Saturday, May 22, 2004
Bloggers and Writers
I'm a blogger. I find little news bits, and interesting articles, and I post them, normally with some sort of pithy comment or a fisk attached to it.
Mark Alger is a writer, who just happens to blog. And if you're not checking him out you're doing yourself a disservice.
So go read, if you're going to be blogsurfing today. If you're in the Seattle area, come join the crew up at Sam's Gun Shop! 10 AM shooting time.
And no, you may NOT ask what's underneath.
Mark Alger is a writer, who just happens to blog. And if you're not checking him out you're doing yourself a disservice.
So go read, if you're going to be blogsurfing today. If you're in the Seattle area, come join the crew up at Sam's Gun Shop! 10 AM shooting time.
And no, you may NOT ask what's underneath.
Mother Nature not assisting with Blastorama
Due to the severe possibility of nasty thunderstorms tomorrow, coupled with both Analog Kid's and my aversion to holding long pieces of metal in said thunderstorms, the Blastorama has been moved to Sam's Gun Shop and Range in Everett. We'll be meeting up at Denny's on 128th and Highway 99 at 9:00 AM, and then hitting the range at 10:00 AM. Anyone who wants to attend, just show up and introduce yourself.
Directions to Sam's can be found here.
Directions to Sam's can be found here.
Friday, May 21, 2004
Memo to the various Jewish Americans
The Democrats are not your friends. GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD!
Sen. Ernest Hollings, a South Carolina Democrat, wrote a column that appeared in several newspapers. The column asserted that the U.S. war against Iraq represented a decision by President George Bush to protect Israel and ensure American Jewish support for his reelection.
The column reflects a growing sentiment in the corridors of power in Washington according to congressional sources.
What an absolute load of steaming crap. Hollings should be bitchslapped in obscurity for even penning such a worthless load of tripe.
The view attributes the U.S. war in Iraq to the so-called neo-conservatives in the administration, particularly Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle, Middle East Newsline reported. Both men are Jewish.
And President Bush is Christian, along with many other members of his administration! Jeebus, I can't believe that people are so fucking ignorant that they believe crap like this! I half expect to see Democrats wandering around in white robes and hoods screaming "IT'S THE JOOOOOOOOOOOOS FAULT!" Well, in the case of Robert Byrd that wouldn't be a big stretch, would it?
Gah. Fucking ignorant, sand-poundingly stupid, moronic, shit-sucking, choad-licking, lying sacks of post-coital anal jizz drippings is what they are. The fact that a US senator can actually believe that crap is flabbergasting me.
Found via The Amazing Kallini Brothers.
Sen. Ernest Hollings, a South Carolina Democrat, wrote a column that appeared in several newspapers. The column asserted that the U.S. war against Iraq represented a decision by President George Bush to protect Israel and ensure American Jewish support for his reelection.
The column reflects a growing sentiment in the corridors of power in Washington according to congressional sources.
What an absolute load of steaming crap. Hollings should be bitchslapped in obscurity for even penning such a worthless load of tripe.
The view attributes the U.S. war in Iraq to the so-called neo-conservatives in the administration, particularly Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle, Middle East Newsline reported. Both men are Jewish.
And President Bush is Christian, along with many other members of his administration! Jeebus, I can't believe that people are so fucking ignorant that they believe crap like this! I half expect to see Democrats wandering around in white robes and hoods screaming "IT'S THE JOOOOOOOOOOOOS FAULT!" Well, in the case of Robert Byrd that wouldn't be a big stretch, would it?
Gah. Fucking ignorant, sand-poundingly stupid, moronic, shit-sucking, choad-licking, lying sacks of post-coital anal jizz drippings is what they are. The fact that a US senator can actually believe that crap is flabbergasting me.
Found via The Amazing Kallini Brothers.
Ouch
Mark Steyn whips out the massive cluebat and starts laying about with it in his latest piece.
But if you object to what's going on in those Abu Ghraib pictures - the sexual humiliation of prisoners and their conscription as a vast army of extras in their guards' porno fantasies - then you might want to think twice about handing over Iraq to the UN.
In Eritrea, the government recently accused the UN mission of, among other offences, pedophilia.
In Cambodia, UN troops fueled an explosion of child prostitutes and AIDS.
Amnesty International reports that the UN mission in Kosovo has presided over a massive expansion of the sex trade, with girls as young as 11 being lured from Moldova and Bulgaria to service international peacekeepers.
In Bosnia, where the sex-slave trade barely existed before the UN showed up in 1995, there are now hundreds of brothels with underage girls living as captives.
The 2002 Save the Children report on the UN's cover-up of the sex-for-food scandal in West Africa provides grim details of peacekeepers' demanding sexual favors from children as young as four in exchange for biscuits and cake powder.
"What is particularly shocking and appalling is that those people who ought to be there protecting the local population have actually become perpetrators," said Steve Crawshaw, the director of Human Rights Watch.
By now you're maybe thinking,
"Hmm. I must have been on holiday the week the papers ran all those stories about 'The Shaming of the UN.'"
In the last few days, The Daily Mirror has had to concede that their pictures of members of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment committing atrocities are all fakes.
The Boston Globe has admitted that their pictures of US troops sexually abusing Iraqi women are also phony.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has apologized for claiming that Israel was implicated in the events at Abu Ghraib.
Why would these big-media fact-checked-to-death news operations get suckered so easily?
Because, to the great herd of independent minds, these stories conform to their general view that all the ills of the world can be laid at the door of Bush, Blair, and Sharon.
Honestly, let's cut to the chase, shall we? These people aren't anti-war, they're just on the other side. Either that, or they are so grossly incompitent that they shouldn't be allowed near a typewriter for the rest of their natural lives.
But if you object to what's going on in those Abu Ghraib pictures - the sexual humiliation of prisoners and their conscription as a vast army of extras in their guards' porno fantasies - then you might want to think twice about handing over Iraq to the UN.
In Eritrea, the government recently accused the UN mission of, among other offences, pedophilia.
In Cambodia, UN troops fueled an explosion of child prostitutes and AIDS.
Amnesty International reports that the UN mission in Kosovo has presided over a massive expansion of the sex trade, with girls as young as 11 being lured from Moldova and Bulgaria to service international peacekeepers.
In Bosnia, where the sex-slave trade barely existed before the UN showed up in 1995, there are now hundreds of brothels with underage girls living as captives.
The 2002 Save the Children report on the UN's cover-up of the sex-for-food scandal in West Africa provides grim details of peacekeepers' demanding sexual favors from children as young as four in exchange for biscuits and cake powder.
"What is particularly shocking and appalling is that those people who ought to be there protecting the local population have actually become perpetrators," said Steve Crawshaw, the director of Human Rights Watch.
By now you're maybe thinking,
"Hmm. I must have been on holiday the week the papers ran all those stories about 'The Shaming of the UN.'"
In the last few days, The Daily Mirror has had to concede that their pictures of members of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment committing atrocities are all fakes.
The Boston Globe has admitted that their pictures of US troops sexually abusing Iraqi women are also phony.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has apologized for claiming that Israel was implicated in the events at Abu Ghraib.
Why would these big-media fact-checked-to-death news operations get suckered so easily?
Because, to the great herd of independent minds, these stories conform to their general view that all the ills of the world can be laid at the door of Bush, Blair, and Sharon.
Honestly, let's cut to the chase, shall we? These people aren't anti-war, they're just on the other side. Either that, or they are so grossly incompitent that they shouldn't be allowed near a typewriter for the rest of their natural lives.
Good Cigars
I've told you before about Cuban Crafter's cigars, and in particular the Knuckles (which I still drool over.) Unfortunately, when I went to order more of those Knuckles, they were out. Completely out. (I hope I had something to do with that, even if it means no more ungodly good cigars for me)
So I started wandering around the Cuban Crafter's website, because I still needed some good cigars. I like the short, fat cigars for a number of reasons, so I was hunting for a little while, searching for a cigar that would fit my tastes AND my budget.
And I found these. Cupido Criollo Corto Cigars. Hmmmm..... Four and a half inches long, ring gauge of 56, that qualifies as short and fat. Price? On special for $39.00 for a box of 25. HOT DAMN, let's give it a go!
So I ordered them, and waited. And they came in this week. Open the box, transfer to my makeshift humidor. (My actual humidor either didn't survive being used as an odd-n-ends box, or it just wasn't a good humidor to begin with. Probably the latter) Pulled one out a few days ago, and with a little trepidation, (because it was pretty much unknown) lit it up.
It isn't as good as a Knuckle, but it's running a damn close second. The folks at Cuban Crafters were nice enough to send a few samples along with the order, and I enjoyed a Don Kiki Green Label yesterday as I was walking the dog. I can honestly say that I have never gotten a bad cigar from this company. And something that I think is cool as all hell is the Salute to Arms, cigars with the different military branch crests on the cigar bands. Got a cigar smoking buddy in the Marine Corps? Send him a few cigars wrapped with the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, take your pick. You can get a pack of five, or a box of twenty-five. And they're damn good cigars, not some cheap crap with a gimmick.
For those who are wondering, no, I'm not getting paid by Cuban Crafters. I just think that this company goes above and beyond with their service and product, and I try to reward companies that treat me as well as this one has. It's part of the joy of capitalism. I can avoid companies that have treated me like crap, and reward those who treat me well. Cuban Crafters has treated me exceptionally well, and so I'd like to send as much business their way as I possibly can.
If you like good cigars, go pay them a visit.
So I started wandering around the Cuban Crafter's website, because I still needed some good cigars. I like the short, fat cigars for a number of reasons, so I was hunting for a little while, searching for a cigar that would fit my tastes AND my budget.
And I found these. Cupido Criollo Corto Cigars. Hmmmm..... Four and a half inches long, ring gauge of 56, that qualifies as short and fat. Price? On special for $39.00 for a box of 25. HOT DAMN, let's give it a go!
So I ordered them, and waited. And they came in this week. Open the box, transfer to my makeshift humidor. (My actual humidor either didn't survive being used as an odd-n-ends box, or it just wasn't a good humidor to begin with. Probably the latter) Pulled one out a few days ago, and with a little trepidation, (because it was pretty much unknown) lit it up.
It isn't as good as a Knuckle, but it's running a damn close second. The folks at Cuban Crafters were nice enough to send a few samples along with the order, and I enjoyed a Don Kiki Green Label yesterday as I was walking the dog. I can honestly say that I have never gotten a bad cigar from this company. And something that I think is cool as all hell is the Salute to Arms, cigars with the different military branch crests on the cigar bands. Got a cigar smoking buddy in the Marine Corps? Send him a few cigars wrapped with the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, take your pick. You can get a pack of five, or a box of twenty-five. And they're damn good cigars, not some cheap crap with a gimmick.
For those who are wondering, no, I'm not getting paid by Cuban Crafters. I just think that this company goes above and beyond with their service and product, and I try to reward companies that treat me as well as this one has. It's part of the joy of capitalism. I can avoid companies that have treated me like crap, and reward those who treat me well. Cuban Crafters has treated me exceptionally well, and so I'd like to send as much business their way as I possibly can.
If you like good cigars, go pay them a visit.
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Molon Labe in Florida!
Jason Kallini of The Amazing Kallini Brothers sent me a picture of his vehicle his very own brand-spanking new declaration of his beliefs.
Oh yeah, baby.
Have you gotten your Molon Labe stickers yet?
Oh yeah, baby.
Have you gotten your Molon Labe stickers yet?
ATTENTION BLOGGERS!
As many of you might know, this blog is part of the Watcher of Weasel's council. Ya know, that little blogroll on the sidebar that says "Watcher's Council"? Yeah, that's it. Great writing from top to bottom. We submit one post a week from our respective blogs, and then we each pick a post from other blogs that we think deserve more exposure, or because it just blew us away, or because they're paying us under the table. At least, I think that last reason is valid, I don't know. I haven't gotten paid by anyone to nominate a link, although there are quite a few blogs I've nominated from. Anyways, the council gets together and votes on which posts they think are best. There's two reasons I bring this up. The first reason is because this weeks votes are in, and the winners are The Smarter Cop (from the Council) with A Splash Of Cold Water, and Iraq The Model with Not In My City. You can find all the results here. There is more good writing each and every week than I can shake a stick at.
Which brings us to the second reason I mention this. One of the council members is stepping down (after a rather brief stay, and we'll miss him). However, that leaves a spot on the Council open, and that means YOU can fill it if you think you're good enough! You can check out the rules regarding the council here, and then if you want to you can contact the Watcher and nominate yourself for the spot. I happen to think that there are quite a few blogs that could fit in quite nicely. Personally, I think that there are too many nice council members, and not enough spitting, scratching, drinking, swearing, shooting bastards like myself. So c'mon, let see what you got. Give the rules a glance, and if you think you can abide by them, drop the Watcher a line.
Hey, at the very least you'll get a bit more traffic. Plus, getting your writing out and noticed is always a good thing. Soooooo..... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Which brings us to the second reason I mention this. One of the council members is stepping down (after a rather brief stay, and we'll miss him). However, that leaves a spot on the Council open, and that means YOU can fill it if you think you're good enough! You can check out the rules regarding the council here, and then if you want to you can contact the Watcher and nominate yourself for the spot. I happen to think that there are quite a few blogs that could fit in quite nicely. Personally, I think that there are too many nice council members, and not enough spitting, scratching, drinking, swearing, shooting bastards like myself. So c'mon, let see what you got. Give the rules a glance, and if you think you can abide by them, drop the Watcher a line.
Hey, at the very least you'll get a bit more traffic. Plus, getting your writing out and noticed is always a good thing. Soooooo..... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Small Towns
I've lived in quite a few places in this country, from the tropics to the MidWest, from small towns to big cities. And people like this are the reason I prefer small towns.
Yup.
Yup.
The Loony Left Screeches Again
This time about a supposed "Wedding Party" that was fired on by American helicopters.
A U.S. aircraft fired on a house in the desert near the Syrian border Wednesday, and Iraqi officials said more than 40 people were killed, including children. The U.S. military said the target was a suspected safehouse for foreign fighters from Syria, but Iraqis said a helicopter had attacked a wedding party.
At first look, really bad fuck-up on the American's part. But let's look a little deeper, shall we? As usual, all emphasis is mine.
According to the military, at 3 a.m. local time Wednesday, coalition forces conducted an operation against a suspected foreign fighter safe house in the open desert. The house was 25 kilometers from the Syrian border, 85 kilometers southwest of Husaybah, military officials said.
Coalition forces came under hostile fire and called for support from the air. After the strike, coalition forces recovered numerous weapons, foreign passports, a SATCOM radio and two million Iraqi and Syrian dinars, military officials said.
Wow, I wish I could get wedding presents like that! So let's review:
Americans check out a suspected terrorist safehouse at 0245 hrs. They come under fire, and call for air support. A gunship arrives and shoots at the people who were shooting at the Americans. We find lots of guns, foreign passports, buttloads of Syrian and Iraqi money, and a frigging SATCOM RADIO! And ohbytheway, this house is smack-dab on the Syria/Iraq border. Hmmmmmmmm.......
But the Left wants us to believe it was a "Wedding Celebration". With gunfire when an American helicopter just happens to be hanging around. At 3:00 AM. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Hat tip to Kim du Toit, and BMEWS (who may just make it onto my short list of blogs to read).
A U.S. aircraft fired on a house in the desert near the Syrian border Wednesday, and Iraqi officials said more than 40 people were killed, including children. The U.S. military said the target was a suspected safehouse for foreign fighters from Syria, but Iraqis said a helicopter had attacked a wedding party.
At first look, really bad fuck-up on the American's part. But let's look a little deeper, shall we? As usual, all emphasis is mine.
According to the military, at 3 a.m. local time Wednesday, coalition forces conducted an operation against a suspected foreign fighter safe house in the open desert. The house was 25 kilometers from the Syrian border, 85 kilometers southwest of Husaybah, military officials said.
Coalition forces came under hostile fire and called for support from the air. After the strike, coalition forces recovered numerous weapons, foreign passports, a SATCOM radio and two million Iraqi and Syrian dinars, military officials said.
Wow, I wish I could get wedding presents like that! So let's review:
Americans check out a suspected terrorist safehouse at 0245 hrs. They come under fire, and call for air support. A gunship arrives and shoots at the people who were shooting at the Americans. We find lots of guns, foreign passports, buttloads of Syrian and Iraqi money, and a frigging SATCOM RADIO! And ohbytheway, this house is smack-dab on the Syria/Iraq border. Hmmmmmmmm.......
But the Left wants us to believe it was a "Wedding Celebration". With gunfire when an American helicopter just happens to be hanging around. At 3:00 AM. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Hat tip to Kim du Toit, and BMEWS (who may just make it onto my short list of blogs to read).
Blogger Blastorama!
Yep, the outdoors Blogger Blastorama is happening this Saturday, in a remote part of Western Washington. You can either email myself or Analog Kid.
Why is it outside? Let's start with the fact that you can't shoot too many rifles at an indoor range. So, this is one opportunity to shoot off the larger guns, like my 30-06. Second, it's somewhat nice to just get outside and into the sun with good friends, some food and drink, and a whole lotta firepower.
Also, the reason it's called the BLOGGER Blastorama is because a couple of bloggers set it up. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A BLOGGER TO JOIN IN! Anyone who's interested in shooting with us is welcome. I know that there might be two or three liberals who actually read this blog, but if you're in Western Washington, come join us!
You don't need your own firearms. We have more than enough to let you shoot just about anything you want to. Helping out by buying some ammo wouldn't suck, but we'll take what we can get. And if what we can get is you showing up with your cup of coffee and an intrest in learning or re-learning how to shoot, that's good enough. We'll be meeting up in Enumclaw on Saturday morning and heading out to the shooting site. Anyone who can make it, just let me know and I'll make sure you get instructions and a map emailed out to you. Carpooling may or may not be an option, depending on what vehicles people bring. It's a bumpy road to the site, so if you can hook up with someone that has a good high-clearance vehicle, you might want to bring them along. I'll be taking my truck to this event.
So come on down and meet the people I write about! And as you can see...
We're not sexist when it comes to shooting guns.
Why is it outside? Let's start with the fact that you can't shoot too many rifles at an indoor range. So, this is one opportunity to shoot off the larger guns, like my 30-06. Second, it's somewhat nice to just get outside and into the sun with good friends, some food and drink, and a whole lotta firepower.
Also, the reason it's called the BLOGGER Blastorama is because a couple of bloggers set it up. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A BLOGGER TO JOIN IN! Anyone who's interested in shooting with us is welcome. I know that there might be two or three liberals who actually read this blog, but if you're in Western Washington, come join us!
You don't need your own firearms. We have more than enough to let you shoot just about anything you want to. Helping out by buying some ammo wouldn't suck, but we'll take what we can get. And if what we can get is you showing up with your cup of coffee and an intrest in learning or re-learning how to shoot, that's good enough. We'll be meeting up in Enumclaw on Saturday morning and heading out to the shooting site. Anyone who can make it, just let me know and I'll make sure you get instructions and a map emailed out to you. Carpooling may or may not be an option, depending on what vehicles people bring. It's a bumpy road to the site, so if you can hook up with someone that has a good high-clearance vehicle, you might want to bring them along. I'll be taking my truck to this event.
So come on down and meet the people I write about! And as you can see...
We're not sexist when it comes to shooting guns.
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Why The Modern Press Is Worthless
ABU GHRAIB! ABU GHRIAB! AMERICAN HEGIMONY! OH, THE HUMANITY! PICTURES EVERYWHERE! AWFUL AMERICANS! BAD AMERICANS!
Chemical Weapons found in Iraq? Meh.
By the way, tests have confirmed that it IS sarin gas that was in the artillary shell. Hmmmmmmmm, let see, we have an artillary shell filled with Sarin gas, terrorists intercepted with chemical weapons on the Syrian/Jordan border... where could all those WMD have come from? Nah, you don't think......
Actually, if you honestly believed that Saddam never had WMD, you already have proven that you don't think.
Chemical Weapons found in Iraq? Meh.
By the way, tests have confirmed that it IS sarin gas that was in the artillary shell. Hmmmmmmmm, let see, we have an artillary shell filled with Sarin gas, terrorists intercepted with chemical weapons on the Syrian/Jordan border... where could all those WMD have come from? Nah, you don't think......
Actually, if you honestly believed that Saddam never had WMD, you already have proven that you don't think.
Creative insults
I've been known to use some vulgar language from time to time (I know, shocking but true). However, I quite often lack the flair with words that other people might use.
So when I read something that makes me fall backwards laughing so hard, I have to link to it.
I'm off on the Pacific coast now, just outside of the town of Martin Antonio. A bunch of French people checked into the hotel yesterday, and they really fucked up my head. After four days of immersing myself in Spanish, just hearing that nasal, bwa-nah-duhh-fonk accent hit my ears like a belt sander. Plus, what is it with European men and those root-suit bathing suits they wear? Got-dam! If I were a middle-aged old fart with a pot-belly the size of a #3 washtub and a dick the resembling a stack of American dimes thirty cents tall, I WOULD NOT wear that kind of modified jockstrap in public, at least not without sticking a rolled-up sock in my crotch to pretend that I was out to advertise my equipment.
Frenchmen do, and it ain't a pretty sight.
Toss in an insult to the French, and I just gotta link.
So when I read something that makes me fall backwards laughing so hard, I have to link to it.
I'm off on the Pacific coast now, just outside of the town of Martin Antonio. A bunch of French people checked into the hotel yesterday, and they really fucked up my head. After four days of immersing myself in Spanish, just hearing that nasal, bwa-nah-duhh-fonk accent hit my ears like a belt sander. Plus, what is it with European men and those root-suit bathing suits they wear? Got-dam! If I were a middle-aged old fart with a pot-belly the size of a #3 washtub and a dick the resembling a stack of American dimes thirty cents tall, I WOULD NOT wear that kind of modified jockstrap in public, at least not without sticking a rolled-up sock in my crotch to pretend that I was out to advertise my equipment.
Frenchmen do, and it ain't a pretty sight.
Toss in an insult to the French, and I just gotta link.
Trying to Regain Self-Control...
Whoever came up with scumware should be shot. Not in the head, but in all the major joints, so that whoever it is dies a screaming, horrible, painful death. Let's pour some fire ants into the bullet wounds, just to make it more painful. And right before they die, I want to take a shit into their screaming, twisted, gaping mouths. There is no depth to the amount of pain I want to wreak on them.
And to whoever was so sand-poundingly stupid that they downloaded a whole bunch of scumware infected crap onto the work computer, I want to be beat them sensless with a baseball bat. Their stupidity has cost me hours of my time, as well as screwed up what was a perfectly good computer. Even with 99.99999999% of it deleted and removed, I'm still finding various pieces of crap popping up from time to time. I don't want to kill the braindead idiots, I just want to beat some sense into their thick wooden heads with a large metal bat. That's not so bad, is it?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.................. Expect posting to be light for a little while.
And to whoever was so sand-poundingly stupid that they downloaded a whole bunch of scumware infected crap onto the work computer, I want to be beat them sensless with a baseball bat. Their stupidity has cost me hours of my time, as well as screwed up what was a perfectly good computer. Even with 99.99999999% of it deleted and removed, I'm still finding various pieces of crap popping up from time to time. I don't want to kill the braindead idiots, I just want to beat some sense into their thick wooden heads with a large metal bat. That's not so bad, is it?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.................. Expect posting to be light for a little while.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
May 19th
Is "Stick It To Them" day, according to the email that my girlfriend sent me. Have any of you gotten that email yet?
IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A
DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD
CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES. AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH
A NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL
COMPANIES. THEREFORE MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT TO THEM" DAY
AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY.
While it's a nice thought, it ain't gonna happen. And while the writer shows that they have an understanding of some economics:
REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY
IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO
RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH
EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING
MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO!
..they simplify the whole economic process. It's just not as easy as they make it out to be.
If you were to simply stop buying gasoline for one day, you would put a big hurt on the bottom of the chain - the gas stations. Problem is, the gas stations aren't owned by the big oil companies. Most of them are owned by private citizens as franchises who are under contract to use petroleum products from a specific company, with a few stations owned by larger corporations. They've already bought the gas from the bigger oil companies, and it would be THEM that you put a hurt on. But even if every one of the gas stations were owned by the big oil companies, the chain of supply would ensure that the hit to their pocketbooks would be slight. The oil doesn't go from the wells to the companies to the gas stations. It goes from the wells, to the shipping companies, to the refineries, to other shipping and storage companies, to the trucks, to the gas stations, all under the watchful eye of the oil companies, and by the time you make a huge dent in the last link of the chain it barely registers at the top. If you really want to hurt the bigger oil companies, you need to reduce the overall demand by a large margin.
Which is why I have come up with a way to do that. Yep, little ole me has a plan, and it's a good one. All those eco-freaks out there screaming about oil consumption, you can do your part! Sierra Club and all the rest can make sure that oil consumption goes down! And best of all, it takes little or no change to our current technology! That's right, we can reduce our oil consumption by a huge percentage without waiting for new tech! "But Raging Dave, how can that be?" you ask. My friends, I shall tell you.
Ride Motorcycles instead of Driving Cars.
Yep. That's it in a nutshell. Motorcycles get anywhere from 40-60 mpg on average, depending on size and engine makeup. Compare that to most cars and trucks, which get anywhere from 25-35 if you're lucky. Point, motorcycles. Motorcycles use only two tires instead of four, thereby using up less rubber and other resources used to make tires. Point, motorcycles. Motorcycles also weigh less, which means less damage to the roadway and less resources used to fix the roads. Point, motorcycles. Due to their smaller engine sizes, motorcycles use up less petroleum products such as oil, transmission fluid, and other harmful chemicals like anti-freeze. Point, motorcycles. And since motorcycles use up less material in their manufacture than four wheeled transports, they are obviously more ecologically friendly than cars, trucks and SUVs! Point, motorcycles!
It's a clean sweep! Motorcycles are the ultimate environmentally friendly vehicle, no matter which way you look at it! So from now on, when I see, hear, or read any snot-nosed eco-freak screaming about how we need to save the environment, I will disregard them unless they've proven their dedication by riding a motorcycle.
Seriously folks, if you want to avoid buying gas on May 19th, go right ahead. But take a look at the entire picture for a little bit. There are ways to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. A one day boycott won't help much.
IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A
DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD
CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES. AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH
A NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL
COMPANIES. THEREFORE MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT TO THEM" DAY
AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY.
While it's a nice thought, it ain't gonna happen. And while the writer shows that they have an understanding of some economics:
REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY
IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO
RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH
EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING
MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO!
..they simplify the whole economic process. It's just not as easy as they make it out to be.
If you were to simply stop buying gasoline for one day, you would put a big hurt on the bottom of the chain - the gas stations. Problem is, the gas stations aren't owned by the big oil companies. Most of them are owned by private citizens as franchises who are under contract to use petroleum products from a specific company, with a few stations owned by larger corporations. They've already bought the gas from the bigger oil companies, and it would be THEM that you put a hurt on. But even if every one of the gas stations were owned by the big oil companies, the chain of supply would ensure that the hit to their pocketbooks would be slight. The oil doesn't go from the wells to the companies to the gas stations. It goes from the wells, to the shipping companies, to the refineries, to other shipping and storage companies, to the trucks, to the gas stations, all under the watchful eye of the oil companies, and by the time you make a huge dent in the last link of the chain it barely registers at the top. If you really want to hurt the bigger oil companies, you need to reduce the overall demand by a large margin.
Which is why I have come up with a way to do that. Yep, little ole me has a plan, and it's a good one. All those eco-freaks out there screaming about oil consumption, you can do your part! Sierra Club and all the rest can make sure that oil consumption goes down! And best of all, it takes little or no change to our current technology! That's right, we can reduce our oil consumption by a huge percentage without waiting for new tech! "But Raging Dave, how can that be?" you ask. My friends, I shall tell you.
Ride Motorcycles instead of Driving Cars.
Yep. That's it in a nutshell. Motorcycles get anywhere from 40-60 mpg on average, depending on size and engine makeup. Compare that to most cars and trucks, which get anywhere from 25-35 if you're lucky. Point, motorcycles. Motorcycles use only two tires instead of four, thereby using up less rubber and other resources used to make tires. Point, motorcycles. Motorcycles also weigh less, which means less damage to the roadway and less resources used to fix the roads. Point, motorcycles. Due to their smaller engine sizes, motorcycles use up less petroleum products such as oil, transmission fluid, and other harmful chemicals like anti-freeze. Point, motorcycles. And since motorcycles use up less material in their manufacture than four wheeled transports, they are obviously more ecologically friendly than cars, trucks and SUVs! Point, motorcycles!
It's a clean sweep! Motorcycles are the ultimate environmentally friendly vehicle, no matter which way you look at it! So from now on, when I see, hear, or read any snot-nosed eco-freak screaming about how we need to save the environment, I will disregard them unless they've proven their dedication by riding a motorcycle.
Seriously folks, if you want to avoid buying gas on May 19th, go right ahead. But take a look at the entire picture for a little bit. There are ways to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. A one day boycott won't help much.
Lots of blog entries have good thoughts and witticisms
And every now and then one contains words to live by.
Steven den Beste crafted such a slice of content yesterday.
Witnesseth:
Standing virtually alone in the face of popular opinion is a tough thing to do. Personally, I wish I would do it more. There have been too few times in my life when I stood up to "the crowd". I recall each case with relish, despite the fact that in most cases I was overrun by the mob.
Steven den Beste crafted such a slice of content yesterday.
Witnesseth:
For context, read: USS Clueless
"The world" is not unanimous in opposition to the war. The claim that "the rest of the world disagrees" is a lie.
But even if it were true, it would not matter. We Americans have a saying: "It's more important what you stand for than who you stand with." I do not rely upon peer opinion to decide what is right and what is wrong. I make those decisions for myself, and even if I discover that every other human alive chose differently, that doesn't mean I was wrong.
You have repackaged "Ask yourself why they hate you" with your rhetorical question. That was always a stupid question, because the unspoken text of it was, "If 'they' hate you, doesn't it mean you should hate yourself?"
No, it does not.
If the rest of the world disagrees with the US on this war, shouldn't that make me wonder about whether we are right to go to war?
No, it should not.
I do not consider that kind of thinking to be "nuanced" or "sophisticated". I consider it to be a demonstration of decadence and moral decay. I am not a simple man or a simple thinker, but there are some kinds of situations where the answer is simple, and in such cases if someone still tries to find a more complex nuanced answer it shows that he has no backbone.
There comes a time in every man's life when he has to choose sides. I have chosen my side. I am comfortable with my decision. I do not think everyone on my side is a saint, but I know that those on the other side are much, much worse.
Sometimes a man with too broad a perspective reveals himself as having no real perspective at all. A man who tries too hard to see every side may be a man who is trying to avoid choosing any side. A man who tries too hard to seek a deeper truth may be trying to hide from the truth he already knows.
That is not a sign of intellectual sophistication and "great thinking". It is a demonstration of moral degeneracy and cowardice.
If you truly think that America is no better than the terrorists, then go watch the video of Nicholas Berg's brutal murder. After you've listened to his horrible screams as he died, and after you've watched his killers wave his bloody head in front of the camera, get back to me and explain to me why I and my nation are responsible for Berg's death, and why the man who wielded the knife is not.
Standing virtually alone in the face of popular opinion is a tough thing to do. Personally, I wish I would do it more. There have been too few times in my life when I stood up to "the crowd". I recall each case with relish, despite the fact that in most cases I was overrun by the mob.
Missiles on the Train
U.S. officials confirmed a report in a Japanese daily newspaper that a train explosion on April 22 killed about a dozen Syrian technicians near the Ryongchon province in North Korea. The officials said the technicians were accompanying a train car full of missile components and other equipment from a facility near the Chinese border to a North Korea port.WorldTribune.com
Quote of the Day
And it needs to be tattooed on the foreheads of the barking moonbats far and wide.
Just because somebody "hates" you doesn't automatically mean that you're wrong.
Just because somebody "hates" you doesn't automatically mean that you're wrong.
Monday, May 17, 2004
The Poster Child of the Left
I think that we should take Rachel's suggestion, AK. Targets.
Seriously, if you wanted a perfect example of what is wrong with the Left, Michael Moore fits the bill. A fat, corpulant asshole, made rich by the benifits of America who constantly rails against America, derides much of what made America great in the first place, lies like a rug, continues to lie even when caught in those lies, hypocritical to the extreme, completely partisan, and more than willing to sell the tattered remains of his morals in order to score points with the anti-American crowd.
No wonder he's loved in France. He's French at heart, if not in name. The man is the most disgusting, reprehensible, corrupt sack of shit to ever come from Michigan.
And I think what is worse is the fact that the barking moonbats lap it up. They don't care if it's true or not, they'll use whatever they can in order to kill America's spirit. They'll do whatever they can in order to grab power. And Micheal Moore is their spokesperson. Corrupt, dishonest, morally bankrupt, and anti-American to the core.
When Moore dies, I'll take the trip to piss on his grave.
Seriously, if you wanted a perfect example of what is wrong with the Left, Michael Moore fits the bill. A fat, corpulant asshole, made rich by the benifits of America who constantly rails against America, derides much of what made America great in the first place, lies like a rug, continues to lie even when caught in those lies, hypocritical to the extreme, completely partisan, and more than willing to sell the tattered remains of his morals in order to score points with the anti-American crowd.
No wonder he's loved in France. He's French at heart, if not in name. The man is the most disgusting, reprehensible, corrupt sack of shit to ever come from Michigan.
And I think what is worse is the fact that the barking moonbats lap it up. They don't care if it's true or not, they'll use whatever they can in order to kill America's spirit. They'll do whatever they can in order to grab power. And Micheal Moore is their spokesperson. Corrupt, dishonest, morally bankrupt, and anti-American to the core.
When Moore dies, I'll take the trip to piss on his grave.
Activist Judges Still Fucking With The Law
The latest group of unelected tyrants have begun their assault on the rule of law in Massachusetts. How lovely.
I'm done screaming about this. Most the people here either see my point of view or they don't want to hear it. But I will say this:
Since the gay-marriage side has shown that they don't give a shit about the rule of law, since they have shown that they don't give a fuck about me having a voice in this, since they have proven that judicial activism and legislation from the bench is A-OK with them so long as it fits their needs, I am going to fight against it with everything I have. You went outside the legislature in order to get your views forced on the country. You denied this country the debate and the flow of ideas it needed on this issue. So fuck you. You've lost my support, for as long as you continue to advocate judicial fiat. I don't care what other issues you bring up. Fuck you and the judge who allowed you to violate the law. I am now your enemy. And I am an enemy you do not want.
I'm done screaming about this. Most the people here either see my point of view or they don't want to hear it. But I will say this:
Since the gay-marriage side has shown that they don't give a shit about the rule of law, since they have shown that they don't give a fuck about me having a voice in this, since they have proven that judicial activism and legislation from the bench is A-OK with them so long as it fits their needs, I am going to fight against it with everything I have. You went outside the legislature in order to get your views forced on the country. You denied this country the debate and the flow of ideas it needed on this issue. So fuck you. You've lost my support, for as long as you continue to advocate judicial fiat. I don't care what other issues you bring up. Fuck you and the judge who allowed you to violate the law. I am now your enemy. And I am an enemy you do not want.
Is Barbra Streisand Getting Sleepy?
Is Barbra Streisand getting sleepy?FOXNews.com
I'm told that she's been having so much trouble sleeping that she's enlisted one of Hollywood's top hypnotists to help her nod off.
Unfortunately, the hypnotist mentioned specializes in curing sleepy, not stupid.
Something Stinks
In North Korea
Syrian technicians accompanying unknown equipment were killed in the train explosion in North Korea on April 22, according to a report in a Japanese newspaper.
A military specialist on Korean affairs revealed that the Syrian technicians were killed in the explosion in Ryongchon in the northwestern part of the country, according to the Sankei Shimbun. The specialist said the Syrians were accompanying "large equipment" and that the damage from the explosion was greatest in the portion of the train they occupied.
The source said North Korean military personnel with protective suits responded to the scene soon after the explosion and removed material only from the Syrians' section of the train. (emphasis mine)
So, people from a country that had Baa'thist ties to Iraq and are known sponsors of terrorism were on a train heading into a country controlled by an insane communist dictator known for selling weapons to anyone and everyone with cold hard cash.
Is that the basic gist of it?
Something stinks. Bad. A lot of people think that Saddam's WMD were transported to Syria. So Baa'thist terrorist sponsoring thugs meeting up with the world's worst commie crackpot makes me nervous. There's more to this story that we can see right now. Bank on it.
Found at Drumwaster's Rants.
Syrian technicians accompanying unknown equipment were killed in the train explosion in North Korea on April 22, according to a report in a Japanese newspaper.
A military specialist on Korean affairs revealed that the Syrian technicians were killed in the explosion in Ryongchon in the northwestern part of the country, according to the Sankei Shimbun. The specialist said the Syrians were accompanying "large equipment" and that the damage from the explosion was greatest in the portion of the train they occupied.
The source said North Korean military personnel with protective suits responded to the scene soon after the explosion and removed material only from the Syrians' section of the train. (emphasis mine)
So, people from a country that had Baa'thist ties to Iraq and are known sponsors of terrorism were on a train heading into a country controlled by an insane communist dictator known for selling weapons to anyone and everyone with cold hard cash.
Is that the basic gist of it?
Something stinks. Bad. A lot of people think that Saddam's WMD were transported to Syria. So Baa'thist terrorist sponsoring thugs meeting up with the world's worst commie crackpot makes me nervous. There's more to this story that we can see right now. Bank on it.
Found at Drumwaster's Rants.
Blogger Blastorama
I'm ashamed! I'm a bad boy! I deserve to be flogged! Even though I stopped by the range on Saturday, I FORGOT TO MENTION THE BLASTORAMA!!!
My penance shall begin forthwith. However, let me remind people that there will be yet another Blastorama this Saturday. It's outdoors, which means you can bring the BIG guns! If you're interested in going, email Analog Kid for directions. For those of you in the Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia area, the site is near Enumclaw so it's not that far of a drive.
Come join us! I'll be bringing coffee!
My penance shall begin forthwith. However, let me remind people that there will be yet another Blastorama this Saturday. It's outdoors, which means you can bring the BIG guns! If you're interested in going, email Analog Kid for directions. For those of you in the Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia area, the site is near Enumclaw so it's not that far of a drive.
Come join us! I'll be bringing coffee!
Care Packages
Kim du Toit recieved some suggestions for anyone who wants to send a care package to a soldier in Iraq.
The hotter summer months are coming in, and many troops have been over there a while. Having been in that region, I can tell ya that there are some smarter things to pack in a care package besides cookies. Sure, they may cost a bit more, but I'm pretty sure any self respecting local store will cut a deal for some/most of these items.
1. Foot Powder. Goes without saying. This stuff is GOLD over there.
2. Boot sole inserts. The cheap ones work just as well, if not better than the "gel" ones. (The gel ones don't absorb moisture, which can really screw up the bottoms of your feet)
3. Toenail Clippers, fingernail clippers, cloth surgical tape.
4. Moleskin (the little pads you put on your foot/boot to prevent blisters.
5. Bootlaces. A lot of laces got severely stressed with the sucking mud in the winter. The longer the better. (Soldiers know how to make them shorter, not longer)
6. Baby wipes/travel napkins.
7. Endust wipes. These things are PERFECT for cleaning quite a few items, least of which is the gas mask *just in case*.
8. Toothbrushes.
9. Eyeglass repair kits (small screwdriver, little screws)
10. GOOD duct tape. The military stuff don't always work to well. (Lowest bidder stuff I guess. Dunno why one roll works too well, and one wouldn't stick to itself) Black/Beige preferred, silver works too, in garrison.
11. Spray Silicone, 5 in 1 household oil, Armor All (or equivalent). This stuff is useful for getting some of that "road dust" off, and for general maintenance stuff around the tent.
12. Loofahs. (the little scrunchy bath things women use, look like a mini cheerleader pom pom). I got hooked on these things after wearing camo face paint for a week. These things WORK. Throw in some liquid soap if you want/need.
13. If you're going to send razors, think about sending them good ones. A good mach 3 will last a soldier two weeks, whereas a cheap bic one will last one or two shaves. And yes, you CAN jam a screwdriver into a mach-3 or similar style blade, and shave with it, using the screwdriver like a handle.
14. Shaving Cream. Don't send Gel. High altitude areas leave these cans spent with about half the contents remaining.
15. Suede Brushes. We use these things for boots, fingernails, dusty 16's, etc... again, tons of uses
I never would have thought of Loofas or bootlaces, and I was in the Army! Oh well, just goes to show you what different areas and missions require. To the above list I would add Good Beef Jerkey, (if you have a butcher shop that makes good jerkey, have them vacume-pack it), Powdered Gatorade (powdered gold is more like it), and tobacco products. Even if the soldier doesn't smoke, tobacco can be bartered with quite effectively.
A lot of this stuff isn't too expensive, so if you know anyone in the Sandbox, why don't you send them a couple of gifts?
The hotter summer months are coming in, and many troops have been over there a while. Having been in that region, I can tell ya that there are some smarter things to pack in a care package besides cookies. Sure, they may cost a bit more, but I'm pretty sure any self respecting local store will cut a deal for some/most of these items.
1. Foot Powder. Goes without saying. This stuff is GOLD over there.
2. Boot sole inserts. The cheap ones work just as well, if not better than the "gel" ones. (The gel ones don't absorb moisture, which can really screw up the bottoms of your feet)
3. Toenail Clippers, fingernail clippers, cloth surgical tape.
4. Moleskin (the little pads you put on your foot/boot to prevent blisters.
5. Bootlaces. A lot of laces got severely stressed with the sucking mud in the winter. The longer the better. (Soldiers know how to make them shorter, not longer)
6. Baby wipes/travel napkins.
7. Endust wipes. These things are PERFECT for cleaning quite a few items, least of which is the gas mask *just in case*.
8. Toothbrushes.
9. Eyeglass repair kits (small screwdriver, little screws)
10. GOOD duct tape. The military stuff don't always work to well. (Lowest bidder stuff I guess. Dunno why one roll works too well, and one wouldn't stick to itself) Black/Beige preferred, silver works too, in garrison.
11. Spray Silicone, 5 in 1 household oil, Armor All (or equivalent). This stuff is useful for getting some of that "road dust" off, and for general maintenance stuff around the tent.
12. Loofahs. (the little scrunchy bath things women use, look like a mini cheerleader pom pom). I got hooked on these things after wearing camo face paint for a week. These things WORK. Throw in some liquid soap if you want/need.
13. If you're going to send razors, think about sending them good ones. A good mach 3 will last a soldier two weeks, whereas a cheap bic one will last one or two shaves. And yes, you CAN jam a screwdriver into a mach-3 or similar style blade, and shave with it, using the screwdriver like a handle.
14. Shaving Cream. Don't send Gel. High altitude areas leave these cans spent with about half the contents remaining.
15. Suede Brushes. We use these things for boots, fingernails, dusty 16's, etc... again, tons of uses
I never would have thought of Loofas or bootlaces, and I was in the Army! Oh well, just goes to show you what different areas and missions require. To the above list I would add Good Beef Jerkey, (if you have a butcher shop that makes good jerkey, have them vacume-pack it), Powdered Gatorade (powdered gold is more like it), and tobacco products. Even if the soldier doesn't smoke, tobacco can be bartered with quite effectively.
A lot of this stuff isn't too expensive, so if you know anyone in the Sandbox, why don't you send them a couple of gifts?
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Mineta's Goons
That would be Norman Mineta, the head of the Transportation Safety Authority. Y'know, that group of people who are supposed to keep us safe from terrorists at the airport?
Yeah, stop snickering, I know.....
Anyways, the TSA has come out with a plan to help reduce airport lines. Yay! Isn't that special. Do you feel warm and fuzzy yet? Because as far as I'm concerned, it's all fluff and bullshit.
You want to get real about security on airlines? Then you have to let go of all the PC crap that the government is currently flooded with. You have to clear out the morons and the dead weight before you can start moving forward, and since the airport screeners are now federal employees, good luck. You need to drop all the stupid crap and baggage that the government loves to hold on to dearly. You need INTELLIGENT people working for you, not the brain-dead booger eating morons that currently occupy a large chunk of positions in the TSA.
Is that a bit harsh? God, I hope so. Because I'm here to tell you that the TSA is staffed by idiots, with the biggest idiot in the top position.
Joe Foss, WWII vet, Retired U.S.M.C., hero, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Gets stuck at an airport while on his way to give a speech at West Point, and is delayed for 45 minutes while the stupid idiots at the screener station try to figure out what the hell that pointy thing is and if it should be considered dangerous.
One: Retired military war heros who have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor ARE NOT TERRORISTS, YOU BRAIN-DEAD TWITS!
Two: The very fact that these snot-sucking buffoons didn't know what the hell a Congressional Medal of Honor was, or what it looked like, should have been (in my mind) reason for immediate dismissal on the grounds of severe stupidity.
Oh, and let's not forget Al Gore's experience, hmmmmm? Say what you will about him, because I sure do. Personally, I can't stand the man. I think he's one of the most boring, egostistical, elitist, overbearing, pompus fuckwads to ever disgrace the White House, but HE'S NOT A TERRORIST! You do NOT pull aside the FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and search through his briefcase not once but twice! Whoever decided that it would be a good idea to rifle through Gore's BVD's should have been fired on the spot. It'll never happen, since that buffoon is a federal employee, but that's what SHOULD have happened.
The problem isn't just with the people, though, it's with the system! Random searches? Don't work. Supposedly Gore was stopped because "it was his turn in a random search". Fine, the guy at the screening station should have recognised THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and waved him on through. Plain and simple. "Oh, hello Mr. Gore, just come on around this way if you would." Little old ladies are not terrorists. Retired military war heros are not terrorists. Got it? The biggest problem is that in an effort to not hurt anybodies widdle feweengs, we have decided to blind ourselves, in effect. We aren't looking for the people who want to kill us. Who are those people?
Why, mostly they are Islamic males who have been to terrorist supporting countries in the past few years. That narrows it down a bit, doesn't it? Mrs. Grace Smith, the 89 year old lady from Gary, IN who bought a round-trip ticket to Orlando on her credit card two months ago is not going to post a security threat. Mr. Kalid Death-to-America Muhammad who bought a one-way ticket to Washington DC with cash at the airport the day of the flight IS a security risk. And while we should run Mrs. Smith's luggage through a screener just in case someone has messed with it, we do NOT need to make Mrs. Smith take off her shoes. We do NOT need to wand Mrs. Smith down, and we do NOT need to treat Mrs. Smith as if she's a terrorist. Because she's not. Have we ever been attacked by little old ladies? No. What's the probablility of getting attacked by geriatric female terrorists? Why, about 0.00000000000000001%, if that. The case could be made that the USA is more likely to be swallowed up by a huge volcano that erupts out in the middle of Kansas than it is to suffer an attack by 89 year old grandma terrorists. And yet there's Mrs. Smith, getting wanded and patted down. "Turn this way, keep your arms out straight please, take your shoes off and put them in this bucket." STOP WASTING OUR TIME!
As far as I'm concerned the TSA needs to either be scrapped or completely overhauled. Until then, every action they take is a band-aid on an arterial laceration.
It ain't gonna help.
Yeah, stop snickering, I know.....
Anyways, the TSA has come out with a plan to help reduce airport lines. Yay! Isn't that special. Do you feel warm and fuzzy yet? Because as far as I'm concerned, it's all fluff and bullshit.
You want to get real about security on airlines? Then you have to let go of all the PC crap that the government is currently flooded with. You have to clear out the morons and the dead weight before you can start moving forward, and since the airport screeners are now federal employees, good luck. You need to drop all the stupid crap and baggage that the government loves to hold on to dearly. You need INTELLIGENT people working for you, not the brain-dead booger eating morons that currently occupy a large chunk of positions in the TSA.
Is that a bit harsh? God, I hope so. Because I'm here to tell you that the TSA is staffed by idiots, with the biggest idiot in the top position.
Joe Foss, WWII vet, Retired U.S.M.C., hero, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Gets stuck at an airport while on his way to give a speech at West Point, and is delayed for 45 minutes while the stupid idiots at the screener station try to figure out what the hell that pointy thing is and if it should be considered dangerous.
One: Retired military war heros who have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor ARE NOT TERRORISTS, YOU BRAIN-DEAD TWITS!
Two: The very fact that these snot-sucking buffoons didn't know what the hell a Congressional Medal of Honor was, or what it looked like, should have been (in my mind) reason for immediate dismissal on the grounds of severe stupidity.
Oh, and let's not forget Al Gore's experience, hmmmmm? Say what you will about him, because I sure do. Personally, I can't stand the man. I think he's one of the most boring, egostistical, elitist, overbearing, pompus fuckwads to ever disgrace the White House, but HE'S NOT A TERRORIST! You do NOT pull aside the FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and search through his briefcase not once but twice! Whoever decided that it would be a good idea to rifle through Gore's BVD's should have been fired on the spot. It'll never happen, since that buffoon is a federal employee, but that's what SHOULD have happened.
The problem isn't just with the people, though, it's with the system! Random searches? Don't work. Supposedly Gore was stopped because "it was his turn in a random search". Fine, the guy at the screening station should have recognised THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and waved him on through. Plain and simple. "Oh, hello Mr. Gore, just come on around this way if you would." Little old ladies are not terrorists. Retired military war heros are not terrorists. Got it? The biggest problem is that in an effort to not hurt anybodies widdle feweengs, we have decided to blind ourselves, in effect. We aren't looking for the people who want to kill us. Who are those people?
Why, mostly they are Islamic males who have been to terrorist supporting countries in the past few years. That narrows it down a bit, doesn't it? Mrs. Grace Smith, the 89 year old lady from Gary, IN who bought a round-trip ticket to Orlando on her credit card two months ago is not going to post a security threat. Mr. Kalid Death-to-America Muhammad who bought a one-way ticket to Washington DC with cash at the airport the day of the flight IS a security risk. And while we should run Mrs. Smith's luggage through a screener just in case someone has messed with it, we do NOT need to make Mrs. Smith take off her shoes. We do NOT need to wand Mrs. Smith down, and we do NOT need to treat Mrs. Smith as if she's a terrorist. Because she's not. Have we ever been attacked by little old ladies? No. What's the probablility of getting attacked by geriatric female terrorists? Why, about 0.00000000000000001%, if that. The case could be made that the USA is more likely to be swallowed up by a huge volcano that erupts out in the middle of Kansas than it is to suffer an attack by 89 year old grandma terrorists. And yet there's Mrs. Smith, getting wanded and patted down. "Turn this way, keep your arms out straight please, take your shoes off and put them in this bucket." STOP WASTING OUR TIME!
As far as I'm concerned the TSA needs to either be scrapped or completely overhauled. Until then, every action they take is a band-aid on an arterial laceration.
It ain't gonna help.
A Wake-up Call
Um, when someone who has been the "softest" person in this administration when it comes to Israel/"Palistine" says something like this, it's time to sit up and take notice.
Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday blamed Yasser Arafat for blocking U.S. efforts to strengthen Palestinian security forces as a means of ending terror attacks on Israel.
Winding up his latest effort to push peacemaking forward, without any apparent concrete results, Powell also criticized Arafat for a statement the Palestinian leader made Saturday to his people urging them to "find whatever strength you have to terrorize your enemy."
The EU will continue to kneel down and fellate Arafat for as long as they're told by their PLO and UN masters, but it's nice to see that the US administration is finally getting it's shit together. Arafat wants peace like I want John Kerry in office.
Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday blamed Yasser Arafat for blocking U.S. efforts to strengthen Palestinian security forces as a means of ending terror attacks on Israel.
Winding up his latest effort to push peacemaking forward, without any apparent concrete results, Powell also criticized Arafat for a statement the Palestinian leader made Saturday to his people urging them to "find whatever strength you have to terrorize your enemy."
The EU will continue to kneel down and fellate Arafat for as long as they're told by their PLO and UN masters, but it's nice to see that the US administration is finally getting it's shit together. Arafat wants peace like I want John Kerry in office.
Another Story from Abu Ghraib
But this is one that the media doesn't want you to hear about, or read about, or even look at.
Doesn't fit the format, ya know? It's not "nuanced" enough.
Found at Dean's World.
Doesn't fit the format, ya know? It's not "nuanced" enough.
Found at Dean's World.
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