The Good, the Bad, and the Baldy

But other than that, he's for gay rights

2010-04-22T17:37:00.003-04:00

Yes, yes, all those nasty, evil, tricksy republicans have been denying alternate lifestylers and the LGBT community equal rights. Dems have been fighting the good fight to right these wrongs.

After all, President Clinton gave us Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Wait....what? But oh yeah, Clinton also gave us the Defense of Marriage Act. Crap...moving on.

Candidate Obama, Senator Obama, and President Obama oppose gay marriage. Suck it repugs... Damn..really? Opposes? Always has? Well at least he's repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell in a timely fashion, what with the rock solid majority in the House and Senate. Not yet? Ouch.

OK, but, but...here we go. It was all over the news and net last week. The president just made a new policy guaranteeing visitation rights for life partners in hospitals. Ha, see! Hope! Change! Yes We Can! Lets scroll through this and quote it properly.

That's odd...it's not an executive order...it's a memorandum. Well, lets get to the juicy bit.

This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit,
substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party
against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

You are hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

C'mon, if you thought there would be something substantive, you haven't been paying attention.

Smile, you're not poor, you're at hope.

2010-01-13T00:38:00.002-05:00

A state senator in Washington state actually wants to change the verbiage for the poor. Poor is no good. Disadvantaged? No, that has a negative connotation. At risk? Tsk, tsk, risk is bad. This representative actually wants to change the phrase for poor children to "at hope".

The person who wants to change "at risk" and "disadvantaged" to "at hope" holds elected office. Seriously. I suppose I should be happy that its only state government, on the other side of the country. I'm not, but maybe I should be.

Ah, I'm being unconstructively cynical again. I should think happy thoughts, and ignore the fact that the way things are going, many more people will find themselves "at hope"over the next couple years.

Do As I Say

2009-12-28T12:06:00.002-05:00

Obscene executive pay is bad. Unless of course, you have the right connections, or work for Freddie or Fannie. Way to disclose the payouts on Christmas Eve so no one would notice.

Remember all those "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention" bumper stickers? All the neocivil-libertarians? Where did they all go? Never mind, it's rhetorical.

We're at war with EastAsia. We've always been at war with EastAsia.

Jobs Created or Saved

2009-12-13T22:07:00.002-05:00

Not my line, but a great one from John Stewart earlier in the week. When we look at the claims of jobs being created or saved by the stimulus, then look at the actual job numbers, there is only one thing that makes sense.

The jobs created or saved metric apparently includes handjobs and blowjobs.

Climaquiddick

2009-11-26T13:41:00.003-05:00

My morning coffee almost shot out of my nose the first time I saw this term for the brewing climate change story.

The biggest part of the story is that this calls into question the model that the IPCC has been using. The hockey stick has already come and gone, and now we have scientists actively modifying data to fit their desired outcomes. After years of being told that there is scientific consensus on anthropogenic warming, and having skeptics all but branded as heretics, everything should be back on the table.

It will not be, of course. The truth is that all factions have some viable points, but science has been politicized. We should be pursuing our own oil supplies, increasing nuclear capacity, actively pursuing and encouraging investment in alternatives, all while trying to be more responsible stewards of the planet.

He Really is the One!

2009-11-22T18:31:00.002-05:00

That might be unfair. My beef today is less with the President, and more with Senator Reid. Here's the quote.

Today we vote whether to even discuss one of the greatest issues of our generation- indeed, one of the greatest issues this body has ever faced: whether this nation will finally guarantee its people the right to live free from the fear of illness of death, which can be prevented by decent health care for all.

So, are we to believe that this legislation is so awesome, so full of wholesome non-partisan goodness, that illness and death itself shall be vanquished? The senator from Nevada has just hinted at immortality and everlasting health by legislative fiat. Bravo!

Ladies and gentlemen, I am duly impressed by this promised achievement. I am certainly looking forward to centuries of Social Security checks.

Free Flow of Info

2009-11-17T09:47:00.002-05:00

Kudos to the administration for advocating the free flow of information and a free press in China. If only the administration didn't take the stance that only party-approved networks were legitimate outlets at home.

Sigh.

Recipe for a loss

2009-11-16T00:44:00.003-05:00

When a team has 4 more rushing attempts than penalties, it's going to be a rough day. When the team's inexplicably unbalanced play calling leads to 2.4 times as many penalty yards than rushing yards, we have a whiskey tango foxtrot day.

55 passes. 13 rushes. For fuck's sake, even Michael Vick, who is good for nothing but running tried to throw the ball. I fail to see how if the offense fails to pick up one yard running, it is a sign that rushing does not work. On the other hand, if 40% of our passes are not completed, well, we just have to keep trying.

It boggles the mind. This team is missing its first two starting middle linebackers, nickel back, dime back, and starting strong side linebacker. No current linebacker is playing in his intended starting spot. With this kind of depletion, one would think, ball control, spell the defense, lets give them a break and keep them off the field.

I love the Eagles, and will never root for another team. I just wish they were a little easier to love.

Unintended Consequences

2009-11-12T10:40:00.002-05:00

Facing us is a massive health care overhaul that will homogenize many systems, reduce choices, increase taxes,. and drive up prices. The last two points are the most defensible. The government is going to end up spending more money, which means they will have to raise more money.

As for prices going up? When, in all of human history has dramatically increased demand driven down price?

But, on to the unintended consequence. Many progressives are balking at the abortion language currently in the bill. Their concern is that the current verbiage reduces a woman's freedom and choices. Some representatives may even vote against the bill in its current form on this principle.

Soooo, people who would normally advocate a single payer system, which by definition would restrict freedoms and choices have suddenly found that choices are a good thing. I doubt their ability to extend this perception to the larger debate, but hell, I'll take it.

'Splain Something for Me

2009-07-25T14:21:00.002-04:00

The president, master politician that he is, has recognized the pushback against his health care reform ideas. He has tactfully pulled back from the current incarnation that would cost over a trillion dollars. The position of the moment is that any bill he signs must be revenue neutral.

It seems to me that if you advocate massive reform because the cost of health care is out of control and causing huge deficits, then say that you would sign something that is revenue neutral, you don't really care about the cost. Now, if cost is no longer important, why in the world would one continue to pursue it? Just because you can?

"I'm from the government, and I am here to help you" should send off the same warning signals as "the check is in the mail", "I've never done this before", and "it's only a cold sore". The government already is deeply involved in health care in this country. Fix the VA hospital system. Fix Medicaid and Medicare.

Medicaid at it's peak was only supposed to cost a billion dollars a year. We've passed that by just a bit. It is not the Presdient's fault that the government is awful at best when it comes to estimating costs. That said, given his intellectual gifts, it would be nice if he recognized it.

Keyser Soze, Family Style

2009-07-13T19:26:00.002-04:00

It's taken a bit of time to put my thoughts together on this, but here it goes. Bear in mind this is more of stream of consciousness thing than my general posts. Instead of applying acerbic wit and a mean streak without, I'm directing it within. Not an uncommon exercise, I'm just not normally typing while I do it.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my brothers graduated from college. Family came from far and wide to celebrate the event. During the course of the party, I was reminded several times of a very unfortunate truth. I have no idea who many of the people at that party were.

I spent many younger years well convinced that my stepmother hated me. I was completely unable to reconcile the short temper and ability to scream bloody murder at the drop of a hat as anything other than my fault. Through another bad relationship, I was not unfamiliar with taking a beating.

It's a little clearer now, or perhaps I am rationalizing, but at any gathering as I was growing up, I'd seek out a familiar face or two. Failing that, I would avoid contact as much as possible, thereby minimizing how much could go wrong.

As I got older, I had a part-time job, and I'd schedule work weekends religiously, studiously avoiding conflict. Having 350 degree oil wash over my hands seemed a better deal in my mid-teens.

After moving from my father's house to my car, it was very easy to shut down. I had no contact at all with my father's side of the family for several years. Over time of course, everyone got older, had children, some people's children had children. Life goes on, times changes people..hearts harden.

If, at either my wedding reception, or at this graduation party, someone were to put a gun to my head and force me to identify many of the guests, I wouldn't be here right now. I cannot begin to describe the awkwardness of feigning reactions at these things. At this point, asking someone who they are and what their connection to you is is an impossibility.

One of my favorites..."Oh my God, so and so is pregnant!" It's a challenge to mirror the projected happiness or shock when one is really thinking...WTF? Who the hell is so and so?

Ah, to hell with it. Suffice it to say that if I looked at you like I wasn't sure who you were, yeah, I didn't. I feel badly about it, but I'm tired of pretending.

The Unitary Executive, New and Improved!

2009-07-06T07:43:00.003-04:00

I have been trying mightily to go easy when criticizing the new administration. The world economy is a mess, there are military commitments to honor, and of course, the herculean task of being the leader of the free world.

Unlike my friends who dwell to the left of center, I will always try to be specific, pointed, and fair in my criticisms. With that in mind, I will deal only with the specific linked article.

I am painfully aware that almost no one cares about the US Constitution without Bush in office. Last year, there was a resurgence in civil libertarianism that was impressive as it was short-lived and disingenuous. So, please peruse the article linked and you will see my problem.

Without senate ratification, a treaty does not exist. No president has the right to enforce a deal he or she brokers with another country without it. The president was a senator, and he taught constitutional law, I'm reasonably sure this isn't news.

I guess I'll finish with this. Mr. President, with all due respect, the man who wrote The Audacity of Hope would kick your ass in a debate.

Natural Order

2009-06-22T02:48:00.002-04:00

I've been watching the news coming from the Middle East with a mixture of awe, wonder, and trepdiation. Iran has now been fully unmasked. Any pretense of it being an Islamic republic has been washed away. It is, as it really has been for years, just another authoritarian dictatorship.

What the people are doing there is worth noting, praising, and praying for. Openly defying the Supreme Leader in Iran is not the same as it is here. Here, one could rant and rave about the crushing of dissent in a Barnes and Noble in front of an entire section of anti-Bush books, all while Olberman droned on on the cafe's flatscreen.

Given a choice, it has been shown again, and again, that people will choose self-determination. A democratic process is not necessarily incongruent with Islam. Syria was recently handed down a stunning defeat in Lebanon at the ballot box. Iraq has had several elections with high turnouts. Iran has had an election rigged, the people are protesting, and the White House Press Secretary referred to the "vigorous debate".

Shooting protesters is not a vigorous debate, any more than rolling tanks through Tiannemen Square was. This president has the potential to be JFK. Why the fuck is he acting like Jimmy Carter?

Best Headline Ever on ABC News

2009-05-31T10:11:00.002-04:00

First President in US History to Have Voted to Filibuster a Supreme Court Nominee Now Hopes For a Clean Process. Hat tip to Instapundit for the find.

Well, if it's the first, I guess that counts as change.

Not Change, but Reason

2009-05-10T08:58:00.002-04:00

After campaigning vigorously against the practice, it seems that the administration will continue to use military tribunals to try foreign terror suspects picked up abroad. Some well-intentioned yahoos will surely howl at this, but it is really the only logical thing that can be done. Has anyone really thought through the process of trying a Saudi funded by Iran trained at a Syrian Hezbollah camp in US federal courts?

Would defense lawyers really get access to all evidence and the methods/sources that were used to gather it, and be able to confront witnesses?
After a firefight, if a US soldier chooses to capture rather than kill, will he be expected to put on a Team America World Police badge and Mirandize the terror suspect?
Do we want to store these people here in federal prisons, until their trial dates, relying on providence to ensure that nothing could possibly go wrong there?
Military Commisions are governed by the UCMJ, which is the system of justice used to try our own troops. Given that historically, not all service has been voluntary, many US citizens have been subject to similar guidelines.
Is the use of civilan courts on those not arrested domestically not arrogant? If a female soldier was picked up, and shipped off to Iran, would we not howl wildly if she was tried under Sharia instead of facing military jurisprudence?

So, short version, Obama gets this one right. As it is Obama, not Bush, there will be less wailing and gnashing of teeth. On these policies, I will continue to hope for little change.

Hope. Change. Bespin.

2009-05-05T10:08:00.004-04:00

"Burden of Proof
Obama’s plan also would shift the burden of proof to individuals when the IRS alleges assets are being hidden in certain offshore bank accounts, the White House said in a statement "

There is the money quote from the linked AP news article. it's already challenging at best to defend oneself from IRS action, and there are apparently civil rights that have not been shredded sufficiently enough, so let's put the burden of proof on the accused.

I had a herculean task trying to reconcile the fact that the President used to teach constitutional law with his policies before. Now, in Orwellian fashion, everything that was bad is now good. Executive overreach has already far exceeded a Bushian wet dream. Campaign promises, rendition, transparency, tax cuts for 95% of working Americans, here's hoping no one is surprised. The deal has been altered. Pray he does not alter it further.

Hey Bub

2009-05-04T01:00:00.002-04:00

I got a chance to see the new Wolverine flick today. Before getting to that, allow me to say that the next beverage I spend five bucks on better have some booze in it. My anger shot up to near Hulk-like levels, but there would have been no way to explain to the police or my wife what I was doing on the other side of the counter cramming a 55 gallon drum sized bucket of popcorn up some nametag wearing tween's ass. Anywhoo...

The effects were well done, and the ancillary characters were fairly well executed. Sabertooth in particular was much more three dimensional than the grunting feral Luca Brasi that they made him in the first X Men movie. It was also good to see the effects of hitting someone with metal laced bones, which has been previously absent.

Here's my beef. I don't think it was necessary at all to so dramatically change the scene at the Weapon X lab. The critics and the masses may want a kinder, gentler, Wolverine. But most of the box office receipts, and the lion's share of DVD sales will come from fanboys. I think they would have made a lot more money if Logan was a lot more feral, and much less of a stoic warrior.

Good DVD movie, but it's not a $30 including snacks for 2 movie.

The Line is Longer for a Reason

2009-04-30T20:16:00.002-04:00

I learned an important lesson at a Phillies game the other night. There are times where time management is not as important as common sense.

If one is ever faced with the dilemma of facing two stands that serve the same sandwich, the intelligent choice is to man up and go for the longer line. Planet Hoagie and Tony Luke's both make chicken cutlet italian sandwiches. Luke's version is an orgasmic explosion of flavor that tastes great, even when burped 4 hours later. Planet Hoagie's version makes one wonder if that poor chicken really had to die for this sad knockoff.

Ladies and gentlemen, learn from my mistake. Take the extra couple minutes and get in the longer line. It's longer for a reason.

Magic Bullet

2009-04-29T12:49:00.002-04:00

Just so I understand the senator's plans...he was going to lose a primary campaign as a republican, so he switched parties. He switched to the party he has run against for almost 30 years.

Perhaps he got some really good medicinal herb, and took for granted that there would be no challenger in the democratic primary. Call it hubris, call it tragic irony, call it what you will. In any case, the smart money is on Specter being challenged in the democratic primary, and being right back where he started from.

Through the face-saving magic bullet theory, and the nonsensical vote of "not proven" in an impeachment proceeding, he has probably earned some lovely parting gifts in his too-long stay in DC. I wish him the best of health, and a happy retirement. We'll all be better for it.

As a parting gift of my own, here's one for the staffers. Here is the basis of the first anti-incumbent commercial that will come from one of his democratic challengers. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2q7hei3T3E

Domo Arigato, Mr Oboto...

2009-01-29T17:56:00.002-05:00

The hits keep coming. The One just blasted Wall Street bankers for taking huge bonuses, saying that they should be more prudent and fiscally responsible. The guy is going to authorize almost a trillion in new spending in his first two weeks in the job, and he's calling for frugality.

Credit where it's due, the man has balls.

Heh. Hah. Bwa ha ha ha!

2009-01-29T17:51:00.001-05:00

This is called foreshadowing. Or hope and change. Or something.

O, the Irony

2009-01-22T19:38:00.004-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children all of all ages, your bald, rotund, smartassed host is back. I haven't posted in a long, long time, but today something happened to bring me out of retirement.

I recently moved from a user support role to a network support role at work. Less travel, better pay, lots of Cisco. Challenging and cool. But, it seems, no matter what one does, the human element will always remain.

I got a request to look at the network equipment at one of our sites. The social service side of our business is frequently....interesting to work with. Everyone has to have a new PC, or IP phones, interoperability, security, they are saving the world and their job requires it! Sadly, there is never any money.

There are a few cottages at this site for residents. 5 cottages in all, a PC or two in each one. The main facility is moving to IP phones, so the chance came about to get these small buildings wired and joined to the network. To save funds, the smaller cottages were wired in a ring. That is, the cables go from the main building to the first cottage, and around in a circle. If anything happens in the main building, or one of the first parts of the ring, service for the rest goes down.

Not ideal, but cost effective. As I am sure you have guessed, the network went down. So, I go to the first cottage, get a ladder (of course the cabinets are 8 feet up), jack into the switch, reboot, check the config...yep. Everything is good here, on to the next one.

At the next cottage, I checked in with the desk, and headed back to the room that houses the network equipment. My all-day project had come to a close in a flash. Dangling impotently against the wall was the plug for the Cisco switch. Even though there were 5 other outlets in the room, someone decided that they were going to iron some clothes, and unplugged the switch to plug the iron in. One of the available choices was the outlet two inches above where the switch was plugged in. Sigh.

Since last Friday, a couple people were less able to do their jobs, and had no network connections. On the plus side, a differently abled individual probably has some pretty sharp pleats.

Rooney Rule Nonsense

2008-10-25T20:07:00.002-04:00

I am absolutely in favor of equality of opportunity in this world. One of the great things about this nation is that anyone can come from anywhere, and accomplish almost anything. It wasn't always so, but we have come a long way.

The NFL has, along with many other organizations, fallen into a pattern of silliness derived from good intentions. The Rams recently fired their head coach, and Jim Haslett, one of the coordinators, took over the reins. The team is playing well under him, and they wanted to reward him with a contract, assuring him of the spot as head coach for a job well done.

But, they can't. The Rooney Rule, put in place in 2003, requires that at least one minority candidate be interviewed for the job. In a case like this, when the preferred candidate is clear, it is a waste of everyone's time to interview anyone else, let alone screen applicants who don't have a chance on the basis of race.

Content of character and ability should be our collective focus. Either discrimination is wrong, or it is not. I believe that it is. Doing the wrong thing, even for the right reason, is still doing the wrong thing.

10 Year Plan?

2008-10-22T18:34:00.003-04:00

Just so I'm clear on this, I want to see it typed out. We should not drill for oil here because it could take 5 to 10 years for the results to make a difference in the marketplace. I'll put aside the fact that people have been screaming to increase domestic production for over a decade, rendering the first objection laughable.

If Obama is elected, he has a 10 year plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Hmm. Assuming he is elected, and then re-elected, he can steer policy for 8 years, if my recollection of civics holds up. Oh, wait, click on the link to go to his page, and...yep, his policies will guide us to 2050.

Sooo, if we dispense with the bullshit, and look at the short term things he wants to do vis-a-vis energy policy, we see 3 items. Windfall profit tax, cut speculation, and release some oil from the Strategic Reserve.

Ok, put a windfall tax in place on oil companies. Like any smart business, they will pass the cost on to their customers. Thanks!
Speculation drives markets to their final price quickly, they don't determine price. See Econ 101. Sounds good and populist, though, full style points, but none for substance.
A release from the reserve would be a small tick up in supply, but as it would have to be replaced, it's a zero sum game. Well, that's not quite right. The oil that would refill the reserve would be bought at a substantially higher price than the oil it replaced. Net financial loss, but we get to feel like someone cares.

My wife and I both work for nonprofit social service entities, so on a personal level, these policies would enhance our job security. What will they do for you?

Barackenomics

2008-10-22T17:55:00.002-04:00

I do my best to keep my political rants above the belt, and to provide "whys" when I say something. I'm also a big fan of people making up their own damn minds. To that end, the above link goes to Barack's tax cut site.

Does anything strike anyone as odd? Plug in your own numbers.

If McCain is not offering middle class tax relief, and you are offering 3x as much, how much is that?
Why do I have to click on a link to the FAQ to learn that Obama wants to extend the Bush tax cut? Apparently, that tax cut was not only for the rich. Damn if I don't feel lied to. I guess saying Bush was right won't get ya many votes.
Yes, yes, the richest 2% will not keep that tax cut. But they will, at worst, go back to the 1990's rates. So, by raising taxes by 4.6% on 2% of wage earners, everything will be fixed.
Almost 40% of taxpayers in this country do not pay income taxes. The only way to give then a tax break would be to cut their payroll taxes, which means defunding Social Security and Medicare.
The tax cut offered to companies that create jobs here is a pittance. When pressed on high corporate tax rates, Obama has said that with the loopholes in place, some companies pay too little. Instead of addressing the causes of outsourcing, his stated policy seems to be content to hasten it.

On the plus side, he is from Chicago, the home of Milton Friedman. God willing, he will ignore his campaign staff if he is elected, and get some sound advice to base policy on.

Not Ready for Primetime.

2008-10-22T17:48:00.002-04:00

Wow. I don't think I could have said this any better myself.

I Declare Shennigans!

2008-08-27T21:27:00.004-04:00

Wow, Bill Clinton can still do it to me. Much like I did years ago, I watched him give a speech, shaking my head and muttering while all the trained seals clapped on cue, applauding every bitten lip and buzzword.

Bill, the master semantic warrior, the man who tried to parse down the meaning of the word "is" in a grand jury proceeding, is repeating the tired line that we are engaged in a unilateral military action. Now, just for the record, here is what the word means.

u·ni·lat·er·al /ˌyunəˈlætərəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo-nuh-lat-er-uhl]
–adjective 1. relating to, occurring on, or involving one side only: unilateral development; a unilateral approach.
2. undertaken or done by or on behalf of one side, party, or faction only; not mutual: a unilateral decision; unilateral disarmament.

By definition, if even one other country has troops in Iraq or Afghanistan, our actions cannot be unilateral. Anyone notice how easily Russia moved into Georgia? Yes, they have a formidable fighting force. Another key reason is that most of Georgia's combat ready troops were in...anyone? Anyone?

Tell the family of a fallen hero from Spain, Italy, England, Poland, Australia, or another ally that the loss of their loved one doesn't count. You see, America is doing this unilaterally. Scoring cheap political points outweighs everything else.

Mr. President, no one on CNN or at the convention is willing to point out the small details, but that's what bald bastards are for. Here is the speech that was given when you bombed Iraq, and called out for regime change.

Earlier today, I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces. Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.

Their purpose is to protect the national interest of the United States, and indeed the interests of people throughout the Middle East and around the world.

Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons.

I want to explain why I have decided, with the unanimous recommendation of my national security team, to use force in Iraq; why we have acted now; and what we aim to accomplish.

Six weeks ago, Saddam Hussein announced that he would no longer cooperate with the United Nations weapons inspectors called UNSCOM. They are highly professional experts from dozens of countries. Their job is to oversee the elimination of Iraq's capability to retain, create and use weapons of mass destruction, and to verify that Iraq does not attempt to rebuild that capability.

The inspectors undertook this mission first 7.5 years ago at the end of the Gulf War when Iraq agreed to declare and destroy its arsenal as a condition of the ceasefire.

The international community had good reason to set this requirement. Other countries possess weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. With Saddam, there is one big difference: He has used them. Not once, but repeatedly. Unleashing chemical weapons against Iranian troops during a decade-long war. Not only against soldiers, but against civilians, firing Scud missiles at the citizens of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iran. And not only against a foreign enemy, but even against his own people, gassing Kurdish civilians in Northern Iraq.

The international community had little doubt then, and I have no doubt today, that left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will use these terrible weapons again.

The United States has patiently worked to preserve UNSCOM as Iraq has sought to avoid its obligation to cooperate with the inspectors. On occasion, we've had to threaten military force, and Saddam has backed down.

Faced with Saddam's latest act of defiance in late October, we built intensive diplomatic pressure on Iraq backed by overwhelming military force in the region. The UN Security Council voted 15 to zero to condemn Saddam's actions and to demand that he immediately come into compliance.

Eight Arab nations -- Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman -- warned that Iraq alone would bear responsibility for the consequences of defying the UN.

When Saddam still failed to comply, we prepared to act militarily. It was only then at the last possible moment that Iraq backed down. It pledged to the UN that it had made, and I quote, a clear and unconditional decision to resume cooperation with the weapons inspectors.

I decided then to call off the attack with our airplanes already in the air because Saddam had given in to our demands. I concluded then that the right thing to do was to use restraint and give Saddam one last chance to prove his willingness to cooperate.

I made it very clear at that time what unconditional cooperation meant, based on existing UN resolutions and Iraq's own commitments. And along with Prime Minister Blair of Great Britain, I made it equally clear that if Saddam failed to cooperate fully, we would be prepared to act without delay, diplomacy or warning.

Now over the past three weeks, the UN weapons inspectors have carried out their plan for testing Iraq's cooperation. The testing period ended this weekend, and last night, UNSCOM's chairman, Richard Butler, reported the results to UN Secretary-General Annan.

The conclusions are stark, sobering and profoundly disturbing.

In four out of the five categories set forth, Iraq has failed to cooperate. Indeed, it actually has placed new restrictions on the inspectors. Here are some of the particulars.

Iraq repeatedly blocked UNSCOM from inspecting suspect sites. For example, it shut off access to the headquarters of its ruling party and said it will deny access to the party's other offices, even though UN resolutions make no exception for them and UNSCOM has inspected them in the past.

Iraq repeatedly restricted UNSCOM's ability to obtain necessary evidence. For example, Iraq obstructed UNSCOM's effort to photograph bombs related to its chemical weapons program.

It tried to stop an UNSCOM biological weapons team from videotaping a site and photocopying documents and prevented Iraqi personnel from answering UNSCOM's questions.

Prior to the inspection of another site, Iraq actually emptied out the building, removing not just documents but even the furniture and the equipment.

Iraq has failed to turn over virtually all the documents requested by the inspectors. Indeed, we know that Iraq ordered the destruction of weapons-related documents in anticipation of an UNSCOM inspection.

So Iraq has abused its final chance.

As the UNSCOM reports concludes, and again I quote, "Iraq's conduct ensured that no progress was able to be made in the fields of disarmament.

"In light of this experience, and in the absence of full cooperation by Iraq, it must regrettably be recorded again that the commission is not able to conduct the work mandated to it by the Security Council with respect to Iraq's prohibited weapons program."

In short, the inspectors are saying that even if they could stay in Iraq, their work would be a sham.

Saddam's deception has defeated their effectiveness. Instead of the inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the inspectors.

This situation presents a clear and present danger to the stability of the Persian Gulf and the safety of people everywhere. The international community gave Saddam one last chance to resume cooperation with the weapons inspectors. Saddam has failed to seize the chance.

And so we had to act and act now.

Let me explain why.

First, without a strong inspection system, Iraq would be free to retain and begin to rebuild its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs in months, not years.

Second, if Saddam can crippled the weapons inspection system and get away with it, he would conclude that the international community -- led by the United States -- has simply lost its will. He will surmise that he has free rein to rebuild his arsenal of destruction, and someday -- make no mistake -- he will use it again as he has in the past.

Third, in halting our air strikes in November, I gave Saddam a chance, not a license. If we turn our backs on his defiance, the credibility of U.S. power as a check against Saddam will be destroyed. We will not only have allowed Saddam to shatter the inspection system that controls his weapons of mass destruction program; we also will have fatally undercut the fear of force that stops Saddam from acting to gain domination in the region.

That is why, on the unanimous recommendation of my national security team -- including the vice president, the secretary of defense, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the secretary of state and the national security adviser -- I have ordered a strong, sustained series of air strikes against Iraq.

They are designed to degrade Saddam's capacity to develop and deliver weapons of mass destruction, and to degrade his ability to threaten his neighbors.

At the same time, we are delivering a powerful message to Saddam. If you act recklessly, you will pay a heavy price. We acted today because, in the judgment of my military advisers, a swift response would provide the most surprise and the least opportunity for Saddam to prepare.

If we had delayed for even a matter of days from Chairman Butler's report, we would have given Saddam more time to disperse his forces and protect his weapons.

Also, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins this weekend. For us to initiate military action during Ramadan would be profoundly offensive to the Muslim world and, therefore, would damage our relations with Arab countries and the progress we have made in the Middle East.

That is something we wanted very much to avoid without giving Iraq's a month's head start to prepare for potential action against it.

Finally, our allies, including Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain, concurred that now is the time to strike. I hope Saddam will come into cooperation with the inspection system now and comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. But we have to be prepared that he will not, and we must deal with the very real danger he poses.

So we will pursue a long-term strategy to contain Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction and work toward the day when Iraq has a government worthy of its people.

First, we must be prepared to use force again if Saddam takes threatening actions, such as trying to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction or their delivery systems, threatening his neighbors, challenging allied aircraft over Iraq or moving against his own Kurdish citizens.

The credible threat to use force, and when necessary, the actual use of force, is the surest way to contain Saddam's weapons of mass destruction program, curtail his aggression and prevent another Gulf War.

Second, so long as Iraq remains out of compliance, we will work with the international community to maintain and enforce economic sanctions. Sanctions have cost Saddam more than $120 billion -- resources that would have been used to rebuild his military. The sanctions system allows Iraq to sell oil for food, for medicine, for other humanitarian supplies for the Iraqi people.

We have no quarrel with them. But without the sanctions, we would see the oil-for-food program become oil-for-tanks, resulting in a greater threat to Iraq's neighbors and less food for its people.

The hard fact is that so long as Saddam remains in power, he threatens the well-being of his people, the peace of his region, the security of the world.

The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government -- a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people. Bringing change in Baghdad will take time and effort. We will strengthen our engagement with the full range of Iraqi opposition forces and work with them effectively and prudently.

The decision to use force is never cost-free. Whenever American forces are placed in harm's way, we risk the loss of life. And while our strikes are focused on Iraq's military capabilities, there will be unintended Iraqi casualties.

Indeed, in the past, Saddam has intentionally placed Iraqi civilians in harm's way in a cynical bid to sway international opinion.

We must be prepared for these realities. At the same time, Saddam should have absolutely no doubt if he lashes out at his neighbors, we will respond forcefully.

Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam defies the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors. He will make war on his own people.

And mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them.

Because we're acting today, it is less likely that we will face these dangers in the future.

Let me close by addressing one other issue. Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down.

But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America's vital interests, we will do so.

In the century we're leaving, America has often made the difference between chaos and community, fear and hope. Now, in the new century, we'll have a remarkable opportunity to shape a future more peaceful than the past, but only if we stand strong against the enemies of peace.

Tonight, the United States is doing just that. May God bless and protect the brave men and women who are carrying out this vital mission and their families. And may God bless America.

Here's the link from CNN. http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/16/transcripts/clinton.html

Really, at this point in time, only a damn fool would take anything the man says at face value. Sadly, there is no shortage of fools.

Another view of the Georgian -Russian Conflict

2008-08-26T18:07:00.002-04:00

Naturally, everything one reads needs fact-checking and should be taken with a grain of salt. That said, this is a must read that contradicts the conventional wisdom that the Georgian president started it.

One More Reason Not to Join the EU

2008-08-26T17:32:00.002-04:00

Sheesh. Congrats, working men and women of Europe, you now get to pay the bills for yet another bloated, failed (sorry, failing)bureaucracy.

Let me 'splain something to you. Here is the important bit of the story.

But most of the package was earmarked for long-term projects while many Arab donors have not met their commitments, leaving the Palestinian government struggling to pay public employees over recent months.

"The situation is very, very tight, for sure," a top official from prime minister Salam Fayyad's office said this week, according to Reuters.

The Palestinian Authority employs some 160,000 public servants and their salaries cost €82 million monthly - covered by foreign aid.

While part of the EU cash should be spent on salaries, pensions, social aid to the poorest families and fuel for Gaza's electricity power plant, part of it has already been earmarked for priority projects such as the construction of new security forces headquarters in Nablus.

The PA is more concerned about keeping its own power through a well trained, well armed security force than anything else. This should not be news to anyone. The second, more important note is that most Arab donors have not met their commitments.

Folks, this is not new. Without the imagery of Palestinians (sigh, Palestine was a region, not a country, and none of this would be necessary if neighboring Arab countries took these people in, but I digress.) suffering, there is no humanitarian plight. Without a humanitarian plight, it is impossible to make Israel look like the bad guy.

Subsidize the pension plans of the PA so they can keep blowing up Jews. Christ, and I thought we had shitty foreign policy on this side of the pond.

Protests?

2008-08-10T15:18:00.002-04:00

When the US went into Iraq, there were protest marches around the world. After all, a genocidal dictator is better than anything that would be left in the wake of an American invasion. Yep, just check your history, and I'm sure you will reach the same conclusions.

Now Russia is kicking the shit out of Georgia (no, not the one Atlanta is in) and there is not a peep from Europe. It's a new story, but I don't see college students chanting with picket signs, or volunteering to be human shields.

Come on, all you picket waving world changers, where are you?

Not in the NY Times, but Good News in Iraq

2008-07-06T19:09:00.002-04:00

Mosul is being cleared out, and Iraqi forces are now in charge of security in 10 of the 18 provinces. In my not always humble opinion, Iraq will soon work out a national oil profit sharing deal that will bring about something akin to nationalism instead of the old tribalism.

With an improving economy and a military more able to stand alone, we will be able to withdraw shortly. The funny thing is, the next president, who will have had nothing to do with this, will get the credit for getting us out.

Is there anything the Obamessiah cannot do?

Nope, no Nuclear Program in Iraq

2008-07-06T18:30:00.002-04:00

Yellowcake? What yellowcake? Ignore the man behind the curtain, and ignore the 550 metric tons of yellowcake. That was not for a nuclear program, it was for...

Snacks! Everyone loves snackycakes! Devil Derkas, Al-Aksa Bits, Anti-Zionist Dogs, Martyrcakes in 72 pristine wrappers!

/sarcasm

A Shirt I May Have to Order

2008-06-29T14:19:00.001-04:00

5-4

2008-06-29T14:09:00.002-04:00

In the good news this week, 5 Supreme Court Justices were able to identify a specifically enumerated right in the Constitution, and admit that it is there.

In the bad news this week, 4 Justices apparently could not. One would think that after managing to find rights that have never been in the founding documents, these legal sages could muster up some basic reading comprehension skills.

Stupid Oil Question

2008-06-29T13:46:00.002-04:00

One of the arguments that some lefty friends at work bring up is this; "drilling more domestic oil will not do anything to reduce the price at the pump...it could take 5 to 10 years to see results".

First, I point out that some of us have been screaming about domestic production for over 10 years. Which would mean that we could have had more domestic supply, less interest in the Middle East, and maybe have not been drawn into...whatever. Second, if that logic is valid, why should I try to reduce my carbon footprint? It won't help right away, ergo the effort is futile.

I hold someone up to their own standard, and suddenly, I'm the bad guy...sheesh.

Renewable Energy Now! Wait...we have to study that first

2008-06-29T13:37:00.003-04:00

NIMBY and payola still reign supreme. Project WhateverItIsToday sounds great, but we have to examine it's environmental impact, perform exhaustive studies, and make sure it is not in the backyard of anyone who matters.

It's not important that we harness renewable energy sources...just that we talk about it. If it sounds like we are trying, we all get participation trophies!

Light Blogging

2008-06-29T13:34:00.002-04:00

It's not much of an excuse, but the real world has had plenty of distractions of late, so not much has been updated here. However, given the rapid-fire series of major events, I'll have to start ranting once more.

Be gentle, it's been a while.

Sigh.

2008-05-16T18:47:00.002-04:00

Another stellar week by our elected representatives. W wants to offer the Saudis nuclear energy. They should have plenty of energy, by my calculations...and hey, what could go wrong if the House of Saud had nukes?

On the other side, dems in the senate inserted a provision in the Iraq funding bill to give a 5 year amnesty visa to illegals in this country who are working in agriculture.

It would be nice to have someone in our government who was on America's side for a change.

The Everlasting Goopstopper

2008-05-16T17:49:00.002-04:00

I know how I am going to die. I am convinced that I will meet my maker due to a bout with testicular cancer. This condition will be brought on by prolonged exposure to a wholly unnatural product. It's a seemingly innocuous household item, but I maintain that it is concentrated evil. I'll come back to that in a moment.

My wife cooks, and I do the dishes. It's not that I want to do the dishes, it's more the fact that she won't. Some people don't do windows, she doesn't do dishes. To those who would ask, yes, we have a dishwasher. But anyone who has lived with a chef has seen that every pot and pan in a 4 mile radius seems to get used in the meal preparation process, so the dishwasher is a help, not a solution.

In an effort to cut back on the water bill, she has taken a liking to a new dishwashing product. This distilled and re-scented semen of the Desolate One is known as Dawn Direct Foam. This stuff is beyond strange.

For those of you who are not familiar with this soon to be removed from retail shelves bottle of blasphemy, I'll explain. A small pump of this soap is placed on a damp sponge, and then it never goes away. That one pump can scrub the dishes from Thanksgiving, and with one squeeze, the sponge is still soapy. It never stops. The suds just keep coming.

The fact that the soap never ends would be a little funny if it wasn't for the fact that it will one day lead to my aforementioned case of nut cancer. All the water one saves during the washing process is wasted in the few minutes one takes to try to rinse the sponge out.

Rinse, squeeze, rinse, leave water running, squeeze, squeeze, douse, squeeze, rinse, ahhhh, to hell with it. The still slightly soapy sponge goes back as is, because, really...I don't have the hours nor the supply of fresh water needed to get Beelzebub's ball batter out of the damn sponge.

So, that's how I'm going to die. I only hope that the ensuing litigation against the parent company pays enough to pay the water bill and my funeral.

Colorado Dreaming

2008-05-16T17:36:00.002-04:00

Just a heads up, the Senate's Appropriations Committee blocked an amendment that would have ended a moratorium on shale oil development in Colorado.

So to sum up, our oil policy is:

1) Don't drill in ANWR.
2) Don't drill in the Gulf, even though Cuba and China are.
3) Stymie development of shale oil domestically, and that which comes from Canada.
4) Don't review tax policy as it relates to oil prices and the economy.
5) Don't add any refining capacity.
6) Don't standardize a more narrow band of oil grades.

If one's goal was to lessen any chance we have at energy independence, this would be a good start.

Selecting hearing, or selective outrage?

2008-05-16T17:34:00.003-04:00

Others have asked this question, but it struck me as a good one, so I'll put it out there.

How did Obama think he heard a personal attack in Bush's speech in Israel, but never heard anything unsavory in 20 years with Wright as his pastor?

Bottom Line Question

2008-04-20T15:31:00.002-04:00

As I've said before, I consider myself a social liberal, fiscal conservative, military hawk, center rightish libertarian. Essentially, if I can keep the Right out of my bedroom and the Left out of my wallet, I'm a happy camper.

Then along comes political season. Everyone begins looking to the government for solutions to the issues of the day. Why? I mean, with all due respect to the average citizen, WTF?

There seems to be a universally accepted truth in politics, no matter what one's affiliation is. That truth is simply this; most politicians cannot be trusted, and the government screws up almost everything they do.

Here is where I part company with many Republicans, and most Democrats. Past performance is often a good indicator of future behavior. If the government screws up almost everything they touch, why do we continue to ask, expect, hell, demand that they do more?

Oil prices, the sub-prime crisis, healthcare, these are all things that have people clamoring for a government solution. In God's name, WHY? Is there any reasonable expectation that whatever centralized solutions are devised will actually make things better?

I'll never understand the mental masturbation that takes place here. Feelings trump reason, and desire and effort are lauded as accomplishments. It's more important to feel, or try than to do. This isn't pussified pee wee soccer. There are no participation trophys, yet that is the way things seem to work.

Fuck that. I'm with Yoda on this one, do, or do not. There is no try.

Grab your ankles, folks. Nothing is going to be fixed in this cycle, but it going to cost us.

Hillary Ono

2008-03-29T19:27:00.002-04:00

I wish I could give credit to whoever came up with this analogy, as it makes its point beautifully.

If Hillary Clinton should be credited with White House and national security experience, we have to accept that Yoko Ono was one of the Beatles.

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

2008-03-29T18:27:00.003-04:00

Stunned silence, and I was almost dragged out of church. How the hell did I get here?

Ah, yes. Early in the week, there was a simple, happy time. As I work for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, I was to have paid days off on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. For the record, I still contend that calling Good Friday good in the context of what happened on that day is disrespectful on a grand scale at best, but I digress.

There I was, a nice, easy half week ahead of me. Then it happened. One of our networking crew had an unfortunate death in the family, and could not make it to that department's scheduled Cisco training. Out of the blue, I was asked if I would like to go. Hmm, a $3,000 Cisco class... that I will need long term anyway... sold! So much for those two days off, but the trade off was well worth it.

A little detail was left out in all this. This class was the latter class for CCNA prep. This class was not for people who do not do networking on a regular basis. This was sending a white belt in to spar with UFC contenders. This was akin to taking Spanish 1 in high school, and then taking Spanish Lit in college, taught entirely en espanol.

Each day I left class a little dumber, and I'm not sure I spelled my name right on the sign in sheet on Friday. Since then, I've gotten my hands on the materials for the class I should have been in, and some things are falling into place. I would also like to add parenthetically that whoever decided on Base 2 instead of Base 10 for IP addressing... if you are still alive, I hope you slip in a puddle of AIDS.

My poor wife was as understanding as one who was not in that class could have been. My IQ had been quartered. I had post traumatic shock. 30 minutes before we had to be in church, I realized that she meant for us to go to the Easter Vigil Mass, and I should probably get ready. I don't doubt that she indicated her preference clearly, my addled brain just wasn't processing anything very well.

It had been a while since I had attended Mass. As I approached, flames roared higher in the church, eerily flickering through the stained glass. Fortunately, it was not my presence, as I first thought. A piece of paper fell onto the display of Paschal candles, and one of the ushers immediately handled it in the vestibule. Innocuous, but off-putting from the outside. Easter Vigil... Easter Vigil... Ah, yes. This is the one Mass where the Catholic church makes up for the general lack of scripture reading by reading the ENTIRE FREAKIN OLD TESTAMENT.

Sorry. I exaggerate, it only felt like the entire Old Testament. On top of my brains, sanity, and patience being at dangerous lows, a few things happened in church.

The priest sing-songed every syllable. Nice touch for an Alleluia, but it gets to be a bit much.

At some point, a wannabe movie announcer guy joined our parish. His delivery was complete with the long, unnecessary dramatic pauses every 4 to 7 words. "the water was as a wall............... on the left.......... and on the right............ " For someone who talks as fast as I do, this is physically painful.

I think it was in the 5th or so reading when critical mass was achieved. The standard creation tale was given a politically correct Cliff's Notes treatment. God made man, male and female... I'm pretty sure there should have been something about a rib instead of the way it was read, but I was out of sorts, and correcting someone at the pulpit just would not be taken well. In the midst of Abraham preparing to use his son as a holocaust (yep, PC approach for Creation, but why not use one of the most provocative words in the language instead of saying "sacrifice"?) when it happened.

My wife sensed my ill ease, and looked up at me quizzically. All I could do is look down and try to convey my feelings cleanly, and quietly. Apparently, this came out of me in a half growled, half whispered "whiskey tango foxtrot". There was a moment of quiet as she processed it. There was a stunned silence, and this is about where this post began.

Best. Headline. Ever.

2008-03-03T19:43:00.000-05:00

The Force is stong in these writers.

A polite huh?

2008-03-02T10:08:00.002-05:00

Ok then, UC Berkeley is negotiating with a Saudi university. Is fair to say that this never would have happened with a South African university not all that long ago?

I just don't get it. Of course, the list of things I don't get is staggeringly long and varied.

Chris Matthews in a Brutal Moment

2008-02-21T02:00:00.001-05:00

It's from Hillary's campaign, but a fair question was asked. Click the link and watch this video.

Today's Winning Story

2008-02-20T22:45:00.001-05:00

As bad as Philly can be, at least I'm not paying taxes in San Francisco.

Magic Bullet Man

2008-02-18T17:51:00.003-05:00

Ugh. Our illustrious senator from Pennsylavania is at it again. First, he gave us the magic bullet theory. In the Clinton impeachment, he chose to ignore law and precedent, borrowing instead from Scottish law to vote "not proven". Recently, he has tried to make himself the Senate's unelected NFL investigator.

Then this most recent brainfart. In an effort to address the congressional boneheaded move that allowed FISA to expire, Arlen came up with this gem. Instead of immunity, lawsuits against telecoms would be allowed to go forward, and would make the federal government subject to such suits.

Now, God knows I have little faith in the competence of our government. That said, the methodology used by the intel community would certainly come up in any such trial. Why not just make an imam-friendly website detailing all of our intel standard operating procedures and buy some advertising time on Al Jazeera?

The International Community is Finally Interested

2008-02-18T01:44:00.002-05:00

Not much to add here, this opinion piece is done very well. International law, justice, keeping peace, and when the lines blur.

Another Tax Note

2008-02-17T15:33:00.002-05:00

I'm sure there is a good answer for this, but...

If DC does not have true representation in the halls of Congress, why in the hell do they get saddled with federal taxes? Isn't "taxation without representation" one of the most basic issues in American history?

Either grant the district representation, or exempt it from federal taxes. Of course, if that were to happen, every business in the country (world) would establish a presence there, more jobs would be created, poverty, and ideally crime would face a downturn...

Yeah, never gonna happen.

Even WIth Representation, Taxes Suck, but...

2008-02-17T15:30:00.001-05:00

Without representation, they are worse. This link is for our VA residents.

Gun Free Zone Folly

2008-02-16T16:39:00.002-05:00

7 people are dead at Northern Illinois University. I cannot begin to comprehend how this happened, as the shootings took place in a gun free zone.

Unlcear on the Concept

2008-02-16T16:09:00.003-05:00

This past week our representatives in the House let wiretap provisions lapse without providing alternatives, and the Senate voted to limit the intel community to interrogation techniques prescribed in the Army Field Manual.

The USMC has also been treated like a red headed stepchild (something I am intimately familiar with) in Berkeley and Toledo.

There is so much I wanted to blog about this week, but I am absolutely disgusted with politics and society in general. None of this is new, and I am not surprised. It's just some days it hits with more force than others.

New Bionic Worm from China

2008-02-16T16:03:00.002-05:00

The hits just keep coming. I have to give the worm's designers full marks for creativity. Digital picture frames? How many average people think about scanning peripherals before just plugging them in?

Things like this are precisely why some companies prevent users from using CD drives, USB flash drives, floppies, etc. The arms race continues.

Biofuels worse than oil?

2008-02-09T15:37:00.000-05:00

Once again, the cure is worse than the disease. Biofuels have a greater impact, hybrids have a greater impact, and yet we should all be "greener".

I'm going to keep up my habits, because it seems my ogre-like ways still have smaller carbon footprint than those of your average well-intentioned nanny state nancies.

Time to Just Shut it, Bill

2008-01-27T01:39:00.000-05:00

This is linked to the New Republic's blog, a link I saw courtesy of Instapundit. Bill has crossed every line of decorum that has ever been for ex presidents, and is now officially playing with fire.

The man has never done or said anything accidentally. Pointing out that Jesse Jackson won South Carolina twice is either;

1-A shot at Jackson for endorsing Obama.
2-A move to more fully ID Obama as the "black" candidate, not a uniter.
3-A subtle play to undermine his wife's campaign.

I'm not smart enough to figure out the motivation, but it was a dick move. I can't decide if he wants to derail her campaign, or if getting an incredibly unlikable woman with colossal unfavorables in the polls elected is his next Mt. Everest.

Cowboys in the Playoffs

2008-01-19T23:36:00.001-05:00

Oh, wait, nevermind...they haven't won a playoff game in ten years. My bad. All you Romosexuals can toss my salad.

Fighting for Free Speech in Canada

2008-01-19T23:24:00.000-05:00

This story has made its rounds on the net, but this gentleman should be heard by anyone who has ever cringed at political correctness. The short version of the story is as follows.

Ezra Levant was one of the few in the western world to publish the now infamous Mohammed cartoons. An imam decided that his human rights were violated by this printing, and filed a claim with the Alberta Human Rights Commission. This body compelled Ezra to testify, and the videos of the proceedings made me want to stand up and cheer.

Heh. Ha. WhooHoo! Bwahahaha!

2008-01-19T23:03:00.000-05:00

This is just funny. Celebrity opinions on politics should be ignored or mocked, but somehow, I'm ok with this.

Simple Trends

2008-01-19T22:50:00.000-05:00

Ireland is in the midst of a fiscal renaissance, and it started with doing what with taxes?

There is a little thing that every retailer is able to comprehend, and it so often escapes government types. If you lower your prices a bit, you will end up making more money in increased volume of activity. That's why stores have sales.

Every time taxes are lowered, economic activity picks up. It becomes more attractive, more profitable, to move capital into play where the ROI is greater. Unfortunately, our government has a history of spending like drunken sailors, so the increased revenue is quickly pissed away.

Maybe this model will be noticed by France and other tax first, wonder why there aren't any jobs later crowd.

Format Wars

2008-01-10T19:02:00.000-05:00

Warner Brothers has opted for BluRay, the Sony HD format for its products. With the 800 pound gorilla on Sony's side, the format war is all but over. I'd look for PS3 sales to go up sharply.

Great game system, BluRay player, fully networkable to download firmware updates? Yes please.

Combine this news with the recent price drop of the PS3, and some execs at Sony are probably sleeping much better.

Movies subject to campaign finance laws?

2008-01-10T18:56:00.000-05:00

Linked here is an odd story. Bushwhacked, and Michael Moore's F9-11 were both very political, and strong works against a particular candidate.

Orwell was right, some animals are more equal than others.

Happy Birthday

2008-01-02T17:12:00.000-05:00

Today is my brother's birthday, and as I marvel at how quickly so many years have gotten by us, I realize how fortunate I am. My brother is one of the great ones, and I count myself as blessed to know him.

It is a rare individual who completely defies labels. Serious with the capacity for silliness, a jock and yet a geek (I'm a geek too, that is said with love), a cynic who can still be caught up in wide-eyed wonder.

There is so much more to say, but I'll keep it simple.
Happy birthday, Chris.

A Dish Best Served Cold

2007-12-16T21:32:00.000-05:00

If any Eagles fans needed any more motivation for this week's game, all they had to do was check out Wade Phillip's press conference this week. Anyone who is curious can find the offending bit at the 11:25 mark. Wade laughed dismissively at the prospect of facing the Eagles. Ouch. That's not out of context, check it for yourselves at http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia_ce...4112435161DBBE6.

Never give a division team bulletin board material. All that said, a legit target for McNabb, and one more piece on D, and this team is back in the thick of it. Now, on to the game.

This game featured the most staggeringly brilliant football play I've seen in years, and some on field decisions that would make voting Hillary look reasonable in comparison.

To wit...AJ Feeley, our backup QB, managed to draw a penalty flag without even being in the field of play. Not since Columbus ended up in the New World while trying to find China has someone been so ludicrously off course. He somehow drifted to the sideline during a play, and accidentally tripped a referee who was running down the sideline. Ugh.

Q...Quentin Mikell, who I like as a player f'd up. He intercepted a pass in the end zone, and took off. Surrounded by teammates who were screaming for him to just get down, he took off, fumbling the ball, and giving Dallas a first down in the red zone.

Roy Williams, the reason for the Horsecollar Rule in the NFL still doesn't get it. A horse collar is a lazy, and very dangerous way to bring someone down. While running behind them, instead of tackling them, one grips the back of the shoulder pads while dropping down, dragging the victim down and backwards. Due to the fact that a player is strapped into his pads, the victim goes down at a rude, awkward angle, frequently resulting in injury. The NFL has made this a personal foul, punishable by 15 yards, and, in most cases, a fine. Roy Williams had one tonight on McNabb. One would think he'd learn after being fined already this year, but c'est la vie.

There were a few highlights, but the best had to be Westbrook's final play of the game. With about two minutes left, and with Dallas out of time outs, Westbrook broke free for a 24 yard gain. Most normal players would see the end zone, and break the plane for the score. Not Westbrook. In a display of football IQ that one just does not ever witness, he stopped at the 1 yard line, and dropped. If he had scored, Dallas would have gotten the ball back, and who knows what might have transpired.

Instead, McNabb took a couple knees, winding the clock down to nothing, and the Eagles beat the Cowboys in their house. Dallas had not scored less than 24 points all season, and today they were put on lockdown.

Damn, this has been a good day.

Reader Feedback

2007-12-10T15:59:00.000-05:00

It is painfully apparent that the Eagles are in dire need of a wide receiver who can do 2 things, which are get open and catch the ball. I honestly don't know about their abilities to do the latter, as the former is a pre-requisite which they have yet to demonstrate. McNabb's ability to run out of the pocket quickly enough to avoid a sack is diminishing with his age and continuous seasons of injuries. Thus, it is becoming more important that his receiving corps get better. Unfortunately, they continue to go through a revolving door every season, making timing of routes and adjusting to individual players very difficult. A QB is only half of the equation when passing the ball.

I got this in email from dclemming today, and have to agree completely with his assessment. One of the most disconcerting parts about the organization is the thought process and public statements of the Eagles Capologist, Joe Banner. When McNabb mentioned what a challenge it was to develop timing and chemistry with a new set of receivers every year, Banner said publicly that 5 was wrong, and out of line.

As well he should, after all, Banner played quarterback at a high level for...wait...maybe, no...Hmmm. But, he was on a local show last week, explaining his philosophy. Apparently, he does not evaluate receivers as individuals. He looks at the collective "skill positions" and thinks the birds are fine. Yes, you guessed it. That group includes Brian Westbrook.

News flash...if you have Jennifer Alba, Roseanne Barr, Linda Tripp, and Hillary Clinton, you do not have a fine group. You have a standout, and a group of trolls who I couldn't bang if you made me a tequila and viagra smoothie.

Another laugher...Banner said with a measure of pride that the Eagles spent more on receivers than the Pats did this year. Good show. At first I thought he was just cheap, now I see that his judgement is a bigger problem.

Mcnabb needs a real target. He is not as nimble as before. We have also seen what he can do with legit weapons. With Owens, and with Stallworth, the Eagles had an unstoppable offense. With Na Brown, Torrance Small, Todd Pinkston, Freddie Mitchell, Charles Johnson, Billy McMullen, James Thrash and friends, even Brady and Manning would seem pedestrian.

Next year, I want OchoCinco, via free agency, and picks one and two to be on a WR and TE respectively.

5 is Back

2007-12-08T11:10:00.000-05:00

McNabb is back for tomorrow's game, and I could not be happier. 5 is the best quarterback this team has had since Jaworski. Hmm, and as memory serves, people screamed that Jaws sucked in his day too. Anyhoo, the best thing this team could do would be to surround Donovan with weapons, or, failing that, run the offense they run when he's not in the game.

If he goes to another team, he is almost sure to end up with a ring. Teams like the Vikings and Bears are poised for championship runs, and just need a couple pieces. I'd spend the rest of my days slapping negadelphians if 5 won elsewhere.

Mere mortals, trifle not with the football gods. Appreciate the positive when you have it, or suffer mightily for it. San Diego insulted the football gods, and are paying the price for such folly. Let it not be so in Philly.

Trends in Mass Shootings

2007-12-08T10:28:00.000-05:00

Has anyone noticed that the most recent mass murders/shootings have all occurred in gun free zones? Now for the cliched, dumb question...how can shootings take place in gun free zones?

Ah, right. People who break laws by definition don't obey them, leaving only the law abiding to deal with the real world effects of well intentioned (read often silly and usually counterproductive) legislation.

It follows as common sense that multiple shootings are more likely to occur when a shooter is all but guaranteed zero return fire. In such a situation, what can the law abiding do? Duck, die, pray, wait for the shooter to reload, and bum rush them, or hope the shooter runs out, or takes his/her own life.

Those choices suck. Since someone has created the environment in which this is possible, does someone have the ironic responsibility to ensure better armed protection for these zones? If law or public policy rule out effective self defense, should the authors of such policy be held liable for the consequences? Given today's litigious society, how long before a NRA lawyer tries this out?

I for one, would love to see more liberalized gun ownership, with many more carry permits issued. It won't happen, but I'd like to see it. Or, as another blogger pointed out, we could just declare Iraq a gun free zone, and bring our troops home. I'm sure the violence would end.

Best Sandwich in the Universe

2007-11-12T18:50:00.000-05:00

Ok, it's the best sandwich in the country, but I'm sometimes prone to hyperbole. As a general rule, the food blogging is done by my lovely and talented wife, but this outing deserves a mention in my too infrequent ramblings.

We went to Vesuvio's in South Philly to sample the Cheesesteak BLT, the sandwich that the Today Show dubbed the best in the land. I was expecting the place to be style over substance, full of trendy whiny Gen X and Y types. Man, was I pleasantly surprised.

Although there is a full restaurant there, we hit the bar. The bar is full of local autographed team jerseys (Jon Runyan does a local radio show there on occasion), and has a great neighborhood pub feel. Micros on draft, well appointed bar, good bartenders, it's the kind of bar there really should be more of in the world.

We started with the calamari appetizer. This had to be the biggest, meatiest squid I've seen. The rings were the size of small onion rings, and they were coated with sourdough pretzel crust instead of the everyday breadcrumbs. Meaty, cooked perfectly, little extra salty goodness, drool, drool.

Then the sandwiches came out. Amazing bread, fillet, crisp bacon, sriracha mayo, provolone, lettuce (I don't do raw tomato). I took the first bite, my eyes widened, and I put the sandwich down.

I've never put a sandwich down to savor it between bites. I've set a couple down, but it was to talk, sip a beverage, or just get a better grip before the continuation of a feeding frenzy. This sandwich deserved, and got better. Every bite was savored, and each was sublime. This sandwich was a reminder of what food can be.

In a world of haughty chefs and pretentious food, this was a revelation. Forgive a bad analogy, but the late Bruce Lee once said "...before I studied the art, a punch was just a punch, a kick was just a kick. When I was studying the art, a punch was no longer just a punch. Now that I understand the art, a punch is really just a punch, a kick is just a kick." Too many foodies are stuck in that middle stage. Overanalysis is all they know, and I cannot help but wonder if they can still find the joy in simple things.

I had a cheesesteak. To anyone who can appreciate life's small wonders, I strongly recommend this one. You'll not be disappointed.

Cowboys vs Eagles, and the Aftermath

2007-11-05T21:17:00.000-05:00

Wow. That game was physically painful to watch. All I wanted was for it to end. Imagine being assraped, but tightening up and pushing back against your assailant, hoping to end the indignities as quickly as possible. I just wanted to be alone with the pain and shame.

The Cowboys are the class of the NFC. Granted, that is like taking first prize in the Special Olympics, but it's the conference we're in. Since I have been surrounded by cock-a-roaches (pronounced like Tony Montana would in the movie Scarface)and mouth breathing negadelphians, I thought I might vent a bit, and examine this team.

For those not from the area, cockroaches are the term of choice to describe Cowboys fans born and raised in the Philadelphia region. They are soulless little monsters who saw a shiny blue star in their formative years as they ate Thanksgiving dinner from a small card table. Just because some boomer men failed to pull out, I'm surrounded by these idiots. If you've never been to Texas, or farther west than Lancaster, your Dallas fanhood is hereby lawyered.

Anyway, on to a sober analysis of my team. The coach is going through hell in his personal life. That said, only in our celebrity driven culture would a man be expected to quit his job to take care of two twentysomethings. They're men. Next.

The quarterback situation....McNabb will have a ring before he retires. I'm not sure if the fans or management grasp this. He is not a great quarterback, but he is damn good. Some of his mobility has faded, and the playcalling/staffing has not adjusted properly.

To wit-when McNabb has been out with injuries, the Eagles have run the ball 10-15% more. Hmmm....run the ball, shorten the game, help your defense, protect your QB, win games. Next, for an offensive playstyle that is so pass-wacky, management has failed to develop, sign, and/or hold on to viable playmaking receivers. In the short stints where we had targets, 5 led one of the NFL's most prolific offenses. Worth noting.

That brings up a troubling argument from the last offseason. McNabb mentioned in an interview that it was a pain having to develop timing and chemistry with a completely new receiving corp every year. Joe Banner chided the quarterback for making a public statement that didn't sound like Hosannas to the great and powerful Lurie, going so far to insinuate that it didn't matter. Joe Banner is a great accountant, and one of the best salary cap managers in the game. To the best of my knowledge, however, he has yet to throw a pass in the NFL.

Instead of signing Stallworth, or Moss, or Chambers (recently traded from Miami to SD), they signed Curtis. Curtis is smart, fast, and has good hands. But he is a natural slot receiver. He was a 3 for St. Louis. James Thrash was a 3 for the Redskins, and the Eagles tried to make him a 1. I'll never get my head around the philosophy that the system is so good, they can just plug anyone in, experience and logic to the contrary.

Alright then...there is always the draft. Did they get a playmaking tight end, or a receiver to help the team win, and address a need? Hell, no! They traded down, completely out of the first round to get quarterback. Worse, they traded down to the Cowboys. The 'boys grabbed a defensive end from Purdue who now has twice as many tackles as Jevon Kearse. I'm just saying.

McNabb and Westbrook are the only offensive playmakers. Kearse is done, Dawkins is done, Runyan and Thomas have maybe 2 years left a piece, best case. No one is going to admit it, but this team is rebuilding, not competing. Here's to the draft.

Definition of an Argument

2007-11-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

Argument- A discussion in which the second party has not yet realized that I am right.

Your Superbowl MVP, Al Gore

2007-10-15T16:54:00.000-04:00

Sadly, that doesn't seem that far-fetched to me. Gore has won an Oscar and the Nobel Peace Prize already for his tireless campaign to have everyone but him fight global climate change. I bet he flew coach and took a Prius to the....sorry, I'm laughing to hard to finish the cheap shot.

Back up...the Nobel Peace Prize? Ah. Of course. The one or two degree change in mean surface temperature will have a corollary effect of longer growing seasons, yielding more food across the globe, which will lead to starvation and conflict...

He read the IPCC report, right? Oh well, why let facts get in the way of a good award ceremony?

In all fairness, it is a meaningless award after Kofi, Carter, and Arafat have won...but still. I'd like to have a couple illusions of grandeur in the world.

Eagles Win, Cowboys Lose

2007-10-15T16:39:00.000-04:00

Despite the win, many negadelphians are crying that it was ugly, and that Donovan will not be here next year. Some of the problems this offense has are due to 5, but not in the way that many think.

For years, McNabb has been exceptionally quick and elusive. His scrambles frequently bought the receivers another 5-7 seconds to get open. This has actually hurt the team, in my not so humble opinion. Because he can buy that time, he has made awful receivers look average, and average receivers look good. When he got to play with a legit #1 target, the team ran over the conference.

After injuries, he is no longer the escape artist of the past. Sadly, the team has not surrounded him with weapons, but has traded a first round pick to the Romosexuals, and picked up a possible quarterback of the future.

Contrast that if you will to the New England Video...err, Patriots. Despite having 3 rings, and just missing another Superbowl appearance, they added two quality receivers in Moss and Stallworth. Ugh.

If McNabb is not here much longer, I'll say right now that he will win a ring elsewhere. Given a coach who doesn't fear running the ball and a legit target for his passes, he's more than good enough.

Just look what having a running game and real receivers has done for a fraud like Romo.

The Newspaper of (Last Month's) Record

2007-10-15T16:35:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned before, Israel destroyed a purported Syrian WMD site on September 6th of this year. Over the weekend, the NY Times finally got around to reporting it. Next week, look for the 2004 election results.

Anti-nuke Strike on Syria

2007-10-06T10:33:00.000-04:00

In early September, Israel destroyed a Syrian weapon facility. This incident has had a number of interesting repercussions. First, it has called into question the effectiveness of the latest Russian anti-air systems.

Syria has spent billions upon billions building a comprehensive AA network to thwart Isreali attack. It's reasonable to assume that other countries like Iran are using the same technology. The silence coming from Syria, Russia, and Iran was deafening. Russia may be adopting a let the buyer beware mentality, and Syria and Iran are more aware than ever that they are not safe, despite their investment.

Domestically, the part of the story that disturbs me came from a blurb on ABC News. It seems that our government spent so much time obsessing over the quality of the intel that the window almost closed. Thank God for Israel.

Superbad

2007-10-05T19:26:00.000-04:00

This review is late, but this movie deserves to be checked out. Sadly, the main title music is not the "jump back, wanna kiss myself" awesome James Brown tume. That said, the movie is over the top, and balls out funny.

My coworker Justin summed it up best. This movie is the Citizen Kane of dick jokes. Take it for what it's worth.

Rage, Fury, and Family

2007-10-04T20:04:00.000-04:00

First, if this post offends anyone, I am sorry that they feel offended. This post is going to be intensely personal, and there is a good chance that I might be unfair. As a general rule, I try to be fair, even handed, and a frequent devil's advocate. Here, I make no such promises.

I have had issues with my father's wife for years. By years, I mean decades. Plural. That's okay, people are what they are, I usually have the patience of Job, and I was raised not to talk back. I've been so adaptable, that for almost 30 years, I've lived two distinctly differently lives, in which I am completely different people. In some circles, all I wanted was quiet, so I often pulled back, and was most alone in a crowded room. Later in life, I've seen the negative side effects there. Shown pictures of extended family, I'm hard pressed to identify most of them. Awkward.

It's exhausting, and it sucks. More importantly, I'm done with it. From here on out, I am living my life, one life, with my best friend/wife, friends, family, and whoever else is willing to be a part of it.

That phrasing sounds odd, I know. But there is a reason for it. There was a path that led to this point.

Let's rewind the clock to my brother's wedding. It was a beautiful, elegant, impeccably orchestrated affair. The bride was radiant, my brother a king in his court, all was better than one could have hoped for. I was the best man, which inspired no small amount of terror. An honor it may be, but that meant that public speaking was involved. I would rather shave my chest with a cheese grater than speak in public. Yes, you are welcome for the visual. Moving on.

My stepmother has never been able to hold her tongue when it comes to my mother. My mother has been disparaged at family gatherings, directly to me, etc, etc. One moment, years ago, when I gently asked for my mother not to be insulted, I was quickly dressed down, and read the riot act for suggesting what my father's wife should or should not say in her own house.

The issues I have had with her are legion, but this one fills me with cold fury. I know, and always have, that these two should never be in the same square mile, if only for my sanity, and to prevent my incarceration. When I was younger and dumber, I was engaged to another woman. The most frustrating part of the wedding planning process? Trying to determine who could be near whom, and if there would be any trouble.

That chapter closed, mercifully, and I found my soul mate. As we started to plan a wedding, the same issue came up. Call me old school, but anyone confronting my mother has a fight coming to them. It might not be right, nor rational, but there it is. With that in mind, we started to look at destination weddings. Distance could be a great equalizer. Lower attendance + distance = less chance for conflict.

Well, the best thing happened. We eloped. When asked by my father much later if an issue with my stepmother was the reason for doing it the way we did, I obfuscated. I said it was a concern, irrational as it may be, but not the reason. Well, it's not a total lie. It's not the reason we eloped, but it might be in the top 3.

Might? Christ, I'm a liar. Anyway...I went to both sides of the family before my brother's wedding, and made a simple wish clear. All I wanted was for both sides to coexist for a couple of hours. I even went so far as to threaten my mother with a ban on future grandchild visitation if she started anything.

Everything was set, and was going so well. Relatives from both sides of my family were chatting, catching up, and generally being pleasant. I was running around like a maniac, checking on people, babysitting where needed, and saw that it was working. I allowed myself to hope.

I'm a f'n idiot. In a quiet moment, my stepmother approached my mother and gleefully got in a passive aggressive, snarky crack. The crack wasn't even that bad, for all that could have been said. But it was made.

What kind of person risks ruining a wedding for a small minded verbal riposte? Did alcohol play a factor? It doesn't really matter. The only thing I have ever wanted was for this to go well, and this event nearly ruined my evening.

There was still a speech to give, and I was not going to cause a scene. Ever try to hold a microphone when all you really want to do is bounce it off someones head? Despite myself, I didn't totally screw up the speech. The night went on, again, magnicently, and time went forward.

So here I am, furious with my stepmother for what happened, reawakening everything that's gone before, yet trying to understand the why.

Why would someone risk ruining a wedding? Is it possible that she thought she'll never encounter my mother again? That this was the last chance to get a shot in? Hmm.

Earlier, I mentioned living two lives. For years, I have had two separate families, two Christmases, multi Easters, twin Thanksgivings. Hell, I even had two different wedding receptions. Those days are done. I'm too tired, too pissed off, too cranky to keep up the bullshit.

When my wife and I finish the house, there will be one housewarming party if we choose to have one. If we have a child, there will be one christening. I will not agonize over who has the ability to behave. My mother is part of my life, and always will be. This means she will be part of the landmark events in my life.

People can choose to understand that, and act accordingly, or they can choose not to be a part of my life. I'm so filled with fucking rage right now that I really don't care.

This is the beginning of a tirade, and not very well written. For that, my apologies. More rage will follow, I just cannot see straight or type well at the moment, let alone form cogent thoughts.

Phillies

2007-10-04T19:21:00.000-04:00

Ugh..I've said it before, but I will post it now. I would gladly trade the Phil's presence in the playoffs for a do-over and win for the Eagles over the Giants this past Sunday.

Those who know me have heard this ad nauseum, but baseball died for me in 1994 when the bastards cancelled the World Series. Wars don't cause the cancellation of the Series. Hell, an earthquake only cost the Series one game. But that year...that year, a strike called a halt to the season. I would have been fine with that if both sides hadn't started the predictable "..it's a shame that this is happening, because the fans are the ones who are suffering..."

If either side really cared about the fans, it never would have gotten to that point. Compound that with the home run friendly parks, corked bats, juiced balls, roided out freaks, and a Phillies team that took over 10 years to get to .500, and hell, it's been easy to stay away.

If their is a dark lord of sports, hear my offer now. I will gladly trade every future Phillies win for 3 Lombardi trophies for the Eagles over the next 10 years. Seriously. The Phillies can go 0 for the next millennium, just give me a couple Superbowl wins.

Al Gore Chides Bush for Overlooking Saddam's Terror Connection

2007-10-04T19:13:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the YouTube world. If you said it, someone might dredge it up and post it. Of course, this will not change any hearts or minds, but it is an interesing speech.

Bush the former was once Saddam's protector, and Al Gore was once a measured, calm, well spoken hawk? My, the difference a few years makes. Ever feel like you woke up on Opposite Day?

Phils in the playoffs?!?!

2007-09-30T17:31:00.000-04:00

Wow...Let the record show that for the first time in 14 years, the Philadelphia Phillies made me smile. I refused to watch baseball for years after the strike, and have seen only a half dozen games since '94.

Right up until this year, the Phils have done everything in their power to drive fans away. 10 years of sub .500 seasons, inept player personal departments, firing managers, rewarding non-performers, the list of this organization's sins against the fanbase, and against common sense borders on legendary.

Despite the manager, and despite the lackwitted ownership group, the Phils are in. I haven't been this happy about a baseball game since the Yankees redefined choke.

Guess who's back

2007-09-28T01:29:00.000-04:00

Yes, gentle readers, another lengthy hiatus comes to a close. This page will return with all the things that amuse, boggle, and infuriate me in short order. I've not vented my spleen here is some time, but we have weddings, moves, job situations, oh my!

There may also be a heavy dose of family inspired rants, and I would bet on more abuse piled on my favorite whipping boy, the human race.

Before I go, stop me if you've heard this one. A baby seal walks into a club...

Huge Priest Abuse Settlement

2007-07-15T22:57:00.000-04:00

Wow...there is such a thing as sexual abuse insurance. Beyond that, I don't quite know what to say here.

Define domestic

2007-07-09T23:10:00.000-04:00

Ok, I've been avoiding posting because more often than not it winds me up more than it provides a release. This one today from the AP is a perfect example. Reading the headlines, one would get the impression that the administration is after the phone calls of private citizens. The headline? "Court Rejects ACLU Domestic Spying Suit".

Only those who bother to read six paragraphs down might learn that "domestic" spying is strictly for international calls when one party is suspected of being connected to terrorism. The article doesn't go into details on FISA courts, or how many decades such programs have been around, that would provide a big picture.

For anyone interested, here is a Wiki link to the original program. I'm not a lawyer, nor a brain surgeon, but I am pretty sure that Bush wasn't in charge in 1978.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act_of_1978

Knocked Up

2007-06-06T00:36:00.001-04:00

My wife and I got a chance to see this one on Friday night. The movie is quick, funny, and the same brand of comedy one would expect from the 40 Year Old Virgin crew. Definitely worth the price of admission, but if you are recently married or engaged, learn from my mistakes, see it with male friends.

My lack of foresight sometimes astounds me. The title says it all, and yet I found myself face to face with a biological clock that managed to surprise me. Guys know not to bring some dates to weddings because of the inevitable uncomfortable conversation. Yet, almost a year after getting married, I failed to anticipate the obvious. It's a wonder I can dress myself. Christ, not seeing the consequences of a movie like this is being surprised by gravity.

So, with that warning out of the way, check this one out. It's a good escape from the Curse of the Third Installment that is so common this year. As for myself, I have to start learning to fake it. Excuse me.

My Kind of Fundraiser

2007-06-05T01:17:00.000-04:00

Sunday was one of those rare, perfect days. The Sopranos had a strong, compelling, penultimate episode. I got to sleep in (always a plus). And in between? A day of roast pork and craft beer.

Some argue that he Slow Food Society may well be the Scientologists of the food world. That may or may not be true, they have some good ideas, and some ideas that leave me scratching my folicle deprived dome. But, they had their annual fundraiser at Yard's Brewery in Philadelphia, in the form of a pig roast. For $35, I got to eat all the roast pork and sides that I could (the coleslaw was a letdown compared to my mother's version, but that is often the case). This was washed down by a variety of tasty beers. The porter was quite good, as was the Philly Pale Ale. The champ, though, has to be their Tavern Ale. Treat yourself to a pint if you ever happen to see it while out.

Back yet again

2007-06-05T01:10:00.000-04:00

Blogging is really much easier when one has a working computer. As ever, my apologies for the lack of content of late. I now have a brand new AMD Core Duo 5600 with a 500GB HD and 4GB of RAM.

There are many fun little things on the horizon. A return to Atkins for a rotund blogger, the Phillies are approaching a record-setting 10,000 losses, football season is coming soon, a house is being rehabbed, and a wedding fast approaches.

This is looking like an interesting summer.

Spiderman 3

2007-05-05T19:15:00.000-04:00

DVD worthy. That is the shortest and most accurate review you are likely to read. The movie tries to do too much, and ends up falling short on several fronts. For me, its greatest sin is a poorly developed and gone too soon Venom, but I'll get to that later.

The alien symbiote that bonds with Parker was to be just that, a bonded symbiote that became one with its host. Spidey lore does not include a black suit with a pulse that is taken off and put on depending on mood. Anyway. The symbiote amplifies one's abilities and emotions, especially anger. In the case of Parker, this would mean a bigger, stronger, faster, more aggressive webhead. Fine. But in the process of selling the personality change, Kunta (Your name is Toby!) is lost. Anyone who has ever played a RPG and tried to roleplay an evil character has seen this happen. Most of the time, what is supposed to be evil is simply jerk-like behavior. Not the same thing.

Thomas Hayden Church was good as The Samdman, but Sandman was always a B villain. To be honest, I kept waiting for Paul Giamatti to come out and scream at him about merlot. No such luck.

Venom. Even the name is good. The best Spiderman villain ever written. One half of Venom is the symbiote, which was forcibly separated from Parker against its will. Needing a host, and stinging from the rejection, this alien form seethed and developed a hatred of Peter Parker. The other half is Eddie Brock, a big (think linebacker build) jock who worked as a reporter/photographer. Parker debunked Brock's big story, destroying his credibility, and his life as a journalist. Brock had to scrape by with freelance jobs from scummy tabloids afterwards, resulting in an all consuming hate for Parker. Symbiote meets Brock, they meld...and WEE ARE VENOMMM!!!!

A bigger, stronger version of Spiderman. A bigger, stronger, version of Spiderman that lives solely to hurt Spiderman. One that knows all about him, after all, the symbiote was once part of him. So Venom knows of Aunt May, Mary Jane, etc, etc. And, much to Parker's woe, Venom doesn't trigger his spider sense. Enough background, this is Venom, in all his glory.

Except that the role was given to Topher Grace, from That 70's Show. Not bad, just not menacing. Maybe Alex P. Keaton was off his meds, and couldn't hold still long enough for them to CGI the suit over him, I don't know.

Sigh. I went for Venom, I went because I am a lifelong Marvel fanboy. Now that I've gone, the verdict is in. This movie is a shell of what could have been, and mirrors Godfather 3. Not a bad movie on its own, it just doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as its predecessors, let alone share the title.

The real tragedy is that this thing made $51 million in its first day, more than a brilliant flick like Grindhouse will make over its international run. Market forces once again punish genius and reward the unoriginal remake/sequel trend.

Mission Accomplished

2007-05-03T17:33:00.000-04:00

290s time to put this one to bed. I've heard it at work, seen it on TV, and there have been a million net references jeering the "Mission Accomplished" scene. The mission accomplished banner was a celebration of the job done by the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln was deployed for 290 days, the longest for any nuke powered aircraft carrier in history.

According to CNN's sources, the sign was the Navy's idea, and the White House had the sign made for them. It's interesting to note that in the linked story, Senator Kerry picked up the imaginary story, saying "Landing on an aircraft carrier and saying 'mission accomplished' didn't end a war, and standing in the Rose Garden and stating that 'Iraq is a dangerous place' does nothing to make American troops safer."

Did W say our mission was accomplished in Iraq? Hmmm...no. So what did he say in that speech? I'm glad you asked.

President Bush Announces Major Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended
Remarks by the President from the USS Abraham Lincoln
At Sea Off the Coast of San Diego, California

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Admiral Kelly, Captain Card, officers and sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln, my fellow Americans: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. (Applause.) And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country.

In this battle, we have fought for the cause of liberty, and for the peace of the world. Our nation and our coalition are proud of this accomplishment -- yet, it is you, the members of the United States military, who achieved it. Your courage, your willingness to face danger for your country and for each other, made this day possible. Because of you, our nation is more secure. Because of you, the tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free. (Applause.)

Operation Iraqi Freedom was carried out with a combination of precision and speed and boldness the enemy did not expect, and the world had not seen before. From distant bases or ships at sea, we sent planes and missiles that could destroy an enemy division, or strike a single bunker. Marines and soldiers charged to Baghdad across 350 miles of hostile ground, in one of the swiftest advances of heavy arms in history. You have shown the world the skill and the might of the American Armed Forces.

This nation thanks all the members of our coalition who joined in a noble cause. We thank the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland, who shared in the hardships of war. We thank all the citizens of Iraq who welcomed our troops and joined in the liberation of their own country. And tonight, I have a special word for Secretary Rumsfeld, for General Franks, and for all the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States: America is grateful for a job well done. (Applause.)

The character of our military through history -- the daring of Normandy, the fierce courage of Iwo Jima, the decency and idealism that turned enemies into allies -- is fully present in this generation. When Iraqi civilians looked into the faces of our servicemen and women, they saw strength and kindness and goodwill. When I look at the members of the United States military, I see the best of our country, and I'm honored to be your Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.)

In the images of falling statues, we have witnessed the arrival of a new era. For a hundred of years of war, culminating in the nuclear age, military technology was designed and deployed to inflict casualties on an ever-growing scale. In defeating Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, Allied forces destroyed entire cities, while enemy leaders who started the conflict were safe until the final days. Military power was used to end a regime by breaking a nation.

Today, we have the greater power to free a nation by breaking a dangerous and aggressive regime. With new tactics and precision weapons, we can achieve military objectives without directing violence against civilians. No device of man can remove the tragedy from war; yet it is a great moral advance when the guilty have far more to fear from war than the innocent. (Applause.)

In the images of celebrating Iraqis, we have also seen the ageless appeal of human freedom. Decades of lies and intimidation could not make the Iraqi people love their oppressors or desire their own enslavement. Men and women in every culture need liberty like they need food and water and air. Everywhere that freedom arrives, humanity rejoices; and everywhere that freedom stirs, let tyrants fear. (Applause.)

We have difficult work to do in Iraq. We're bringing order to parts of that country that remain dangerous. We're pursuing and finding leaders of the old regime, who will be held to account for their crimes. We've begun the search for hidden chemical and biological weapons and already know of hundreds of sites that will be investigated. We're helping to rebuild Iraq, where the dictator built palaces for himself, instead of hospitals and schools. And we will stand with the new leaders of Iraq as they establish a government of, by, and for the Iraqi people. (Applause.)

The transition from dictatorship to democracy will take time, but it is worth every effort. Our coalition will stay until our work is done. Then we will leave, and we will leave behind a free Iraq. (Applause.)

The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on September the 11, 2001 -- and still goes on. That terrible morning, 19 evil men -- the shock troops of a hateful ideology -- gave America and the civilized world a glimpse of their ambitions. They imagined, in the words of one terrorist, that September the 11th would be the "beginning of the end of America." By seeking to turn our cities into killing fields, terrorists and their allies believed that they could destroy this nation's resolve, and force our retreat from the world. They have failed. (Applause.)

In the battle of Afghanistan, we destroyed the Taliban, many terrorists, and the camps where they trained. We continue to help the Afghan people lay roads, restore hospitals, and educate all of their children. Yet we also have dangerous work to complete. As I speak, a Special Operations task force, led by the 82nd Airborne, is on the trail of the terrorists and those who seek to undermine the free government of Afghanistan. America and our coalition will finish what we have begun. (Applause.)

From Pakistan to the Philippines to the Horn of Africa, we are hunting down al Qaeda killers. Nineteen months ago, I pledged that the terrorists would not escape the patient justice of the United States. And as of tonight, nearly one-half of al Qaeda's senior operatives have been captured or killed. (Applause.)

The liberation of Iraq is a crucial advance in the campaign against terror. We've removed an ally of al Qaeda, and cut off a source of terrorist funding. And this much is certain: No terrorist network will gain weapons of mass destruction from the Iraqi regime, because the regime is no more. (Applause.)

In these 19 months that changed the world, our actions have been focused and deliberate and proportionate to the offense. We have not forgotten the victims of September the 11th -- the last phone calls, the cold murder of children, the searches in the rubble. With those attacks, the terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States. And war is what they got. (Applause.)

Our war against terror is proceeding according to principles that I have made clear to all: Any person involved in committing or planning terrorist attacks against the American people becomes an enemy of this country, and a target of American justice. (Applause.)

Any person, organization, or government that supports, protects, or harbors terrorists is complicit in the murder of the innocent, and equally guilty of terrorist crimes.

Any outlaw regime that has ties to terrorist groups and seeks or possesses weapons of mass destruction is a grave danger to the civilized world -- and will be confronted. (Applause.)

And anyone in the world, including the Arab world, who works and sacrifices for freedom has a loyal friend in the United States of America. (Applause.)

Our commitment to liberty is America's tradition -- declared at our founding; affirmed in Franklin Roosevelt's Four Freedoms; asserted in the Truman Doctrine and in Ronald Reagan's challenge to an evil empire. We are committed to freedom in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and in a peaceful Palestine. The advance of freedom is the surest strategy to undermine the appeal of terror in the world. Where freedom takes hold, hatred gives way to hope. When freedom takes hold, men and women turn to the peaceful pursuit of a better life. American values and American interests lead in the same direction: We stand for human liberty. (Applause.)

The United States upholds these principles of security and freedom in many ways -- with all the tools of diplomacy, law enforcement, intelligence, and finance. We're working with a broad coalition of nations that understand the threat and our shared responsibility to meet it. The use of force has been -- and remains -- our last resort. Yet all can know, friend and foe alike, that our nation has a mission: We will answer threats to our security, and we will defend the peace. (Applause.)

Our mission continues. Al Qaeda is wounded, not destroyed. The scattered cells of the terrorist network still operate in many nations, and we know from daily intelligence that they continue to plot against free people. The proliferation of deadly weapons remains a serious danger. The enemies of freedom are not idle, and neither are we. Our government has taken unprecedented measures to defend the homeland. And we will continue to hunt down the enemy before he can strike. (Applause.)

The war on terror is not over; yet it is not endless. We do not know the day of final victory, but we have seen the turning of the tide. No act of the terrorists will change our purpose, or weaken our resolve, or alter their fate. Their cause is lost. Free nations will press on to victory. (Applause.)

Other nations in history have fought in foreign lands and remained to occupy and exploit. Americans, following a battle, want nothing more than to return home. And that is your direction tonight. (Applause.) After service in the Afghan -- and Iraqi theaters of war -- after 100,000 miles, on the longest carrier deployment in recent history, you are homeward bound. (Applause.) Some of you will see new family members for the first time -- 150 babies were born while their fathers were on the Lincoln. Your families are proud of you, and your nation will welcome you. (Applause.)

We are mindful, as well, that some good men and women are not making the journey home. One of those who fell, Corporal Jason Mileo, spoke to his parents five days before his death. Jason's father said, "He called us from the center of Baghdad, not to brag, but to tell us he loved us. Our son was a soldier."

Every name, every life is a loss to our military, to our nation, and to the loved ones who grieve. There's no homecoming for these families. Yet we pray, in God's time, their reunion will come.

Those we lost were last seen on duty. Their final act on this Earth was to fight a great evil and bring liberty to others. All of you -- all in this generation of our military -- have taken up the highest calling of history. You're defending your country, and protecting the innocent from harm. And wherever you go, you carry a message of hope -- a message that is ancient and ever new. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "To the captives, 'come out,' -- and to those in darkness, 'be free.'"

Thank you for serving our country and our cause. May God bless you all, and may God continue to bless America. (Applause.)

There are tons of things that Bush deserves criticism for. It's just sad that the opposition feels the need to invent drama rather than making an occasional principled stand.

It's baaack.

2007-05-03T17:30:00.000-04:00

Folks, sorry I've been away for so long. I allowed myself to develop the bad habit of muttering to myself instead of through a keyboard as the world has continued to shock and amuse.

Forgive the hiatus, if I can now find a place to start, so much has happened.

Grindhouse

2007-04-08T15:32:00.000-04:00

Amazing. This movie is a sick, twisted masterpiece, paying homage to the classic bad movies of years gone by. One half bad zombie movie, one half car chase (think Duel, or more of that ilk). Tipping the scales at a massive 3 hour plus run time, I...gasp...left the theater feeling like I got my money's worth.

The Rodriguez half isn't as good as Tarantino's, but hell, I am a Tarantino fanboy. Almost as much fun as the two movies...an old school double feature...still geeking out...was the fake movie trailers in between. Rob Zombie, Eli Roth, and others contributed to the chaos, featuring such so bad they're good gems as....SPOILER ALERT...

Werewolf Women of the S.S.

Seriously. Parody/tribute to a genre gets no better than what these madmen have wrought. If you liked Sin City or anything by Tarantino, check this one out..support the Empire. I'll pay to see it one more time just to up it's box office take before ultimately buying the DVD(s).

Got me

2007-04-08T15:29:00.000-04:00

I've been had...the previous post references an April Fool's joke. I don't know who was behind it, but well done. Apparently, there is no BBQ tax in Belgium, but the knee jerk tendencies of the world today certainly made the ridiculous sound plausible. Bravo.

Priceless.

2007-04-03T20:03:00.000-04:00

French speaking Wallonia, a province of Belgium, has just approved a tax on barbequing. This, of course, is supposed to reduce and/or discourage greenhouse gas emissions. But, how will they track such an airborne release?

Good question. It seems our Belgian friends have thought of everything. You see, there will be helicopters with thermal sensors so that they can detect emissions, and enforce the law. Unless there is a larger news story, something about the wafflemakers creating a magic helicopter that runs on pixie dust....

Ah, hell, I'll just ask it. Wouldn't the countermeasure burn more fossil fuel and cause more emissions than your average backyard grill? Just checking.

Pizza and Beer

2007-04-01T23:51:00.000-04:00

Wow. I am a spoiled, spoiled man. After falling in love with a chef, and being exposed to brick oven pizzas created by master craftsmen, and finding what really good beer is, the bloom is off the old college experience rose.

One of my brothers invited me to his dorm for a PPV event. Bunch of guys, laughter, in all a testosterone laden good time. But I had forgotten the twin evils of the broke college diet, Dominos Pizza and Milwaukee's Beast.

My misssion for the week is to get some Victory, Stone, or a good Belgian ale and introduce the younglings to a brew you can taste.

Another Ridiculous NYTimes Front Page

2007-04-01T13:38:00.000-04:00

Wow, so rich nations are spending more money to offset the effects of global warming than poor countries are. Kind of like rich countries spend more on everything than poor countries do, because, well...they are rich, and the other ones are poor. That's the big difference between rich and poor. Front page stuff, guys.

The classic template is whatever bad news comes, women, minorities, and the poor will be hardest hit. In the case of global warming, however, there are some spectacular upsides. The poorest nations frequently have issues with food supplies. Good news. If the planet warms a couple of degrees, there will be more available and viable farmland, and growing seasons will be significantly lengthened. For the slower people out there, that means more food. Will some African nations be less able to produce food? Honestly, in all likelihood, yes. Would the effect be as drastic if they were not corrupt infighting nations? No.

The actual results of warming will be far less than predicted, which the alarmists will claim is because of the preventive measures they advocated. After a few centuries, the earth will begin to cool again, and the same Chicken Littles will say it is all man's fault, and we must dramatically alter our lifestyles. Every generation predicts the end of the world. It's in man's genes.

The rich will be in a better position to weather whatever comes, and those of lesser means will suffer more. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Yet somehow, it is still front page news.

Iran v Britain

2007-03-25T14:40:00.000-04:00

Please tell me that the mullahs aren't stupid. We know they are insane, but let's hope that they aren't stupid to boot. If they actually harm or execute those British sailors, they may be setting of the powder keg for WWIII.

Or, is it possible that they are testing everyone's resolve? Just as UN sanctions tighten, they flex their muscles. More importantly, just as the US legislative branch signals a clear unwillingness to be involved in the area, Iran starts feeling invincible.

Everyone has lines. I pray that Iran doesn't push the Brits too far.

Separation of Powers

2007-03-25T14:20:00.000-04:00

Gadzooks, this is off-putting. In some unholy way, the entire premise of the separation powers in our government has been annihilated. It is not only recent developments, but a long, steady decline that makes me shake my head and wonder why these things are not commented on more often, or more strongly.

The executive branch is able to modify the intent of legislation, or mimic the passing of legislation via executive order. The judicial branch has taken to legislating from the bench, creating law via decision. The most famous example of this might be Roe v Wade, where the Supreme Court did not interpret a law, or try a case, as much as they created what many see as a Constitutional right (despite a right to privacy not being in the original doc, but I digress) and essentially wrote legislation for all 50 states. Full disclosure note...I am pro-choice, but anti-Roe. I'd never kill my own child, but I recognize the need in some cases for termination.

Then, most recently, we have the legislature trying hard to be the executive branch. The House of Representatives should not have such direct control over tactics and strategy for troops on the ground in harm's way. It would be asinine for a NFL owner to change a play at the line of scrimmage, and it is just as ludicrous for reps from BFE who majored in poli sci and got law degrees to play at battlefield tactics.

Bottom line, Pelosi, if ya wanna be the Commander in Chief, do what Hillary is doing. Run for the top office. Until then, don't try to do the job from the bleachers.

Portland Peace Rally

2007-03-21T19:03:00.000-04:00

So, in a recent peace rally, a U.S. soldier was burned in effigy. Insufferable as that is, there are the requisite "Bring the troops home" signs, and the omnipresent peace symbols. Ever notice how the peace sign looks like a chicken foot? Seriously. Take another look.

Anyway, I started thinking about those signs and wondering how much thought goes into them. I know that they are referring to Iraq. But how about Korea or Kosovo? I may be confusing issues with facts...but damn. Even more frustrating are those "War is Not the Answer" signs and bumper stickers. "War is not the Answer" is the bastard brother of "You can't judge a book by its cover." To borrow from Jim Norton, if there is a picture of a girl on the cover with a guy's unit in her mouth, it's porn. If the girl is 17, and the guy is black, it's great porn.

War is not the answer?

Yes, it is, stupid. That's why humanity wages war. Some issues, like slavery, Nazism, fascism, and militant expansionist Islam have only been checked because of the use of force. Uncomfortable to admit? Maybe. There are things that one fights for. Of course, there are those who thought Lincoln was nuts for taking on the South, and more than a few didn't think Hitler was important or dangerous enough to waste American blood or treasure on.

Even the threat of force has its uses. Only those with perceived strength and the potential will to use it are taken seriously. Witness the Killing Fields as one example. America made it clear that it was sick of people dying, and we withdrew our troops from the theatre. Without a credible threat, the Khmer Rouge slaughtered millions.

Iran is going to be a much larger problem because they can clearly see a lack of will to respond significantly to anything they do. Darfur is still raging with horrors including genocide and rape because the UN is involved, which means, essentially, that real military action is out of the question. Kim "so ronery" Jong-il continues to develop nuke technology and missiles, because all he has to do is not piss off China.

So what do these protestors do? They burn a symbol of the one thing that can stop the true horrors of the world. It's hell, but sometimes war is the answer.

Hillary unhinged, or is the base this dumb?

2007-03-19T22:07:00.000-04:00

Oh my sweet Christ...the woman who said this could actually win.

"I turn off a light and say, ‘Take that, Iran ,‘ and "Take that, Venezuela.‘ We should not be sending our money to people who are not going to support our values," she said.

So.....is she totally full of it, does she do this, or is the dem base so vapid that she thought that they would eat this up? As for myself, I buy electricity from a local concern which employs local people, and uses nuclear power. Many other firms use various forms of coal, wind power, and other domestic forms of production.

She does know that not all energy comes from dictatorial regimes, right? It's a little thing, but it's one little thing in a mountain of crap that infuriates me about this woman. The other recent bit had to be her reaction on the firing of 8 U.S. Attorneys.

Everyone in that post, say it with me, "...serves at the pleasure of the President." So yes, politics quite often plays a role, whether it is a senator writing a letter about a local choice for the job, or to carp about one they don't like.

Hillary seems to forget that her husband fired and replaced ALL 93 of them. Well, that's not fair, she did say that every president does that...it's just cleaning house. But wait, no other president has done that. You don't suppose she knows that? Could she just be a bitter, lying, partisan hack who, like Eva Peron without the looks, is famous because she bedded the right guy?

Sigh. I'll rant more and with a more objective eye later, and for the record, I have a knee jerk, borderline pathological disklike for her. I'll try to be fair, but I promise nothing.

300

2007-03-11T22:03:00.000-04:00

I've done my rants about theaters, concessions, et al before, so I won't rehash them here. I took myself out to see 300 today, and found it a damn good Sunday afternoon popcorn muncher. It is based very closely on the graphic novel by Frank Miller.

Frank Miller is the genius who made Batman cool again with the Dark Knight graphic novels, and the man who penned Sin City. For those who don't do geekspeak, graphic novels are the term we use instead of comic books for the ones that rock.

Don't go see this looking for great performances or character development, this flick is all about the action. The story is solid, and follows history well enough. I would have liked a text screen epilogue, briefly recalling the naval victory that ultimately drove Xerxes back.

The movie does a very good job of recreating the impenetrable phalanx of the Spartans, and the choreography is tight and crisp. No movement is wasted, the shield and spear techniques are elegant and ruthlessly efficient. In another time, this movie may well have set the standard.

Unfortunately, it will be unfairly held up to the Lord of the Rings series, which set the bar for epic medieval battle scenes perhaps impossibly high. That said, it was a good time, and I think it will find a booming second market in DVD sales. The double X chromosome set and the alternate lifestylers might find all the beefcake too much to resist.

A quick postscript...as I write this, it looks like a $70million opening weekend...not bad for openers, the DVD will probably make a killing too. Christ, that was bad. Time to end this post.

WoW PvP Goodness

2007-03-03T19:49:00.000-05:00

I had a great couple of hours on Warcraft this afternoon. A bunch of players from the Alliance side (Humans, Night Elves, Dwarves, Dranei, and Gnomes) raided a Horde (Orcs, Trolls, Undead, Tauren and Blood Elves) town. Game on...begin mass chaos as armies of about 50 players per side squared off in a long give and take.

Fortunately, PVP (player vs player) is one of the things that the class I play is great at. Not so much because of any one thing, it is because Warlocks can do so many little things. One of my favorite weapons is using attacks that do damage over time (DoTs), because then I can hang back, and make several targets miserable at the same time, making life easier for the melee types up front. In doing so, I apparently got some attention after the same people had to do corpse runs a few times at my hands.

Fast forward a bit, both sides are beginning tactical retreats. 3 players a couple levels below me decide to take their best shot. I lay down multiple DoT spells, and weather the storm the best I can...but numbers were on their side. Down I go. Then came the smack talking in the form of emotes. One celebrant danced on my body, pointed and laughed. I was going to let well enough alone. Really. Everyone takes a beating once in a while. And I had wreaked no small amount of havoc before I went down, no shame in it. But some brokeback looking Night Elf dancing over my valorous fallen form...

Remember when I said that Warlocks can do a lot of little things? One swell little gimmick is called a Soul Stone. This little orb allows a lock to store someones soul, which allows them to come back from death, with a fair amount of hit points/mana left. I had just happened to store my soul before the fight.

I do regret that I couldn't see the look on the dancer's face when I popped up and killed him and his friends, all of whom were 3/4 dead from the first round with me. I pointed, LOLd, and busted out a little move myself. Once again, all I ever needed to learn, I learned from Spaceballs. Evil will always win, because good is dumb.