Saturday, July 15. 2006
The Who to go on tour. The remaining two, that is. Townsend and Daltrey. Still, could be interesting. h/t, Basil Dress for church? Quote from Anchoress piece: But for heaven’s sake, people dress up go to work, they dress up to meet someone important…why would you not want to dress a little better when you’re going to greet the King? He may not care how you dress, but why not communicate your esteem, if you can, by dressing for Him as you would if you were going to meet…okay, a mayor.
Imagining a better world without Israel at Daily Kos. Anti-semitism just never quits. h/t, Small Dead Animals Clinton terms going after Lieberman "nutty." He is right, unless...Kos is working for the CIA and Bush. Tim Blair Doug TenNapel (on our blogroll) has written a (comic) book. Apparently, that is what he does when he doesn't blog. Blogging is a major waste of time. From Stratfor, re Israel and Iran : A Middle East Crisis: Backgrounder Israel lives with three realities: geographic, demographic and cultural. Geographically, it is at a permanent disadvantage, lacking strategic depth. It does enjoy the advantage of interior lines -- the ability to move forces rapidly from one front to another. Demographically, it is on the whole outnumbered, although it can achieve local superiority in numbers by choosing the time and place of war. Its greatest advantage is cultural. It has a far greater mastery of the technology and culture of war than its neighbors. Two of the realities cannot be changed. Nothing can be done about geography or demography. Culture can be changed. It is not inherently the case that Israel will have a technological or operational advantage over its neighbors. The great inherent fear of Israel is that the Arabs will equal or surpass Israeli prowess culturally and therefore militarily. If that were to happen, then all three realities would turn against Israel and Israel might well be at risk. That is why the capture of Israeli troops, first one in the south, then two in the north, has galvanized Israel. The kidnappings represent a level of Arab tactical prowess that previously was the Israeli domain. They also represent a level of tactical slackness on the Israeli side that was previously the Arab domain. These events hardly represent a fundamental shift in the balance of power. Nevertheless, for a country that depends on its cultural superiority, any tremor in this variable reverberates dramatically. Hamas and Hezbollah have struck the core Israeli nerve. Israel cannot ignore it.
Read the rest of their report below, thanks to Gwynnie's subscription:
Continue reading "Some mid-afternoon links"
It's a beach and boat day! Carpe diem. Hope you meet no rogue waves; hope the gals meet plenty of handsome rogues. If you're single, Hey, Jude, don't be afraid: reach out and touch someone today! Summer is the time for luuuuuuv.  Rogue Waves. Most of us were introduced to rogue waves in A Perfect Storm. Turns out they are more common than thought. NYT Science News.
Why do Jews tend to vote Dem? Kesler takes a look. The Healthy Forests Restoration Act is a waste of $. No doubt. The Commons Dems try to figure out how to manipulate religious people. RWN Microsoft, the European Commission, anti-trust. The EU hates success: they want to be KING. Disturbed people love power. Coyote Ptown gay group goes terrorist against "breeders." That ain't smart. Polipundit From Bob, a happily rambling Bobistical, but not solipsitical, piece on the inner universe, the soul, Hopkins, the human face, and God. One Cosmos. His piece made me think of The Kingfisher, which is why it's today's Saturday Verse. A quote: But one of the fundamental teachings of any spiritual view is that the universe has a within that is accessible to humans. In other words, the universe is not simply an exterior, made up of discrete parts that are external to one another. Rather, by looking at the parts in a certain way, we may discover a wholeness in the world that in turn reveals its interior dimension--and therefore its meaning. Parts show us only the exterior of the cosmos, while wholeness shows us the great within (and vice versa).
Read our Dr. Bliss' piece on Happiness posted on Thurs.
Friday, July 14. 2006
"Black Culture" blamed for Katrina woes. Synthstuff. The battle for Harry Truman's ghost. Oxblog. Good piece. Gentlemen's Sports: Martini-mixing, insulting foreigners, and hitting on ladies. FMFT How complicated are things in Lebanon? Breibart Krauthammer: It's about Israel's right to exist. Here. But if they got rid of Israel, who would they blame for their problems? A Soccer comment from our Gwynnie: In June 1812, Napoleon’s Grande Armée of over 600,000 men (mostly Germans pressed into service) crossed into Russia. Gwynnie thinks that the head-butting of Materazzi by Zizou (mostly Algerian) was the most aggressive and courageous action by a Frenchman in uniform since.
Tom Brokaw: Drives a Prius, bemoans global warming, owns a charter jet company. Tim Blair/ Gas for me but not for thee. What Londonistan is up against: Daniel Pipes, h/t, Smart Christian  Lebanon was just about to get its tourism business back. From a piece in Travelwire:
Tourism is one of the major economic drivers in Lebanon, generating a significant revenue for the national income. In 2004, around 1.3 million tourists arrived reflecting a 26% from 2003. The numbers grew higher above the average regional rate of 20.5% in the Middle East region. Visitors count was impressive for a country so small in size and population. Of the 2004 total, 545,150 were Arab nationals, 338,475 North and Latin Americans, and
152,075 Europeans and Asians. Up till end of July 2005, the statistics office said the country received 422,000. Tourism Minister H.E. Joseph Sarkis was bent on topping last year’s growth rate, if not, reaching at least the 1 million mark the country has traditionally enjoyed since 2000 until February 14 when the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated.
Read the whole piece - a good update on the country in general.
Buying wine online: What's the future? Bainbridge at TCS Is the ABA's Diversity Standard legal? volokh An amusing advt (beach video) for Israel vacations (maybe not this week, tho) When the govt tells doctors how to treat their patients. DB What did the NYT really do when they published the SWIFT story? Villainous Company Post-modernism, deconstructionism, another wacko professor, and Israel. Sigmund, Carl and Alfred Obesity and political correctness. Can a doctor tell a patient that they are "fat"? Of course. Like it's not obvious anyway. Dr. Helen
Thursday, July 13. 2006
Who killed Fidel? Zidane. Video at Babalu Another addition to the Maggie's Olde Blogrolle: A Slower Pace. His family is seeking a sane, wholesome life. Why is John Calvin a "rhetorical negative"? Middlebrow says "Blame the textbooks." We agree. Many of us have shot tennis balls from backyard cannons towards the sea, but potato guns? Orange guns? New to me, but I like the idea. Alphecca. Vanderleun - a quote from his recent confessional piece: After some years had passed it surprised me to realize that I had not really thought of her for months. It was surprising to notice that my once nightly mantra of secret thoughts centered on all the wrongs done, and all the years of my child's life stolen from me, had retreated to a much more infrequent pattern. I was relieved that the thoughts that always spiraled down into the dark (where I would imagine the worst sort of things happening to the woman I once loved above all others) had faded to a sometime thing. And there it stayed, a sometime thing. A steady state of hate.
Johnny Cash tops record charts. Here's a Johnny Cash website. Does being wealthy make people Liberal? Then why do they love the inheritance taxes? View from 1776. At Maggie's, we oppose all inheritance taxes. We would like everyone and every family to have the chance to become free of relying on the government - whether that makes them liberal or conservative. "The religious left that doesn't exist." In Britain. Asst Village Idiot. And in the US, the Dems go up against the Pope with their Religion of the State: Ankle Biting Prostate Cancer: Does it always need to be treated? Many docs say No. The Gay Sea Scouts, or The Black Sea Scouts, or the Hispanic Sea Scouts, or the Jewish Sea Scouts, would have no problem in Berkleley, but the real Sea Scouts have a real problem. Stop the ACLU Dinosaurs in Alaska? There were herds of them, due to global warming. Will they return if we warm it up again? Could be some exciting hunting. Nice head mounts. More details on the Big Dig. Talk about sloppy execution. MassBackwards. Engineering details at Viking. Did I help pay for this boodoggle? The consequences of gun confiscation in East Africa. Never take away people's right to self-defence. You take away their humanity. h/t, Barone And here is why: Dept of Righteous Shooting by Kim du Toit. My opinion? No responsible home should be unprotected by firearms. More on Rove and La Rasa. "Shared values." Lieberman update. Ex-Donk. I could almost support this Lefty guy, just because of the people behind his opposition. Psychedelic drugs and religion. A new study. Yes, they make people more "spiritual," whatever that means.
Wednesday, July 12. 2006
Can you write the worst opening line for a novel? A contest. The Bombay (Mumbai?) Bombings. Looks like Jihadists. Gateway Fluffgate continues in MA: At Maggie's Farm, we support the basic and Constitutionally-guaranteed freedom to eat fluffernutter sandwiches if they wish. CSM As we have noted, millions of otherwise normal Yankees have been raised successfully on this disgusting concoction, alternated with baloney sandwiches. June Allyson died. Shelf The Big Dig - more problems. We are reminded that Reagan tried to veto this boondoggle, but Ted Kennedy got it through. Novak unravels the Valerie Plame kefuffle: Atlas Karl Rove and La Raza. What's the deal? I think I know - it's probably about POLITICS! (Don't tell anyone.)LinknZona has his own view, along with some disturbing documents. Fantasy Cowboy by John Podhoretz. Good stuff in the NY Post. h/t, Powerline The NYT is confused by why tax revenues are up, and the deficit down. The Conspiracy. Would someone please explain it to them? Speaking Truth to Power. Haha. Yesterday's protest at the NYT. Michelle We are adding a few more new friends to the Olde Blogrolle: Assistant Village Idiot from the Granite State, Blue Crab Boulevard from Blue Crab Boulevard, and LinknZona from the land of 65 year-old women who dress like they are 17 (up here, we term that "mutton dressed as lamb"), and someone who doesn't like the notion of the Reconquista. Also, Villainous Company, with whom we feel quite at home. Remember this joke we posted in April? Can anyone here make me feel like a woman? Does paranoia interest you? How about websites that term those who think the Jihadists did 9-11 "conspiracy theorists"? http://911tvfakery.blogspot.com/, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/911InsideJobbers/
http://911closeup.com/nico/911truthlings.html
Tuesday, July 11. 2006
A couple of new posts last nite - don't miss 'em. Duct Tape in space: repairing the shuttle. Lying lies and the liars who tell them. When you smear someone with a lie, it never goes away, even after corrections. The American Left has learned that lies work as well as facts, but you run out of facts too quickly. For example, after Rather, how many Americans still think Bush played games with his Guard service? Tons. How many people still believe the NSA was listening in on their phone calls? Tons. Now the Ann Coulter plagiarism smear has been corrected, but as a commenter to the piece at Lucianne succinctly says: Sorry, Ann, too late. The progressives' stink bomb has gone off and the old media doesn't care what you say. As long as some know-nothing moderates now think there was plagiarism, the left's idea of the greater good has been served.
Nature Conservancy buying fishing fleet. Good example of the market approach to conservation. Marginal Rev. No religion please - we're English. Brits believe they have better ways to reach and reform jailbirds than through religion. Wish they would share this hitherto unknown knowledge with the world. Dinocrat Probably read this already, but Al Baradei was covering for the Iranians. But he keeps his UN job. Wizbang The beheadings, on video. I cannot watch. Can you? My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. But go ahead, and ask me what we are fighting for. Bill Keller in 1944. Why do these folks love Jihadist Islam? Horsefeathers. Is John McCain unstable? He just sounds like a tough guy to me, but how come no-one who knows him likes him? Corruption? More Clintons and money. They do love their money. Captain Ed. Always funny how socialists love their own money, but don't want you to keep yours. Bush 41. What a gentleman. He gets a ship named after him, with grace and humor. Rhymes with Right Wackos reveal their true view: The US Army are Nazis. Is there a name for this disorder? LGF
Monday, July 10. 2006
The University of Wisconsin at Madison has, in their wisdom, hired a certain Mr. Barrett to teach a course called "Introduction to Islam." Mr. Barrett has founded an organization called: "The Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance for 9-11 Truth." That sounds nice, if a nightmare for the caterers; people of many faiths getting together to... hey! What's this "truth" he's talking about? ''The physics of those collapses clearly could not have resulted from plane crashes and jet fuel fires with office materials.'' Barrett says jet fuel does not burn hot enough to melt steel, and says recent tests on melted steel from the building prove his theory that it was wired to collapse, by the Government. Barrett says the Bush Administration is fooling the American public with the Adolf Hitler 'Big Lie Technique'...
Out there in Iowa...I mean Wisconsin... That's truth with a capital "T" and that spells out Trouble! the Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance, which claims the Bush administration planned the attacks to create a war between Muslims and Christians. He argues that members of the faiths must work together to overcome the belief that terrorists were to blame.
"The 9/11 lie was designed to sow hatred between the faiths," Barrett has written on the organization's Web site.
"Either we discuss the compelling evidence that 9/11 was an inside job, or there is precious little to talk about."
Oh, I see. George Bush is a crazy lunatic that wants to foment war with the Muslims. Hmmm. Well, since George Bush is the President, I guess he can do that without all the genocidal urban renewal Mr Barrett figures he needs to undertake, but hey, I'm not the expert. Apparently, Mr. Barrett is. He claims to know all about the structural properties of skyscrapers, and the ramifications, if you'll pardon the term, of ramming big airplanes filled with jet fuel into them. Who are we to quibble? He's got degrees in Arabic and African Folklore. Those come in handy when you're setting rebar in concrete, no doubt. He's a deep thinker, Mr Barrett: 9/11 was designed by non-religious, Machievellian-Straussian cynics who believe that hatred and hostility are what move the world. By uniting for 9/11 truth we are standing up for love and compassion against their hatred. And we are standing up for astonishment and awe against their cynicism. For them, it was just a minor special effects extravaganza, put together by Hollywood specialists to manipulate audience emotion and pave the way for war—a slightly more realistic version of Wag the Dog. For them, the deaths of a few thousand people mean very little..
Astonishment and awe? I thought it was "shock and awe." And he wants to do swell things by talking about this stuff: Kevin Barrett will discuss strategies for turning the 9/11 psychological warfare operation against its perpetrators, and using 9/11 truth as a "magic bullet" that could demilitarize the American economy, overthrow corrupt elites, turn attention and resources toward pressing environmental concerns, and usher in a new era of peace and justice.
Hmm. Magic bullets. What, no magic beans? Now when someone tells me they want me to believe them about one thing, so they can get me to do something else, I wonder about the veracity of that thing I'm supposed to believe. Like when bums ask you for money for food. Sometimes, I hate to disappoint you, but they spend the money you give them on booze and drugs. That's just FYI; I don't want to cast aspersions on hobos by associating them with Mr Barrett. And so if Mr. Barrett wishes to have me pay attention to his beliefs on environmental concerns and so forth, which seem, well, not germane to discussions of mass murder, and to get me to do so by accusing the President of the United States, along with large numbers of other persons in the government and military necessary to mount such an audacious scheme, I have but one question for him. Just the one.
Continue reading "Just One Question, Please, Mr. Barrett"
 Vacation is over. A Dunkin Donuts and back to work for me. If you have been away, scroll down so you do not miss one iota of our efforts! We do it for you!
Image? You noticed? Seen on the beach on Cape Cod on Saturday. When body-surfing in the Atlantic, the ocean waves can play fun tricks with a gal's bathing top. World Cup - Great game, until the end. The trouble with low-scoring sports is the larger role of luck. Maybe just eliminate the goalies? Naw, that would worsen unemployment in Europe. What are colleges warning the kids about in freshman orientation these days? Poker, facebook photos, etc. VDH's latest: Facts about the war that no-one is talking about. Racist Oil: RTLC has Jesse Jackson's number. Last week I posted the following: Hamas can't let Israel go. That's right - opposing the existence of Israel is their only claim to power. If the Palestinians were interested in anything else - like running a country, and an economy, having normal happy lives, getting educated, etc. - these terrorist creeps would be outta there. Tiny Israel, with no natural resources other than people, is the Great Middle-Eastern scapegoat and distraction from their own failings. Without Israel, or the Americans, they'd have to look at themselves in the mirror - and who wants to do that? So killing Jews, a handful at a time, can keep them in power for a long time, because there are lots of Jews in Israel.
As if to confirm that notion, Ahmadinejab said this on the 8th (Gateway): "The basic problem in the Islamic world is the existence of the Zionist regime, and the Islamic world and the region must mobilise to remove this problem," the president said at the opening of the two-day conference.
Well, if Israel is the greatest problem, then the Middle East has no problems. These guys learned from history that distraction, hatred, and scapegoating are effective political tools, especially with the ignorant and the uneducated.
Sunday, July 9. 2006
A new drug to quit smoking. Kevin MD Joe Lieberman's problem: He doesn't hate Bush enough. So it's all about hate? Good update on the challenge against Lieberman, and their debate, in which Ned was crushed - so they accused Lieberman of being a bully. Lieberman?!? Is it just possible that Ned isn't ready for the Major League? Ned is being used, and the danger is that it will go to his head. Wkly Standard Truth, Justice, and the American Way. That's not cool anymore? But, may I ask, what adult seeks to be cool? Oh, right. Hollywood adults. Betsy, with Lileks. Rudy is running. I think the Repubs are going to face some good, tough choices in the primaries. Cap'n Ed Missing Headlines: Jobs growth continues apace: Am Thinker Bill Keller Unplugged. The NYT defence is unravelling. At the brand new shiny Town Hall Blog Europe must look to the US to find their roots. Brussels Journal David Warren suggests prayer as a foreign policy towards North Korea.
Friday, July 7. 2006
The DaVinci Barcode. A new train - the Beijing to Tibet express. A plea for support for Diana Irey - she is running against Murtha. Cotillion Hamas can't let Israel go. That's right - opposing the existence of Israel is their only claim to power. If the Palestinians were interested in anything else - like running a country, and an economy, having normal happy lives, getting educated, etc. - these terrorist creeps would be outta there. Tiny Israel, with no natural resources other than people, is the Great Middle-Eastern scapegoat and distraction from their own failings. Without Israel, or the Americans, they'd have to look at themselves in the mirror - and who wants to do that? So killing Jews, a handful at a time, can keep them in power for a long time, because there are lots of Jews in Israel. How dumb can you be? Coke employees try to sell secrets to Pepsi. NYT Nice clips from the Volvo sea-racing video. Not for the faint of heart. You Tube The economics of the minimum wage. Good, clear stuff. Cafe Hayek. Nutjobs in lab prove 9-11 was a hoax. Good grief. Yup, that sure looks like proof to me. Gateway A good birthday post for our youthful Pres, by Anchoress Update on the Iraq govt's peace plan. Oxblog. For better or worse, control is gradually being transferred to them, as it must be. Why would a state pay for kids of illegals to go to college? Wizbang takes a look at Massachusetts. Walkin' down Main Street, looking for a hoe. Any idea how many kinds there are?
Thursday, July 6. 2006
Wordplay. Pejman likes this new movie. For iPods, file-sharing is down, legal music is up. Ars Technica The Godfather of the Muslim Brotherhood and Grandfather of Al Quaida: Saayid Qutb. A bit of recent history at Gates of Vienna Flag-burning on July 4th. Moonbattery First it was dodge-ball, now tag, soccer and flag football are being banned from school recess. Ed. Wonks Henry Paulson is a bird-watcher and nature lover. I like this guy already. The Commons Brit National Health Service attacks "complementary and alternative" cancer treatments. These things are enjoying growing popularity in the US. Is Hawaii really part of America? Brown at RCP Haha. Fred Sanders offers a bit of art criticism at Middlebrow Is Bin Ladin turning into a religious fanatic? Blame Bush Why do some gays want kids? Gay Patriot explains. Multiculturalism is a social nuclear weapon. View from 1776
Wednesday, July 5. 2006
EU votes for "green tax" on airfare. What will a tax on airfare do to reduce air pollution, I wonder? Daily Pundit Everyone on earth has royal roots. Knew I did. That asteroid near-miss: It will come back again, in a while. Excerpted from The Conspiracy: According to the Theory of the Unitary Editor, whenever a Times reporter is given unauthorized classified information, Bill Keller's editorial conscience allows him to unilaterally declassify national secrets, bypass Congress, and violate the law in the interest of keeping the nation safe from a popularly elected President who he fears may be bypassing Congress and breaking the law.
Rhode Island has a 9% state income tax. Even their Dems are now trying to cut. Lib Leanings From Jed Babbin, via Dinocrat: Since 9-11, none but a few of our former allies have given us more than lip service to help fight terrorism. And among them, fewer still have been willing to do so openly. When those who cooperate in secret are exposed, the damage is enormous, whether someone dies the next day or not. The NYT and WaPo bloody well knew, before the stories ran, that their publication of the CIA prisons and the SWIFT program would make it impossible for some nations to continue cooperating with us. By using their power to interrupt nations’ cooperation with us, the New York Times and the Washington Post have done more damage to our nation’s security than Usama bin Laden has been able to since 9-11. They have become a weapon in the terrorist arsenal. Their claims to still be guardians of our freedom are laughable, and tragically so.
Stossel adds himself to the Gore debunking squad: RCP From Atlas: 
Tuesday, July 4. 2006
Samizdata found this good blog which deals with Chinese business and law: China Law Blog Govt unions oppose performance pay. Big surprise. Redstate We love our Brit cousins, but we are still glad that we had the revolution. After all, we have less crime, a booming economy with essentially no unemployment, more babies, no class system, millions of people gleefully resisting nanny-statism and political correctness, freedom of medical care, lots of guns, and the ability to hunt foxes with dogs and horses. Plus better skiing, better beaches, better sex - and NO MARMITE. Hey - I guess we just do not have the serf mentality. Gateway on how the Brits look down on us. Shame on them. They gave us our foundation, for which we are forever grateful, but our self-determination had to be taken by arms, and we still detest, or at least distrust, State power. I never exhaled. Enviros want to control CO2 emissions. In New Zealand, cow farts are the major source (really), but animals and people exhale tons of it all day long. Let's face it - the enviros want YOU to go away. They could always set an example? Coming out of the closet by becoming a black Repub: neo neo Why solar energy won't work: you'd need to cover two states with solar collectors. YARGB did the math. Read Powerline yet today? Too much good stuff. George Mason has benefited from reaching the Final Four. Good for them, but it's still a dumb way for a university to get visibility. Volokh Haha. Chomsky is a deep cover CIA operative and agent provocateur. Sure, probably. But isn't he a bit obvious? Church of England: being destroyed from within. Big Lizards shows how the same news is and would be reported, depending on the party involved. He is right as rain. Just heard Sean Hannity say he doesn't read blogs. Too bad, but I don't know how he would have the time. Really, talk radio is just a verbal blog anyway. Or vice-versa.
Monday, July 3. 2006
 Maggie's Farm is still in vacation mode. A long July 4th vacation.
How to force your liberal arts major kids to grow up? Reality boot camp. Someone should have sent Pinch Sulzberger. It's for kids who are reluctant to grow up. I could run this: are whips and chains allowed? Jeff Jarvis: Can the press please just tell us what their principles are? Other than trying to bash conservatives? American Left going crazy. Why don't they move to France or China or Bolivia or Venezuela or Cuba, where voting doesn't mess things up? norm. Rejection hurts, but you have to adjust. Moonbattery thinks he found a prof who is nuttier than Ward Churchill. A State Department officer talks, after two years living in the Green Zone. No Pasaran Where is the Supreme Court? In transition? And what's with Justice Kennedy? Greenhouse in the NYT Belgium: "The Frog is getting warmer" by Dymphna USA Today corrects/retracts their NSA spy story. It's too little, too late, and the damage is done. A defense of Ann Coulter's book Godless, by Kirk in Am. Spectator
Sunday, July 2. 2006
Big Moslem Hate-fest this weekend in the US. Front Page. Canada Day yesterday. Will they figure out how others are taking advantage of them, while they bask in their innocent and foolish nursery school virtue? Maxed Out Big reptile show at the American Museum of Natural History. I always think of it as Teddy Roosevelt's place. Two-tier Anglicans? Is that like business class and coach? WTH? Where's God in this? Newsmax
Saturday, July 1. 2006
 Here. What's the big deal? It's your own yard, and it feels cheerful and wholesome to have the summer breeze blowing past your private parts. And why is anybody looking anyway? Keep your eyes to yourself. What goes on in my yard, stays in my yard.
For Santay, Sasha threw on some clothes for the photo, while taking a break from lawn-mowing and dead-heading the roses in the most charming manner. Who cares for your gardens in the nude? Or am I just lucky?
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