It's probably been posted 8 million times.

But, they're all good times. more...

Posted by: Open Blog at 08:32 PM | Comments (7)
Post contains 22 words, total size 1 kb.

72 virgins raisins

UPDATED WITH MORE COWBELL BY REQUEST more...

Posted by: Open Blog at 07:12 PM | Comments (20)
Post contains 24 words, total size 1 kb.

I was going to write up a summary of my impressions of Fred Thompson's visit to the Iowa State Fair last Friday, but an article in the Sunday Des Moines Register from Associated Press has me fuming, so we'll talk about that instead.

Here is the article.

The article came from Associated Press, so I'm sure it was zealously fact checked by several layers of editors before publication. Or not. I'm beginning to think that MAYBE every journalist in America slept in on the day when they covered "print the truth" in journalism school. Back in college, I used to laugh at the idiots writing for the school paper. I used to consider journalists to be people who couldn't find their calling anywhere else (even to sort trash at the recycling center), so they spent four or five years learning how to write. That's it. Learning how to write. God forbid that people should come from PRODUCTIVE careers into journalism and bring their specialized knowledge with them. God no, that sort of thing would take jobs away from J-school graduates, and experts in fields like engineering, logistics, history and physics could never grasp the intricacies of getting who, what, when, where, why & how into a story. Noooooo, you've got to teach your journalists themes like "fake but accurate" and "advocacy journalism" instead.

In case you haven't noticed, I think the referenced story is Grade-A Bullshit. I'll give my reasons after the jump. It's a long piece, even for me, so be forewarned. Is it worth the time to read it? I think so, but you be the judge. more...

Posted by: Russ from Winterset at 04:54 PM | Comments (45)
Post contains 3308 words, total size 20 kb.

Part of a Continuing Series: One of the things I’ve noticed over the last three or four years of national debate about the War on Terror is that it is oddly common for people to ignore international law—even when it supports their arguments. This has been a pet peeve of mine for a while, simply because I do not like to see anyone leave a good argument lying on the table.

With the hope that you never leave an argument alone simply because itÂ’s about a sticky subject, here are some simple, straightforward, and useful facts about international law that may help you out the next time youÂ’re talking about current events.

Current Event That Prompts Discussion: A Republican presidential candidate claims during a GOP debate that “we [the U.S.] have accepted the principle of preemptive war; we have rejected the Just War theory of Christianity.” Your coworkers, having by now a pretty good idea of your political positions and your penchant for discussing international law, and a desire to get back at you for embarrassing them last time you chatted, accost you at the coffeepot.
more...

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 04:36 PM | Comments (48)
Post contains 630 words, total size 4 kb.

Okay. Maybe not just yet. With the Russians getting antsy over American expansion in the Middle East and the Caucuses, bombing Iran may not be an option. Or necessary as the US and allies continue to put financial pressure on Iran. We are playing a game of brinkmanship, complete with Russian bombers restarting nuclear bomber runs over NATO space. Essentially, it is to re-assert their interests in these areas. However, Iran is not so much a client state or Russian ally as it is an area of interest with shared concerns. Thus, Russia has little control of Tehran and may find its strategic economic and military plans outstripped by Iranian actions and the realities on the ground.

In response to US discussions about placing the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) on the terrorist list, the Iranians have released a statement to Iranian news agencies that they will "punch" the US according to AP headlines. But, what was actually said was:

"America will receive a heavier punch from the guards in the future," he was quoted as saying in the conservative daily Kayhan. "We will never remain silent in the face of U.S. pressure and we will use our leverage against them."

Interesting that none of the media has picked up on the tacit admission that the IRGC has already been involved in attacking the US. Not that they will consider, for the first time, "punching back". That they actually already have been attacking the US and they will give a "heavier" punch in the future. It is all in the semantics.

That's not news to most of us. The military has been saying that for sometime. The media ignores this statement because they don't want to confirm the military's allegations. If it's confirmed, the US public might actually support the escalation of war with Iran that the Democrats and many experts are afraid the administration is working towards. Placing the IRGC on the terrorist list is probably a compromise position with congress just short of war.

more...

Posted by: Open Blog at 03:30 PM | Comments (16)
Post contains 711 words, total size 5 kb.

Commenter Alan gave a tip on a delightful Jihadi video at Tammy Bruce's. Look like the quality of their mortar rounds is not so good. I think that's gonna leave a mark.

As Bond would say -- "shaken not stirred" more...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 02:32 PM | Comments (40)
Post contains 48 words, total size 1 kb.

IÂ’ll be back with more thinking, less linking later this afternoon (and, yes, IÂ’ve been reading blogs long enough to have seen that den Beste piece when it was new). For now, hereÂ’s what you need to know from the morning news:

Iran restarts public hangings.
For the past five years executions have been conducted in private with witnesses allowed only by permission of the government, though they were often televised or filmed for later distribution. Now, those convicted can be hung in or near the place where they committed their crime, or—in the case of exceptionally heinous offenses—from cranes over major thoroughfares. Can you imagine what it would be like to be driving down the 405 in Los Angeles and see the lifeless bodies of capital offenders hanging over the highway? Officially, the executed have been murderers, sex offenders, drug traffickers and others who are threats to “social security.” Unofficially, the dead include political activists and gays, of course.

Russia begins long-range bomber flights.
President Putin has decided to restart routine strategic bomber flights as a show of military strength.

Two more arrested in Newark slayings.
If youÂ’ve been reading Michelle youÂ’ve heard this news already. (If you havenÂ’t been reading her, you should ask yourself why not.) You also know that these latest arrestees are probably EWI (entered without inspection) and one of them has an outstanding deportation order from the early 1990s. And you know that the 10 other people captured during the raid are being held for immigration violations. If you donÂ’t read Michelle, but read this morningÂ’s NY Times, web version linked above, you will know none of that because that information wasnÂ’t important enough to share with the TimesÂ’ readers.

Violence is getting worse at the southern border.
As Mexico cracks down on drug cartels they bring their violence into the U.S.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 09:36 AM | Comments (15)
Post contains 328 words, total size 3 kb.

Scott Thomas Beauchamp is but a mere piker compared to one of the Left’s greatest “fake but accurate” authors.

Rigoberta Menchú fell into the embrace of the elite Left shortly after the publication of her 1983 autobiography I, Rigoberta Menchú. It was in that book that the world first learned of her valiant struggle against racism and colonial oppression. Her descriptions of one of her brothers slowly wasting away and dying of starvation and another brother burned alive by soldiers moved many readers to tears and piqued their sense of injustice.
more...

Posted by: Open Blog at 08:28 AM | Comments (32)
Post contains 293 words, total size 2 kb.

Nestled along the east bank of the Hudson river in NY, a few miles north of Albany resides the absolute asshole of the universe - Troy NY. The locals are for the most part Hells Angels, meth heads, drug dealers, sex offenders and some of the most corrupt and inept politicians the world has ever seen. There would be very little to recommend Troy now that the past glory of the Burden Iron works and fabric mills are things of the past. Even Troy's premier symbolic product - Uncle Sam is coming under harsh fire these days. Were it not for presence of RPI, Troy might well be best renovated with a fleet of D9 Caterpillars and shoved into the Hudson. However, geeks the world over flock to Troy because of RPI... more...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 09:28 PM | Comments (31)
Post contains 686 words, total size 5 kb.

I recall the drudgery of reading Shakespeare in high school and college. What aggravated me more than anything was having to spend more time reading the footnotes explaining what in the hell a "clyster pipe" really was (it's an enema syringe used back inthe 16th and 17th Centuries). If it wasn't enough of a challenge to translate the text into readable English, then I had to dig into the deeper meanings of the stories. Sheesh.

Well, after reading this story, I actually feel like an old crank. As much as I hated reading Shakespeare, I am actually disappointed that academia has given up on the topic and is not challenging children to be their best, elevate their language and think about subjects that aren't presented in XBox and Spiderman format.

Oh, and I guess this means I should start yelling at kids to get off my lawn.

Posted by: Open Blog at 08:16 PM | Comments (25)
Post contains 159 words, total size 1 kb.