Tuesday, September 19. 2006
A blonde called her boyfriend and said, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure it out or how to get it started." Her boyfriend asked, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?" The blonde said, "According to the picture on the box, it's a tiger." Her boyfriend decided to go over and help with the puzzle. She let him in and showed him where she had the puzzle spread all over the table. He studied the pieces for a moment, then looked at the box, then turned to her and said, "First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a tiger. He took her hand and said, "Second, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of hot chocolate and then............", he sighed, .. .
.......
"Let's put all these Frosted Flakes back in the box."
Quote from piece at Ace: There's a great amount of odious liberal condescension at work here. No matter how many times Jihadists say "We are killing you because Allah commands it," liberals keep saying back, "Oh, pish-posh. We know what's really driving you -- a need for more day-care and infrastructure development." Don't liberals believe in actually listening to the diverse narratives of oppressed peoples? Or is that just a cover for making up their own one-size-fits-all narrative and hegemonically imposing it on the world's repressed?
 Sweden makes a right turn. We have mentioned many times to what extent the Swedes seem to live in a fantasy world of nanny-state dependency which sucks the drive, courage, and initiative out of all but their most ambitious - who often leave the country. Nanny state ponzi schemes only work with growing populations, which they do not have. Plus their voters seem to have no awareness of how wealth is created. Plus they are headed towards becoming a Moslem country in a few decades. This event may be a sign of sanity. There's a Swedish lovely on the right, posing sans burkha.
Speaking of Europe, an interview with Dalrymple at Brussels Journal. One quote: Paul Belien: Mr Dalrymple, you are a well-known analyst of the cultural disease of our society. What do you see as the main problem? Theodore Dalrymple: The underlying problem is a lack of purpose, a lack of feeling of belonging to anything larger than one’s own little life. This gives rise to quite a large amount of social pathology. PB: Does this have to do with immigration? Does the problem lie mainly with second generation immigrants? Or do we find the same problem among our indigenous population, the young people, as well? TD: I think it is our indigenous population which suffers from a lack of purpose. They have no religious belief. Quite a large proportion of the population does not derive any selfrespect from having to work for a living because some people are no better off if they work than if they do not work. They also have no cultural and intellectual interests. Therefore they do not feel they belong to any larger project than their private lives. PB: Isn’t it paradoxical that this is happening in a time where people tend to study longer and be at school longer than any time before in history? TD: What I am saying is not true of everybody, of course. I am talking about a section of the population. However, and unfortunately in Britain anyway, the so-called educational system has become a means of reducing youth unemployment, rather than providing people with either vocational training or intellectual and cultural capital which is of use to them throughout their lives. So the vast expansion of tertiary education in Britain – the government wants fifty per cent of the population to go to university – is just another means of disguising unemployment.
Islam proselytizing on the Internet. Bird of Paradise wonders where the forceful Christian response is. My guess is that many Christians just cannot get too excited about the idea of debating the merits of different religions, these days. Maybe we need some C.S. Lewises of the internet. On second thought, we could use some more of him, anywhere.
All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl. Charlie Chaplin
Monday, September 18. 2006
(h/t, No Pasaran, and Cox and Forkum) Terror fund-raising in Boston. Solomonia. Hey, Carl. We love your books, but what is this baloney? Babalu A quote from a predictably intelligent Oxblog piece: A bit ham-handed perhaps, but one might even have argued that in the second aspect here we have a respectful pope attempting in a somewhat bumbling manner, and without the political grace of his predecessor, to engage theologically with the Islamic tradition and its contemplation of God - just the sort of engagement between West and East people of good will ought applaud. It seems to me in this second regard the pope is attempting a dies academicus between religious traditions, which is something much more clever and respectful than the saccharine anodyne of most interreligious activity as it tends to be conducted. It's at any rate in a different register of intellect and intention to 'islamic fascism', altogether.
So mixed reviews, but I'll step in for partial defence of the pope, to note what he was doing was a bit more complex than slathering the Qur'an in pork fat.
Foreign-trained docs taking over US primary care. Kevin MD Hey, Pope. Quit apologizing. Bird of Paradise Evil Repubs gain in polls. Pretend to seek peace. That's the gimmick. Not very sneaky, unless you are an MSM, or a dhimmi. Betsy. We all love peace. Vote Dem and Die. Dems still trying alternate appeals to voters, besides national security. Ignore those Moslems - we'll give you a free doctor. Confederate Yankee says what we all know, but, in modesty rarely say: Don't mess with Texas - meaning the US. We have been gentle thus far. Google ordered to remove French and German newspapers. Good riddance! Author's rights. For all of you would-be engineers, an update on the Tacoma Narrows bridge from Dr. Bob The difference between a dog's breakfast and a dog's dinner, Tweedlee Dum and Tweedlee Dee, and related topics. Althouse. Want a dobro? Know exactly what they are? Synthstuff. Gaghdad Bob takes a look at the deep sickness: Fascism coming to America. Be very very afraid. Armstrong at The Guardian blames the West: Our tradition of hating Islam. What? A Saddam and Al Quaida update: The Wide Awakes New York Times denounces the Pope. Guess they didn;t read his speech either. View from 1776
 The story of the Dartmouth alumni rebellion has been well-covered in the blogosphere, especially by Dartmouth alums like Volokh, Roger Simon, and the Powerline dudes. Recently, the WSJ decided to highlight the story, as reported by Volokh.
Joe's Dartblog follows the story closely from Hanover. It's an important story not only because Dartmouth is an important college: it's important because it sets an example for what alumni groups at other colleges could do when they are displeased by what is being done to their alma mater. In an era in which the tenured radicals and anti-traditionalists use their colleges and universities as laboratories for social engineering and experimentation, many alumni tend to feel dismayed, but helpless. Strangely - but not strangely - the Dartmouth administration is seeking to crush those who do not hew to the Party Line. The Party Line, at the moment, is to change the rules so that petition candidates cannot be elected as trustees. Their use of "push-polling" and intimidation are among the methods which are being applied. That sets one heck of an example for the academic ideal of diversity of opinion and considering different viewpoints. Woops - I forgot. Those ideals are just an antiquated, un-progressive, and obsolete tradition. Viva la Revolucion! Update: A comment from our Dr. Bliss: It's not just about setting an example for other higher education institutions - it's about setting examples for all levels of education. The teacher's colleges take their cues from the Ivies. The entire anti-traditionalist, political-correctness dhimmitude, dumbing-down, feel-good, social-engineering movement in primary school has been inspired by what the big guys do and say, and not just by their own socio-political agendas. One sobering example from a teacher patient of mine (a fellow who uses the subjunctive properly), who told me on Friday that the public schools in MA no longer teach grammar. It's too difficult for the kids, and it's elitist! If that's difficult and elitist, then try taking Physical Chemistry.
We are re-posting this item for three reasons: 1. We can't stand Soros, 2. We added this cute photo from Moonbattery, 3. We have this new youTube video link about Soros calling Bush a Nazi. ...complaining about suppression of speech - on national TV! What a jerk. May I apply the old expression "If you're so rich, how come you ain't smart"? Well, I think he is smart, but not wise. Who is this hero of capitalism?  George Soros, born Gyorgy Schwartz in Hungary in 1930, fled the Nazis in youth with his family, and ended up educated at the London School of Economics.
Since his arrival, almost penniless, in the US in 1956, he has become a legend of the hedge fund business. His specialty has been laying siege to currencies. His conviction for insider trading, and other financial wrong-doings, never garnered much negative attention and, indeed, it was peanuts - just the cost of doing aggressive business. His Quantum Fund is, predictably, registered in Curacao, an off-shore tax haven. Soros' extracurricular activities over recent years have been rightly attracting much attention, as he has become more outspoken in his political views, which tend to be anti-American, pro-world-government, and quasi-socialistic. His preoccupation with drug-legalization is well-known, but his efforts to spread abortion among traditional catholic nations is not. Besides being outspoken, Soros puts his vast amounts of money where his mouth is. Changing the world into his vision seems to be his life mission. His grandiosity, and his lack of respect for American traditions and principles, seem to be his flaws. There is no question that the man who broke the Bank of England understands markets, but that doesn't make him wise about other subjects. While his efforts to bend the Democratic Party leftwards over the past few years, through his Move On organization, have been most visible, Soros' money has been active through many other organizations which would not exist without it. Many say that Soros has bought the Democratic Party, and now he wants to buy America. Many are not aware of his role in Amnesty International, in getting support for McCain-Feingold, or of his formation of the Center for American Progress and America Coming Together. And that's just the beginning. What's his role in funding Air America? As a celebrity investor with billions to spend, he can always get a podium, and he can always find a way to support political goals while by-passing McCain-Feingold via the advocacy organizations he supports. Does he always get a pass from the press? Of course. He is one of the "good rich guys," as opposed to the "evil greedy Republican rich guys." They are in awe of him. Kincaid called him "the biggest political fat cat of all time." Horowitz and Poe, in a new book, view Soros as the banker of The Shadow Party. Atlas is always on Soros' case, unlike the MSM who leave him alone. Here's a good summary of his NGO activities abroad. But it's time to make "Soros-supported" a dirty phrase. Someone needs to do an in-depth study, and get the word out, more loudly. I do not have the time, but Discover the Networks doesn't do the job on Soros. We don't mind his being wealthy, nor do we mind his having opinions. We just want people to know what he wants, and what he is doing, and paying for, behind the scenes. Image of Soros as Dr. Evil stolen from Moonbattery (Ignore continuation page below)
Continue reading "Soros wants to buy your brain, The Shadow Party, and other things"
 Editor Bird Dog emailed me with a quote from a friend, who said that this was no battle of civilizations, but a battle of civilization against barbarism.
Did any of the protesters read the Pope's speech? I doubt it. I doubt that the entire speech was even translated. If they did, they would have seen, in Pope Benedict, a Christian heart at work and at thought, seeking connection, respecting other faiths, and opposing violence. Via Dino, some sanity from the Aussies: “We live in a world of terrorism where evil acts are being regularly perpetrated in the name of your faith,” Mr Robb said at the Sydney conference. “And because it is your faith that is being invoked as justification for these evil acts, it is your problem. You can’t wish it away, or ignore it, just because it has been caused by others. Instead, speak up and condemn terrorism, defend your role in the way of life that we all share here in Australia.”
Moslems threaten war over Pope's remarks. Ahem. YNET. And guess who was behind the Pope? The Joooos, of course. Human beings do not kill nuns. Period. As of now, my efforts at "understanding" have ended. If the Moslems ended their efforts to kill the infidel, there would be no more violence in the Middle East. Also, heap big update on the Pope story at Anchoress. And you can scroll down for Bird Dog's post yesterday: "Not the same god." Image: Jihadists discussing some of the fine points of a subtle theological discussion of the role of reason in religion and faith.
 A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Russell) once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the Earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the centre of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy.
At the end of the lecture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: "What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise."
The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, "What is the tortoise standing on?"
"You're very clever, young man, very clever," said the old lady. "But it's turtles all the way down."
(H/t - above quoted from neoneocon)
Sunday, September 17. 2006
This event breaks my heart. "Whoever offends our Prophet Mohammed should be killed on the spot by the nearest Muslim."
Hey, Dems. Hey, Ned Lamont. Perhaps we should try to be "nicer" to these rabid beasts. These nuns gave their lives to care for sick Moslem kids, in Somalia. No further comment needed.
Via Michelle, via Jihad Watch, an excellent piece by Fr. Raymond de Souza in the National Post. A quote: Roman Catholics are likely angry. Relations between adherents of the two religions simply cannot develop without all conducting themselves as mature adults. It does a disservice to children to call the wild-eyed statements and deranged behaviour of the past days childish. It is not only the obscenity of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist terrorist band suppressed in several Muslim states, demanding an apology from anyone, let alone the Holy Father. It is not only the grandstanding Pakistani politicians passing resolutions condemning a papal speech few read, and even fewer understood. It is not only the extraneous charges about the Holocaust and Hitler by the agitated and excited. It is that we have seen this before.
Please read the whole thing. Also, read Hugh's piece on the subject.
 Spain outlaws skinny models on catwalks. Talk about intrusive government. However, nanny state France refused to follow suit: the fashion business is powerful in Paris. I think the French model to the right, from Drudge, looks like a skelaton, but it's not the government's problem. (Would somebody please take this gal home and feed her some fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn bread? With a few beers? And maybe some ice-cream?)
Looking to be offended, and using it in a loony manner: Moslems and the Pope. The Pope said nothing offensive, and asked for an end to religious violence. CAIR blasts Pope - LGF. Moslems go berserk - My Way News. Moslems call for beheading of Pope - SDA. (Of course.) In the words of Confederate Yankee, "it remains to be seen how many must die as Islam proves how peaceful it is." The many Dem slogans for 2006: Viking. (I like the Repub slogan - "Vote Dem and Die.") Time for Jews to flee Europe? Joshuapundit thinks so. Holy Wooly Mammoth blood! A huge and very cool archeological find, in Canadadanistan. Synthstuff. Wish I could assist with the dig. Blair slams anti-Americanism. Spot on, Tony. I'd love to be a crim in Britain - they can't shoot you, they won't lock you up, and now they cannot even chase you! You might fall and hurt yourself! What do they put in the water in the UK? Or is those Frenchie-Norman genes? Note to American and all world-wide crims: move to Britain, and live the good life. (h/t, our pals at Tangled Web) Heard any voices in your head lately? Apparently many people do, and enjoy it. Strange. I hear plenty of thoughts, but nothing outloud. Quote from Glenn Reynolds: One might almost think that feminism has become nothing more than a subset of the Democratic Party's activist base. Actually, that has become so obvious that even Maureen Dowd managed to figure it out when she famously commented: "Feminism died in 1998 when Hillary allowed henchlings and Democrats to demonize Monica as an unbalanced stalker, and when Gloria Steinem defended Mr. Clinton against Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones."
New York Times conspiring to cover up future crimes (of their own). Jim Miller
 We did a post on Goldfinches in the past. We have discovered, this year, that the Goldfinches like echinacea seeds as much as they like thistles. Sitting on them every morning. There is nothing like birds and butterflies to add color and vitality to a garden. They provide the movement, like dancers on a stage set.
A sterile garden, with no animal life, is dull. Need the birds and bees to make it complete. Echinacea, aka Purple Coneflower, aka Snakeroot, is a Great Plains plant or herb. The usual forms are tall, for the back of the border, (and tend to tip over about now) but there is a shorter version now.
From Joe at Evangelical Outpost: “Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat,” said John Mark Reynolds, “He’s probably a monarchist.” When I first heard that at GodBlogCon I thought it was clever; now I find it to be a profound insight. Jesus constantly talked about the Kingdom of Heaven. So why do so few Christians talk about it? One reason, I believe, is that we are now all republicans and democrats (small-R, small-D) and simply don’t understand what Jesus is talking about. We may use the term “Lord” and “King of Kings” but—unlike the vast majority of people throughout history--we do not comprehend what it means to live under the reign of a king. We need some remedial training on how to live as subjects in a kingdom. We may be justified in rejecting the divine right of kings to rule but we cannot be justified if we reject the rule of our divine king.
Saturday, September 16. 2006
 Pope Benedict has essentially stated that the god that Jihadists worship is not the Christian God. Duh. That is hardly shocking.
I guess Benedict is not a dhimmi. It's about time somebody important said it. I never bought all of that "it's all the same god" stuff. That was always lame. What sap came up with that idea, anyway? Naturally, the "religion of peace" wants to behead the Pope now, and the idiots will set some stuff on fire and kill a few infidels, thus revealing where their true souls reside. The Pope is wrong, I think, when he says that religion is not about hate. Some are, and some are not. He means "true religion." The "Religion of Perpetual Offence" and Hate has taken his words precisely as they wish to take them, while ignoring his message. So much for "reaching out." Now watch the northern European nations say things like "We must be more careful about what we say and how we say it." Indeed, one cannot be too careful around paranoids, for whom mindless seeking of offence and revenge are the favorite hobbies. Perfect example of how people use "feeling offended" as a weapon. No apologies, please, Benedict. Nothing more than "I am sorry if you did not understand me."
We were going through the cut out bin at the used vinyl store and came across this one. Oldie but Goodie. I only vaguely remember their smash hit, but I'm told it's a real toe-tapper. I wonder if it will climb the charts again as a re-release? I have my doubts.
 "Does this offend you? Good." Right Wing Nation
Did you miss the white buffalo? Wish it had been born on Maggie's Farm, for the traffic to the blog, which is our humble vegetable stand on the roadside. Our Indians go nuts over this sort of thing. The Great Spirit and all that. Gotta respect other religions, but what importance is skin color? I call it "animal racism" - I thought white was bad. Anyway, bring drums! India has too many people. Not doubt. But it also seems to have too many elephants. How could you have too many elephants? Hee hee hee. Our post on the Praying Mantis and rough sex (linked on left on recent essays) has gotten tons of hits for "rough sex" searches. Good grief. Sorry for the disappointment, creeps: It's about BUGS! Free advice to those people: Get a nice girlfriend, and treat her real nice and special, and quit the internet perverse BS. Life can be good. Who wondered how corrupt New Jersey politics are? Instapundit. Gee whiz. I thought these hospitals were non-profits. New York Presbyterian Hospital donating to Dem PACs. WTH? Did you call your Senators yet to support Bolton? Info here. He's the only sane human at the UN. An easy 5 million. Find Adnan, last seen house-hunting in Texas with a Mexican consular ID. Of course. Hahaha. Can't scare me, morons. Moslems threaten West yet again. LGF. And now the French are in their sights - because they are weenies. Polipundit. They will crumble like Roquefort. Speaking of Moslems, Ned Lamont has spent, thus far, 5 1/2 million of his own money on his campaign. Chump change for the average limo liberal. Hey, Ned! That money would go a lot further towards helping CT via helping charter schools for the poor kids. Life imitates art. The Firesign Theater already did the "Marxist Martyrs High School, " thirty years ago. Canada catches up. Tee hee. Out-to-lunch. Lefties ignore reality, believe what they like. Perfect example, at Norm's normblog #158 Profile. Yo - Kumbaya, Comrade!! Hope they don't let Clare vote, though. A quote: What philosophical thesis do you think it most important to combat? > The concept that all or some humans are by nature selfish and violent.
Open those eyes, Clare. You sound like a sweet lady, but...ummmm....maybe a bit dreamy? Criticism is not censorship. Precisely. Betsy VDH on the Dem's hysteria, which I think is correct: Why this exaggeration and shrillness? It is frustration from having lost the Congress, the Presidency, the Supreme Court and the majority of the state legislatures and governorships. Frustrations follow from learning that a cobbled together coalition of gay marriage advocates, radical feminists, abortion on demand supporters, the old race industry emblemized by Jesse Jackson, as well as the radical pacifism of the leftwing blogs—all that only garners 45% of the popular vote—unless there is a Republican scandal, a losing war, a recession, or a Democrat running for President with enough of a southern accent to fool voters that he is a true conservative. His whole post here.
Friday, September 15. 2006
"I sat at the typewriter for the first time and fell in love with the words that emerged like drops, one by one, and remained on the white sheet of paper... every drop became something that if spoken would have flown away, but on the sheets as words, became solidified, whether they were good or bad..." A recent Opinion Journal piece about her. Piece in Giselle here. Our blog pal Dino places this atheist on the path to paradise. Her Wikipedia entry here. She has been a hero to many. A "brutal interrogator." 
Brains, spirit, beauty, hutzpah, grace, toughness, and writing talent. Not bad with a camera, either, but a Lady of Letters. A loss for the Italy which persecuted her, and for the world.
Today is the 90th anniversary of the first use of tanks in combat. The Brit invention, designed of course to end the stalemates of trench warfare, was first put to use on Sept. 15, 1916, in the Battle of the Somme. That machine was a Mark 1. Would like to have seen the German faces when those things first appeared on the horizon. WW1 Brit tanks came in "male" and "female" versions: the male with a big gun and a couple of machine guns, the female with several machine guns only. Speed 3 mph. Animation of the Mark 1 tank here. A brief summary of that early application here. The excellent website of the world's best Tank Museum in Bovington, UK, here. (Stonehenge is cool, but dull, and looks like the photos. The tank museum is unforgettable.) Below, a WW1 Mark V. 
 These people can map your Y chromosome, and then map your ancestors' origins. Family Tree DNA
Study: Men more intelligent than women. No comment. Daily Male Mail Mid-60s freakbeat and garage music videos, at Iowahawk Tom Bowler has it exactly right - that old "income gap" comes up on slow news days. He makes the case that illegal immigration is the main cause. In the mood for some more Krugman lies? We think Arnold Kling is great, but this is petulant. Bainbridge George Will on WalMart, via Env. Economics: The median household income of Wal-Mart shoppers is under $40,000. Wal-Mart, the most prodigious job-creator in the history of the private sector in this galaxy, has almost as many employees (1.3 million) as the U.S. military has uniformed personnel. A McKinsey company study concluded that Wal-Mart accounted for 13 percent of the nation's productivity gains in the second half of the 1990s, which probably made Wal-Mart about as important as the Federal Reserve in holding down inflation. By lowering consumer prices, Wal-Mart costs about 50 retail jobs among competitors for every 100 jobs Wal-Mart creates. Wal-Mart and its effects save shoppers more than $200 billion a year, dwarfing such government programs as food stamps ($28.6 billion) and the earned-income tax credit ($34.6 billion).
High-quality piece from Asst. Village Idiot on the culture of political resentment, especially as it emerged around the Clinton administration. One quote: Contrary to the current mythology of the left, conservatives did not have this abiding hate for Clinton from the start. The idea that there were dark forces already at work to undermine his presidency is just crap. Rush Limbaugh had said several nice things about Clinton early on, and even when he was annoyed at his election, took pains to point out several good things that were likely to happen in a Clinton presidency. National Review was grudging in its praise, but had some, and reminded readers to give a duly-elected president a fair shot. There were indeed people who didn’t like Clinton, but not because he was seen as too liberal – Dukakis in ’88 was seen as farther left, and Jerry Brown, a major primary opponent was seen as much further left – but because they thought he was a weasel. Clinton ran as and was elected as a New Democrat: centrist, pragmatic rather than doctrinaire.
Quoted from a recent piece at Blamebush: In order to preserve our democracy, steps must be taken to create a more level political playing field and restore the Spirit of Bi-Partisanship our Founding Fathers envisioned when they wrote it into the Constitution. The logical course of action would be to abolish 9/11 altogether, jumping straight from 9/10 to 9/12 each year. An extra day could be added to the end of the month to make up for it, or we can put it after April 22nd and turn Earth Day into a two-day affair. However, in the Spirit of Bipartisanship, Democrats may have to scrap that idea and offer up some sort of compromise. For instance, Repugs could keep their precious 9/11, in exchange for their cooperation in passing a Congressional resolution that would effectively prohibit all right-wing blogs, hate radio jocks, TV pundits, and politicians from speaking or writing about 9/11 in a manner that makes Democrats look like a bunch of limp-wristed weenies more concerned with protecting the enemy’s feelings than crushing him.
You don't know what "Shoes for Industry" is about? Check here. Image: A 1944 Farmall, Model H
Thursday, September 14. 2006
 "Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor.
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears,
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay.
There are frail forms fainting at the door.
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
There's pale drooping maiden who toils her life away
With a worn out heart, whose better days are o'er.
Though her voice it would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more."
Stephen Foster's "Hard Times," recorded on 1992's Good As I Been To You, the first of two albums of acoustic covers that Dylan would release in the early 90s. The live version available at the link here is from the performance at Willie Nelson's 60th birthday bash in Austin in April of 1993.
 Very multicultural. Dutch minister would welcome sharia law. Can you say "dhimmitude"?
Are we a Blog for Bolton? Darn right we are. Dem. Project. But even a Bolton cannot clean up the mess at the UN. Here's Frist's Blogging for Bolton. Click that site, then call your senators. The so-called oil shortage. Polipundit Jimmy Carter wants Lieberman to lose. That endorsement should give Lieberman a big boost. The first Moslem Representative? Ellison update. NY Sun NYT obsessed with successful WalMart, while its own business dies. Sensible Mom Kissinger warns of "war of civilizations," says: "The debate sparked by the Iraq war over American rashness vs. European escapism is dwarfed by what the world now faces. "Both sides of the Atlantic should put their best minds together on how to deal with the common danger of a wider war merging into a war of civilizations against the background of a nuclear-armed Middle East." Kissinger wrote that the big threat lay in the erosion of nation states and the emergence of transnational groups. Iran was at the centre of the challenge, he said, with its support for Hezbollah, radical Shiite groups in Iraq and its nuclear program. Washington must accept that many European nations were more optimistic about talks designed to convince Iran to halt uranium enrichment -- a process Tehran denies is aimed at making weapons, he wrote. But in return, he said, Europe should accept the process must include a "bottom line" beyond which diplomatic flexibility must not go and a time limit to ensure talks did not become a shield for "developing new assaults."
 Yes, it is still the Year of the Dog in the Chinese calendar, and we will make one last exception to our original desire to highlight sporting dogs, because this is a breed we love. I grew up around one.
Gentle giants. Males 130-150 lbs. Bred to do work both at sea and on land, the huge cuddly beasts pulled nets, rescued fishermen, hauled carts - and one, named Seaman, accompanied Lewis and Clark. Good choice. Interestingly, these dogs were probably of English origin, not North American, and are ancestors of the Lab. Read about Newfies here.
Estonia, today. Who knew? Samizdata Latest stats: who goes to college, etc. CSM Freedom Tower: Why not built yet? Does anyone want to work in a symbol? Reason Nanny Police on the job: Sean Penn, whose no-doubt carefully and deeply thought-out politicial positions are somewhat at odds with those of Maggie's Farm, is in trouble with Canada for smoking a cigarette. Give the jerk a break. Can't a guy have a smoke?
Wednesday, September 13. 2006
 Nobody ever expects the French Inquisition: Guy on trial for doubting the French govt. news. Seriously. I'd be in trouble over there: I would never believe a word of what they print.
Speaking of France, here is the Complete Military History of France. The fantasy of "squandering good will." Betsy Raw sewage in the Jordan. LiveScience The "Swedish model" on its last legs. Meaning the country. No Pasaran A piece of history: from CNN in 1996 Republican leaders earlier met with White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta for about an hour in response to the president's call for "the very best ideas" for fighting terrorism. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, emerged from the meeting and said, "These are very controversial provisions that the White House wants. Some they're not going to get." Hatch called Clinton's proposed study of taggants -- chemical markers in explosives that could help track terrorists -- "a phony issue." "If they want to, they can study the thing" already, Hatch asserted. He also said he had some problems with the president's proposals to expand wiretapping.
An engineer's photo website, from the Bighorn Subdivision of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. Includes discussion of the rule book for engineers. Photo below from Engineer Krug's website. 
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