Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Volunteer firefighters
I have a deep respect for firefighters, they rush in when others rush out. I admire volunteer firefighters especially because they don't even get paid for what they do; and they put their lives on hold, and sometimes they lay down their lives, so others may live. They also have a great sense of humor. I love this picture I found. You guys do know that there is a house ON FIRE behind you?!!! ahhahahaha
Fighting crime the Swedish way + The Case of the Crashed Ferrari
Step 1: Arrest police officers and not criminals
Step 2: Give lenient sentences to criminals who actually commit crimes
Step 3: Victims are usually to blame for criminals committing crime against them
Sweden has one of the more "progressive" criminal justice systems in the world. Stories that inmates can watch cable TV and have PlayStations are not unheard of, and what is perhaps most shocking is that police actually pay attention and arrest people who do not place the proper garbage in the right recycling bins! Criminals are becoming more and more violent in society and police tactics remain unchanged, it’s not unusual for criminals to go in and out of jail because there is no real punishment, and sentences are light compared to American incarceration. Swedes believe strongly in rehabilitation, and we can all see how well that works by the number of people who get rearrested. According to The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brottsförebyggande rådet - Brå), “[T]he statistics show that the proportion of those convicted of offences that reoffend has varied a little from year to year. An average of 22 per cent of those convicted for offences between 1991 and 2000 reoffended within a year of the initial conviction. The proportion reoffending within a three year follow-up period was approximately one-third (an average of 35 per cent). This means that in slightly over half of the cases of recidivism noted within a three-year period, the first reoffence occurs within a year of the initial conviction.”
Police officers are also arrested quite frequently for just doing their jobs, like shooting an armed robber, or like the following story illustrates, for trying to prevent a speeder from killing an innocent person.
http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/helsingborg/story/0,2789,1005459,00.html
Apparently IT consultant Bo-Göran Sederlin was on his way to some conference in his modest Ferrari 360 Modena when he saw another Ferrari. As these things go, they just had to race and in almost a cliché they sped past an unmarked police car. The unmarked police car took off in pursuit, but since it didn't have any blue lights according to Sederlin, he thought it was a carjacker (honestly how many carjackers are there in Sweden?), but if you are driving a Ferrari I guess I can understand that. Trying to get away from the police Sederlin put the pedal to the metal and hit 300 km/h, almost 190 mph, he also drove on the wrong side of the road. The police set up road blocks but Sederlin managed to avoid them. Honestly people, if you see a phucking road block you gotta figure out that it’s the police after you! After all, this isn’t Baghdad streets we are talking about.
After a few more kilometers of pursuit the police man decided to put a stop to the car chase by ramming the Ferrari, something which police in America do all the time. I don’t blame him, Sederlin could have killed somebody with his reckless driving, and if he was so worried about carjackers he should have called the police. Don’t tell me that there isn’t a Swede without a cell phone! So the car gets slammed into the railing and the pursuit ends. Instead of thanking him as a hero for ending the pursuit, the district attorney arrests the police officer for reckless driving!!! Of course Sederlin got charged as well, but why anybody wants to be a cop in Sweden is beyond me, especially if you can get arrested for just doing your job.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Wonder Washer
I would like to give an accolade to the Wonder Washer. Always being in search for a money saving device, I was quite astonished that something I saw on TV could actually work, and quite well at that. Sure it requires a lot more work (read wringing) than putting a few quarters into a laundry-o-matic, but it is well-worth the investment for any college student or poor apartment tenant who wants to save a few bucks. It's actually quite fun too watching the clothes sloshing around in the bucket as well, so kids will be easily entertained, or child-like 30 year olds like myself. I highly endorse this product, and using Tide Coldwater makes my undies smell really good, not that I smell my undies, but if I did, they'd smell pretty good. Just don't forget to wash them a few times and rinse them out between washes. Happy washing peeps!
http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/wonder_washer.html
Monday, February 19, 2007
Driving on the Iraqi beltway
If only my daily commute was this easy... But you can see how effective our campaign of "winning hearts and minds" is, the Iraqis are very hospitable in moving over.
Dancing at the cafe - Bande a Part (AKA Band of Outsiders)
Thanks to MisterSix for digging this classic up on YouTube. Why is everything so much better in French?
Prince Harry to Iraq
So Prince Harry is going to Iraq and everybody is up in arms that he will become a "bullet magnet." I've got a clue for everybody, ANY British soldier in Iraq is a bullet magnet! Come on people. I for one think Prince Harry is showing leadership, and is trying to be a good officer after minor scandals that he missed training with his troops, etc.
I also don't understand why everybody is up in arms about him going to fight in Iraq. People are saying, "oh he can't go fight because he's a royal," or "what's going to happen if he dies?" etc. I'm sorry but back in the day kings and emperors went off to war and nobody said, "oh he's too cute to go fight, or what about the monarchy?" Gustav Adolphus fought like hell and he wasn't a prince, but a friggin' king! Good on you Harry!
Sunday, February 18, 2007
The State Within on BBC America
One of the best TV movies I've seen this year! Well done BBC America! Very relevant, very gripping drama.
Kang tagged me
Okay, so Kang tagged me so I gotta do it...
Decide what you prefer:
American Football or Basketball? = Baseball
Beatles or Rolling Stones? = Rolling Stones
Schwarzenegger or Van Damme? = Schwarzenegger because he actually cares about environmental issues and wants health care for his people, and nobody phucks with The Terminator
Beer or Wine? = Both phool!
Los Angeles or New York? = New York, I won't set foot in LA unless they make me a movie star
Car or Bike? = SUV
Pizza or Burger? = Both
PC or Apple? = PC for games, Mac for being creative
Day or Night? = Nightstalkers Don't Quit
Internet Explorer or Mozilla? = What's Mozilla?
Black or white? = Black
Coffee or Tea? = Tea, preferably Turkish gunpowder tea
Coca or Pepsi? = Fanta and Fresca
Chocolate or Chips? = You mean potato chips?
Winter or Summer? = Winters in Gstaad and summers in St. Barts
Ski or Beach? = Both, see above
Letter or EMail? = Letters from girls, email from peeps
Dog or Cat? = Neither
BMW or Mercedes? = Nissan Xterra all the way, there's a reason they come with first aid kits, because we go out and play!
Simpsons or Spongebob? = Simpsons
YouTube or myVideo? = I like bubblare.se and idonothingallday.com.
Decide what you prefer:
American Football or Basketball? = Baseball
Beatles or Rolling Stones? = Rolling Stones
Schwarzenegger or Van Damme? = Schwarzenegger because he actually cares about environmental issues and wants health care for his people, and nobody phucks with The Terminator
Beer or Wine? = Both phool!
Los Angeles or New York? = New York, I won't set foot in LA unless they make me a movie star
Car or Bike? = SUV
Pizza or Burger? = Both
PC or Apple? = PC for games, Mac for being creative
Day or Night? = Nightstalkers Don't Quit
Internet Explorer or Mozilla? = What's Mozilla?
Black or white? = Black
Coffee or Tea? = Tea, preferably Turkish gunpowder tea
Coca or Pepsi? = Fanta and Fresca
Chocolate or Chips? = You mean potato chips?
Winter or Summer? = Winters in Gstaad and summers in St. Barts
Ski or Beach? = Both, see above
Letter or EMail? = Letters from girls, email from peeps
Dog or Cat? = Neither
BMW or Mercedes? = Nissan Xterra all the way, there's a reason they come with first aid kits, because we go out and play!
Simpsons or Spongebob? = Simpsons
YouTube or myVideo? = I like bubblare.se and idonothingallday.com.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Kang Phorum + Canadians in Afghanistan + Shawn Hlookoff + iTunes + Wonder of the Internet
Once again the power of the internet has proven itself. It started on the Kang Phorum with a new topic called Spanning the Globe. Now I'm always the one to shamelessly self-promote myself, so I will tell you that I was one of the key players in actually getting that topic set up, but that's besides the point. What happened was that True Canadian posted a thread called Canadian facts and as always I tried to find a gripping video involving Canadians. What I found on YouTube was a great Canadian tribute video of soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
The song on that video was so moving, sung by a guy named Shawn Hlookoff, that I went to iTunes to buy that song. For those people who want to ban music videos or songs on YouTube, I say to hell with you! If I hadn't seen that video on YouTube, I would never have found out about this talented artist named Shawn Hlookoff and I would never have bought his song on iTunes. I am fully for supporting brilliant artists, and I believe that artists who share some of their content freely on the internet will reach more people who would be willing to spend their money to support them. This is what happened when I stumbled onto the Celtic Women, I loved them and I bought their music. I saw their content free, but I was so enthralled that I bought their product. Negative recording companies who want to limit their artists' access to the internet are losing out I believe. Rather than fighting the internet, like Metallica, they should embrace it. The age of going to the music store to buy a CD is going the way of the cassette tape so you better get onboard! Not everybody on the internet is a freeloader. We actually DO BUY quality products.
The song on that video was so moving, sung by a guy named Shawn Hlookoff, that I went to iTunes to buy that song. For those people who want to ban music videos or songs on YouTube, I say to hell with you! If I hadn't seen that video on YouTube, I would never have found out about this talented artist named Shawn Hlookoff and I would never have bought his song on iTunes. I am fully for supporting brilliant artists, and I believe that artists who share some of their content freely on the internet will reach more people who would be willing to spend their money to support them. This is what happened when I stumbled onto the Celtic Women, I loved them and I bought their music. I saw their content free, but I was so enthralled that I bought their product. Negative recording companies who want to limit their artists' access to the internet are losing out I believe. Rather than fighting the internet, like Metallica, they should embrace it. The age of going to the music store to buy a CD is going the way of the cassette tape so you better get onboard! Not everybody on the internet is a freeloader. We actually DO BUY quality products.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Smiling fashionistas
Inevitably any fashionista will find themselves connected to New York City somehow. Paris, Milan, and London might be giants, but New York City has its own charm, its own vibrancy. The people of New York are some of the most interesting in the world, and one of my favorite New York blogs is I Do Nothing All Day's blog. Only a New Yorker could create a blog that combines subtle voyeurism with the latest fashions, infused with music, in a tactful and delicious compact package. The blog always leaves me with a smile, and New Yorkers have a lot to smile about:
http://www.idonothingallday.com/2006/07/sheer-blue-tee-shirt-on-smiling-beauty.html
http://www.idonothingallday.com/2006/07/sheer-blue-tee-shirt-on-smiling-beauty.html
State Farm pulls out of Mississippi
http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/14/news/companies/state_farm.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes
Like a good neighbor State Farm will leave you. State Farm took a gamble when it insured the good citizens of Mississippi, they figured they could make a few million dollars without too much risk, afterall, when is a Level 4 hurricane going to hit? People paid their high premiums, the money kept rolling in, and everybody was happy. Then one day Hurricane Katrina comes barging in, and now State Farm doesn't want to pay up. What is flooding is wind damage and what is wind damage is flood damage, the excuses and accusations go flying back and forth between destitute homeowners and State Farm. State Farm wants us to feel sorry for them, and have public affairs campaigns to tell us what a great company they are and how many claims they have already settled, etc. They don't have enough money to cover all the claims and might go bankrupt, etc. Honestly, have you ever seen a national insurance company go under?
Now I don't have all the details, but I think if you are paying your premiums and have been a loyal customer for many years, you ought to get your money. If the insurance company doesn't want to honor your claim they should at least give you back all your money you've given them over the years. What is at stake here is greed, corporate greed. The homeowners just want to rebuild their homes, their businesses, and their lives. Now if State Farm doesn't want to insure them after that, that's fine, but at least honor legitimate claims.
Here are some interesting things I found on http://www.insurancejournal.com in the comments section:
http://www.unitedpolicyholders.org/pdfs/WhitePaper_report.pdf
Like a good neighbor State Farm will leave you. State Farm took a gamble when it insured the good citizens of Mississippi, they figured they could make a few million dollars without too much risk, afterall, when is a Level 4 hurricane going to hit? People paid their high premiums, the money kept rolling in, and everybody was happy. Then one day Hurricane Katrina comes barging in, and now State Farm doesn't want to pay up. What is flooding is wind damage and what is wind damage is flood damage, the excuses and accusations go flying back and forth between destitute homeowners and State Farm. State Farm wants us to feel sorry for them, and have public affairs campaigns to tell us what a great company they are and how many claims they have already settled, etc. They don't have enough money to cover all the claims and might go bankrupt, etc. Honestly, have you ever seen a national insurance company go under?
Now I don't have all the details, but I think if you are paying your premiums and have been a loyal customer for many years, you ought to get your money. If the insurance company doesn't want to honor your claim they should at least give you back all your money you've given them over the years. What is at stake here is greed, corporate greed. The homeowners just want to rebuild their homes, their businesses, and their lives. Now if State Farm doesn't want to insure them after that, that's fine, but at least honor legitimate claims.
Here are some interesting things I found on http://www.insurancejournal.com in the comments section:
http://www.unitedpolicyholders.org/pdfs/WhitePaper_report.pdf
Monday, February 12, 2007
Dolphins and sealions to the rescue!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251598,00.html
Is that Senator John Kerry reporting for duty? No, it's the Navy's latest weapon against intruders.
Strategy for Victory: Clear, Hold, and Build in Iraq
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/03/20060320-6.html
The Bush administration is treating Iraq as some gigantic Lego set. Don't like the instructions that came with the box? Change them. Don't like the pieces? Change them. Break it up, tear it down, rebuild. Sadly the pieces they are dealing with are human lives, both Iraqi and American.
The White House is touting the success of Tal Afar, but let's not forget that Tal Afar is only one town, and for true stability to return we'd need to station troops everywhere in Iraq, and 20,000 some troops are not going to cut it. I particularly find this of interest, "As Iraqis see the benefits of liberty, they will gain confidence in their future - and work to ensure that common purpose trumps narrow sectarianism." Iraqi confidence is at an all-time low, and Iraqis would rather have security than libery at this point. Most Americans don't even have confidence in their own future, despite having liberty - or what's left of it - so how can we expect Iraqis to be all cheery about picking up body parts of their family members in the town square?
Sadly there is no way out of Iraq with honor. The cut and run method, or phased withdrawal will only display weakness, and in that part of the world weakness is a griveous sin. In my opinion the US will at some point engage Iran in a skirmish thereby taking the focus away from Iraq and allowing the US forces to realign themselves for an eventual withdrawal. A situation pretty similar to the Cambodian invasion which aided Nixon in getting the troops out of Vietnam will result. We call this a smoke screen, and it will be a big one.
The Bush administration is treating Iraq as some gigantic Lego set. Don't like the instructions that came with the box? Change them. Don't like the pieces? Change them. Break it up, tear it down, rebuild. Sadly the pieces they are dealing with are human lives, both Iraqi and American.
The White House is touting the success of Tal Afar, but let's not forget that Tal Afar is only one town, and for true stability to return we'd need to station troops everywhere in Iraq, and 20,000 some troops are not going to cut it. I particularly find this of interest, "As Iraqis see the benefits of liberty, they will gain confidence in their future - and work to ensure that common purpose trumps narrow sectarianism." Iraqi confidence is at an all-time low, and Iraqis would rather have security than libery at this point. Most Americans don't even have confidence in their own future, despite having liberty - or what's left of it - so how can we expect Iraqis to be all cheery about picking up body parts of their family members in the town square?
Sadly there is no way out of Iraq with honor. The cut and run method, or phased withdrawal will only display weakness, and in that part of the world weakness is a griveous sin. In my opinion the US will at some point engage Iran in a skirmish thereby taking the focus away from Iraq and allowing the US forces to realign themselves for an eventual withdrawal. A situation pretty similar to the Cambodian invasion which aided Nixon in getting the troops out of Vietnam will result. We call this a smoke screen, and it will be a big one.
Air Force recruiting
I think if we ever have problems with recruiting we can just show this picture :) The Air Force does have a monopoly on beautiful women, followed closely by the Navy.
Napping on the job reduces heart attacks
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/02/12/naps.heart.ap/index.html
I think we should institute mandatory napping all across the board, from nuclear power plant engineers to air traffic controllers! :)
I think we should institute mandatory napping all across the board, from nuclear power plant engineers to air traffic controllers! :)
Sunday, February 11, 2007
100,000 Club
I just realized that if I were to add up the number of pages that I've read in my life so far it must add up to more than 100,000 pages. Who else is a member of my club: the 100,000 Club!
Ode to public libraries and rediscover your love of reading
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpublibrary.html
No matter where I've lived I've always gotten myself a library card. It is perhaps the greatest thing a common man or woman can do to better themselves. We all pay taxes for it, and it is one of the few things that I do think our taxes should pay for. I love libraries, and despite my apprehension about germs on books, I believe that reading is the best art. The written word is the most powerful force in the world, and combined with an idea it can make or destroy worlds.
A friend of mine recently introduced me to goodreads , a website where you can share your reviews of books you've read with your friends. I think it's a brilliant concept and has reintroduced me to the wonderful world of reading. People who say they have no time to read a book are mistaken, they can watch four hours of TV a night but can't pick up a book? I prefer books because I can make my own images of characters and places in my mind, and the possibilities are endless. The bonus factor is that people think you are pretty smart if you are reading all the time, nobody says, "that guy Joe is so smart because he watches TV every day."
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Broken Windows lead to more crime theory
The classic theory presented by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in The Atlantic Monthly; March 1982; Broken Windows; Volume 249, No. 3; pages 29-38.
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/files/Atlantic%20Monthly%20-%20Broken%20Windows.htm
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/files/Atlantic%20Monthly%20-%20Broken%20Windows.htm
The Beautiful Country, a must see...
http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=288095&inline=nyt_ttl
The most moving picture I've watched in a long time. I think the reviews you can read over the internet will do the movie justice, and I will not attempt to do one here, but I urge you all to see this movie by yourself. It tackles everything from illegal immigration to the American Dream, to the timeless love of family and the seach for oneself. This one is a tear jerker, a heart-puller, and a punch in the gut.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Crown Princess Victoria in camo
One thing I've always liked about royalty is their close connection to the military. Some like Prince William and Harry join the military as an occupation, while others like Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden get a basic course and understanding. I only wish that the children of the American upper crust did the same so that they have some appreciation of the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. But somehow I don't see the Bush twins running out and joining up anytime soon.
BTW, this is also an excellent illustration of the effectiveness of the Swedish zig-zag pattern of camouflage.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
How Switzerland maintains its neutrality...
Since I used to live in Switzerland I always get people asking me, "Shark, how did Switzerland manage to remain neutral all these years?" I offer them this explanation,
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Eurovision, melodifestivalen, Ines, Anna Sahlene, Estonia... the mind of the Shark
Unbelievable where your mind leads you sometimes. It started with the previous post about your life in song through iTunes, etc. Memories came flashing back to me as I looked at the songs that had impacted my life. As the name Eda-Ines Etti once again graced my mind, I recalled how fitting it was that in the year 2000 I was on a booze cruise from Stockholm to Estonia. Ines was performing for Estonia that year in the Eurovision song contest. If there is one thing that's better than sliced bread it's the Eurovision song contest, I'm a virtual addict. I offer this flash back for the faithful.
Now Ines was going to perform for Estonia again, but backed out at the last minute, and the Swedish singer Anna Sahlene took over. Anna Sahlene is a very talented and sexy singer, and I salute her with this:
Like a blonde Carola she rises from the ashes to warm this shark's heart. Carola has probably carried the Swedish torch to the Eurovision song contest more times than any other Swedish singer. And out of deep respect I humbly submit:
Now incidentally, if we can backtrack a bit, the 2000 Eurovision song contest was one of the best ones in my memory. Not only did Holland field such heavy weights as (perhaps quite literally) Linda Wagenmakers but
the Russian bombshell Alsou also made quite debut.
Now Linda Wagenmakers is Holland's favorite "musicals" singer, most famous for playing against Tony Neef in the Dutch version of Miss Saigon. Their rendition of "de laatste nacht" always brings me to tears.
She was our equivalent of Lea Salonga in the Dutch version of Les Mis as well, but just for our own edification I offer Lea in her best role:
And there you have it folks... thanks for the memories
Now Ines was going to perform for Estonia again, but backed out at the last minute, and the Swedish singer Anna Sahlene took over. Anna Sahlene is a very talented and sexy singer, and I salute her with this:
Like a blonde Carola she rises from the ashes to warm this shark's heart. Carola has probably carried the Swedish torch to the Eurovision song contest more times than any other Swedish singer. And out of deep respect I humbly submit:
Now incidentally, if we can backtrack a bit, the 2000 Eurovision song contest was one of the best ones in my memory. Not only did Holland field such heavy weights as (perhaps quite literally) Linda Wagenmakers but
the Russian bombshell Alsou also made quite debut.
Now Linda Wagenmakers is Holland's favorite "musicals" singer, most famous for playing against Tony Neef in the Dutch version of Miss Saigon. Their rendition of "de laatste nacht" always brings me to tears.
She was our equivalent of Lea Salonga in the Dutch version of Les Mis as well, but just for our own edification I offer Lea in her best role:
And there you have it folks... thanks for the memories
Soundtrack Of Your Life…
I guess A Bowl of Stupid started this one and I found out about it on Kang's blog.
The rules:
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc.);
2. Put it on shuffle;
3. Press play;
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing;
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button; and
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool…
~~~
Opening Credits: O Holy Night - Luciano Pavarotti
Waking Up: Here in my room - Selena
First Day at School: The body of an American - The Pogues
Falling In Love: Goodbye my lover - James Blunt
Fight Song: I love you - Lorie
Breaking Up: Give me good sex - E-Rotic
Prom: Ameno (Dance Radio Edit) - Era
Life: No remedy for love - Owl Creeks
Mental Breakdown: Once in a lifetime - Eda-Ines Etti
Driving: Buy me a rose - Kenny Rogers
Flashback: Pity the child (from Chess) - Murray Head
Getting Back Together: You were mine - Dixie Chicks
Wedding: See you again - Jenny Bliss
Birth of Child: Ma meilleure amie - Lorie
Final Battle: We've got tonight - Kenny Rogers
Death Scene: Commitment - LeeAnn Rimes
Funeral Song: Deliver me - Sarah Brightman
End Credits: Free - La Cream
The rules:
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc.);
2. Put it on shuffle;
3. Press play;
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing;
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button; and
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool…
~~~
Opening Credits: O Holy Night - Luciano Pavarotti
Waking Up: Here in my room - Selena
First Day at School: The body of an American - The Pogues
Falling In Love: Goodbye my lover - James Blunt
Fight Song: I love you - Lorie
Breaking Up: Give me good sex - E-Rotic
Prom: Ameno (Dance Radio Edit) - Era
Life: No remedy for love - Owl Creeks
Mental Breakdown: Once in a lifetime - Eda-Ines Etti
Driving: Buy me a rose - Kenny Rogers
Flashback: Pity the child (from Chess) - Murray Head
Getting Back Together: You were mine - Dixie Chicks
Wedding: See you again - Jenny Bliss
Birth of Child: Ma meilleure amie - Lorie
Final Battle: We've got tonight - Kenny Rogers
Death Scene: Commitment - LeeAnn Rimes
Funeral Song: Deliver me - Sarah Brightman
End Credits: Free - La Cream
Monday, February 05, 2007
More digital camo for the fashionistas
Okay, we've already discussed the inventive camouflage pattern found in the movie Children of Men, a pattern based upon the British Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) and the US Army's new ACU digital camo. I also briefly made mention of the Multicam pattern by Crye Industries. Now there is yet another contender for the best camouflage of 2007, the Digital Tiger Stripe pattern by Tiger Stripe Products. Based upon the tiger pattern used by special forces during the Vietnam War, the Tiger Stripe pattern looks very effective when offered in a pixilated form.
Will Florida tornado prompt more Christian converts?
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/04/florida.storm/index.html
I find it particularly interesting that so much focus has been placed on the Church of God in Lady Lake, Florida and its congregation members. 1,500 homes have been damaged, 20 people have died, yet the central focus point seems to be the rebuilding of the church. Even Florida Gov. Charlie Crist could not resist the urge to make an appearance at last Sunday's church service. I wonder if he would have shown up at a collapsed synagogue or a mosque?
In a way this story reminds me of a story I read about the Asian tsunamis where the flood waters spared a church but ruined the rest of the village. God surely works in mysterious ways, particularly when you add government into the equation. I'm always amused when neocons espouse their views that the Founding Fathers did not really want a separation of church and state and that their intention was for the US to be a Christian nation. If you read what they wrote, particularly Madison, you might gain a little more insight into their thinking. But I'm not going to deny you your intellect by telling you what he thought about the subject, do you own homework.
As a Christian I prefer to read the Bible and meditate upon God's word by myself, and as an American who believes in the US Constitution I do not have a problem with a Muslim reading the Koran, or a Jew reading the Torah, or the Buddhists the Tripitaka, etc. What I do have a problem with is when politicians try to reinterpret the Constitution for their own gain, or when they blatantly let their own religious beliefs favor one group over another. Then again, I'm probably one of the few Americans who still believe in the Constitution; and seeing as the president doesn't seem to care about it, I don't blame other Americans for not caring either, after all, chasing after that latest iPod is hard enough for the electorate. For people saying these are necessary evils in the fight against evil doers, I suggest they read up on jingoism and fear mongering. Of course they've probably never heard of those words either.
I find it particularly interesting that so much focus has been placed on the Church of God in Lady Lake, Florida and its congregation members. 1,500 homes have been damaged, 20 people have died, yet the central focus point seems to be the rebuilding of the church. Even Florida Gov. Charlie Crist could not resist the urge to make an appearance at last Sunday's church service. I wonder if he would have shown up at a collapsed synagogue or a mosque?
In a way this story reminds me of a story I read about the Asian tsunamis where the flood waters spared a church but ruined the rest of the village. God surely works in mysterious ways, particularly when you add government into the equation. I'm always amused when neocons espouse their views that the Founding Fathers did not really want a separation of church and state and that their intention was for the US to be a Christian nation. If you read what they wrote, particularly Madison, you might gain a little more insight into their thinking. But I'm not going to deny you your intellect by telling you what he thought about the subject, do you own homework.
As a Christian I prefer to read the Bible and meditate upon God's word by myself, and as an American who believes in the US Constitution I do not have a problem with a Muslim reading the Koran, or a Jew reading the Torah, or the Buddhists the Tripitaka, etc. What I do have a problem with is when politicians try to reinterpret the Constitution for their own gain, or when they blatantly let their own religious beliefs favor one group over another. Then again, I'm probably one of the few Americans who still believe in the Constitution; and seeing as the president doesn't seem to care about it, I don't blame other Americans for not caring either, after all, chasing after that latest iPod is hard enough for the electorate. For people saying these are necessary evils in the fight against evil doers, I suggest they read up on jingoism and fear mongering. Of course they've probably never heard of those words either.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Five things you don’t know about me
Continuing Kang's blog tag:
1. I'm an avid reader of non-fiction.
2. I'm a closet author, mainly because I keep all my works in my closet.
3. I used to be a MacAddict.
4. If I could eat steak every day I would.
5. I wish my blog wasn't so boring.
1. I'm an avid reader of non-fiction.
2. I'm a closet author, mainly because I keep all my works in my closet.
3. I used to be a MacAddict.
4. If I could eat steak every day I would.
5. I wish my blog wasn't so boring.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Sarah Silverman
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/01/apontv.sarahsilverman.ap/index.html
Don't forget folks that The Sarah Silverman Program is debuting tonight on Comedy Central. This is mandatory viewing for Kang.
Don't forget folks that The Sarah Silverman Program is debuting tonight on Comedy Central. This is mandatory viewing for Kang.
Exxon Mobil soldiers on
As I'm digging in my pocket for spare change to fill up my gas tank I hear that Exxon Mobil posted a record profit over the radio. Exxon was close to making $40 billion dollars in profit, making it the largest annual profit in US history. Well good for them, if I ran a company I'd want them to make a huge profit. Who wants to be a loser? We Americans can gripe about the price of gas, but we've got some of the lowest prices for gas in the world. We can spend $5 dollars on a cup of Starbucks coffee but we can't shell out $5 dollars for 2 gallons of gasoline? I don't blame Exxon for making a product that we are dependent upon, they are just catering to our needs.
I'm glad that American automakers are finally waking up to the fact that they need to make some more fuel efficient vehicles. Vehicles in Europe are very fuel efficient, and stylish, and have impressive handling. American appetites favor large, bulky pick ups and SUVs, but even they are weaning. Pick up and SUV sales are declining. My parents tell me that their friends in Europe who drive SUVs are paying $100 dollars every trip to the station. Though America will probably have a revolution before that happens, we need to start thinking about alternative fuels and equipment. Interestingly enough the companies that we criticize, such as Exxon, or Shell, or BP, are at the forefront of alternative fuel research. They don't pocket all of that $40 billion dollars, they invest a chunk of that in ethanol, hydrogen, and other alternative fuel research. They also donate a lot of money to environmental protection and even global warming mitigation initiatives, if you can believe that. Still, they could always do more, but quite frankly, what would you do if you ran a large, profitable, and successful company? It's always easier to criticize when you are a have-not like myself, but what if the roles were reversed?
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
And the Swedish snowman winner is...
Okay so maybe it's the snow troll winners, but they are Hanna Johansson, 19, Elina Engström, 19, and Therese Wiklund, 19. The town of Kåbdalis should be proud of their snow troll, and their beautiful young women as well.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Geeks and bookworms
I admit it: I'm a big, fat geek. I love electronic gadgets and I love reading. I accumulate useless knowledge as if by osmosis. I have a borderline obsessive personality, when I get interested in something I want to learn everything there is to know about it; and unless I can master the basics I don't like it. It was like that with poker, fishing, and now digital photography. I recently purchased a brand-new Canon PowerShot S3IS camera, and already I'm running around taking pictures. Unfortunately the pictures are not turning out as great as I'd hoped, and I'm thinking it's not the camera but the photographer. I've seen some great photos online taken by the same brand of camera, so it must be me. The solution is of course for me to engross myself in reading every single book there is on digital photography. That is what I do, when I get interested in something I read all the books I can about that particular subject, and then I apply what I've learned in real practice. I did that with poker, I read everything from Doyle Brunson to Phil Hellmuth, and then I hit the casino to try my luck. When I wanted to learn about fishing I read what Bill Dance and Jimmy Houston had to say, then I hit the lake and caught myself some bass. You can learn a lot by reading, but applying what you've learned is a whole new ball game, and is something that makes life worth living I believe.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Windows adventures
So I was going to watch a movie on the internet tonight and my MICROSOFT operating system did not want MICROSOFT Explorer to access the internet. This was not a moment of Zen. Check out the screenshot.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Sponge in the microwave kills bacteria. Duh!
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/24/germs.sponges.reut/index.html
"A team at the University of Florida found that two minutes in the microwave at full power could kill a range of bacteria, viruses and parasites on kitchen sponges."
To that I say a big, fat, duh! I don't know how much money was spent on this research, but I could have saved them a lot of money by attesting that anything placed in the microwave for two minutes will die! And quite frankly, who the hell wants to place a dirty old sponge in their microwave and then reuse it? Throw that sh-t away man!
"A team at the University of Florida found that two minutes in the microwave at full power could kill a range of bacteria, viruses and parasites on kitchen sponges."
To that I say a big, fat, duh! I don't know how much money was spent on this research, but I could have saved them a lot of money by attesting that anything placed in the microwave for two minutes will die! And quite frankly, who the hell wants to place a dirty old sponge in their microwave and then reuse it? Throw that sh-t away man!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The fashionista of the disaster relief world
There are a lot of things that I love about America, and American ingenuity is one of them. I love the concepts "where there is a will there is a way," or "if you build it they will come," and perhaps more appropriate, “if you make it they will buy it.” Working in emergency disaster relief I’ve always been keen on wearing tactical uniforms such as BDUs. When the Army introduced its next generation uniform, the digitally camouflaged ACU, I thought it was the best thing since Diet Dr. Pepper. Unfortunately wearing digital camouflage at my work would be out of the question as it would perhaps confuse or intimidate people. The wearing of black, khaki, or navy BDUs was acceptable, but digital camouflage was a definite no-no my boss said. I spent many sleepless nights crying in my bed room, also known as the TOC (Tactical Operations Center), praying that some company would take the ACU uniform and make it appropriate for civilian or law enforcement use.
Imagine my surprise when I opened my latest Galls catalogue! Staring back at me was a navy colored ACU or TRU as Tru-Spec calls their Tactical Response Uniform. As I drooled over the catalogue I realized how sad it was that I was excited about reinforced internal elbow pockets for pad inserts, bellowed lower pockets with hook and loop closures, mandarin collars, and drawstrings. Not only was it available in navy, but black, khaki, and olive drab as well; and I knew then that my charge account would not be safe. American ingenuity strikes again, and no doubt I will look splashing in my khaki TRU with my Altama combat boots. I guess I’m the fashionista of the non-profit, non-government disaster relief world.
Imagine my surprise when I opened my latest Galls catalogue! Staring back at me was a navy colored ACU or TRU as Tru-Spec calls their Tactical Response Uniform. As I drooled over the catalogue I realized how sad it was that I was excited about reinforced internal elbow pockets for pad inserts, bellowed lower pockets with hook and loop closures, mandarin collars, and drawstrings. Not only was it available in navy, but black, khaki, and olive drab as well; and I knew then that my charge account would not be safe. American ingenuity strikes again, and no doubt I will look splashing in my khaki TRU with my Altama combat boots. I guess I’m the fashionista of the non-profit, non-government disaster relief world.
Blackwater Down
There is no doubt that private contractors have played a crucial role in conflicts around the globe. Often referred to as Private Military Companies (PMC), but commonly called "mercenaries," PMCs have helped to secure war-torn countries, often while make a profit. The outfit Executive Outcomes, now disbanded, helped to push the rebels back in Sierra Leone in the 90s, with enough force and efficiency to allow British and UN troops to stabilize Freetown. Many criticize the lack of oversight of PMCs, and argue that they are "loose cannons" or killers-for-hire. Most are not, and are former special forces operators who adhere to strict rules of engagement. PMCs are probably responsible for less attrocities than soldiers of standing armies, and some are more tactically efficient than some infantry units in close quarter combat. There are reports that soldiers serving in Iraq sometimes took orders from the contractors during combat because they used to be former SEALs and Delta Force operators, and knew a lot about tactics. Now I don't know how true these reports are because they are posted on sites on the internet, and I don't think the Pentagon would be pleased to see that their soldiers are listening or taking orders from PMCs. But I will say that if I was a soldier in Iraq, taking heavy fire, and there was a group of former SEALs next to me, I'd probably follow their advice than some general sitting in the Green Zone.
Still, a lot of people are skeptical of PMCs, but the fact remains that they provide crucial security to American and allied interests in war zones. They ferry medical supplies and fuel to the US Army, protect American State Department officials, and other business and non-profit entities, as well as protect news crews. The fact that they operate in the gray areas, and fringes of "polite war society" is both a blessing and a curse.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Burning questions...
Why is there braille on drive up ATMs?
Why isn't phonetic spelling spelled the way it sounds?
Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
Why is it when you transport something by truck it's called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship it's cargo?
Why is it that when you're driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?
Why isn't phonetic spelling spelled the way it sounds?
Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
Why is it when you transport something by truck it's called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship it's cargo?
Why is it that when you're driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?
Monday, January 22, 2007
Most depressing day of the year
Norah O'Donnell from MSNBC interviewed a guy today who said that January 22nd is the most depressing day of the year. This is due to a number of different factors, including the bad weather, holidays are over and the bills are finally coming in, etc. I for one want to prove them wrong by being happy today.
Beauty and the bank account
http://www.careerbuilder.com/Custom/MSN/CareerAdvice/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=297&pf=true
Apparently if you are ugly you will make less money than your attractive coworkers. Kind of like if you are ugly you will also get fewer dates than your coworkers. As with any study, I have no idea what methodology they used or what criteria was used to define beauty, but I'm sure it has its flaws. I was pleased to see that they did acknowledge the fact that beauty might get you in the door, but if you are a complete wanker at your job you will get fired. All this talk of beauty reminds me of the show Beauty and the Geek.
http://thewb.warnerbros.com/shows/beauty-and-the-geek
Obviously the women are all considered beautiful, and the men quite geeky. Add to that enough stereotypes, put them all in a house, and you've got yourself a show. The geeks talk Star Trek and the women prance around in bikinis. What struck me about this show were the group dynamics, and the underlying genetics that we all have. We all want our offspring to have the best chance for survival, and people who have certain traits are more desirable to us. Some scientists say it is the asymmetry of the face and body, and other say like Shakira that “the hips don’t lie.” Which begs the question, which of our raunchy ancestors boned Neanderthals?
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/15/humans.neanderthals.ap/index.html
My opinion is that attractive people might seem to get ahead, but unless they have other traits that make them employable, it’s unlikely that they will be able to remain at their job. Their attractiveness just gives them more chances and opportunities for advancement. I recall a TV network once did a study where they had one attractive woman and one “ugly” woman stand next to a broken down car by the road. The attractive woman got more than double the offers of assistance from passing motorists than the “ugly” woman. I don’t put too much emphasis on looks, there are many people I think are beautiful that others don’t, and some supermodels might be incredibly beautiful but if their brain has nothing intelligent to say they are not really “attractive” in all sense of the word.
Apparently if you are ugly you will make less money than your attractive coworkers. Kind of like if you are ugly you will also get fewer dates than your coworkers. As with any study, I have no idea what methodology they used or what criteria was used to define beauty, but I'm sure it has its flaws. I was pleased to see that they did acknowledge the fact that beauty might get you in the door, but if you are a complete wanker at your job you will get fired. All this talk of beauty reminds me of the show Beauty and the Geek.
http://thewb.warnerbros.com/shows/beauty-and-the-geek
Obviously the women are all considered beautiful, and the men quite geeky. Add to that enough stereotypes, put them all in a house, and you've got yourself a show. The geeks talk Star Trek and the women prance around in bikinis. What struck me about this show were the group dynamics, and the underlying genetics that we all have. We all want our offspring to have the best chance for survival, and people who have certain traits are more desirable to us. Some scientists say it is the asymmetry of the face and body, and other say like Shakira that “the hips don’t lie.” Which begs the question, which of our raunchy ancestors boned Neanderthals?
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/15/humans.neanderthals.ap/index.html
My opinion is that attractive people might seem to get ahead, but unless they have other traits that make them employable, it’s unlikely that they will be able to remain at their job. Their attractiveness just gives them more chances and opportunities for advancement. I recall a TV network once did a study where they had one attractive woman and one “ugly” woman stand next to a broken down car by the road. The attractive woman got more than double the offers of assistance from passing motorists than the “ugly” woman. I don’t put too much emphasis on looks, there are many people I think are beautiful that others don’t, and some supermodels might be incredibly beautiful but if their brain has nothing intelligent to say they are not really “attractive” in all sense of the word.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
A light reading day
I thought I would take a light reading day today and catch up on some of the books that I read during my undergraduate period.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
65 years ago...
65 years ago on this day, 15 men sat down to discuss the "final solution to the Jewish question." The rest as they say, "is history."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wannsee_conference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wannsee_conference
Friday, January 19, 2007
More on the Michelle Manhart story
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-kluger/the-naked-drill-sergeant_b_39035.html
I think the entire blogosphere is collapsing. Darfur is burning to the ground and yet we seek important stories like Michelle Manhart. I'm not surprised, sex sells, and so does titillating images of Britney Spears upskirts and Lindsay Lohan rehab stories. It's all enough to drive Paula Abdul to deny having a drinking problem.
But I digress, if the Air Force is having such a morality problem perhaps they should go after adulterers and people who swear a lot more harder. Afterall, aren't these violations of the honor code and the high moral standards set by the Air Force? As for morale I can't think of anything more uplifting than having a hot drill instructor yelling at you. Spank me please! We cannot afford to keep losing more troops in this war on evil doers, especially ones that are still alive. If we are having such a troop shortage why are we stripping the ranks (no pun intended) of staff sergeants like Michelle? Why too are we not allowing gays to serve? We can fight and kill, bayonet our enemies and put our hands through their guts, but we are afraid of the guy next to us checking out our weiner in the shower? Please. More than half of the active duty people serving couldn't care less if gays were serving with them because they are too busy trying to stay the f-ck alive.
Nobody admits it, but we all secretly enjoy the dark side of the internet, whether it's shoe fetishes or people who enjoy watching people shoot machine guns.
I think the entire blogosphere is collapsing. Darfur is burning to the ground and yet we seek important stories like Michelle Manhart. I'm not surprised, sex sells, and so does titillating images of Britney Spears upskirts and Lindsay Lohan rehab stories. It's all enough to drive Paula Abdul to deny having a drinking problem.
But I digress, if the Air Force is having such a morality problem perhaps they should go after adulterers and people who swear a lot more harder. Afterall, aren't these violations of the honor code and the high moral standards set by the Air Force? As for morale I can't think of anything more uplifting than having a hot drill instructor yelling at you. Spank me please! We cannot afford to keep losing more troops in this war on evil doers, especially ones that are still alive. If we are having such a troop shortage why are we stripping the ranks (no pun intended) of staff sergeants like Michelle? Why too are we not allowing gays to serve? We can fight and kill, bayonet our enemies and put our hands through their guts, but we are afraid of the guy next to us checking out our weiner in the shower? Please. More than half of the active duty people serving couldn't care less if gays were serving with them because they are too busy trying to stay the f-ck alive.
Nobody admits it, but we all secretly enjoy the dark side of the internet, whether it's shoe fetishes or people who enjoy watching people shoot machine guns.
Ed Brown living free but will probably die
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,244759,00.html
New Hampshire's state motto is "Live Free or Die." In fact, according to the Free State Project http://www.freestateproject.org/, NH "was chosen because it has the lowest state and local tax burden in the continental U.S., the second-lowest level of dependence on federal spending in the U.S., a citizen legislature where state house representatives have not raised their $100 per year salary since 1889, the lowest crime levels in the U.S., a dynamic economy with plenty of jobs and investment, and a culture of individual responsibility indicated by, for example, an absence of seatbelt and helmet requirements for adults." Not to mention some of the most liberal gun laws in the U.S.
Ed Brown will no doubt go down in a hail of gun fire by federal agents akin to Waco and Ruby Ridge, and become yet another martyr to militias, religious zealots and tax evaders everywhere. Live free or die Mr. Brown, and rest in peace.
For more perspective listen to Free Talk Live:
http://www.freetalklive.com/
New Hampshire's state motto is "Live Free or Die." In fact, according to the Free State Project http://www.freestateproject.org/, NH "was chosen because it has the lowest state and local tax burden in the continental U.S., the second-lowest level of dependence on federal spending in the U.S., a citizen legislature where state house representatives have not raised their $100 per year salary since 1889, the lowest crime levels in the U.S., a dynamic economy with plenty of jobs and investment, and a culture of individual responsibility indicated by, for example, an absence of seatbelt and helmet requirements for adults." Not to mention some of the most liberal gun laws in the U.S.
Ed Brown will no doubt go down in a hail of gun fire by federal agents akin to Waco and Ruby Ridge, and become yet another martyr to militias, religious zealots and tax evaders everywhere. Live free or die Mr. Brown, and rest in peace.
For more perspective listen to Free Talk Live:
http://www.freetalklive.com/
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Just when I thought I had seen it all...
The internet is a veritable treasure trove of amazing people. Just when I thought it was safe to venture out into the cyberworld... Never mind the guy sitting behind them, he's probably blogging. :)
Monday, January 15, 2007
Chinese proverb and where have all the good men gone?
I recall an ancient Chinese proverb as I drove past a Chinese restaurant and an army recruiting station today: "Just as one does not use good metal to make nails, one does not use good men to make soldiers." Or at least one does not use daughers and sons of rich people or politicians.
On January 7th 2003, Harlem Representative Charles Rangel (NY) and 14 other Democrats (mostly from the black caucus), sponsored legislation attempting to bring back the draft. Rangel said in a statement:
I truly believe that decision-makers who support war would more readily feel the pain of conflict and appreciate the sacrifice of those on the front lines if their children were there, too. I don't make too much of the fact that only four members of the 107th Congress, which voted overwhelmingly in favor of war with Iraq, had children in the military.
http://www.neoperspectives.com/draft.htm
I tend to agree, if we reinstituted a real draft where EVERYBODY had to serve, including sons and daughters of powerful and elite politicians and rich men and women, the powers that be might be less inclined to get into imperial adventures. Unless you are completely physically disabled or clinically insane, there would be no reason why your ass couldn't be shipped to Baghdad. If the president is truly committed to defeating terrorism around the globe, an impossible task, then he should put all of the resources into the fight, including rationing iPods and PS3s (they have useful electronic components that could be used for military purposes), selling warbonds to buy armor for Humvees (I'm sure they can get a famous country singer to help out), and pressing all young people into uniform (including the Bush twins and Lindsay Lohan). We'll spare Paris Hilton because she'll probably drive a Stryker through an outhouse or something. Whatever happened to that American "can-do" attitude that gave aid to Ethiopia? Look at them now, now even Ethiopia can invade other countries and kick ass (see Somalian ass kicking for reference).
On January 7th 2003, Harlem Representative Charles Rangel (NY) and 14 other Democrats (mostly from the black caucus), sponsored legislation attempting to bring back the draft. Rangel said in a statement:
I truly believe that decision-makers who support war would more readily feel the pain of conflict and appreciate the sacrifice of those on the front lines if their children were there, too. I don't make too much of the fact that only four members of the 107th Congress, which voted overwhelmingly in favor of war with Iraq, had children in the military.
http://www.neoperspectives.com/draft.htm
I tend to agree, if we reinstituted a real draft where EVERYBODY had to serve, including sons and daughters of powerful and elite politicians and rich men and women, the powers that be might be less inclined to get into imperial adventures. Unless you are completely physically disabled or clinically insane, there would be no reason why your ass couldn't be shipped to Baghdad. If the president is truly committed to defeating terrorism around the globe, an impossible task, then he should put all of the resources into the fight, including rationing iPods and PS3s (they have useful electronic components that could be used for military purposes), selling warbonds to buy armor for Humvees (I'm sure they can get a famous country singer to help out), and pressing all young people into uniform (including the Bush twins and Lindsay Lohan). We'll spare Paris Hilton because she'll probably drive a Stryker through an outhouse or something. Whatever happened to that American "can-do" attitude that gave aid to Ethiopia? Look at them now, now even Ethiopia can invade other countries and kick ass (see Somalian ass kicking for reference).
A Primeval Martin Luther King Jr. day
To celebrate this Martin Luther King Jr. day, apart from having my traditional MLK meal of a bucket of fried chicken, water melon, and a 40-ounce bottle of Colt 45, I thought I would take in a movie, preferably one that had something to do about Africa. It was slim pickings because Blood Diamond wasn’t playing in any theater, so I had to settle for a movie called Primeval. I didn’t know anything about the movie apart from what was advertised: that it was a movie about the most prolific serial killer in history, and that it was a horror flick. Normally I don’t see horror movies, but since this was MLK day and the movie was set in Africa I though, why not?
Boy, was I in for a surprise, it turned out to be the best $5.75 I’ve spent on a Sunday matinee in 2007. Not only did we actually get to see the killer (most horror movies like to hide the villain), but we got to see some exciting special effects. I was equally glad to see that Jürgen Prochnow had a leading role playing the part of the “great white hunter.” I’m glad that his career really took off after Das Boot. He had one of the best lines in the movie too, “you don’t look stupid so you must be insane.”
Brooke Langton did an excellent job being eye candy, Dominic Purcell was a great leading role, and Orlando Jones couldn’t have been a better “token black guy.” However, the main attraction, the killer, a gigantic crocodile should win an Oscar for his performance. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that this movie is based on a true legend. Gustave the killer croc is a real killer! I shit you not. For more information you can check out the following websites. I also recommend you see this movie if you’ve got minutes to waste and you enjoy all your movies about Africa to be stereotypical.
http://primeval.movies.go.com/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2520815.stm
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/news/gustave-primeval/article.html
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9D04EFDE143FF93AA25751C1A9659C8B63
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0772193/
Boy, was I in for a surprise, it turned out to be the best $5.75 I’ve spent on a Sunday matinee in 2007. Not only did we actually get to see the killer (most horror movies like to hide the villain), but we got to see some exciting special effects. I was equally glad to see that Jürgen Prochnow had a leading role playing the part of the “great white hunter.” I’m glad that his career really took off after Das Boot. He had one of the best lines in the movie too, “you don’t look stupid so you must be insane.”
Brooke Langton did an excellent job being eye candy, Dominic Purcell was a great leading role, and Orlando Jones couldn’t have been a better “token black guy.” However, the main attraction, the killer, a gigantic crocodile should win an Oscar for his performance. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that this movie is based on a true legend. Gustave the killer croc is a real killer! I shit you not. For more information you can check out the following websites. I also recommend you see this movie if you’ve got minutes to waste and you enjoy all your movies about Africa to be stereotypical.
http://primeval.movies.go.com/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2520815.stm
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/news/gustave-primeval/article.html
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9D04EFDE143FF93AA25751C1A9659C8B63
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0772193/
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Business as usual for Bush
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/14/bush.60.minutes/index.html
President Bush is pushing ahead with his troop build-up and sadly there isn't much Congress can do about it. Sure, there has been a lot of talk about the power of the purse and things of that nature, but the fact remains that Congress can't stop President Bush from sending troops over there. And once over there it is doubtful that Congress will cut any funds that will restrict the movement or mission of the troops deployed. The only course that Congress can do to stop the president is to impeach him, which will probably never happen.
In a 60 Minutes interview on Sunday, President Bush stated that the "Iraqi people owe the American people a huge debt of gratitude." I wonder if that is the same gratitude that the French today are suppose to have for our liberation of their country?
The president continued to ramble on about how the administration has always been "straight" with Americans. Perhaps so straight that they can't even tell the military families when their loved ones are coming home?! http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/72094
Not to be outdone by himself, the president is also contemplating a Nixon strategy:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=170173740&p=y7xy743zx&n=170174349&x=
Or that's when you invade a "Cambodia" (Iran) so that you can retreated with honor from a "Vietnam" (Iraq).
President Bush is pushing ahead with his troop build-up and sadly there isn't much Congress can do about it. Sure, there has been a lot of talk about the power of the purse and things of that nature, but the fact remains that Congress can't stop President Bush from sending troops over there. And once over there it is doubtful that Congress will cut any funds that will restrict the movement or mission of the troops deployed. The only course that Congress can do to stop the president is to impeach him, which will probably never happen.
In a 60 Minutes interview on Sunday, President Bush stated that the "Iraqi people owe the American people a huge debt of gratitude." I wonder if that is the same gratitude that the French today are suppose to have for our liberation of their country?
The president continued to ramble on about how the administration has always been "straight" with Americans. Perhaps so straight that they can't even tell the military families when their loved ones are coming home?! http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/72094
Not to be outdone by himself, the president is also contemplating a Nixon strategy:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=170173740&p=y7xy743zx&n=170174349&x=
Or that's when you invade a "Cambodia" (Iran) so that you can retreated with honor from a "Vietnam" (Iraq).
Camouflage and Children of Men
I recently saw the movie Children of Men starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Michael Caine. It is a futuristic movie set in the year 2027 and apparently by then women will be unable to have children, our society will be run by a dictatorship obsessed with detaining illegal immigrants, and the government's domestic policy includes shipping suicide kits to its citizens. Come to think of it we might not have to wait another 20 years for these things to come to fruition; especially when we are shoving BigMacs down our throats, authorizing cloned meat and gene modified vegetables, and raiding meat packing plants in Nebraska. More of this and maybe suicide kits are not such a bad option ahhaahah. But why indulge the government further: they can already check our mail, what books we take out of the library, secretly raid our homes, detain people without legal representation, and now screen our bank accounts? Why give them our lives as well?
At any rate, what I really enjoyed about this movie, apart from the traumatizing fighting scene at the end, was the unique camouflage pattern that the government troops were wearing. Searching my various camouflage pattern links yielded little result, but I did come across this website:
http://www.airsoftarmoury.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=6&products_id=2010
This unique camouflage pattern looked very effective in urban combat settings. I also stumbled across this unique pattern in my research.
http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/apparel%20main/tad_gear_force_10_cargo_utilities.htm
Designed by Crye Industries, Multicam is an excellent choice for desert and arid conditions. In fact some contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq are using this pattern.
http://www.multicampattern.com/gear.htm
The AP stylebook
Yesterday Kang suggested that I buy The Associated Press Stylebook to help me use the proper form for news writing. The guide is pretty good and I too would recommend that you pick up a copy.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Bear bites hippie
19-year-old Zagreb Zoo volunteer Maria-Ruth Schäfer thought it would be a brilliant idea to sing to the bears at the zoo. Brown bear Medo Brundo thought otherwise and promptly bit her foot and them mauled the park supervisor. Sadly bear Brundo was shot by a hunter that was curiously nearby. Which begs the question, who hunts in a zoo?
Friday, January 12, 2007
How to write a TV drama
Ever wondered why all TV dramas all over the world seem to have some similar themes? Most likely it is because all the screenwriters went to the Australian Famous Television Writer’s School.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~imcfadyen/notthenet/televisi.htm
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~imcfadyen/notthenet/televisi.htm
Sergeant in trouble for Playboy photos
As dreadcow wrote on his blog Fun With Hand Grenades http://funwithhandgrenades.blogspot.com/
"It all started when we found out that the contractors were going to replace the antiquated armor on our Humvees. On that note, something that chaps my ass: why does the Air Force, who never go outside the wire, get to drive around in brand new armored-from-the-ground-up Humvees, while us Army grunts whose job it is to go into the streets of Iraq, get the bolt on variety? Aside from the fact that the Air Force has all a monopoly on the enlistment of all the hot women in the military, they get the better Humvees too. Talk about adding insult to injury."
Yes indeed, it is a fact that the Air Force does indeed have a monopoly cute servicewomen, followed closely by the Navy. The fact that the media darlings are drooling over a Staff Sergeant named Michelle Manhart who spread herself in the latest Playboy issue is a case in point (though she's not Shark's kind of girl).
You can follow the story more closely here:
Shark also spared you the expense of looking up her Myspace page as well:
Trolling the web for you,
-Shark
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Sun and Jin
There are times I get all verklempt browsing the internet. Trolling as I usually do I stumbled onto a Sun and Jin compilation; apparently Sun and Jin are characters on the Lost TV show. I've never watched that show but judging from the youTube video they must be a romantic couple. This got me thinking, who takes the time to actually edit this video together, and what sad, pathetic soul actually watches it? As your's truly wipes a tear from his eye, you have your answer.
Condi's Fox Friends are probably not from Australia
So Secretary of State Condolezza Rice praised her Fox Friends today. I wonder how she would survive Australian Naomi Robson?
US violation of international law against Iran
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/11/world/middleeast/11cnd-raid.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Just one day after giving his speech outlining his new strategy for Iraq, President Bush allowed US forces in Iraq to violate the United Nations 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, specifically Article 31 and 33.
You can read those articles here:
http://untreaty.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_2_1963.pdf
Though consulates are not technically sovereign territories, embassies are, and hopefully the State Department will warn the Department of Defense before they raid an embassy, which can be construed under international law as an act of war. The world just became a more dangerous place.
Just one day after giving his speech outlining his new strategy for Iraq, President Bush allowed US forces in Iraq to violate the United Nations 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, specifically Article 31 and 33.
You can read those articles here:
http://untreaty.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_2_1963.pdf
Though consulates are not technically sovereign territories, embassies are, and hopefully the State Department will warn the Department of Defense before they raid an embassy, which can be construed under international law as an act of war. The world just became a more dangerous place.
Monster rabbit will feed North Korea
Robert the Rabbit might be the savior of starving North Koreans. Weighing a hefty 10 kilograms, Roger the Rabbit can become 60 rabbits in less than a year, which is good news for owner Karl Szmolinsky of Germany. The North Korean ambassador to Germany was so impressed when he saw Roger the Rabbit that he set in motion the purchasing of 12 stock rabbits for his starving nation of 23 million. At 80 euros a piece, Karl Szmolinsky is smiling all the way to the Octoberfest tent.
Back to the firehouse
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_010193817.html
Apparently firefighters in New York are no longer allowed to have pictures of their lived ones, display American flags, or have stickers supporting the troops serving overseas because "No city agency should permit the work place to display inappropriate stuff," according to Mylan Denerstein, the FDNY's deputy commissioner for legal affairs.
I'm sorry, since when is the American flag inappropriate; and what is the reason for this fascist crackdown? Well a few weeks ago somebody scribbled a sexually offensive message in a firehouse degrading women or something like that, and now freedom of speech must be curtailed in order to prevent such future occurrences. That's like banning bananas when people were eating apples. But I don't expect much from a city that banned trans fat, smoking, and other activites that are deemed "inappropriate." Afterall, adults can't make decisions by themselves and need to be treated like children.
Apparently firefighters in New York are no longer allowed to have pictures of their lived ones, display American flags, or have stickers supporting the troops serving overseas because "No city agency should permit the work place to display inappropriate stuff," according to Mylan Denerstein, the FDNY's deputy commissioner for legal affairs.
I'm sorry, since when is the American flag inappropriate; and what is the reason for this fascist crackdown? Well a few weeks ago somebody scribbled a sexually offensive message in a firehouse degrading women or something like that, and now freedom of speech must be curtailed in order to prevent such future occurrences. That's like banning bananas when people were eating apples. But I don't expect much from a city that banned trans fat, smoking, and other activites that are deemed "inappropriate." Afterall, adults can't make decisions by themselves and need to be treated like children.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Beavis and Butt-Head legacies
Thank you MTV for putting the whole Beavis and Butt-Head collection on iFilms!
http://www.ifilm.com/show/16961
http://www.ifilm.com/show/16961
Army gets a new toy!
Just when was the last time the Army National Guard actually got some new equipment first? No doubt there are a few droolers around.
The Postman cometh, errr drinketh
WAUKESHA, Wisconsin (AP) -- A mail carrier had a blood-alcohol level nearly four times the legal limit when he was arrested for driving his delivery truck into oncoming traffic and crashing into a sign, police said.
Thomas Lahiff was incoherent Friday when he returned to the post office, where he was arrested about an hour after the crash, Police Capt. Mike Babe said. He said tests showed the 46-year-old's blood-alcohol level was 0.31 percent.
Lahiff now faces a drunken driving charge and was ticketed for hit-and-run causing property damage, Babe said.
Police said Lahiff's postal truck had crossed into oncoming traffic, jumped a curb and hit a "no parking" sign. It happened about an hour before he returned to the post office, and it's not clear where he was in the meantime, Babe said.
Postal Service spokeswoman JoAnne Blackburn said Lahiff was involved in an accident and would not be delivering mail pending an investigation, but she would not elaborate.
Sheriff Nagin
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/09/new.orleans.ap/index.html
Why not just suspend all civil liberties and be done with it? The Constitution and Bill of Rights have already been torn up by the sitting president, so I'm not shocked that governors and mayors are following suit. While the president has his terrorists to deal with the mayors have their criminals to deal with. While setting up check points might seem like a good idea, I'd hate to be a black guy driving around in New Orleans after dark, the hours that Taco Bell has its Fourthmeal. Let's get ready for another slew of mentally handicapped people shot in the back.
Why not just suspend all civil liberties and be done with it? The Constitution and Bill of Rights have already been torn up by the sitting president, so I'm not shocked that governors and mayors are following suit. While the president has his terrorists to deal with the mayors have their criminals to deal with. While setting up check points might seem like a good idea, I'd hate to be a black guy driving around in New Orleans after dark, the hours that Taco Bell has its Fourthmeal. Let's get ready for another slew of mentally handicapped people shot in the back.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Global Voices
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/
The most wonderful thing about the internet is that it can lead you to millions of different sites. I found this one today while trolling, and found it enlightening. There is way too much oppression going on in the world, of course some people---like hippies---bring it on themselves, but it's a shame when it happens to you and me. :)
The most wonderful thing about the internet is that it can lead you to millions of different sites. I found this one today while trolling, and found it enlightening. There is way too much oppression going on in the world, of course some people---like hippies---bring it on themselves, but it's a shame when it happens to you and me. :)
Friday, January 05, 2007
From Congress with love
President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
The start of the new Congress brings us opportunities to work together on the critical issues confronting our country. No issue is more important than finding an end to the war in Iraq. December was the deadliest month of the war in over two years, pushing U.S. fatality figures over the 3,000 mark.
The American people demonstrated in the November elections that they do not believe your current Iraq policy will lead to success and that we need a change in direction for the sake of our troops and the Iraqi people. We understand that you are completing your post-election consultations on Iraq and are preparing to make a major address on your Iraq strategy to the American people next week.
Clearly this address presents you with another opportunity to make a long overdue course correction. Despite the fact that our troops have been pushed to the breaking point and, in many cases, have already served multiple tours in Iraq, news reports suggest that you believe the solution to the civil war in Iraq is to require additional sacrifices from our troops and are therefore prepared to proceed with a substantial U.S. troop increase.
Surging forces is a strategy that you have already tried and that has already failed. Like many current and former military leaders, we believe that trying again would be a serious mistake. They, like us, believe there is no purely military solution in Iraq. There is only a political solution. Adding more combat troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to the breaking point for no strategic gain. And it would undermine our efforts to get the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future. We are well past the point of more troops for Iraq.
In a recent appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General John Abizaid, our top commander for Iraq and the region, said the following when asked about whether he thought more troops would contribute to our chances for success in Iraq:
"I met with every divisional commander, General Casey, the Corps commander, General Dempsey. We all talked together. And I said, in your professional opinion, if we were to bring in more American troops now, does it add considerably to our ability to achieve success in Iraq? And they all said no. And the reason is, because we want the Iraqis to do more. It's easy for the Iraqis to rely upon to us do this work. I believe that more American forces prevent the Iraqis from doing more, from taking more responsibility for their own future. "
Rather than deploy additional forces to Iraq, we believe the way forward is to begin t he phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months, while shifting the principal mission of our forces there from combat to training, logistics, force protection and counter-terror. A renewed diplomatic strategy, both within the region and beyond, is also required to help the Iraqis agree to a sustainable political settlement. In short, it is time to begin to move our forces out of Iraq and make the Iraqi political leadership aware that our commitment is not open ended, that we cannot resolve their sectarian problems, and that only they can find the political resolution required to stabilize Iraq.
Our troops and the American people have already sacrificed a great deal for the future of Iraq. After nearly four years of combat, tens of thousands of U.S. casualties, and over $300 billion dollars, it is time to bring the war to a close. We, therefore, strongly encourage you to reject any plans that call for our getting our troops any deeper into Iraq. We want to do everything we can to help Iraq succeed in the future but, like many of our senior military leaders, we do not believe that adding more U.S. combat troops contributes to success.
We appreciate you taking these views into consideration.
Sincerely,
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
The start of the new Congress brings us opportunities to work together on the critical issues confronting our country. No issue is more important than finding an end to the war in Iraq. December was the deadliest month of the war in over two years, pushing U.S. fatality figures over the 3,000 mark.
The American people demonstrated in the November elections that they do not believe your current Iraq policy will lead to success and that we need a change in direction for the sake of our troops and the Iraqi people. We understand that you are completing your post-election consultations on Iraq and are preparing to make a major address on your Iraq strategy to the American people next week.
Clearly this address presents you with another opportunity to make a long overdue course correction. Despite the fact that our troops have been pushed to the breaking point and, in many cases, have already served multiple tours in Iraq, news reports suggest that you believe the solution to the civil war in Iraq is to require additional sacrifices from our troops and are therefore prepared to proceed with a substantial U.S. troop increase.
Surging forces is a strategy that you have already tried and that has already failed. Like many current and former military leaders, we believe that trying again would be a serious mistake. They, like us, believe there is no purely military solution in Iraq. There is only a political solution. Adding more combat troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to the breaking point for no strategic gain. And it would undermine our efforts to get the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future. We are well past the point of more troops for Iraq.
In a recent appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General John Abizaid, our top commander for Iraq and the region, said the following when asked about whether he thought more troops would contribute to our chances for success in Iraq:
"I met with every divisional commander, General Casey, the Corps commander, General Dempsey. We all talked together. And I said, in your professional opinion, if we were to bring in more American troops now, does it add considerably to our ability to achieve success in Iraq? And they all said no. And the reason is, because we want the Iraqis to do more. It's easy for the Iraqis to rely upon to us do this work. I believe that more American forces prevent the Iraqis from doing more, from taking more responsibility for their own future. "
Rather than deploy additional forces to Iraq, we believe the way forward is to begin t he phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months, while shifting the principal mission of our forces there from combat to training, logistics, force protection and counter-terror. A renewed diplomatic strategy, both within the region and beyond, is also required to help the Iraqis agree to a sustainable political settlement. In short, it is time to begin to move our forces out of Iraq and make the Iraqi political leadership aware that our commitment is not open ended, that we cannot resolve their sectarian problems, and that only they can find the political resolution required to stabilize Iraq.
Our troops and the American people have already sacrificed a great deal for the future of Iraq. After nearly four years of combat, tens of thousands of U.S. casualties, and over $300 billion dollars, it is time to bring the war to a close. We, therefore, strongly encourage you to reject any plans that call for our getting our troops any deeper into Iraq. We want to do everything we can to help Iraq succeed in the future but, like many of our senior military leaders, we do not believe that adding more U.S. combat troops contributes to success.
We appreciate you taking these views into consideration.
Sincerely,
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Monday, January 01, 2007
Molly Sandén - A star is born!
Once in a while an artist comes by that totally captures the Shark's heart and ears, and Molly Sandén is just such a rising star. Her voice is amazing and she will no doubt be a popular Swedish artist.
Warning massive Molly overload follows of the same song:
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Tokyo Rose
With the passing of President Gerald Ford much emphasis and criticism has been levelled against his pardoning of President Richard Nixon; yet we forget that he also pardoned another famous person: Iva Toguri D'Aquino, a.k.a. The Tokyo Rose. You can read about it here...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iva_Toguri_D%27Aquino
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iva_Toguri_D%27Aquino
David Caruso + CSI Miami
Okay I've already beaten up on Calleigh's accent, but what the hell is up with David Caruso? He seriously needs to see a doctor because he keeps bending his neck every time he talks to people. He also needs to see a speech therapist because he can't seem to complete a sentence, and he definitely needs some liquid courage because he never looks anybody in the eye.
Baathists: 'Grave consequences' if Hussein's hanged
Oh heaven forbid they should hold themselves responsible, or never mind that it was the Iraqi people who sentenced him to death and not the Americans. But logic always escapes these jihadists.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Miss Nevada Update
In order to give you the latest on the Miss Nevada story, I've found yet more pictures for our investigation into her behavior.
http://www.tmz.com/photos/miss-nevada/
http://www.tmz.com/photos/miss-nevada/
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Helena Paparizou - Light in Our Soul
Excellent modern pop-techno song from the Greek-Swedish goddess
Xmas jews
Shout out to my homie Kang (http://kang.vannat.se/) for this one:
http://www.julieklausner.com/media/xmasjews.html
http://www.julieklausner.com/media/xmasjews.html
Friday, December 22, 2006
Movie Tip of the Week
I urge everybody to go see Home of the Brave, our modern day version of The Deer Hunter, that tracks peoples lives from the battlefield of Iraq to their homecoming and their problems readjusting back to American society. Any movie starring Jessica Biel and Samuel L. Jackson is a must-see to begin with.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Miss Nevada 2007
All right you freaks, here are those "racy" pictures of Miss Nevada Katie Rees going wild. I saved you the trouble and embarassment of having to find them yourself. The Shark is always thinking of public service!
http://www.canada.com/topics/entertainment/gallery/missnevada.html
http://www.canada.com/topics/entertainment/gallery/missnevada.html
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Smaller cars perform poorly in crash tests
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16273695/
Continuing from yesterday's post I read this article this morning. Well no shit that smaller cars perform worse in crashes than big cars, duh!!! Why are we even paying these scientists? What's next, tanks are more bullet proof than cars? Geniuses the lot of them!
Continuing from yesterday's post I read this article this morning. Well no shit that smaller cars perform worse in crashes than big cars, duh!!! Why are we even paying these scientists? What's next, tanks are more bullet proof than cars? Geniuses the lot of them!
Monday, December 18, 2006
What the hell kind of an accent is that???
I just don't get Calleigh Duquesne's (Emily Proctor) accent in CSI Miami. It's a really goofy mix of Southern and New England. One minute she sounds like she's from Louisiana, the next she sounds like she's boating off Martha's Vineyard. It's driving me INSANE!
I love small cars
I can't help it, I like small European cars and I wish they were sold here in the States. Not only are they adorable but they sip fuel and are really fun to drive. I like this car especially, the Fiat Panda, yeah I know it's Italian engineering, but not all Italian cars are crap, e.g. Ferrari, etc. I like Panda because it comes in 4x4 which is good for snow and ice driving in the Alps, which I suppose would make it a great vehicle for Colorado. I love going to Europe and driving these cars, honking at pedestrians and sticking my head and arm out the window yelling "Vicenzo! Getta out of the way!"
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Putting the squeeze on North Korea
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/b2521338-8df4-11db-ae0e-0000779e2340.html
When going after badguys there are two effective strategies that always work: 1) go after their balls, or 2) go after their money. Afterall, Al Capone went down for tax evasion :)
When going after badguys there are two effective strategies that always work: 1) go after their balls, or 2) go after their money. Afterall, Al Capone went down for tax evasion :)
Iraqi gunmen kidnap aid workers
I always get upset when gunmen kidnap aid workers, especially ones that are considered "neutral" like International Red Cross and Red Crescent workers. What will they gain from kidnapping and killing the people trying to help them? Who are these gunmen and what insane morals do they have? These aid workers have absolutely nothing to do with the Iraqi conflict, in fact most of them are probably Iraqis themselves, and want nothing other than to help bring humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people. Perhaps some of them have even helped the families of insurgents, who knows? The International Red Cross and Red Crescent are internationally recognized protected symbols and workers performing duties for this movement are suppose to be neutral and "protected." Perhaps if these are the rules that the insurgents and gunmen wish to violate, perhaps these are the rules we should play by. Of course we won't do that because unlike these thugs, we do not deliberately target innocent civilians. I'm sure some nutjob will debate me on this and quote me the number of civilians that have been killed by American or Israeli bombs, but they are entitled to their opinion and statistics. For myself, I'll be praying for the safe return of these aid workers, and my heart goes out to the families.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16247664/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16247664/
Saturday, December 16, 2006
New counterinsurgency manual goes online
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/224/New_Counterinsurgency_Manual_Hits_Net
Now a lot of people might disagree with this decision saying that Al Qaeda and other terrorists might make use of it and learn US strategies, but there are so many other Army field manuals available that I believe its impact will be limited. I also believe that the public has a vested interest in knowing this should we ourselves ever need to use it against an invading enemy. Good work Pentagon!
Now a lot of people might disagree with this decision saying that Al Qaeda and other terrorists might make use of it and learn US strategies, but there are so many other Army field manuals available that I believe its impact will be limited. I also believe that the public has a vested interest in knowing this should we ourselves ever need to use it against an invading enemy. Good work Pentagon!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
God bless the NCOs
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-kesterson/operation-drumstick_b_36355.html
Few things make the Shark cry, but NCOs taking care of their soldiers, sailors, and airmen is one of them. Sniff sniff...
Few things make the Shark cry, but NCOs taking care of their soldiers, sailors, and airmen is one of them. Sniff sniff...
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Great Quotes # 1
"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."
-George Orwell
-George Orwell
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Soy products are turning our kids into homos
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53327
Yikes, and I like eating tofu! Come to think of it, maybe that's why I enjoy doing laundry and sometimes giggle when people tickle me.
Yikes, and I like eating tofu! Come to think of it, maybe that's why I enjoy doing laundry and sometimes giggle when people tickle me.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Navy goes digital
Well it's about time, we can't have the jarheads have all the fun.
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=22519
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