The Gantry Launchpad

Slapping Al Gore

Stephen Green is kvetching about the lovely Colorado spring weather, so I thought I would rub it in with a shot from today, here in southwest Ohio.

It's a balmy 73.6 F (according to Weather Underground) as I type this, with a light haze overhead.

I'm having trouble dealing with the Global Warmening up here, but I think I can tough it out...

The Great Sled-Safety Cover-up

Meryl Yourish thinks that safety helmets aren't enough for sledders. I agree.

Not only do we need mouth guards and eye protectors, we need to do something about those bloody unsafe metal runners! Yep, it's all fun and games until someone loses a finger...

My proposal is to replace metal runners with Nerf runners. This follows in the footsteps of other great ideas like Nerf footballs, Nerf frisbees, and Nerf dartguns. Mind you, the kids won't go very fast with Nerf runners on their sleds, but isn't that all to the good? God forbid someone might get hurt having fun.

Will Smith, credulous fool?

This mindless bit of dreck has caused a bit of a stir by claiming that Will Smith said "Hitler was a good person." What stands out to me is that anyone actually reading the article should immediately realize that there were no actual quotes to that effect.

Word to the wise folks: look for the quote marks. If you don't see them, then the reporter is making things up.

Eugene Volokh, Ilya Somin, and Dave Price all agree that Smith never said anything resembling the quote attributed to him.

Mr. Price seems to think that Smith displayed a certain degree of naivety for his general point of view, while the Volokh Conspiracy writers limited their skepticism to the idea that someone like Hitler could be "reprogrammed" or psychologically reshaped; a position with which I agree.

Smith's general point rang a bell with me, and it bothered me for a bit. For quite a while I've held to the belief that no one sees themselves as evil, but I couldn't recall the seed of that belief. Then it hit me: Heinlein, naturally!

Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Keep this in mind; it may offer a way to make him your friend. If not, you can kill him without hate--and quickly.

So maybe Will Smith isn't quite so naive after all.

A Charlie Brown Christmas, from Linus...

---
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
---

My best wishes and prayers to all, on this most wonderful of days.

It's like some rite of spring...

Not only has Rachel Lucas returned to the fold, the ever lovely and talented Ambra Nykol has rebooted her own blog.

First up: Presidential Action Figures, and Celebrity Hubris. How can you stay away?

I just can't wait for when the latest fashion faux pas attracts her Simon-like crtical eye...

And Rachel is turning into a real cut-up! {rimshot}

Sometimes I kill myself...

Godspeed, First Mate

"Captain" Ed Morissey's wife (the First Mate) will be getting a transplant Friday morning. Let's all remember her in our prayers tonight.

Godspeed, First Mate, and I pray for good winds on this voyage.

And, skip, tell the Admiral Emeritus happy birthday!

Fred Thompson Facts...

This should go along nicely with the last post about the Fred bumper sticker.

Frank Facts about Fred Thompson.

Some of my faves:
* Fred Thompson has on multiple occasions pronounced "nuclear" correctly.

* Fred Thompson has blasted more people in the face with a shotgun than even Dick Cheney.

* Every night before going to sleep, Osama bin Laden checks under his bed for Fred Thompson.

* Though Fred Thompson left the Senate in 2003, Harry Reid still hasn't stopped wetting his pants.

* Fred Thompson's gaze can kill small animals.

* Fred Thompson once ended a filibuster by ripping out a Senator's heart and showing it to him before he died.

* Fred Thompson's sense of strategy is so great that he can checkmate you using only a pawn and a knight.

* Fred Thompson can know both the exact position and momentum of a particle. Furthermore, he knows Schroedinger's cat is dead because he personally strangled it.

John Edwards: Never Give Up, Never Surrender!

(apologies for the Galaxy Quest quote, but it seemed appropriate.)

I've been following the debate over John Edward's decision to keep running, including over at Dean's World. Since that thread seems to reflect some of the "real world," I'll ground my comments from that thread.

First up we have Arnold Harris, who says

If Elizabeth Edwards were my wife, with terminal breast cancer, I would not leave her immediate presence -- except for the obvious and vital sanitary purposes -- for as long as she could live.

I sure as hell would put aside every other activity.

I feel sorry for the former senator, even though I would not want him for US president. I feel sorry for his family. I feel sorry for his beautiful and gracious wife.

Well, Arnold, you -in spite of you very kind words- aren't John Edwards, are you ? Nor am I you.

Which is my point, really. This truly is a personal decision, one which pretty much by definition will be different for each person, as they are different people.

I have to say I have trouble understanding those who espouse the "can he still run the country" thread. Do these people think he'll just fall into an incoherent puddle if/when his wife dies? Have they been watching too many cheesy movies on the Lifetime channel?

Let's shift the question just a little. The personal pressure a recovering alcoholic faces every day is tremendous, because every day is a new challenge all over again. And it will be that way for the rest of their lives.

My question is: do you think someone who faces that kind of day-to-day emotional pressure can handle the job of President of the United States?

I hope -if you answered "yes"- that you didn't vote for Dubya, since he is in fact a recovering alcoholic, and will be so for the rest of his life.

Let's look at another facet: the men and women who have a spouse in Iraq or Afghanistan. Should we expect that each and every one of them to collapse into a futile heap of emotional goo if their spouse dies? From what I've read and heard, just about all of them (Cindy Sheehan excepted) have managed to master the pain & grief, and get on with their lives.

...How odd it is that I am on the same side as mikeca on this one. :))

I am reminded of the old question: would you rather have a long life, or a glorious one? Or -to rephrase the latter- would you go out fighting?

...Hmmm. How many of you critizing Edwards have seen (and loved! {g}) 300 yet? You know the drill: death before surrender; glory; fight for what you believe in... whoops, isn't that what the Edwards are doing?

Right now I'd like to cite the excellent Captain Ed on this. By way of context, his wife (the lovely First Mate) has faced several health challenges the past few years.

It's a tough call for Edwards to make, and it's tough to criticize it either way. I think it's fair to say that Elizabeth has invested herself pretty deeply into John's campaign up to now, and she probably strongly resisted a suspension in the campaign. If this is what will keep her spirits high, then Edwards made the right decision.

All I can offer is my own perspective. My wife has had a number of chronic illnesses and acute crises, such as the one ongoing now, and one simply cannot stop living life or making a living. That being said, it usually helps to stay closer to home and family, just for one's own peace of mind. Edwards might find himself distracted on the campaign trail, and nagging issues might get blown out of proportion as he gets frustrated with the stress. ...

Edwards has the good fortune to have a fortune, so he can keep his family close while on the campaign trail. If he can balance the needs of his family with a presidential campaign, then he's made the right decision. I'm not hoping he succeeds in his political ambitions, but I do hope he stays strong for his family and that Elizabeth can remain as healthy as possible from now on.

CODA: Joe Gandelman has an excellent round-up, as well as a truly heart-breaking wedding photo of the Edwards. I defy you to look at that picture, and not shed a tear...

Jack Palance rides off...

Long-time Western actor Jack Palance died yesterday at the age of 87.

A long-time veteran, Palance was one of Hollywood's unsung, underpinning performers, including a classic role in Shane. Alas, the Academy neglected to recognize his work until he won Best Supporting Actor for City Slickers in 1991.

Rest in peace, Jack, and enjoy that long ride across the enternal prarie...

He's back, he's bad

Stephen Green, the Vodkapundit, has been off the radar for a while now. Me, I think he's been hanging out with Jeff Goldstein's l'il armadillo amigo, down in Tiajuana.

But I was wrong; the V-man is back, and better than ever. Metaphorically, anyway.

So drop on by over there and buy the guy a ... healthy non-hunger-strike-threatening Jamba Juice, or something.

Man of Honor

Was cruising through some Usenet groups a few minutes ago, when I found this:

Legendary Navy diver Brashear dies

He made history as the first African American US Navy Master Diver.

Tuesday afternoon, 75-year-old Carl Brashear died at Naval Medical Center
Portsmouth,

His story was told in the 2000 film "Men of Honor," and he was portrayed by
actor Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Brashear joined the United States Navy in 1948 at the age of 17. He became
the only amputee deep-sea diver to reach the status of Master Diver and was
the only black man to ever become Master Diver of the United States Navy, a
position he held from 1975 to 1977, according to the Navy.

He retired as a Boatswains Mate Master Chief.

Naval hospital officials said Brashear died at 2:45 p.m. of respiratory and
heart failure.

His Marine Corps helicopter pilot son, Phillip, was home from Iraq on
emergency leave and was at his father's side.

"Carl Brashear was a man of integrity. He was well-loved and admired by the
hospital staff," said NMCP Commander Rear Adm. Thomas Cullison. "It was an
honor to provide the care for this American hero. Our thoughts and prayers
are with his family members."

UPDATE: Captain Ed includes his farewell, and some thoughts about Brashear's grit and determination.

Witch calling the cauldron black

Scott Kirwin manages to generate some light and heat over Ann Coulter's latest faux pas, when she disrespected the so-called "Witches of East Brunswick."

First, let me address the bottom-feeders who think it's funny to disrespect Ms. Coulter for her appearance: you are vile, superficial slugs. Cracking on someone's appearance has nothing to do with their argument, and that's the way I've always fought my (rhetorical) battles. Except for Micheal Moore. So, I'm not perfect...

The people who talk about Ann's height, "skinny ass," or imply that she's "really a man" (or in drag) are just as crass, superficial, and cruel as the people who crack on Condi Rice's color, teeth, "big nose," or other features just because they don't like her politics.

Those creatures -whether left or right- who have nothing better to criticize are some of the worst kind of bottom-feeders around. Why? Because their very arguments demonstrate their complete intellectual and moral bankruptcy. If the best you can come up with is cracking on how someone looks, how they talk or who they fuck; you ain't got nothin' to say to me.

Remedial rhetoric, people: attack the idea,, not the person.

Which mistake Ms. Coulser has, in fact, committed herself in this case. She has gone way past attacking these ladies' ideas, to attacking their very souls.

There are few worse crimes than betraying the one you solemnly swore to "love, honor, and cherish," which is exactly the crime with which Ms. Coulter has charged them. She seems to think that the four widows of East Brunswick have cheerfully traded in their husbands, their soulmates, the father(s) of their children, for the cheap coin of paltry political advantage.

Shame, shame upon you, Ann Coulter! What right do you have to accuse those former wives (now widows) of crass calculation? Is is, perhaps, the only political coin you understand?

Lest the hasty accuse me of moonbattery, I state here that I consider the public, political statements of those four women the worst sort of foolish tripe. Their political positions are emblematic of a silly and banal opposition.

That said, neither I, nor anyone else in this country has the "moral authority" to condemn them as human beings, or (in some ways worse yet) as wives and mothers.

Think about it; is it a good thing, to accuse these women of ENJOYING the loss of their lifemates, just to they might gain their "15 minutes of fame?" How does this compare to those on the virulently-unthinking Left who claim the military families are ignorant, unthinking dupes of the ChimpyMcHitlerBusHalliburton regime?

How would you, the generic supporter of the "War on Terror" react if the moonbats gleefully accused one (or more) of the Gold Star mothers of enjoying their celebrity? No, really?

No, Ms. Coulter has not only crossed the line, in this case she has obliterated it. All of us, left or right, Republican or Democrat, have an obligation to console, care for, and respect those who have suffered loss for the greater good. We have, in fact, a greater obligation: to confront the ideas with which we disagree, and not the people.

There have been far too many instances where both sides have "jumped the shark" since 9/11. Don't believe me? Ask Cynthia "Bush knew" McKinney. Or perhaps you should talk to Fred "God hates Fags (as well as American soldiers)" Phelps. Or perhaps you should talk to Ann "All liberals are traitors" Coulter...

This episode has provided our citizens with the opportunity to say "Enough is enough! No more 'hippies are traitors,' no more 'Bush is the AntiChrist;' come, now, let us reason together. (Isaiah 1:18)"

That's how we play the game...

Rusty at The Jawa Report has a hysterical clip up by Carlos Mencia.

Some of the (lefty) commenters found Mr. Mencia to be "offensive."

My reaction: Carlos Mencia was enunciating the Jacksonian Tradition in an especially pungent form...

PostScript: a Spew Warning is in effect for the duration of the above clip. You Have Been Warned.

Heh.

Hoist the banner...

AFsis mentioned a fun little personality test: the Cowboy-Ninja-Pirate-Knight Test!

My result:

a Knight Captain You scored 8 Honor, 7 Justice, 4 Adventure, and 4 Individuality!

Some knights follow the orders given them. Some know when to improvise. The second sort are the ones that grow to power, to become leadeers and Knight Captains. Your sense of duty, honor and justice speaks that your name should be amongst their ranks. Get your squire, your banner, your armor and your sword. You're gonna do just fine

Crew Quiz

It seems to have beome a habit of mine to riff off of the Vodkapundit lately. Well, he's a good read... :)

Anyway, he tipped me off to an interesting quiz. I was kinda bummed I didn't score higher for the Falcon, but at least I didn't get stuck in the "happy, happy; joy, joy" world of Star Trek! Heh.

You scored as Serenity (Firefly). You like to live your own way and don't enjoy when anyone but a friend tries to tell you should do different. Now if only the Reavers would quit trying to skin you. Serenity (Firefly) 88% SG-1 (Stargate) 75% Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix) 69% Babylon 5 (Babylon 5) 69% Deep Space Nine (Star Trek) 56% Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) 56% Moya (Farscape) 56% Enterprise D (Star Trek) 50% Bebop (Cowboy Bebop) 44% Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica) 44% FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files) 25% Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda) 19% Your Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile II: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com

Le sang nouveau est arrive!

The VodkaPunditerri has yielded a fine new vintage!

And yes, I know I'm mixing my metaphors... {harumph}

A beautiful boy, from beautiful parents. Let's wish good fortune to Preston Davis, which shouldn't be too hard, considering his antecedents.

Good on ya, Stephen and Melissa.

Slam down, thank you, m'am!

I'm late to the bandwagon -although quick in the comments {g}- but I decided to link to Baldilocks' most precise and eloquent smackdown with a clue by four.

Please note that I do not use phrases such as "precise and eloquent" lightly, as I tend towards puristic language use.

In this case Juliette did a magnificent job of schooling a self-described "white [college] student," as if being a white college boy provides some sort of moral superiority.

Good riddance to Stanley Williams, although I hope (for his sake) that his own sense of redemption will stand up to the test before the Real Thing^tm.

Arrgghhh! got SMASHed

LT. SMASH is happy, and John of Arrgghhh! is glum.

In fact, I bet SMASH is wearing a smile just like Rummy's:

Congratulations to the Navy team for breaking the tie!

Thoughts of a Veteran on Veteran's Day

I wasn't going to put up a Memorial Veteran's Day post this year, since I didn't feel I had anything special to say at the moment.

However: Arnold Harris -Veteran- did, over at Dean's World.

Please read (and salute) the thoughts of a Veteran:

Thanks. I love all of you too. (Even if I bark at some of you.)

You know, back in the early 1950s, when my particular time came, we really didn't think about gratitude or anything like that. To us it was just a simple case of duty as Americans. Uncle Sam said "I need you guys and I need you now, so get off your asses and show up for duty."

That's all it took. And that's all it was supposed to take. Those of us who served in the armed forces around the time of the Korean war had the up-close memories of the 14 or 15 million of our countrymen who had recently served in every corner of the globe during the most stupendous war in history. Nobody wanted to be among the persons who would betray the memories of what those people had done to free the world of the tyranny of the fascist dictators, when the time came to defend this country against the threats of their counterparts, the communist dictators.

Anyway, America and all it represents in the past, the present and the future, was worth the national service our generation carried out. You're damned right I would do it all over again.

The men and women serving America in Iraq, Afghanistan and, for that matter, all around the world, are having some rough bumps these days. But they'll pull through, and so will the USA. May this great commonwealth live on in liberty and strength.

Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI

UPDATE:

Jerry Pournelle reminds me of an old WWI poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Thank you, and God bless you, gentleman.

UPDATE: John of Argghhh!!! very kindly reminds me that today is Veteran's Day, not Memorial Day. As John put it, today honors those still living, while Memorial Day is when we salute those passed on.

I'm too sexy for my shirt...

In an odd fit of insanity, I submitted a photo to the King of Cotillion competition.

For those of you who don't know, the Cotillion is a collection of sexy, sassy, classy blogger babes. No men allowed! (sorry guys, get your own clubhouse)

The winner gains the title "King of the Cotillon."

In any case, yours truly is in competition with some truly ferocious competition, including the infamous B.C., Imperial Torturer, Jay (Stop the ACLU), and (worst of all) Thunder6 (365 and a Wakeup)!

This could get ugly; wounded egos, tempers flying. And that's just us guys...

Nope. The ladies can't complain they lack choice, this time.

Drop on by, and vote.

The aftermath, and the bodyguard of lies, and no one's to blame...

Mary Madigan -while writing at Dean's World- recently quoted a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll to the effect that " 38 percent said no one is to blame" for the Katrina disaster.

Not to break up the mutual-congratulation party, but FEMA has come in for a bit of legitimate criticsm, including Republican reps in Congress.

Apparently Mike Brown's performance has underwhelmed more than a few folks who can't be called Bush-haters. Some folks have pointed out his absolute lack of anything resembling experience for his appointed position, while others say that his role is primarily ceremonial.

Either way I see no problem with shit-canning him. Even if he didn't screw up, it would be a tremendous confidence-builder for the nation.

For those who consider this somewhat harsh, I recommend dropping by Castle Arrgggh! and seeing what John has to say about all this, such as this:

And obviously, it doesn't look good for the people in charge. And I fault the people in charge.

John Derbyshire's arrogant ignorance kept pissing me off. Until I realized what I just said. Ignorance. Lack of knowledge. Derb isn't stupid, he's ignorant. And whose fault is that? Not his.

In order -

The Government of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, Governor. It was their job to get the ball rolling. The Federal government doesn't respond, by law, until the Governor asks them to. (If you think FEMA in their Ops Center at Weather Mountain wasn't already alerting you're wrong, but *acting* is governed by law).

The Federal Government, George W. Bush, President.

Because neither of them have got the Public Face of the Government getting out the info. Believe it or not, that, to my mind, is actually the Most Important Thing to be doing up front and early. Because the professionals will be handling the details of getting the response moving. That isn't the politicos job. Crying on camera is fine - as long as it's preceded or followed by "This is what we're doing, this is how we're going about it, and this is how we're coordinating for more help." Not just being stunned. Getting.Out.The.Word. Guys like me will be getting out the Stuff.

I think the President should have called off the California gig and headed for Washington.

WTF? Donovan is saying getting talking heads out putting out info is more important than Boots on the Ground, rescuing people and delivering aid?

Yes. That's what I said.

Why? Because Controlling The Perception of The Disaster in it's early stages will help shape the form of the follow-on actions. Guys, I've worked with FEMA. They're smart people and well-organized.

BUT IT TAKES 3-5 DAYS TO GET PEOPLE IN PLACE AND FUNCTIONAL. Minimum. Not the prepositioned people in the waiting-to-be-activated DFO, Disaster Field Office... the Outside Responders.

One solid criticsm I've heard re:FEMA is that they really should have anticipated a quick breakdown in New Orleans. After all, isn't the corruption of the "Big Easy's" government proverbially infamous by now?

In other words -for this city at least- the feds should have counted on an early breakdown, instead of surprised.

... While I was double-checking the links, I re-read an update by John here, where he seems to be coming around to that line of thought:

As I read through this - while I think NOLA screwed the pooch, they were hip-deep in water while they did it.

More and more, my jaundiced eye is looking at the Louisiana State government, especially it's Department of Homeland Security, as being damn near criminally negligent in the performance of their duties - and with the leading elements of the Federal response (to include the President) as being insufficiently sensitive to that fact.

For that matter, what would you call leaving one thousand first-responders (firefighters) hanging in Atlanta taking a sexual-harassment class instead of heading for New Orleans.

Instead, they have learned they are going to be community-relations officers for FEMA, shuffled throughout the Gulf Coast region to disseminate fliers and a phone number: 1-800-621-FEMA.

On Monday, some firefighters stuck in the staging area at the Sheraton peeled off their FEMA-issued shirts and stuffed them in backpacks, saying they refuse to represent the federal agency.

Federal officials are unapologetic. "I would go back and ask the firefighter to revisit his commitment to FEMA, to firefighting and to the citizens of this country," said FEMA spokeswoman Mary Hudak.

The firefighters - or at least the fire chiefs who assigned them to come to Atlanta - knew what the assignment would be, Hudak said.

One fire chief from Texas agreed that the call was clear to work as community-relations officers. But he wonders why the 1,400 firefighters FEMA attracted to Atlanta aren't being put to better use. He also questioned why the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - of which FEMA is a part - has not responded better to the disaster.

The firefighters, several of whom are from Utah, were told to bring backpacks, sleeping bags, first-aid kits and Meals Ready to Eat. They were told to prepare for "austere conditions." Many of them came with awkward fire gear and expected to wade in floodwaters, sift through rubble and save lives.

"They've got people here who are search-and-rescue certified, paramedics, haz-mat certified," said a Texas firefighter. "We're sitting in here having a sexual-harassment class while there are still [victims] in Louisiana who haven't been contacted yet."

The firefighter, who has encouraged his superiors back home not to send any more volunteers for now, declined to give his name because FEMA has warned them not to talk to reporters.

... [snip]

[Salt Lake Fire Chief Steve] Foote said his crews would be better used doing the jobs they are trained to do.

But Louis H. Botta, a coordinating officer for FEMA, said sending out firefighters on community relations makes sense. They already have had background checks and meet the qualifications to be sworn as a federal employee. They have medical training that will prove invaluable as they come across hurricane victims in the field.

Christ on a fracking crutch! Have we decayed to the point where some bureaucratic paper-pusher is more worried about someone's paper trail than actually helping people in need?

I repeat:

Federal officials are unapologetic. "I would go back and ask the firefighter to revisit his commitment to FEMA, to firefighting and to the citizens of this country," said FEMA spokeswoman Mary Hudak.

But, hey, the got to do something important:

But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters in Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas.

Not to worry, as the local authorities have now announced that no civilians will be allowed firearms in New Orleans, despite the 2nd, 4th, and 5th amendments.

One historian said about Pearl Harbor: "there's enough blame to go around."

Another wit once said: "to err is human; to really screw things up it takes a computer!"

In this case they might have said "it takes overlapping levels of unaccountable bureaucracy" instead.

Now. Yodeling "IT'S ALL BUSH'S FAULT!!!," while morally satisfying, is ultimately non-productive. New Orleans has become a Bitches' Brew of feckless human incompetance, from the corrupt New Orleans PD, to Mayor "Where's the buses?" Nagin, through governor "tears" Blanco, up to "What me, worry?" Mike Brown.

I also think it's very arguable -in this case- that Bush fumbled the directive which John outlined above, of "the Government getting out the info."

Both the military and the engineers of our country have a process called "lessons learned," in which a study lists the mistakes made during a specified exercise/project, why the mistakes were made, and how we can do better in the future.

One of of the key features of these studies is their dispassionate nature. Very few engineers or soldiers are interested in CYA excuses. They tend to ask hard questions such as "did the person in charge have sufficient knowlege? Did they show foresight, or recieve appropriate guidance and direction? Could they (in fact) have materially changed the course of events by their personal actions?"

The studies aren't limited to specific decision-makers, but to organizations as well. What worked? What didn't work? What can we change to do better next time?

Winston Churchill once said that "In war-time, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies." In modern America, that has been twisted to "In peace-time, our political goals are so precious that they should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies."

We -all of us, as Americans- have already stepped to the challenge of Katrina. The contributions of time and money, as well as "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" have demonstrated that.

Aside from the ongoing challenge of rebuilding, which I don't doubt will take many years, we -as Americans- need to face the challenge of an honest and dispassionate examination of "what went wrong, and how do we fix it?" in terms of Katrina.

The next disaster may be another hurricane, or a bioweapon disaster, or a dirty bomb. It might even be something as prosaic as the Spanish Flu.

The supreme defense against that sort of challenge are citizens who recognize the grey challenge.

Happy Birfday

Dean Esmay turns 39.

Next summer, his body falls apart.

Rosemary turns to Ara for comfort.

News at eleven...

Happy Birfday, Dean. Join the Olde Fartes confederation!

God is oppressing people again...

If you haven't heard yet, a watchdog group which monitors the separation of church and state is up in arms about the alleged dominance of evangelical Christians at the US Air Force Academy.

Dusty -resident of Castle Argghhh! and an Academy graduate- has some pungent comments on the "controversy."

Greyhawk posts a letter from Buzz Patterson, former Cadet Group Commander at the Academy, who finds the charges contemptible.

Finally, naval aviator CDR Salamandar weighs in here and here.

Look, I'm agnostic myself, and even I find this foolishness offensive! Worse yet, it's not even very persuasive foolishness. As has been pointed out elsewhere, there are 4,000 cadets at the Academy, and the watchdog group interviewed a whopping fifteen cadets and staff, all told.

This is just one more spatter in the mudslinging about "Jesusland." Feh.

Words of Wisdom

Someone I've read occasionally, but never linked, recently posted 21 Pieces of Good Advice.

Go there. Read the list, and immerse yourself in the wisdom of Acidman...

No. Really. I'm serious.

Anyone who pisses off Oliver Willis has to be worth reading.

Taste in Music

Rosemary sucked me into this one:

It's a pretty bad test, since it's weighted pretty heavily to post 1980 stuff, and even then the selections don't show an even ditribution. For example, there's only two country performers listed; forget how many people listen to country these days.

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer aren't listed, even though Yes and Floyd are. Where's Deep Purple? Where's Kiss? Ok, they're old, but Aerosmith is in there, as well as Floyd and Yes, and Yes hasn't done diddly since the 70s.

What about the Allman Brothers? They just released a new album a few months back!

The artists the should have included:

-Rock
Alice Cooper
Allman Brothers
Blue Oyster Cult
Def Leppard
Doors
Fabulous Thunderbirds
Jimi Hendrix
Jethro Tull
Janis Joplin
Sass Jordan
Living Colour
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Thirty-Eight Special
Traffic
Edgar Winter

-Country
Trace Adkins
Dixie Dregs
Sara Evans
Alan Jackson
Carolyn Dawn Johnson
The Kinleys
Jo Dee Messina
Outlaws
SheDaisy
Keith Urban

(notice: NO Jazz or real R&B mentioned!)
-Jazz/Blues
Cal Collins
Maynard Ferguson
Bob James
Al Jarreau
Earl Klugh
Gary Moore
Buddy Rich
Tom Scott
Sarah Vaughn
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Johnny Winter

-R&B/Soul/Funk
James Brown
George Clinton
Robert Cray
Al Green
BB King
Gladys Knight
Patti Labelle
Wilson Pickett
Sam & Dave
Joss Stone
Temptations
Stevie Wonder

-Fusion/Alternative/other (wasn't sure how to class them)
Blood, Sweat, and Tears
Blues Traveller
Edie Brickell
Jimmy Buffet (going pretty country these days)
Jeff Healey
Indigo Girls
Joe Jackson
Billy Joel
Elton John (before he worked for Disney)
Sass Jordan
Loggins and Messina
Renaissance
Paul Simon/Simon & Garfunkel
Spyrogyra

And all that's not even working up a sweat. So why didn't the quiz include more real bands?

It's official...

Ok. I've had it. Literally.

I spent nearly a month (mid-Janurary thru mid-February) hacking my way through the last bout of flu, and I lost my voice for two weeks in the bargain.

Now I have it AGAIN, and I am not amused.

I can now officially announce that having the flu sucks.

Goodnight, and thanks for watching!

New info about Gunners Palace

If you don't know what Gunners Palace is yet, drop on by Mudville and read this. After you're done, read a review by Andrew Watkins, a D.C. resident and "military guy."

Everyone, and I mean everyone should see this movie. As everyone has been saying: it's not pro-war, nor is it anti-war. It's about the young men in the 2-3 Field Artillery.

You can get more information about the movie, and even sign up for the movie's newsletter, at www.gunnerpalace.com.

It is, alas, not showing in Ohio yet, but here's the latest list of theaters:

Berkeley, CA Shattuck 8 Cinemas

Campbell, CA Camera 7 Cinemas

Encino, CA Laemmle Town Center 5

Irvine, CA EDWD University Town Center 6

Long Beach, CA UA Long Beach Movies (Marketplace) 6

Los Angeles, CA Laemmle's Sunset 5

Monterey, CA TLX Osio Cinema

Palm Desert, CA Flagship Cinemas Palme d'Or

Palo Alto, CA Century Theatres Palo Alto Square 2

Pasadena, CA Laemmle Playhouse 7

Pleasant Hill, CA Century Theatres

Rolling Hills Estates, CA The Avenues Stadium

San Francisco, CA Landmark Embarcadero Center Cinema

San Diego, CA Hillcrest Cinemas

San Rafael, CA Rafael Film Center

Santa Monica, CA Laemmle's Monica 4

Denver, CO Mayan Theatre

New Haven, CT LTS York Square Cinema 3

Washington, DC Landmark E-Street Cinema

Atlanta, GA Midtown Art Cinema

Chicago, IL Century Centre Cinemas

Evanston, IL CENT Evanston 18

Cambridge, MA Landmark Kendall Square

Silver Spring, MD AFI Silver Theater

Montclair, NJ Clairidge Triplex

Red Bank, NJ Red Bank Art Cinema

New York, NY Angelika Film Center

New York, NY AMC Empire 25

Brooklyn, NY BAM Rose 4 Cinemas

Manhasset, NY Manhasset Theater

Pleasantville, NY Jacob Burns Film Center

White Plains, NY Cinema 100 Twin

Dallas, TX Angelika Film Center Dallas

Houston, TX Landmark Greenway 3

Plano, TX Angelika Film Center Plano

Arlington, VA Loews Shirlington 7

Seattle, WA Metro Cinemas &

Seattle, WA Meridian Cinemas

Happy (punny) Birthday

Well, it's Andrew Cory's birthday as I write this, so drop on over to the thread at Dean's World and wish him happy birthday.

His preferred present would be y'all linking to his blog, Punning Pundit, so why not do that too?

So Happy Birthday, Andrew, and yer on the bloglist here, too, even if you are a squishy, "reality-based" lib'rul. :) Hope you like the wrapping paper I picked out.

Ahhh, much better!

A (belated) welcome home to Greyhawk, and all of the servicemen and women recently returned.

And for those still there: Godspeed. We're praying for you.

Time to snuggle in...

It seems that the littlest Esmay, Drake, has come down with a case of pneumonia. That's got be pretty tough when yer 5 weeks old.

So drop by Deans's World, and offer them your prayers and good hopes.

Take care, Y'all...

Hoo-rah!

It seems that John of Arrggg! has become a Mortal Human two days in a row.

I, for one, would like to welcome our new overlord and master...

Heh. Good on ya, John.

Minor update

I forgot to mention a while back that the Smart Cleric -Paul Burgess- went and got hisself a blog of his ver' own!

Worse yet, I didn't update my link so that it pointed to said blog. That's fixed now.

So run on over and give Let the Finder Beware a try; maybe Paul's old Sci-Fi comic book is up your alley. Or perhaps discussions of philsophy a la Camus are your forte. Or maybe you just like hot chicks like Uma Thurmond and her huge hands...

Heh.

It's a boy! (but you already knew that)

The Dynamic Duo, Rosemary and Dean are even now having their second baby.

Since they cheated, they already knew it's a boy, and they've named him Draco Malfoy Esmay.

Ok. Just joshing. His real name is Drake. ;)

Godspeed, you two, and let's send our prayers out for them.

He's back, he's bad!

Chris Muir, author of the excellent Day by Day cartoon strip, has returned from a personal leave of absence, wherein he attended to some serious family matters.

Welcome back, Chris.

And boy, does he put a big ol' Texas-style whompin' on "Dazzling" Dan Rather! Yee-haw!

Who is the enemy in Colgne?

Dean has written short, strong article about the recent demonstration in Cologne.

Some observations:

Please note that we're talking about Turks here; Turkey has been at least theoretically peaceful and democratic for several generations. More specifically, Turks living in (generally) pacifist Germany. While the above link quotes the slogan "Hand in Hand for Peace and Against Terror," it is obvious from the article that the primary motivations of the organizers derive from fears that political assassinations such as the recent van Gogh murder will spread to Germany, as well as concerns about the peaceful assimilation of foreign-born Muslims into German society. I certainly didn't see any banners, signs, or quotes about the vicious murders in Iraq.

Also please note that most Muslim religious leaders have either stayed mum, or (the minority) have encouraged terrorist acts. Take Palestine, for example. There's a healthy minority who still think bin Laden is some sort of Jesse James/Robin Hood outlaw, defying the oppressive West.

After that, please note that the image of holy war is still very popular in Islam, whereas most of the Christian churches burned that out of their system back in the 17th century.

So I have to conclude that Dean's position -which insists that Muslims are just misunderstood peace-lovers- does not correspond to the facts.

Or, if I wanted to be snarky, I could say something clever like "I'll see you Cologne, and raise you 9/11, the Indonesia bombings, and all the Arabs who danced in the streets after 9/11. But that wouldn't prove much.

On the other hand, this doesn't mean that "Muslims are all bloodthirsty jihadists" is true. I would have to say that most contemporary Muslims are more susceptible to that kind of bloody imagery than most Christians or Jews; I suspect that Christians are more resistant (or at least, less enthusiastic) because we had our faces rubbed into the filthy results of holy war four centuries ago, while the only historical memories Muslim Arabs have are of Saladin driving out the Crusaders.

Iraqis are getting a faceful of those kind of results right now, especially in Fallujah. I suspect that vicious behavior displayed by the animals in Iraq and Russia repel most normal Muslims, and force them to ask themselves what they really believe in. In fact, I believe that many bloggers -including Dean- have linked to the beginning of several public dialogs on that point; Muslims are starting to ask themselves "Just why are most of the terrorists in today's world Muslim?"

Citing Cologne as an example that Islam is a peace-loving religion is neither statistically nor rhetorically accurate. I could just as easily find enough Christians to hold a demonstration in support of Ann Coulter's suggestion that "we kill them all, or convert them." A more reliable analysis would examine Muslim attitudes around the entire globe. And, as I pointed out above, the majority of Muslim religious leaders are -at best- silent about terrorist actions.

Also, let me repeat that disagreement with Dean doesn't mean that I accept the obverse claim that Islam is a religion of blood and holy war. Oh, it can be, but that's not necessarily a fundamental element of Islam. Let us recall some of the marvelous civilizations which came from a blend of Arab Islam and European Christianity, such as southern Spain before the reconquista. In fact, Arab Islamic interest in learning helped preserve many works from Classical civilization, which were later transferred back to Europe through Italy and the Renaissance.

It's a complex question, and a simple, binary definition of the question -whether Islam is a religion of blood, or peace- doesn't do the topic justice.

Still, I believe that Dean's inclinations point toward what will become true in the future. Modern Islam is looking into a mirror, and I suspect that most Muslims don't like what they see.

"Arf!" says Sandy

I have before quoted and linked to the lovely and talented Ambra Nykol.

There's a reason for that. I mean, she is lovely, and -well...- talented. At least, I wish I were that judicious, balanced, and well-spoken at that age. And I know she's still got me beat on style... ;)

But there's another reason: she's a political/fashion trend-setter.

I mean, who else in the blogosphere could wear a hot pink "Bush" t-shirt, and still look cool?

Yeppers, smart, sexy, sassy, and expressive: that's Ambra... Heh.

To Every Thing

...there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

And in the heavens. Barely 24 hours ago, SpaceShip One made history as the worlds first civilian spacecraft.

Yesterday marks another milestone: pioneer Mercury autronaut "Gordo" Cooper died at home on Monday, October 4, in his Ventura, California home.

If you recall, in the movie The Right Stuff screenwriters Philip Kaufman and Tom Wolfe had Gordon Cooper characterize himself as "the best pilot in the world." You could probably say that of any of the Mercury Seven.

It's almost as if he had been waiting for the pilots at Scaled Composites to join the club, before he left it...

Rest In Peace, Gordo; and may you fly high forever.

You can find Gordon Cooper's bio here.

UPDATE: Dean Esmay pointed out that I mixed up the nicknames for "Gus" Grissom and "Gordo" Cooper; and is my face red right now. Fixed.

The Truth...

A long time ago, a man once asked "What is truth?"

The answer was debated pretty vigorously the next two thousand years...

Most of the time, I prefer discussing facts, over "truth". Or the lack thereof.

In this case, The Truth About Iraq.

From Blackfive:

Steven [Moore] was in Bagdad for nine months, from July of last year through April of this year, doing about a dozen polls and seventy focus groups, and advising Ambassador Bremer on Iraqi public opinion.

Since returning from Iraq, Steven was disgusted with how the media was portraying events in Iraq and thoroughly nauseated by Michael Moore (who has never been to Iraq) and the lies that he is propagating. So, Steven started The Truth About Iraq.org where he uses some of the polling information from Iraq to debunk some of the myths that have been created by the media.

What impresses me about Moore's work is that TruthAboutIraq.org actually backs up specific claims with specific fact. And links...

An excerpt from their homepage:

Welcome to The Truth About Iraq.org! The more than forty countries that comprise the Coalition Forces have done a great service to the Iraqi people, the American people and the world by deposing one of the most brutal and prolific killers in history.

Our goal is to help the American people better understand the situation in Iraq through sources other than the mainstream media - public opinion research, statistical analysis and personal accounts.

This site should be in the toolbox of every blogger who supports the war.

Whoa, Nelly!

I've heard of the The Joy of Cooking, then later The Joy of Sex, but The Joy of Politics?

And what the heck is a Votergasm!?

You have to admire a site which encourages political activity via er, other activity, like Doing the Nasty on election night. Not to mention the disclaimers for the Votergasm pledge:

* Pledge-fulfilling sex must be consensual, legal, and generous. And safe. And hot.

* Acceptable sexual positions include, but are not limited to: missionary, doggy-style, cowgirl, reverse cowgirl, leapfrog, butterfly, humpback whale, cling wrap, squashing of the deck chair, accordion, reverse piggy-back, advanced ("twin") leapfrog. Male-male, female-female, group, and oral variations of these positions can also be used to satisfy the pledge.

* Taking the pledge indicates a good-faith effort to abide by its provisions. Pledge-takers who have violated withholding provisions become effective non-voters, and are barred from sex with fellow pledge-takers.

* Pledge-takers who fail to vote are forbidden from masturbating. (Exemption: pledge-takers who are not eligible to vote are encouraged to masturbate frequently.)

* "Cybersex" does not satisfy the pledge, dorkwad.

* Non-voters may render themselves eligible for sex with American Heroes by voting at least twice in local, primary, and/or 2006 congressional races. Those voting in only one such race qualify to perform, but not receive, oral sex on American Heroes.

* Achievement of a Votergasm during election-night sex is probable, but not guaranteed. Those encountering difficulty reaching Votergasm are encouraged to slow things down, talk about it, and reduce the pressure. Other techniques include the use of massage oils, toys, "dirty talk," "ballot stuffing," and "exit polls."

* Per the U.S. Constitution, children conceived on election night are eligible for gigantic interest-free loans from the U.S. government, and special t-shirts.

Thanks to The Conspiracy to Keep You Poor and Stupid for the link.

Time...

...marches on, for all of us. Sometimes I think, "Damn, it's been three days since you blogged, fool!" Heh.

Ok. Right now I have to say "Happy 23rd Birthday" to the absolutely stunning, and always stylish Ambra Nykol.

Being a true gentleman, I would never point out that she's nearly one-third through her expected life span already; the numbers are even more embarassing for yours truly. :)

But, really, y'all should drop on over there and tell her "Happy Birthday." While you're at it, enjoy her new look, since she's finally started using Real Blogging Software^tm.

With young'ns like Ambra around, I'm perfectly confident that this country will be in good hands during my grey-haired years. Which, in my case, should be by the next week or two...

Tee hee.

Man bites dog...

There's an old newspaper saying: "'Dog bites man' isn't news; 'Man bites dog;' that's news!"

But, what about 'Dog shoots man?"

Apparently Jerry Allen (AKA "Sick Bastich") of Pensacola, FL, had seven puppies for which he couldn't find homes. He did what any normal American would do: decided to shoot them.

But one puppy had other plans.... "Psycho" Allen had a puppy in each hand, both of whom squirmed, well, like puppies. One of the little bravehearts managed to get his paw on the trigger, and shot the worthless turd Allen through the wrist.

Too bad our little friend wasn't big enough to aim between the eyes...

Thanks to the creative and brilliant ronin, Frank J for the original link!

What is the American Dream?

The lovely and talented Ambra Nykol, recovering from a five-state whirlwind tour, is doing some R&R in Connecticut.

While recharging her reserves, Ambra asked several good questions. For one of them I can't resist an answer:
Someone please clarify this "American Dream" for me if you will. That's a phrase tossed around rather loosely these days.

It's very simple, my dear. I'll let Arnold give my answer:

To think that a once-scrawny boy from Austria could grow up to become governor of the state of California and then stand here...

... then stand here in Madison Square Garden and speak on behalf of the president of the United States -- that is an immigrant's dream.

It is the American dream.

...

We are still the lamp lighting the world, especially those who struggle. No matter in what labor camp they slave, no matter in what injustice they're trapped, they hear our call. They see our light. And they feel the pull of our freedom.

They come here, as I did, because they believe -- they believe in us. They come because their hearts say to them, as mine did, "If only I can get to America." You know, someone once wrote, "There are those who say that freedom is nothing but a dream." They are right. It's the American dream.

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...

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?

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...

Tour de France update

Yesterday I congratulated Lance Armstrong for winning his sixth Tour de France.

The froggies, alas, have been showing their true nature in reacting to Armstrong's triumph, including spitting at him and flipping him the bird.

And here I thought the surrender monkeys were the suave, sophisticated ones; silly me!

UPDATE: Apparently the rude spitting buggers in question were German, and not French. My apologies to the froggies. :)

Tout pour America!

American Lance Armstrong has become the first cyclist in history to win the Tour de France six times. Only four others have won the competition five times during its 101-year history.

This is especially impressive considering that just eight years ago Armstrong was given a less than 50% chance to live after contracting testicular cancer that spread into his lungs and brain.

So my hat's off to Lance, and I would never even think of gloating about his dominance over the frogs the French.

Ok. Maybe a little bit. :)

Geeks vs. Freaks

Dean Esmay recently came out of the closet over at Dean's World.

What? Oh, no, he's not gay; he's just a geek. You see, Dean used to play D&D, but he never mentioned that little detail to his wife. Heh.

After the rest of us chimed in (me, I was a Paladin!), the lovely Rosemary Esmay chimed in and wanted to know:

I was out partying in bars, getting tattooed and having fun.

What's wrong with you people?

Well, Rose, we were geeky, while you were freaky!

Glad to be of help, Your Majesty... :)

Lest we forget

America has recently rediscovered the "fun of frog-bashing" (AKA "dissing the French"). It's fun, it's easy, and even kids can play.

But let's not forget that Chiraq is not France. There's a fair number of French men and women who still love and respect America. I cite in evidence Anilore Banon, and Jean-Paul Delorme.

Ms. Banon is a sculptor who had decided to create a piece for the 60th anniversary of the Normandy landings: "Their sacrifice and courage allowed us all to stand up. It was the force of their will that three generations later we still have with us."

She wasn't sure she would be able to get the funds to build her sculpture until Jean-Paul Delorme contacted her. Delorme had read about her problems in the International Herald Tribune, and volunteered to pay the bills.

What is truly amazing is that the factory building the monument went on strike (no, that's not the amazing part; this is France, after all {g}), but the 25 workers assigned to the project said "For the sculpture, we are not on strike."

Vive la France. Perhaps in the not too distant future, both sides will remember what Gen. "Black" Jack Pershing said, four score and seven years ago...

Zero tolerance, or zero fortitude?

Misha was way too easy on these guys.

In Yet Another Perversion of Justice from our public school system, a Denver girl was threatened with a knife, had her hair set on fire, and she was the one sent home!

I feel so much safer now, don't you?

Happledy Birfday!

Lisa of just a girl in the world has a birthday today. I am reliably informed that this is the tenth time she's turned 21...

Heh.

Drop on by and wish her happledy birfday.

Stop me before I Cookie again!

First they came for the joooos. Then they came for the cookies...

Now, wait just a darn minute here!

Nope, boys and girls, you're eyes aren't decieving you. The Fatherland Front office of New Jersey (actually the local school board, but same thing these days) suspended a boy for threatening a teacher with a cookie.

Just how dumb are these people, anyway?

A reverent bow to the Emperor Darth Misha for this one.

Marines' Helping Hand

I'm stealing this link from Dean Esmay. But, just in case the five people who read this blog regularly haven't heard of it yet, make a point of visiting these people.

The Spirit of America non-profit group "enable[s] American military, Foreign Service and reconstruction personnel to submit requests for goods that will help local people. Typically, the requests are for items that established aid organizations and government bureaucracies are not designed to handle."

Whether you think BushLied(tm), or Dubya is the greatest thing to come out of Texas since Sam Houston, this is a worthy endeavor.

Surely we can all agree that the United States has a unique opportunity to make a difference in Iraq, and this group provides a way for all citizens to help.

If nothing else, it avoids bureaucratic SNAFU by listening to the "boots on the ground," and their ideas on how to contribute to people's lives.

Like the old songs say: "you can make a difference."