A real civil war

in Mexico.

Problems with my blogroll

You've got to get it together, you happy few who are on my blogroll. I don't mind adding new sites, but I hate taking them off. Listen up!

I am a person who keeps all my old address books, and never eliminates anyone, even if they are dead. It seems so heartless, somehow, to cross their names off just because they are no longer among the living. After all, many of them still vote, especially the Democrats.

So you can imagine how I hate to take people off my blogroll. Lots of my blogmates threaten to abandon their blogs, but I keep them on the list in case they change their minds. Okay, I did eliminate Nickie Goomba, but he had a good excuse, being dead and therefore not posting much. Hardly at all, as a matter of fact.

A favorite site of mine was called Trouserquand, owned and operated by an Englishman called David Hadley. Hadley terminated Trouserquand with extreme prejudice; he took down everything, so you can't even look at his archives. Boo hoo!

Now air force wife is abandoning her site, lured by the glamour of spousebuzz. She will still be posting, but it's not quite the same.

So, boys and girls, don't abandon the ship. Keep blogging every day. I need you. America needs you.

If any of you quit, I will be forced to hold my breath until I turn blue, and you'll be sorry.

San Luis Obispo moved to Oregon

I bought a birthday present for my daughter, who lives in San Luis Obispo. I sent it at one of those places that handle stuff like that. I had to write the address at least three times, and I was very careful because San Luis Obispo is a stretch for some people.

I received a phone call soon after I got home. The delivery man couldn't figure out where this strange zip code was. He asked, Where in Oregon is it?

Thank God I insured it, because I think it is going to the place where all the lost luggage ends up. Or maybe in Oregon.

James Baker, cynic and "realist"

Oh, sure--I'll trust his every word.

This is the same James Baker who, along with the rest of Bush 41's senior staff, let Saddam Hussein stay in power back in 1991? The same James Baker from an administration that sold out the rebelling Iraqi Shiites to their deaths in 1991? The same James Baker who helped put the hardline on Israel back during the first Intifada?

The James Baker/Brent Scowcroft axis of realpolitik did a whole heckuva lot to get us into today's mess in the Middle East. But now we're looking to this old man for advice? Can someone tell us why?

Why? Why, he's a friend of the family.

What does your birth date mean?

Your Birthdate: March 20

You are a virtual roller coaster of emotions, and most people enjoy the ride. Your mood tends to set the tone of the room, and when you're happy, this is a good thing. When you get in a dark mood, watch out - it's very hard to get you out of it. It's sometimes hard for you to cheer up, and your gloom can be contagious. Your strength: Your warm heart Your weakness: Trouble controlling your emotions Your power color: Black Your power symbol: Musical note Your power month: February

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

What your college tuition dollars are buying

Iowahawk, the Onion, and the Nose on Your Face will soon go out of business. Reality has outdone them all.

I thought this was a a parody:

While their parents shell out $33,246 a year in tuition, Columbia University students doff their clothes at naked parties, flock to sex toys workshops, broadcast porn on campus TV, bake anatomically correct pies for the "Erotic Cake-Baking Contest" ...[]

Others volunteer for the bullwhip at Conversio Virium, the university-sanctioned S&M club that means "exchange of power" in Latin. It calls itself a "discussion group" that provides "education and peer support" and promotes "safe, sane and consensual play." But the club doesn't just talk.

Some workshops offered by the college:

# "Sex Toys 101." The university's Health Services division teamed up with Toys in Babeland, a SoHo sex shop, to host a sex toys workshop in John Jay Hall on Feb. 15.

Though it was part of "Safer Sex Week," the playthings on display on W. 114th St. included bondage and S&M tools like whips, paddles, "floggers" and "slappers."

# "Sexhibition." The annual campus sex fair, held in April, featured phallic ring toss games, orgasm-for-beginners workshops and discreet liaisons in the "Tent of Consent."

# "Thug Play with Princess Wendy." Another session of the S&M club, taking place Oct. 30 in Hamilton Hall, was advertised as "beating, punching and slamming boys into lockers, and why bullies are so so so much fun!"

...

# "Smut TV." CTV, Columbia's in-house, student-run TV station, has a faculty adviser, uses school equipment and space, gets $5,021 a year in student activity fees - and is hungry for new viewers.

So at 10 p.m. on Oct. 17, it entered the hard-core porn business: Broadcasting into scores of dorms and lounges, it aired a five-minute clip, downloaded from the Internet, of a naked couple engaged in sex.

Something for the students to look back on fondly as they pay off their six-figure student loans, while folding sweaters at the Gap.

We Jews do it again!

There's no holding us back!

A nasty little poseur who calls himself Mark Le-vee-ne (that's Levine to you ordinary folks) writes:

As far as I can see, the only party that benefits from Gemayel's assassination is Israel. Israel was the main loser in last summer's war, at least politically and strategically. The country's leaders began threatening a new round of fighting even before they began pulling troops out of the south of Lebanon. Hezbollah's post-war ascendence was the most visible and troubling sign of Israel's seemingly unprecedented military weakness and strategic blundering.

Pulling off an assassination like this, which is by no means beyond Israel's ability, would serve several goals: First, it would turn the chaos that Hezbollah was trying to create in the Lebanese political system against it. Instead of Hezbollah managing the post-war chaos in order to strengthen its position, the movement is now forced onto the defensive and must react to a new dynamic in which Christians (with the exception of the breakaway Aoun faction) and Sunnis are more united than ever in their desire to block Hezbollah's takeover of the system. Second, if the country descends into civil war, which is a frightening, if still distant possibility, Hezbollah would be effectively neutralized, and Israel could rely on Maronites and perhaps Sunnis to attack Hezbollah without Israel facing the international condemnation it received during the war.

If we're so smart, why can't we subjugate the world?

Jimmy Carter diplomacy is back

Are we going to negotiate with the Iranian madmen?

And what is the common factor involved in the instability of those three areas? Iran. Hezbollah in Lebanon is an Iranian proxy. Hamas and al-Qaida in the Gaza Strip are assisted and funded by Iran (and given aid and comfort by Iran's Jew-hating genocidal rhetoric), while Iran is the primary player in the 'sectarian' violence in Iraq, details of which are discussed above.

This is not a complicated situation, and can be solved very simply and quickly. Here is the Tammy Middle East Strategy Plan:

1) One bullet, strategically placed, for Hezbollah in Lebanon leader Hassan Nasrallah.

2) One bullet, stategically placed, for Muqtada al-Sadr.

3) The bombing of Iran to eliminate its nuclear bomb program, and to wipe out its genocidal leadership.

1,2,3 done.

The forthcoming Baker Plan?

1) Negotiate with Iran on how best to abandon the Iraqi people.

Hmm, which plan do you think bodes better for the future?

Bush refused to meet with terrorists. Now he's going to follow the Jimmy Carter script, negotiating an agreement that won't be worth the paper it's written on. How can you negotiate with a lunatic? They insist the moon is made of green cheese, we think it prpbably isn't. Split the difference?

I think we're just going to kick this problem down the road. Until the fanatics stage another attack on us. Then, even if every nun in America took off her shoes before boarding an aircraft, we'll realize these killers mean business.

Maybe.

Except for Pelosi and her crew.

Send a thank you postcard to a soldier

I found this nice little site.

The postcards were drawn by school children.

Can you tell what this is?

Some folks at kempsinoz spotted this sign.
I believe it's a water closet.

Philadelphia may retain painting after all

The Eakins painting, the Gross Clinic, might stay in Philadelphia after all:

Mayor Street has nominated Thomas Eakins' masterpiece, The Gross Clinic, for protection under the city's historic preservation ordinance, noting the painting's deep historical and cultural resonance throughout Philadelphia, city officials said yesterday.

Designation as a "historic object,"... would prevent the painting from being altered or moved without the express approval of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. Its proposed sale by Thomas Jefferson University for $68 million ignited a burgeoning controversy. []


Stephanie Naidoff, city commerce director, said Street sent a letter to commission members on Friday requesting the designation for The Gross Clinic because he believes the painting is "a real treasure of Philadelphia."

"It's an icon of world art, but it is especially connected to Philadelphia, which has always been preeminent in medicine, and Dr. Gross was preeminent in his day," said Naidoff, referring to the surgeon at the center of the monumental canvas. "That's why the mayor requested this."

Samuel D. Gross was a renowned surgeon and educator at the university.

Courtesy of Phillyville, which has more information about the sale of the painting and links to other bloggers opposed to its sale.

A new statistic to mull over

Lots of pundits have remarked that, as of today, the Iraqi War has lasted longer than World War II.

My answer is: So what? It's a totally bogus statistic. Question: How long are wars supposed to last? Answer: Until someone wins.

When it lasts as long as the Hundred Years' War, I'll be concerned.

Getting lost in Wilmington

I decided to go to the Motor Vehicle Dept today, with a side trip to the Wilmington Institute Library. But when I reached downtown Wilmington, traffic was diverted all over the place because of a parade which had just taken place. I finally found the library, and by God, it was closed!

So as not to waste a trip, I went to look at the statue in Rodney Square. Sure enough, it was Caesar Rodney. Whodathunkit?


The statue shows his horse rearing up on his two hind legs. Does this mean something? I seem to remember that it matters whether the horse has all or some of his feet on the ground--it signifies something.

Well, what with the diverted traffic, I got lost. Now I've gone to the Motor Vehicle Dept before: I know how to get there. I just don't know where it is. I know you have to cross a body of water, but which one? So if I don't follow my exact, familiar route, I can wander around for hours. Throw in some one-way streets, and I am fated to take the grand tour of Wilmington. I finally got to see the Hotel Dupont:



and the Opera House:



The Opera House sparkled in the sunlight--beautiful.

I bet myself a million dollars that the Motor Vehicle Department would be closed, but I soldiered on anyway. It was closed, so I owe myself a million dollars.

I get a sinking feeling...

when I fear that this guy might have it right:

Let me begin by saying that most of our problems in Iraq stem from a flawed strategy that has been in place since the beginning of the war.[]

Our strategy in Iraq has been:

1) Fight the war on the cheap.

2) Ask the ground forces to perform missions that are more suitably performed by other branches of the American government.

3) Inconvenience the American people as little as possible.

4) Continue to fund the Air Force and Navy at the same levels that they have been funded at for the last 30 years while shortchanging the Army and Marines who are doing all of the fighting.

No wonder the war is not going well.

Ht to Donald Sensing.

I could dance all night

in any of these.

Thanks to a woman's right to shoes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm grateful, because:

I live in the best country in the world, ever.
I just had successful surgery.
My brother just got a (good)job.
I have two lovely daughters.
I have two brilliant grandsons.
I have Mr Charm.
We're going out to dinner in a fancy place.
I love my blogfriends--thank you, thank you, for reading and commenting. I love you all.

Imams in trouble

Airlines humiliate them.

Tut tut.

I'm as good as ever!

Maybe better.

I got my hospital stuff taken care of--they roto-rooted a couple of arteries--so I'm back.

I'm bringing myself in for minor repairs

See you Wednesday. I hope.

Does the US patronize Iraq?

Thomas thinks the answer is yes.

Maliki whines:

Mr Maliki criticised what he called the patronising US tone
towards the Iraqi Government ...

Look at it this way - if your country has lots of US troops on its soil to protect your country from threats, internal or external, then your country is our client and we are your patron. Client/patron relationships are not partnerships between equals....

Countries all over the world often claim that America is arrogant and doesn't respect them. This is the monologue of whining adolescents. If you want to be respected as an equal, then act like an equal. Protect yourself. Countries from Korea to Japan, from Germany to Italy rely on tens of thousands of US troops based on their land to protect them from external threats, real or potential. There is no reciprocity in these relationships. When we the last time you drove by a German army base? When was the last time you saw a group of Korean marines drinking in a local bar? Never, that's when.