Rift Grows Between al-Qaida, Muslim Groups
Scholars of Islamic movements and some Western policy-makers, however, say distinctions now must be made between hard-line Islamist organizations and "holy warrior" groups such as Osama bin Laden's terror network.
One can only hope.
But is it simply a ruse to lull the West into complacency?
Saturday, April 29, 2006
A simple twist
Cops to Greet Alien Rallies with Civil Disobedience.
By Scott Ott, Editor-in-Chief, ScrappleFace.com
News Fairly Unbalanced. We Report. You Decipher.
(2006-04-28) - As May 1st draws near and America prepares for the hardship and suffering of "A Day without Illegal Immigrants", the Justice Department announced today plans to mark the protest movement with its own act of civil disobedience.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he'll encourage federal,state and local law enforcement on Monday to respond to illegal immigration rallies by observing "A Day without Miranda Rights" followed by "A Month without Habeas Corpus" and "A Year without Bail."
By Scott Ott, Editor-in-Chief, ScrappleFace.com
News Fairly Unbalanced. We Report. You Decipher.
(2006-04-28) - As May 1st draws near and America prepares for the hardship and suffering of "A Day without Illegal Immigrants", the Justice Department announced today plans to mark the protest movement with its own act of civil disobedience.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he'll encourage federal,state and local law enforcement on Monday to respond to illegal immigration rallies by observing "A Day without Miranda Rights" followed by "A Month without Habeas Corpus" and "A Year without Bail."
Friday, April 28, 2006
Here's something you don't see everyday.
GDP growth strongest in 2-1/2 years
"The U.S. economy is cruising along now," said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock Financial Services, after Friday's latest report by the Commerce Department.
Gross domestic product advanced at a 4.8 percent pace in the January-to-March quarter. That marked a rebound from the feeble 1.7 percent rate in the final quarter of 2005, when fallout from the Gulf Coast hurricanes, including high energy prices, prompted people and companies to tighten their belts.
GDP measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States and is considered the best barometer of the economy's fitness.
I guess with such a robust economy, companies big & small can afford this continued pandering to illegal aliens.
From mighty meatpacking plants to tiny taco stands, U.S. businesses are making plans to deal with Monday's nationwide pro-immigration boycott, which could keep millions of people away from their jobs. Contingency plans range from juggling schedules to hiring temporary workers to closing down altogether, companies say.
I suggest an additional plan of giving those AWOL workers the rest of the week off without pay. Hey, its a free country. They're free to walk off the job & I'm free to give 'em some time off without pay.
Heck, business in the U.S. of A. is so good that President Bush is continuing his
unrelenting support of the Dubai boys.
President George W. Bush approved Dubai's $1.24 billion takeover of Doncasters, a British engineering company with U.S. plants that supply the Pentagon, the White House said on Friday.
Geez. I need to talk to my stock broker and see if I can invest in all things Dubai.
This is very good news.
Bush Rejects Calls for Tax on Oil Profits
I need to up the cash in energy stocks too.
And finally, a big plate of bonehead goes to this woman. I guess hell no! wasn't in her vocabulary.
Jury Awards $500G to Woman Spanked at Work
Ya know, if you work with a bunch a freaks and pervs at a wack job company, it is incumbent upon you to exit and find another job before the nitwits pounce.
This nation needs a 'loser pays' court system really bad!
"The U.S. economy is cruising along now," said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock Financial Services, after Friday's latest report by the Commerce Department.
Gross domestic product advanced at a 4.8 percent pace in the January-to-March quarter. That marked a rebound from the feeble 1.7 percent rate in the final quarter of 2005, when fallout from the Gulf Coast hurricanes, including high energy prices, prompted people and companies to tighten their belts.
GDP measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States and is considered the best barometer of the economy's fitness.
I guess with such a robust economy, companies big & small can afford this continued pandering to illegal aliens.
From mighty meatpacking plants to tiny taco stands, U.S. businesses are making plans to deal with Monday's nationwide pro-immigration boycott, which could keep millions of people away from their jobs. Contingency plans range from juggling schedules to hiring temporary workers to closing down altogether, companies say.
I suggest an additional plan of giving those AWOL workers the rest of the week off without pay. Hey, its a free country. They're free to walk off the job & I'm free to give 'em some time off without pay.
Heck, business in the U.S. of A. is so good that President Bush is continuing his
unrelenting support of the Dubai boys.
President George W. Bush approved Dubai's $1.24 billion takeover of Doncasters, a British engineering company with U.S. plants that supply the Pentagon, the White House said on Friday.
Geez. I need to talk to my stock broker and see if I can invest in all things Dubai.
This is very good news.
Bush Rejects Calls for Tax on Oil Profits
I need to up the cash in energy stocks too.
And finally, a big plate of bonehead goes to this woman. I guess hell no! wasn't in her vocabulary.
Jury Awards $500G to Woman Spanked at Work
Ya know, if you work with a bunch a freaks and pervs at a wack job company, it is incumbent upon you to exit and find another job before the nitwits pounce.
This nation needs a 'loser pays' court system really bad!
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Blah, blah, blah, blah...blahblahblah
Lawmakers seek gas-tax relief
Quit pandering to the media & ill-informed public with nonsense like income redistribution, 'windfall' profit tax and 'anti-gouging' legislation and do something really useful... like defend the borders.
I believe that's in the constitution somewhere.
..bunch 'o putzes
Quit pandering to the media & ill-informed public with nonsense like income redistribution, 'windfall' profit tax and 'anti-gouging' legislation and do something really useful... like defend the borders.
I believe that's in the constitution somewhere.
..bunch 'o putzes
Monday, April 24, 2006
A hard federalism
...Clowns to the left of me; jokers to the right: Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.
After being ruled for nearly six hundred years by the Ottoman Turks, Iraq was carved out of the Ottoman Empire by the French and British after world war I. It was formed out of three former Ottoman regions: Mosul (in the north), Baghdad (in the middle) and Basra (in the south). On November 11th, 1920 it became a League of Nations mandate under British control with the name "State of Iraq".
The British government laid out the political and constitutional framework for Iraq's government and supported the traditional, Sunni leadership (such as the tribal sheiks) over the growing, urban-based nationalist movement. Britain imposed a Hashemite monarchy on Iraq and defined the territorial limits of Iraq without taking into account the aspirations of the different ethnic and religious groups in the country, in particular those of the Kurds to the north.
In the south of Iraq were the Shi'a Muslims with traditional allegiance to Persia left over from the Safavids, a native Iranian dynasty from Azarbaijan that ruled from 1501 to 1736, and established Shi'a Islam as Iran's official religion. The safavids united its provinces under a single Iranian sovereignty and acted as a bridge to modern Iran.
In the 1930's, oil was discovered in the region and Iraq was off to the races with the western world. Everybody got this straight so far??
There are many factions and sub sets of divisions within the Iraqi population and ages old running feuds with suppressed ethnic, religious and tribal scores to settle. On his blog, Michael Yon puts forth the idea that Iraq has been in the midst of a smoldering civil war long before the U.S lead coalition ever set foot in Iraq and that perhaps this purge by indigenous blood can be the only way to settle the strife.
Criminal activity, no matter how intense, does not constitute a civil war. Nor do the actions of "Jihadists" who came to Iraq to fight. Nor do the bombs that explode to settle scores for old tribal, ethnic or religious frictions constitute civil war per se. But all these elements accelerate the smoldering fire of the decades old civil war in Iraq. The Civil War did not start subsequent the invasion; it was already underway. The former Iraqi regime had slaughtered unknown thousands of civilians and buried many of them in mass graves that are still today being discovered and catalogued. If anything, the previous Civil War has merely changed shape, the advantage has clearly shifted, and now that Americans and Europeans are in the combat zone, the war gets more complicated.
Another view, put forth by Gareth Stansfield on the ezine Prospect, states that only a hard federalism can avert a civil war amongst the squabbling factions. But that is only a stop gap measure to moderate an inevitable three way ethnic/religious split that has been dying to happen for generations. Unity out of diversity, or university, does not seem to be an option that any of the participants want to negotiate.
The partitioning, or rather radical decentralisation, of Iraq is under way. This should not necessarily be seen as a problem. Historical Iraq was a place of three semi-independent parts-Kurdish north, Sunni centre and Shia south-within the loose framework of the Ottoman empire. It is the centralised Iraq-starting with Britain's creation of the modern state in 1921-23 and reaching its nadir in nearly three decades of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship; that has failed and should be allowed to die.
There are, however, powerful forces refusing to contemplate partition or "hard federalism." The radical Shia movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr, emerging as one of the most powerful groups in Iraq, rejects federalism as a divide-and-rule tactic and defends Iraqi identity in traditional nationalist terms. Opposition among the Arab Sunnis who have traditionally dominated the state is even stronger. Whether radical Islamists, ex-Ba'athists or secularists, Arab Sunnis see federalism as undermining everything they have stood for in nearly a century of Iraqi history.
But such political machinizations are a moot point to the dead. My condolences to Mohammed & his family, over at Iraq the Model, on the death of his brother-in-law, a doctor who went back to Iraq to help rebuild his country.
After being ruled for nearly six hundred years by the Ottoman Turks, Iraq was carved out of the Ottoman Empire by the French and British after world war I. It was formed out of three former Ottoman regions: Mosul (in the north), Baghdad (in the middle) and Basra (in the south). On November 11th, 1920 it became a League of Nations mandate under British control with the name "State of Iraq".
The British government laid out the political and constitutional framework for Iraq's government and supported the traditional, Sunni leadership (such as the tribal sheiks) over the growing, urban-based nationalist movement. Britain imposed a Hashemite monarchy on Iraq and defined the territorial limits of Iraq without taking into account the aspirations of the different ethnic and religious groups in the country, in particular those of the Kurds to the north.
In the south of Iraq were the Shi'a Muslims with traditional allegiance to Persia left over from the Safavids, a native Iranian dynasty from Azarbaijan that ruled from 1501 to 1736, and established Shi'a Islam as Iran's official religion. The safavids united its provinces under a single Iranian sovereignty and acted as a bridge to modern Iran.
In the 1930's, oil was discovered in the region and Iraq was off to the races with the western world. Everybody got this straight so far??
There are many factions and sub sets of divisions within the Iraqi population and ages old running feuds with suppressed ethnic, religious and tribal scores to settle. On his blog, Michael Yon puts forth the idea that Iraq has been in the midst of a smoldering civil war long before the U.S lead coalition ever set foot in Iraq and that perhaps this purge by indigenous blood can be the only way to settle the strife.
Criminal activity, no matter how intense, does not constitute a civil war. Nor do the actions of "Jihadists" who came to Iraq to fight. Nor do the bombs that explode to settle scores for old tribal, ethnic or religious frictions constitute civil war per se. But all these elements accelerate the smoldering fire of the decades old civil war in Iraq. The Civil War did not start subsequent the invasion; it was already underway. The former Iraqi regime had slaughtered unknown thousands of civilians and buried many of them in mass graves that are still today being discovered and catalogued. If anything, the previous Civil War has merely changed shape, the advantage has clearly shifted, and now that Americans and Europeans are in the combat zone, the war gets more complicated.
Another view, put forth by Gareth Stansfield on the ezine Prospect, states that only a hard federalism can avert a civil war amongst the squabbling factions. But that is only a stop gap measure to moderate an inevitable three way ethnic/religious split that has been dying to happen for generations. Unity out of diversity, or university, does not seem to be an option that any of the participants want to negotiate.
The partitioning, or rather radical decentralisation, of Iraq is under way. This should not necessarily be seen as a problem. Historical Iraq was a place of three semi-independent parts-Kurdish north, Sunni centre and Shia south-within the loose framework of the Ottoman empire. It is the centralised Iraq-starting with Britain's creation of the modern state in 1921-23 and reaching its nadir in nearly three decades of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship; that has failed and should be allowed to die.
There are, however, powerful forces refusing to contemplate partition or "hard federalism." The radical Shia movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr, emerging as one of the most powerful groups in Iraq, rejects federalism as a divide-and-rule tactic and defends Iraqi identity in traditional nationalist terms. Opposition among the Arab Sunnis who have traditionally dominated the state is even stronger. Whether radical Islamists, ex-Ba'athists or secularists, Arab Sunnis see federalism as undermining everything they have stood for in nearly a century of Iraqi history.
But such political machinizations are a moot point to the dead. My condolences to Mohammed & his family, over at Iraq the Model, on the death of his brother-in-law, a doctor who went back to Iraq to help rebuild his country.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Friday, April 21, 2006
From the Homer Simpson Think Tank
Grab your wallets, tax payers. I'm sure some genius received public money from a government grant to arrive at this mysterious conclusion.
Emotional Wiring Different in Men and Women
"Throughout evolution, women have had to deal with a number of internal stressors, such as childbirth, that men haven't had to experience," said study co-author Larry Cahill of the University of California Irvine. "What is fascinating about this is the brain seems to have evolved to be in tune with those different stressors."
Uh-huh.
I wonder what women did before all this unguided, purposeless evolution occured?
And these very smart people must have received a piece of that same public money pie to arrive at this astounding conclusion; Men and women really do think differently.
"These findings suggest that human evolution has created two different types of brains designed for equally intelligent behavior," said Haier, adding that, "by pinpointing these gender-based intelligence areas, the study has the potential to aid research on dementia and other cognitive-impairment diseases in the brain."
Sounds suspiciously like creation science to me.
But another study concludes that ancient behaviors are hard-wired in the human brain. I guess evolution decided to stop progress on that aspect of human development. Where does an unguided, purposeless and total random process get such miraculous decision making abilities?
DOH!
Emotional Wiring Different in Men and Women
"Throughout evolution, women have had to deal with a number of internal stressors, such as childbirth, that men haven't had to experience," said study co-author Larry Cahill of the University of California Irvine. "What is fascinating about this is the brain seems to have evolved to be in tune with those different stressors."
Uh-huh.
I wonder what women did before all this unguided, purposeless evolution occured?
And these very smart people must have received a piece of that same public money pie to arrive at this astounding conclusion; Men and women really do think differently.
"These findings suggest that human evolution has created two different types of brains designed for equally intelligent behavior," said Haier, adding that, "by pinpointing these gender-based intelligence areas, the study has the potential to aid research on dementia and other cognitive-impairment diseases in the brain."
Sounds suspiciously like creation science to me.
But another study concludes that ancient behaviors are hard-wired in the human brain. I guess evolution decided to stop progress on that aspect of human development. Where does an unguided, purposeless and total random process get such miraculous decision making abilities?
DOH!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Old pilots never die, they just go to a higher plane.
Test Pilot Scott Crossfield Killed in Crash
April 20, 2006, 4:34 PM EDT
RANGER, Ga. -- Scott Crossfield, the hotshot test pilot and aircraft designer who in 1953 became the first man to fly at twice the speed of sound, was killed in the crash of his small plane, authorities said Thursday. He was 84.
Crossfield's body was found in the wreckage Thursday in the mountains about 50 northwest of Atlanta, a day after the single-engine plane he was flying dropped off radar screens on a flight from Alabama to Virginia. There were thunderstorms in the area at the time.
The cause of the crash was under investigation. Crossfield was believed to be the only person aboard.
During the 1950s, Crossfield embodied what came to be called "the right stuff," dueling the better-known Chuck Yeager for supremacy among America's Cold War test pilots. Yeager broke the sound barrier in 1947; only weeks after Crossfield reached Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound, Yeager outdid him.
Good bye, Scott. Thanks for everything.
April 20, 2006, 4:34 PM EDT
RANGER, Ga. -- Scott Crossfield, the hotshot test pilot and aircraft designer who in 1953 became the first man to fly at twice the speed of sound, was killed in the crash of his small plane, authorities said Thursday. He was 84.
Crossfield's body was found in the wreckage Thursday in the mountains about 50 northwest of Atlanta, a day after the single-engine plane he was flying dropped off radar screens on a flight from Alabama to Virginia. There were thunderstorms in the area at the time.
The cause of the crash was under investigation. Crossfield was believed to be the only person aboard.
During the 1950s, Crossfield embodied what came to be called "the right stuff," dueling the better-known Chuck Yeager for supremacy among America's Cold War test pilots. Yeager broke the sound barrier in 1947; only weeks after Crossfield reached Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound, Yeager outdid him.
Good bye, Scott. Thanks for everything.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Back to Iraq
From Midnight in Iraq comes one marine's response to an email he received from a journalism student about his perspective on the war in Iraq.
Kathryn,
Thank you for the email. I will be happy to field your questions, as this is a vastly interesting and controversial topic. I speak for myself and myself only.
What is your attitude (and that of other soldiers in Iraq, as far as you know) to homefront protest against the war or non-support of the war?
I believe free speech is a vital and healthy tenet of our society. When the drafters of the Bill of Rights sat down to make a list of things the .gov should absolutely not touch, free speech was #1. The right to keep and bear arms was #2, by the way, and I’d hate to see this country trample on the First Ammendment as it has the Second Ammendment. You can never please all of the people all the time. If you ever see that happening, you may very well be in the middle of a dictatorship, and while DougS says “there are worse things than a dictatorship,” I would certainly hate for it to be me. The bottom line is that I think it’s fine that people protest the war. I don’t happen to agree with their opinion, but part of respect is being able to disagree with someone.
Do you equate that to non-support of the troops?
I have met several people who have told me “I am against the war, but I support you.” It’s hard for me personally to wrap my mind around not supporting a war yet supporting those who execute that war, but it does appear possible. I have yet to met anyone hostile towards me or my Marines because we are warfighers. I have read their articles on blogs and in newspapers, so I know they do exist, but the vast majority of dissenters tend to carry the “I support the troops, but not the war” attitude. I think this may be a product of trend. How many protesters have the gall to actively oppose our troops when most of their peers do not? September 11th made it trendy to be a patriot, and much like everything else in American pop culture, nobody wants to get caught with their own ideas that no one else agrees with. Do I equate protesting the war with non-support of the troops? No. Do I scrutinize the motivations of war protesters and wonder what they really believe in those deep, dark places they don’t like to talk about at parties? Yes.
Does support of the troops require unquestioning support of the mission?
Nothing should ever be unquestioning. Even military orders given to us by our commanders are only to be executed if they are “lawful orders.” It’s up to the individual to determine whether an order is lawful. I think I expounded on this enough during the previous question. I think it is possible for someone to support our troops but not support their mission.
How does opposition to the war at home make you and other soldiers in Iraq feel?
I can only speak to what I think about the situation. I understand there will always be dissenting opinion to any decision made by anyone. I deal with it everyday. When someone doesn’t like one of my decisions my standard question in return is ‘OK, do you have a better idea?” My personal opinion is that opposition to the war doesn’t bother me. I think it’s naive and narrow-minded. What should we have done? Do they really want us to pack our bags and pull out tomorrow? Do they understand that will leave this job undone, for another generation. Thomas Paine once said “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”
Is it demoralizing?
Well, it certainly doesn’t build morale. However, I am fine with people disagreeing with me. I also don’t mind that not everyone in the world wants to be my friend. In the words of Doc Holliday: You know, if I didn’t think you were my friend, I don’t think I could bear it.
Does it make your job more difficult?
I am very separated from any protest against the war, and it is unable to affect my job. Furthermore, my wife is as resolved as I am, so I do not have to deal with any dissenting opinion on the homefront. I can pretty much deal with anything else. To let a few war protesters in the states affect the execution of my job would be lunacy, and I would consider myself weak because of it.
Additionally, last week many Wisconsin counties held referenda regarding whether or not the U.S. should withdraw from Iraq? What is your opinion about this?
My opinion? Did they also discuss corporate marketing strategies? I’m guessing Bill Gates and Steve Jobs made it a point to attend. Perhaps they have an opinion on whether I should put my left boot on first or my right? The way this system works is simple: You elect a representative that best reflects your personal values. That representative votes on your behalf. If you can’t elect a representative that shares your values you either move or accept the fact that your opinion may be in the minority. The way it DOESN’T work is by random counties in a random state holding a referenda on national military policy and thinking anyone gives two shits. Let General Pace and the rest of the Chiefs of Staff do their job. Let the Commandant do his job. They get paid plenty to do it, have been doing it for 30+ years, and are vastly more qualified than you, me, and any county commission in Wisconsin. If these county referendums would really like to do something useful perhaps they could send me some cheese. I’m a fan of smoked Gouda.
Your comparison to the Vietnam era protests is interesting. In “On Killing” Dave Grossman explores the effects of these protests in depth. He concludes that they contributed heavily to the dramatically increased numbers of PTSD that is present in Vietnam veterans. He contends that the inability of society to help these veterans cope with having to kill their fellow man caused the psychological train wrecks that are often present in veterans of that war. I am not 100% convinced of his theories, but it does present some interesting food for thought, especially for the protester who actively DOES NOT support our troops. One thing that comes to mind is the final scene in James Webb’s book “Fields of Fire” where one of the characters (I think it is Senator) gives a speech about the war and returns to find his car defaced. I am certainly laisse-fare about the war protesters, but my opinion might change if I returned to booing, spitting, and accusations. I also can’t accurately predict how I would feel if I was a parent who lost a son or daughter in the war. It might change my opinion. However, a good perspective of one’s place in the universe may also be in order. I joined the Marine Corps because I believe in values that are bigger and more important than myself. The Declaration of Independence states that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. It doesn’t state “all Americans,” but “all men” (all of humanity). Because of what we’re doing over here millions of people will now come closer to enjoying those inalienable rights that were suppressed from them for so long. I hope that if I fall my loved ones will know that my death served a greater good, and I hope they would be level-headed enough to view the issue through an untainted lens.
I like this guy.
Kathryn,
Thank you for the email. I will be happy to field your questions, as this is a vastly interesting and controversial topic. I speak for myself and myself only.
What is your attitude (and that of other soldiers in Iraq, as far as you know) to homefront protest against the war or non-support of the war?
I believe free speech is a vital and healthy tenet of our society. When the drafters of the Bill of Rights sat down to make a list of things the .gov should absolutely not touch, free speech was #1. The right to keep and bear arms was #2, by the way, and I’d hate to see this country trample on the First Ammendment as it has the Second Ammendment. You can never please all of the people all the time. If you ever see that happening, you may very well be in the middle of a dictatorship, and while DougS says “there are worse things than a dictatorship,” I would certainly hate for it to be me. The bottom line is that I think it’s fine that people protest the war. I don’t happen to agree with their opinion, but part of respect is being able to disagree with someone.
Do you equate that to non-support of the troops?
I have met several people who have told me “I am against the war, but I support you.” It’s hard for me personally to wrap my mind around not supporting a war yet supporting those who execute that war, but it does appear possible. I have yet to met anyone hostile towards me or my Marines because we are warfighers. I have read their articles on blogs and in newspapers, so I know they do exist, but the vast majority of dissenters tend to carry the “I support the troops, but not the war” attitude. I think this may be a product of trend. How many protesters have the gall to actively oppose our troops when most of their peers do not? September 11th made it trendy to be a patriot, and much like everything else in American pop culture, nobody wants to get caught with their own ideas that no one else agrees with. Do I equate protesting the war with non-support of the troops? No. Do I scrutinize the motivations of war protesters and wonder what they really believe in those deep, dark places they don’t like to talk about at parties? Yes.
Does support of the troops require unquestioning support of the mission?
Nothing should ever be unquestioning. Even military orders given to us by our commanders are only to be executed if they are “lawful orders.” It’s up to the individual to determine whether an order is lawful. I think I expounded on this enough during the previous question. I think it is possible for someone to support our troops but not support their mission.
How does opposition to the war at home make you and other soldiers in Iraq feel?
I can only speak to what I think about the situation. I understand there will always be dissenting opinion to any decision made by anyone. I deal with it everyday. When someone doesn’t like one of my decisions my standard question in return is ‘OK, do you have a better idea?” My personal opinion is that opposition to the war doesn’t bother me. I think it’s naive and narrow-minded. What should we have done? Do they really want us to pack our bags and pull out tomorrow? Do they understand that will leave this job undone, for another generation. Thomas Paine once said “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”
Is it demoralizing?
Well, it certainly doesn’t build morale. However, I am fine with people disagreeing with me. I also don’t mind that not everyone in the world wants to be my friend. In the words of Doc Holliday: You know, if I didn’t think you were my friend, I don’t think I could bear it.
Does it make your job more difficult?
I am very separated from any protest against the war, and it is unable to affect my job. Furthermore, my wife is as resolved as I am, so I do not have to deal with any dissenting opinion on the homefront. I can pretty much deal with anything else. To let a few war protesters in the states affect the execution of my job would be lunacy, and I would consider myself weak because of it.
Additionally, last week many Wisconsin counties held referenda regarding whether or not the U.S. should withdraw from Iraq? What is your opinion about this?
My opinion? Did they also discuss corporate marketing strategies? I’m guessing Bill Gates and Steve Jobs made it a point to attend. Perhaps they have an opinion on whether I should put my left boot on first or my right? The way this system works is simple: You elect a representative that best reflects your personal values. That representative votes on your behalf. If you can’t elect a representative that shares your values you either move or accept the fact that your opinion may be in the minority. The way it DOESN’T work is by random counties in a random state holding a referenda on national military policy and thinking anyone gives two shits. Let General Pace and the rest of the Chiefs of Staff do their job. Let the Commandant do his job. They get paid plenty to do it, have been doing it for 30+ years, and are vastly more qualified than you, me, and any county commission in Wisconsin. If these county referendums would really like to do something useful perhaps they could send me some cheese. I’m a fan of smoked Gouda.
Your comparison to the Vietnam era protests is interesting. In “On Killing” Dave Grossman explores the effects of these protests in depth. He concludes that they contributed heavily to the dramatically increased numbers of PTSD that is present in Vietnam veterans. He contends that the inability of society to help these veterans cope with having to kill their fellow man caused the psychological train wrecks that are often present in veterans of that war. I am not 100% convinced of his theories, but it does present some interesting food for thought, especially for the protester who actively DOES NOT support our troops. One thing that comes to mind is the final scene in James Webb’s book “Fields of Fire” where one of the characters (I think it is Senator) gives a speech about the war and returns to find his car defaced. I am certainly laisse-fare about the war protesters, but my opinion might change if I returned to booing, spitting, and accusations. I also can’t accurately predict how I would feel if I was a parent who lost a son or daughter in the war. It might change my opinion. However, a good perspective of one’s place in the universe may also be in order. I joined the Marine Corps because I believe in values that are bigger and more important than myself. The Declaration of Independence states that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. It doesn’t state “all Americans,” but “all men” (all of humanity). Because of what we’re doing over here millions of people will now come closer to enjoying those inalienable rights that were suppressed from them for so long. I hope that if I fall my loved ones will know that my death served a greater good, and I hope they would be level-headed enough to view the issue through an untainted lens.
I like this guy.
PSA. So sue me.
Support House of Representative's bill #4437.
Let the citizen's voices be heard and organize a local peaceful rally in support of legal immigration like this one:
Let the citizen's voices be heard and organize a local peaceful rally in support of legal immigration like this one:
Friday, April 14, 2006
How a bout a big plate of stupid?
The chancellor's office at Duke University gets a big steaming heap of bonehead for suspending the entire men's lacrosse team based upon the unfounded allegations of a drunk stripper before the police investigation was concluded or even any charges filed. Were these young men stupid for participating in this drunken stag nonsense?
Yup.
Should the woman's allegations been taken seriously?
Yup.
But I guess this culture is so lawyer whipped that only cowardly positions are sought first and questions are asked later. It is becoming apparent that this woman has made false accusations against the Duke team.
But can you imagine the unrelenting howls of racism if this was a mostly black football team from a southern university that was accused of this crime by a snockered white woman? *
This gives a whole new meaning to 'the lights are on, but nobody's home'. This couple claimed to have birthed sextuplets and asked the local community for help.
They were lying.
Apparently, they tried a similar scam several years ago.
Remember the 'run away bride', Jennifer Wilbanks? How about a run away teenager who sparked off an 'Amber Alert' with her foolish hoax. Grab your wallets, tax payers. This idiocy doesn't appear to be letting up.
But let's not forget our good Muslim friends on the other side of this planet who aren't the sharpest tools in the shed.
Some angry Muslims hurled rocks at the offices of playboy magazine in Jakarta, Indonesia today. Playboy's first local edition in a Muslim country went on sale Friday. The magazine features no nudity, and its photos of women in undergarments are less risque than in other magazines already for sale in the country. I guess simply not buying the magazines wasn't a viable option for these gents. DOH!
This almost is on par with the recent demonstrations against valentine's day. Is watching paint dry not fun anymore?
We interupt this stupid drivel for a bit of marketing brilliance.
Saudi Arabian government will replace men sales persons with women sales persons at all Saudi lingerie shops. Brilliant!
Elsewhere, Iraq's newly crowned beauty queen, Silva Shahakian, has gone into hiding, fearing she will be targeted by Islamic militants who reportedly threatened to kill other women who participated in a Baghdad pageant last week. This is another dubious acheivement by hardline Muslim men in their quest to excel at misogyny and foolishness. No one has been killed or injured...yet.
In England, no plate of nit wit goo-losh would be complete without a 140 dollar sandwich.
Some one should die from guilt on this one.
And finally, some genius, who probably spent public money from a government grant, has concluded that a loyal donkey is better than a good wife.
I'm gonna be sick.
You just can't make this stuff up!!
Yup.
Should the woman's allegations been taken seriously?
Yup.
But I guess this culture is so lawyer whipped that only cowardly positions are sought first and questions are asked later. It is becoming apparent that this woman has made false accusations against the Duke team.
But can you imagine the unrelenting howls of racism if this was a mostly black football team from a southern university that was accused of this crime by a snockered white woman? *
This gives a whole new meaning to 'the lights are on, but nobody's home'. This couple claimed to have birthed sextuplets and asked the local community for help.
They were lying.
Apparently, they tried a similar scam several years ago.
Remember the 'run away bride', Jennifer Wilbanks? How about a run away teenager who sparked off an 'Amber Alert' with her foolish hoax. Grab your wallets, tax payers. This idiocy doesn't appear to be letting up.
But let's not forget our good Muslim friends on the other side of this planet who aren't the sharpest tools in the shed.
Some angry Muslims hurled rocks at the offices of playboy magazine in Jakarta, Indonesia today. Playboy's first local edition in a Muslim country went on sale Friday. The magazine features no nudity, and its photos of women in undergarments are less risque than in other magazines already for sale in the country. I guess simply not buying the magazines wasn't a viable option for these gents. DOH!
This almost is on par with the recent demonstrations against valentine's day. Is watching paint dry not fun anymore?
We interupt this stupid drivel for a bit of marketing brilliance.
Saudi Arabian government will replace men sales persons with women sales persons at all Saudi lingerie shops. Brilliant!
Elsewhere, Iraq's newly crowned beauty queen, Silva Shahakian, has gone into hiding, fearing she will be targeted by Islamic militants who reportedly threatened to kill other women who participated in a Baghdad pageant last week. This is another dubious acheivement by hardline Muslim men in their quest to excel at misogyny and foolishness. No one has been killed or injured...yet.
In England, no plate of nit wit goo-losh would be complete without a 140 dollar sandwich.
Some one should die from guilt on this one.
And finally, some genius, who probably spent public money from a government grant, has concluded that a loyal donkey is better than a good wife.
I'm gonna be sick.
You just can't make this stuff up!!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
A religion / philosophy assessment
I know.
The internet is awash in this frivilous googly-moogly, but I thought this was interesting so I took the test. The twilight zone was my first reaction.
Yes, I'm sober.
Try your hand and see what happens.
The internet is awash in this frivilous googly-moogly, but I thought this was interesting so I took the test. The twilight zone was my first reaction.
Yes, I'm sober.
Try your hand and see what happens.
You're a real pain in the butt |
 You believe that Neitche was wrong. God is not dead and that which does not kill me only postpones the inevitable. Introspective and thoughtful, you tend to respect another's view, no matter how wrong they may be. It is entirely plausible that the only purpose to their life is to serve as a warning for others. Obviously, most people are just too stubborn to know what is good for themselves and the best leaders inspire by example. When that's not an option, brute intimidation works pretty well, too. Just remember, the journey of a thousand miles sometimes ends very, very badly. Choose wisely. |
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Conquistador
Welcome to the U.S. of A.
Please sign in at the front door or get out.
Procol Harum
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Conquistador, your stallion stands
In need of company
And like some angel's haloed brow
You reek of purity
I see your armor-plated breast
Has long-since lost its sheen
And in your death-masked face
There are no signs which can be seen
And though I hope for something to find
I can see no place to unwind
Conquistador, a vulture sits
Upon your silver shield
And in your rusty scabbard now
The sand has taken seed
And though your jewel-encrusted blade
Has not been plundered still
The sea has washed across your face
And taken of its fill
And though I hope for something to find
I can see no place to unwind
Conquistador, there is no time
I must pay my respect
And though I came to jeer at you
I leave now with regret
And as the gloom begins to fall
I see there is no, only all
And though you came with sword held high
You did not conquer, only die
And though I hope for something to find
I can see no place to unwind
Though I hope for, something to find
I can see no place to unwind
Friday, April 07, 2006
How many ways can you spell 'coward'
I'm not big on posting about bad news here on this blog because there are so many real news sites that strive to make that their forte', but this sick crap just makes me wanna spit! (still and again)
At least two cowardly homocide bombers dressed up like women, walked into a crowded mosque and detonated the bombs they had hidden under their dresses.
"Immediately after the attack, Iraqi authorities appealed on state television for blood donations. The channel announced 79 people were killed and another 164 wounded in the blasts."
72 virgins my furry butt! How about 72 pokes from hell's pitch fork where the sun never shines! Cowards!
At least two cowardly homocide bombers dressed up like women, walked into a crowded mosque and detonated the bombs they had hidden under their dresses.
"Immediately after the attack, Iraqi authorities appealed on state television for blood donations. The channel announced 79 people were killed and another 164 wounded in the blasts."
72 virgins my furry butt! How about 72 pokes from hell's pitch fork where the sun never shines! Cowards!
Thursday, April 06, 2006
The infernal revenue service
It's that time of year again.
My annual rant is included with the eleventeen gajillion other blog sites that blow off on this topic every April. I am convinced the blogosphere would shrink by half if the IRS were to vanish tomorrow. Hey. I heard that.
The tax burden on all tax paying citizens is a drain on the economy, slows the growth of wealth and penalizes hard work and achievement. I say eliminate the dreaded IRS with its boon-doggle, back @ssward, punitive and expensive method of collection. It costs the businesses & citizens of this nation $500 billion (with a 'B') every year to comply with the ponderous tax code. An 'out sight; out of mind' mentality is a powerful weapon the money hungry politicos in Washington D.C. rely upon to feed this gargantuan federal bureaucracy. The notion of a 'with holding tax' places the cost and liability on the already over-burdened business owner to funnel those payroll tax dollars into the federal and state coffers. A 'before tax and after tax' mindset pacifies the electorate into willing dupes to keep the monetary flow unchecked. Want to see a tax revolt? Eliminate the with holding tax requirement and have the millions of tax paying citizens be responsible for their own book keeping and write one fat check on April 15th. Talk about screaming and gnashing of teeth! More than a few politicians would be out of work the following election.
I recommend a universal 'ten percent flat tax' on everyone. Yes, that includes the precious poor (here's where the leftist utopians scream for my blood). Make them pay their fair share and end this 'gimme, gimme' leach mentality bred from generation to generation. And I'm pretty sure I support the idea of having the responsibility of paying taxes tied to the privilege of voting. After all, if you don't help pay for the system, why should you have a say in how the money is spent?
Sadly, most folks don't get too worked up over taxes and tax cuts. They just grumble and let the government keep bending them over. If you ask most folks, they say that doesn't bother their ravaged wallet too much because, heck, they got a refund! Whoopee. They still got screwed and didn't even get dinner out of the deal. More than likely they ended up paying for some one else's free lunch.
The pork politicians of this country have turned the 16th amendment into a social engineering tool and use it to punish hard workers and high achievers. The politician then use those tax dollars to buy votes from the obtuse citizens with duplicitous schemes like the 'earned income credit'. There's nothing 'earned' about it. It is a welfare check and people like you & me are paying for it.
The sad fact is that 45% of the income earners in this country don't pay a dime to fund this government. They just have their hand out. The other 55% of the populace pays all the operating costs of the government with the top 5% of income earners (read: the hated rich) paying thirty-three percent of all taxes to run this government. This is fair? What happened to equal under the law? Oh, but we can't have any tax cuts. Oh, no. That wouldn't be fair. Call a waa-mbulance.
Deconstruct the IRS and implement a 10 percent flat tax on all income earners; no deductions, no loop holes, no write offs, and no with holding. It's fair, simple and cheap. And don't give me this hogwash about 'making corporations pay their fair share'. The plain truth is that corporation don't pay income taxes; only individuals pay income taxes. Oh sure, corporations fill out a tax return and forward a check onto the government, but corporations view taxes like any thing else; it is a business expense. Like labor or raw materials, taxes are simply incorporated into the price of their goods or services. And taxes can be absorbed into the increased price of goods or services more readily than almost any other component of business because taxes effect everyone equally across the board. Sadly, it is those at the bottom of the economic ladder that bear this increased cost of goods and services more than others. Let the leftist utopians chew on that fact for a while.
A graduated income tax is one of the hallmarks of a communist philosophy of government and the defunct USSR has proven that it doesn't work. Even the resurrected new Republic of Russia saw the flaw in graduated taxes and has at the center piece of its new government operating policy a flat income tax. After all, it is the only fair and equal way to treat all citizens under the law.
The U.S. of A. deserves no less. Contact you congress person today.
You don't know who that person is? Then look here.
The problem still isn't solved, but the doctor says I am much better now.
Vote Libertarian and help find a cure.
My annual rant is included with the eleventeen gajillion other blog sites that blow off on this topic every April. I am convinced the blogosphere would shrink by half if the IRS were to vanish tomorrow. Hey. I heard that.
The tax burden on all tax paying citizens is a drain on the economy, slows the growth of wealth and penalizes hard work and achievement. I say eliminate the dreaded IRS with its boon-doggle, back @ssward, punitive and expensive method of collection. It costs the businesses & citizens of this nation $500 billion (with a 'B') every year to comply with the ponderous tax code. An 'out sight; out of mind' mentality is a powerful weapon the money hungry politicos in Washington D.C. rely upon to feed this gargantuan federal bureaucracy. The notion of a 'with holding tax' places the cost and liability on the already over-burdened business owner to funnel those payroll tax dollars into the federal and state coffers. A 'before tax and after tax' mindset pacifies the electorate into willing dupes to keep the monetary flow unchecked. Want to see a tax revolt? Eliminate the with holding tax requirement and have the millions of tax paying citizens be responsible for their own book keeping and write one fat check on April 15th. Talk about screaming and gnashing of teeth! More than a few politicians would be out of work the following election.
I recommend a universal 'ten percent flat tax' on everyone. Yes, that includes the precious poor (here's where the leftist utopians scream for my blood). Make them pay their fair share and end this 'gimme, gimme' leach mentality bred from generation to generation. And I'm pretty sure I support the idea of having the responsibility of paying taxes tied to the privilege of voting. After all, if you don't help pay for the system, why should you have a say in how the money is spent?
Sadly, most folks don't get too worked up over taxes and tax cuts. They just grumble and let the government keep bending them over. If you ask most folks, they say that doesn't bother their ravaged wallet too much because, heck, they got a refund! Whoopee. They still got screwed and didn't even get dinner out of the deal. More than likely they ended up paying for some one else's free lunch.
The pork politicians of this country have turned the 16th amendment into a social engineering tool and use it to punish hard workers and high achievers. The politician then use those tax dollars to buy votes from the obtuse citizens with duplicitous schemes like the 'earned income credit'. There's nothing 'earned' about it. It is a welfare check and people like you & me are paying for it.
The sad fact is that 45% of the income earners in this country don't pay a dime to fund this government. They just have their hand out. The other 55% of the populace pays all the operating costs of the government with the top 5% of income earners (read: the hated rich) paying thirty-three percent of all taxes to run this government. This is fair? What happened to equal under the law? Oh, but we can't have any tax cuts. Oh, no. That wouldn't be fair. Call a waa-mbulance.
Deconstruct the IRS and implement a 10 percent flat tax on all income earners; no deductions, no loop holes, no write offs, and no with holding. It's fair, simple and cheap. And don't give me this hogwash about 'making corporations pay their fair share'. The plain truth is that corporation don't pay income taxes; only individuals pay income taxes. Oh sure, corporations fill out a tax return and forward a check onto the government, but corporations view taxes like any thing else; it is a business expense. Like labor or raw materials, taxes are simply incorporated into the price of their goods or services. And taxes can be absorbed into the increased price of goods or services more readily than almost any other component of business because taxes effect everyone equally across the board. Sadly, it is those at the bottom of the economic ladder that bear this increased cost of goods and services more than others. Let the leftist utopians chew on that fact for a while.
A graduated income tax is one of the hallmarks of a communist philosophy of government and the defunct USSR has proven that it doesn't work. Even the resurrected new Republic of Russia saw the flaw in graduated taxes and has at the center piece of its new government operating policy a flat income tax. After all, it is the only fair and equal way to treat all citizens under the law.
The U.S. of A. deserves no less. Contact you congress person today.
You don't know who that person is? Then look here.
The problem still isn't solved, but the doctor says I am much better now.
Vote Libertarian and help find a cure.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Back to war
Michael Yon writes of going back to the Iraqi war after his brief state side travels this winter to gather material for a book on the battle for Mosul that occurred in 2004. In order to return to Iraq, he details his circuitous route through the under belly of the Asian continent and describes the ease with which he, and those with murderous intent, can travel, communicate, re-supply and plot their nefarious schemes with relative ease and anonymity.
A must read for any who wish to grasp a glimpse into the shadow world of Islamic terrorism.
I am writing now from the Middle East, poised to reenter the war in less than 15 hours; this time without the protection of the military.
Originally I planned to fly straight to Dubai, but flights on the desired date were going for about $3,000. Having been to Asia many times, I knew there was a backdoor with a low cover, so I flew to Bangkok for less than $600. From Bangkok a flight to the United Arab Emirates runs about $400. The slight detour was worth the price in time.
Thailand was once called Siam, but whatever name is used, the Kingdom has long been a gateway to Asia. Today, flights are cheap and plentiful; the food is good and the people friendly. For all these reasons, it's often been my entry and exit point for the Near, Far and Middle East.
Thailand is having its own Islamic insurgency in the South. This one has nothing to do with America, Israel or the Palestinians; but a philosophy that breeds flames and bleeds carnage.
Although some attacks occurred at voting centers, only irresponsible journalists would join these elections like Siamese twins to those attacks. And yet they did. The same thing occurs daily in Iraq. I call it 'illegal joining.' A good example is how some reporters are now joining the Iraqi civil war to the invasion. The civil war was already there, just under-reported. Even CNN admits that it failed to report previous atrocities in Iraq so that it could retain access under the former dictator. Resorting to mass murder to maintain 'civil order' is a hallmark of an uncivilized government. The most generous interpretation might posit that a ruler engaging in atrocities against a faction of his populace is probably facing a serious threat to his authority. But the media didn't even resort to euphemisms when it came to reporting these atrocities, they bought access with their silence, and so few outside of Iraq knew how bad things were.
But Thailand is far more civilized and advanced than Iraq. Thailand's problems and challenges may be myriad, but the Thai people are increasingly educated, hard-working, and their society is largely open and very Buddhist. Their belief system seeks enlightenment through contemplation, and Buddhists are not compelled to commit crimes in the name of religion or tribe.
Ironically, Thailand is also, I believe, a safe-haven or sort of zona franca for terrorists. This nest is not the result of a docile or accommodating government, as was the case with the Taliban hosting Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Thais fiercely oppose terrorism, actively fight it, and are close allies with the United States and other western countries, especially in the GWOT. The US and Thailand have long had close intelligence, military and law enforcement relationships. The CIA, DEA and FBI, for instance, have long-established offices in the Kingdom. It is not ideology, but rather geography and circumstance that make Thailand a waypoint for the wicked.
For many of the same reasons that I've decided to enter the Middle East through Thailand so, too, do the terrorists. Upon landing in Bangkok, I quickly bought a new chip for my cell phone without presenting identification. Within 10 minutes of coming to the counter, I had a new and largely untraceable cell number with which I could call, or receive calls, from most places in the world. The number would have been even more untraceable had I bought a new phone with the chip. In fact, I could have bought ten chips and phones that day; or a hundred. A person could change chips and phones with every new call.
Bangkok has thousands of internet cafes. Every new message could be made from a new address and computer. I'm not giving away state secrets; the terrorists know this already. Add this easy access to transportation and communications to the high-end shopping, and the millions of foreigners from around the world who visit the Kingdom each year, and we are half-way to a safe haven.
There are more land, sea and air routes into and out of the Kingdom than can be accounted for. The potpourri of foreigners makes Thailand an easy place to melt away in, or slip out of. Despite the homegrown strife in the Southern region, many knowledgeable people remain curious about how and why Thailand has escaped a more serious wave of homegrown Islamic terrorism in its heartland.
The full story is here.
Go on and read it. You know you want to.
A must read for any who wish to grasp a glimpse into the shadow world of Islamic terrorism.
I am writing now from the Middle East, poised to reenter the war in less than 15 hours; this time without the protection of the military.
Originally I planned to fly straight to Dubai, but flights on the desired date were going for about $3,000. Having been to Asia many times, I knew there was a backdoor with a low cover, so I flew to Bangkok for less than $600. From Bangkok a flight to the United Arab Emirates runs about $400. The slight detour was worth the price in time.
Thailand was once called Siam, but whatever name is used, the Kingdom has long been a gateway to Asia. Today, flights are cheap and plentiful; the food is good and the people friendly. For all these reasons, it's often been my entry and exit point for the Near, Far and Middle East.
Thailand is having its own Islamic insurgency in the South. This one has nothing to do with America, Israel or the Palestinians; but a philosophy that breeds flames and bleeds carnage.
Although some attacks occurred at voting centers, only irresponsible journalists would join these elections like Siamese twins to those attacks. And yet they did. The same thing occurs daily in Iraq. I call it 'illegal joining.' A good example is how some reporters are now joining the Iraqi civil war to the invasion. The civil war was already there, just under-reported. Even CNN admits that it failed to report previous atrocities in Iraq so that it could retain access under the former dictator. Resorting to mass murder to maintain 'civil order' is a hallmark of an uncivilized government. The most generous interpretation might posit that a ruler engaging in atrocities against a faction of his populace is probably facing a serious threat to his authority. But the media didn't even resort to euphemisms when it came to reporting these atrocities, they bought access with their silence, and so few outside of Iraq knew how bad things were.
But Thailand is far more civilized and advanced than Iraq. Thailand's problems and challenges may be myriad, but the Thai people are increasingly educated, hard-working, and their society is largely open and very Buddhist. Their belief system seeks enlightenment through contemplation, and Buddhists are not compelled to commit crimes in the name of religion or tribe.
Ironically, Thailand is also, I believe, a safe-haven or sort of zona franca for terrorists. This nest is not the result of a docile or accommodating government, as was the case with the Taliban hosting Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Thais fiercely oppose terrorism, actively fight it, and are close allies with the United States and other western countries, especially in the GWOT. The US and Thailand have long had close intelligence, military and law enforcement relationships. The CIA, DEA and FBI, for instance, have long-established offices in the Kingdom. It is not ideology, but rather geography and circumstance that make Thailand a waypoint for the wicked.
For many of the same reasons that I've decided to enter the Middle East through Thailand so, too, do the terrorists. Upon landing in Bangkok, I quickly bought a new chip for my cell phone without presenting identification. Within 10 minutes of coming to the counter, I had a new and largely untraceable cell number with which I could call, or receive calls, from most places in the world. The number would have been even more untraceable had I bought a new phone with the chip. In fact, I could have bought ten chips and phones that day; or a hundred. A person could change chips and phones with every new call.
Bangkok has thousands of internet cafes. Every new message could be made from a new address and computer. I'm not giving away state secrets; the terrorists know this already. Add this easy access to transportation and communications to the high-end shopping, and the millions of foreigners from around the world who visit the Kingdom each year, and we are half-way to a safe haven.
There are more land, sea and air routes into and out of the Kingdom than can be accounted for. The potpourri of foreigners makes Thailand an easy place to melt away in, or slip out of. Despite the homegrown strife in the Southern region, many knowledgeable people remain curious about how and why Thailand has escaped a more serious wave of homegrown Islamic terrorism in its heartland.
The full story is here.
Go on and read it. You know you want to.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Them pesky Persians
It looks like Iran's president, Herr whos-its, is showing no signs of slowing down.
Iran test-fires high-speed underwater missile
TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran successfully test-fired a new high-speed underwater missile capable of destroying huge warships and submarines, a top military commander announced.
"Today we have successfully test-fired a high-speed underwater missile with a speed of 100 meters per second, which is able to overcome the enemy's sonar and radar," Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the deputy commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards naval force, told state television.
Iran to stage massive Gulf military exercise
TEHRAN: Thousands of Iranian troops will start a week-long military maneouvre in the Gulf tomorrow to ready armed forces for warding off "threats", a senior commander announced on state television.
Oh, and let's not forget this little goodie from last December about Iran's long-range Shahab-3 missile. A missile Iran claims it can now mass produce and has a range of over 1200 miles; well within striking distance of Israel.
US Offers Earthquake Aid to Iran
I wonder if Iran offered the U.S. of A. any aid after hurrican katrina? Yes, I know. It's just boiler plate diplomacy noise, but it's the thought that counts, right?
Them pesky Persians!
Iran test-fires high-speed underwater missile
TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran successfully test-fired a new high-speed underwater missile capable of destroying huge warships and submarines, a top military commander announced.
"Today we have successfully test-fired a high-speed underwater missile with a speed of 100 meters per second, which is able to overcome the enemy's sonar and radar," Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the deputy commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards naval force, told state television.
Iran to stage massive Gulf military exercise
TEHRAN: Thousands of Iranian troops will start a week-long military maneouvre in the Gulf tomorrow to ready armed forces for warding off "threats", a senior commander announced on state television.
Oh, and let's not forget this little goodie from last December about Iran's long-range Shahab-3 missile. A missile Iran claims it can now mass produce and has a range of over 1200 miles; well within striking distance of Israel.
US Offers Earthquake Aid to Iran
I wonder if Iran offered the U.S. of A. any aid after hurrican katrina? Yes, I know. It's just boiler plate diplomacy noise, but it's the thought that counts, right?
Them pesky Persians!
Saturday, April 01, 2006
I'm on a Mexican radio
Wall of Voodoo
Download Windows Media Player
feel a hot wind on my shoulder
and the touch of a world that is older
i turn the switch and check the number
i leave it on when in bed i slumber
i hear the rhythms of the music
i buy the product and never use it
i hear the talking of the dj
can't understand, just what does he say?
i'm on a mexican radio
i dial it in and tune the station
they talk about the u.s. inflation
i understand just a little
no comprende - it's a riddle
i'm on a mexican radio
i wish i was in tiajuana
eating barbequed iguana
i take requests on the telephone
i'm on a wavelength far from home
i feel a hot wind on my shoulder
i dial it in from the south of the border
i hear the talking of the dj
can't understand, just what does he say?
i'm on a mexican radio
what does he say?
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