May « 2010 « POWIP

31May/106

Stench Finally Reaches Throne of the Almighty

And then, you know... me, me, I, I, me, mine, me, I, me... you know?

Enoch_Root

AKA. Bobby Donn Brubaker (the most popular man in Mesa, AZ), the Umbrella of Terror, Jack Ketch.

Website - More Posts

Filed under: God Bothering, POWIP Art 6 Comments

31May/103

I sincerely hope that everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend. It is the unofficial beginning of summer, and I'm sure that all across the nation people will be spending time with friends and family, sharing meals, their time, good fellowship and memories, and more than a few adult beverages. I can assure you that's going on both at my own home and all across Long Island; it is an absolutely gorgeous day here at the beach as I take a brief moment to wish all of our dear readers the best of times!

But, please also take a moment out of your day to honor the deeper meaning of Memorial Day, the memory of those who throughout the years have given the ultimate measure of their devotion in order to safeguard our nation, freedoms, and way of life. They are the quintessential patriots who, as often as not, fought as much for the sake of the warriors they stood shoulder to shoulder with as for any particular ideology or notions of home, flag, Mom, or even apple pie. But, what is unquestionable is that they gave all of their tomorrows so that others might be able to enjoy their future yesterdays...

So on this Memorial Day I encourage you to say a prayer for all of those fallen, and for their bereaved families that had to carry on with only the memories of their beloved. And perhaps say another as well for all who currently serve, voluntarily, to keep us safe and sound here at home. And if you're not particularly religious, well then at least offer a toast to America's heroes, whether fallen, living, historical or contemporary.

All the best to you and yours.

Rocketman

Tagged as: Fallen warriors, memorial day, patriots 3 Comments

31May/1010

Why People Hate The Opinionated

Most of my friends are "difficult" personalities. In fact, most of the people I like to spend time with are as well.

Of course I find them curious... these difficult people... I love to be around them. I love to argue with them. I love to observe them. These agitators, troublemakers, pot-stirrers... these forceful people who will not suffer the fool. These awful people who won't just STFU. People who would rather lose everything and retain their dignity than gain everything and lose their independence. I love those that refuse to comply for compliance sake.

I think these terrible people deserve better than to be loathed by the geldings of the world. Those who "go along to get along."

I think the true freemen and freewomen of today are the same sort who when a culture finds itself in a jamb become heroes.

Those that hate the opinionated likely do so because they haven't the same bravery, force of will, endurance, or conviction. Opinions reflect beliefs. Beliefs that are offered are subject to challenge and scrutiny, where they are vindicated or laid to waste. A man who claims beliefs that he will not expose to scrutiny casts those very same beliefs into suspicion. There is an economy of thought in the world. And we are charged with the prudent management of this economy. To withhold - nay, to hoard - one's opinion, while often the safest route - is selfish and unbecoming. Sure, there is the matter of the appropriate time and place to do so. But this confirms that not all times and all places are inappropriate for doing so.

I love courageous people. Even when what they espouse is so much bullshit. To throw one's opinions/ideas/beliefs into a cage-match is not just invigorating - it is the most charitable thing we can do for our fellow-men and women. For future generations. For the economy of thought and the salvation of souls.

It is oft cited that "opinions are like assholes - everyone has one." But, the crucial aspect of this simile is rarely afforded the light of day: "people who don't express their opinions are - ultimately - full of shit." At least in my book.

Enoch_Root

AKA. Bobby Donn Brubaker (the most popular man in Mesa, AZ), the Umbrella of Terror, Jack Ketch.

Website - More Posts

Filed under: God Bothering, Ni Una Idea 10 Comments

31May/102

Escaping a Rip Current

I've written once or twice about how I barely escaped drowning in a rip current in Puerto Escondido. What I learned by experimentation, you can learn from this video:

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

Website - More Posts

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize 2 Comments

31May/102

Sing the whole thing [UPDATE by Dan]

I usually post this for Independence Day, but the last stanza seems particularly fitting today.

We sing only the first verse of the Star-Spangled Banner as our national anthem, and yet, it's odd -- the first stanza of the song is a question - the battle raged on through the night, the light of the battle let Key see the flag... but everything has gone dark, and soon it will be dawn: will the flag still be there?

But the rest of the song answers that question, and then looks to the future.

Isaac Asimov wrote a great essay on the narrative of that song. It's not that long - and neither is the full text of the Star-Spangled Banner. If I find myself having only enough time for one stanza, nowadays I sing the last one:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation,
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n - rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, for our cause is just,
And this be our motto--"In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Semper Fi, Grandaddy!

UPDATE: "I am very fortunate." Not as fortunate as we, soldier.

Here's a beautiful Memorial Day video tribute.

Meep

Meep is a member of the Irish Catholic mafia, having a suspiciously high number of green-eyed, red-haired friends. While she doesn’t have red hair herself [except when she goes into the sun (rare for any vampire)], she does have green eyes. She’s a raving Papist and is a life actuary on the side [i.e., she counts dead people]. An amateur pain-in-the-ass [willing to go pro!], she likes covering retirement, mortality, math, and education issues.

Tagged as: patriotism 2 Comments

31May/100

Pleasantville

Cynthia Yockey psychologizes on the actual motives of liberal neighbors attempting to thwart the razing and reconstruction of a home to suit a quadriplegic. We can't know the motive, but we can suspect that a truly compassionate person wouldn't prevent the construction because it impedes her right to a view.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

Website - More Posts

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize No Comments

31May/103

Kristof: She Was Asking for It

Excerpt from an excellent post by John at Power Line:

Hirsi Ali became a feminist spokesman for women who are oppressed in Islamic societies. She wrote the screenplay for Theo van Gogh's film Submission. Van Gogh was murdered in Amsterdam by a Muslim extremist who shoved a knife into his body with a note that said Hirsi Ali was next.

That made Hirsi Ali too hot to handle for Dutch authorities, so she made her way to the United States, where she now lives and continues her fight on behalf of oppressed women around the world.

You might think that would make her a heroine to American liberals, but you would be wrong. For whatever reason, they can't stand her. The latest evidence of this antipathy is Nick Kristof's review of her book Nomad in the New York Times.

Kristof isn't the Times's worst columnist. On the contrary, he is quite rational compared to Paul Krugman and Frank Rich. But he is a liberal, and liberals apparently detest Muslim apostates. Don't ask me why. But Kristof, in his review of Nomad, places the blame for the fact that crazed Muslim extremists want to assassinate Hirsi Ali squarely on her:

She has managed to outrage more people -- in some cases to the point that they want to assassinate her -- in more languages in more countries on more continents than almost any writer in the world today.

That's only the beginning. Kristof goes on to write that Hirsi Ali "is working on antagonizing even more people," even though it "might seem presumptuous to write another memoir so soon." It is easy to see why so many want to kill her, Kristof says, since she is "by nature a provocateur, the type of person who rolls out verbal hand grenades by reflex." Bear in mind that in this case, the "provocateur's" "hand grenades" are arguments that little girls shouldn't have their clitorises cut out, be beaten for no particular reason, or be forced to marry men they haven't met. Is that provocative? To members of the Democratic Party, it is.

A reflection on "honor" killings and brutality at the Toronto Globe & Mail.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

Website - More Posts

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize 3 Comments

30May/106

I’m Going To Call This Paranoia [UPDATE x2]

I don't believe that the Obamaists would try a Gulf of Tonkin gambit on the American public, any more than I believe the Bushies would have deliberately lied us into war.

The Top Kill method was started and suspended several times. It was being attempted only half heartedly. The reason is, there is no money to be made with a solution that simple.

The real money is in the use of dispersements.

There is a company called NALCO. They make water purification systems and chemical dispersements.

NALCO is based in Chicago with subsidiaries in Brazil, Russia, India, China and Indonesia.

NALCO is associated with UChicago Argonne program. UChicago Argonne received $164 million dollars in stimulus funds this past year. UChicago Argonne just added two new executives to their roster. One from NALCO. The other from the Ill. Dept of Educaution.

If you dig a little deeper you will find NALCO is also associated with Warren Buffett, Maurice Strong, Al Gore, Soros, Apollo, Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, Hathaway Berkshire.

Warren Buffet /Hathaway Berkshire increased their holdings in NALCO just last November. (Timing is everything).

The dispersement chemical is known as Corexit. What it does is hold the oil below the water's surface. It is supposed to break up the spill into smaller pools. It is toxic and banned in Europe.

NALCO says they are using older and newer versions of Corexit in the Gulf.. (Why would you need a newer version, if the old one was fine?)

There is big money and even bigger players in this scam. While they are letting the oil blow wide open into the Gulf, the stakes and profit rise.

The Dolphins, Whales, Manatees, Sea Turtles and fish suffocate and die. The coastal regions, salt marshes, tourist attractions and the shore front properties are being destroyed, possibly permanently.The air quality is diminished. The Gulf of Mexico fishing industry is decimated.

That said, it was a convenient excuse to shut down offshore drilling . . . by the United States, at least. We must take our position in the ranks of the nations of the world, behind such well-run operations as Cuba, with Chinese assistance.

UPDATE: Hoo, boy. You can add this to the mix.

REUPDATE: Rahm's cozy relations with BP PR firm.