Sunday, March 30, 2003
Bill Whittle Posts!
History
Read it.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45  
Saturday, March 29, 2003
NJ's Dark Side: A Petty, Mean Spirit
Part 1 of X.
The state of New Jersey most definitely has a dark side, and the patronizing contempt in which it holds its citizens comes out in a lot of ways.
With all the heavy, weighty stuff going on in the world, I'm going to set the dial towards the trivial end of the spectrum, and talk about the petty meanness the state seems to have adopted with respect to her drivers who rightly conclude that safe travel is possible at rates of speed considerably above the posted limit.
Exhibit 1) "Stealth Cruisers" The state of NJ favors marked police cars without light racks, and embeds the flashers into the grill and body of the car. They are nearly impossible to detect in the rear view mirror, especially at night. Since the cars are blatantly marked from the sides and rear, this only serves to support "pounce from behind" pullover maneuvers. I'm sure if you challenged them about it, they'll squawk on and on about officer safety in felony stop situations, but unto them, I pre-emptively shout, 'BULLSHIT".
Exhibit 2) The 65 MPH Limit. To my knowledge, NJ was the last state, by a factor of nearly 10 years, to raise its speed limit above 55. And even then, each and every 65 MPH sign is accompanied by its smaller twin: Traffic Fines Doubled in 65 MPH zone. I can almost literally hear the petty mean ness patronizing voice ooze from the sign, and our legislators. "Oh, fine. You really want to drive 65? OK, we’ll allow it, but if you drive 70, daddy spank."
Exhibit 3) Last summer, my wife and I took some friends up to Lake Placid, which is a 400 mile trip. On the way, up, we saw 10 state police cruisers either lying in wait, or having pulled someone over. Only 2 of them were in New York State, which was 300 miles of the journey. The other 8 where all packed into the 100 mile stretch of the NJ TPK. Kinda paints a picture, doesn't it?
Exhibit 4) The latest petty bit has started appearing recently below the speed limit signs of empty, straight, rural roads, whose posted limit is in the 35-45 mph range. "Zero Tolerance For Speeders". Reading between the lines, what this sign really means is “that despite common sense, we’re going to reduce the legally allowable speed in this desolate place, because we can. Further more, we are going to bring to bear upon your head the power of the state to harass, detain and prosecute you, because we can, and because speeding tickets are now a revenue center for our towns and police forces”
We need to be damned careful what we incentivise, because whatever behavior is rewarded will be the behavior that is engaged in. Allowing the authorities to prosper by partaking of the booty of nuisance fines will simply motivate them to become a nuisance. In other contexts, allowing them to keep what they seize can be an even worse idea.
And now, a brief aside for some of ya’ll who might believe that I’m an advocate for dangerous, irresponsible driving.
I am absolutely not an advocate of such; so don’t bother emailing me to say that I am. I have a good driving record; I basically get a speeding ticket every ten years (knock wood) despite the frequency at which I drive 10 miles over the posted limit. The reason, I suppose is fairly simple: I keep safe following distances, I always drive at a safe speed, (which is sometimes below the posted limit) and I never drive like an asshole.
It really is that simple.
Safe driving speed varies with a lot of factors, which include the driver’s skill, state of alertness, the mechanical condition of the car, the condition and nature of the car’s tires, the nature and condition of the road, and the weather.
Now I’m sure that some of ya’ll remember drivers ed, and the charts that illustrated stopping distances at different speeds, and an equation that basically says that “had you been driving a mere five miles an hour slower, your stopping distance would have been 50 feet shorter, and then you would not have run over the gaggle of nuns and children who where trying to cross the road.
Roughly the equation in question is a vector/intercept kind of thing. Given speed S, from which we can derive stopping distance D (which includes reaction time), and given crossing event E, you can determine whether or not the kindergartners survive or not.
The problem is that while the equation itself is valid, the terms are rigged against the poor nuns and kids. Using the same equation, you can create a circumstance in which you are moving forward at ½ mile an hour, and still slaughter the kiddies.
That being said, there actually is a maximum prudent speed at which you should travel, and the vast consensus of the People is that it is bit higher than is typically posted, and much higher than 65 on an open highway. And don’t even dream of giving me any bullshit about people being incompetent to run their own affairs. Americans spend more time on the road than any other culture. My British friend once said when I hopped in my car and drove and hour and a half to go see him, “Oh, right. I keep forgetting that you Americans think nothing of driving an hour.” In general, we are absolutely expert, safe drivers. Accidents will happen, but we accept that cost. Getting out of bed is dangerous, and if we wanted to be completely safe, we’d spend our long, miserable boring lives encased from head to toe in Styrofoam.
We The People make our will known in many ways. The voting booth is only one way. What We actually DO is a far stronger indication. When We need to get somewhere, We drive 75 or 80.
And it is the petty, mean spirit of Our very own State of New Jersey that arrogantly presumes a tone of patronizing moral superiority, and uses the power of the state to fleece and mine it’s citizens going peaceably about their business, all in the name of fun and profit.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Friday, March 28, 2003
I was originally going to write about...
The mean spirit of the State of NJ, but that can wait. This is more important. This is the extended story of the Assyrian minister and former human shield who made it out of Iraq with hours and hours of tapes, on which terrified Iraqis state they can't take it any more, bring on the war.
Read Every Word
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
July 8, 1959, April 30, 1975, October 3, 1993, September 11, 2001
Fear of Quaqmire
Of these dates, I suspect that most Americans will only recognize the last. What many may not recognize are the dates when some of the seeds of 9/11 where sown. Their impact reverberates with us even now, as we march to Baghdad.
July 8, 1959
On this date, Major Dale R Buis of Imperial Beach, California and Master Sgt. Chester M Ovnand of Copperas Cove die at the hands of Vietnamese guerrillas. This is the generally accepted date of the beginning of the Vietnam War.
US involvement incrementally increases throughout the next 16 years, and military operations are significantly hamstrung by political imperatives. Lacking public understanding of a clear moral vision and direction, the war is unpopular at home, leading to internal unrest. By 1969, Nixon has put into play plans to reduce US involvement, and shift the burden of communist defeat to the South Vietnamese. Documentation regarding systematic public deception regarding Vietnamese policy surfaces in 1971, in the form of the Pentagon Papers, which confirms the for many a breach of good faith between the government and the people, a breach that will be exacerbated by the subsequent Nixon impeachment. This breach of trust, which exceeds American’s normal healthy skepticism of their government, has never completely healed.
April 30, 1975
This date marks Fall of Saigon, and the final evacuation of US Personnel. This is the generally accepted date of the end of the Vietnam War. The outcome is generally not considered to be a US victory.
The most frequently used word to describe the entire experience is “quagmire”, and the psyche and confidence of a nation is negatively affected.
October 3, 1993
This date marks the beginning of the Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia. A capture mission goes awry when two Blackhawk helicopters are brought down by rocket propelled grenades, and the capture team, having successfully complete their mission, are diverted to rescue the downed fliers. Over the next 48 or so hours, approximately 100 American infantry men will find themselves pinned down in the most hostile section of the city. With the help of air support and an armored rescue column they will prevail against the forces of literally thousands upon thousands of well armed, but poorly trained fighters.
Militarily, it is perhaps the most one-sided battle, ever, in favor of the Americans, who killed at least 500 attackers, and wounded approximately 1500. American losses were 18 dead, 78 wounded.
In public relations terms, it was a complete disaster, with television footage of naked, dead American soldiers being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu. Within days of the gunfight, the Clinton administration elects to abort the task forces mission of bringing Aidid to justice.
Prophetically, in November, 1999, author Mark Bowden writes these words in the Afterword to Black Hawk Down:
---------------------------
…once we committed ourselves to the effort, I believe the United States should have seen the mission through even after the battle on October 3 – especially after the battle. There was every indication that Aidid was on the ropes. ….
Arguing in favor of the decision to withdraw was the memory of Vietnam, where the generals felt that victory was always in reach, so long as the country kept notching up its commitment. The American public and its elected officials where led down a primrose path in that war, and the nation paid a terrible price. In Somalia, the chances of success where far greater, and more tangible because the mission was so limited. There was little danger of American troops being drawn into a quagmire in Somalia. …. The lesson our retreat taught the worlds terrorists and despots is that killing a few American soldiers, even at the cost of more than five hundred of your own fighters, is enough to spook Uncle Sam. Perhaps more important is the lesson it sent to Americans, and in particular to the men and women who serve. It’s hard enough convincing Americans that events in some distant part of the world are worth jeapordizing American lives… Military credibility is not just a matter of national pride. It lessens the chances of war because enemies are less inclined to challenge America…..
--------
Osama Bin Laden takes note of the outcome, and comes to the belief that America can be beaten. The belief that America is still traumatized by the quagmire of Vietnam, and that the American public will not stand for combat losses is shared by Saddam Hussein.
September 11, 2001
Standing on a roof 5 miles away, I watch the towers burn and fall.
Late September/Early November, 2001
As America ramps up for the invasion of Afghanistan, Osama Bin Laden point to the failure of the Soviet invasion, and promises our soldiers will be “dragged naked through the streets”.
How’s that cave working out for ya, Osama?
March, 2003
Make no mistake, the Saddam and the Monsterboys are in fact evil, and must be destroyed. Every assertion we have made is panning out:
WMD: Not put into play yet, but we know they have it, and if they didn’t, why’d they buy gas masks and chemical suits instead of more ammo?
Al Qaida Connection: If there’s no connection, why are the Al Q freaks defending Basra?
Prohibited Weapons: Face it, we’ve got scud chunks sitting in the Kuwaiti desert, and others, each of which exceeds the maximums established by the Gulf War cease fire.
General Monsterdom: Oh, just read the news damnit. Even the human shields have bailed out.
Saddam and his Monsterboys, are in a state of delusion and denial They hope and pray for a quagmire, and the subsequent collapse of American resolve.
It’s not going to happen. We have learned from our history. If evil goes unopposed, even from afar, it will eventually come knocking.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Thursday, March 27, 2003
I'm still laughing, like a week later...
Summarized from The High Road
QuarterBoreGunner: ...So what do we do if we go 'red'? I came across this article while surfing around and it occurred to me- What exactly am I supposed to do if we go to Condition Red? ...
capt_happypants : Personally, I'm setting my Underwear Condition to "Brown."
I think capt_happypants sums it up nicely.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Great Stuff From Lt. Smash
Lt Smash: (scroll to local flavor)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
...Switched to BBC. The anchor announced that the port city of Umm Qasr had been secured, and would be receiving humanitarian supplies within days.
“Sir, is it true,” they asked me, “is Umm Qasr secured?”
“That’s what he said.”
“Can we go there?” This puzzled me.
“Why would you want to go there?”
“Dancing girls! Beer!”
Then it hit me – Umm Qasr is a border town. For these men, it holds memories of a different time, a time before war, when they could travel freely to Iraq, and do all the things not allowed in their own country.
Umm Qasr is their Tijuana.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
WTF Is Wrong With People In This World?
...says the UN official. “Right now, Saddam has 80% of the world supporting him."
Aaargh...must.....vent....anger...
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
It Strikes Me That...
War and Handguns bear a similarity.
They are often the only solution to a fairly specific set of problems, problems that despite our desires, and higher aspirations do indeed exist, and cannot be wished away.
Problem:
Individual or small group of attackers who are dedicated to the proposition that your life has no meaning to them, and that they will take it, for motives that frankly don't matter.
Solution:
Handgun, properly applied.
Problem:
Rabid, brutal dictator, surrounded by an extensive mechanism of oppression, and a large military. (Note similarity of brutal dictator to garden variety thug mentioned in previous example)
Solution:
War, properly applied.
It also strikes me that folks who "don't believe in war", tend also to "not believe in guns" either. Sadly, this leaves them with very few viable options when evil finds them.
In all honesty, I'd prefer a world in which the only role of my sidearm was to amuse me at the target range, a world in which all humans guided themselves by reason and fairness. The vast majority of us are exactly about that. Sadly, there's more than a few who aren't with the whole human decency program.
In the meantime, it strikes me that the best policy is to continue to be a noble, decent human being, who happens to be armed.
And for all of ya'll newbies, with recently purchased firearms, welcome! Get trained, learn, and avoid tragic consequences of stupidity. If you haven't heard of the sacred 4 rules of handling firearms, here they are, in summary:
I) Every gun is treated as if it where always loaded. Always check to determine the status of your firearm. Always. Most accidents happen with allegedly "unloaded" firearms.
II) Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Don't point it at anything you're unwilling to destroy. Behave as if whatever is in front of the muzzle will be destroyed. Be aware that this safe direction can shift as circumstances change.
III)Forget what you've seen in movies, and keep your finger off the trigger, and outside the trigger guard until your sights are on target, and you have decided to fire. Best place for the finger when not firing is along the frame
IV) Be absolutetly certain of what your target is, and what's behind it. Just dont' do stupid shit like shooting through doors, at targets that cannot be clearly seen, and in cases of uncertain backstop.
I add rule V) Store your firearms responsibly when not in use. Think hard about what that means for your particular circumstance.
For training, check the web. the NRA has excellent introductory and hunter safety programs, and there are reputable schools that cover concealed carry, legal and defensive issues. If you own a firearm, it'll be the best $100 you ever spent.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
American Soldier Interview of the Day
US Soldier:
"Well, I wouldn't exactly call them skilled fighters, but they certainly are fierce. Fierce, and willing to die for their cause"
Marine looks into the near distance, and gestures behind the reporter, and adds:
"As many already have."
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
History Channel
Last night, I watched the history channel's show "Supertank", and I am reminded of the score from the first gulf war. As I recall, it was something like 3500 Iraqi tanks destroyed to 4 M1A1s, with 0 Coalition tankers killed.
During the battle of Medina Ridge, which was the biggest tank battle EVER, we ended up wiping out some ridiculous number of the opposition from 3500 meters, a range at which they could barely SEE us, nevermind actually SHOOT at us.
As I recall at the time, the news wasn't particularly aware or descriptive of this amazing battle, it was described simply as "Coalition forces swept through an area called Medina Ridge, after a large tank battle".
This makes me wonder what's going down NOW that we're going to be seeing on the History Channel in the coming years.
It also seems there should actually be a lot more coverage coming out of the embedded reporters. My impression of all the channels is that it's the Anchor/guests 60% of the time, streetlight still lifes of Baghdad 30% of the time, and maybe 10% interesting stuff from the field.
What gives?
And on another note, did anyone else catch the sustained small arms fire in Baghdad last night? I heard it through the microphone, it sounded like a rainstorm. A lot of people lit up a lot of ammo, and no one's talking.
Since the guys we have in the city are all keeping a low profile, I can only assume that Iraqi faction A was firing on Faction B.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
My Friend Mohammed
In my freshman year of high school, I was a boarding student at a very small school in north eastern Connecticut. There are many tales to come from that place, but this one is about my friend, Mohammed (Last name withheld to protect him and his family)
Mohammed was a senior, and would graduate later that year, and I never saw him again, but he did make an impression on me, and his story is worth telling.
Mohammed had been through a lot. He was from Iran, and those of you who remember the eternal Hostage Crisis during that period might remember that Iranians weren’t all too popular. Nonetheless, the dorm was an international polyglot, which forced everyone to come to terms with each other.
Although I only got bits of the story direct from him, his friends filled me in on the rest. Mohammed’s dad was a doctor in Tehran, and as such, was smart enough to read the writing on the wall as to the coming problems, and had the means to send his son to America for his education.
To some degree, he tricked his son, out of a father’s love. Mohammed came to school, with the understanding that he would have a fairly normal international student experience, and return to his homeland for summer break. It was not to happen. For the first year, Mohammed wore his traditional garb every day, fearing that somehow the secret police would determine that the West had corrupted him, and that he would not be allowed to return for the next term. Towards the end of the year, a package arrived, having been smuggled out of Iran. It contained some largish amount of gold and diamonds, enough to cover his education through high school and then some, and a note.
I never saw the note, and if I did, it wouldn’t matter, because I can’t read the flowing script of Arabic. My understanding is that it spoke of his family’s undying love for him, which motivated the commandment that with the Ayatollah in power, and with young men being shanghaied into pointless wars on every front, that no matter what, he must never, ever come back.
At the time, Mohammed was twelve or thirteen.
No 13 year old should ever, ever need to be adrift in a strange country, commanded never to return, and sleep fearing the secret police.
Americans are compassionate. We took him in. A lot of people did a lot of work, smoothing things over with INS, managed his funds with fidelity and care, and saw to it that he had a fair shot. This fantastic young man rose to the challenge in grand style, and found his way in his new world, maintaining his identity, his faith, and integrity.
By the time I had met him, his traditional robes where stored with reverence, and he still wore them occasionally, to suit his own spirit. Hanging on his wall was a parchment, on which he had written in beautiful script. I asked him what it was, and he told me that it was a verse from the Koran. He mentioned that the English translations lost a lot of the poetry, but that someday I might want to read it through, just for the sake of learning. I asked him what Islam was about, and he looked about before replying. I guess the fear of secret police takes more than 4 years to completely fade. “There is one God, who we call Allah. Islam is submission to God. The trick is, to discern what the real God is. Not every holy man really knows.”
Many years later, I would do just that. In what I suppose is the opposite of the practice in the middle eastern schools that churn out jihadists, I skipped over the hellfire and blood, and spent more time with the verses that discussed the subtle and infinite nature of God. I’ve read most of the world’s holy books, and each is encrusted with baggage. At the center of each of them, however, hides the seed of truth that hints at the nature of the real God, as understood by that culture. Each holy book, I have found, suffers when translated from it’s native language, and again when transplanted from it’s native context. The Koran, I’m afraid, suffers more from these effects than most.
Regardless of that, where others would find blood and mayhem, Mohammed found in it’s pages that the will of God called for central human decency, humility, and dignity, and to this he submitted, and became a living example. God was a simple everyday presence in his life. I asked him once, what time it was. He told me, in seriousness, “God knows.” Then he looked at his watch, and added, “And so do I. It’s 4:30”.
I lost track of Mohammed after graduation. I understand he went on to college, and graduated with honors, but I don’t know what became of him after that. God knows, and so does Mohammed. As for me, I hope that fortune has treated him kindly. I believe America is good to people who are good to it, and so I have little fear in that regard.
So, what’s the moral of the story? Well, if there is a moral here, it’s simply that when men’s hearts turn towards evil, they can find justification in every rock, tree, and scrap of writing, and that when men’s hearts are turned towards the Light, they find very different lessons in those same trees, rocks, and writings.
There are evil men in the world who want to kill us.
There are more who want to BE us.
Let us discern between them.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
Shall I grab my tinfoil helmet?
It seems that someone @ usdoj.gov dropped by, at 4:52:07.
Uh...Welcome?
I never really know what to make of that sort of thing, and without any more information, it's impossible to do anything other than make wild assed guesses.
[tongueToCheek]
Possible motivations for the government to drop by:
-Because they can. After all, I DID post this blog in public, you know. ;)
-A governmental employee was surfing on his lunch break, and wanted to admire my Sig.
-Kim is under surveillance, and now I am too. (Dang.)
-Homeland Security was scanning for terrorists, and heard that my family came from France (in like the 1600's)
-Yadda, yadda yadda.
[/tongueToCheek]
In seriousness, the only reason I comment, and not blow the event off in it's entirety is that being goosed by your government, for whatever reason, is chilling, regardless of whether the motives are noble (protection of Americans) or disgraceful (Institutionalized distrust of the populace).
I've been keeping tabs on the current situation with respect to the erosion of freedom in general and the Bill of Rights in particular for 15 years. There is some legitimate cause for concern, indications that there is more potential for darkness in America than ever before.
Now we Americans are not dummies, and rightfully regard even the potential for abuse with an extremely skeptical eye. This is embedded deeply within our psyche, and is in fact embedded deeply into the history, form and function of our Constitution, which intentionally separates powers for the purpose of preventing them from being abused.
And so to you, unknown agent of the DOJ, I bid you a hesitant welcome, and pose an honest question:
Are you part of the problem? Or the solution?
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
A Tip O' The Hat Is In Order
Many of ya'll have arrived here courtesy of links from my favorite bloggers, (You can find them on the left, under "Give us this day my daily blog".)
I sent this email to Kim Dutoit, Rachel Lucas, and Bill Whittle, and I post it here in an act of public gratitude to them, my tip O' the hat:
------------------------------------------------------
................Your fine blogs have inspired me, in several ways.
They have inspired my to shake off a cynicism that had been festering for some time. My love affair with America goes deep, but I despaired of all the dung and kruft (my bad, should be cruft) that has accumulated around her for the last 80 years or so.
They have reminded me that in the center of her complex soul lies a shining noble character, dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and that the mechanisms of governance are at all times subservient to the just prerogatives of the individual.
They have demonstrated that even though I live in festering socialist hellhole, the Dark & Fascist State of New Jersey, that there are still plenty enough of real Americans out there. Booya.
You all have my deep gratitude. ................
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Nanny
It has been many years since my grandmother, affectionately known as Nanny, has passed on, but I am reminded of something this morning, as I read an article posted by W of Merde In France. (Scroll down to "One day this war will end", prepare to be angry)
A lot of my family on Mom's side still speak French, as do I, minimally. It was my mother's cradle language, although she denies still being able to use it. That side of the family came from France in the distant past via Quebec.
A few years back, I was going through a pile of antique photographs from the early part of the century. There were pictures of Nanny working in a New England textile mill in Fall River, Massachussets, and also a lot of pictures of my grandfather, Thomas, who, by all accounts, was an excellent decent man. Since the accolades are universal, I tend to believe them, but I never had the honor of meeting Thomas, as he died well before I was born. Thomas did seem to have a dour, Yankee seriousness about him.
Nanny had long and eventful live. She worked in textile mills, was an actress of local notoriety, and had married a little late for the times, going on to raise five children. All the photos from this time in her life show a woman who is satisfied with her life, and proud of what she was doing with it.
There are another set of photos, whoever. They feature a 19 or 20 year old Nanny with a young man, who is not Thomas. There are not many of these photos, but in each and every one of them, Nanny is absolutely radiant, and in love. There can be no doubt that she is a very happy human being.
Booya for you, Nanny, score 1 for the pursuit of happiness.
The last photo is of this young man, whose name is lost to us, in a doughboy uniform. The reason he is not my grandfather, and the reason the subsequent photos of my grandmother lack the radiant joy, is that he died a horrible, lingering death of lungs blistered by mustard gas.
His grave is in France.
I lay aside questions of whether I would exist if not for this occurance, for that is cheesey sci fi speculation. All I can say is that for the well being and liberty of France, a good man in my family died horribly, losing his life, and Nanny's pursuit of happiness would never quite be realized the way she most certainly dreamed.
So, as for all you anti American types cowering in France, thanks a lot.
I'm sure Nanny, Thomas, and the nameless soldier are all spinning in their graves so fast their coffins will burst into flames.
I pause a moment in silence, with love for my grandmother, and a young fellow whose name I don't know.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Monday, March 24, 2003
Heard on NPR last week:
(this is a rough quote from memory, of a Baath part member speaking to an NPR reporter)
"Oh, yes, we will fight to the death to repel the American Invaders....maybe you take my daughter to live with you in America?"
I shit you not.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Saddam Praises Commander Who Surrended
" And when he cited several units and commanders, saluting them “for their heroic feats in the battlefield,” he named the commander of the 11th Iraqi Brigade in Basra, who surrendered along with many of his troops in the early hours of the war. That prompted officials at the allied Central Command in Qatar to conclude that the tape was likely recorded before the beginning of the hostilities. "
The Link
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Thought of The Day:
If Saddam had military power like ours,
The world would be a hellish place.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Captain Steve Tells It As It Is
I've long been a fan of Kim Dutoit, and so I'll let his friend, "Capt Steve", who sporadically reports "from the sandbox" shed light on our abused POWs.
Fedayeen, huh? We'll see about that. Rummie tells it like it is too. "We'll hunt you down and finish you."
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Saddam: "Victory Is Soon"
Ayep. I'd say ya got that part right, monsterboy.
What, with your guys lighting themselves on fire by the banks of the Tigris, I'd say our victory is gonna be a lot sooner that you'd like.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Some of Ya'll Don't Know Me...
So a little background is in order.
Yes. I am a geek. Yes, that is a .45. (SigArms P245 to be exact.)
12 yards, 18 shots, 3 mags, 22(ish) seconds, no misses. The fly away on the target was the first double action shot. Any questions?
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
The Dissident Frogman
Has done a fine job dealing with the human shields who changed their minds I referenced earlier. Scroll down to "Coalition of Simpletons".
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
OK, So I'm Watching The War...
Beamed to be live, with the sound on mute while Pink Floyd's Immortal Album Dark Side of The Moon plays....
And that's just a taste of the surreality that we all feel.
Here's a telling little vignette.
Moral of the story? Don't waste your time begging the UN to save you. At best, you might get a posthumous citation, noting that killing people is bad, and at worst, as in the UN mediated conflict in the former Yugoslavia, you will be first disarmed by the blue helmets, who will promise to protect you, and whom will subsequently surrender/leave/stand around doing nothing while your ethnic enemies surround and systematically slaughter you.
[hawk. spit]
The UN has lost any sort of political, moral, or ethical credibility, although it seems that a good part of the US citizenry is very slow to catch on to that. Too many people in the world are still walking around talking as if the UN had the moral authority here.
They do not.
It's time to demote them to their proper role as an international emergency food distribution system. At least that way they'll do some good.
Side note: Ever since 9/11, I've been wishing for a way to watch Aljazeera. [WARNING PROPAGANDA ALERT] My wish has been granted.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Our Enemies Have Always Used Our Decency Against Us...
And they always will.
We will always be decent.
We will always pay the price of that decency.
We're Americans.
As we confront and kill the true bastards of the world, you'll note that we hardly ever have an armed beef with honoroble folks who simply disagree with us.
You want to torture and kill our guys who are your prisoners?
So be it.
We will treat your guys with decency. We will give them food and medicine, and patch together their wounds. They will live, and someday return to their families, to build a new Iraq in which there is hope, and a chance for all.
These barbarians, who know no honor, will be held accountable, both to us, and to God.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Remember the Flag Burner Who Set Himself on Fire?
I just saw a similiar moment on Fox.
They had footage of Iraqis looking for downed pilots along the Tigris, doing incredibly stupid things, like shooting into the water, walking around with their fingers on triggers, and sweeping each other with their muzzles.
They where also trying to burn all the high grasses and rushes along the river bank, presumably to deny hiding places. About 6 or so Iraqis where standing in head high grass, pouring gasoline around, and one of them tosses a match.
FOOMF! Suddenly, they're all standing in the fire. Running and screaming ensues.
The fire burnt out in about 10 seconds, and it doesn't look like any of them where more than toasted.
Another fine moment in Iraq's military history.
Captain Safety Sez:
Dumbass!
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Saturday, March 22, 2003
Too Rich Not To Post
Human Shields Change Their Minds
The Link To UPI
"A group of American anti-war demonstrators who came to Iraq with Japanese human shield volunteers made it across the border today with 14 hours of uncensored video, all shot without Iraqi government minders present. Kenneth Joseph, a young American pastor with the Assyrian Church of the East, told UPI the trip "had shocked me back to reality." Some of the Iraqis he interviewed on camera "told me they would commit suicide if American bombing didn't start. They were willing to see their homes demolished to gain their freedom from Saddam's bloody tyranny. They convinced me that Saddam was a monster the likes of which the world had not seen since Stalin and Hitler. He and his sons are sick sadists. Their tales of slow torture and killing made me ill, such as people put in a huge shredder for plastic products, feet first so they could hear their screams as bodies got chewed up from foot to head."
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we fight.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Revisiting Our Roots: Return to National Integrity
One of the bigger reasons that some portions of the world doesn’t support the current endeavor in Iraq is the simple fact that they neither believe in our good intentions, or trust us to carry them through.
They remember well the America that fought it’s way through the cold war, largely by intervening in the affairs of other nations as we played the endless game of chess and cards with the Soviet Empire.
While this strategy ultimately proved to be the winning one, it has cost us, to some extent, the loss of our innocence.
Do you remember losing your virginity? Did you wake up the next day a fundamentally different person?
No, of course not. You were still you, still the same person you where the day before.
It is the same for America. We lost our innocence in the long, cold war, and in all the missteps that we took along the way, but we are still America, still the noble land of the free and the home of the brave, land of the people who, rather than simply walking away from the remnants of Europe and Japan after winning WWII, spent our own time, money and blood to rebuild it. We are the one’s who treat our foes with honor, even when it costs us.
I went to Hiroshima, many years ago when I lived in Japan. At the train station, I happened upon an old man, who was tending to his kiosk in the train station. I stopped to buy some small thing, perhaps gum, or cigarettes, and he spent some time speaking with me. The exact wording and details of the interchange are somewhat hazy, but the event itself stuck with me ever since.
The way it went down, was more or less like this. He asked me if I was an American, and if I had come to see Peace Park, the memorial nearby to ground zero. I was a little afraid, wondering if this fellow had some old grudge or axe to grind, but I allowed that I was an American, and I had indeed come to see where it all happened. He looked at me, as if he was bursting to say something he had held back for a long time.
“I was there,” he said, finally. “I was there, in the hills. I was a little boy. I saw the flash, and was blind for 3 days. I was never so scared in my life. Later, I learned it meant the Americans would be coming, and I was even more scared.”
I stood in awe. I was standing the in presence of a man we had actually NUKED.
I had to ask. “Do, do you hold it against us? Do you hate us?”
His answer, coming straight from the horse’s mouth, confirmed the tales I had heard from my father, all along. The gentleman was shocked that I would even think such a thing.
“No, I don’t hate you. They told us all along that when the soldiers came, they would kill us all, torture us, rape us, and make whoever was left into their slaves. It didn’t happen. Soldiers came, and they helped us. They gave us food and medicine, they helped us rebuild, and helped become what we are today. You may not hear this from the younger people, but we who where there remember, and are grateful.”
That is who we are, as President Bush puts it, our troops have a longstanding tradition of “honor and decency”.
And that is who we will always be. Perhaps a bit sadder, and most definitely a bit wiser, but as honorable and as decent as we can be, even when it hurts.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Friday, March 21, 2003
Clipped Him
According to Drudge:
Eyewitnesses Report Seeing Wounded Saddam Being Carried From Compound
Fri Mar 21 2003 10:32:01 ET
Intelligence sources now say there were eyewitnesses at the scene where Saddam Hussein's complex was bombed on the first night, ABC reported Friday morning.
John McWethy, ABC's national security correspondent, said on air: "Those eyewitnesses say that they saw Saddam Hussein being taken from the wreckage on a hospital gurney, that he had an oxygen mask over his face. In addition, intelligence sources say that there is a lack of communication between Saddam Hussein's office and his main commands and the rest of his government.
"They are interpreting that as meaning that there is some problem with his health. So they are optimistic that something has happened to the leader of Iraq, but they are still extremely cautious about what his condition is."
Developing...
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Thursday, March 20, 2003
Could if be that we actually DO give a shit?
Looks like operation "Shock & Awe" (A risky name if there ever was one) has been put on hold these last 8 hours or so, while we assessed "The state of Iraqi leadership" (meaning, did we shelac the monster boys?)
Well, well. Imagine that. The mighty United States of America holding fire, telling a quarter million folks chomping at the bit to sit tight, because we don't wanna kill anyone that we don't have to.
Has any country, ever, gone as far out of the way as we have to not only avoid civilian casualties, but enemy military casualties as well?
The answer is: NO ONE.
Listen up, world, and listen good. We DO GIVE A SHIT. WE GIVE A LOT OF SHITS.
We give so many shits that we'd rather fucking DIE OURSELVES, rather than simply kill everyone from afar.
Ya'll know we can do that, and ya'll know that there ain't shit to stop us, that the only power on this earth that can stop us from nuking the bejesus out of anyone at will is US, because WE'RE DECENT PEOPLE.
And ya'll know that, deep down, so critics & peaceniks:CHILL.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Say, Monster Boy!
You're not dead yet?
Pissed off the very first shot of the war was aimed right at your head?
Awww, too bad.
How many look alikes you got left?
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Uh, what?
"Iraq is unlikely to use chemical or biological weapons to defend itself from a U.S.-led invasion because world opinion would turn against it", chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said Wednesday. "Saddam Hussein has certainly figured himself to be a sort of emperor of Mesopotamia, and the leader of the Arab world," Blix said. "So I think he very likely cares very much about his reputation".
Blix, you can NOT be serious. We're talking about a man who throws people into shredders, for christ's sake. We're talking about a man who has ALREADY used chemical weapons. We're talking about a man who sent 29 unprovoked Scuds into Israel in the last war, trying to provoke a counter attack.
Get real.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Ding.
Time's up, monster.
You're Finished.
Let's Roll.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Run, Monsterboy!
You have 44 minutes.
Better make good use of them.
We're right around the corner now....can you feel our hot breath?
tick tick tick tick tick tick
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Those Wacky Iraqis...
Their public statements are soooo over the top.
Soldiers will face "definate death". Wives will "weep blood", and so on.
Puhlease.
4 hours, monster boy! You sure you wanna duke it out? (yes/no/cancel)
tttttttttiiiiiiiick!
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
I wonder if these are the same guys...
Who tried to surrender a few weeks ago.
"Remember us? We tried to surrender a couple of weeks ago, you said it was too soon? Here's the number you gave us...
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Tariq
Looks like Tariq won't be joining us.
Oh well.
The monster has 6 1/2 hours remaining.
Tick, Tock, motherfucker.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Oh, and Senator Daschle?
Did you really believe that any amount of diplomacy was going to convince Saddam to disarm and leave?
Honestly? Because that is the failure that has lead to war, and not the circus sideshow @ the UN.
Dumbass.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
It occurred to me...
That my venting against the French is a bit uncharacteristic of me, not so much as in the display of passions, but in the lack of precision with which I've aimed it.
Was it directed at all French everywhere?
Did I wish to insult the innocent?
No, dumbass. It was directed at the guilty parties, and ya'll know who ya are.
I can hear the responses now, heads shaking in the cafes.
"Tsk, this American. He knows nothing, ignorant fool. Such simplisme, so barbare. Why, it is plain that he knows nothing of (made up word meaning virtue of head wanking), or (another made up word meaning the nobility of surrender), and clearly nothing of (yet another impressive sounding word meaning 'despite the failure of our pathetic gambit to restore the shreds of French national power, despite it's irrelevance in the last 150 years, we still hold some mystical moral high ground based on our simple, but undemonstrable assertion that it is so' )"
The monster has 10 hours.
tickticktickticktickticktick.
PS:
Tariq Aziz's behaviour in the last war suggest to me he might be an honorable man in a shit position.
If that's so, then I hope the rumors of his demise are false, and the rumors of his escape are true.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Better Late Than Never...
Our thanks also to:
Afghanistan, Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan (post conflict), Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Bulgaria, who didn't want to be listed.
And well, Turkey, ya mighta got into the act a little sooner, rather than letting all our tanks sit on ships. Welcome anyway.
Now as for France.......
[anger]
Mange Moi. (En Anglais: Eat Me.) Even if Saddam's pals have the balls to use bio/chem, just stay home, eat cheese, contemplate your shallow pseudo -intellectual pursuits, your mental masturbatory coffee house debates, and work to perfect your oh so sophisticated European affect. See how far it gets ya in the real world.
Paris is your only redeeming feature, and you don't deserve her.
As for us, we'll fix the world without, or rather, despite your help.
[/anger]
The monster has 25 hours.
Tock Tock Tick.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
The monster has....
37 hours.
Tick Tick Tock.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
To those countries who have our back....
Britian, Spain, Poland, Australia and Kuwait.
Our Thanks.
Let your names be inscribed in honor.
The monster has 43 hours.
Tick, Tock.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Monday, March 17, 2003
While the troops are busy...
While the troops are busy off in the far flung corners of the world, doing the honorable and worthwhile task of keeping the world a safe place to do life, liberty, and chase down happiness, lets attend to some fundamentals.
First, if ya'll don't already know, (or have forgotten) why America is so great, ya need to learn (or be reminded)
Rather than do my own pale rehash, I refer ya to Bill Whittle.
The mandatory reading are these essays:
Empire
Honor
Freedom (My personal favorite, and the one that started it all)
War
Confidence
Report back in when yer done. ;)
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
America Isn't What's Wrong With The World
There are a lot of things wrong with the world, and more than a few things wrong with America, but
America is NOT What's wrong with the world.
Remember that, in the coming days. Repeat as needed.
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Posted By: geekWithA.45
Friday, March 14, 2003
A Love Affair With America
This blog is about my lifelong love affair with America, Land of The Free and Home of the Brave.
This blog is not about mindless patriotism, and chanting USA! USA! on cue, so if that's your cup of tea, there's elsewhere to be.
This blog's about Mindful Patriotism. It's about knowing and living the noble aspirations of a dignified, free people, and fearlessly opposing the flaws and things that endanger that nobility and freedom.
What is America?
America is a living dedication to the principles set forth in the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, the Preamble to the Bill of Rights andThe Bill of Rights itself.
These documents embody deep principles of individual soveriegnty, self determination, equality and freedom. America is THAT, whereever, and whenever it is found. They are mankind's most eloquent statement of these underlying principles, and they represent mankind's best effort and hope for creating Liberty and Justice for All.
If you do nothing else today, Read and Understand these documents. Your Life, Liberty and Pursuit of happiness depends on it.
If you are pressed for time, here's the reader's digest version:
The Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…
The Constitution:
We The People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION for the United States of America.
...
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people....The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
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