Sunday, 27 Jan 2002Whimsy  I was much amused -- and impressed -- by Will Warren's "Hiawatha versus the Bloggers" on Unremitting Verse. I was also, shall we say, inspired -- and mildly insulted that I was not mentioned. I rarely write poetry (except for limericks -- if you call those poetry) and almost never inflict what I little I do write on the unsuspecting public. However, considering the late controversy about web logs, and political blogs in particular, I have started a bit of a song for warbloggers -- with only a few verses done so far, but I will add to it as the muse strikes. Since I do like my readers, and I'm not into torture of people I like, I have posted it on its own page where no one will have see it unless they are crazy enough to click on the link.
18:41 EST Start or join a forum discussion! Iraq: conspiracy theory I was listening to someone on Fox going on about why we should attack Iraq the other day. I commented to a friend that I thought that the enthusiasm for attacking Iraq was fueled at least in part by ego. Since we left Iraq without getting Saddam Hussein, I had decided that "getting him" was a matter of pride. My friend said there was just as much argument for the theory that Rupert Murdoch wants us to attack Iraq. Since Murdoch owns Fox and the NY Post in the US, and both seem rather enthusiastic about attacking Iraq, I thought that was a reasonable conspiracy theory. If you keep saying something should happen, and that "sources say" it may well happen... eventually someone in the government will start thinking it's a good idea. Then I thought again. It isn't just Fox, or the NY Post, or even all the media outside the US that is owned by Murdoch that have this "US will attack Iraq" obsession. All the media, in most countries, seem to have it. Whether they present it as a "the US should think again" story or "go baby, go" story -- almost everything I've read or heard seems to be -- secretly in some stories, overtly in others -- hoping we will attack. I have developed a new conspiracy theory. All of the media wants the US to attack Iraq. Why? Ego. The media, both right and left, misjudged Afghanistan. They didn't understand the war (with a few exceptions), how it worked, or why it is working as it does. They also hated being kept in the dark about special forces, and reporting on a war from the country next door. They have; however, found out that an active war results in much higher news viewing. So, they want a war with masses of tanks lined up, and lots of ground troops. They want a war they can understand, and one where they can follow massive troop deployments -- ones that are not hidden and then given them as a press handout two weeks later. They want a war they can watch, and predict, and star in. So they are all going to yap about Saddam Hussein in the hopes we will go attack just to shut them up.
16:32 EST Start or join a forum discussion! Short stuff - The unvarnished and interactive Sunday Pundit Watch is up.
- Stupidity watch: "How can we stay silent when Afghani detainees are shackled, goggled in a prolonged sitting position and even muzzled?" Excuse me? As far as I know, we have never detained any Afghan money, in or out of shackles. Even if we ignore that misuse of the language, there are detainees from 25 countries in Gitmo, and 24 of those countries are not Afghanistan. I'd also be very curious to know what this person is defining as a "muzzle". In fact, I'd recommend that whole sentence as an excellent example of bad grammar (but that's a different rant).
- Happy Fun Pundit gets letters!
- Seems the school bus driver who went astray Thursday was a nutcase, but intended the children no harm. He wanted to take the kids on a field trip to Washington, DC.
- The latest Palestinian suicide bomber was a woman. Let's drop this idea of "profiling", ok? It's much safer to be suspicious of everyone.
- A letter from Gitmo. Kathleen Parker writes a really good one now and then.
- I wonder if Mushareff would like to grab some money.
- I wouldn't be surprised if the CIA or FBI shows up at my door someday, wondering why I access sites like the one above... and list them on my blog links page.
15:17 EST Start or join a forum discussion!
No tolerance for the intolerable I got up this morning, and began browsing around. I soon found two very sickening articles on the Guardian, describing videos that are being used to recruit British Muslims. One of the videos shows -- and celebrates -- graphic scenes of murder.I did some further browsing, and ran across an excellent post by Bjørn Stærk regarding a Kurdish immigrant who murdered his daughter because she had a Swedish boyfriend. I'm all for respecting other cultures -- but only when they deserverespect. Some things should be neither respected, nor even tolerated, in free countries. I truly believe that if we do not fight the idea that all cultures are equally good, if we do not cease being tolerant of abuse and hate, simply because it is cloaked in "multiculturalism" or hiding behind "religious tolerance", we will destroy ourselves. Immigration has, and will continue to, enrich all of our societies -- but only if the immigrants accept our laws and certain basic assumptions of our cultures. If they refuse to accept these, they should be tossed out immediately. Back when the British had an empire, they understood that some things are intolerable. They banned suttee in India (and rightly so). Now they put up with people who distribute snuff films that advocate killing their citizens -- they ignore those who force daughters into unwanted marriages and advocate abuse -- because they are afraid someone will accuse them of "racism" or "religious bigotry". Gentlemen and ladies of Britain -- stop it right now, arrest them and/or deport them. People who do such things do not deserve to live in your country. Or mine. Or any free country. There is a big difference between respecting differences and tolerating hate and abuse. I call on all free citizens and free countries to draw that line, and stop tolerating the intolerable.
09:27 EST Start or join a forum discussion!
Saturday, 26 Jan 2002Short and Sometimes Recursive stuff - The Afghan war isn't over yet. [via Cal Ulmann]
- Marjan the lion dies in Kabul. R.I.P. [via Momma Bear]
- It's always about sex... Now we know why Johnny Wanker became a Talib. It wasn't liberal upbringing or shock at his father. He was just a randy teenager who decided joining the Taliban was the only way he'd ever fulfill his fantasy of multiple women.
- Is it just my ISP going weird, or has Lake Effect disappeared?
- An excellent argument by Charles Krauthammer (who else) for why we should not declare the Al Qaida detainees in Gitmo prisoners of war. I may use this quote from him as my blog motto: "Our paramount national duty today is to prevent another Sept. 11, not to glory in the moral high ground -- the moral vanity -- of the victimhood we suffered last Sept. 11". Bravo!
- I think this sort of thing is why the European 'elites' hate our guts. Personally, I think pursuit of happiness includes the right to be totally tacky.
- Dawson's blog is fun, BUT IF HE DOESN'T STOP SHOUTING I'M GOING TO GET UPSET! dawson... if you can't handle a shift key, we'd rather you type in all small letters, ok? a post in all capitals is very hard to read. Thank you, dear.
- I sometimes wish I could live on the west coast of the US rather than the west coast of Florida. I'm looking forward to the pictures, Ken.
- The Muslim Pundit has a very informative post about Elia Hobeika, a Lebanese. minister who was assassinated a few days ago. Recommended reading for anyone keeping an eye on the Israeli/Palestine conflict.
19:14 EST Start or join a forum discussion!
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