Sunday, January 28. 2007
This was some fight. NY Sun. This is what happens when they stand and fight - 200-300 bad guys dead, two Americans dead in the chopper, and 2 dead Iraqi soldiers.
 Ethanol production damaging the Mexican tortilla business.
Iran in Iraq. It's not news, but watch us go after them...covertly, and at night. Prelapsarian, innocent vs. naive, and pompous language. Shape of Days. The BEEB bans LGF. Augean Stables. Are Americans saving enough for retirement? Cowen Liberals don't give a damn about human rights. Gay Patriot Is freedom dying in Central Europe? Reason Ruth Wisse in Opinion Journal. What happened to America, I wonder? A quote: The year was 1917. At the beginning of the spring semester, the Harvard Crimson reported that 1,000 undergraduates were ready to enlist in the Reserve Officers' Training Program (ROTC), including students from the law school, from other graduate schools, and even members of the faculty. The recent crisis in international affairs had created a need for qualified military leaders, and the editorial hailed the school's vigorous response to it: "That Harvard is the first University to adopt an intensive system of training officers should not be a matter of pride, but rather a basis for the hope that other colleges will establish the same system, and that the foundations of a great citizen army will be laid among our young men." Ninety years later, Harvard leads in the opposite direction.
This minigun demo video will make anyone to want to sign up. (h/t, Alpha Patriot)
Dalrymple at City Journal, on the English language.
 Wake up America! Civilization calls!
Red-neck fun - human sling shot. YouTube Milblogger interviews milblogger. Roggio talks with PFC Alanko. Your blog helped my law school grades. Volokh The Mavericks sing Blue Moon. Nice The future of hydrogen power. Env. Economics How much autonomy will doctors give up? Kevin MD. In socialized medicine, you doctor doesn't work for you anymore. A suicidal Turkey? Ralph Peters Global warming throughout the Solar System Black Hawk Up. David Warren The Guardian loves Chavez, because it means Socialism is Back! Up from Liberalism. Powerline takes a look at recovering liberals. Consider taking The Pledge. No, not the pledge to quit drinking. Krauthammer on energy. A quote: There is no free lunch. Producing energy is going to produce waste. You pick your poison and you find a way to manage it. Want to do something about global warming? How many global-warming activists are willing to say the word nuclear?
So much easier to say ethanol. That it will do farcically little is beside the point. Our debates about oil consumption, energy dependence, and global warming are not meant to be serious. They are meant for show.
 An email last night from our crafty and intrepid webmeister Chris:
It has been two days of fending off hackers. I even had to skip a party and postpone a date. But I just hit the mother lode. I just intercepted the Botnet client software (called Toyo). I now have a full copy of the software & code that is used to infect so many machines. Tomorrow I am going to install my modified version of client Botnet code on a dummy virtual machine and try to get the control of Botnet. This is going to be fun. Better than Christmas!!! It should also lead me to the infamous Qted code that I have been reading about for the past month. I have everything I need to, for lack of a better word, f- them.....
Saturday, January 27. 2007
Listen to the recording - it's a kick, and a grammar lesson. Nyhan. But who is prolix here? (Just an idea: Prolix - the new antidepressant that gets you talking again.)
'Tis of a brave young highwayman this story I will tell
His name was Willie Brennan and in Ireland he did dwell
It was on the Kilwood Mountain he commenced his wild career
And many a wealthy nobleman before him shook with fear
It was Brennan on the moor, Brennan on the moor
Bold, brave and undaunted was young Brennan on the moor
One day upon the highway as young Willie he went down
He met the mayor of Cashiell a mile outside of town
The mayor he knew his features and he said, Young man, said he
Your name is Willie Brennan, you must come along with me
Now Brennan's wife had gone to town provisions for to buy
And when she saw her Willie she commenced to weep and cry
Said, Hand to me that tenpenny, as soon as Willie spoke
She handed him a blunderbuss from underneath her cloak
Now with this loaded blunderbuss - the truth I will unfold -
He made the mayor to tremble and he robbed him of his gold
One hundred pounds was offered for his apprehension there
So he, with horse and saddle to the mountains did repair.
Now Brennan being an outlaw upon the mountains high
With cavalry and infantry to take him they did try
He laughed at them with scorn until at last 'twas said
By a false-hearted woman he was cruelly betrayed.
Willie Brennan was an Irish Robin Hood during the 1700s. The song was made famous by The Clancy Brothers.
Nice shiny new high powered deer rifle: $600.00 High/Variable powered scope: $350.00 Bore Sighting device: $140.00 Being the dumb ass who forgets to remove the bore sight prior to shooting: PRICELESS !
 Why the dude photo? Opie complained that we never show any eye candy for the gals. So here's a photo of me, in my side job. Yes, I do work out. No, there is not a wad of kleenex in those shorts. And I am straight. And no, you cannot have my phone number.
Hollywood loved Bill, but they do not seem to love Hillary. Not their type. Heck, that's in her favor, but she is not for me. Does Mormonism bother you? Not me. RWNH. Romney is OK with me. Where would we be without government's help? Spain decrees fashion sizes. Althouse. Hahahaha. It's not a joke. Journalism is a dying trade. Not at Maggie's Farm, but we don't get paid. No benefits, either, other than world-wide fame. On the other hand, we rely on journalists, but we take them with a tablespoon-full of salt. We prefer Michael Yon and his ilk, the volunteers. Going after the Iranian govt. About time. Jawa. Get those "special forces" on the job. No contest. Mountain lion attack. A tough lady. Cao. Everybody is on this cool story. The heartbreak of income inequality. Cowen (!) in the NYT. (via Instapundit - how does he do it, with a job? Well, he's a Prof, but still...) The new UN scandal. What is the US doing with these scumbags? Unions are still dying. No wonder they want the illegals. Eventually, the only unions will be government employees, which is truly ridiculous when you think about it. Anchor Rising The gay sheep story, at the NYT. What was this all about, anyway? Apaches in Baghdad. Iraq the Model. This so-called country is nuts. Numerology gone wild, in Belgium. Is this satire? Brussels Journal. A jet-powered turtle. Perfect. You thought guns were illegal in Britain? Silly you. The crims have all the guns they want. Dust my Broom. The honest people have nothing. My solution: Arm the populace, and train them in handguns. Winning elections. This quote is right, alas, from Neo-neo: Most of today's politicians are pragmatic, rather than principled (perhaps it was ever thus); and their pragmatism tends to focus on a single goal: getting re-elected.
Unremitting opposition--with no need to come up with a better alternative--has defeated the Republicans, put the Democrats in power, and contributed to the lowest approval ratings for Bush of his Presidency (he's done his bit in that endeavor, as well). So it's not surprising that so many Republicans (especially those in somewhat liberal states) are jumping on the oppositional bandwagon as well.
Friday, January 26. 2007
 Maggie's Farm has been under attack. Slows us down a bit, damages commenting function. Trying to find out where it's from. Who would want to bother us? We will find out...and will punish them.
Chris is on the job - a Vermonter and a real Green Mountain boy - and we are all Yankees here. Don't tread on us unless you are willing to pay the price: we enjoy self-defence: we are well-armed, and love to use our weapons.
Chicago Bears inspire a city still reeling from the Great Fire of 1871 The new military ray gun Obesity and osteoporosis. Apparently carrying 80 lbs. of lard around doesn't help. One would think that it would. Dogs and health.: "In some cases, the social support offered by an animal is greater than the support another human could offer." Ain't that the truth. Calorie quiz. Rich guy wins yacht race.
 Andrew will set up your bee-hive, and maintain it, and you get all the honey - up to 150 lbs/year. Connecticut Honey.
He would probably do Westchester County, too. You could even set up a roadside stand, to supplement your Wall Street incomes. Honey bees leave you alone - they are good neighbors. Too busy to cause trouble. Paul Newman recommends, and that ought to be good enough.
Thursday, January 25. 2007
The Modern World is the Western World, and multiculturalism, and cultural relativism, is its disease. Kohlmayer, at American Thinker: A couple of quotes: Contrary to what some would have us believe all cultures are by no means equal. The fact is that one is clearly superior to all the others by almost any measure we may choose as a basis of comparison. All the evidence shows that the West is the only successful cultural tradition of our time while all the rest have shown themselves to be incompatible with the modern era. The claim that all cultures are intrinsically equal is thus not only patently untrue, but it is also one of the most insidious lies of our age. Any nation that truly desires prosperity, human rights, and progress must adopt western values. Those in other traditions that have done so have been amply rewarded for their prescience. Japan, South Korea and Honk Kong are examples of those who have prospered greatly as a result of adopting those quintessentially western constructs - democracy and capitalism.
and Advancement, justice and affluence can only be attained by societies that operate along the western lines. For all their alleged wisdom and insight all the other civilizations have not only failed to achieve these ideals but have invariably produced the opposite, spawning malfunctioning and backward societies. History has clearly shown that the only viable way is the western one. It is the only one that can bring about progress and guarantee a dignified existence for man.
It is rather ironic that while progressively larger parts of the globe are in the process of transitioning to the western model, its internal enemies have managed to undermine it from within. Their weapon of choice - and one which has proven surprisingly effective - is multiculturalism, a ploy by which they seek to dilute our tradition with values of failed cultures. That this subversive doctrine has gained such prominence is remarkable given that the foreign material at its disposal is for the most part not only noticeably defunct, but - judging by the results it produces - to be avoided at all costs. The deep inroads multiculturalism has made over the years are largely a result of the decades of relentless attacks on the West which have undermined its people's confidence in their own civilization and weakened their resolve to stand up in its defense.
 Can't you feel 'em circlin' honey?
Can't you feel 'em swimmin' around?
You got fins to the left, fins to the right,
and you're the only bait in town.
You got fins to the left, fins to the right,
and you're the only girl in town.
(Jimmy Buffet's "Fins," of course) A primeval Frilled Shark has been videotaped.
Someone needs to remind them that they are humble scribblers who earn their pay checks by selling ads, and are not gods. Powerline explains.
 What's this "imbalances of power and knowledge" baloney? Sounds like Marxist/feminist college faculty Foucault-style horse manure.
And speaking of the late-lamented Foucault, how many boys did the famously promiscuous, AIDS-infected prof lure into his room "to discuss theory"? Just asking..., not judging. Laws like this (WSJ, by Volokh - h/t, Althouse) which tell you who you can date are what convince people that government has grown not only overly intrusive, but overly arrogant and overly stupid. Read Volokh's piece, and then tell me whether any of that could not equally apply to lawmakers, politicians, lawyers, bosses, personal trainers, rich folks, veterinarians, co-workers, professors, electricians, colonels, Maytag repairmen, and even Presidents. A quote: Of course medical relationships offer room for various kinds of abuses. In some situations, it may be proper to interfere with people's right to marry, and their sexual and romantic autonomy, in order to prevent those abuses. We can talk about relationships between psychotherapists and clients (or ex-clients), or relationships between doctors and current patients, or other circumstances in which the risk of subtle coercion or unprofessional behavior is especially high (which is to say materially higher than the risk of subtle coercion and other harms in any sexual relationship). But the trouble here is that the rules go vastly further than these special situations, and vastly undervalue the countervailing reasons to limit regulation--people's right to choose whom to date, have sex with and marry, even including their dental hygienists, opticians, and the like. So much for the right to marry; so much for sexual autonomy; so much for consenting adults deciding whom to love, without the fear of losing their livelihood.
I see nothing at all wrong with doctors having relationships with patients, nor with therapists having relationships with ex-patients. People are adults, and can use their brains and choose what to do. Such issues are not issues for lawmakers, but for ethics committees of professional boards. (Isn't it odd that such laws never apply to us lawyers, who, rumor has it, are famous for getting involved with clients?) Look - in any two people, you can find an "imbalance of power" if you want to. And in any desired romantic relationship there will be "subtle emotional coercion:" it's called "trying to win someone's heart" (or at least their company), aka "courtship." All is fair in love and war. Furthermore, never forget this basic biological truth: a charming female always has mighty, witch-like power over a man's emotions - and she knows it. It's Darwinian. Why do some folks, mainly feminist-types, try to deny this most basic fact of life? Guys cannot help thinking about new opportunities to play Hide The Salami, and women are suckers for romance. Chosing to act on these things is another matter entirely - or should be, but it's none of the government's damn business. Image: My witchy dental hygienist during lunch break. What fellow would not want to invite her to dinner, even after she has been a co-conspirator with your dentist to torture you and then to empty your wallet?
 Sent to re-education treatment facility for bad thoughts. Definitely watch the video. Ex-Donk
Please take a few minutes to read the Fukuyama post from yesterday - you won't regret it. It is meaty and important. Polipundit: Re Duke and Nifong's come-uppance, "And the chorus of cheers from “civil liberties” liberals everywhere is just deafening." Newt warns of holocaust. YNET Shacking up with Jesus. Spirit and Eros, at Asst. Village Idiot Blatant racial sterotyping in the NYT. Horsesfeathers. A quote: Thank goodness for the New York Times; without it we might think America had made progress towards overcoming discrimination. Instead we stand reminded that whites are cold, robotic, uncaring exploiters of blacks and that success by blacks occurs because they possess the empathic intelligence lacking in their white counterparts. Thanks Selena, we needed that!
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.” Ernest Benn (h/t, Patriot Post)
Wednesday, January 24. 2007
An older lady gets pulled over for speeding... Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?
Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding.
Older Woman: Oh, I see.
Officer: Can I see your license please?
Older Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one.
Officer: Don't have one?
Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.
Officer: I see...Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.
Older Woman: I can't do that.
Officer: Why not?
Older Woman: I stole this car.
Officer: Stole it?
Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.
Officer: You what?
Older Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see... The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A senior officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his half drawn gun.
Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman steps out of her vehicle. Older woman: Is there a problem sir?
Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner.
Older Woman: Murdered the owner?
Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.
The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.
Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am?
Older Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers. Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving license. The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands it to the officer. The officer examines the license. He looks puzzled.
Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner.
Older Woman: Bet the lying SOB told you I was speeding, too.
Guess which one was not charged in the London bomb plot? (from a piece at Squaring the Boston Globe) 
It was disconcerting - or at least distracting. Somebody speculated that it was Morse Code.
 Old man rhythm is in my shoes,
No use t'sittin' and a'singin' the blues,
So be my guest, you got nothin' to lose,
Won't ya let me take you on a sea cruise?
(from Sea Cruise, made famous by Herman's Hermits - corrected) I recently met an elderly lady who had cruised the Mediterranean on the famous Stella Polaris of the Bergen Line, in the 1930s. This lovely small steamship was built in 1927 in the early days of pleasure cruising. She continued to work through the 1960s until ending her career as a restaurant in Japan. She sank off China this past September while being towed to a shipyard in preparation for transfer to Sweden as a restaurant/hotel. The varied history of the Stella, including her time under the German military flag, here. A grand lady and a classic.
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