24 June 2008
KOREAN WAR
Today marks the 58th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Talk about vets getting the raw end of the stick.
20 June 2008
GOOGLE EARTH
Cool Friday afternoon kill-the-time thing.
Google Earth now includes lots of ground level imagery with their satellite photography. I was able to visit the street in Brooklyn where I'd grown up. Not every place is available, but enter your address and take a look-see.
Very, very neat.
Thanks to Suzanne O for turning me onto it.
(And, another one I didn't know about comes via Paul L. Check out www.Local.Live.com. — 6/22/08)
Google Earth now includes lots of ground level imagery with their satellite photography. I was able to visit the street in Brooklyn where I'd grown up. Not every place is available, but enter your address and take a look-see.
Very, very neat.
Thanks to Suzanne O for turning me onto it.
(And, another one I didn't know about comes via Paul L. Check out www.Local.Live.com. — 6/22/08)
ES OBAMA KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING
Empty Suit Obama, running to lead the American people "into the future" still manages to not have a clue as to what's going on around him.
In an Op-Ed in — my heart be still — the Washington Post (yes, Post, not Times), writer Charles Krauthammer takes issues with Obama's "first we have to leave Iraq because we're not accomplishing anything" stance.
Krauthammer goes onto note what's been happening in Iraq over the past few weeks:
"1. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sent the Iraqi army into Basra. It achieved in a few weeks what the British had failed to do in four years: take the city, drive out the Mahdi Army and seize the ports from Iranian-backed militias.
2. When Mahdi fighters rose up in support of their Basra brethren, the Iraqi army at Maliki’s direction confronted them and prevailed in every town—Najaf, Karbala, Hilla, Kut, Nasiriyah and Diwaniyah—from Basra to Baghdad.
3. Without any American ground forces, the Iraqi army entered and occupied Sadr City, the Mahdi Army stronghold.
4. Maliki flew to Mosul, directing a joint Iraqi-U.S. offensive against the last redoubt of al-Qaeda, which had already been driven out of Anbar, Baghdad and Diyala provinces.
5. The Iraqi parliament enacted a de-Baathification law, a major Democratic benchmark for political reconciliation.
6. Parliament also passed the other reconciliation benchmarks—a pension law, an amnesty law, and a provincial elections and powers law. Oil revenue is being distributed to the provinces through the annual budget."
Oh, yeah, Obama's got the handle on things. For Krauthammer's complete column go HERE
On another not, the Obamaists at Newsday relegated ES's 360-degree turn around on campaign financing to page 28a. After all, it's not really news ... it's just our erstwhile leader looking to tomorrow.
Jeez.
In an Op-Ed in — my heart be still — the Washington Post (yes, Post, not Times), writer Charles Krauthammer takes issues with Obama's "first we have to leave Iraq because we're not accomplishing anything" stance.
Krauthammer goes onto note what's been happening in Iraq over the past few weeks:
"1. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sent the Iraqi army into Basra. It achieved in a few weeks what the British had failed to do in four years: take the city, drive out the Mahdi Army and seize the ports from Iranian-backed militias.
2. When Mahdi fighters rose up in support of their Basra brethren, the Iraqi army at Maliki’s direction confronted them and prevailed in every town—Najaf, Karbala, Hilla, Kut, Nasiriyah and Diwaniyah—from Basra to Baghdad.
3. Without any American ground forces, the Iraqi army entered and occupied Sadr City, the Mahdi Army stronghold.
4. Maliki flew to Mosul, directing a joint Iraqi-U.S. offensive against the last redoubt of al-Qaeda, which had already been driven out of Anbar, Baghdad and Diyala provinces.
5. The Iraqi parliament enacted a de-Baathification law, a major Democratic benchmark for political reconciliation.
6. Parliament also passed the other reconciliation benchmarks—a pension law, an amnesty law, and a provincial elections and powers law. Oil revenue is being distributed to the provinces through the annual budget."
Oh, yeah, Obama's got the handle on things. For Krauthammer's complete column go HERE
On another not, the Obamaists at Newsday relegated ES's 360-degree turn around on campaign financing to page 28a. After all, it's not really news ... it's just our erstwhile leader looking to tomorrow.
Jeez.
19 June 2008
ECO-FRIENDLY
Al "The Scientist" Gore and family have finally finished their mansion in all eco-friendly style (if you recall, when last we visited Fat Boy, his house was sucking up more megawatts than the Texas White House by a factor of five or so).
It would appear that eco-friendly isn't so friendly, though. Seems that the house draws 10 percent more electricity than before.
Proof positive that he never had a clue.
For the full story go HERE.
It would appear that eco-friendly isn't so friendly, though. Seems that the house draws 10 percent more electricity than before.
Proof positive that he never had a clue.
For the full story go HERE.
18 June 2008
TSK, TSK
That bad ol' President Bush trying to make us oil independent! Why, how dare he? Too bad it didn;t happen eight years ago; at least we'd be near production.
If you love paying $4.39 for gas, you're gonna love a Democratic-led, Democratic-majority Congress.
Hell, if they can raise the price another buck-and-a-half, think of all the extra freebies they could give away to people who don't work.
If you love paying $4.39 for gas, you're gonna love a Democratic-led, Democratic-majority Congress.
Hell, if they can raise the price another buck-and-a-half, think of all the extra freebies they could give away to people who don't work.
17 June 2008
IF YOU CAN'T SEE THIS TRAIN COMING ...
Let's take a look at what's been passing for news and a government designed to "protect" us these days.
First the Supreme Court, once again jumping out of its jurisdiction which is to rule on Constitutional issues, determines that the US government is behaving badly towards those poor misguided, maltreated scum in Gitmo. Then they hear a suit - and you know they'll rule positively on this one - that it's okay to sue the interrogators.
Kill all the lawyers, my ass. Just hang the damn judges.
We've also got some of the usual headline grabbing idiots in Congress wanting to know who said it was "okay" to be harsh during interrogations. Obviously these assholes have never been caught during E&E training, but then, there's no way in hell they'd serve their country somewhere that might result in harm.
I seriously wish these elected officials severe personal harm.
Then we have some idiots sponsoring anti-McCain ads because he'll do the same thing in iraq that the Prez has done(which - in reality - is kick ass).
I hope they hold their next convention in a building that gets firebombed by those misunderstood Islamcists they're always wailing about.
On a high not: Al The Gore came out for this empty suit Obama and caused Obamas ratings to move not a whit.
Let's hear it for Al the Fabler.
It's a pity Tim Russert died, becaue he was about the only hope we had of getting Obama to answer questions, rather than serve up platitudes.
But, hey, what liberal wants answers that don't result in laws enacting things such as free rides, more government,less guns and no prayer.
Whew.
First the Supreme Court, once again jumping out of its jurisdiction which is to rule on Constitutional issues, determines that the US government is behaving badly towards those poor misguided, maltreated scum in Gitmo. Then they hear a suit - and you know they'll rule positively on this one - that it's okay to sue the interrogators.
Kill all the lawyers, my ass. Just hang the damn judges.
We've also got some of the usual headline grabbing idiots in Congress wanting to know who said it was "okay" to be harsh during interrogations. Obviously these assholes have never been caught during E&E training, but then, there's no way in hell they'd serve their country somewhere that might result in harm.
I seriously wish these elected officials severe personal harm.
Then we have some idiots sponsoring anti-McCain ads because he'll do the same thing in iraq that the Prez has done(which - in reality - is kick ass).
I hope they hold their next convention in a building that gets firebombed by those misunderstood Islamcists they're always wailing about.
On a high not: Al The Gore came out for this empty suit Obama and caused Obamas ratings to move not a whit.
Let's hear it for Al the Fabler.
It's a pity Tim Russert died, becaue he was about the only hope we had of getting Obama to answer questions, rather than serve up platitudes.
But, hey, what liberal wants answers that don't result in laws enacting things such as free rides, more government,less guns and no prayer.
Whew.
14 June 2008
RIP: JOHN STETHEM
And I reiterate ...
On this day, June 15, in 1985
US Navy Steelworker 2nd Class Robert D. Stethem of Underwater Construction Team 1 is killed by the Hezbollah Shi'ite hijackers (any of those adjectives ring a bell?) of TWA Flight 847. Un-armed, Stethem was savagely beaten, shot and his body unceremoniously dropped on the tarmac by the animals.
These scum have been subhuman in the name of Allah for a looooong time.
13 June 2008
BULL SHIT
As those of you've read this blog may have guessed, I've never had a moral reservations about starting or waging war. However.
While this sentiment may be far too late ... the US Government has NO business whatsoever sending single parents into war zones. That is unmitigated bull shit.
Just because we have a country in which the younger citizenry doesn't find military service an honorable calling, doesn't mean we have to send parents to war.
Start the draft and get those 21 year olds still living at home out to do something for someone else. Jeez. Everybody has to pay a price for freedom, no matter how dire.
Had to get that out of my system.
While this sentiment may be far too late ... the US Government has NO business whatsoever sending single parents into war zones. That is unmitigated bull shit.
Just because we have a country in which the younger citizenry doesn't find military service an honorable calling, doesn't mean we have to send parents to war.
Start the draft and get those 21 year olds still living at home out to do something for someone else. Jeez. Everybody has to pay a price for freedom, no matter how dire.
Had to get that out of my system.
DEMOCRATS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH GASOLINE PRICES
That and other fairy tales the press doesn't want you to know.
Except for the Tampa Bay Tribune.
"A Democratic-controlled House panel voted 9-6 in a party-line vote against lifting the 27-year-old offshore drilling moratorium, at a time when gasoline prices are expected to float at or above $4 a gallon for the rest of the summer.
"As with Florida, the amendment by GOP Rep. John Peterson of Pennsylvania also would have opened up drilling in now-protected areas 50 to 200 miles off the East and West coasts, including off North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina.
"The first 50 miles offshore would not be opened to drilling."
For the FULL STORY.
Except for the Tampa Bay Tribune.
"A Democratic-controlled House panel voted 9-6 in a party-line vote against lifting the 27-year-old offshore drilling moratorium, at a time when gasoline prices are expected to float at or above $4 a gallon for the rest of the summer.
"As with Florida, the amendment by GOP Rep. John Peterson of Pennsylvania also would have opened up drilling in now-protected areas 50 to 200 miles off the East and West coasts, including off North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina.
"The first 50 miles offshore would not be opened to drilling."
For the FULL STORY.
12 June 2008
OOPS!
Yesterday was a tradition sort of day in my family. I ask, "Who died today?" and anyone in the family knows the answer: The Duke, John Wayne.
I had to look up — oh, the horror — the year however. Can you believe he's been dead since 1979?
Damn.
I had to look up — oh, the horror — the year however. Can you believe he's been dead since 1979?
Damn.
11 June 2008
IRENA SENDLEROWA
Sometimes I'm soooo glad I have LRRP's World to vent spleen.
Irena Sendlerowa died May 12 at the age of2008 98.
So what, you say?
So, this woman saved 2500 children from the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto during WW II. She was eventually caught and tortured, but lived until last month at the age of 98.
Her story is truly incredible, but it doesn't end with her death.
The Nobel Prize — we all know what that is, right — is awarded in various categories. One is Peace, and thus the Nobel Peace Prize. Last year Al Gore won it for bad science (why they gave it to him for peace is beyond me).
Guess who was nominated, but didn't get it? Irena Sendlerowa.
Let's weigh this out on the scale of life. Hmmmm. Oops, Al fell to the ground.
Thanks to Paul L for starting me on this. This is one of those stories I'm sorry I know about. Add the Nobel Prize to things made worthless by political hacks.
Irena Sendlerowa died May 12 at the age of
So what, you say?
So, this woman saved 2500 children from the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto during WW II. She was eventually caught and tortured, but lived until last month at the age of 98.
Her story is truly incredible, but it doesn't end with her death.
The Nobel Prize — we all know what that is, right — is awarded in various categories. One is Peace, and thus the Nobel Peace Prize. Last year Al Gore won it for bad science (why they gave it to him for peace is beyond me).
Guess who was nominated, but didn't get it? Irena Sendlerowa.
Let's weigh this out on the scale of life. Hmmmm. Oops, Al fell to the ground.
Thanks to Paul L for starting me on this. This is one of those stories I'm sorry I know about. Add the Nobel Prize to things made worthless by political hacks.
LAST CHANCE ...
... Possibly in more ways than one. But what a way to go!
Okay all you ex-Paratroopers, skydivers, paragliders, hangliders, climbers, adventurers, etc. A notice from High and Wild, an adventure outfit in the UK, that just came across the Pond today.
"To date 27 jumpers from across the world are presently preparing themselves to fly to Nepal in September 2008 and to enter the record books of world class adventure as the first group of people to take part in "The Mt Everest Skydive."
Participants to date are from the USA, UK, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium and South Africa and there are still places remaining for solo or tandem jumpers available."
Interested? Go to High and Wild. And, yes, of course I wish I was going.
Okay all you ex-Paratroopers, skydivers, paragliders, hangliders, climbers, adventurers, etc. A notice from High and Wild, an adventure outfit in the UK, that just came across the Pond today.
"To date 27 jumpers from across the world are presently preparing themselves to fly to Nepal in September 2008 and to enter the record books of world class adventure as the first group of people to take part in "The Mt Everest Skydive."
Participants to date are from the USA, UK, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium and South Africa and there are still places remaining for solo or tandem jumpers available."
Interested? Go to High and Wild. And, yes, of course I wish I was going.
10 June 2008
REVERSE RACISM?
Okay. You're a poor, white, young film maker.
You make a movie for, say under $200,000, that goes on to gross $7 million. You become a media maven and get courtside seats at The Garden.
Then none of the next 10 movies you make grosses more in a year than what a semi-literate blood-and-guts horror flic makes in a weekend. ( World Wide Box Office )
Do you still have a job in Hollywood? Do people still fawn over you as if you've the secret? Do you still get to go to B-ball games (even if it is the Knicks)?
No, white boy, you don't.
But Spike Lee does. If he was white he'd be just another one-shot Hollywood player,but since he's not, he gets free reign to utter racial slurs while in France (stay there, they're so much more understanding of race than us American honkies) and gets to keep making movies that make mediocre amounts of money.
Ain't Obama's racist America a terrible place?
What a dope.
You make a movie for, say under $200,000, that goes on to gross $7 million. You become a media maven and get courtside seats at The Garden.
Then none of the next 10 movies you make grosses more in a year than what a semi-literate blood-and-guts horror flic makes in a weekend. ( World Wide Box Office )
Do you still have a job in Hollywood? Do people still fawn over you as if you've the secret? Do you still get to go to B-ball games (even if it is the Knicks)?
No, white boy, you don't.
But Spike Lee does. If he was white he'd be just another one-shot Hollywood player,but since he's not, he gets free reign to utter racial slurs while in France (stay there, they're so much more understanding of race than us American honkies) and gets to keep making movies that make mediocre amounts of money.
Ain't Obama's racist America a terrible place?
What a dope.
08 June 2008
NEW FEATURE
Next time you're feeling hot, or cold, or miserable due to the weather, click on the button below Think You're Hot on the left top. It's the weather in different cities in Iraq.
Now, I once calculated what we carried for a four-day mission in the Central Highlands. The weather ran from the low 50s to 100-plus depending on where you were working (it could encompass both extremes). You also had monsoon and dry seasons to contend with.
Now, we didn't wear helmets or protective armor and we didn't carry anything heavier than a a CAR-15 or an AK-47.
I figure our loads ran about 80 to 110 pounds.
Now take a look at the average GI or Grunt in Iraq. Take the 110, add helmet. body armor, even more water (if that's possible), more electronics, etc., etc., etc.
Next time the weather has you down, click on that button to the left, and think for a moment.
Right now I'm trying to find Afghanistan, but — believe it or not in 2008 — there isn't any weather info for that Godforsaken place. But I'll keep digging.
[UPDATE: 6-9-08: Thanks to Linda H, I now have the Afghanistan weather aboard. It'll come up in Afghani when you click on the link, but clicking on the city will bring you to an English weather forecast. — GPJ]
Say a prayer and STFU.
06 June 2008
COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER
Clint Eastwood about Spike Lee, after Spike all but called Eastwood a rascist because there weren't any blacks in his Iwo Jima movie ... which was about some White guys and an Indian who raised the flag on Suribachi.
After explaining American history to a reporter from the Guardian (UK), and asking why Lee didn't do a movie like Bird (Eastwood's bio of legendary jazzman Charlie "Bird" Parker).
"A guy like [Lee] should shut his face."
Oh, Clint, you are such Da Man!
After explaining American history to a reporter from the Guardian (UK), and asking why Lee didn't do a movie like Bird (Eastwood's bio of legendary jazzman Charlie "Bird" Parker).
"A guy like [Lee] should shut his face."
Oh, Clint, you are such Da Man!
THE MESSIAH HAS ARRIVED
YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY GOTTA READ THIS ... if you're a fan of Mr. & Mrs. BHO, Al Gore, Oprah Winfrey or not ... you GOTTA read this. You GOTTA!!!!
And if you remember the Twilight Zone ... all the better .... and you STILL GOTTA read this
Go HERE.
PLEASE ... PLEASE ... PLEASE
And if you remember the Twilight Zone ... all the better .... and you STILL GOTTA read this
Go HERE.
PLEASE ... PLEASE ... PLEASE
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: D-DAY
It was 64 years ago today that the Allied Forces hit the beaches at Normandy, beginning the end of the war in Europe, ensuring the rest of Europe isn't speaking German today.
Here's to those who gave their lives, and those who still survive.
If you're too young to know what D-Day was all about, watch The Longest Day first for the geopolitical perspective and then Saving Private Ryan for the reality those who hit the beaches and survived went through.
Here's to those who gave their lives, and those who still survive.
If you're too young to know what D-Day was all about, watch The Longest Day first for the geopolitical perspective and then Saving Private Ryan for the reality those who hit the beaches and survived went through.
04 June 2008
NO MIDDLE EAST OIL — FACTS
There's an e-mail making the rounds about stopping the purchases of Mideast oil to force the market down. It suggests you go to some gas stations and not others.
The facts are — as usually happens with these missives — somewhat either outdated or just plain wrong. So, like everybody in this gah-damn country SHOULD do, I chased down the realfacts. (And that doesn't mean looking it up on Snopes. I'm not real sure they haven't let their politics get in front of their research).
The following companies received NO Middle Eastern oil (defined as Persian Gulf oil coming from Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates) between January and December 2007.
The info comes from our very own Department of Energy, who tend to keep track of these sorts of things.
SUNOCO INC
SHELL OIL CO DEER PARK
HOUSTON REFINING LP
PDV MIDWEST REFINING LLC
CITGO ASPHALT REFINING CO (Please note that this outfit is owned by Venezuela; yes, the one with the asshole as prez.)
PRSI TRADING LP
GIANT YORKTOWN INC
UNITED REFINING CO
SHELL CHEMICAL LP
VITOL SA INC
CHS INC
SINCLAIR OIL CORP
FRONTIER OIL & REFINING CO
SHELL OIL CO
SHELL OIL PRODUCTS US PUGET SOUND
SUNCOR ENERGY USAINC
ERGON OIL PURCHASING INC
PARAMOUNT PETROLEUM CORP
TRIGEANT LTD
MONTANA REFINING CO
NCRA
ARON J & CO
CANNAT ENERGY INC
TIDAL ENERGY MARKETING INC
STATOIL MKTG & TRDG US INC
EQIUSTAR CHEMICALS LP
FLYING J PETROLEUM INC
PACIFIC MARKETING & TRANSP
GARY-WILLIAMS ENERGY CORP
MERCURIA ENERGY CANADA INC
UBS AG LONDON BRANCH
.
The facts are — as usually happens with these missives — somewhat either outdated or just plain wrong. So, like everybody in this gah-damn country SHOULD do, I chased down the realfacts. (And that doesn't mean looking it up on Snopes. I'm not real sure they haven't let their politics get in front of their research).
The following companies received NO Middle Eastern oil (defined as Persian Gulf oil coming from Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates) between January and December 2007.
The info comes from our very own Department of Energy, who tend to keep track of these sorts of things.
SUNOCO INC
SHELL OIL CO DEER PARK
HOUSTON REFINING LP
PDV MIDWEST REFINING LLC
CITGO ASPHALT REFINING CO (Please note that this outfit is owned by Venezuela; yes, the one with the asshole as prez.)
PRSI TRADING LP
GIANT YORKTOWN INC
UNITED REFINING CO
SHELL CHEMICAL LP
VITOL SA INC
CHS INC
SINCLAIR OIL CORP
FRONTIER OIL & REFINING CO
SHELL OIL CO
SHELL OIL PRODUCTS US PUGET SOUND
SUNCOR ENERGY USAINC
ERGON OIL PURCHASING INC
PARAMOUNT PETROLEUM CORP
TRIGEANT LTD
MONTANA REFINING CO
NCRA
ARON J & CO
CANNAT ENERGY INC
TIDAL ENERGY MARKETING INC
STATOIL MKTG & TRDG US INC
EQIUSTAR CHEMICALS LP
FLYING J PETROLEUM INC
PACIFIC MARKETING & TRANSP
GARY-WILLIAMS ENERGY CORP
MERCURIA ENERGY CANADA INC
UBS AG LONDON BRANCH
.
03 June 2008
OBAMA THE POST TURTLE
Pretty well sums it up ... thanks to Paul L for the pass on.
Texas Cowboy Words of Wisdom
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas cowboy rancher, whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man.
Eventually the topic got around to Barack Obama and his bid to be our President.
The old cowboy said,"Well, ya know, Obama is a 'post turtle'."
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old cowboy said,"When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'."
The old man saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain.
"You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he is up there, and you just want to help the dumb idiot get down."
Texas Cowboy Words of Wisdom
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas cowboy rancher, whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man.
Eventually the topic got around to Barack Obama and his bid to be our President.
The old cowboy said,"Well, ya know, Obama is a 'post turtle'."
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old cowboy said,"When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'."
The old man saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain.
"You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he is up there, and you just want to help the dumb idiot get down."
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