that exist today (in Africa), or follow the trail of the hopes and aspirations of the Islamic fascists. If Britain ever becomes anything remotely resembling a fascist state, it will only be under auspices of an Islamic caliphate. And, not to give too much away, but in that scenario, the "Freedom fighters" will not be the ones bombing schools, and forcing Burkas on anything with a uterus.

Here's another good one:

"Syriana." Starring George Clooney and Matt Damon, this Warner Brothers film - set during the first Bush administration - features a plot by American oil companies and the U.S. government to redraw Middle East borders for greater oil profiteering. The film even depicts a handsome, 'tragic' suicide bomber driven to jihad after being fired by an American oil company! The film's climax comes with the jihadist launching an explosive device into an oil tanker as American oil barons and Saudi officials look on.


Oye. I'm surprised they didn't just use Michael Moor's "Afghan pipeline" fairy tale. This really cuts to the quick of the evil Rethuglican mythology. It's all about OIL. Rethuglicans own oil, or their friend's own oil, and it is the muse behind all foreign policy. Can't those creative types could come up with something new? I guess that would be asking too much. And, there is comfort in knowing what the Left Coast is dishing out. A continuum. Let's review Hollywood's steadfast storyline rules:

American = stupid and/or Evil
Oil = Republican justification for war
jihadist = freedom fighter who's just been pushed too far (most likely witnessed his sister/wife/mother being raped by American soldiers)
US President and the government = always evil unless it's depicting a Democrat
Terrorist = Scandinavian bank robber (never Islamic)

Which really brings me to a point I've been wanting to bring up for the last few days. We are currently winning the war on Terror and the War in Iraq. What we are NOT winning is the propaganda war. Of course, in this endeavor we are at a distinct disadvantage, since most of our media, and all of Hollywood (bar a few here and there) are gunning for the other side. Take a look at that list. What is the message of those films?

Oh well. I know I will be saving my cash, because I will NOT be going to any of these atrocities. Hollywood can go pound itself.

Update: Jeff'sf .02 on the matter:

I just hope theaters spring for newsreels and pre-feature cartoons; because nothing gets me more in the mood for a 110-minute PG-13 piece of anti-military, anti-Bush doctrine agitprop than footage of US soldiers being wounded by roadside bombs, or shorts of Bugs Bunny in drag seducing a lechorous Don Rumsfeld to prevent him from launching a preemptive war against a Syrian orphanage.

Mean, but funny

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Hitchens (republished-don't ask)

How can so many people watch this as if they were spectators, handicapping and rating the successes and failures from some imagined position of neutrality? Do they suppose that a defeat in Iraq would be a defeat only for the Bush administration? The United States is awash in human rights groups, feminist organizations, ecological foundations, and committees for the rights of minorities. How come there is not a huge voluntary effort to help and to publicize the efforts to find the hundreds of thousands of "missing" Iraqis, to support Iraqi women's battle against fundamentalists, to assist in the recuperation of the marsh Arab wetlands, and to underwrite the struggle of the Kurds, the largest stateless people in the Middle East? Is Abu Ghraib really the only subject that interests our humanitarians?



h/t: Vodka Pundit

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Clicky click click

Click on over, and help. Just click. It don't cost 'nothin.

Vampires

The reason why my son won't go to bed tonight.

Vampires.

Cindy Sheehan

Jeff sums up my feeling pretty well on this subject.

It's dirty pool when partisans give the heavy lifting to the mother of a dead soldier. That way, anyone who attacks her silly statements hopefully looks like a heel at best, and a total @sshole at worst.

HA

Funny funny stuff from Wuzzadem. I laughed, I cried, I peed my pants.

H/t; he who doesn't need my crappy hat tip.

Talking God

So, is your church (if you go) noisy? Is the congregation praising toward the heavens, or quietly mouthing the words to the hymns? What say you?

Monday, August 08, 2005

Gay Marriage in Canada

What goes on (or doesn't) in the bedroom, is no one's business. Which is why none of us should be bothered that these two men are getting married.

Need a laugh?

Well, Greg Gutfeld is here to answer our prayers. From a recent Q and A post of his on that blog I never read :

My friends laugh out loud when they read Deepak Chopra's posts. But I find the posts deeply spiritual. Is that normal?
It is normal if you're a rich, well-educated but confused individual who finds organized religion too difficult to fit into her schedule and far too demeaning to her ego-driven intellect. While real faith requires sacrifice and a willingness to look outside yourself, "spirituality" alone is internal, ego-based and easy to do. Spirituality without religion is like pretending you won the game without playing. Instead of contemplating God, you contemplate your navel. "And it's an endless, ever-expanding navel," Deepak might say.


Heh.

Names names names

Watching an old movie last night - I saw a few names that just haven't seemed to find their way back into popularity.

Enid
Milton
Busby

Anyone see these name used? On someone younger than 40, that is.

Friday, August 05, 2005

Voter fraud 2004

I could hear it mentioned every day (on Air America) AS FACT that Rethuglians practiced voter intimidation and fraud in 2004. But, who was really guilty?

Republican charges against the Dems: here.

Democrat charges against the Rethugs: here.

Why I read him every day

Steve, from Hog On Ice that is :

In other news, Drudge links to a story that says the ACLU has predictably sued to stop subway bag searches in New York.

I was going to write something long and pithy about it, but the coffee isn't working yet, so I'll just say this: if New Yorkers want to be blown up, that's fine. They have the right to make that choice, as long as they understand that, having banned searches, they'll have a hell of a time pinning this on Bush or the pseudo-Republican Bloomberg.

Go ahead and ban the searches and get blown up. What courage you have. I'm impressed. It may turn out to be a good thing, actually. People are afraid the Muslims will blow up the financial district and ruin our economy. If New Yorkers make it easy enough to blow up the subway, maybe the financial district will be spared.


And, all this before his coffee.

I've got an idea

Ana suggested/put the kernel into my head to run a Marathon. So, that idea has been bopping around my head for the past week. Detroit has a Marathon, but I have little interest in that. But, there is one up in Traverse City next May. So, that's what I'm thinking.

Of course, the unbearable heat must let up or I'll never get up to 4 miles a day.

EVERYONE has better stories than me

Another reason to be depressed. Apparently just about everyone is living a more exciting life than me.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

What's going on up there?

This just in from the Great White North:

Thirty-six per cent of respondents agreed with the statement, “Western Canadians should begin to explore the idea of forming their own country.” Forty-three per cent of Albertans agreed with the statement, with the greatest level of support coming from the youngest age group (18 to 29 year olds).

Yum!

How about this - I pull together a nice Celery log and have everyone over for dinner?

h/t - The Pragmatic Chef and Ana.

Can't disagree

I can't disagree with Mark Godlblatt when he says:

Until the antiwar movement comes to grips with the reality that the invasion of Iraq was a difficult call on which reasonable, well-intentioned people can disagree, until the protestors and chanters recognize that President Bush made a determination based on what he perceived, rightly or wrongly, as the best interests of the American people, they will deserve the likes of Jane Fonda and Michael Moore as their spokespersons.


Wednesday, August 03, 2005

What are we watching?

"Downfall" is on the top of my Netflix list, what's on yours?

Kwame

I am Kwame Kilpatrick, and I always refer to myself in the third person:

"The first part of this race was an opportunity for those that have been genuinely hurt, for those that have been upset with Kwame Kilpatrick, to exercise that choice," Kilpatrick told supporters. "I learned a valuable lesson. I accept what you've done today."


You've learned a valuable lesson? Which lesson is that? That the city of Detroit isn't your personal fiefdom? That using city money to get yourself a fancy SUV, or to charge family vacations on the city's credit card is a bad idea? Because, really I don't think you've learned your lesson. Your only regret was that you were caught.

And, FTR, he's referring, in the above quote, to getting spanked by Freman Hendrix in the primaries.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

No, I'm serious

I'm really losing it. Anyone got something funny I can look at?

Primaries today


scan_58285446_1
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.
Anyone wanna guess what I think of these instructions?

Monday, August 01, 2005

atrophy

That must be what happened to my mind over the summer. After our first day of school, I'm mentally whipped. Of course, it's not as if I forgot long division (my sons) and how to "borrow" when subtracting (my daughter).

Now, I'm reduced to watching elephants "do it" over at Dave's place.