The Gantry Launchpad

Tell me, again, why I'm voting for these guys?

You know, every once in a while I just have to cringe when I hear someone like House Speaker Denny Hastert make the clumsy effort to imply that George Soro's money comes from drug cartels.

HASTERT: ...You know, I don't know where George Soros gets his money. I don't know where -- if it comes overseas or from drug groups or where it comes from. And I...

WALLACE: Excuse me?

HASTERT: Well, that's what he's been for a number years -- George Soros has been for legalizing drugs in this country. So, I mean, he's got a lot of ancillary interests out there.

WALLACE: You think he may be getting money from the drug cartel?

HASTERT: I'm saying I don't know where groups -- could be people who support this type of thing. I'm saying we don't know. The fact is we don't know where this money comes from.

After all the time I spend bitching about Lord Pork Pork (AKA M. Moore), the bloody House Speaker has to pull a bonehead stunt like this one...

I suppose he's just trying to uphold the tradition that the GOP is the Stupid Party.

Thanks to The Volokh Conspiracy for the original link.

Love the flag...

I caught this post over at Baldilocks' place the other day, and followed her link to Cobb, who (apparently) first raised the topic. After that I noticed that my favorite "minimized dead-cell content" commentator had linked to S-Train as well on the same topic.

Apparently the "controversy" involves various reactions to this shot from the 2000 Olympics:

Note that I haven't watched TV for years, so I miss out on stuff that more normal folks hear about. This is the first I've heard about this. Apparently various bodies objected to those young men celebrating their victory. It was, so to speak, "vulgar." At least if you are one of the prim and politically correct types. God forbid that patriotic Americans show love for their country. What's next? Devoting one's life, liberty, and sacred honor to the cause? What is this country coming to, dag-nabit!?

Warning: extended section includes politically incorrect and non-work-safe language...

Cobb's take on this:

This is one of the most critical litmus tests I have on America. If you can't understand this picture, I'm really out to slap you around. I put up with the shame and embarrassment of people dissing Moe Greene four years ago and I really am not having it any more. I wasn't having it then, but I'm also putting people on notice because the subtle subjects have pointed me in this direction again.

... {trim} ...

Obviously, I get very exercised about this particular issue, because I think it is symbolic of the fate of African America and of America itself. I don't care who you think you might be, you cannot afford not to respect black men who triumph like this. And I might be betraying a mote of insecurity to think that there are those who don't get it, because I'm prepared to write vulgar threats. This one goes deep for me.

S-Train responds:

Now that's what I'm fucking talking about! When those black men won the gold at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, celebrated THEIR WAY, and got blasted by sports media, regular media, and regular folks, I fuckin' EXPLODED. I was mad for weeks. How dare you punk ass muthas criticize the way they expressed themselves? How dare some of you were embarrassed by them? HOW FUCKING DARE YOU ACT LIKE THEY WEREN'T AMERICANS? I heard the spectrum of Americans calling them "the worst of America" at that time and those same folks are praying "it doesn't happen again". Let me give those who can't deal with black expression the 411:

THAT'S HOW WE DO!

Now me, I'm completely floored by that kind of idiot carping. Do you know what I see when I look at that shot? I see joy; the kind of exuberant joy you can only feel when you've just beaten the very best that the entire world can offer in your field.

I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I don't see "rude black men," I see four very happy young Americans who have gone forth and kicked righteous ass. Hell, they deserve to celebrate. The only thing about this picture that irritates me is that any one of those guys are going to get laid way more times than my flabby ass will. :)

Oh, by the way, for those who think that this sort of behavior is generally restricted to "uppity" black folk, I offer the following observations.

Those men weren't displaying "black" behavior, but American behavior, straight from our biggest frontier legends. Our history is full of famous characters (in every sense of the word) such as Daniel Boone, Evangeline, Mike Fink, and the Yankee traders. Or -in this case- Corpse Maker and Calamity's Child...

From The LIFE Treaure of American Folklore (TIME, Inc., 1961)

Two men on a Mississippi riverboat began to arguing. Says the first

I'm the old original iron-jawed, brass-mounted, copper-bellied corpse maker from the wilds of Arkansaw! Look at me! I'm the man they call Sudden Death and General Desolation! Sired by a hurricane, dam'd by an earthquake, half brother to the cholera, nearly related to the smallpox on my mother's side! Look at me! I take 19 alligators and a bar'l of whiskey for breakfast when I'm in robust ealth, and a bushel of rattlesnakes and a dead body when I'm ailing. I split the everlasting rocks with my glance, and I squench the thunder when I speak! Stand back and give me room according to my strength! Blood's my natural drink, and the wails of the dying is music to my ear. Cast your eye on me, gentlemen! And lay low and hold your breath, for I'm 'bout to turn myself loose!

In response, his opponent declaimed

Bow your neck and spread, for the kingdom of sorrow's a-coming! Hold me down to the earth, for I feel my powers a-working! I'm a child of sin, don't let me get a start! Smoked glass, here, for all! Don't attempt to look at me with the naked eye, gentlemen! When I'm playful I use the meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude for a seine, and drag the Atlantic Ocean for whales! I scratch my head with the lightning and purr myself to sleep with with the thunder! When I'm cold, I bile the Gulf of Mexico and bathe in it; when I'm hot I fan myself with an equinoctial storm; when I'm thirsty I reach up and suck a cloud dry like a sponge; when I range the earth hungry, famine follows in my tracks!

Now you may think that this sort of attitude belongs to an earlier, ruder America; one that wasn't "gentler" or "kinder." I offer as evidence to the contrary P. J. O'Rourke, fellow Miami University alumnus.

Back in April of 1986 the United States bombed Libya. Naturally, the Euros protested this "un-nuanced," "un-subtle" approach. Apparently shooting back at the bad guys is considered gauche these days. While he was being lectured by an offensive British git ("You think war is..."), P.J. snapped:

"A John Wayne move." I said. "That's what you were going to say, wasn't it? We think that war is a John Wayne movie. We think life is a John Wayne movie --with good guys and bad guys, as simple as that. Well, you know something, Mister Limey Poofter? You're right. And let me tell you who those bad guys are. They're us. WE BE BAD.

"We're the baddest-assed sons of bitches that ever jogged in Reeboks. We're three-quarters grizzly bear and two-thirds car wreck and descended from a stock market crash on our mother's side. You take your Germany, France and Spain, roll them all together and it wouldn't give us room to park our cars. We're the big boys, Jack, the original, giant, economy-sized, new and improved butt kickers of all time. When we snort coke in Houston, people lose their hats in Cap d'Dantibes. And we've go American Express card credit limit highter than your piss-ant metric numbers go.

"You say our country's never have been invaded? You're right, little buddy. Because I'd like to see the needle-dicked foreigners who'd have the guts to try. We drink napalm to get our hearts started in the morning. A rape and a mugging is our way of saying 'Cheerio.' Hell can't hold our sock-hops. We walk taller, talk louder, spit further, fuck longer, and buy more things than you know the names of. I'd rather be a junkie in a New York City jail than king, queen and jack of all you Europeans. We eat little countries like this for breakfast and shit them out before lunch.

Ladies and gentlemen, I rest my case...

Decisions, decisions...

It seems the truely lovely and talented Ambra Nykol is stumped on what to name her upcoming new column in Seattle's Seaspot Magazine.

She has narrowed the possibilities down to two: Consider This, or Politickin'.

Since my suggestion has been brusquely dumped into the bit-bucket (sniff....), why not drop by and let her know which one you like? Me, I'm for Consider This, myself.

Oh, no, he did NOT just say that!

Caught this citation over on the Corner at NRO.

The original story can be found here.

You should definitely read the whole thing, but the bottom line is that Kerry (while recently campaigning down in Florida) bragged about supporting the Helms-Burton sanctions against Cuba back in 1996.

''I'm pretty tough on Castro, because I think he's running one of the last vestiges of a Stalinist secret police government in the world,'' Kerry told WPLG-ABC 10 reporter Michael Putney in an interview to be aired at 11:30 this morning.

Then, reaching back eight years to one of the more significant efforts to toughen sanctions on the communist island, Kerry volunteered: "And I voted for the Helms-Burton legislation to be tough on companies that deal with him.''

The Miami Herald continues:

There is only one problem: Kerry voted against it.

Asked Friday to explain the discrepancy, Kerry aides said the senator cast one of the 22 nays that day in 1996 because he disagreed with some of the final technical aspects. But, said spokesman David Wade, Kerry supported the legislation in its purer form -- and voted for it months earlier. (emphasis added)

In other words, he voted for it, before he voted against it. And where have we heard that before, hm?

Ohh, a new link!

I see that Greyhawk has opened the floodgates by inviting blogs to submit links so he may considering linking to them...

Since I have read his work for a while now (although I don't comment very often) I'll jump in with both feet.

Consider this, sir, my application for approval. One of my favorite posts is the Fog of War series I put up back in April.

FWIW, at this point I'm still a "slithering reptile" in the ecosystem. :)

A note about the word "apologist"

I've noticed that what I consider to be a really bad habit has been spreading lately.

It seems that quite a few folks have gotten into the habit of using the word "apologist" as a derogotary term. This started out back in the early spring with the moonbats who kept pushing the "Bush AWOL" and/or "Halliburton runs everything" sort of foolishness. They insisted on calling anyone who defended Bush an apologist, as opposed to "supporter" or "defender."

Here's the thing: now Bush supporters are calling Kerry supporters the same damned thing in reverse! So we have "Kerry apologists," whose chief offense seems to be defending their chosen candidate. Certainly it's their right, as American citizens, to do so, no?

Now don't get me wrong; I intend to vote for Bush this fall, and I certainly believe that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have at least some legitimate claims.

My question is this: just what is your overall objective? If you want to preach to the choir, bash the other side as a bunch of clueless idiots, and pile on the latest "gotcha," knock yourself out, it's your dime, amigo.

But. if you are in the slightest bit interested in actually threshing out some of the issues, and maybe even opening up someone on the opposing side to a new interpretation (even if you don't change their mind), then I humbly suggest that you may want to consider not using the word "apologist."

Not too long ago, my friend Dean Esmay asked conservatives to take a pledge that they would faithfull support Kerry should the Senator from Massachusetts win the presidency this fall. My goal is more modest.

Right now I'm asking Bush supporters to refrain from using condescending, hot-button/buzzwords such as "apologist," even if their opponents won't.

After all, it won't hurt us to show them respect, which any adult citizen is reasonably entitled to expect; and if they refuse to return the favor, the onus is theirs, not ours.

So, what do you say?

Bill Gates is Satan!

For the three people who drop by regularly, I would like to apologize for not posting more, but I have a good excuse, as follows:

Two weekends ago I decided to re-install Windows XP. It was late, but it generally is when I do something like this. This time, alas, I encountered problems.

I have to explain something first; a few years ago, I took a page out of the Linux book and set up my main hard drive as a boot partition, and a data partition, with the boot set at 30 gigs, so it wouldn't be too hard to use Norton's Ghost to back it up to an external USB hard drive I had. The data partition was everything left over.

I ended up not following that pattern, since I decided instead to use the USB drive to back up all my important docs instead. The other thing I changed was that I used TweakUI to point the special "symbolic link" (to use another Linux term) to point to something besides c:\My Documents. I pointed it to D:\My Documents. That way I could re-install XP (and even reformat) without losing my data.

There's one little problem with that idea, and it bit me the first time I did a re-install a few years back (BTW, no, XP isn't that bad, I just like to muck around with things): the first time I rebooted during the Setup program, the system wanted to run Scandisk against my D: drive, and I said "sure, why not?" It then proceeded to merrily flag everything on the drive as lost clusters.

I figured out that when I did the re-install, the symbolic link didn't exist anymore on C:, so everything in the file table on D: which pointed to \My Documents got flagged as lost clusters.

I freaked, at the time, then remembered that I had all the important data backed up on the USB drive. I lost a couple movies, and some .mp3s, but no big deal. The solution, of course, is to point that symbolic link back to C: before you do the reinstall.

Back to the present, now 2 weeks past. Here's the problem: it had been so long since I had done a re-installl that I had forgotten about that. So when the system asked if it should Scandisk D:, I said "sure!" and sure enough... Meltdown. Dammit.

But hey, that's ok, becuase I had been faithfully backing up all my important stuff onto the USB drive the past few years. So I finished the re-installed, turned off the system, and went to bed. I could finish the data restore and my favorite apps the next morning.

I get up, fire up some tea, and sit down for the restore. But when I click on the USB drive, Windows tells me there's nothing there!? Eh?

I check the drive, and according to Properties the file table is "RAW," which means it hasn't been formatted yet. Um, no, I formatted it to FAT32 a while back, thank you very much! And while I'm asking, where's my data?

I ran more tests, including booting with a Win98se disk and using FDISK to check properties. Nope. FDISK told me there was an NTFS partition that had not been initialized on the drive, and nothing else.

By now -besides being truly nauseated and upset- I recalled the night before thinking to myself "Hm? Windows wants me to specify which partition to install to? I just did that, and said use NTFS and overwrite the current data." So I did it again.

Now here's the thing: I will swear on a stack of Bibles as high as you like, that both times the Setup program was pointing to a C:\ partition! In other words, after XP nuked the boot partition as I requested, it found the USB drive and said to itself, "gee, here's another bootable partition, let's ask about this one, too," and listed that as C:\ as well! Blast it.

To sum up, I was completely SOL. I couldn't re-do the backup, since my D: drive was gone, and I couldn't restore the D: drive, since the backup was gone.

All of my work from Miami; all my photos, my programming work and senior project, my writing, email, photos, memories of classmates, all gone.

I still get sick thinking about it.

And yes, I have a CD burner, but it's an older 24x, so it's slow enough, and the 640meg limit of a CD is small enough that I got out of the habit of burning CDs, especially since I had the external USB drive.

Lessons learned:
-Windows sucks.
-Carefully write down, and save, your standard procedures for reinstalling your OS, unless your memory is perfect.
-Never, ever, EVER leave an external backup device plugged into a system when you reinstall an OS.
-Always have a read-only, non-volatile backup as well. Preferably in another room.

MoveOn, Please!

I can see the presidential campaign is moving into high gear; the MoveOn(Please) folks are really kicking it into high gear!

Man. I don't know if Bush can take any more devastating campaign hits like this...

Thanks to Emperor Misha for the link.

The Malkin Test

Ok. After I read about the Michelle Malkin test at Dean's World, I had to take it myself.

1. I have never voted for a Democrat in my life.
- I voted every election John Glenn (D) of Ohio.
2. I think my taxes are too high.
- Hell yes!!! (+5)
3. I supported Bill Clinton's impeachment.
- No. That is: yes he lied under oath, but no, I considered that to be entrapment. Starr had no business interrogating the President about that, considering he was tasked with investigating Whitewater.
4. I voted for President Bush in 2000.
- Damn skimpy. (+5)
5. I am a gun owner.
- No, but I would like to be. A classic M1911a for starters. :) And if you don't know what that is, do NOT ask me! Heh. (+5)
6. I support school voucher programs.
- Yes! (+5)
7. I oppose condom distribution in public schools.
- I don't have kids, so it's kinda tough. Right now I'll go with Dean and Rose: I object if they do so without the parent's consent. (+5)
8. I oppose bilingual education.
- In the sense of separate education for non-English speakers, yes. (+5)
9. I oppose gay marriage.
- I oppose the terrible judicial method used to achieve the end. I do not oppose the end, although I think a couple of critics have points worth considering.
10. I want Social Security privatized.
- We need to do something; I'm not doctrinaire on how to fix it.
11. I believe racial profiling at airports is common sense.
- Yep. Just as long as we don't concentrate soley on race/ethnicity. (+5)
12. I shop at Wal-Mart.
- Uh, no, but not for any ethical reason. I just think they're tacky. I go to Bigg's and Meijers instead. No clever remarks, please. :)
13. I enjoy talk radio.
- Ignore it competely. Totally off the grid.
14. I am annoyed when news editors substitute the phrase "undocumented person" for "illegal alien."
- Yes! (+5)
15. I do not believe the phrase "a chink in the armor" is offensive.
- No. I mean Yes. Are you kidding me!? (+5)
16. I eat meat.
- Yep. Bacon cheeseburgers; YUM! (+5)
17. I believe O.J. Simpson was guilty.
- Very much so. (+5)
18. I cheered when I learned that Saddam Hussein had been captured.
- No, but I tend to be rather analytical about announcements like that. Such captures are just a single step in a long, long journey.
19. I cry when I hear "Proud to be an American" by Lee Greenwood.
- Lord, no! Embarassed, rather; I find the song to be overblown. I prefer Toby Keith's The Angry American, or (by preference) Alan Jackson's Where Were You? (When the World Stopped Turning), a gentle, compassionate work. If you want to know what gets tears in my eyes: Whitney Houston's Star Spangled Banner from Super Bowl XXV.
20. I don't believe the New York Times.
- That depends... :)

Final score: 55%. Sorry, Michelle... Do you still love me?

Optical Illusion

Can you spot the differences between these two photos?...

Amazing Grace

Blackfive is now the proud daddy of a 7-pound, 13-ounce baby girl, Grace. Drop by over there and wish him well.

He really is a very lucky man...

THAT'S Gotta Hurt!

Veterans have been grumbling about John F. Kerry ever since he became the front-runner for the Democratic nomination.

Now that he's officially the Democratic nominee for President of the United States, the vets have stopped grumbling, and started talking.

Now I know the first thing the Kerryites will claim is Republican Attack Machine^(tm)! The only problem is that the men in the ad actually served with Kerry.

Ooopsie.

Not to mention that several of these men were also awarded the Bronze Star, Silver Star, and other decorations. Most especially not to mention Rear Admiral Roy Hoffman. That's flag rank, bunkie.

Oh, a request for the Republican Attack Machine^(tm) paranoids: show me some cancelled checks, or receipts, before you start puking out more accusations, as evidence.

I'm thinking Kerry is really going to regret saying "Bring it on." by November. Heh.

And introducing...

Dean's World regular Scott Eiland has coined an entirely appropriate nickname for He Who Must Not Be Fed (which I also like):

Lord Pork Pork.

Heh. For the historically challenged, it's a take-off of the Nazi propagandist Lord Haw Haw during World War 2.

I like it...

Dean has a nice post about the sane people in the world which reminded me of that lovely sobriquet.