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Find The Boots

Rantings from a few corporate types about life, technology, travel, guns, politics, and everything good in the world.

Minor Toy...

Monday, April 30, 2007


As I was pulling pictures from all three family cameras (long story) and fighting the memory stick, SD card, and CF wars (damn!) I was thinking that there should be an easier way...

Seventeen bucks!

   

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Actually Made It....

You may remember a previous post about a folding travel bike?

Well, it exists now and is only $400!

   

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More Les-blogging


Ok, that was a bad pun, but I'm kind of at a loss about this Beeb story:
A Nigerian lesbian who "married" four women last weekend in Kano State has gone into hiding from the Islamic police, with her partners.
Money quote:
All five women, who are believed to be film actresses in the local home-video industry, were born Muslims, otherwise they would not be covered by Sharia law.
Actress? Ok, not that much worse than Brit or Paris.

   

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Caption This Contest....

With apologies to the never-miss-a-day Dlisted.com - caption this: we've started you off with some good ideas:



1> San Fransisco SWAT team training.

2> "This is my rifle, this is my gun, this is for shooting, this is for fun"

3> 69 Caliber rapid fire competition

4> The first competition was "small arms" handling

5> Turn around, I need a tripod mount.

   

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I Guess I Am Too...

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Over at Grouchy Old Cripple a lively discussion occurred after this picture was posted:


And Sally, in comments posted the absolute best response ever to pinhead gun confiscators - I'm posting it in it's entirety:

"No. Properly interpreted, it is a wonderful amendment. By the way, are you part of a militia?"

I'm not quite sure let's consult the Founding Fathers on this.

George Mason:

"I ask, Who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers."

Or Perhaps James Madison:

"To these (federal troops attempting to impose tyranny) would be opposed a militia amounting to near half a million of citizens with arms in their hands."

(Given the population of the good old United States at the time, I do not believe he was referring to the National Guard)

Maybe Al Hamilton would have a say:

"If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all forms of positive government."

Or Maybe Mr. Coxe:

"Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom? Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ... The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the People."

Remember that evil is a minority, a well armed population are a deterrent to violent crime, not the cause.

The root problem is the judicial system that coddles criminals (How many times was Mr. Cho under the watchful gaze of our authorities?)

So Sally, As for the Militia, I guess I am

Real courage is found, not in the willingness to risk death, but in the willingness to stand, alone if necessary, against the ignorant and disapproving herd. — Jon Roland, 1976

----

Sally, I owe you a bottle of JWB.

   

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Lewis Black on Earth Day

My favorite line: It's a shame cars don't run on cognitive dissonance.

And G4's too, Al, G4's too.


Replay video | Share video | Watch more videos

   

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Automatic Left Wing Rantulator

There is a small list of things I keep in my head of things I wish I'd invented: ATM's, the bikini, boolean logic, and now this rantulator.

ATM's because finding a grocery store to get $20 on a Saturday was a pain.

The bikini, well, because god has created many wonderous things and the bikini hints at them all.

Boolean logic because when you find someone who doesn't understand it you know that they will shortly spout....

Sentences from the rantulator:

   

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What the Reasonable Gun Control People Really Want

Saturday, April 28, 2007

"If it were up to me, there would be registration of handguns in every state." He admits it's because he'd like to be able to seize every gun.

The next time you hear one of the DemCong tell you they just want to enact a few "reasonable" restrictions on guns, watch this video again.

   

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This is How They Take Your Guns

If you're wondering what the liberal mindset is on how to strip guns from the populace, just have a quick read of Dan Simpson's article "The disarming of America" and be afraid, very afraid. From the article:
When people talk about doing something about guns in America, it often comes down to this: "How could America disarm even if it wanted to? There are so many guns out there."
....
Now, how would one disarm the American population? First of all, federal or state laws would need to make it a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and one year in prison per weapon to possess a firearm. The population would then be given three months to turn in their guns, without penalty.
....
The disarmament process would begin after the initial three-month amnesty. Special squads of police would be formed and trained to carry out the work. Then, on a random basis to permit no advance warning, city blocks and stretches of suburban and rural areas would be cordoned off and searches carried out in every business, dwelling, and empty building. All firearms would be seized. The owners of weapons found in the searches would be prosecuted: $1,000 and one year in prison for each firearm.

Clearly, since such sweeps could not take place all across the country at the same time. But fairly quickly there would begin to be gun-swept, gun-free areas where there should be no firearms. If there were, those carrying them would be subject to quick confiscation and prosecution. On the streets it would be a question of stop-and-search of anyone, even grandma with her walker, with the same penalties for "carrying."
Wow.

Perhaps the disturbing aspect of this article is that many liberals think this would work. I'd like to think that the article is just sick satire, but this is the same guy that compared the NSA to the East German Stasi. And he spends a lot of words in the article telling us how he has owned guns -- why if it's a "Modest Proposal" type article? (Update: Iowahawk has a great parody).

Never mind the 2nd Amendment (they're going to repeal that), they'll gladly bypass protections against search and seizure while they're at it. Pretty much any protection for citizens to be safe in their homes would be gone. (I wonder if it would be okay with the liberals if the cops hauled in people they found with drugs during these searches?) Simpson has shown us that there's a little dictator hiding inside every gun grabber that knows what's best for all of us, and doesn't care who or what they have to trample to get their way.

Hot Air talks about this quite a bit too, but nobody sees the catastrophe that I envision. Read on.

Even if they could repeal the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution, very few states would repeal their own versions of the 2nd Amendment. Many of them are worded even more strongly than the federal one. Even for states that have been notorious gun grabbers (Illinois, anyone?), individual counties are starting to backlash. Armed and Safe has been following the actions of Pike and Brown Counties who have passed "sanctuary" laws aimed at the gun grabbers from the big city.

Does anyone think that the Republic of Texas would put up with this? Or New Mexico? Tell the residents of Kennesaw, Georgia (Gun Town, USA) who passed an ordinance requiring all heads of household to own a firearm with ammunition that you're going to take away their guns. How about the cops? Would they participate willingly in these house-to-house searches? It's an old study, but a 1997 study asked the question "If a law were passed making it illegal for civilians to possess any type of firearm, would you participate in dynamic entry, house to house searches to seize them if so ordered by a superior?" 53% answered Yes and 47% answered No. That same survey got a 71% affirmative answer to the statement "The United States Bill of Rights contains a list of priveledges granted by the government to the people", so obviously most cops aren't constitutional scholars, but it's hard to believe that outside of the GFW areas in the Big City Northeast and the West Coast that they could find enough cops to conduct the searches.

When it came down to it, many areas would decide the line had been crossed. I can see the Texas National Guard being used to interdict the federal gun confiscation teams. Or a southern governor, flanked by 100s of State Troopers, standing in front of the FBI suburbans. If it went beyond that, smaller towns would actively resist. Cordoning off a neighborhood wouldn't be that easy -- it would turn into house-to-house fighting in many areas. At some point the line has been crossed and it's your patriotic duty to resist. I think this might do it for me.

But what if they could pull it off? The next day after a sweep went through a neighborhood, the local gang bangers would be going house-to-house. With no armed resistance and the cops well occupied elsewhere, it would be quite the mess.

The only way anything like this could have a chance of happening would be in a national, Katrina style emergency (where some cops decided they could confiscate guns -- if you haven't watched that video, stop right now and watch it.). Think nuclear or biological attacks, or loss of the power grid. But in that type of event, gun owners would be even less likely to give up their means of defending themselves, and the authorities would have many other priorities.

Nope, no way, it won't happen. At least not until I'm out of ammo.

   

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A Drunk, A Horse, an ATM

Friday, April 27, 2007


Not something you get to type (or read) every day!

What I loved was that the popo didn't charge the guy - the woke him up and sent him home on trigger. I guess the horse was sober.

Oh, and I'm sure the bank employees had a chat in the morning about who was supposed to clean what in the ATM lobby.

My last question is: who rides horses to bars in Germany?

   

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My Plan for Keeping Gas Prices Down

There seems to be two schools of thought going around for what gas prices will be like this summer in the US. One says that we've reached a peak and will get relief this summer as production catches up. The other says you ain't seen nothing yet and we'll see > $4.00/gallon. I really have no interest in the technical arguments, because I have a solution that overrides silly little things like the free market.

Every reader of this blog should send me $10. This is an investment in your future. You won't be getting any money back from me, but it will be well worth it. I'll take that money (and toss in my own $10, of course) and invest it in gasoline futures betting that the price will rise. If historical evidence is any indicator, the price of gasoline will drop like a rock. We'll see 50 cent/gallon gas again! This method works very well with stocks I pick, so I don't see why I shouldn't be able to also control the price of gas.

I'm also offering the service that I'll invest long or short (your choice) on any stock you pick if you send me $500 to invest, plus a $100 processing fee. No, I won't give you any of the $500 back, but for $600 you can know which way your stock is going, and that knowledge is really worth something. Unfortunately, my service doesn't seem to work on mutual funds because that seems to be the only way I can make money. But for individual stocks, it's killer.

Of course, if the DemCong weenies really believe that the Evil Bush controls the price of gas and raises it every summer to line the coffers of his political friends and then lowers it again in the fall for elections, they could be making millions just betting on gasoline futures. Heck, it makes Hillary's beef futures acumen look rather facile. Maybe she could finance her health care plan with her futures trading. Wouldn't it be cool to see a DemCong offer a program that says "Here's what I'm going to do and I'm going to pay for it!" rather that "and you're going to pay for it." Heck, if she'd just call me and tell me which side she's bettering, I could bet the other way and we'd have this deficit thing licked.

(Note to our DemCong readers: That approach won't really work, even though it fits in perfectly with your understanding of economics. It's satire.)

   

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Most Powerful Frat Boy Dancer in the World

Man, say what you will about Bush spending like, well, like a Drunken Democrat (yes, you, Teddy) and not being really quite firm enough with the Euro-weenies. But on important stuff (like killing Islamofascists) he's got that FDR steel backbone.

And he's not ashamed of his lilly white background:


Wow, did it remind you of Otis Day and the Nights playing in Animal House?

Yes, that is still the greatest movie ever made that my son will have to wait until college to see.

   

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PETA Again


What is it with these humorless unshaven (men and women) killjoys? Now they have some kind of vendetta against KFC.

Hey, I'm sure KFC's chickens don't have the same life as, say, a chicken in the wild. First of all they live longer, are healthier, and are less likely to be torn to pieces by a predator.

And they taste better to humans, which in a non Planet of the Apes world is a good thing.

So, anyway, someone sent me a link to their stupid anti-KFC generator and I had some fun.

   

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San Francisco SWAT Attends World SWAT Challenge

Thursday, April 26, 2007



This was the second event. The first is small arms...

   

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Muslim Sex Talk....

No, silly, this isn't a joke post about goats, it's from a fascinating CNN article:
Egypt's 'Dr. Ruth': Let's talk sex in the Arab world
Essentially the story is about a female Doc in Egypt that, after three years of negotiation, has been allowed to have a one hour TV show saying that wives and husbands should have more sex. It's not quite the Playboy Channel, I guess.

There a ton of great quotes, but I think this passage may well sum up so many things about the Muslim world:
The passage reads: "Your wives are as a tilth [land or soil to be cultivated] unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear Allah."

That verse, she says, makes it known that sex shouldn't just happen when the husband wants but that the wives have rights too.

"I was so proud of my religion when I saw that. My religion was advanced enough to talk about women's rights in sexuality how many years before modern science did?"

First of all, women's rights are not part of science, secondly this section, unless you twist it like a Jesuit at a sock hop, is pretty much old testament 'woman as seed bearer.'

My third, and irrelevant, question is: which wife?

I mean, good on ya if you can twist that into foreplay, but if you're gonna work on the Quaran, why not start with something more interesting, like draping your women in restrictive Hijabs, restricting education for females, abuse, stoning, female genital mutilation (FGM), honor killings, and the list goes on.

I'm not saying that the Quaran says to do all that, just that all that regularly happens in countries where the Quaran holds sway. It's not that FGM doesn't happen in some African countries where, er, Muslimity is the rule, it's that the vast preponderance of these things happen in Muslim countries.

So, Dr. Kotb, if you'll take my advice (like that's gonna happen), why not try to affect some real change?

   

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Disbarred? How About...

Drawn and quartered?

Law.com reports that Lynne Stewart has been disbarred because of her conviction for aiding a terrorist.

The editor, a well known ACLU-sucking leftie (sorry about that image) can't quite bring herself to deal with reality in the headline:
Civil Rights Lawyer Lynne Stewart Is Disbarred for Conviction in Terror Aid Case
She's not a Civil Rights Lawyer, she's a traitor and a felon. Shall we see what this 'person' did?
Stewart was convicted of one count each of conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to provide and conceal material support to terrorist activity and providing and concealing material support to terrorist activity. She also was convicted of two counts of making false statements.
Plus she's an evil looking harpie, but that's beside the point. At least the inside looks like the outside.

   

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Where's Boondoggie?

You might have been thinking that this has turned into TierFlyer's blog, since I haven't been heard from in ages. I just got back from a well deserved vacation chasing small woodland creatures to kill and eat. No internet, limited phone service, it was great.

Unfortunately for me, but perhaps good for you, TierFlyer will have to keep carrying the water as next week I'll be out of commission for a while. No big deal, but it's going to be days before I can type again.

   

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Fred Thompson and Backbone

Fred Thompson's April 25 article on National Review is a thing of beauty. He points out the dangers of giving into fanatics that demand we rewrite history to their liking. From the article:
Now, according to a study funded by the British government, we find out that some schools in Great Britain have stopped teaching history that is offensive to Muslim students. The topics that have been erased from the curriculum, the study found, include both the Nazi genocide and the Crusades.

....History books that present these events in any other light, they [Muslim Parents] believe, are part some giant conspiracy designed to attack their very religion.

If anybody needs to hear these facts, it is the children who are being abused by those who are teaching the same hateful lies that have helped turn the Middle East into the self-destructive and often suicidal mess it is today.
Is there anyone on the DemCong side of the aisle that would have the intestinal fortitude to stand up and say something like that? On the contrary, I wonder if Hillary assumes a middle eastern accent when speaking to a CAIR group?

Thompson, more than any other candidate, understands the difference between accepting people's rights to express/hold ideas and accepting those ideas. It's one thing to say "Isn't it great that in our free society anyone can say anything?". It's quite another to start to base government policy on the acceptance of ideas because in the liberal relativistic world all ideas have equal merit. When you make government policy based upon a desire not to ever offend anyone, you are implicitly granting equal weight to these ideas. Thompson wraps it up far better than I:
This would be a good place to quote an important British writer, George Orwell, who wrote, “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” Even in America, our children are often taught a watered down, inoffensive, and culturally sensitive version of events ranging from the Crusades to the battle at the Alamo.

It’s time for people who believe that they have a stake in Western civilization and its traditions to get a little backbone — even if it offends somebody.
I would SO love to have a president with backbone again. Run Fred Run!

   

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Instapundit Nails It in One

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Like Glenn cares that I link back to him (think Jonah and the whale):

From what I can tell, the Taliban have fled Afghanistan and now run the Human Resources and IT departments at major American corporations.

   

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Self Haters Guide to Science

I feel very Instapundit today (heh. see what happens?) but here is a great list from Pommygranite - a Self Haters Guide to Science.

As the Duke case is in mind these days, this is probably my favorite:
Feminist's Law of Acceleration
Speed (to denounce a male hate crime) is directly proportional to the Colour of the perp multiplied by his Class to the power of his Religion. Acceleration is maximised by the presence of a white, Catholic, middle-class male.
Too true.

   

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John Edwards - BS Artiste Extraordinare

Not that this surprises anyone - trial lawyer, politician, Chapel Hill resident. How could he be otherwise? We all know his "two Americas" platform - it's his little set speech.

I was recently reading Sherlock's Windshield and came across his Eight Americas. Absolutely brill!

Here it is, just in case he pulls his website someday. He's a daily 'check' for me, though he doesn't post more than two or three times a week.

---

It's inevitable. Whenever reporters and pundits run out of things to write about, they seek the cover of a good ol' 'us and them' story. Rich vs. poor. Black vs. white. Haves vs. have-nots. And the headline is always the same: 'There Are Two Americas'. Baloney. There are many Americas. I've come up with eight:


Right Wing
America
Lefty
America
Redneck
America
Celebrity
America
Geezer
America
Ghetto
America
Gearhead
America
Victim
America
daily
driver
expensive but conservative sedan
20 year-old Volvo or Subaru
GMC
duallie
Bentley Continental GT
(and a Prius for photo ops)
ancient Town Car with padded vinyl roof
$200 car with $2,000 dubs
something fast
'82 Ford Escort on 4 space saver spare tires
vehicle
color
Metallic Burgundy
faded
Seafoam
Dukes of Hazzard Orange
something custom and expensive
something pale and inoffensive
primer
Arrest-Me Red
too dirty to identify
bumper
sticker
None.
"It might damage the paint on my S-Class."
15 of them, involving whales, the environment, Central America and recycling
'I'd Rather Be Fishin'.'
- or -
(in Georgia)
'How 'Bout Them Dawgs?'
None.
"It might damage my image by becoming stale."
'Ask Me About My Grandkids'
None, but license plate hanging by paper clip throws sparks from roadway.
None
"It might damage the paint on my Corvette."
(see above)
drive-time
listening
Rush
NPR
Brooks & Dunn
sound of own voice
Music of Your Life
"I can't hear ya - I got the speakers cranked!"
rumble of Glasspaks
Dr. Laura: "But she's soooooo mean sometimes."
today's
entree
medium-rare filet with a Mondavi red
tofu and bean burrito with sun tea
Bar-B-Que with Bud
something expensive to be vomited later
bran muffin with Metamucil
Spaghetti
Os
with Ripple
"Don't eat in my #@!%& car!"
"My fridge is empty. I didn't shop; I had some setbacks."
most
recent
arrest
DUI on the way home from the Country Club
disorderly conduct at protest and marijuana possession (found during
post-arrest
search
)
haulin'
moonshine
assaulting paparazzi
driving too slow - creating a hazardous condition
"They're not burglar tools, officer. I'm goin' to Locksmith College."
50 mph over the limit
driving without a license.
"
It's so not fair! I moved. They sent the renewal to my old address."
political
theater
online petition, lawn sign with red white & blue graphics and a short slogan
street marches involving paper mache puppets and banners with long screeds
re-enacting key scenes from 'Deliverance' using scared hippies or city folk
photo op with baby seal
voting against anything that might raise taxes
nightly
gunfire
angry letter to Hemmings Motor News about EPA and CAFE
whining in line at various social agencies

   

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Tillman and Lynch

A person recently wrote me an email basically saying "Nah, nah, aren't you ashamed of the military now?"

Uh, no.

Are people ashamed of the entire MSM when they fabricate a story about the president's NG service, the Duke LAX team, or even cover up Al Sharpton's activities in anti-white/Jew race riots and Tawana Brawley?

I didn't think so.

Personally, this Tillman thing is just not news, nor is the Jessica Lynch story - I'm reading Marines in the Garden of Eden, published 6 months ago, and it was clear in there that she was just a casualty, not a hero.

I think the criminalization of blue/blue fire is behind Tillman. I think that the military is also partially operating in business-as-usual pre-Internet mode in creating hero's and victims.

Should they do this stuff? Well, duh, obviously not. But in an organization of 2M+ people you're going to have managers who make mistakes. Didn't they just sent Naccio and Kumar to jail for options fiddling and other mistakes? Does that mean that IT and Telecom companies are eeeevil.

Nah.

To me this is just evidence that the system works and is run by flawed humans.

Color me unsurprised.

   

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Talking Politics

I think we all know (or should when we're sober) that talking politics in other countries is simply foolish. I've lived and worked in England for years, can correctly choose quid or pounds depending on the circumstances, and have read a LOT of Eng. Lit. But I really don't understand their political system in my bones.

But this was reinforced lately by two seperate instances:

First I was flying into India and reading Churchil's early biography when one of my fellow passengers said "You had better not let them see that in customs." Well, duh, but that never occured to me.

Second, on FlyerTalk someone started a thread about Canada having their own "No Fly" list. Predictably the most amazing mis-statements on US *and* Canadian politics started to fly.

Me, from now on I'm sticking to the superiority of baseball over cricket and why it's soccer and not football. :-)

   

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Tim Blair's Home Run

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Oh, my did he ever nail it in this article in the Telegraph. I'm gonna past it in b/c in the past the permalinks at the 'graph have moved. Which is annoying and very 1999.

---

We all know people whose passionate beliefs stand in direct opposition to their other passionate beliefs. Here's a handy list of 30 contradictory concepts.

1 The same people who claim to worry most about future generations surviving climate change have no objections at all to abortion – which kills thousands of future Australians every year.

2 The same people most likely to vote Green are also most likely to live in Australia's least natural environments – our crowded, paved, stupid-filled inner-city suburbs.

3 The same people who claim to crave greater media diversity are often the very same people who resist greater diversity of views within the ABC.

4 The same people again are the least likely to be pay-TV subscribers, despite the access pay-TV gives to the BBC, CNN, Fox News, RAI and other diverse media sources.

5 In fact the same people who complain most about pay-TV happily support the only form of pay-TV you've got to pay for even if you don't watch it – the ABC.

6 The same people who've spent more time than most of us flying around the earth are proportionately more likely to insist fossil fuel consumption is a very grave problem.

7 The same people who fret over the influence of Christianity in the Liberal Party never say a word about the God-bothering of Kevin Rudd and Peter Garrett.

8 The same people who hated Paul Keating's economic rationalism while he was in power now recall his time in government as a golden era.

9 The same people who are the loudest in support of drug-free "natural" childbirth are remarkably silent on the matter of drug-free "natural" dentistry.

10 The same people who demand price controls on petrol would scream like a goth in the sun if the sale of their own goods and properties were subject to price controls.

11 The same people who believe Americans have no sense of humour laugh their heads off at The Simpsons.

12 The same people who want to restrict cigarette smoking are invariably inclined towards decriminalising marijuana.

13 The same people who ridicule John Howard for once being an ordinary suburban lawyer become terribly affronted if you call them snobs.

14 The same people who believe the Howard/Bush/Blair governments encourage a climate of fear by exaggerating the threat of terrorism never complain about the climate of fear fostered by Australian of the Year Tim Flannery, who consistently exaggerates the threat of global warming.

15 The same people who were offended by George W. Bush meddling in Australian politics are absolutely fine with Al Gore meddling in Australian politics.

16 The same people who thought anti-terror fridge magnets were a pointless tokenistic gesture nevertheless supported Earth Hour, during which they saved the planet by turning off their lights for 60 whole minutes.

17 The same people who urged that we become a republic in order to stand on our own two feet and make decisions for ourselves now demand we heed the economy-wrecking directives of Britain's Sir Nicholas Stern.

18 The same people who protested against UN sanctions in Iraq later claimed Iraq shouldn't have been invaded because the sanctions were working.

19 The same people who fear nuclear power in Australia don't give nuclear power a moment's thought when they holiday in nuclear-powered France.

20 The same people who publish images of crucifixes in urine don't dare print even a single cartoon making fun of Mohammed.

21 The same people who were ultra-nationalistic during the republican debate these days decry the ugly nationalism of displaying the Australian flag on Australia Day.

22 The same people who fought for women's rights in the '60s and '70s are oddly silent today on the issue of women's rights forf emale Muslims.

23 The same people who denounce creeping US influence in Australian culture often make a great deal of money appearing in US films and speaking in American accents – particularly a person named Toni Collette.

24 The same people who demand every last detail on the location of any planned Australian nuclear power plants decline to identify any of the industries they would prefer to see removed in order to reduce Australia's alleged greenhouse pollutants.

25 The same people who wanted a worker's paradise under Gough Whitlam now bemoan the McMansions, boats, 4WDs and plasma TVs owned by workers under Howard.

26 The same people who complain most about globalisation seem unusually alert to views expressed on international anti-globalisation websites.

27 The same people who demand reductions in energy use in order to solve global warming will turn up in huge energy-munching numbers at June's energy-guzzling Live Earth concert – which aims to solve global warming.

28 The same people who condemn John Howard's populist pandering on talk radio don't have much to say about Kevin Rudd turning up all the time on Sunrise.

29 The same people who rejected privatisation of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme because of its status as a national icon would chain themselves to trees if another such scheme was proposed.

30 The same newspaper columnist – me – who is such a psycho on law-and-order issues has just one point left on his licence due to repeated speeding offences.

   

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Roadworthy Exercise

Yes, it has been quite a while since we inflicted gadgets and gizmos on you. Fear not, brave readers, we have not been stripped of our signing powers - it's just been a dry spell.

Partially this is because I've been more focused on my spare tire (or tyre when eating in the UK) than on my spare cables, if you know what I mean. So I've been spending a lot of time on the trade off between the kreppy workout room at the Weston versus driving to the Golds six miles away in Palo Alto at 5:45 am. Or just watching HBO/Kids while in a haze of metabolizing red wine.

Anyway, this would be a cool thing now that we have to track our suitcases through baggage claim anyway: a bike that folds into a briefcase shape. No price, and more importantly, can't quite figure out how to expense the darn thing, but still an amazing gizmo.

   

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Once Agin the Press Displays Judo

Monday, April 23, 2007

Surber makes the very good point that the AP (and every other news organization on the planet except the moonies at the Times) do all they can to avoid mentioning a Democrat when they're in trouble but trumpet the Republicans.

He has nice examples about Doolittle and Jefferson. Go read it.

But, you know, people figure this stuff out. I can only conclude that we're being trained to figure that if we don't know the political party of a particular thief we're supposed to assume he's a Democrat.

Rovian mind control - don't underestimate it.

   

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USB Goodies


I know we don't post much of this anymore, but I thought these were cute!

   

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This Guy Is My Hero

And it sounds so much better with a Pommy accent....


There are many many great lines, but the easiest one to reuse will be this: We're a liberal democracy and have certain double standards to uphold.

Beautiful.

   

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All good points

Sunday, April 22, 2007

I found (after 90% of the rest of the world, I'm sure) a cool website: ThatWasFunny. Good clean jokes, which are a rarity.

The one that made me chuckle was the one about 40 Things That Only Happen In Movies. My fave:
It is not necessary to say “Hello” or “Goodbye” when beginning a telephone conversation. A disconnected call can always be restored by frantically beating the cradle and saying “Hello? Hello?” repeatedly.
When I was younger and phones actually had cradles people used to do this - they were reacting to old phone systems with physical operators. Try explaining any of that to someone born in the last 20 years!

   

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Ewwww

Hilary recently went to genuflect before Al "Tawana" Sharpton and made the following statement:

When I walk into the Oval office in January 2009 I’m afraid I’m gonna lift up the rug and see so much stuff under there…
I almost wrecked my car: I heard a talk radio guy point out that Hilary should probably refrain from looking too closely at the rug in the Oval Office.

   

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Copperheads

Friday, April 20, 2007

First Harry Reid, coward and traitor in chief of the modern Democrat party unleashes this particular piece of slovenly stupidity: " I believe . . . that this war is lost, and this surge is not accomplishing anything, as is shown by the extreme violence in Iraq this week."

It's been all over the blogosphere, and Michelle Malkin in particular (smart, hardworking and smoking hot!) has good stuff here and here.

It all brought me in mind of the Copperheads back during the Civil War. Here is a piece of the 1864 Democrat Party Platform:
"Resolved, that this convention does explicitly declare, as the sense of the American people, that after four years of failure to restore the Union by the experiment of war, during which, under the pretence of military necessity, or war power higher than the Constitution, the Constitution itself has been disregarded in every part, and public liberty and private right alike trodden down, and the material prosperity of the country essentially impaired, justice, humanity, liberty, and the public welfare demand that immediate efforts be made for a cessation of hostilities, with a view to an ultimate convention of the States or other peaceable means, to the end that at the earliest practicable moment peace may be restored on the basis of the federal Union of the States."
Let's not even go into Vietnam right, now, kay? Else I'll go DuToit all over the place and have to help Rodge fly the B-52's.

   

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Maroons


Sorry, but I love Bugs Bunny.

But I worry about the Yalies because I'm pretty sure this article about the upcoming play Red Faces (thus the joke) isn't a joke:
In the wake of Monday’s massacre at Virginia Tech in which a student killed 32 people, Dean of Student Affairs Betty Trachtenberg has limited the use of stage weapons in theatrical productions.
Yeah, that'll show 'em.

Must be stupid dust floating around in New Haven these days.

   

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Real Gun Control

This story warms the heart:
Slain intruder shot five times
Man tells police he was attacked with sledgehammer
Ok, so clearly we need more sledgehammer control legislation.

My fave bit:
Brandenburg [burglar, choir boy] suffered a fatal gunshot to the head, three shots in the chest and a fifth shot in the left side, Butler County Coroner Richard Burkhardt said.
Oh, wait, not choir boy at all:
Brandenburg served two state prison terms; for a drug conviction and failing to pay child support. He was last released from prison in May, but was locked up in Resolutions, Butler County’s minimum security jail, from July 12 until Feb. 2 for failing to comply with police orders, officials said.
Somebody buy that citizen a hi-cap pistol. I'm guessing he only had five shots because, clearly, he was not afraid to put some rounds down-range!

   

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Perfect Bacon Buttie


As you all know, we here at FTB accept no substitutes for a fine bacon buttie, preferably served at 12K meters over the ocean, in BA first class, with a water glass full of Johnny Walker Blue.

Well, less drunken scientists have determined that the formulae for the perfect sannich is:
N = C + {fb(cm) · fb(tc)} + fb(Ts) + fc · ta.
I say the perfect on is the one in your hand, but then I'm a well known philistine. Albeit a quite round one!

I never get any of the really good jobs going:
In the experiment, some of the tasters sampled between four and six bacon sandwiches a day for three or four days.

   

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Murderous Lesbian Chainsaw Update

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Now that is something you don't get to write very often. From the AP:

The [jury] convicted Daphne Wright, 43, of kidnapping and murdering Darlene VanderGiesen, 42, another deaf woman from Sioux Falls, in February 2006.

Prosecutors said Wright was jealous of the friendship VanderGiesen had with Wright's former lover and it turned to rage that drove Wright to kidnap VanderGiesen, kill her, burn the body and cut it apart with a chain saw.

In closing arguments Wednesday, Minnehaha County State's Attorney Dave Nelson told jurors the mutilation shows Wright had the depravity of mind required by law to make the murder worthy of capital punishment. . . .

Public Defender Jeff Larson argued that Wright burned and cut the body as an afterthought and it does not show a depraved mind. Parts of the body were found in a Minnesota ditch. . . .

"Do you really think the body was dismembered for some perverse pleasure, or because she couldn't figure out how to get a 200-pound body out of the basement? If it's the latter, by definition, it's not the act of a depraved mind," Larson said.

So no death penalty. I don't get it. Can I leave a codicil to my will stating that if I'm murdered and dismembered and left in trunk wrapped in plastic that I want the perp killed? Thank you very much.

   

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ACLU Dingbats

Ok, fresh from Rog - this kids got more going on in his pants than J-Lo.


All kidding aside, the ACLU opposes dress codes for a lot of reasons, blah, blah, blah.
STROSSEN: The ACLU opposes dress codes because they violate students' rights, parents' rights, and are completely ineffective in addressing serious educational and disciplinary challenges that face our schools. In addition, they are a distraction from constructive measures that would more effectively address educational and safety challenges in schools.
Basically what it boils down to for me is that a buncha lawyers think they know more about education than educators.

You could certainly make the argument to me that most teachers can't teach their way out of a paper bag - I've been in public and private schools in three states and I'd probably agree with you. I'm spending more on private schools for my kids than it would cost to own a fricking Ferrari.

But this gal is arguing for the sake of argument - and claiming facts (they are ineffective) that are certainly not facts but lively debates in the education community. You wanna call it controversial, fine. (Note that it works great in Oz. Hmmmm.) As for violations of rights, well, everyone gives up some rights when they decide to (or are forced to) play in a community.

Teeny CAIR-ites aren't allowed to sex segregate their girls from the boys in our public schools, Skihs can't take 'ceremonial' knives to school, etc, etc. Live with it or educate at home/private. Catholics send their kids to a special school so the penguins can beat 'em. (kidding, probably)

Argh, to think I once almost sent these idiots money.

   

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Armed Response

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

This article by David Kahane on Hollywood up in Arms just made me laugh.

My favorite bit:
Which is why we civilians have got our “Armed Response” signs. Not that we mean to create a hostile atmosphere or anything, but to translate them into plain English: “My Person of Color will shoot your Person of Color if your Person of Color breaks into my Person of Non-Color house.”
By "civilians" he means Hollywoodians, of course.

Read the whole thing.

   

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Unusual Headlines

Stuff you don't see very often:

Lesbian accused of murdering rival

Uh, yeah. And she (the accused murderer) was deaf, black, and homeless as well. I suspect some extra thought had to go into that headline.

Ah, it gets better:

Prosecutors said a vengeful Wright persuaded VanderGiesen to meet her and to enter her car on February 1, 2006. Wright then killed her with either a blow to the head or by suffocation, according to prosecutors.

After two days spent scrounging up money to buy a chainsaw, Wright chopped up the body at the knees and navel and disposed of the pieces, prosecutor Dave Nelson said in opening statements last week.

Yikes, two days, summer time. Ok, enough blogging, time to go get some lunch.

   

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The Alexis Tyler Show

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Update: More stuff on Alexis Tyler.

I know we're posting a lot of vids lately, but I'd like to use YouTube before Google is seen to waste another couple of billion on a non-business.

What, you haven't heard about the new "yank your content" toolset for copyright holders? Oh, yeah, baby, all those SNL skits, gone. We'll be left with yelling German troops and high quality public access shows like this from Atlanta:

This is totally and completely not safe for work, but in a non-offensive way. Watch the whole thing, or at least get a look at her "prayered up to Jesus" co-host and to the part around the line of the decade:
We're hooked on the P*nis Power and this man won't even buy you some shrimp from Long John Silver and that plate's what, $2.99? But he can give you a mouth full of sp*rm and a rectum full of sp*rm. We have to see what our issue is, because a man like that does not respect a woman.
Oh, baby, public access, your tax dollars at work!

Update: Sorry, had to blog just one more update on lovely Ms. P*nis Power. Watch the whole thing - she ain't lost none of her mojo for being famous!

   

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Thank You

From the news today:

Unarmed and vulnerable

Bradford B. Wiles

Wiles, of New Castle, is a graduate student at Virginia Tech.

On Aug. 21 at about 9:20 a.m., my graduate-level class was evacuated from the Squires Student Center. We were interrupted in class and not informed of anything other than the following words: "You need to get out of the building."

Upon exiting the classroom, we were met at the doors leading outside by two armor-clad policemen with fully automatic weapons, plus their side arms. Once outside, there were several more officers with either fully automatic rifles and pump shotguns, and policemen running down the street, pistols drawn.

It was at this time that I realized that I had no viable means of protecting myself.

Please realize that I am licensed to carry a concealed handgun in the commonwealth of Virginia, and do so on a regular basis. However, because I am a Virginia Tech student, I am prohibited from carrying at school because of Virginia Tech's student policy, which makes possession of a handgun an expellable offense, but not a prosecutable crime.

I had entrusted my safety, and the safety of others to the police. In light of this, there are a few things I wish to point out.

First, I never want to have my safety fully in the hands of anyone else, including the police.

Second, I considered bringing my gun with me to campus, but did not due to the obvious risk of losing my graduate career, which is ridiculous because had I been shot and killed, there would have been no graduate career for me anyway.

Third, and most important, I am trained and able to carry a concealed handgun almost anywhere in Virginia and other states that have reciprocity with Virginia, but cannot carry where I spend more time than anywhere else because, somehow, I become a threat to others when I cross from the town of Blacksburg onto Virginia Tech's campus.

Of all of the emotions and thoughts that were running through my head that morning, the most overwhelming one was of helplessness.

That feeling of helplessness has been difficult to reconcile because I knew I would have been safer with a proper means to defend myself.

I would also like to point out that when I mentioned to a professor that I would feel safer with my gun, this is what she said to me, "I would feel safer if you had your gun."

The policy that forbids students who are legally licensed to carry in Virginia needs to be changed.

I am qualified and capable of carrying a concealed handgun and urge you to work with me to allow my most basic right of self-defense, and eliminate my entrusting my safety and the safety of my classmates to the government.

This incident makes it clear that it is time that Virginia Tech and the commonwealth of Virginia let me take responsibility for my safety.

Thank you Mr. Wiles, for saying that for us.

   

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More Thoughts on Tech....

It's good to see some "Lets roll!" type heroism from this debacle:

1> Professor Liviu Librescu, a Romanian born Jewish holocaust survivor blocked a doorway with his body while his students fled through the windows. He was murdered on Holocaust Memorial Day.

2> Derek O'Dell blocked another door to try to get the shooter to go to other targets. He was wounded and will survive.

Also, before the GFW's get rolling, remember ALS:
On January 16, 2002, the Dean, Anthony Sutin, Professor Thomas Blackwell, and student Angela Dales were shot and killed by disgruntled student Peter Odighizuwa, 43, of Nigeria. Three other students were shot but survived. The abrupt ending to Odighizuwa's shooting spree is attributed to two students with personal firearms who quickly took action.[1] At the first sound of gunfire, fellow students Tracy Bridges and Mikael Gross, unbeknownst to the other, ran to their vehicles to grab their personal firearms.[2] Bridges and Gross then worked with another student, Ted Besen. The three students approached Odighizuwa from different angles. Bridges raised his revolver and pointed it at Odighizuwa who then dropped his firearm and was first subdued by Besen followed by other students.[3] Once Odighizuwa was securely held down Gross went back to his vehicle and retrieved handcuffs to help hold Odighizuwa until police could arrive. Police reports noted there were two empty eight round magazines belonging to Odighizuwa’s .380 semi-automatic handgun. It is unclear whether Odighizuwa ran out of ammunition or if there was still a round in the chamber at the time that he dropped his firearm.
According to new reports the gunman kept his guns in his dorm-room contrary to the law. Color me surprised.

   

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Greatest Dad Ever

This guy extracts a tooth from his DAUGHTER via a bow/arrow.

Yes, it was in South Carolina, what's your point?

   

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Best Insurgent Video Ever

Monday, April 16, 2007

More reader email - if you can stand some graphic images go watch this.

Summary:


1> Fat dude instructs the simple minded in the fine art of ambush.

2> When you watch the film, notice the high tech employment of duct tape and plastic models.

3> The guys who are taking copious notes (not) are having fun fondling their guns. Also not a good sign.









4> Please not the position of the instructor post-ambush.


















5> That is because, besides messing with the worlds finest fighting force (Abdul - hint: Deer Hunter was incorrect then and is woefully wrong now, 'kay?) he's missed some important stuff:

A> Cover is not concealment.

B> Understand the military crest concept.

C> Just because right-thinking people know that the .223 is a varmint cartridge, doesn't mean it won't kill, er, varmints.

D> Pelosi and Murtha aren't really in charge of military strategy or tactics.

E> Go use the internet and lookup the following: Pelilu, Tarawa, Gettysburg, Argonne, Yorktown, Battle of the Bulge, Somme, Khe Sanh, Iwo, and Vicksburgh. Run away.

Assuming we can keep congress from handing over the country to this bunch of losers, I remain hopeful.

   

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Tragedy at VA Tech

I got nothing really to add, except that I thought a friend's daughter was at Tech (she was at UVA) so that is quite a personal relief.

His daughter is locked into her room inside a locked dorm on a campus swarming with state cops, so she's pretty safe, assuming that she's not got too much booze in the room and has bathroom access.

But he said something funny: They have to get rid of these guns on campus.

It wasn't the time to say anything, but of course the campus was already "gun free." So my take is that the real shame was that there was only one guy with a gun on campus. It didn't have to be that way:
Gun bill gets shot down by panel
HB 1572, which would have allowed handguns on college campuses, died in subcommittee.

A bill that would have given college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus died with nary a shot being fired in the General Assembly.

House Bill 1572 didn't get through the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety. It died Monday in the subcommittee stage, the first of several hurdles bills must overcome before becoming laws.

Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus." Roanoke Times, Tuesday, January 31, 2006
I am pretty careful to only carry where it is legal, but I'm starting to consider changing that behavior. Sure, my Kel-Tec 380 is accurate to around 10 feet (maybe more if in the hands of a better shot) and only carries 6+1, but I'd rather do something rather than nothing.

For god's sake, kids were jumping out of windows to get away. Like some grim echo of 911.

   

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Canada Used to Be....

From a loyal reader (note the singular! :-) via email:

(Click to enlarge)

   

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Lest We Forget

Sunday, April 15, 2007

I've been reading a lot about Anzac day (Australia's very lively Memorial Day) which is celebrated around the times that the diggers were bogged down in Gallipoli. Now, as a deep Southerner I know something about celebrating a thumping - the trick being to focus on the bravery of the common soldier doing his job, fulfilling his duty, and believing in his mates.

This year in Queensland there is a group of Muslims who are "fearful" of the celebration.

I'm just going to let that one sit there like the CAIR-esque turd it is. But I've been proud of the Aussies for being restrained but still letting the "get stuffed" message come through - this includes Aussies who are Muslims (they're the most direct).

But what this post is really about is not the normal dhimmiesque techniques of the so-called 'radical imams' all around the world, it's about our own boys 'over there.' Anyone who knows me knows that I can't get a request for help for our soldiers without opening my wallet - and I know that there are many like me, which is why it works.

Would that some of the Dumbo-crats currently controlling Congress would turn from their Peanut Policies and Vietnam-II strategy to take care of troopie funding.

But I digress - watch this (2M people have) and then do what you need to do.



If you're at a loss, one of my favorites is Jim Hake's "Spirit of America" charity - here is the text of the their last email to me. My family gave them over $1K last tax year - what will you do?
----

Greetings,

This email includes:

*Updates on requests from Africa fulfilled by Spirit of America + new request
*An update from Iraq re: winter clothes and blankets sent by Spirit of America
*Afghanistan letter of appreciation from Brigadier General Douglas Pritt + new
Army request for support for Orphanage in Gardez, Afghanistan

RECENT REQUESTS FROM AFRICA FULFILLED!
Supplies are on their way fulfilling our recent requests for support in the Horn of Africa. Sgt. Stephen Branstetter, Civil Military Operations (CMO) with the Coalition Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) in Djibouti contacted SoA to provide supplies to benefit children in the area and for medical supplies. Sgt. Branstetter writes that they "give the soccer balls to schools, churches, hospitals and to the villages we visit. They are a very welcomed sight for children who we have seen using old towels, blankets, fabric or trash wrapped with tape as soccer balls"!

In addition, SSgt. Kristopher Hesselbrock, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of a Civil Affairs team with the 489th also in Djibouti requested our support for beanie babies and school supplies for children receiving vaccinations along with dental hygiene kits for the locals. SSgt. Hesselbrock shares that "by rewarding kids that had received their vaccinations, we were able to increase the rate of vaccinations by over 50% in less then a two week period compared to the same time period before" by giving out gifts. We received his request in early February, and as of March 20th, all 50 boxes have shipped which included 250 sets of dental supplies, soccer balls, beanie babies and backpacks filled with school supplies. We hope to have pictures in the next email.

Since the start of this project, we have raised $28,000 and spent $22,000, leaving a balance of $6000 left in our Africa Fund, possibly just enough to fulfill the request received on March 20th from Major John Ling, Army Civil Affairs in Ethiopia for soccer balls and shoes. If you would like to help, here's the link to our Africa Projects.

WINTER CLOTHING IN IRAQ "CRITICAL TO ... SUCCESS"
Marine Major Scott Kish, one of several requestors under our US Troops Request Winter Clothing project, reports that the supplies including clothing, blankets and scarves were distributed and proved "critical to .. success". We've posted his message below so that you can share in our encouragement that simple things can have a big impact.

...The clothes made it here and were critical to our success. I will try to get some pictures to you.

The winters in Ramadi, Iraq are cold and the clothes were extremely well received. The Iraqi children loved the scarfs and the fleece jackets were the biggest hit. I wish that I could adequately describe the bond that has been established with the citizens of Ramadi. The clothes that Spirit of America donated has directly assisted us in improving our relationships with our neighbors and has shown them our dedication for their welfare.

We could never repay or say thank you enough for your support.

Thank you once again,
Major Kish

PHOENIX V TEAM LETTER OF APPRECIATION
Brigadier General Douglas A. Pritt, Commanding Officer of the Army Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V Team serving at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan sent a certificate of appreciation to Spirit of America. He writes "on behalf of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines of Task force Phoenix it is my pleasure to personally thank you and your team for all the great work you do to extend the goodwill of Americans to the people of Afghanistan." Since SoA considers all of our donors, supporters and friends as part of our extended "team", this letter is grateful thanks to you for contributing to the good that is being done in Afghanistan. Below is a picture of Phoenix V security forces on patrol.

As you may remember, SoA purchased medical equipment under our Hospital Supplies for Afghanistan project, for the Ibnisina Emergency Hospital a vital but under-equipped facility in one of the busiest and poorest areas of Kabul. Thanks to generous donations and the support of Welch Allyn Corporation, last month SoA purchased 2 EKG Machines, 10 ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) Diagnostic Sets,30 Blood Pressure Gauges and 50 Double Head Stethoscopes at a cost of $12,000.

In Brigadier General Pritt's letter he confirms that "In addition to confronting the enemy militarily, it is critical we also make a difference in the lives of the common citizens of this troubled country. Ultimately making a positive impact in their lives is what will save American lives, and I salute your ongoing efforts to support this."

NEED SUPPORT FOR LOCAL ORPHANAGE IN AFGHANISTAN
As we have noted in previous emails, children are the most vulnerable and most affected by the effects of a country in conflict and yet children represent hope for the future. In Afghanistan, an estimated 8,000 young boys and girls are orphans. Many of these orphanages struggle to provide the basic necessities and so they often go without "extras" like chalkboards and playground equipment, but you can help. Army CPT Gregory Mendez serving in Gardez, Afghanistan has requested blackboards, chalk and playground equipment for classes at the local orphanage which houses 75 children. Below is a picture of the old playground equipment which is in disrepair and badly in need of replacing. If you would like to help us fulfill this request from CPT Gregory Mendez, click this link to our Gifts for Children Fund.

As always, thank you for your generosity and support. Please don't hesitate to email us with any questions.

All the best,

Jim Hake and the Spirit of America Team

www.spiritofamerica.net

This e-mail was sent by Spirit of America, located at 12021 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 558, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (USA). To not receive further e-mails, please click here or reply to this e-mail with "unlist" in the Subject line.

   

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I Do NOT Understand the Japanese

Friday, April 13, 2007

Ok, I have read quite a bit about pre/WWII stuff, so I'm not talking about Imperial Japan, I'm talking about modern Japan.

I recently read a hot bestseller (translated): Kafka on The Shore. It was strange, but fifteen times the books of the late and unlamented Kurt Vonnegut. Anyway, I think I got around 40% of the cultural stereo-types/violations, which is probably 2x what I really got.

So this advertisement for the Japanese Naval Self Defense Force kinda works for me.

I can get past the whole self-defense thing and the Power Ranger moves.

But this one just amazes me cold:

If the Village People moved to Japan and made videos.....

   

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Paen to Alaska Air...

In today's WSJ (subscription required) there is a great article - money quote:
Recently, a passenger boarded in Dillingham toting the head of a freshly killed black bear in a plastic grocery bag. Flight attendant Mary Jane Bridwell hid the memento -- "about the size of a large St. Bernard head" -- in a galley cupboard. When another attendant asked about an odor, Ms. Bridwell showed her the source. "She got very pale," says Ms. Bridwell, a 10-year Alaska Air veteran.
I'd love to go bear hunting in Alaska. With a bazoooka. And a better shot. Boondoggie would be perfect as I can run a lot faster than he can.

   

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Bacon, The New Hate Crime

The Gates of Vienna has an interesting post on using Bacon as a new Hate Crime.
According to the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, two hours before the 1 p.m. Friday service, the Koran was found on the front steps of the Islamic Center. Someone had written “Mohammad pedophile” on the front, and an (unnamed) expletive was on the inside, smeared under two strips of bacon. Not only did the local police report it as a hate crime, but they said they would contact the FBI. Mosque representatives are meeting with the City Mayor Johnny Piper to see what he can do as well.
And, of course, our buddies at CAIR are calling for this to be prosecuted as well.

Whatever happened to politeness? Was placing a defaced Koran on the steps of a mosque a polite thing to do? Does it help anything? Or did it just give CAIR some more ammunition?

I really hate to agree with CAIR, but this time I think the case might have a point. What if, for example, instead of a defaced Koran left outside a mosque it was a burning cross left in front of a church? Would people be calling that littering and perhaps an additional charge of a fire without a permit? No, of course not. The placement of a burning cross is an act that is much more powerful than its components.

Hate crimes completely confuse the issue. Either the underlying act is a crime, or it isn't. The motivation just shows intent. The way to view this situation is from a framework of property rights. You're perfectly free to place defaced Korans, burning crosses, and Hillary for President posters in your own yard. People will think you're stupid, but they've got the choice to not listen to you. The government might consider that to be a hate crime, but that just shows that the government doesn't understand free speech.

But when you enter someone else's property, you do so under their terms. No reasonable person would assume that a blatant act, designed to inflame and enrage, would be permitted by the property holder. By leaving that burning cross in their yard you trespassed and assaulted the property owner. You basically trespassed and then stated your intentions (symbolically) to do them harm. You've become a threat that they would be justified in repelling. Or, instead, we enforce our laws against trespass and assault, looking at the motivation to be sure that it wasn't an accidental trespass and the intent for assault was really there.

   

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