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July 27, 2005

Best News for Labor in 50 Years

By Demosophist

Four dissident unions representing about one-third of the union members in the US will boycott the upcoming AFL-CIO Convention. The boycott is more than symbolic. Two of the unions, the Service Employees Union and the Teamsters, have already withdrawn from the federation. The reason given for the withdrawal, as announced by MSM, is that the AFL-CIO has placed too much emphasis on political lobbying at the expense of membership recruitment, and for once MSM isn't far off the mark. more...

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June 22, 2005

Die space bastards die

Well Rusty emailed this AM. Howie, no posts? Well to tell the truth I'm busy as a beaver here. I have been reading and making an occasional comment as time allows. Thought about doing a post or two last night but a technical glitch forced me to play Galaga for about 2 hours. I think I was able to relieve some of my stress because things "moved" well this A.M. if you get my drift. In case you're wondering 330,000 stage 30ish Pretty good for no play in about 6 months. I could roll it over a few times in college.
Last year I fooled around with it for a while but only got to 940,000.

I do have a couple links for you today let's hope they work.

Dick Estell will read "102 Minutes" by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn next week starting Monday on NPR stations. God now you all know I'm a geek. I've not read the book myself so maybe I can catch at least some of it.

Also beer trail vacations in NY. Sounds fun but let the wife drive.

And Lions save girl from kidnappers and forced wedding.

Good news from Afghanistan. Well that link is dead already.

I'll replace with this fresh one from CNN about hostage release.

Also please comment on the Future of NPR and PBS. I get a lot from watching /listening and can we exclude Bill Moyer just because he's already gone and I feel that issue just covers over the real value PBS and NPR gives to our kids and to us. Yes total space bastard killing geek I am and proud of it. I'm really interested in the thoughts of those of you who are in education. I get WKMS out of Murray State. I worry about the children's programs and educational value being cut. I'm going to do a pledge and I know several conservatives around here who contribute and support WKMS.

DIE SPACE BASTARDS DIE. I'm just getting in the right mood to face them. Also I may have some posts this late this weekend. Hopefully as time goes by I'll get better and will be able to contribute more.

YBP: Wine will be 4 weeks this Saturday. It bubbles about every two minutes and seems to be clearing better with less sugar. Two to three weeks left. Everybody have a good one.

Posted by: Howie at 11:29 AM | Comments (19) | Add Comment
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1 Who Owns The American Congress? http://www.wrmea.com/archives/July_Aug_2004/0407027.html

Posted by: greg at June 22, 2005 11:49 AM (/+dAV)

2 And yes there has been some liberal bias I've noticed in the last few years. Also the quality seems to be slipping. How do we save it without killing it.

Posted by: Howie at June 22, 2005 11:53 AM (D3+20)

3 Oh come on greg, that's an easy one: The Jooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooos. They're also responsible for you not getting that last promotion, not getting better grades in school, or being smarter, taller, or better looking.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 22, 2005 12:16 PM (0yYS2)

4 How about some substantive comments/info on MZM? Seems our soldiers are being put at risk by crooks out to make a buck. Anyone know more about MZM?

Posted by: Jimmyjones at June 22, 2005 12:19 PM (HFKAk)

5 Jimmy: MZM??? please post link(s) Just paste them into the box.

Posted by: Howie at June 22, 2005 12:28 PM (D3+20)

6 Greg: Yeah but it takes blogs to get one to apologize on the floor of the Senate. Good to know though. Too much info never hurt anyone. We might own their ass next if we keep it up. They have money but we have votes and voices. But I'll try not to start and argument here as I've got a snowballs chance in hell of winning against you buddy. I'm still dizzy from that one thread yesterday. Oh and thanks for letting the cat out the bag. I think Osama might have argued both sides with me before and I was too dense to catch on. Oh well I hope he had fun.

Posted by: Howie at June 22, 2005 12:49 PM (D3+20)

7 Trying- here is something: MZM had 56 such contracts totaling $68,645,909 in fiscal year 2004 For the most part, the contracts were awarded to MZM without competition through a process known as "blanket purchase agreements." in areas such as: National Intelligence Policy Advisor Subject Matter Experts in Counterintelligence, Homeland Security, Critical Infrastructure Protection and All-Source Intelligence. Systems Integrators/Information Assurance Experts Geospatial Intelligence Analysts Open-Source Analysts Translators HUMINT/SOF Operators Media Exploitation Specialists Counter-IED Specialists Were MZM's services really the best on offer? And why were they having such a hard time getting Pentagon contracts before Mitchell Wade bought Duke's house? Still digging more TK

Posted by: Jimmyjones at June 22, 2005 01:34 PM (HFKAk)

8 Kind of crappy of me to mention WKMS without a link. http://www.wkms.org/

Posted by: Howie at June 22, 2005 01:38 PM (D3+20)

9 Who Owns The American Congress? http://www.wrmea.com/archives/July_Aug_2004/0407027.html IMPROBULUS: 'Oh come on greg, that's an easy one: The Jooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooos. ' Look at the damn list! I'll bet all three of your congressmen are on it. How much do the Irish give? How much do the Germans give? How much do the Italians give? How much do the French give. They don't give shit, but AIPAC (the American Israeli Political Action Committee) has bought and paid for everyone of our congress critters. LOOK AT THE FUCKING LIST! Where's your outrage? Stop pretending to be an American.

Posted by: greg at June 22, 2005 02:11 PM (/+dAV)

10 darn, even Lions hate Islamic nutjobs.

Posted by: dave at June 22, 2005 04:03 PM (fsJ2z)

11 AIPAC gives so much, because the very survival of Israel depends on keeping America's Congressmen interested. Israel is the only nation on earth that has lived in danger of being wiped out since the day of its inception. Arab nations have tried twice to exterminate the Jews, and they would try again should we cease support of Israel. Where is your outrage? Now, let me start at the beginning. I think that the creation of Israel was a mistake from the start, or at least it was done incautiously and without foresight, but it was done by the UN, that hallowed body that liberals worship, and since it can't well be unmade, it must be allowed to survive. I am neither pro nor anti-Israel, nor am I pro or anti-Jewish. I think our own problems here at home suffer from lack of attention because of the time we waste in the Middle East, but that's the way things are, and my wants don't change a thing. The situation exists and must be resolved in a manner which leaves all parties as happy as possibly, but for this to happen, it will take a lot of effort, and it will require the destruction of every dictatorial regime in the Middle East, whether by internal or external means. Once Israelis no longer have to live with the threat of being exterminated then we can turn our attention closer to home. Now I have a question; why do you hate the Jews so much? Some of the biggest liberals alive are Jews, Noam Chomsky, for one. Most prominent Communists were Jews, and it was a Jew, Ted Hall, who betrayed America and gave the Russians the secrets to the nuclear bomb. In fact, Jews have far less in common with conservatives than they do with liberals, so why do liberals hate them?

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 22, 2005 04:27 PM (0yYS2)

12 IM excellent post.

Posted by: Howie at June 22, 2005 09:10 PM (D3+20)

13 Gerbilanaluppimus, Greg sked you a question - answer it!

Posted by: BUSH LIES - SOLDIERS DIE at June 22, 2005 11:57 PM (FV4oJ)

14 Greg you dont have to answer his question or listen to Bushlies-loser. BUSHIES get out of here!!!

Posted by: Downing Street Memo at June 23, 2005 05:52 AM (ScqM8)

15 Improbulus: 'AIPAC gives so much, because the very survival of Israel depends on keeping America's Congressmen interested. Israel is the only nation on earth that has lived in danger of being wiped out since the day of its inception.' Improbulus, Let's take Taiwan as another example. They are is worse shape than Israel. The communist Chinese have nukes and Taiwan doesn't. Compare that to Israel's situation. They have 200-500 nukes and can project their power throughout the world using subs to launch nukes, but their 'enemies' don't have nukes. And yet, Taiwan doesn't meddle in America's politics nearly as much as Israel. Improbulus:'it will take a lot of effort, and it will require the destruction of every dictatorial regime in the Middle East, whether by internal or external means. Once Israelis no longer have to live with the threat of being exterminated then we can turn our attention closer to home.' Improbulus, Why should we spill American blood to do Israel's work for them. Let them fight their own wars. We give them 3.7 billion dollars a year. That's $500.00 for every Jewish Israeli. Improbulus:'Now I have a question; why do you hate the Jews so much? Some of the biggest liberals alive are Jews,' Improbulus, I don't hate Jews. Two of my best buddies are Jews. I resent the power that Israel excercises over the US. Improbulus:'and it was a Jew, Ted Hall, who betrayed America and gave the Russians the secrets to the nuclear bomb.' Exactly! We should all be outraged. Israel has betrayed us over and over again.

Posted by: greg at June 23, 2005 09:35 AM (/+dAV)

16 Jimme is this what you are talking about. I found this this afternoon. Gee yuo're not much of a link finder are you. And I think it sucks. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&e=2&u=/latimests/congressmansoldhomeandcouldpaydearly

Posted by: Howie at June 23, 2005 04:29 PM (xYyvM)

17 IM: I don't believe all liberals hate Jews. Just the extremists that need to find fault. I don't hate Jews. I do have some questions regarding their past behavior. However, it is impossible to take a middle path on this blog. If you don't hate them you must love them. If you don't love them then you must hate them. No middle ground. Only a policy that doesn't permit questions without taking a radical side. Another reason nothing gets accomplished.

Posted by: greyrooster at June 23, 2005 10:22 PM (CBNGy)

18 Look, I don't like making broad, sweeping statements, because they are rarely fully accurate, but often time doesn't permit a more detailed and analytical discourse. I know not all liberals hate all Jews, and I also know that not all Jews are good people, nor are they bad people, and this applied to pretty much everyone, but what I'm saying is that we can't condone the murder of innocent Israelis because of the actions of a few Jews, no more than we can condemn anyone else for the actions of a minority. Now I don't have any special affection or animosity toward Jews. To me they are no more or less foreign than Indians, blacks, Mexicans, or Canadians; they are just different. I don't think the US needs to be handing out money to Israel, or anyone else for that matter, indiscriminately, but I also don't think we should abandon a people who were left homeless after the last world war in which they were almost exterminated. We can't unmake the state of Israel, and nor should we try, because meddling is the best way of getting in trouble; it's how we got here, for example. You can't right the wrongs of the past, at least not without all parties being willing to make and accept amends, and until that happens, the killing will continue. I would like to live in peace, and I would like to see the world live in peace, but I won't hesitate to kill any SOB that threatens me, my family, my neighbors, or my country, and I could not expect anyone else to do less. Until the Arabs learn to accept that the Jews have a right to live just like everyone else, there will be no peace. So, how do we make peace? Easy; kill all the troublemakers.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 25, 2005 04:51 PM (0yYS2)

19 I can buy that. Well said.

Posted by: greyrooster at June 26, 2005 04:49 PM (/rKIG)

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June 03, 2005

Lowly Adjunct Suffers Ignominious End

By Demosophist

Well, we know how that goes, don't we? Typically adjuncts are treated with about as much collegial respect as third-string badminton players, but this case takes the impertinence to a new level. After being shot by his wife with a 0.38 cal. Taurus, Bill McGuire, an adjunct professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology, was dismembered with a power saw, packed in three cheap suitcases, and tossed in the Chesapeake. Ouch!

(Cross-posted by Demosophist to Demosophia and Anticipatory Retaliation)

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May 11, 2005

Final Day of Finals Blogging

Today is the last day of finals at Tatooine U. The last day of finals really suck, but even more so this year. I've been sick and so I have stacks and stacks of ungraded papers. Needless to say, blogging will be light. If something big happens, I might throw up a post or two. But you might have to e-mail me about it because I won't be checking the news much today. Alright....and now to attack stack number one.............

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May 04, 2005

More Freedom of Speech Loving Liberals

Howie sends along this link about your friendly neighborhood freedom of speech loving liberal college campus. The victim is Jonathan Bean, a history professor at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Cathy Young in the Boston Globe:

On April 11, six of Bean's colleagues published a letter in the college paper, the Daily Egyptian, denouncing him for handing out ''racist propaganda" in his American history course. The offending document, which Bean had distributed as optional reading for a class that dealt with the civil rights movement and racial tensions in that era, was an article from the conservative publication FrontPageMagazine.com about ''the Zebra Killings" -- a series of racially motivated murders of whites in the San Francisco Bay area in 1972-74 by several black extremists linked to the Nation of Islam. The article, by one James Lubinskas, argued that black-on-white hate crimes deserve more recognition.

How does Bean respond? He caves, of course, withdraws the reading assignment, and apologizes.

Wuss.

Posted by: Rusty at 03:03 PM | Comments (20) | Add Comment
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1 He obviously felt his paycheck/prestige was more important. I feel for the guy.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at May 04, 2005 03:07 PM (x+5JB)

2 Jeez! You guys just don't get it do you? We are not permitted to draw attention to any racism, killing or injustices of any sort committed by a non-white person. However, if they're white, and especially if they're American, it will be immediately approved reading material for K-12 graders and required reading for all college courses including Accounting and Introduction to Basket Weaving. (/sarcasm) I'll shut up now before I completely lose it.

Posted by: Oyster at May 04, 2005 03:29 PM (fl6E1)

3 Who would think that frontpagemag would print inflammatorily racist material. Or that its a suppression of free speech to ask someone to not spread tat junk.

Posted by: actus at May 04, 2005 04:13 PM (CqheE)

4 Wow.... Just freaking wow.... I feel so uplifted....

Posted by: Howie at May 04, 2005 04:23 PM (D3+20)

5 Oyster I completely agree, said as much in a recent comment. Makes me angry too. "So therefore I must be a racist" In the words of a missing Rooster, who appears to have flew the coop

Where you at Rooster ?

Posted by: sparky at May 04, 2005 04:28 PM (F1nba)

6 Now we know what actus thinks about true academic freedom.

Posted by: Robin Roberts at May 04, 2005 04:30 PM (xauGB)

7 I killed him.

Posted by: greg at May 04, 2005 04:31 PM (/+dAV)

8 "have flew" Sparky! Watch them grammar skills!

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at May 04, 2005 04:32 PM (x+5JB)

9 Tat junk? Is that due to the context they've been placed in or extraneous to the heart of the matter, or like a virtual world?

Posted by: -keith in mtn. view at May 04, 2005 04:32 PM (sE9R7)

10 Rooster that is.

Posted by: greg at May 04, 2005 04:32 PM (/+dAV)

11 Greg, ItÂ’s ok if you killed him while he was completely helpless. I hope you covered his head with a pillow or just stopped his food and water for 10-14 days. It has been that long since we have heard from him. I encourage you to take this story. ButÂ…If you killed him while he was still what we in Florida call a Â“viable living thingÂ” you being a black man will have to serve the requisite 6 months in prison I await your plea.

Posted by: Judge Greeg at May 04, 2005 04:43 PM (aUEhc)

12 Judge, I'm not a black man, not that there's anything wrong with being black. Knowing Rooster he's probably just on a 2 week drunk. Or maybe he had a heart attack. His heart was so poisoned by hate.

Posted by: greg at May 04, 2005 04:58 PM (/+dAV)

13 Ooops Hey you its the accent! Im typing in Glaswegian! Greg lol I killed him! Wait till he sees this eh? From the other side that is. He may now haunt you for the rest of your life.

Posted by: sparky at May 04, 2005 05:16 PM (F1nba)

14 Greg, I know you and this Rooster fellow are not on the best of terms. I have watched many episodes of CSI Miami and would suggest you not go near the body until the case is closed. LetÂ’s just set Rooster aside for the time being. Plenty of targets in your area. Do me a favor. Go to rest home in your great state of Texas. Find the most feeble, helpless woman in the entire urine smelling joint. Then smother her with a pillow. I can think of no better way to advance the cause of separation of powers and also,StateÂ’s rights

Posted by: Judge Greer at May 04, 2005 05:21 PM (aUEhc)

15 I've known about that book for quiet sometime. I could tell you this much had the perps been klansmen "getting wings" for killing blacks. That book would be made manadatory reading for grades K through up until your PhD diseration

Posted by: Andre at May 04, 2005 06:56 PM (7Xvze)

16 He just needs to learn how to tell some people to fuck off.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at May 04, 2005 10:40 PM (0yYS2)

17 Oh, I forgot to close with "a good liberal is a dead liberal". That has a nice ring to it.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at May 04, 2005 10:43 PM (0yYS2)

18 "Oh, I forgot to close with "a good liberal is a dead liberal". That has a nice ring to it" Well, we aim to be bad.

Posted by: actus at May 05, 2005 06:52 AM (0HUw1)

19 Well Fudge Rear, Clearly you are confused as ever. How can you call one a friend and then insult them by calling them what you yourself truly are? The only sub-human scum I have seen lately on this site is that of you, chicken little brain (grey rooster) (and not much of him lately). You can clearly not see humor, admitted dark humor, when it is in front of you. But just to point out for you conservative mind, the other point I was trying to make, obviously escaped you, was that with everything being politically correct now a days, some words or actions are so stupid and insane, that they are truly oxymorons. (A meating eating violent monster (cannibal) being equated to what most think of a peace loving pacifist.) As for the Â“KillingÂ” of Terry Schiavo, she was not killed. She Â“DIEDÂ”. It would be a lot more humane if she had been killed. But being a higher species, we must allow others of our kind to suffer, while we would grant mercy to any poor animal that was in the same state. Let me ask you these questions. 1. Does not the bible state that God can heal the sick and resurrect the dead? (I believe the answer is yes) 2. Was Terry not returned to her natural state by the court? She was not born with a feeding tube in her stomach was she? (I believe the answer is yes, and no in that order.) 3. Did anyone shoot, stab, electrocute, inject, or smother her? (answer no.) 4. Was not her condition cause by a chemical imbalance that was brought on by an eating disorder? Who is the cause of the eating disorder? (answer yes, Terry.) 5. If Terry had woken up and asked for food and drink, would anyone there deny her sustenance? (answer no.) 6. So if God, who has the power to heal and resurrect, did not intervene on behalf of Terry, who was put back into a truly natural state, then is not God responsible for her death? (answer yes.) 7. Or was her death, brought on by an eating disorder of her own causing, an unplanned and unfortunate suicide. (answer Unplanned and unfortunate yes, suicide no.) So Fudge Rear, when you stay up late at night getting your Fudge packed up your conservative Rear, why donÂ’t you contemplate a more civilize and criticize answer before you go insulting people. Now once you have tried that approach, or if someone attacks you first, then by all means open up. One last thing, just so there is no mistakes, unlike Greg, I am proud to be a Liberal. On a scale of Â–10 (Fanatic Liberal) to 10 (Fanatic Conservative), I would rate myself around a Â–6 or Â–7, depending on the mood of the day.

Posted by: Butch at May 05, 2005 09:47 AM (Gqhi9)

20 Opps, Sorry some how this was posted on wrong line. Please forgive the mistake. If you want to comment on it please do so under the Terry awaken thread.

Posted by: Butch at May 05, 2005 09:54 AM (Gqhi9)

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April 28, 2005

College Professor Interferes in Student's Sex Life

From my pal Professor Chaos. Speaking of books he assigns his class:

Another is Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge, which on a basic level is a novel about a young man's quest for enlightenment in the face of a materialistic and consumerist world.....
Having read this, one of my students approached me today and she said that the book literally changed her life. How so? I asked. "Well," she said, "I finished the book and the next day broke up with my boyfriend. I realized that I was dating Gray [a character in the book]."

Way to go Chaos! Now, how about assigning The Jawa Report to ruin their mushy left-wing worldviews?

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April 26, 2005

Letter From the Klan to My University

Here is the letter: more...

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April 14, 2005

Test Liveblogging at 2 p.m. (central)

I will be liveblogging the test I am giving my Introduction to American Politics class. It's not like I have anything better to do then. Plus, some of you might find it interesting to learn what it's like to be on the other side of the test taking table.

Until then, no posts. I haven't even really had time to answer e-mail in the last couple of days. Sorry. I'll try to get to it soon.

Liveblogging is now over. But you can see what I wrote in the extended entry below. Since I'm sure so many people find this, er, fascinating.... more...

Posted by: Rusty at 11:21 AM | Comments (17) | Add Comment
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1 ...? Oh well. So no posting or s/he just doesn't post?

Posted by: A Finn at April 14, 2005 11:26 AM (lGolT)

2 Rusty, I had a student show up for the first time on final exam day having never even obtained a copy of the syllabus thinking she'd pass the course.

Posted by: Robin Roberts at April 14, 2005 02:43 PM (xauGB)

3 Had no idea when this was going to start because of the time difference, so I watched Fearfactor Finals instead (yay, the South African won). I apologize for all those who were here and still didn't show interrest.

Posted by: A Finn at April 14, 2005 03:04 PM (lGolT)

4 No big deal. I mean, it's not that interesting. Just wanted to kill some time while proctoring the exam.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 14, 2005 03:22 PM (JQjhA)

5 Hmmm. Nice day huh. Also same time zone. Rusty would you be anywhere in the vicinity of bumfuct Egypt. Like within 500 mile radius. It's a fantastic day here too. I know you probably can't say.

Posted by: Howie at April 14, 2005 03:30 PM (D3+20)

6 "Note to students. Try to keep your eyes forward in a test. It just looks bad. Oh, and don't scratch and yawn a lot. If you must look anywhere but down, look up. Never side to side. I bet there is a lymerick in there somewhere." Umm... *thinks* There was a young lass in the class, who wasn't so sure she would pass. She looked side to side, and even did bribe, but the test it did still kick her ass. Eh, what do you expect in 30 seconds?

Posted by: Vonski at April 14, 2005 03:37 PM (AHaCg)

7 Dude, you're hired. Official poet lauriate of The Jawa Report.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 14, 2005 03:40 PM (JQjhA)

8 Come on you never had a class where you could never go, do all the reading, and still do well? If everything on the test is just in the reading-why would anyone waste 3 hours a week in lecture? Even if a student is there to learn and not just graduate and get a job that kind of class format does little to accelerate the learning process. I'm sure your classes are not so cut and dry. But in u-grad I'd say I had at least 1 or 2 classes a quarter that were. Made it easier for the rest of the classes that actually required lecture, reading, and heaven forbid, original thought. And what-no Simpsons or South Park bonus question? You certainly are getting stingy...

Posted by: Wittysexkitten at April 14, 2005 03:43 PM (vHCZy)

9 Yeah, actual bonus point question: "What political party does Mayor "Diamon" Joe Quimby belon to?"

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 14, 2005 04:26 PM (JQjhA)

10 Great post Rusty. I always figured it was absolutely boring for the professor to watch students take a test. But you definately think about the kids, which is cool. I always figured my Profs had the racing guide on the desk during exams.

Posted by: Tom at April 14, 2005 04:50 PM (9OL2r)

11 Is it the Happy Hour party???

Posted by: Howie at April 14, 2005 04:55 PM (D3+20)

12 speaking of Happy Hour. I'm outta here.

Posted by: Howie at April 14, 2005 04:59 PM (D3+20)

13 I wonder if any of your students are from CA. I mean, I expect the sub-HS-civics knowledge from CA schools, but...oh well. I am glad I am not one of them. But only 18? In a starter course? Even here at ERAU-Prescott the classes are bigger than that.

Posted by: TheRoyalFamily at April 14, 2005 05:36 PM (URs7J)

14 Actually, it was a broadcast course. 18 enrolled on campus, 40 more at two other locations.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 14, 2005 07:34 PM (JQjhA)

15 RoyalFamily you ever go to Matt's Saloon? That is the first country bar I have ever been to. Ahhh and I have had many a dinner at Murphy's too. Sorry for the sidetrack Rusty. Just don't see many people from Biscuit floating around online.

Posted by: Wittysexkitten at April 14, 2005 08:51 PM (rI2ND)

16 That was great. So much there that I can use in Sociology, I'm thinking I am really gonna screw with somebody's head when I write the exam on "Pedagogy of the Oppressed"

Posted by: GoldFalcon at April 15, 2005 12:00 AM (LCCTJ)

17 Rusty, for the test, did you have people monitoring at the other sites? Or did you just watch through the camera's? Excuse my ignorance, I went to a small liberal arts college many years ago, and although I work with technology daily, the new paradigm in education intrigues me.

Posted by: Tom at April 15, 2005 07:54 AM (9OL2r)

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April 13, 2005

Who Is Jean R. Cobbs? The Vegetative McCarthyism of the Left

By Demosophist

Virginia State University is an historically black institution located in central Virginia, just south of Richmond. It was originally established as part of the extensive land grant system of higher education that was set up across the country in the late 19th Century under the Morrill Act. To get right to the point, the university is currently administered in a manner that would probably make the Tweed administration look principled by comparison. Cronyism and nepotism are the rule rather than the exception. Many of the administrators have little academic or even managerial credibility, and the current President, a fellow named Eddie Moore, Jr., has been in charge since 1993. As an example of how the institution is run the VP/Provost, W. Eric Thomas, managed to wrangle an appointment for his live-in girlfriend as head of the nursing program, a person with no advanced degree in nursing.

Dr. Jean R. Cobbs is a renowned sociologist and venerable member of the faculty at Virginia State University, with over 30 years of experience. Her area of expertise is in Social Services, where she has taught and served as chair of a department that she created and for which she won accreditation. She has an Ed.D. from William & Mary, is on the State Board of Social Services, is a member of the advisory board of the Virginia Center on Aging, and is also chair the Human Subjects Committee. She has an exemplary record of teaching and scholarship. Her primary liability is that she's a conservative black woman. more...

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1 Superb.

Posted by: Carey Stronach at April 13, 2005 05:41 PM (81/fm)

2 Unbreakable Union of freeborn Republics, Great Russia has welded forever to stand. Created in struggle by will of the people, United and mighty, our Soviet land! Sing to the Motherland, home of the free, Bulwark of peoples in brotherhood strong. O Party of Lenin, the strength of the people, To Communism's triumph lead us on! Through tempests the sunrays of freedom have cheered us, Along the new path where great Lenin did lead. To a righteous cause he raised up the peoples, Inspired them to labor and valorous deed. Sing to the Motherland, home of the free, Bulwark of peoples in brotherhood strong. O Party of Lenin, the strength of the people, To Communism's triumph lead us on! In the victory of Communism's deathless ideal, We see the future of our dear land. And to her fluttering scarlet banner, Selflessly true we always shall stand! Hymn of the Soviet Union, mietikkÃƒÂ¤ÃƒÂ¤pÃƒÂ¤ sitÃƒÂ¤.

Posted by: A Finn at April 14, 2005 02:38 AM (cWMi4)

3 If someone happened to get interest on this;All English translations of Maamme-laulu, Finnish national anthem, are bullshit, not even near the real one, no point thinking thats even close.

Posted by: A Finn at April 14, 2005 03:04 AM (cWMi4)

4 "Her primary liability is that she's a conservative black woman" I think the "C" word was the primary liability here.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 14, 2005 09:36 AM (x+5JB)

5 Young Bourbon: I think the "C" word was the primary liability here. Actually her liability is that she's a black conservative. My understanding is that the white conservative faculty aren't under direct assault unless they overtly side with or support Professor Cobbs.

Posted by: Demosophist at April 14, 2005 09:51 AM (Dfdj0)

6 Demosophist: Isn't it nice to live in a color-blind world?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 14, 2005 10:23 AM (x+5JB)

7 Unfortunately, the fact that she's a black conservative is the catcher. It's OK for white faculty to be conservative. That's what's expected of us. But a BLACK conservative? She might give the students ideas that they don't have to toe the militant line and be subservient to the big black muckety-muck. And if they no longer follow the muckety-muck, they may not vote the way he says to vote, so the deal cut with the white politicians loses its value.

Posted by: Carey Stronach at April 14, 2005 03:59 PM (81/fm)

8 So now who is the racist? Liberal blacks? Told you so.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 15, 2005 02:45 AM (7480p)

9 A FINN: I do appreciate the irony in the Soviet Anthem. Does this have anything to do with a Black conversative professor in Virginia? I see you are going into the Finnish Army next year. Just how old do you have to be to join the Finnish Army? Why does Finland have one? Do they really have to get permission from Kofi the clown instead of using their own minds?

Posted by: greyrooster at April 15, 2005 02:52 AM (7480p)

10 Virginia State University needs to be forcibly intergrated for the sake of diversity. Just like all the "historically white universities". The drunk racist.

Posted by: Greyrooster at April 15, 2005 02:56 AM (7480p)

11 Carey: She might give the students ideas that they don't have to toe the militant line and be subservient to the big black muckety-muck. And if they no longer follow the muckety-muck, they may not vote the way he says to vote, so the deal cut with the white politicians loses its value. I assume that what you're talking about is a system of patronage whereby white/liberal Democrats are induced to support appointments and other "resource allocations" than enhance the positions of certain authoritarian black leaders. Nothing threatens that situation more than the emergence of a conservative black constituency; hence the reason President Moore felt compelled to act in such a blatantly vindictive manner. It's a power struggle. (This may not be immediately obvious to a lot of people.) Thanks for pointing this out.

Posted by: Demosophist at April 15, 2005 12:18 PM (Dfdj0)

12 DEMOSOPHIST: Heavy man, heavy. Wish I had your literary skills. I could take over Mississippi politics. On second thought, that's wrong. They wouldn't understand what I was talking about.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 16, 2005 09:05 AM (sB5vg)

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April 12, 2005

There's True and there's Onion True

Six of one, or half a dozen of the other.

UPDATE: It looks like the original story isn't true. But, hey, it should be......

GOP & The City has the man on the street interviews. Trust me, those are true......

PS-I linked the story earlier, only no one seems to have noticed....

Posted by: Rusty at 01:48 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
Post contains 64 words, total size 1 kb.

1 Actually, he got the news from this Washington Post Story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12514-2004Oct30.html An excerpt: "...in Allegheny County...election officials received a flurry of phone calls about fliers handed out at a Pittsburgh area mall and mailed to an unknown number of homes. The flier, distributed on bogus but official-looking stationery with a county letterhead, told voters that "due to immense voter turnout expected on Tuesday," the election had been extended. Republicans should vote Tuesday, Nov. 2, it said -- and Democrats on Wednesday. A criminal investigation has been launched." Nice try, though.

Posted by: Terrence at April 12, 2005 02:35 PM (7tpGj)

2 LMFAO Give ''em hell Terrence. Quick Rusty, delete this entire post and no one will be the wiser!

Posted by: Greg at April 12, 2005 02:44 PM (/+dAV)

3 Nobody who can think for themselves and is honest ever said JFK was not dumb. This is just more proof. That anyone in the MSM repeats it shows their IQ's are also less than room temp.

Posted by: Rod Stanton at April 12, 2005 04:04 PM (HNgs/)

4 bwwwwwWhat?

Posted by: greg at April 12, 2005 04:15 PM (/+dAV)

5 Let us consider the veracity of what the Bushian War Cult is feeding us. In their procrustean efforts to brutally bind our heads and bodies to obey their rigid hallucinatory alternate reality, they've blown hydrogen balloons into deadly weapons, prostituted Jessica Lynch, bobbed for bad apples in Abu Ghraib, ravaged "Satanic" Falluja and fought off phantom insurgents at Tharthar. The only thing they haven't done is have Richard Nixon dance to My Sharona in a purple tutu.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 12, 2005 08:22 PM (FV4oJ)

6 My father always told me never to get in an argument with anyone crazier than myself.

Posted by: Homer at April 12, 2005 09:07 PM (01OHr)

7 Homer: I'll bet you argue all the time then.

Posted by: greg at April 14, 2005 10:57 AM (/+dAV)

8 unCLONING the WARCLONE, GEORGE W. BUSH said about Stem cell: Â“There is NO REASON to KILL INNOCENTS in order to SAVE LIVESÂ” These are the words of someone that sent innocent soldiers to fight an unrighteous WAR, were more than twenty-five thousand INNOCENT CHILDREN, YOUNGSTERS and ELDERLY men and women have been killed, because of his foolish VISION of PEACE in the Middle-East. The WORD of GOD in Proverbs that is written says, Â“A righteous man regards the life of his beast; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.Â” Moreover, Â“He who hides hatred is of Lying Lips, and he who utters slanders is a FOOL.Â” The WORD also tells as that, Â“we reap what we sowÂ” and Â“we will receive according to our WORDS.Â” America with all its given power has not acted in MERCY and LOVE toward their enemies, but has always used the same Weapons used by the enemies of PEACE, which are HATE, VIOLENCE, KILLING and LIES. America Awake and say! NO MORE VIOLENCE! NO MORE KILLING! NO MORE WAR! NO MORE LIES! Â“When a leader in power has spoken lies and done wicked things to people, he will try to twist his own words and actions. But, these will hunt him back until the Truth comes to Light according to his own Evil.Â” Thus say the LORD. AMERICA! Open your eyes wide and read if you are blind and want to see, because the LIGHT is shining and HIS WORD is WRITTEN: Â“I will make Darkness LIGHT before them, and CROOKED things STRAIGHT. This things will I DO unto them, and not FORSAKE them. Isaiah 42 Â“When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing follows not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken, but the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; thou shall not be afraid of him.Â” Deuteronomy 18:22 The prophet which prophesies of PEACE, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD truly sent him.Â” Jeremiah 28:9 Now I say, Â“Read the REVELATION for PEACE from JESUS CHRIST to the WORLD at, www.aleuzenev.com and Judge for your self, if I have spoken presumptuously or the things spoken have not come to pass, 9/11. It is also FREE, freely I have received and freely I must give to the World HIS WORD of TRUTH which is MERCY and LOVE for PEACE. Ivor Manuel prays for you and PEACE for the WORLD; prophet pillar branch of the LORD JESUS ALEUZENEV, HIS NEW NAME, LORD and SERVANT of all PEOPLE. ALELUYA! AMEN! ALEUZENEV!

Posted by: Ivor Manuel prophet at May 23, 2005 06:59 AM (24zh3)

9 FALSE PROPHETS IN AMERICA. November 24, 2005 Year of Our Lord. Orlando Florida City of Lights. This early morning, while Hurricane Wilma was in action against the Florida coasts, I went to my place were people come to have their health restore. As I listen to the messages recorded in my telephone machine, I heard the voice of false prophet Kenneth Copland saying: Â“We take stand against this storm call Wilma. Father we pray over this storm in Jesus name. Wilma we speak to you and we command you in the name of Jesus, by the blood of the lamb, you touch us not! You fall to the bottom of the sea, you donÂ’t have authority over the people of God; we have authority over you. Every principality, every power, every rumor of the darkness of this World, trying to take advantage of that storm to destroy GodÂ’s people and their properties; I rebuke him, in the name of Jesus Amen! Dear partners get it together, stand against this thing and rebuke fear! DonÂ’t you allow fear to have anything to do with the way you pray about this or in your household, stand on the Word, we love you, we believe in God! We are always here for you and remember you can call us at 1-800-600-7395. To heard this message again or read the transcript visit our web site at KCM.orgÂ” Then, the Word of the Lord came upon me saying: Â“No weapon that is form against thee shall prosper: and every tongue that shall raise against thee in Judgment you shall condemn. This is the Heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their Righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. Isaiah 54:17. Then I said: Â“Kenneth Copland, you have rebuke Wilma and the Judgment of God upon all nations. But the Lord rebukes thee Satan!Â” Â“And all the host of Heaven shall be dissolved, and the Heavens shall be roll together as a scroll (hurricane): and all the host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. For My sword shall be bath in Heaven; behold, it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of My curse to Judgment. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams; for the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. Isaiah 34:3,4,5,6. I AM the vine saith the Lord, you are a rotten fig Kenneth Copland, and My Judgment is upon you and all the fat goats that have jumped the fence and gone out of My House to find their own pastures. The Lord and His Word rebukes thee Satan!Â” Â“And the stars of Heaven fell unto the Earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs (not good to eat), when she is shaken of a mighty wind (hurricane). And the Heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain (place of Idolatry) and Island were moved out of their place.Â” Revelation 6:13,14. Kenneth Copland, Â“No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against me in Judgment I shall condemn. This is the Heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their Righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.Â” Isaiah 54:17. Â“Behold My servant, whom I uphold: Mine elect, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon him; he shall bring Judgment to the GentilesÂ…To open their blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I AM the Lord; that is My Name; and My Glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images.Â” Isaiah 42: 1-8. Â“Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that My people is taken away for naught? They that rule over them make, make them to howl, saith the Lord; and My Name continually every day is blasphemed. Therefore My people shall know My Name; therefore they shall know in that day that I Am He that does speak; behold it is I. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings and publishes Peace; that brings good tidings of good, and publishes salvation, that saith unto Zion, Your God reigns!Â” Isaiah 52:5,6,7. Then, I heard His Voice saying: Â“Political leaders of AMERICA, REPENT! You have misled the Nation.Â” Â“Shepherds of AMERICA, REPENT! You have misled My PEOPLE.Â” Â“Military Leaders of AMERICA, REPENT! You have misled the World.Â” Â“Because you donÂ’t believe in ME, UNRIGHTEOUS is your JUDGEMENT.Â” Thus Says the LORD JESUS ALEUZENEV; LORD and SERVANT of all PEOPLE, My New Name. That is what I heard My LORD said; if you donÂ’t believe me read John 16: 7-15 and Revelation 3: 12 and hear His Voice speaking to you Chosen and Faithful. And I His prophet now say: ALELUYA! AMEN! ALEUZENEV! It is written: Â“AWAKE to RIGHTEOUSNESS, and SIN NOT: For some HAVE NOT the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD: I speak this to YOUR SHAME.Â” I Corinthians 15: 34. Â“And My LORD said unto me, Thou must PROPHESY AGAIN before many PEOPLES, and NATIONS and TONGUES, and KINGS.Â” Revelation 10: 11. Ivor Manuel, prophet branch of the LORD; prays for you and PEACE for the WORLD. OPEN YOUR EYES AMERICA! www.aleuzenev.com Â“So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My Mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent itÂ…Instead of the thorns shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a Name, for an everlasting sign that shall be not cut off.Â” Isaiah 55:11-13

Posted by: Ivor Manuel prophet at October 25, 2005 08:55 AM (O8EpN)

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April 08, 2005

Why I blog anonymously #234

Goldstein is just dead on right about how faculty are hired and retained. But it's worse than that.

The peer review process, for instance, is just that--it is review by peers, e.g., by other academics. And academics are human. As humans they have biases, and it is much easier to see the flaws in research that do not coincide with your own preconceived notions than it is to see the flaws in research of those that give further evidence that what you already believe is correct.

And the culture of academia is one in which conservatives are openly mocked and leftists (not even liberals, I'm talking true leftists of the most anti-American ilk) are embraced.

For instance, I had a lunch today with three colleagues to discuss a project we are collaborating on. As one of the professors and I joked about the need to reinstitute literacy tests for voters (inspired by some stupid comments by our students and the poor quality of their writing) the Social Work professor quipped without missing a beat or batting an eye, "Yeah, we don't want those illiterate Republicans to vote."

She then went on to pontificate how she hates to register any one to vote who even looks like a Republican. White, male, driving an SUV--you know, illiterate hate-mongers.

The key to surviving academia for some one other than a liberal or leftists is this: Berkenstocks. Oh, and hemp shirts. And and Amnesty International poster on the wall. It also helps to quote Chomsky. Lots and lots of Chomsky.

That way they just assume you're on their side.

And BTW, I've met Susan Estrich on several occasions. Not only is she not a good scholar, she's also not a scholar. Period. She's a law professor. With a big mouth. And an ego to match. You know, jsut in case you were wondering my opinion of her.

Posted by: Rusty at 04:55 PM | Comments (44) | Add Comment
Post contains 323 words, total size 2 kb.

1 Definitely the birkenstocks. Mine even have a Jerry Garcia design.

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 08, 2005 05:10 PM (iCaDI)

2 Academia is a zone where all opinions are heard. Tenure is required to permit scholars to remain free of government pressure to conform to the party line. As a great example, Dr. John Makombe of the University of Zimbabwe is able to speak out against the Mugabe regime when others are jailed.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 08, 2005 05:52 PM (fufbw)

3 "Academia is a zone where all opinions are heard." Collin, come back to earth. We miss you.

Posted by: See-Dubya at April 08, 2005 06:20 PM (Ak3sk)

4 UGH...Susan Estrich. Tell me how such an annoying, fatuous person get to be teaching law after driving Mike Dukakis' presidential campaign onto the rocks. Oh wait...Never mind.

Posted by: wavemaker at April 08, 2005 07:28 PM (2GyMB)

5 That's exactly why I prefer to call it "academentia".

Posted by: NOTR at April 08, 2005 09:19 PM (Djm/j)

6 "Academia is a zone where all opinions are heard." Ahh......another Baber-ism. Every time I read one of your scintillating posts I feel like I've walked through the cow pasture bare foot. Oh the simple joys of life!

Posted by: Dan at April 08, 2005 11:03 PM (ra7KA)

7 "She then went on to pontificate how she hates to register any one to vote who even looks like a Republican. White, male, driving an SUV--you know, illiterate hate-mongers." Maybe you didn't get the joke about how stupid you sounded for promoting a literacy test to vote, and were getting your just desserts.

Posted by: actus at April 09, 2005 09:16 AM (EQbuu)

8 Isn't it a hoot the way one's fellow academics always assume that everyone agrees with them? Actually, I've heard so many (unwitting) jokes about what an idiot I am that it has long ago ceased to be funny.

Posted by: gail at April 09, 2005 10:25 AM (47cun)

9 http://roomforrant.blogspot.com/2005/04/liberal-professor-nabbed-stealing.html

Posted by: Mr. K at April 09, 2005 10:48 AM (Kucaj)

10 >>>"Academia is a zone where all opinions are heard." That was a joke right? He's just trying to get our goat.

Posted by: Carlos at April 09, 2005 11:47 AM (UWO6N)

11 Get our goat, Carlos? But he has so many already ...

Posted by: Robin Roberts at April 09, 2005 03:48 PM (xauGB)

12 I feel bad for the goats...

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 09, 2005 05:07 PM (YTaaE)

13 My favorite leftists aren't the hippies (so predictable) but the ones dress in black with steel-toed boots, like the ones who kicked the ass of some Protest Weiners during the inauguration. http://hq.protestwarrior.com/?page=/featured/HTTC/HTTC.php PS- I think blogging anonymously is pretty courageous. Long live the armchair know-nothing pundit.

Posted by: Mike at April 09, 2005 08:10 PM (WPQyo)

14 I know of another law professor that isn't much of a scholar. I think he has a blog or something. "Ready-pundit" or "Instant-Pundit" or something along those lines.

Posted by: Jack "Redcorn" M. at April 09, 2005 09:38 PM (1W1ap)

15 Why yes, Mike, it's perfectly acceptable to assault (verbally and physically) those whose opinions you hold in contempt...as long as that illegitimate opinion is pro-American. Otherwise, even criticism of anti-American, pro-terrorism opinion is verbotten. :::sigh::: It's going to be an interesting freshman year for my #4 daughter at San Francisco SU. We were up there this weekend for their "sneak preview days" and we all got a good giggle from some of the bumper stickers in the parking structure... still a handful of Kedwards ones and the usual "friends don't let friends vote Republican." Yeah...there's diversity for ya! Good little acolyte, good little acolyte..now give the bad apostate a bloody nose ...

Posted by: Darleen at April 10, 2005 10:29 AM (FgfaV)

16 Good job Mike, celebrate the thugs - its all you got left.

Posted by: Robin Roberts at April 10, 2005 04:11 PM (xauGB)

17 Â“We canÂ’t expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Social-ism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism.Â” --Nikita Khrushchev ++ Â“The American people will never knowingly adopt Social-ism. But under the name of Â‘liberalismÂ’ they will adopt every fragment of the Social-ist program, until one day America will be a Social-ist nation, without knowing how it happened.Â” --Norman Thomas Here on Long Island the President of Stony Brook University, Shirley Strum Kenny has this to say. Â“ I can speak up for evolution, but thatÂ’s because IÂ’m the grateful resident of a blue state.Â” Newsday, Wed. April 6, 2005. I guess we are destroying ourselves to make room for a new species. Note: Had to hyphenate a couple of the ists and isms. The content blocker kept finding the name of a pharmaceutical.

Posted by: Dennis at April 10, 2005 05:12 PM (QDNVv)

18 '"White, male, driving an SUV--you know, illiterate hate-mongers."' Of course... people like William F. Buckley or John Leo. Personally, I see nothing wrong with literacy tests as a condition for the sufferage. Democracy only works when the the electorate is literate and politically engaged; else it is nothing but mob rule. Making the feat of avoiding death for 18 years the sole qualification for full citizenship is ludicrous on its face. Otherwise, one may as well extend the sufferage to geriatric cats and dogs, as well as the goats mentioned above. However, it is not difficult to see the Social Democrats, would not prefer to have things remain as they are; it is manifest that a truly literate and objectively informed electorate would do little to help advance their agenda.

Posted by: LUCIUS SEVERUS PERTINAX at April 10, 2005 05:16 PM (u3Qln)

19 A Communist is a Social-ist with a machine gun.

Posted by: LUCIUS SEVERUS PERTINAX at April 10, 2005 05:19 PM (u3Qln)

20 " Democracy only works when the the electorate is literate and politically engaged; else it is nothing but mob rule." the literate are perfectly capable of acting like a mob.

Posted by: actus at April 10, 2005 05:58 PM (EQbuu)

21 actus, agreed. Education has NOTHING to do with a people's decency and humanity. Pre-war Germany was the most educated and sophisticated nation in the world, and look what it got us. I'll take a god-fearing redneck over an art-loving Liberal any day of the week.

Posted by: Carlos at April 10, 2005 06:53 PM (8e/V4)

22 Carlos, Sharp intelligentsia, members of the "Rational Technician Class", amorally subordinated to a paranoid Hubris-Nemesis leader is a very dangerous mix, indeed.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 10, 2005 07:29 PM (FV4oJ)

23 That was silliness, Collin.r

Posted by: Robin Roberts at April 10, 2005 10:23 PM (xauGB)

24 Dear Robin, Actually, there are precedents for rational technicians acting as efficient producers under a Hubris-Nemesis leader. Have a read of MR461 and you'll see.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 10, 2005 11:07 PM (FV4oJ)

25 Rusty: I've decided that joining academia on my own terms is the only way I want to get there, but I don't fault others for doing something different. Once you get tenure, screw 'em. But on the up side, I think academia has to level out because parents are now going to take greater care in choosing a school, which will hit universities in the wallet. They'll also start to lose endowments, etc. So there's going to be a big market correction. And the sooner schools can convert to acquire a reputation for excellent conservative scholarship the more market share they'll be able to command. That's where all the opportunities lie.

Posted by: Demosophist at April 11, 2005 12:33 AM (Dfdj0)

26 Hmmm, let's start our own university. Untapped market-share....

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 11, 2005 11:17 AM (JQjhA)

27 Great idea. You could call it, "The George W. Bush University Of Reeducation". Surround it with concertina wire and fill it with dissidents and have "professors" like David Horowitz and Daniel Pipes. You could start the day by pledging allegiance to Israel and then spend the rest of the day teaching Creationism.

Posted by: greg at April 11, 2005 11:50 AM (/+dAV)

28 greg, your "conservative university" is a caricature that can only exist in your mind. But today's Liberal universities are real life cartoons. They really exist.

Posted by: Carlos at April 11, 2005 12:44 PM (8e/V4)

29 Maybe the problem is that there aren't enough intelligent conservatives in the world to staff an entire University.

Posted by: greg at April 11, 2005 01:25 PM (/+dAV)

30 greg, do you really think "intelligence" is what separates Liberals from conservatives? I've been to DU and Daily Kos, so I know for a fact otherwise.

Posted by: Carlos at April 11, 2005 02:03 PM (8e/V4)

31 Conservatives just aren't geared to academia. They say stupid things like, "those who can do and those who can't teach". So I think the problem is that conservatives don't enter the arena becuase their parents don't encourage them to. Having been in academia myself I know for a fact that one's politics never even enters the discussion in University hiring committees.

Posted by: greg at April 11, 2005 02:11 PM (/+dAV)

32 "Hmmm, let's start our own university. Untapped market-share...." Its called Bob Jones. Turns out some great minds.

Posted by: actus at April 11, 2005 02:26 PM (CqheE)

33 I believe inter-racial dating is against the policy at Bob Jones U. What a fine institution that is!

Posted by: greg at April 11, 2005 02:32 PM (/+dAV)

34 greg, you may be right that most conservatives would rather DO than teach, thus it's possible fewer conservatives will choose academia. But I'm afraid you've reached the wrong conclusion based on that. A conservative's choice to DO is separate and distinct from his ability teach. Don't get "choice" and "ability" mixed up. They're different. Nor does their choice to DO rather than teach reflect on the validity of their ideas. For example, just because a fool and a con artist chooses to teach doesn't mean his ideas are better than a wiser man who's instead chosen to build furniture for a living. Now, given that fewer conservatives end up in academia (for whatever reason), like fewer ethnic minorities do, where is the affirmative action for conservative thinkers? Is "diversity" merely a function of skin color? What about diversity of thought, and why do universities go out of their way to avoid diversity of thought.

Posted by: Carlos at April 11, 2005 02:57 PM (8e/V4)

35 "Now, given that fewer conservatives end up in academia (for whatever reason), like fewer ethnic minorities do, where is the affirmative action for conservative thinkers?" My Ph.D. is in Molecular Biology. As a scientist I could care less whether one is a Â“conservativeÂ” thinker or a Â“liberalÂ” thinker so no Â“affirmative actionÂ” is required. All I care about is the quality of ones science. Now you might address your question to a Political Scientist or a Sociologist and get a different answer. It may be that in the humanities the conservative/liberal paradigm has some meaning. But not in science and engineering.

Posted by: greg at April 11, 2005 03:16 PM (/+dAV)

36 hey greg, the Federal Reserve pays back to the Treasury all the interest it earns from it's loans to the government. So it makes no money from those loans. That puts a big hole in your paranoid conspiracy theory and I thought you should know. Cheers

Posted by: Carlos at April 11, 2005 04:27 PM (8e/V4)

37 "hey greg, the Federal Reserve pays back to the Treasury all the interest it earns from it's loans to the government. So it makes no money from those loans." We the American people are paying interest on our national debt. There's no need for this since we could just as easily print money to service the debt and pay no interest at all.

Posted by: greg at April 11, 2005 04:48 PM (/+dAV)

38 True, but then we'd have hyperinflation.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 11, 2005 05:16 PM (JQjhA)

39 Rusty's right, and that's the whole purpose of the Fed, to keep politicians from ruining the economy by doing exactly what greg suggested.

Posted by: Carlos at April 11, 2005 06:25 PM (8e/V4)

40 Shit: I'm white, male and have two SUV's.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 12, 2005 12:02 AM (CBNGy)

41 "True, but then we'd have hyperinflation." WRONG! Instead of paying interest, we could be making payments on principal so there would actually be less inflation. Kennedy tried to do this with the Silver Certificate dollars. He was assassinated 6 months later.

Posted by: greg at April 12, 2005 08:11 AM (/+dAV)

42 May I suggest a couple of books on the subject: 1) "The Creature from Jekyll Island : A Second Look at the Federal Reserve" by G. Edward Griffin Â– right winger or 2) "Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country" -- by William Greider If I had to pick one I'd pick Griffin's book.

Posted by: greg at April 12, 2005 08:45 AM (/+dAV)

43 The problem is the US Government, which has built up so much debt that it taxes people and businesses to the point of being unable to compete in a global marketplace. As a result, American products are too costly, and are value-engineered (built as cheap as possible) to the point of being inferior to foreign-made products. The so-called "service economy" (the laughable notion that you can prosper a nation by doing each others' laundry for a fee) is starting to collapse as modern technology allows even service jobs, such as call centers and data processing, to be outsourced to other countries. Look around. What does America make that anyone wants in enough quantity to support a country on? Is this why we have adopted "home invasion" as a way of propping up our economy?

Posted by: greg at April 12, 2005 10:06 AM (/+dAV)

44 greg, I own Secrets of the Temple, written by an insider, and have read most of it. There's nothing conspiratorial about it, so no offense but I think you're blowing hot air.

Posted by: Carlos at April 12, 2005 02:07 PM (8e/V4)

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April 07, 2005

Mmmm, Pie

Knowing that David Horowitz had a pie thrown at him by the tolerant Left is one thing. But ask the important questions! What kind of pie was it? Mmmmm, boysenberry pie.............

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1 More "tolerance" and "diversity" at our institutions of higher indoctrination. They should be caned.

Posted by: Carlos at April 07, 2005 11:16 AM (8e/V4)

2 Gotta go with Kershaw pie, myself... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at April 07, 2005 11:19 AM (Qjm7D)

3 Ah! The left at its best. The right are the violent ones. Ya Right! Any blackberry pies?

Posted by: greyrooster at April 07, 2005 11:50 AM (CBNGy)

4 Was it from the same bakery that made the ones Ann Coulter got while speaking against JFK last Oct? May be a conspiracy behind this. Someone else got one last week, forget who.

Posted by: Rod Stanton at April 07, 2005 12:10 PM (GQcHQ)

5 That would be Bill Krystol. Not to mention the shaving creme with Pat Buchanan. Is this what happens when you ban KEGS from college campuses? "Liberal tolerance. CATCH IT."

Posted by: Red at April 07, 2005 01:24 PM (gU2pl)

6 Too bad it wasn't big ole steaming shit pie. Horowitz is a filthy likudnik Zionazi. I don't know why the SOB just doesn't move to Israel. Maybe he can't swim.

Posted by: greg at April 07, 2005 01:46 PM (/+dAV)

7 Greg, the way you people use 'Likud' someone might think it's a bad thing.

Posted by: Carlos at April 07, 2005 02:10 PM (8e/V4)

8 It is a bad thing. Can you imagine trying to negotiate with a whole country of Juice? There's no chance for peace with the Likudniks.

Posted by: greg at April 07, 2005 02:24 PM (/+dAV)

9 Pat Buchanan got salad dressing. (More appropriate for Paul Newwman.)

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 07, 2005 02:26 PM (x+5JB)

10 >>>"There's no chance for peace with the Likudniks." Greg, You're wrong. Only Nixon could go to China, and only a Likudnik will negotiate a settlement. Mark my words and don't ever forget, because the peace treaty WILL be signed by a LIKUDNIK.

Posted by: Carlos at April 07, 2005 02:28 PM (8e/V4)

11 I hope you're right but I doubt it. Only a traitor to the Palestinians would except the shity offer likely to come from the Likudniks. Now Rabin was an honest peace broker. Of course he got shot for it.

Posted by: greg at April 07, 2005 02:32 PM (/+dAV)

12 The only chance the palestinians have is to keep up the bombing until these old Jew farts like Sharon die from eating too many babies.

Posted by: greg at April 07, 2005 02:36 PM (/+dAV)

13 >>>"Only a traitor to the Palestinians would except the shity offer likely to come from the Likudniks." Which pretty much explains why the paleostinians won't sign a peace treaty. Only a "traitor" will sign a treaty with Israel. You said more than you intended to, Greg. But I agree with you entirely, it's the paleos who won't sign lest they be accused of treason. It's why Arafat didn't sign, and it's why the paleos won't let Abbas sign.

Posted by: Carlos at April 07, 2005 03:24 PM (8e/V4)

14 I wonder what kind of pie they eat in Finland?

Posted by: Brad at April 07, 2005 03:28 PM (NzgK/)

15 No way should Abbas sign. Much of the west bank is now off the table as is the idea of east jerusalem as a capitol. Despite Bush's whisper of a road map, the Juice have been building new settlements as quickly as they can. If America really wanted peace in the middle east they'd invade Israel and enforce a peace once and for all. But that's not possible since Jewish penetrance into the Pentagon runs too deep. If we ever attacked them their nukes would work but our woudn't.

Posted by: greg at April 07, 2005 03:35 PM (/+dAV)

16 "What kind of pie was it?" Chocolate cream pie.

Posted by: Darth Apathy at April 07, 2005 03:39 PM (y+kpp)

17 Greg, if we invaded and killed all the paleos that would pretty much solve the problem too.

Posted by: Carlos at April 07, 2005 03:39 PM (8e/V4)

18 Sounds like a good plan. I say we go for it and stop this nonsense once and for all. Count me in. In fact I'll even join the friggin' army for that fight if they'll take me with my flat feet.

Posted by: greg at April 07, 2005 03:43 PM (/+dAV)

19 Brad: Yak pie?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 07, 2005 03:49 PM (x+5JB)

20 Actually it's all kinds of pie. As you know, Pie was invented in Finland by Miko Mannerheim(Yes ,Great,Great,Great,Great, Grandfather of the man himself), in 1329.

Posted by: Brad at April 07, 2005 03:55 PM (NzgK/)

21 Brad: You are a scholar and a gentleman.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 07, 2005 04:10 PM (x+5JB)

22 I see the good Catholic Greg is at it with the Jew thing again. Down here in South Mississippi we don't attack Israel. We just beat up the local ones. But we don't support the paleos. Need a KKK application? Only $49.95. For the background check. Refundable on payment of membership fee. Then you can come down and make hate the Jews speeches and have a live audience. If, you by the beer.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 07, 2005 06:37 PM (CBNGy)

23 Dear Greyrooster, Do you mean Picayune?

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 07, 2005 08:08 PM (FV4oJ)

24 Mmmmmmm, chocolate pie......thanks Darth!

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 07, 2005 09:27 PM (JQjhA)

25 Rooster, I''m going to pass on your very generous offer to sponsor my membership in the Klan. As a Catholic I don't think I qualify. Dressing up like it was Halloween every night sounds like fun though. Do you wear high heals? I'm thinking about joining the local militia though. When the government starts rounding up dissenters and relocating them to FEMA prison camps there will be a fight. I hope they send me to the one in Bastrop County Texas. I like the climate here.

Posted by: greg at April 08, 2005 09:45 AM (/+dAV)

26 Its a shame to hear, Greg, that the only reason you think you don't qualify for the KKK is that you are catholic.

Posted by: Robin Roberts at April 09, 2005 07:09 PM (xauGB)

27 Robin wins:

Posted by: greyrooster at April 10, 2005 02:31 AM (CBNGy)

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April 04, 2005

Registration Blogging

It's registration at Tatooine University. With all of my incredible Sith powers you'd think I'd be able to figure out a way to avoid students.

Me: You will register online.

Student: I will register online.

However it would seem that our students are not as weak-minded as their tests and term papers would indicate.

An alternative explanation for why so many students are lined up at my door is that the online registration system seems to be down. Stupid Bill Gates........

Blogging may be light.

UPDATE: Oh, so that's what that lock on the door is for!!

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April 01, 2005

Former D.C. School Official Charged With Aiding al Qaeda

Since so many of the terrorist supporters in the U.S. seem to have immigrated from Jordan, I want to know if the vetting process for immigrants from that country has changed since 9/11?

CNN (via Robert Spencer):

A former top official for the District of Columbia's public schools is being held on charges of conspiring to raise money and recruit fighters for Muslim extremists.
Kifah Wael Jayyousi, arrested Sunday at an airport in Detroit, Michigan, was chief facilities director for public schools in Washington from 1999 to 2001. But in the years running up to that high-profile position, he supported "violent jihad" in Bosnia, Kosovo, Chechnya and Somalia, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Monday.
Jayyousi's arrest is connected to the investigation of The Global Relief Foundation and what federal authorities allege was a network providing material support to terrorists, mostly through supposed charities.
Jayyousi, a U.S. citizen originally from Jordan, is accused of conspiring with Adham Amin Hassoun, who has been in U.S. custody since 2002. Also charged in the criminal complaint is Kassem Daher, described in an FBI affidavit as living in Lebanon....
The criminal complaint against Jayyousi, 43, was filed in Miami, Florida, in December, and cites an investigation that began in 1993. It alleges that Jayyousi and his two co-conspirators set up nonprofit charities through which they raised money and recruited fighters for jihadi groups affiliated with al Qaeda.

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The New Nazis of Higher Education

William Shirer noted that pre-war German universities were rife with Nazi supporters on the faculty. The very institution set up to be a refuge for protecting the great works of Western Civiilization were centers of activity for those that would actively destroy it. Today, I am afraid, the Academy is no better.

Charles Johnsom uncovers another anti-American professor. This one, though, makes Ward Churchill look mainstream. She actually has a whole page dedicated to linking the CIA & (*shock*) Mossad to 9-11!!

Decision '08 also uncovers some interesting things on Professor Christensen.

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A New Muse Versus the Old Feminist Mystique

by Demosophist

Wretchard claims that the intellect behind I Could Scream (a muse by the name of Dymphna) is not he. But whoever she is she helps put the "Club" in "Belmont." Describing the new blog's mission as "a different vision" he observes, with typical eloquence:

The concerns of NOW in relation to those of Muslim women occupy the same relative position as the worries of the characters in Seinfeld to those in rural Bangladesh.

(Cross-posted by Demosophist to Demosophia and Anticipatory Retaliation)

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A Place Called "Wind"

by Demosophist

From Todd Zywicki

As I have said before, this bill is at bottom about rewarding personal responsibility.

Spoken like someone who has always expected a steady wind at his back, and spent both stormy and windless days deeply sheltered.

Apparently the entities making the loans while practicing deceptive strategies to snare the "imprudent" deserve to have the rules waived for their imprudent extension of credit because they've achieved the special status of lovable con men. Meet the archetype of the species: Ward Churchill.

Gary Becker, on the other hand, suggests a self-referencial alternative to tweaking the bankruptcy system, answering most of my objections to Zywicki's rather aloof and one-eyed arguments: more...

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1 Have a look at our silly currency, backed by nothing more than an IOU from a rapacious debtor.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 01, 2005 01:12 AM (uyhy8)

2 In addition, one brief statement from a legislator in Korea about reducing dollar holdings causes a major shakeup in the value.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 01, 2005 02:10 AM (uyhy8)

3 Collin: Send me all your silly currency.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 01, 2005 07:40 AM (x+5JB)

4 All your currencies are belongs to us!

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 01, 2005 07:54 AM (JQjhA)

5 Laugh all you like, the Iraq adventure and other fiscal mismanagement is rapidly draining the treasury. To fill it, the gov't sells bonds and those bonds are being scarfed up by other countries, countries Bush likes to insult and demean. The Euro is gaining strength and the Dollar is devaluing and losing it's right to be the prime commodities medium of exchange. We're in deep debt boys, and we're going to have to pay the price someday.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 01, 2005 08:35 AM (fufbw)

6 >>>"Laugh all you like, the Iraq adventure and other fiscal mismanagement is rapidly draining the treasury." Collin, what difference does it make. It's just funny money. Get your story straight.

Posted by: Carlos at April 01, 2005 09:12 AM (8e/V4)

7 Quote a legislator from Korea. Ha, Ha, Ha, Those guys on the other blogs are correct. Colon Babler is insane. Stupid Idiot. The Dow went up 130 points yesterday. Is that Bush's fault? Ha, Ha. What a turkey. 10 years ago Europe was importing hundreds of thousands of immigrants to fill needed labour. Now unemployment is the biggest topic of the day. Hundreds of thousands of unemployed non Europeans on the dole. Riots in their streets instead of ours. What an ass you are. Yes, they buy our bonds. Why? because they know we're good for it. Your constant anti America dribble is getting old. Get help fool.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 01, 2005 09:36 AM (FdNoz)

8 The fact that this finace system has been in use for some time in third world nations to me is a good reason it is not good. I have not heard of any that say they can get by without free food from American taxpayers, This is not a track record I want to see expanded; in particular not in America.

Posted by: Rod Stanton at April 01, 2005 12:41 PM (2pT/w)

9 Rod: Becker's justification for using this instrument is founded on more than the fact that it's used extensively in poor countries, but it's not irrelevant that one of the consequences of its use is the expansion, rather the contraction, of capitalism. His argument is that there's no such thing as fine-tuning the bankruptcy laws, because they're by definition a blunt instrument. Besides, a Nobel Laureate in Ecenomics gets the benefit of the doubt over you... good looking as I'm sure you are.

Posted by: Demosophist at April 01, 2005 01:13 PM (Dfdj0)

10 Rod: Not saying don't be careful or that constructive changes can be made. Just saying trust in my God. America. And his guardian the US Marine Corps. Demosophist: All Marines are good looking. Just the facts, just the facts.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 01, 2005 06:06 PM (CBNGy)

11 God doesn't need a guardian. He IS the guardian.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 01, 2005 08:23 PM (fufbw)

12 Your so fucking stupid. Read the post again asshole

Posted by: greyrooster at April 02, 2005 07:47 AM (CBNGy)

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March 29, 2005

The Bush Doctrine vs. the 'Arc of Tyranny'

Willisms has a fascinating post on the danger of what he terms 'the arc of tyranny' poses for the West and how the Bush doctrine is taking on that danger.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:29 AM | Comments (33) | Add Comment
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1 There's a great book, "The Pentagon's New Map" written by national security strategic planner Thomas P.M. Barnett which basically talks about the same thing. When people say the government plans policy decades in advance, it's these "strategic planners" who are doing the planning and theorizing. According to this book, our policies vis a vis Iraq specifically and the ME generally is about stabilizing these regions of chaos, or "archs of tyranny."

Posted by: Carlos at March 29, 2005 09:30 AM (8e/V4)

2 There was another think tank that wrote on the subject. It was the "Project for the New American Century" with Neocon members like Wolfowitz and Bill Crystal. They said that in order for the American people to get on board with what needed to be done to secure our global strategic interests we would need a "New Pearl Harbor" like event to galvanize the American people. Then came 9-11 a few years later. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Posted by: greg at March 29, 2005 10:12 AM (/+dAV)

3 Is Cuba green on this map?!

Posted by: electronicIDF at March 29, 2005 10:32 AM (MBd2J)

4 where there is freedom theee is prosperity. tyranny stagnates human creativity and human creativity is the engine of economic growth. If anarchists and Leftie-do-gooders really wanted to improve the lot of lives of the poor people in the Third World then they would be advocating MORE gloabalism and MORE BUSH DOCTRINE instead of less trade and a huge, international welfare regime.

Posted by: reliapundit at March 29, 2005 10:59 AM (4G2i1)

5 where there is freedom, there is prosperity. tyranny stagnates human creativity and human creativity is the engine of economic growth. If anarchists and Leftie-do-gooders really wanted to improve the lot of lives of the poor people in the Third World, then they should advocate MORE gloabalism and MORE BUSH DOCTRINE instead of less trade and a huge, international welfare regime.

Posted by: reliapundit at March 29, 2005 11:00 AM (4G2i1)

6 >>>"If anarchists and Leftie-do-gooders really wanted to improve the lot of lives of the poor people in the Third World..." stop sentence. That's not what they want. They've proved it in Iraq.

Posted by: Carlos at March 29, 2005 12:18 PM (8e/V4)

7 >>>"Coincidence? I don't think so." Greg, probably not coincidence. Think tanks try to avoid that kind of thing. They sit and think, and they put 2 and 2 together, and make educated guesses, just like many analysts predicted the Japanese would attack Pearl Harbor before they actually did. Here's an example: "The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise, but many keen observers foresaw an inevitable attack." http://p-38online.com/alaska.html PNAC and many others have predicted a catastrophic attack on our soil for years.

Posted by: Carlos at March 29, 2005 12:22 PM (8e/V4)

8 Very good reply Carlos.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at March 29, 2005 01:00 PM (JQjhA)

9 Carlito, You're the only one who read my post apparently. In the months just before and after 9-11, over 200 Israeli spies were caught in the United States and whisked quietly back to Israel. This was reported by Brit Hume and Carl Cameron of Fox News in a 4 part series on Dec. 11-14, 2001 and was then removed from FoxÂ’s website on Dec. 15, 2001. In the report, a senior U.S. intelligence agent was asked if the spy ring was in anyway related to 9-11 and he said, Â“This information is classified, I cannot speak about itÂ”. This 4 part series is still available at: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7545.htm I highly recommend that you listen to these reports, at least listen to part 1 (broadband connection required). TheyÂ’re about 5 minutes long each. Brit Hume and Fox are not anti-semitic and neither am I. Brit Hume called the piece "Explosive!".

Posted by: greg at March 29, 2005 03:00 PM (/+dAV)

10 The PNAC didn't predict a new Pearl Harbor, they wished for it. What was needed for America to dominate much of humanity and the world's resources, it said, was "some catastrophic and catalysing event - like a new Pearl Harbor". Cui bono?

Posted by: greg at March 29, 2005 03:10 PM (/+dAV)

11 >>>"In the months just before and after 9-11, over 200 Israeli spies were caught in the United States and whisked quietly back to Israel." Honestly, and?

Posted by: Carlos at March 29, 2005 03:29 PM (8e/V4)

12 >>>"The PNAC didn't predict a new Pearl Harbor, they wished for it." So some think tank pencil necks mobilized the U.S. government at all levels, from highest to lowest, to pull off the conspiracy, and then the pencil necks killed them all to keep it secret? The problem with most conspiracies is that they aren't plausible. They never explain just HOW it can be pulled off. I know because I good buddy of mine is huge into conspiracies, including this one, and he never even pauses to consider just how such conspiracies could be pulled off. It never occurs to him. Same here. It would have been impossible to coopt all the necessary intelligence agencies, including the Secret Service, and the airlines and the Air Force, etc., to play along. It's an irrational belief on your part cobbled together by isolated and unrelated factoids.

Posted by: Carlos at March 29, 2005 03:35 PM (8e/V4)

13 Carlos, I actually read the site you pointed me to http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7545.htm Before you comment on Brit Hume's report you should listen to it otherwise you come off as IGNORant. Is the report that threatening to you?

Posted by: Greg at March 29, 2005 03:42 PM (/+dAV)

14 Is Brit Hume irrational? Regarding Israel's possible foreknowledge of 9-11, he is the one that came to the conclusion on the basis of the report, "How could they not have known". It looks like the "terrorists" were shepherded. If "explosive" stories like this one were not spiked your buddy and I wouldn't be so suspicious.

Posted by: greg at March 29, 2005 03:56 PM (/+dAV)

15 "By deception, we shall make war". The motto of the Mossad. "Let's you and him fight".

Posted by: greg at March 29, 2005 04:16 PM (/+dAV)

16 The Arc of Tyranny is a reified construct.

Posted by: Collin Baber at March 29, 2005 04:34 PM (Hkppj)

17 Carlos, It was nice chatting with you. I've got to run and will be out of pocket. I can tell you're not too interested in the Brit Hume report. Do me a favor and pass it on to your good buddy. He'll appreciate it. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7545.htm

Posted by: greg at March 29, 2005 04:49 PM (/+dAV)

18 >>>"Before you comment on Brit Hume's report you should listen to it otherwise you come off as IGNORant." greg, I didn't comment on Brit Hume's report. I commented on your Israeli spies statement, and I said and?

Posted by: Carlos at March 29, 2005 04:52 PM (8e/V4)

19 >>>"By deception, we shall make war". a factoid.

Posted by: Carlos at March 29, 2005 04:54 PM (8e/V4)

20 That arc may need a bump in the middle if Putin gets too uppity.

Posted by: Brian H at March 29, 2005 06:33 PM (8AabM)

21 The real arc of instability leads right through 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Posted by: Collin Baber at March 29, 2005 07:08 PM (Hkppj)

22 >Is Cuba green on this map?! But most importantly, why is communist dictatorship China yellow on this map?

Posted by: Francesco Poli at March 30, 2005 05:32 AM (r3ZP6)

23 The Peoples' Republic was branded purple by that mapmaker.

Posted by: Collin Baber at March 30, 2005 05:54 AM (fufbw)

24 "The real arc of instability leads right through 1600 Pennsylvania Ave." Right, that's why bin Laden and his ilk are so pleased Bush won the '04 election. Colon Babbler ad infinitum!

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at March 30, 2005 07:11 AM (x+5JB)

25 Francesco bello, China is clearly purple on the map not yellow (unless of course you're joking as in "yellow china"). Check your geography book.

Posted by: greg at March 30, 2005 08:12 AM (/+dAV)

26 Cuba and Haiti are the only purple in the Western hemisphere.

Posted by: Carlos at March 30, 2005 08:26 AM (8e/V4)

27 In my opinion the Muslims are not the major threat to America. The major threat is China. A recent CIA report stated that the Chinese economy will surpase that of the USA by the year 2025. They will, along with India, be our largest competitors for oil and other commodities. Should China and Russia team up against the USA, and they have been holding talks, it will be a formidable enemy with a strong likelyhood of a nuclear exchange occuring given a confrontation. I hate to be a warmonger, but confronting China before they undergo further economic development may be prudent. Instead, "multinational" corporations with no real allegiance to America are feeding the slumbering Chinese giant.

Posted by: greg at March 30, 2005 10:52 AM (/+dAV)

28 Another benefit in confronting the Chinese is that we could tell them to go screw themselves as far as the American debt that they hold. This would help alleviate the American people's burden of economic slavery that thhey are currently in.

Posted by: greg at March 30, 2005 10:58 AM (/+dAV)

29 Economic slavery? Sounds like words from another loser.

Posted by: greyrooster at March 30, 2005 10:12 PM (JRpVI)

30 Roooster, Being over taxed and in deep deep debt is economic slavery. But you just keep slurping on that sweet government pocycle like a good little slave. Hell, go ahead and bend over so they can insert the mark of the devil up your ass while you're at it.

Posted by: greg at March 31, 2005 09:58 AM (/+dAV)

31 First the Jews, now the Chinese. I don't feel over taxed. You imbecile we have one of the lowest tax rates in the Western world. I do feel that some of my tax dollars are wasted on stupid liberal programs that always achieve the opposite results. I don't slurp at the Government popsicle. I buy them so losers like you can slurp.

Posted by: greyrooster at March 31, 2005 07:31 PM (CBNGy)

32 Question: If Zimbabwe was still Rhodesia would it be colored green?

Posted by: greyrooster at April 02, 2005 10:28 AM (CBNGy)

33 Greyrooster, Probably not.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 02, 2005 10:32 PM (fufbw)

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March 21, 2005

Sexy Social Security

It's not hot girl-on-girl action, but I'd say Social Security is almost as sexy. American Warmonger has a good summary of the alternatives.

Posted by: Rusty at 11:55 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 It's an interesting anaylsis, but he makes a few key ommissions regarding the problem with Social Security. 1) One of the fundamental problems with the current structure of Social Security is that it is invested only in the safest of investments - specifically, Treasurey Bills. In this low interest rate environment, the returns being invested within the Social Security money pool are pretty meagre. As such, the growth rates being used to project future funds to draw from are also pretty small. Hence, one issue of the problem. The solution is: increase the flexibility for the managers of this pool to invest outside of Treasury Bills, making it easier to earn better returns. When markets are getting choppy, they would still have the flexibility to go into cash. But, when the markets are earning double-digit returns, they (the managers) wouldn't be handcuffed to earning only a few percent. The other alternative is you wait for interest rates to rise, and hope the extra percent here and there on the Treasury Bills is more than sufficient (but this is a pretty passive strategy). 2. The current Social Security system is too generous as it stands. He (Jeremy) touches on this briefly, but the solution that he doesn't really talk about is the fact that if you lower the payout, the pool will obviously last longer. While this may not be popular, the fact is that it's a pretty generous system (twice what, say, Canada gives its citizens). So, obviously, the solution is: reduce the payout. Not too popular, but sometimes you have to make some unpopular moves as a government. And, it's not like the amounts couldn't be increased in the future if matters improve. 3. The current strain on the Social Security system, obviously, is the demographic surge of baby boomers joining their parents on collecting their loot. Conceivably, you could wait until the numbers of baby boomers start to decline, which might be in 20 years or so. Most conservative estimates give Social Security at least that long. Maybe population growth over that time would be enough to make the difference negligible, but it's still possible that with fewer taking it, Social Security would be given a chance to regroup. Solution: do nothing and hope for the best. I'm sure the government has a few demographers who would have identified this if that's the case, but then again, this isn't the brightest government. Basically, I think the whole issue of being forced into one asset class is the problem with the current Social Security system. If the Bush administration loosened the rules on that, it would probably be in a much better state down the road. Of course, you can't really hope for a workable solution from neocons. Considering fixing a domestic social issue doesn't involve using the military, I'm sure 99% of neocons don't really have a clue what to do. The fact it's being discussed on the "blogosphere" is actually pretty funny.

Posted by: Venom at March 21, 2005 03:39 PM (dbxVM)

2 Gee, thanks Venom! I though you were making a real critique until you threw out the liberalized snark at the end! In reality, I try not to consider myself a neocon. It's sort of like labeling everyone that voted for Kerry a liberal. Isn't labeling people rather sophomoric? It's sort of like stereotyping. Anyway, let's discuss the points: Your #1: The TSP has already provided an example of what can happen under a more aggressive social security (actually considered a social insurance). TSP considers these factors and allows you to move your funds around depending on what you consider appropriate. Say for example you're 25 years old and the market is good youwould probably want to invest in the I fund (the most aggressive of the TSP funds). As you grow older, and your portfolio increases, you will want to move your funds to a more stable fund, such as the G or C funds, thus protecting your investment from loss. Point being is that we don't need to reinvent the wheel. We just need to be allowed to use it. If we were to allow the T-bill managers to work with stocks there is a good chance they would fail. To make it work we would have to hire new fund managers with the experience in stocks. It may seem like small potatoes, but if people don't realize what is happening it would be a bigger gamble on SS than most people realize. To water things down (and try and pull a point out of this) you're looking for Personal accounts without letting people decide for themselves. 2. If you think we're collecting a lot now you should use the SSA calculator to find out how much you will collect at retirement. It's a whole lot more than you would think. Your idea of reducing the payout falls under something called "Fee for Service". Basically it goes into your concept as a reverse tax. People don't like the word tax. It scares them. That's why we don't "pay taxes" to SS, we make "contributions". A tax is a tax from any angle and would bring up the image of our elders eating cat food in the meantime. 3. Since I restricted myself to the three primary arguments floating around the net, I didn't get into the other, more abstract government controlled psychology of things. This may sound rather off the wall, but what would happen to social security if we had another baby boom? Wouldn't that solve to problems of Social Security in 20 years? Of course it would. Only for a temporary time though. We would need another baby boom when the new baby boom got to retirement age. The way to enact a baby boom is through national psychological manipulation. I know this sounds weird, but it happens every day. All it would take is some form of study or push for parents with multiple children, maybe a huge tax write-off, and the babies will come. It's simple manipulation. Lastly, I must close with a partisan bite. It seems to be the tack of the post so why change it: If the Bush administration loosened the rules on that, it would probably be in a much better state down the road. Bush can't touch Social Security without the Democratic party going into fits. He could have Hillary Clinton sit down with Boxer, Pelosi and Byrd write up a bill on his behalf and if the words came out of Bush's mouth the DNC and AARP would say the exact same thing they are saying now. I'd put money on it.

Posted by: Jeremy at March 21, 2005 10:41 PM (WGcw3)

3 Jeremy, if you're not a neocon, you shouldn't take offence. In truth, I appreciated your post on the topic because it didn't show a whole lot of partisan flair. I simply pointed out a few more solutions you didn't bring up. The quip about neocons was a generalized comment about how neocons seem to know how to "fix" everything, but that it usually involves the use of military force. I was simply pointing out how amusing it is to see neocons try and tackle this one. Oh, and I don't consider myself a liberal. Just an old-fashioned conservative. The "neo" that is thrown in front of it nowadays is a carte blanche for a segment of the population to spout off without really examining issues. Apparently, "might makes right" isn't just a motto - it's a religion. Fuck that. Anyhways, on to a few clarifications on your response: Regarding point 1, while I appreciate the flexibility a TSP offers, the fact is that most people aren't skilled enough to manage their portfolios. Most people don't know the first principles about investing and left to their own devices, will probably lose out more than if they had professional money managers doing the job for them. So, if you're going to expand the pool of asset classes that SS can invest in, obviously you're going to have to hire more managers. I mean, of course you're not going to have bond managers making equity calls on the market. And, frankly, I'd trust a bunch of analysts who will get paid bonuses to beat the benchmark rather than expect the average American to do the same. Plus, hiring world-class managers isn't that hard when you have the resources of the federal government. Sure, it will cost more in management fees to hire more managers, but if they can beat the overall market on a consistent basis, you're already ahead. Besides, it's a basic principle of investing that your risk decreases and your returns increase when you diversify. So, why make Americans worse off by sequestering in only one asset class, not to mention the asset class that will always offer the lowest potential returns? 2) It's a good point you make, but mine was simply an option. Obviously it wouldn't be popular (something I acknowledged), but it's still an option. And you could always grandfather (no pun intended) the current recipients that receive their payments so they keep their cheques at the same level, but decrease those that come out in, say, 5 years. But a reduction is still an option. 3) I suppose you could have another baby boom, Orwellian as it sounds (and hey, we're heading in that direction anyways), but another one would, as you point out, put the current system in jeopardy once those new baby boomers retire. The system would naturally have to be fixed in between the gap of current baby boomers and the birth of the next one. Would the government (regardless of party) have the motivation to do that? Likely not. People nowadays don't seem to care about much about issues that impact the country unless it's terrorism-related or it's about some woman they don't know getting a feeding tube removed. "Bush can't touch Social Security without the Democratic party going into fits. He could have Hillary Clinton sit down with Boxer, Pelosi and Byrd write up a bill on his behalf and if the words came out of Bush's mouth the DNC and AARP would say the exact same thing they are saying now. I'd put money on it." All true, but the fact is that there have been many issues that the Democrats have been passionately against and the Bush administration has pushed through anyways. They could protest, but it wouldn't really make a big impact if it was something Bush really wanted to pass.

Posted by: Venom at March 22, 2005 09:04 AM (dbxVM)

4 I was just trying to give you the partisan jab about neocons. I wan't offended in the least. You'd have to get pretty nasty to do that. Good points all around. We're just going to have to agree to disagree on number 2 though. I guess I have a little libertarian in me after all. I think the funniest thing about the whole political stage on this is the fact that many of the Republicans have bailed on this. Maybe they're worried about taking responsibility from the Dems? I dunno. Just food for thought. I've rather enjoyed this little conversation.

Posted by: Jeremy at March 22, 2005 02:38 PM (farnf)

5 "I was just trying to give you the partisan jab about neocons. I wan't offended in the least. You'd have to get pretty nasty to do that." Haha, who me? I'm never nasty. ;P Agreed, it's always cool to talk to people with a (functioning) head on their shoulders.

Posted by: Venom at March 22, 2005 04:13 PM (dbxVM)

6 Mayflower Compact Coalition (Wangstas Fo' Shizzle My Nizzle)... RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman today attended the unveiling of the 21st Century Mayflower Compact at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington D.C.. The nine-point agenda includes support for school choice and private social security accounts. The Coalition is advised in part by former House Speaker Newt GingrichÂ’s consulting firm. African Americans often reach different and surprising conclusions on social issues that the casual (Caucasian) observer just wonÂ’t understand. For example, Black folks still want to see Michael Jackson find happiness. His high-pitched voice and soulful delivery is the soundtrack of generations and has a permanent place in the Black communityÂ’s psyche, no matter the plastic surgery, skin bleaching and alleged child molestation charges. Possibly, itÂ’s the Â“heÂ’s still BlackÂ” phenomenon that African Americans well understand. They want Michael JacksonÂ’s name cleared. In short, they want him to make good music and just leave the damn kids alone. Likewise, Blacks see Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance Program, popularly known as Social Security, as an entitlement forced into place during a period when Â“bigotsÂ” wanted to run things. And against the odds, a well respected Franklin Roosevelt was able to established needed protection for the public from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment. As its original name suggest, African Americans believe the insurance program was created to do much more than provide an old age benefit. Wangstas (whites and uh oh oreos) are extremely white people who attempt to be Â“gangstaÂ” (cool with Black people) in order to Â“pimp out.Â” They dress, speak and act for all practical purposes as a African Americans aside from the fact that they are not. Normally they are hated by the fam for being fake. The White House and its oreos who support overhauling Social Security have launched a highly targeted campaign to convince Black people that President BushÂ’s plan to create private investment accounts will have special benefits for them. The ghetto fab element about the GOP message to African Americans: Â“The shorter life expectancy of Black males means Social Security in its current form is not a favorable deal.Â” Proponents of privatizing social security who claim no group has as much at stake in the debate over reform as African Americans, in fact, are right. Black families of workers who become disabled or die are much more likely than their Caucasian counterparts to be dependent on the grip available from disability and/or survivor benefits. Blacks make up 12 percent of the U.S. population, but 23 percent of African American children receive survivor benefits, and 18 percent of the community are disability beneficiaries. Although the wangstas are making a special effort to appeal to the strizzeet with the 21st Century Mayflower Compact, the Â“lower life expectanciesÂ” illusion appears to reached every one except the African American senior. Their attempt to focus on a very narrow element of the system (current program based on longevity is unfair) is misplaced and doesnÂ’t gain cool points. What the oreos fail to realize is their attempt to be Â“downÂ” for da brothas... is just Â“gosh-darnÂ” obnoxious (using their vernacular) and another clue identifying the new face of segregation. Â“AÂ’ight?Â” Social Security is an insurance program that protects workers and their families against the income loss that occurs when a worker retires, becomes disabled, or dies. All workers will eventually either grow too old to compete in the labor market, become disabled, or die. President Roosevelt created the program to insure all workers and their families against these universal risks, while spreading the costs and benefits of that insurance protection among the entire workforce. It is a Â“pay as you goÂ” program, which means the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) payroll tax paid by todayÂ’s workers are not set aside to pay their own benefits down the road, but rather go to pay the benefits of current recipients. The tax is progressive. The low-wage workers receive a greater percentage of pre-retirement earnings from the program than higher-wage workers. And, in the 1980's, Congress passed reforms to raise extra tax revenues above and beyond the current need and set up a trust fund to hold a reserve. As was the case when the program was established, higher-wage workers still oppose the social nature of the program. They argue low rates of return as a reason to switch from the current Â“pay-as-you-goÂ” system to one in which individual workers claim their own contribution and decide where and how to invest it. In short, rather than sharing the risk across the entire workforce to ensure that all workers and their families are protected from old age, disability, and death, higher-wage workers want to enable opportunity to reap gains from private investment without having to help protect lower-wage workers from their disproportionate risks. Allowing high-wage workers (who are more likely to live long enough to retire) opportunity to opt out of the general risk pool and devote all their money to retirement without having to cover the risk of those who may become disabled or die, is da foÂ’ shizzle identifying the republican partyÂ’s desire to return to a segregated society. RooseveltÂ’s benefit formula currently in place intentionally helps low income earners. Lifetime earnings directly factor into the formula. And, thirty-five percent of Black workers born between 1931 and 1940 had lifetime earnings that fell into the bottom fifth of earnings received by workers born in these years. African AmericansÂ’ median earnings (working-age in jobs covered by Social Security in 2002) were about $21,200, compared to $28,400 for all working-age people. HNIC, President Bush, does acknowledge the difficulty Blacks will have in accumulating enough savings in their individual accounts to provide for a secure retirement once the progressivity of the current system is eliminated. However, he has only suggested allowing lower-income workers to place higher portions of their income into the uncertainties of investment accounts (creating even more risk). Yes! Private accounts would be passed on to children or other heirs. But, what the HNIC and his oreos doesnÂ’t explain is lower-income workers would be forced to buy an annuity large enough (when combined with their traditional Social Security benefit) to ensure that they would at least have a poverty level income for retirement. YoÂ’ playa... da new private Social Security account fizzle sucks!

Posted by: kstreetfriend at March 23, 2005 02:08 PM (M7kiy)

7 Wow...there's three minutes I'll never get back again.

Posted by: Venom at March 24, 2005 02:49 PM (dbxVM)

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March 17, 2005

Seattle: Grunge, Microsoft, anti-Americanism....

I spent five days at a conference in Seattle once. It was four days too long. Here's why.

Posted by: Rusty at 01:35 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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