Search is reopened from the main page, but for the moment only to approved posters. I'm going to write a ban routine to control DOS attacks, and if that doesn't work, we'll have to have a registration page for search.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/25/2004 12:01:26 PM ||
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#2
What's been going on with the Search? And, forgive my ignorance, please, but what's a DOS attack?
Posted by: The Doctor ||
05/25/2004 13:25 Comments ||
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#3
Denial of Service. Somebody set up a bot to hit the search pages over and over. Took me a while to figure what using using up all the CPU cycles. We were down for about 24 hours a few weeks ago.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/25/2004 13:58 Comments ||
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#4
thanks Fred....
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 13:59 Comments ||
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#5
The culprit, by the way, was apparently a guy named Mark Rushing, who's enamoured of bible verses. I've closed the back door he snuck in by and I'm cleaning up his mess. I hope he's not a regular.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/25/2004 17:18 Comments ||
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#6
trolling for Jesus huh?
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 17:33 Comments ||
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Posted by: Phil B ||
05/25/2004 19:32 ||
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Gore said, "Millions of people will be coming out of theaters on Memorial Day weekend asking the question: 'Could this really happen?' I think we need to answer that question."
This quote from a diff link goes to the core of the problem with the Left. They can't separate fact from phantasy.
Posted by: Phil B ||
05/25/2004 19:36 Comments ||
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Every scientist I've heard interviewed has said... ummmmmmmm, no, it can't.
But what do they know compared to Al Gore? And I'm sure the producers are thrilled with Mr. Kiss of Death's endorsement.
#6
tu - that's just wrong! Soon as President Dean ...uh...um
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 20:03 Comments ||
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#7
For intelligent entertainment, I would recommend Peter Weir's "MASTER and COMMANDER -- The Far Side of the World." Ed Zwick's "The Last Samurai" is nice too. Both are out on dvd.
#8
and "Return of the King" and "Private Ryan" are out as well....
both of ex-libs DVD's noted are correct - beautiful flicks
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 20:18 Comments ||
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This put me in a good mood because I realized that all the people from Gore down (up?) coming out saying this movie will make people take global warming/cooling (take your pick!) seriously, are doing so because its such a laughable Turkey that it will have the opposite effect. People will (correctly) conclude that most of what is said by the self-appointed climate experts is as believeable as this movie.
Posted by: Phil B ||
05/25/2004 20:33 Comments ||
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#10
ex-lib, where is your thinking? In Master and Commander, a gallant British captain attacks a French frigate without UN approval! Likewise, at no time during Last Samurai does the Tom Cruise character wear a blue helmet, and his only rule of engagement seems to be to attack and kill the enemy. How lacking in nuance!
Posted by: Matt ||
05/25/2004 20:42 Comments ||
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#11
OK, this Friedman fellow says Independence Day is one of his favorite films, and that "[It] had a strong script with, well, developed characters." And the characters in that movie, "had a tremendous nobility and spoke with wit and intelligence..." And he thinks The Day After Tomorrow is "[h]ilariously awful in most places, with an incoherent script and questionable acting".
#12
Go out and rent "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence". John Wayne, Lee Marvin, James Stewart, and many others. Lotsa faces you'll recognize. It's GREAT to see it again, after all these years.
Posted by: Halfass Pete ||
05/25/2004 21:22 Comments ||
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#13
It's a shame, really. Independence Day is one of my favorite films, as Stargate.
Apparently, Roland Emmerich has gone down the tubes.
I won't be seeing this one, even on TV. Aside from the fact that the "science" is not just non-existent, but ludicrous, I'm afraid I'd either throw something through the TV screen, or die laughing.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
05/25/2004 21:27 Comments ||
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#14
So I went to see Shrek2 on the weekend. No sign of Gore there.
Posted by: john ||
05/25/2004 21:27 Comments ||
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#15
Make that "as is Stargate."
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
05/25/2004 21:27 Comments ||
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A great Fourth of July film? John Wayne's McClintock!
All-American cast, theme, humor and setting.
Underrated, but of the of the best John Wayne westerns ever made.
#18
took my boys to see Van Helsing - I think Gore was in it - he was the guy willing to give up one or two villagers a month to keep his grave monopoly going
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 22:21 Comments ||
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#19
As a disaster film, I suppose it might be slightly entertaining...but that would have been before 9/11.
(Not to mention the fact that this is all based on junk science.)
Seeing NYC destroyed by anything else is just too much for me to stomach these days.
What I think is absolutely unconscionable of Hollywood is that they can't make a decent movie about the WOT and yet they'll try to get Americans all hot and bothered about this at a time when we've been living under the fear of a real threat from Islamist terrorism on our cities for the last 3 years!
Posted by: Jen ||
05/25/2004 22:25 Comments ||
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#20
I had the TV on in the background the other day, and wasn't paying attention, when a commercial for the movie ran in the background.
I think I heard the phrase "pole shift" in the background.
The "Pole Shift" disaster theories are just some of many theories of that ilk that annoy me. I'd like to write a decent rebuttal of the movie, especially if it gets into "pole shift" sorts of junk, but I don't want to give them cash for the privelige.
If anyone here goes, could y'all let me know if it gets into that?
Oh, and Barb: I liked the Stargate movie, but not as much as the series, which Emmerich reportedly dislikes.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
05/25/2004 23:15 Comments ||
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#21
Matt: Lol! Sorry I didn't get back to you, but I was watching Osama (on dvd). I recommend it. (No blue helmets there either. Alot of turbans, though . . .) If anyone still doubts that ALL Islamic pseudo men need to die, this film should put that doubt to rest. Too bad we can't arm the decent ones to kill the sickos over there--or at least export the nice Afghanis to the Kurds in northern Iraq. Afghanistan is really suffering. The Taliban totally sucks. No wonder the women are committing suicide in record numbers there.
Yeah, Jen . The Brits (Ridley Scott) had to make Blackhawk Down. Glad he did though. The only other WOT (kind of) flick I know of is Tears of the Sun (Bruce WIllis), but it's about Africa, and doesn't get into that much. Still, it's at least a little bit of a look into the complexities there. The Sum of All Fears is another dealing with the terrorism theme, but it's a bit ho-hum IMO. Of course, if you want a really nice anti-terrorism film, which is also fun, Arnold's True Lies , takes it.
About the lack of films dealing with the WOT: In defense of the film industry, I'd like to point out that it's tough to make films about current happenings because things change so rapidly. Since it takes about 2-4 years to write a really terrific screenplay, and then more time to produce it, current event films, per se, can be irrelevant and inaccurate before they're ever finished. (Peter Jackson's LOTR is about as close, otherwise, as you're gonna get to the theme. But it's really great.)
Despite all the complaining about it (probably deserved) I'm still in the mood to see Day After. I sometimes like films that are, basically, lame, but able to give my mind a rest. We'll see . . .
It was way back in 1989 when I, along with my sister, conducted a tour to some of the countries of Middle East. During our stay in Bahrain, we were accorded warm welcome. There I happened to meet some children and had a light chitchat with them. I put certain questions to them and they flung at me their innocent queries. During the course of this interaction, they inquired about my religion. I told them, "I am a Christian." I asked them, as to what was their religion? A wave of serenity took over them. They replied in one voice "Islam." Their enthusiastic answer really shook me from within. Then they started telling me about Islam. They were giving me information, much in piece with their age. The pitch of their voice would reveal that they were highly proud of Islam. This is how I paced toward Islam.
A very short interaction with a group of children ultimately led me to have long discourses about Islam with Muslim scholars. A great ripple had taken place in my thought. I made failing attempt to console myself that nothing had happened but I could not conceal this fact any longer from myself that at heart I had converted to Islam. This I disclosed first to my family friend, Qunber Ali. The same Qunber Ali managed to take me to Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia. Till that time, I did not know much about Islam. From there, in the company of a Saudi family, I proceeded for Mecca for the performance of "Umrah". There I made public for the first time that I had become Muslim. ....
My family is the follower of that cult of Christianity, which is known as AVENDANCE of JEHOVA (Jehovaâs Witness). According to its creeds, only 144,000 men would finally qualify to enter into paradise. It remained always a perplexing creed for me. I was surprised to know that Bible was compiled by so many men, particularly about a volume scripted by King James. I wondered if a man compiles a directory and then ascribes it to God, but he does not fully comply with these directions. During my stay in Saudi Arabia I have had the opportunity to buy a cassette released by the erstwhile British pop-singer and the present Muslim preacher, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens). I learnt a lot from this as well. ...
On my way back to America, I brought a number of books from Saudi Arabia. Michael Jackson asked me himself for some of these books for study. Before this, his opinion was influenced by the propaganda of American media against Islam and the Muslims. He was not inimical towards Islam, but he was not favorably disposed towards Muslims either. But after reading these books, he would keep mum and not say anything against Muslims. I think perhaps this is the impact of the study of Islam that he diverted his business interests towards Muslim traders. Now, he has equal shares with the Saudi billionaire prince Waleed bin Talal, in his multi-national company. ....
Like other members of my family, my sudden conversion to Islam was a great surprise for her [sister Janet Jackson]. In the beginning, she was worried. She has stashed into her head only one thing that Muslims are polygamous, they do have as much as four wives. When I explained this permission granted by Islam with reference to the state of the present American society, she was satisfied. ....
I have seven sons and two daughter who, like me, are fully Islamic-oriented. My wife is still studying Islam. She insists on going over to Saudi Arabia. I trust InshaAllah, she would sooner join Islam. May God Almighty give us the courage and perseverance to remain on this true religion, Islam. (Ameen)
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 5:11:51 AM ||
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I asked them, as to what was their religion? A wave of serenity took over them. They replied in one voice "Islam."
Don't look in their eyes Jermaine, NOT THE EYES!! Shit the Islamo-hypno-voodoo-ray⢠got him - TAKE COVER MEN!!
Posted by: Howard UK ||
05/25/2004 5:19 Comments ||
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Prediction: Michael Jackson will jump bail and flee to Saudi Arabia to escape U.S. prosecution on child molestation charges. He will convert to Islam and live out the rest of his life in Riyadh, running a home for needy young boys.
What a family.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
05/25/2004 6:18 Comments ||
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#3
"touch me, in the morning..."
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 8:19 Comments ||
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#4
May we expect to see Janet butchered in an honor-killing for her breast-baring tomfoolery at the Superbowl?
Posted by: Chairman of The Bored ||
05/25/2004 8:54 Comments ||
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#5
Curse you, Geranium Jackson, and your little dog, Tito, too. [cackle]
I don't think the Bible's meant to be taken that literally - which is a problem for some people, like this guy, evidently. But it seems to me that a book compiled by numerous authors over the centuries has a better chance of having something in it that's Inspired than the work of one man suffering heatstroke in the desert somewhere . . .
Posted by: The Doctor ||
05/25/2004 13:13 Comments ||
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#9
Who gives a shit?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
05/25/2004 18:25 Comments ||
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A Kuwaiti fatwa, or Muslim religious edict, issued Monday prohibits all music shows involving women entertainers, including concerts by the controversial Lebanese reality TV programme "Star Academy."
"Don't let us catch any of you suckers smiling or looking at titties!"
"It is not allowed for any side to organise a concert by Star Academy, or under any other name, as long as they include practices forbidden by Islam," said the fatwa, issued by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
"Practices forbidden by Islam include all things that do not include explosives, firearms, or reading the Koran."
Forbidden practices include "women singing to men not related to them, mixing between the sexes when women are revealing part of their body, and the use of vulgar words and dancing," it stated. "It is also forbidden to attend or watch these concerts, and provide any assistance or invest in them," it added.
"It is forbidden to even think about them! You'll go to hell! Hell, y'unnerstan'? [Drool!]"
The ministry department which issued the fatwa also recommended that state institutions bar such concerts in a bid to "safeguard public morals."
"Arrrr! Next thing y'know, they'll be humpin' in the streets, laughin' and singin' together an' dancin' the hootchy-koo!"
The ministry was responding to a parliamentary question submitted by Islamist MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, who spearheaded a campaign to prevent the holding of a show by young Star Academy personalities. But the show was held May 6 despite stiff Islamist-led opposition and a demonstration by some 500 Islamist activists.
"Hey! Ho! Whaddya know! Comely young babez is gotta go!"
The staging of the concert prompted Tabtabaei and two other lawmakers to have a stroke threaten to publicly question the information minister. Apparently bowing to pressure, the government tightened controls on public concerts, banning all forms of dance and forcing families and unaccompanied men to sit separately while attending. It also outlawed concerts which promote concepts that contravene the "values of religion, society and traditions."
Posted by: TS(vice girl) ||
05/25/2004 9:22:23 AM ||
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#1
Ah, this explains the Madonna concerts. Those Muslims threatening to kill her kids are just doing their religious duty. Allah be praised! Just not to music, or by women.
Posted by: ed ||
05/25/2004 10:14 Comments ||
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#2
And, when at a classical concert, no female violinist may wear a low cut gown to please the people in the balcony.
Posted by: Old Grouch ||
05/25/2004 14:18 Comments ||
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#8
Hmmm. What a great opportunity...anyone know any concert promoters? We could give our soldiers a break by setting up concerts inside mosques, replete with dancing, half-naked women. The holy warriors, cowards that they are, would run screaming to escape the jezzebels...then ratatattat...and not a shot fired inside the mosques...well it was a nice fantasy.
#9
Has the Ministry of Islamic Affairs ever issued a fatwah against Moslem men using prostitutes?
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 16:42 Comments ||
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#10
Islam's biggest problem is twofold: one, it thinks it's special and is going to literally conquer the world. Christianity was shaken of such notions centuries ago. Two, it seems determined to wring all the fun out of life in the name of "piety." In Christianity, you encounter idiots who think such things sinful - but by and large, they make that decision for themselves, and let others do what they will.
Posted by: The Doctor ||
05/25/2004 16:45 Comments ||
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From Jannahâs poetry page
No longer shackled by the oppression
of miniskirts and see-thru shirts,
my sisters stand proud.
Covered by cloth and more so by conviction
submission to Allah, they stand apart from the crowd.
The taunts, the jeers, the stares, the leers
Never fazing or dissuading them from following the deen.
Real women they be, the epitome of femininity
strong, secure, complete human beings.
Not slaves to the world of fashion
which is always askinâ
for women to dress in as less as they can.
Their hijab is for the sake of Allah
in imaan and taqwa
they refuse to be objectified by man.
Such are my sisters in Islam.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.
Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.
Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 5:42:32 AM ||
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Covered by cloth and more so by conviction
submission to Allah, they stand apart from the crowd. - cause your body odour's so bad with wearing that stuff on the tube in 40 degree heat that no one in their right mind would go near you. they refuse to be objectified by man. - Oh, that'll be the female circumcision then... Sheesh. Not slaves to the world of fashion - Nike do a range of swoosh emblazened Hajibs - quite funky - all the Somalis round me wear them.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
05/25/2004 6:00 Comments ||
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Posted by: Howard UK ||
05/25/2004 6:33 Comments ||
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#5
Nike? I would have thought the burkas would more likely have Coleman, North Face, Kelty, and REI logos.
Posted by: ed ||
05/25/2004 8:04 Comments ||
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#6
Apparently, Muslim men's sexual urges are more powerful than their devotion to Allah. The mere sight of flesh will dissolve their faith. How telling about both sexes in the religion. Women "covered with cloth" aren't the epitome of femininity; they're simply co-dependents to abnormal psyches.
#10
Hey -- a spiked thong. Sounds kinky. A little painful to wear, but kinky. Praise Allan.
Posted by: Infidel Bob ||
05/25/2004 11:59 Comments ||
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#11
So many ways to attack this idea, so little time.
1. Real women are secure in themselves without having to resort to any external crutch. What the f*ck does it matter what other people think of me? These women are free from the opinions of others? They dress the way they do because they are afraid of what other people think of them which neccesitates that they control everyones opinion of them by hiding away. Real women don't hide.
2. Real men can control themselves without any help from anyone else. If some men can do it then all men can do it if they only tried.
#12
Oh, so they're proud that they get to hide their faces, their bodies, their very identities, that they prove themselves to be *real* women by submitting to the words of men and the ancient dictations of an insane, warmongering pedophile? Well, whatever floats your boat, I guess . . .
Posted by: The Doctor ||
05/25/2004 13:17 Comments ||
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#13
Hmmm....which lesser race (religion?) allows gay and lesbians as being legal or accepted ?...... Yep you guessed it ... JOOOOOooooos
#20
Angie - I was always told - don't buy the goat when you can get the Feta for free?
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 18:53 Comments ||
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#21
I'm sure everybody knows how rabidly conservative I am but, I was just thinking . . . if you were a woman in an arab country, surrounding by all of those skanky, smelly, out-of-control, misogynistic, masochistic, maniac Islamic pseudo-men who deserve to die, you might wrap up and hide too. The little flowery poems they write are, simply, denial (as well as stupid). It so totally sucks to be them. Ish. And BTW, anyone ever see their "fashion" magazines? Talk about racy "veils" and such. Harem stuff . . . from the "good old days." What a kooky, schizo culture!
Note on the goat/hair compliment: When seen from a distance, I heard that when those huge flocks descended en masse from the mountains, it was pretty (okay, now stop all that laughing, you guys) --it looked like a shimmering waterfall. (Just a little cultural education tip from Ancient Israel studies at my state university.)
BigEd: Kill Shrek! Kill Shrek! He's SO DISGUSTING! Hollow-wood, poisoning our kids. All of the new feature cartoons are deconstructionist: the main characters, if heterosexual, are psychos and the gays are heroes. They can even make the animals look gay.
#24
Bid Ed. I know that's what you were doing. I thought it was incredibly funny!! Thanks for your post #17. And to follow up: "many Muslims can't deal with the sight of an attractive woman in tight bluejeans" That's because they have to go home and change their trousers. So inconvienient! Poor babies.
I was just making the point if there's anything that might come close to being as disgusting and stupid as the Islamofascist male idiot, it's Shrek. When we see him on cereal boxes and stuff at the grocery store, we always have to control ourselves from engaging in all-out destruction on "aisle 12."
#25
Well, back in the early and mid 1800's men went bonkers over an exposed ankle.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
05/25/2004 20:41 Comments ||
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#26
King Solomon, noted through the ages for his wisdom, could appreciate a comely pair of honkers. What's that say about the mental accuity of Muslim men who come down with the vapors at the sight of a woman's upper lip?
Posted by: Fred ||
05/25/2004 22:40 Comments ||
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#27
low level of titillation?
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 23:24 Comments ||
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THE RAFâs new £43million Eurofighter jet cannot fly in cloud or carry out aerial combat, tests have shown. A leaked MoD report reveals the aircraft should not be flown in action without a safety pilot in the back seat. High-powered computers which fly the Eurofighter are unreliable and risk throwing the plane into âa catastrophic spin.â Details are revealed in a test pilotâs report after an eight-month trial period. The report says the computer is in danger of switching from flight mode to ground mode while in the air. It adds: âIt is recommended as essential that the cause of this fault are investigated, understood and if necessary rectified.â MoD chiefs insist the Eurofighter is still in its development stages and problems are being addressed. The aircraft, a joint project involving the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy, has been jinxed by a series of faults. It should have been handed to the RAF four years ago but is massively behind schedule. It is set to replace the Tornado F3 fighter bombers â but Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is already threatening to cancel many of the orders to save taxpayersâ cash. The damning new report comes just a week after it was revealed another new jet is too fat to fly. The Joint Strike Fighter may be too heavy to take off from Royal Navy aircraft carriers. There are also computer problems with the Armyâs new Apache helicopter gunships, which cannot fly in bad weather.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
05/25/2004 5:15:19 AM ||
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Iran should buy some to park at its new aiport.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 6:38 Comments ||
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Alongside their F14 paperweights.
Won't the new British large deck carriers have catapults? Without them, aircraft won't be able to take off with a decent payload, let alone fly the E2C. With catapults, aircraft weight is a moot point.
Posted by: ed ||
05/25/2004 7:53 Comments ||
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#3
The JSF isn't going to be operational until 2010 or 2012 and it's possible to pare the weight down before then so it'll fly off the end of a boat.
The ski jump carriers are much cheaper to build than the flat ones, and since they already have a couple I doubt the Brits would be looking to scrap them. So they'll just have to skinny the JSF down.
#4
I don't think a decision to build or not build catapults on the new carriers has been made. Worse case is that it is left off but allowance is made for future installation.
#7
Four years doesn't sound massively behind schedule to me. Yeah its embarrassing and unfortunate but not massively behind schedule compared to other military hardware that's slipped the schedule.
#8
The real indicator of program difficulty is not how far behind schedule it is, but how many times its budget has been rebaselined. It's usually three strikes and you're out.
#10
Mike S: Maybe France should consider buying some too to park at the de Gaulle aeroport! Considering how it's falling down around them! Man, what a time to live in America! When even the Frenchies can't keep their airport open (as if any true Americans wanted to visit France now). Guess the next plane to fly into the Eiffel Tower will have to come from Germany!
Posted by: BA ||
05/25/2004 13:38 Comments ||
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#11
1)The Eurofighter is not just 4 years behind schedule-it was originally called Eurofighter 90,because it was supposed to be flying in the early 19990's.
2)The JSF or F-35 is a total disaster.Here's why(long rant follows-if too long understand deletion).The USAF wanted a replacement for f-117 Steath a/c,but couldn't justify cost for such a limited run.So USAF announced F-35 was F-16 replacement.Didn't matter F-16 has better dogfighting ability,longer range,and more payload capacity,the F-35 is STEALTHY!The Navy needed an all-weather strike a/c to replace A-6,and wanted to get a stealth a/c also.The Marines want a replacement for Harriers which are getting close to 20 years old.The F-35(JSF) was the proposed to replace all of the above.A VTOL version for USMC,carrier version for USN and land version for USAF.Britain signed on for VTOL version for RN,w/more for RAF.Now look at differ types of a/c F-35 is to replace:F-16,A-6,Harrier,F-117-they have virtually nothing in common except being combat a/c.It is same as buying a 4door sedan and expecting it to replace a mini-van,a pick-up truck,an Indy racecar and a jeep.
Then the USAF(in charge of project)announced that the price was going to be fixed-in other words if you wanted to add something to a/c you had to lose something else.The first thing lost was VTOL capability.USAF studies "proved" the USMC didn't use VTOL that much,so STOL(short takeoff & landing vs.vertical)was good enough.The Marines didn't fight too much cause they needed USAF support over other flop,the OSPREY(V-22).(Didn't work,the USAF has said it won't commit to buying any OSPREY's.)Meanwhile the STOL version keeps needing longer and longer distances to take off.
The USAF discovered it intended to sell the F-35 to other countries and it now needs new software that can't be copied.Since this was such a suprise to USAF(heavy sarcasm!),the USAF announced that fixed price was not feasible and that the unit price is going to rise-in other words all the goodies everybody wanted could now be added,cost be damned,which also means weight goes up and performance declines even more.So a new stealthy strike a/c that would cost a little more than fully loaded new F-16 is now costing at least 50% more for a less capable a/c.It is no longer VTOl capable,and USAF even had b**** to ask USMC if they really needed STOL version,cause Marine a/c usually operate from carriers or concrete airbases.That request died when British stated w/out STOL they had no reason to buy F-35.
The F-35 will cost more,dogfight worse than F-16's,is incapable of VTOL like Harrier,and is far superior to F-117.Is that a reason to buy this turkey,especially when F-22 can fairly stealthily carry a couple of pgms?
Posted by: Stephen ||
05/25/2004 17:06 Comments ||
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Spain said it âregretsâ inviting the widow of the Iranian shah and their son to Prince Felipeâs wedding. The apology was made during a conversation with an Iranian deputy foreign minister on Monday, according to IRNA, Iranâs state news agency. Iran had announced its disdain for the presence of the relatives of the overthrown ruler at Saturdayâs nuptials and the Iranian foreign minister skipped a meeting with his Spanish counterpart in protest, according to news reports. No news of the apology was reported in Spanish media.
#9
Did Zapatero attend some sort of European Academy of Groveling� While nearly intrinsic to every iota of free thought, offending the Iranians is such a simple task that apologies are pretty much overkill.
If you have to say you're sorry to the Iranians, it should be for something more substantial; Like blowing the Guardian Council to Hades, or bombing their nuclear weapons power program into rubble, or disabling their oil export infrastructure, or buying off Australia's entire wheat crop so we can begin the process of starving these maniacal lunatics into "humiliating" submission.
People who you could invite to a royal Spanish wedding that might offend Iranian sensibilities encompass a minimum of 99.9999999999999% + 0.0000000000001% of the world's population.
#10
Zap-zapping is all very fun, but I must have missed the memo which said that IRNA is an unimpeachable news source. Who's in charge of impeaching news sources around here anyway?
#18
I think they invited an Iranian Mullah as well, but the Guardia Civil was afraid to let his security detail carry loaded AK's into the reception. Everyone was scared that they would open up when the bouquet was tossed and nobody spoke Farsi so ...
Posted by: Super Hose ||
05/26/2004 0:55 Comments ||
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Got this poem in my inbox this morning. Itâs a stirring manifesto. A call to . . . well, something.
To the Democratic Underground,
Gather strenghth dear Pamphleteers! the pamphleteers/have hairy ears/their heads are up their tushes/theyâd ride an ass/through broken glass/to vote against George Bushes
We the leaders of our new velvet undergound. Lou Reed is a member of Democrat Underground? Whoda thunk it?
We whose current leaders take us for subverters.
For we do not tranfer sovereignty with ignorance. Nor sully ouer text with spell chekers
O Pamphleteers. lend me your ears
O must they sell a government at gunpoint.
And to what end dear Pamphleteers.
To attack from what forward position. Where, oh were, are my question marks.
O and to take our eyes of the balls. Eyeballs?
And if we do justice to follow the money. Letâs all sing The Money Song: "Iâve got ninety thousand pounds in my bank account./Iâve got forty thousand French francs in my fridge./Iâve got lots and lots of lira, Now the deutschmarkâs getting dearer,/And my dollar bill could buy the Brooklyn Bridge./There is nothing quite so wonderful as money! . . ."
We have a judicial system a military problem not optimistic.
Take heart dear undergrounders. Here we stand with or without war. With or without brains.
www.AtelierPetrecca.net
robertpetrecca@aol.com
Posted by: Mike ||
05/25/2004 8:19:35 AM ||
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#1
I got that, too. It went into the trash as the apparent murmurings of a madman.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
05/25/2004 8:51 Comments ||
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#2
Lately, while at Rantburg, I have been warned by my Norton Anti-Virus during submitting a "query" that there was an attempted intrusion. I now believe it was our poet (??) friend. This would be typical of those chicken shit, pencil necks at Democratic Underground.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
05/25/2004 9:03 Comments ||
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#4
'pamphleteer' is a term that has been out of general use for over a hundred years. Fits my thesis that the Left is stuck in a time-warp and can't grasp the world is changing, and more generally have no idea how things work or why things happen.
Posted by: Phil B ||
05/25/2004 9:47 Comments ||
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#5
Petrecca sent me DU spam
Which he did not spell-check
His words an incoherent jam,
His poetry was dreck.
Posted by: Mike ||
05/25/2004 10:25 Comments ||
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#6
He'd better adjust that medication level...
Posted by: Fred ||
05/25/2004 11:37 Comments ||
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#7
Mucky is better. He's kind of like the ee cummings of Rantburg.
#8
From : George Soros, Chairman
.......All Bush's Conspiracies, LLP
To : All Republicans Without Anti-Spam Software
Subject : Clog Up Inbox
Dear stupid,
As you did not install the anti-spam software on your PC, we are sending as many copies of this Email as we can to clog up your mailbox as possible. If, you are lapsed in your anti-virus software, we will install a worm that fills up your hard drive. Resistance is futile. We are the Borg. Lower your firewall and surrender your processors. We will add your RAM's and ROM's distinctiveness to our own.
George Soros,
Demented Entrepreneur,
Demented Politico.
#1
Seventeen years in the making: Cicada: the Movie!
Posted by: Mike ||
05/25/2004 15:48 Comments ||
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#2
Lucky Bush is in office when this occurred. Can you imagine the pandemonium if Clinton discovered Washington was bursting it's seams with 17 year olds in the mood for LOVE?
Posted by: ed ||
05/25/2004 15:58 Comments ||
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Owensâ jokes get gonged Remarks at Michigan event offend Francophiles, embassy officials
Franceâs U.S. Embassy blasted Gov. Bill Owens on Monday for "unfortunate and ill-informed" jokes about the French. Keynoting Saturday at the Michigan Republican Party Convention, Owens quipped, "You know why they planted those big trees along the boulevard in Paris? So the invading armies could march in the shade." And, he continued, "You know why the new French navy has glass-bottom boats? So it can see the old French navy." After this we have the usual whining which takes up bytes, then this key line:
Concerns about Owensâ jokes are "kind of bewildering," Duffy [Owensâ Staff Member] added, "because he had a standing ovation in the hall."
Yeah, but when you're in politix you get hammered for making the kind of jokes we see two or three times a week on Rantburg...
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
05/25/2004 13:58 Comments ||
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#6
Look for there to be much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the French press, and not one hint of "Why do they hate us?" I have noticed that when we make a few isolated jokes about "freedom fries" and the "axis of weasels", that means that a shocking wave of anti-French hatred is sweeping across the US. But all those comically hysterical articles and cartoons in the French press? And the French schoolchildren who turned their artwork into an anti-American jubilee? Well, that's just the natural consequences of the policies of the Bushitler. It's free speech!
And YS --- tell your gov to get fresher jokes. These have exceeded their shelf life. Peeee-ewwww.
#7
I like Bill Owens quite a bit. In fact, I'd like to see him make a run for the White House one day. I reckon it would have to do a lot with how GOP insiders/fundraisers like him, though.
#8
Still, at least newer jokes would have given something new for the French Embassy to whine about. Wasn't this the same ambassador who was sobbing into his fois gras last month about the vicious French-bashing going on at all levels of the American government and media?
#9
Anyone know the projections for American tourism in France this summer? I want the Louvre so empty in July that the curator can hear the paint crack on the Mona Lisa.
Posted by: Matt ||
05/25/2004 14:10 Comments ||
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#10
In my grand plan I'd have Bill Owens run as GW's VP. Cheney can say he's not running due to health concerns.
Its a two fold plan - the white house distances itself from the bad halliburon press and Owens has a stepping stone to running for Pres in 2008.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
05/25/2004 14:27 Comments ||
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#11
Yosemite Sam---that sounds like more of a plan than GW's advisors have. Take the offensive instead of being wusses to wusses.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
05/25/2004 14:35 Comments ||
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#12
Yosemite Sam, I like your plan. I had a similar one with Guiliani as VP, but Rudy could fit into a dozen places (Attorney General, Sec State, UN Ambassador).
#14
I'd make Guiliani Sec of State. Everyone knows him and for the most part likes him after 9-11.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
05/25/2004 15:23 Comments ||
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#15
Matt # 10
I can't speak to that but I have a funny aside. The local liquor store has a prominent sale sogn for... French wines. Being an inquisitive sort, I ask the manager about it: "Let me guess, that stuff hasn't moved (off the shelves) in a while in the usual quantity".
#16
I forgot to add that with Guiliani as Sec State for GW, he can slide into the VP for Owens. Start laying the foundation for republicans.
I still haven't figured out how to get McCain to resign. I don't like or trust him.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
05/25/2004 15:28 Comments ||
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#17
#9, don't know about tourism stats this year yet. But re: 2003:
French tourism down in 2003 -- The drop is blamed on the loss of American visitors
March 04, 2004 - Thursday
News :
Foreign tourists dropped by 2.6 percent to 75 million last year from 77 million in 2002 in what was a poor year for global tourism, said junior minister for tourism, Leon Bertrand.
U.S. visitors fell 18.3 percent to 2.4 million in 2003, when the dollar fell and relations between Paris and Washington soured over France's opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
That was a big blow because U.S. tourists spend more and stay longer on average than people from other countries, according to a report detailing the figures.
"The drop in American revenues was particularly pronounced. For more than 30 years, the United States has been the country that has been the most profitable for France in terms of tourism revenues," it said.
#18
Owens is right. Dems are fools for not recognizing how their mewling dependence on French public opinion and UN approval will be the primary reason independents will shy away from voting for Kerry.
#19
Matt, we'll have a few tourists going to France soon. Lance Armstrong will be going for his sixth consecutive victory in the Tour de France.
Frankly, I don't think he'll win this time. Tyler Hamilton will. If he could take win a stage and take fourth last year with a broken collarbone, what might he do if he stays healthy?
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
05/25/2004 16:32 Comments ||
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#20
With full apologies to JFM, whom I consider our best (almost only) friend in the enemy camp...
Owens should check out this and this and this - then he'd make everyone, except the French, happy.
An aide to Senator Tim Johnson says her boss will not retract a weekend remark that compared a segment of the Republican Party to the Taliban. Senator Tim Johnsonâs comments were made at a Sioux Falls get-out-the-vote rally form Democratic House candidate Stephanie Herseth. I donât remember any segment of my party cutting off hands, banning music, kite-flying, or playing chess.
Republican House candidate Larry Diedrich asked for an apology. He says his supporters are young people, retired people, farmers, business people, working people, not terrorists. I wish Mr. Diedrich didnât dignify the remark with a response.
"Wotta maroon" would have done nicely...
Johnson aide Julianne Fisher says people should remember that two years ago, outside groups compared Johnson to Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, attacking the senatorâs religious faith and patriotism. Well, the dead Indians on the Reservation vote did put him back in the Senate.
Herseth, meanwhile, says she doesnât think Johnson used the best choice of words. Being stupid, Johnson is known for consistently making a poor choice of words.
#1
Idiotic remark by Johnson, but shouldn't the headline say "Some Republicans = Taliban"? RB should not stoop to the level of the NY Times headline shop ...
#2
Some Republicans? Which Some? Unless he specifies an indivual or a specific group with a specific point of view, it is an ad homonym, and he could mean 1% or 99%. He didn't say.
Did he mean every Republican in the Senate except Lincoln Chaffee? [most Liberal Rep] or did he only mean his opponent 2-yrs ago, and Daschle's opponent, ex-Cong Thune? Did he mean Larry Diedrich, the current house candidate?
#3
Diedrich shouldn't have asked for an apology, instead he should have said "I donât remember any segment of my party cutting off hands, banning music, kite-flying, or playing chess" which is a brilliant retort by the way, and then concluded with "It seems Senator Tim Johnson has a pretty weak grasp of foreign affairs. I think the people of SD deserve a Senator who at least keeps up on the headlines during a time of war."
#6
Johnson's already tried to make a non-apology. Reps need to run this asshole on his own petard, and show ads with Herseth and Dasshole clapping alongside
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 13:58 Comments ||
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#7
Johnson may just have sealed Daschle's fate. What's not to like?
#8
It is the DEMONcRAT TALIBAN who deprived me of my TOBACCO, in-school and on-the-job FLIRTATION, alcohol facilitated sex, Classic literature containing the N-WORD, etc....
Re-electing President Bush will mean a loss of freedoms and "create an America we won't recognize," Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is telling potential Democratic donors.
In an e-mail appeal distributed by the Democratic National Committee to help Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign, the former first lady said "the stakes in this election are incredibly high."
She got that one right
"If they get their way, you and I will be living in an America governed not by our hopes, but by our fears," Clinton wrote.
"The fear that the only way I'll see the inside of the Oval Office again is by standing in line with the tourists"
"We'll be living in an America where we see my influence our freedoms diminished when they ought to be embraced, my our rights to the seat of power restricted when they ought to be strengthened."
"We'll be living in an America that shrinks away from the political and economic challenges of the 21st Century," she added.
Heil Hillary!
Posted by: Steve ||
05/25/2004 10:26:10 AM ||
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#2
Hillary shouldn't worry. It's unlikely that the Adminstration will prosecute her after the election and besides the statute of limitations applies to most of her peccadillos.
#3
hillary needs to take another valium, and lick that sweet spot on barbara mikulski, YUCK!, a few more times. Maybe that'll calm her nerves.....LOL
Afterall, being the most intelligent woman in the history of the world takes it's toll on a body.
Posted by: Halfass Pete ||
05/25/2004 11:41 Comments ||
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#4
what kind of bs is this...i personally do not see my freedoms diminished....tell you one thing that has changed -- i am making much more money and paying less taxes than the late 90's..
and for being governed by our fears - if under clinton strong action was taken to curtail the activities our enemies (iran, syria and soddy) maybe we would not have to concentrate so intently now. we have no choice here with the fear factor - we have enemies who want to do us great harm - which was totally ignored for the entire 90's!
Posted by: Dan ||
05/25/2004 11:45 Comments ||
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#5
Jeez, I don't recall any incinerations of religious cults or BATF assaults on survivalists in the last 3+ years, do you? No mention of mass confiscations of personal funds to pay for some grand insurance schemes...in fact, the only fears I have are of the Hildabeast and her Renoesque minions doing more harm to the constitution, government institutions, and personal rights
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/25/2004 11:52 Comments ||
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#6
HILLARY in a peach colored pants suit twaddling along impersonating a pear.
I'm sorry, I did not mean to ruin your day with such imagery. Think happy thoughts.
#9
Pete! damn you! Now that image is stuck in my mind! When did Hillary get elected Queen of America? It will be a sad day if we ever elect that witch to the oval office (not Barbara's).
#10
I love the comments going around now that if Kerry doesn't take the nomination in Boston then Hillary and McCain will take it from him. What a scary thought. If that were to happen and they won, I wonder how long it would be before McCain had an "accident".
Posted by: remote man ||
05/25/2004 13:20 Comments ||
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#11
I think its time for the Republicans to start asking what freedoms are being taken away exactly? Put a big spotlight on these loss of civil liberties claims.
Waiting longer in line to get on a plane is not a loss of civil liberties. Its an inconvenience. The phone taps and library checkkups are not a loss of civil liberties that affect the average bloke and are reasonable during a time of war and most Americans will see that.
Did you hear about the college commencement speaker who was almost booed off the stage Sunday because his commencement address was an anti-Bush rant? The speaker was E.L. Doctorow. The college, God bless it forever, was Hofstra University on New Yorkâs Long Island. . . .
I want to explain to Ed Doctorow why he was booed. It was not, as he no doubt creamily recounted in a storytelling session over drinks that night in Sag Harbor, that those barbarians in Long Islandâs lesser ZIP codes donât want to hear the truth. It is not that they oppose free speech. It is not that the poor boobs of Long Island have an unaccountable affection for George W. Bush.
It is that they have class.
The poor stupid people of Long Island are courteous, and have respect for the views and feelings of others, and would not dream of imposing their particular views on a captive audience that has gathered to celebrate--to be happy about, to officially mark with their presence--the rather remarkable fact that one of their family studied and worked for four years, completed his courses, met all demands, and became a graduate of an American university.
This indeed is something to be proud of.
Did Eddy Doctorow know that? Did he care? I donât think so. Did he understand that what the students needed from him--after all, he has lasted a long time, has been a member of a profession, has won the favor of the elite media for lo these many years, and manages to produce many books nobody reads in the computer age while still using a quill--was perhaps a sense of . . .
All right, I give up. I donât know what they needed from him. America hasnât been the same since the dream of socialism so rudely ended? What will we do for a sense of communitarian ideals now that Marx is gone? "God may not exist but we need to tell stories about him nonetheless?
Fast Eddy Doctorow told a story at the commencement all right, and it is a story about the boorishness of the aging liberal. An old â60s radical who feels he is entitled to impose his views on this audience on this day because heâs so gifted, so smart, so insightful, so very above the normal rules, agreements and traditions. And for this he will get to call himself besieged and heroic--a hero about whom stories are told!--when in fact all he did was guarantee positive personal press in the elite media, at the cost of the long suffering patience of normal people who wanted to move the tassel and throw the hat in the air. . . .
Iâm glad [that boos are] what Eddy Doctorow got this Sunday from what appear to be his intellectual and moral superiors on Long Island. Go Hofstra.
Go read it all. Peggy Noonan is one of the two best writers in the world, IMNTBHO. (Lileks is the other.)
Posted by: Mike ||
05/25/2004 8:49:00 AM ||
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#1
When I went to Junior College back in the 1970s, I ducked the graduation ceremony. I was transferring to a State University. Besides, the then-local NBC news anchor, Tom Brokaw, was the speaker. I figured he had nothing important to say.
#2
US 9.7M? China 76M?
I call BS. The most comprehensive survey of the Muslim population in the US gives about 2M, with a high side bias of about 3M (2001). And that's including the Nation of Islam, whose members would probably be beheaded in Arabia for aposty.
Also the Nigerian number (75%) is too high (about 50%), the German number (2.8M) looks about right, while the French number (1.8M) is too low.
U.S. Muslim Population Figures Examined (2001) "The average number being cited by the media at present â 6.7 million Muslims â is 2.4 to 3.6 times greater than the best available estimates, which are 1.9 million to 2.8 million," concludes Dr. Tom W. Smith, who authored the study, "Estimating the Muslim Population in the United States."
...
"The best adjusted, survey-based estimate puts the total Muslim population at 1,876,000," writes Dr. Smith.
http://www.uygurworld.com/_sgg/m3m1_1.htm The ethnic Uygur population of China, according to the 1990 national census, totalled 7.207 million people. Thus the Uygurs are, following the Zhuang, the Hui, Manchurian (Man), and the Miao, China's fifth largest minority ethnic group.
It is estimated based on the 2000 that the Uighur population now, in 2004, would be in the vicinity of 8.25-8.5 million
Posted by: ed ||
05/25/2004 7:33 Comments ||
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#3
ed: The ethnic Uygur population of China, according to the 1990 national census, totalled 7.207 million people. Thus the Uygurs are, following the Zhuang, the Hui, Manchurian (Man), and the Miao, China's fifth largest minority ethnic group.
The Hui are Muslim. The Chinese expression for Islam translates loosely as "the religion of the Hui".
You are right. According to the CIA World Fact book on China:
Religions:
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)
That comes to about 12-25M Muslims, which jibes with: http://www.berzinarchives.com/islam/history_hui_muslims_china.html According to the 1990 census, the Muslim population of the People's Republic of China is 17.6 million, out of which there were 8.6 million Hui, 7.2 million Uighur, 1.1 million Kazakhs, 375,000 Kyrghyz, 33,500 Tajik, and 14,500 Uzbeks. The Hui primarily speak Chinese, the Tajik an Indo-European language related to Persian, and all the others Turkic dialects.
Posted by: ed ||
05/25/2004 10:02 Comments ||
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From Islamiway
August the 2nd 1990 Saddam Hussains forces crashed the defenses of oil rich Kuwait in fear of an Iraqi invasion into Saudi Arabia. .... However what was little known was that from the outset the war was engineered, controlled and manipulated by an elite group. A group which had created the illusion of a man with power at the head of a million strong army on the verge of going nuclear. A man who had gained control of the 1/5 of the Worldâs oil overnight. However in reality he was merely a pawn in amongst many pawns. Just a puppet in a grand master plan with the Gulf War as a well orchestrated stepping stone. The orchestrates of the War were by no means strangers to controlling major World events. In fact they have done so for centuries.
.... The Masons are using the entertainment industry in particular to condition people to their way of thinking either openly or subliminally. The methods they use vary but the goal is the same to impose their beliefs, their ideology and their objectives on you in such a way that you begin to think of them as your own. Evidence of their presence within popular entertainment is wide spread. .... Michael Jackson hails today the King of Pop regarded as the greatest entertainer of all times responsible for producing best selling albums in the World may not be known to be linked with the Free Masons. However the cover of his "Dangerous" album had some interesting features on it the Free Masonic symbol of the One Eye can be found and also the picture of a watery Lake behind which laid burning flames. It seems as though anyone entering into the water would really be entering into the fire. The cover also has on it a picture of a bald headed man well known to the occult as Alistair Crowley. He himself was a Free Mason who became a Satanist and wrote the book "The New Law of Man" which stated in it that it would one day replace the Qurâân as the law of man.
Links between Free Masonry and the occult do not end there. The products of the Masonicaly controlled music industry are riddled with subliminal satanic messages. Back tracking is the means of placing recorded messages into sound tracks in such a way that they only become intelligible when the track is replayed backwards. When its played forwards however the listener would be totally unaware that a message is being played. Although the listener may be unaware that subconscious mind can pick up and understand the messages and in the long term these can be stored in the subconscious mind and may actually effect the personâs behavior or judgment. In many ways back tracking is a form of hypnotism or brain washing and has the power to be very destructive. The first example of back tracking is from the famous female artist Madonna. It features on one of her most famous albums and is taken from the song "Like a Prayer". However as you will hear it is not god that the prayer appears to be directed at but Satan. When played backwards the words "Oh hear us Satan" are clearly audible. The Free Masonic One Eye has also been featured on the video for one of Madonnaâs songs where Madonna actually appears with the One Eye coming out from her forehead. She also appears on a video for one of her songs where she is standing on some writing closer examination revealed that this writing is actually Arabic the language of the Qurâân.
Another example of back tracking is taken from the group "The Eagles" and the song is called "Hotel California". The words when played backwards "Yeah Satan" can be clearly heard. As well as containing this message the song itself is a story in its own right. The California of the song is not a hotel but is actually a street in America called California. It is on this very street that the headquarters of a church were founded but it was not the type of church the one may think instead it is a church that some have called "The Church of Satan". It was headed and founded by Anthony Sans Delivy the author of the Satanic Bible. It appears the teachings of this church may have become the integral belief of many famous personalities in the entertainment industry from rock groups to more main stream artists some have gone as far as promoting the Church and its beliefs. One alleged member of the church is the lead singer of the Rolling Stones Mick Jagger who wrote the song "Sympathy for the Devil". It seems that what originally started as a Christian Organization later turned into a heretic religion even to the Christians and now has Satanic elements mixed in. The entire entertainment world is rife with evidence of the Free Masons presence openly or subliminally their agenda of beliefs and ideals are propagated.
This is specially evident within the film industry on the big screen and the small screen from big budget Hollywood films to simple cartoons the Masons have not let anything to chance in promoting their message of a global government. Matt Growning the creator of one of the most popular cartoon series in television history "The Simpsons" is a self confessed anarchist. Matt Growning himself has openly declared that he wants to get his own political ideas across within his work but he wanted to do this in such a way that people would find it easy to accept his ideas and the means he chose to this was a clever full cartoon called "The Simpsons". So what exactly the Simpsons are teaching us and our children? There are many lessons being programmed into us these include disregard for authority either parental or governmental the bad manners and disobedience is the way to attain status amongst people and that ignorance is trendy and cool where as knowledge is unfashionable. However what is especially worrying is the Masonic undertones of one episode in particular. The episode in which the father figure of the family Homer Simpson becomes obsessed with the group called the stone cutters. Upon joining the group his fellow members find a birth mark on him the mark that makes the rest of the group declare him to be the chosen one but with his new found honor and dignity he Homer Simpson fools himself into thinking that he is god. Some may dismiss it as nothing more than a children cartoon a bit of harmless fun but the influence it has on the audience makes it a very effected means of propaganda indoctrinating a people without them even realizing. Its very creators admit that they are propagating their political ideas to the audience in a covert manner. Ideas spread through the domestic television can reach a far wider audience than movies in cinema and it is through this media that a new concept is being introduced. the concept of one global leader.
Famous for his novel "The Jungle Book" Rudyard Kippling another Free Mason wrote a book called "The Man Who Would One Day be King" This was later made into a big budget Hollywood film starring Sean Connery, Michael Kane and Saeed Jaffery. The book is a story of two soldiers that journey to a country on the edge of India. A country that was once rumored to contain great riches that once belonged to Alexander the Great. Upon reaching the country the two soldiers are captured by the local inhabitants a people called Kafirs named after their country Kafiristan. When the two men are about to be killed a necklace is discovered around the neck of one of the soldiers engraved on it is the symbol of the Masonic One Eye. The Kafirs revere him as their god and a tribute to him the divine attribute of immortality. The man himself first regards himself as a King and then his new found power begins to regard himself really as being a god.
From the Muslim perspective if not that of others the similitudeâs that can be drawn from the story are very interesting. The Muslim scriptures called Hadith contains many prophecies of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In these it is prophesized that a man would arrive from amidst the Kaffirs which means infidels in Islam who would be recognized by his One Eye and would be made a World leader claiming first to be a King and later to be a god and that he would seem immortal until an appointed time.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 4:58:19 AM ||
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#1
I had a computer ethics teacher who ranted and raved about the illuminatti.. those were useless but amusing lectures ;p
#14
The Illuminati? I guess it's time for the Republicans to attack to control the Orbital Mind Control Lasers with the aid of the Secret Masters of Fandom and the Girlie Magazines.
(Illuminati, by Steve Jackson Games, if you must know. Fnord!)
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
05/25/2004 16:37 Comments ||
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#15
Call the guys in the white coats - this loony needs an extended stay a the funny farm.
How do these clowns think this stuff up without their heads exploding?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
05/25/2004 21:34 Comments ||
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Majlis Speaker Mahdi Karrubi said here Sunday that lack of coordination among various officials and absence of resolution to end differences were among major reasons behind the closure of Imam Khomeini International airport (IKIA)on May 8 .... Pointing to lack of coordination and differences between officials on the IKIA issue, the speaker said the government, IRGC and Supreme National Security Council had not interfered to settle the differences so the problems remained by that day. "The Supreme National Security Council should have dealt with the case earlier in order to avoid the event," he stressed. ...
Iran Air had commissioned the operation of the airport to a Turkish-Austrian consortium, a move to which the armed forces objected on the ground that the countryâs "security" and "dignity" would be jeopardized by such agreements. The IKIA began operations on May 8 with an opening ceremony followed by the landing of one foreign aircraft, but was later told to suspend operations by the armed forces for "security" reasons on the same day.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 7:16:16 AM ||
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#1
What's the real deal here? Foreigners run out of patience or baksheesh?
#1
Notice how they try to reinforce the idea that he is being reassigned because of the prison scandal, by stating the rumors, then the denial, and then launching into a summary of the details of the prisoner abuse scandal, as if to pretend to prove something.
Thanks, M4D.
(OT: I saw the bit about the pigeons on your 'blog, and was wondering if you knew about Skinner's experiments).
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
05/25/2004 16:02 Comments ||
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#3
Behavioral scientist BF Skinner experimented in WW2 with an early form of "smart bomb" steered by a bird that would compare the view out the nose of the bomb with a picture of a map and peck on a panel to correct the bomb's course.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
05/25/2004 17:28 Comments ||
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#4
Shhh, don't tell mucky about the bat bombs.
Posted by: ed ||
05/25/2004 17:33 Comments ||
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#5
"The first rule about bat bomb club is, don't tell anyone about bat bomb club..."
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
05/25/2004 17:47 Comments ||
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#6
This isn't necessarily just another ticket punch. Rather, it seems to be another instance of accelerated expectations. In Vietnam, William Westmoreland got almost three years to fight the war his way, before he was kicked upstairs and replaced by Creighton Abrams. Sanchez hasn't even served a full year as the commanding general for Iraqi operations. It will be interesting to see how his replacement's approach will differ from what he's done to date.
Mosiuoa Lekota, the defence minister, has confirmed that "some intelligence" information had passed between South Africa and Zimbabwe before the 70 South African alleged mercenaries left the country. The men were arrested after their plane landed in Zimbabwe about a month ago.
They are suspected of having been on their way to take part in a coup in Equatorial Guinea, where eight other South Africans are now being held as suspected co-plotters. Briefing the media at Parliament, Lekota rejected suggestions the men should have been arrested in South Africa before being allowed to leave for Zimbabwe, saying arrests could not be made on the basis of intelligence.
Arrests could only be made once there was evidence a crime had been committed. Lekota said a delegation from Equatorial Guinea, led by Jose Obono, the attorney-general, visited South Africa last week for consultations with various government agencies, family and legal representatives of the eight men held there. Efforts were being made to bring the prisoners to court as soon as possible in the presence of international observers, with a view to ensuring a fair trial for them, he said.
All those detained had been visited several times by South African diplomats, led by the ambassadors in Gabon and Zimbabwe, in line with requirements of the Geneva Convention and South African law. These consular visits would continue at regular intervals, and South African officials would help the men and their families wherever possible.
On efforts by family members to have the men extradited directly to South Africa, Lekota said it should be appreciated that government had not received any official notification of the intention by Zimbabwe to extradite the 70 South Africans to Equatorial Guinea. Nonetheless, South Africa would not shirk its responsibilities in ensuring the prisoners were afforded their rights in terms of the Geneva Convention, and in line with the Constitution and that the trial they faced would be fair and within the norms of international law.
Lekota said government would not entertain speculation about the possible outcomes of the trials, as this might pre-empt the judgments by the respective courts. Only once judgment was delivered would government engage with the process. He also dismissed "with the contempt it deserves", and as ridiculous, opposition party claims that government was "an accessory" to the matter.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance has repeated its concern that the men will not receive a fair trial in Equatorial Guinea. "We are also concerned by the fact that the minister confirmed that the government hosted a delegation from Equatorial Guinea to assist with legal proceedings in that country," Douglas Gibson, the DA chief whip, said.
This was in direct contrast with the recommendations made by Jan Henning, of the National Prosecuting Authority, that South Africa should take no part in legal proceedings in that country as there was no chance a fair trial could take place there.
Gibson called on government to clarify whether Henningâs recommendations had been disregarded, and if so on what basis, and what specific conditions had changed for the better in Equatorial Guinea to lead the government to conclude that a fair trial could take place there. "The DA repeats that it condemns mercenary activity, but all accused persons are entitled to a fair trial and must be presumed innocent until guilt is proven," he said.
Posted by: TS(vice girl) ||
05/25/2004 10:13:11 AM ||
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Posted by: Rob Stein ||
05/25/2004 08:43 ||
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#1
John Hinderaker noticed that the number of reporters concerned about unfairness in stories declined from 12 percent in 1999 to 5 percent in 2004 And that my friend says it all!
Posted by: Phil B ||
05/25/2004 9:28 Comments ||
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#2
Truly so. A number of people who support high taxes, socialized medicine, the surrender option in Iraq and the Kyoto tready consider themselves moderate (I think because they don't advocate the immediate violent overthrow of the govt).
#4
The problem is that any Palestinian in the West Bank or Gaza that espouses this opinion WILL be killed. That makes anything that either Gentle or Anti say on this subject moot. Until the Paleos reform their "violence is the only answer" ways, there will continue to be conflict. The ridiculous thing is that if they really did make a peaceful effort, the world community, inlcuding the US, would put massive pressure on Israel to respond in kind.
Posted by: remote man ||
05/25/2004 13:30 Comments ||
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.... American Muslims are slowly but steadily carving their mark on the Islamic world. Their relatively small numbers, young history and still fledgling organization would seem daunting barriers to wider influence. Of the roughly 1 billion Muslims worldwide, those in the United States are only a tiny fraction, numbering somewhere between 3 million and 10 million. But a confluence of forces that has made those Americans among the freest, most educated, affluent and diverse Muslims in the world has given them an impact greater than their numbers. Helped by the growing use of English as a language of Islamic discourse and by the ever-spreading world of the Internet, they are self-consciously seeking to influence their religious brethren worldwide. Moreover, the spirit of the times may be on their side. ....
Provocative Islamic thinkers are flourishing in the climate of Americaâs unparalleled intellectual freedom. They are tackling taboo subjects such as spousal abuse and highlighting the aspects of their nearly 1,400-year tradition that embrace womenâs rights, human rights and democratic practices. The sheer diversity of the community here is prompting efforts to promote Islamic models of pluralism. U.S. Muslims include American natives, mainly of African descent, as well as immigrants from more than 50 nations. American Muslims also are expanding their influence by bringing modern education, business practices and economic development to their homelands through a mushrooming number of nonprofit organizations. ....
American Muslims present the Islamic world with a seductive new model of modernity, says Sulayman Nyang, a professor of African and Islamic studies at Howard University in Washington. Until now, the main model in the Islamic world for modernization had been Turkey, which excised Islam from public life in the name of progress. America gives Muslims an alternative -- an example of a society in which the faithful are free to be both modern and religious. Here, more women are voluntarily donning the hejab head covering as a mark of religious pride and identity -- even rendering it hip with T-shirts touting it as "Itâs Good to be in the âHood." Nyang argues that the potent combination of modernity and piety demonstrated by Muslims in the U.S. could catch on in the Islamic world, offering a compelling alternative to extremism. The American faces of Islam belong to people like Dany Doueiri and Shamshad Hussain.
Doueiri is a co-founder of one of the worldâs most popular Web sites on Islam, www.islam.org. Every day, the Los Angeles-based site receives 140,000 hits. More than half the visitors are from outside the United States. They are shown an expanse of Islam that bypasses the divides of cultures, religious sects and schools of Islamic law that often separate Muslims from one another. For instance, when numerous Bosnian Muslim women were raped by Serbian soldiers during the Balkans conflict, the site was flooded with queries on the Islamic position on abortion. Doueiri says his team presented without judgment two opinions from different schools: one holding that any abortion is forbidden, the other saying that the procedure is allowed for up to 120 days into the pregnancy, after which, adherents believe, the soul enters the body.
The neutral presentation of differing views within the vast Islamic tradition, though rare, is equipping Muslims worldwide to think through their own Islamic practices rather than simply accepting the rulings of the local scholar, Doueiri says. "This site has brought so much happiness overseas, because people say they find a much more objective point of view than they get from their own scholars," he says.
The rise of the electronic fatwa, sometimes by self-styled experts, dismays some classically trained scholars. But experts say the trend is irreversible. The Internet, satellite TV and steady gains in literacy are prompting a quiet but dramatic shift in the source of Islamic authority throughout the Muslim world -- from political and religious leaders to the common educated people, says Dale F. Eickelman, a Dartmouth College anthropology professor and co-author of the book "New Media in the Muslim World." Led by Muslims in the West, unprecedented numbers of believers are debating the fundamentals of their faith and practice in a new Islamic reformation, he says. "Nobody is controlling anymore," Eickelman says. "Even if youâre not getting an increase in liberalism or a shift from authoritarianism, youâre now getting large numbers of people who know what theyâre missing."
One pipeline of fresh Islamic views to younger Muslims abroad is the Iqra International Educational Foundation in Chicago. Iqra -- the Arabic word for "read" and Godâs first word to the prophet Muhammad, according to the Koran -- is pioneering American-produced, English-language Islamic textbooks. In the last few years, overseas demand has skyrocketed and the foundation now exports tens of thousands of books annually to 16 countries in the Mideast, Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Europe. The booksâ distinction, according to managing director Hussain, is that they promote the idea of self-study of the Koran and hadith and present the traditionâs essence shorn of regional and sectarian differences.
The quest to crystallize Islamâs essence, free of the overlays of cultural tradition, is perhaps most advanced here because Americaâs diversity is forcing Muslims to strive for a common understanding. Doueiriâs Internet group, for instance, represents Muslims from both the majority Sunnis and minority Shiites who hail from 30 countries. ....
In the academic arena, striking American voices of Islam belong to people like Khaled Abou el Fadl. The UCLA professor of Islamic law is breaking intellectual ground with bold social critiques based on a blend of classical Islamic training and Western academic grounding. He trained in Egypt and Kuwait and at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania. Over the last four years, Abou el Fadl has published searing critiques on sexual abuse, wife-beating and other problems among Muslims, analyzing how Islamic tradition sometimes promotes such behavior. Without Americaâs academic freedom, he says, such scholarship would have been impossible. Using case studies of mistreated Muslims, Abou el Fadl has admonished the tradition -- and present-day imams -- for the general silence on incest and sexual abuse. He has challenged divorce laws favoring men and concluded that expectations of blind obedience from women is immoral. .....
His unflinching scholarship is controversial, but it is gaining notice abroad. Abou el Fadl has been asked to lecture in the Mideast, North Africa and Europe and has received e-mail from around the world. Some people chastise him, but he says the vast majority back his efforts to reinterpret the Islamic legal tradition. He has no patience for those who claim that Islam is perfect. ....
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 6:35:30 AM ||
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#1
those in the United States are only a tiny fraction, numbering somewhere between 3 million and 10 million
#3
Wearing the hood also conceals the bruises upon your face and neck that you got from your Islamic husband the last time you went out without the hood.
#4
Abou el Fadl was invited to be on an Al Jaz show about a year ago. He was in a face off with a TV cleric from Saudi Arabia. The TV cleric insulted el Fadl, called him an ignoramous, etc.
#6
SA cleric lost his cool ya say, not as polite as the code demands. Oh, I get it, el Fadl forgot his place. It is allahs will that those who forget their station should be called names by their betters. el Fadl was lucky there wern't any rocks about.
#7
Glad to see there are moderates out there fighting for change, but there aren't enough. It must be hard to reason it through, though, when there are some ugly concepts in your holy book. Chistians and Jews have a tough row to hoe with that, too. In all cases, it just goes to show fallible humans wrote those passages; a God would never contradict itself, right?
#8
mwh: Thanks for that link. That article was excellent.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 17:27 Comments ||
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#9
mwh: Thanks for that link. That article was excellent.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 17:27 Comments ||
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#10
From what I have seen, many muslims in America do not know the first thing about being an American. Where are their brave heroes, bold enough to voice dissent in a sea of radicals? It seems as though too many of them are too submissive to their allah-imams to be freedom loving Americans.
From Islamiwayâs section titled "Touching and Must Reading", a poem titled A Little Muslim from Palestine, contributed by Zakaria Amara
Iâll always be a contender
Yes, I know my bones are very tender
And by Allah you wonât see me surrender
Look at my eyes? Youâll see no butterflies
My home is filled with cries... due to all the lost lives
But I swear by Allah Iâll never compromise
Iâll still throw the stones even with my broken bones
Why canât I hear from you, donât you have any phones?
Ya I forgot, your not on the chase, try it out and put your self in my place
Soon Iâll return to my lord, the one that deserves every grace
Oh you donât have to worry cause of me youâll find no trace
It really is to late, why did you wait?
You could have sent me at least one dinner plate
I guess it is my fate
And La Ilaha Illa Allah is my mate.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
05/25/2004 5:20:21 AM ||
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#1
Here is my response poem:
I'm only two,
so forgive my poor rhyme.
I might have grown to be a poet,
but I was denied the time.
It was a nice day, and we hadn't
driven very far,
when a masked Arab gunman emptied
clip after clip into my car...
All the time shouting, "allahu akabar"
If their god is so great,
then why should they hate?
For such "holy tasks",
they shouldn't need to wear masks.
Do you think they were brave
sending four little girls to their grave?
Or is shooting a Pregnant mother
such a dangerous task?
Was a drive with her daughters too much to ask?
Tattie, please be consoled,
we're all here in a nice place,
There are lots of good souls here
and not one masked face.
From where we are now
we can see very clearly
that the blood cult of allah
in the next world pays dearly.
One could almost feel sorry
for those murderous souls
but by their choices alone
they've dug their own holes.
The slaughter of Mother, and her four girls
didn't seem to get much response in your world,
but believe me, there is a special price paid
for every round allah's pagan blood cult has sprayed.
There's still so much, but I may not say more,
except, Measure for measure, G-d settles the score.
#10
My appologies to muck4doo for the "hog killin'" analogy. I have a hog named Elsbeth and she is a very nice pig. I wonder if she would be interested in Moore? Naa, I couldn't do that to her.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
05/25/2004 12:08 Comments ||
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#11
You dont have to insult hogs and Jabba the Hut!
#12
Jabba the Hut has yet to realize that our President is impervious to carbonite. Wo does Jabba think GWB is? Han Solo? In the real world Jabba and Han both are after GWB.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
