The Kitchen Sink, Part Two.

Yeah, I finally got this done today, also, although the plumbing made me throw up my hands and call my father-in-law for some assistance, after two trips to McClendon's Hardware on my own. Antother trip, some sawing and cutting, an approach that messed with the pipes that were still there, and BAM! It works, and no leaks, either. I think the next thing I am tackling are the floors in the house.

Last Night's Movie Was?

The Guardian. Having grown up in Michigan, I have always had an appreciation for the men and women of the Coast Guard. If you have ever seen a November storm on the lakes, you have an idea of what it means to be staring down the full fury of nature. This was not very different. The Bering Sea in winter, a place where your time in the water can be measured in minutes. And rescue swimmers jump out of perfectly good helicopters, right into the full fury of it. I recommend it.

And Now...

The kids are finally in bed (way wound up from the birthday party, (and me with no patience left), I will sit down to watch a movie. Flags of Our Fathers, or The Guardian? I'll let you know.

And the Kitchen Sink!

Wednesday evening, while washing the dishes, I thought the sink lever felt a little funny. When I shut off the water, I knew why, because I ended up with this POS in my hand.

Thanks, MOEN, for ruining my weekend. (Buy it for life, my ass.) I was hoping to have just a little bit of time during the day to either do what I wanted, or to prepare for Heir No. Two's birthday party on Saturday evening. But thanks to the quality workmanship of MOEN, I have a project to take up my time. And it wasn't enough to replace the faucet. You see, I am married. Being married means never having to do the simple fix; instead, you get to UPGRADE. I mentioned something to Mrs. Blackiswhite Thursday about stopping at Home Depot on my way home to pick up a new faucet. The response: "You might as well wait. I want a new sink too." "Why?" "Because you can't put a new faucet on that old sink. It will look yucky." I took a deep breath. "And?" (Because I knew there was more.) "And because the one we have isn't deep enough. I can't wash the big pots in it." I sat silently, straining my brain to remember the last time I saw her wash any pot, let alone a big one. Those of you who have been married a while understand my conundrum. If you say what you are really thinking, you get to pay the consequences for a long time. If you get upset, you pay the consequences for a long time. Finally, I settled on "So you're taking a $75 repair job and turning it into a $450 dollar upgrade, and taking my weekend away at the same time?" "Yes." I hate the casual ease with which she can say that. Friday night, we went to the Home Depot, pcked out the Kohler 19 Gauge Stainless Steel with 8 inch deep sides, the Kohler Chrome Drains, and the Delta (That's D-E-L-T-A, not MOEN) Faucet, and casually dinging the plastic, I headed out the door.

Saturday morning, I climbed underneath the old no-name sink with some POS hardware attached, and did what I do best with tools: I took it apart. Naively, I believed that since the two sinks were the same size, the new one should drop right in. (You can insert the laughter here if you've played this game before.)

As it turns out, the first hole was never cut square to begin with, and then the self-rimming lip on the underside of the new sink is an inch longer and an inch wider than on the old one, so the beveled corners in the cutout are as useful as honesty in Congress.

Many adjusting cuts later, I have it so it is almost flat, and I think that once the clips are attached underneath, it'll be just fine. Tomorrow, I tackle the Plubming. Hooking the water up will be no big deal. The drains, and the dishwasher? We'll see.

A Long Week In Bizzaro World

This can sum it up, I think:

"Iran Detains 15 British Sailors"

After several late nights/early mornings having to write treatises on why the sun doesn't rise in the West because opposing counsel thinks that it is appropriate to respond to a default motion brought because they are 40 days late with a reply to counterclaims by filing a motion to strike certain allegations contained therein which is also 40 days late, rather than file the bloody answer with the predicatble denials, at least not until the eve of consideration. Then they failed to deliver discovery on either day promised in writing by opposing counsel, which was the straw that broke the camel's back. I was up preparing the motion to compel (with sanctions) because they made up push then for over forty days after they discovery was due to get the protective order I would not stipulate to, and then because I had to push continually for 40 days after they got an order. Stuff I'm entitled to, and I have to put in late nights in the theatre of the absurd because they don't feel the need to comply with the rules. "Civil" procedure indeed.

And now, I hear that the ragheads grabbed a bunch of sailors doing their jobs in that little corner of Hell, and HOURS pass with no response, other than negotiations? I freely admit that I am a Right-Wing Death Beast. I'm not upset at the Iranian's conduct. Being the subhuman, rock-worshipping misanthrops that they are, I expect no better of them. I am horrified at this latest demonstration that the Western world has lost its stones. There can only be one response to this, and unfortunately Dhimi Carter set the wrong example the last time that this happened. Grab 30 of their nationals. Not the average Achmed. No one will notice. Go into their embassy and grab 30 nationals. Put a bullet behind the temple of the 2nd most important one you grab. Make damn sure they know that it happens again in an hour, every hour, on the hour, until your people are returned, unharmed. Announce that if you go through all of them with no release, then their "capital" goes up in a flash of light.

When will the pinstriped weenies understand that we will never get them to respect us, but we can get them to respect what we can do to them? Such a course of action should have them acting like human beings in short order. And if it doesn't work, then they lose the privilege of drawing breath. It is that simple. If it isn't, then Western Civilization is finished.

Sleep Tight

Savage's guest yestday was dicussing the fact that Litvinov (The polonium tea guy) was a nuclear arms smuggler, an ancolyte of the Religion of Pus, and more likely poinsoned himself than was offed by the Russians, since Polonium is only produced in an amount of 7gr annually, making this about a 30 million dollar hit. All in a discussion of how suitcase nukes are real, USA Today's uber-reliable story notwithstanding.

Sleep tight.

Not As Bad As I Thought

Not as much pain as I thought this morning. Worked late tonight, so I'll go tomorrow night, and on Saturday, and Sunday.

Alex and his family are now settling in in England. He emailed me some photos today. He still doesn't have broadband at his home, so no posts at his site yet.

Started Working Out Again For The First Time In 5 Months.

I'm gonna hurt tomorrow.

The Result Is Slightly Wrong Based on the Fact I Only Had Two Choices for Each Question

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 90% Conservative, 10% Liberal

Social Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

Ethics: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

Disturbing (Yet Unsurprising) Thoughts

Today's sermon was on 2 Timothy. Of particular interst was 2 Timothy 3:1-3:5 :

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to their parents, unthankful, unhold, unliving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughtylovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And From such people turn away!"

The sacrastic side of me says "That doesn't realy leave me any place to turn."

But seriously, does the list remind you of any place and time?

I'd Listen To Her Sing The Phone Book!

This Video Made Me Want To Be A Singer

Just Because We Need Some Inspiration From Time to Time...

Gore-Bot A Little Sensitive Regarding Accusations of Environmental Hypocricacy

I read this today during lunch. Seems like al-ja-Gora has been feeling just a bit sensitive about the spotlight turned on his own carbon footprint. The question I this: How can he possibly know that his electricity is being supplied from primarily 'green' sources, and if it is true, as a wealthier person in this country, shouldn't he forego that 'green' electricity so it is available for some poor working schlub who doesn't have the resources of financial wherewithall to purchase those much-hyped carbon offset credits?

Just sayin', s'all.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17382210/?GT1=9033

Yes, I Am Offended

It seems like every time I turn around, someone is doing their level best to piss me off.

First, it was the Greenpeace ad with the mouthy kid in the hoodie telling adults off because those of us with jobs aren't willing to plunge into a new dark ages to minimize the effects of global warming. All the hallmarks that I would fully expect from this crowd: Sneering self-righteousness, an unquestioning acceptance of dubious science, and unmistakable contempt for anyone who has the termerity to question the neo-religion of enviro-nuticism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY7875_rv1s

Then, it was finding out that our loverly state legislature is working on a law regarding a new sex ed cirriculum, written by lesbians, that would be taught to first-graders. They are trying to take away my son's innocence and force-feed him their agenda at the same time. Words cannot do justice to this white-hot rage boiling up from those primal places in me that these 'legislators' do not want to have come to the surface. My State Senator will be receiving a call from me about this, and will continue to receive calls from me until they actually work on legislation that is necessary. All the things that don't f'in work in the schools here, and they are wasting time on this. The continued sexualization of children will no doubt leave all the perverts in our society pleased. There will be no shortage of targets for these predators to exploit, and if anyone tries to speak out against this despicable trend, they are immediately branded "intolerant", and treated as if the inablility to be accepting of their perversion is in itself a dread disease that is contagious. Enough. You want to bugger children, to screw em up as bad as you are? Then be ready for my lack of acceptance of your perversion.

http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1855.pdf

The Senate Bill Report on this bill was certainly enlightening:

From the Pro paragraph:
"While parents are primarily responsible for providing their children sex education, it is a difficult issue and most parents are in favor of schools teaching comprehensive sex education"

Oh really? I guess that must be true. You have done such an outstanding job teaching them the things that you are supposed to teach them. We know what this is really about: Control. If we indocrinate them while they're young, we can have the age of consent lowered to six in a generation. NAMBLA paradise, and entire generation of wasted youth in its wake. No thank you.

From the Con paragraph:
"Parents and local school districts need to have control over cirriculum...Sex education may impose values contrary to families' values.

Duhhh.

"Comprehensive sex education sends students mixed messages and does not prevent students from having sex."

Amen.

And then, while watching TV this afternoon, I got treated to an AARP ad with children lecturing me about how we can do better on things like health care. Memo to old folks: Before you retired and lost your minds, you resented wealth-redistribution schemes because they were a treat to the work that you had done in providing for yourselves and your families. This hasn't changed. Those of us still working still see this as a threat. Another thing about services that you seem to have forgotten: They are worth what you pay for them. You don't want free health care. You really don't. So dip into your savings already, and leave the assistance for those not sitting on large nest eggs, or transferring wealth to their children to qualify for Medicaid spend-downs.

http://www.aarp.org/research/press-center/presscurrentnews/aarp_advertising_campaign.html

And the Mexicans are now pissed and alleging that we have intruded onto their soil while building a wall to keep them out? This would be comical if our 'diplomats' weren't so quick with their attempt to smooth things over. Real border control is an idea whose time has come, and given that the stakes are our way of life, I suggest that we act accordingly.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6390291.stm




Just stop already.

Vacation is Booked!

Mrs. Blackiswhite and I booked our vacation to Disneyland yesterday. I swore I would never set foot in the state of Californiweird, but it is too much money and too much time to take the heirs to the mouse kingdom in Florida. I liked it there, but we just can't do it this year. Maybe next year. The good news is we got what looks like a pretty good deal.

More Reading

Started a new book today. "Suicide of the West". I know what I think the root causes are. Let's see if they match with those of people who have had time to research the subject. I'll let you know if it is worthwhile. My recommendations for other reads: "The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis, "Red Star Rogue" by Ken Seward, "The 5 Love Needs of Men and Women" by Dr. Gary and Barbara Rosberg.

New Wallpaper

I found these new inspirational posters the other night while surfing. They are too good not to share.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://echosphere.net/star_trek_insp/insp_expendability.jpg&imgrefurl=http://echosphere.net/star_trek_insp/star_trek_insp.html&h=504&w=684&sz=197&tbnid=32phfoWoLkcW-M:&tbnh=102&tbnw=139&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstar%2Btrek%2Bimages&start=3&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3

Biohazard Zone

We got to go to the local uegent care facility Sunday morning because Heir No. One and Two were not feeling well. They tested positive for Strep throat. Yea.

Mrs. Balckiswhite stayed home today to go to the Doctor. Tested positive for Strep. She called me at work and ordered me [She isn't called 'She Who Must Be Obeyed' for nothing] to go to the Doctor. Even though I feel crappy, I tested negative. Got the script in case I get worse. Mheh. Doc hasn't figured out that I am rotten to the core. Mheh.

The Creatativity of My Tribe is Truly Endless!

Caught this story at the Globe and Mail today. I guess it is true. The internet IS for prOn. And now it's apparently OK at work, too. Dick will be soooooo happy.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070218.wnetlawsuit0218/BNStory/International/home

Tagged!!!

Despite my best efforts to cloud his mind with with the dark side of the force, the Emperor Darth Misha I at the Rott decided to share the love since LC Brendan reached up from down under to tag him. He is the Dread Emperor, after all.

So be it. You may be sorry you asked.

Six Unusual Things About Me.

1. I interned in the Canadian House of Commons in 1993. Our group of American students worked security at the Progressive-Conservative Leadership Convention that summer. I'm convinced that Kim Campbell was Brian Mulroney's parting joke to the party.

2. I think that no piece of jewelry is more sexy on a woman than pearls. Period.

3. I seriously considered seeking an appointment to the Air Force academy until I had a long talk with a third year cadet from West Point. At the time, I still had issues with authority, and I realized that I probably wouldn't be a good fit there. Now I am the man, so that isn't really an issue any more.

4. I collected comic books when I was younger.

5. In my stupid youth, I used to engage in the fine art of hood skiing, and managed to never get run over by the car.

6. I am allergic to bee stings. When I was a kid at church camp, a wasp got in my shoe, and I stepped on it repeatedly. It returned the favor by stinging me repeatedly. I woke up 12 hours later in the first aid cabin. I did not even remember being stung.

Who am I tagging?

Sig94

JB

Alex

Bacon

Kelly

SoCalOilman

Enjoy.

The Attraction of 24

I've had occassion for a few years now to consider just why it is that I find 24 so damn entertaining. The answer is simple an complex at the same time. Jack Bauer is the modern-day equivalent of John Wayne.

Sit back down. Stop shouting at your monitor. I can't really hear you anyway. I can certainly understand that this remark might upset you. I didn't come to this conclusion quickly or easily. We don't really have any unsullied heroes left in our society. Doctors have had their share of proffessional blackeyes. Cops have been maligned. Astronauts were just taken down a peg this week. Used car salesmen, lawyers, and politicians have been on 'the list' for decades. "Priest" calles to mind images of leacherous old men buggering children. Accountants took their hit with Enron. I really don't know what the Duke would think of life today, but I can't shake the feeling that he would look upon Jack's activities over the years with grim approval. I don't think he would feel the same about certain elements in our society that seem to bend over backwards in an attempt to hold the viper to our collective bosom.

The Duke would approach a matter honestly, understanding the need to speak plainly and directly. No dancing, no euphemisms. If it wasn't right, if it was a threat, he'd say so, and deal with it appropriately, and would brook no nonsense about it having to be done. He stood up for this country and faced the threats to it. This is the same thing Jack does.

What has changed?
This is an interesting thing to ponder. The answer is equally simple and complex. The simple: 'They' have changed. Unlike in the Duke's day, our enemies have no stomach to meet us in a stand-up fight. They are stateless and don't wear uniforms. They prefer it that way. And dependng on their motivations, they may be lurking in the most unexpected places. The Complex: We have changed. Jack's world is our own in miniature. No domestic happlily ever afters. Office politics taken to absurd extremes. Representatives of subgroups more preoccupied with how somehing affects them than how something affects us all. Unreasoning hatred turned in our direction simply because we exist. Those charged with maintaining the well-being of us all shirking responsibility because someone might hold them accountable for making a decision. And standing tall between these threats and us is Jack.

Jack is the guy who will make the decision. Jack is the guy who will take out the bad guy when it needs to be done. Jack will use the bad guy to get good results. When things go south, and something must be done, all the eyes in the room turn to Jack. And Jack acts accordingly. He does this knowing that he won't be popular, that he will make people angry, that he may put his own health and well-being on the line. And if he profiles, if he 'violates civil rights', if he says what many of us think, but dare not say in a society that has abandoned reason, logic and resonsibility for hypersensitivity, diversity, and deferrence, often to the point of reckless endangerment to ourselves, then I can support it. Maybe Jack does things that the Duke never did, but the Duke's brother was never a power-mad nutbar playing a sitting President, assasinating a prior President, and pinning it on the Duke, then leaving him in the hands of a foreign power with an axe to grind. When the dust settles, Jack does what is right to save this County, with little or no thanks, and he doesn't shirk responsibility for his actions. Just like the Duke. And that's why we love him.

I Wonder If Those of Us Not Too Far To the South Should Be Worried?

Further down the page at the Globe And Mail site:


B.C. put on alert for huge quake
JANE ARMSTRONG
From Saturday's Globe and Mail
VANCOUVER — Scientists have alerted British Columbia's emergency-planning department to the possibility of a catastrophic earthquake striking the province's southwest coast next week. While the probability of a quake is still low, rapid strides in earthquake detection have given federal scientists with the Pacific Geoscience Centre on Vancouver Island greater confidence in their ability to predict when and where one will occur.

Kinda like the daily security threat level, huh?

Worried About the Environment? The Useless Nitwits Have Your Back.

This morning in the Globe and Mail, I spied this headline:
"
New UN agency to manage environment"

Having just come off an unbelievable week, the prospect of a series of well-deserved belly laughs prompted me to read on.

"PARIS — Hundreds of scientists, business leaders, and non-governmental organizations have called for a new United Nations agency to manage the environment.
The new agency would transform the existing UN Environment Program, into “a fully-fledged international organization that is genuinely universal,” French President Jacques Chirac told delegates to the Citizens of the Earth conference, which was organized by his government."

Of course! Behind every addle-brained, half-baked, declaration of global control of an issue that obviously requires lots of speaking by self-important blowhards to rooms full of the 'concerned', who are so inspired that they're wringing their hands extra hard, you're bound to find a fwenchman with a plan.

“We know that humans are destroying, at an alarming rate, resources and balances that have enabled them to evolve and are determining their future,” he said. “We must admit to ourselves that we can no longer afford to be idle and that the risks and dangers are exacerbated with each passing day.”

But he can't seem to find the backbone to prevent the nightly car-b-ques occurring nightly in the arondisments that the mightly fwench government have surrendered to the 'youths of undefined orgin' who are committed to the destruction of western civilization. Plenty of volitile organic compounds being released into the atmosphere by those fires. Coupled with that gallic sense of hygene and the fwench tendency to share their useless opinions with anyone, whether or not they were solicited, and it sounds to me like the conference was held at the site of some of the worst offenses.

"Delegates at the meeting said UN efforts to protect the environment until now have been ineffective because of a lack of political commitment and because there is too much red tape. "

Yeah, that whole sovereignty thing is such a downer. I mean, can't these governements just realize that its for the chiiiillllllddrrenn(and the opportunity to take anything of value not nailed down)?

"Mr. Chirac said the new organization would be a “strong voice with universal recognition.” It would assess environmental damage, monitor various agreements to protect the environment, and promote technology to protect ecosystems."

Yes, certainly. The world needs more talk. Even Shrillery knows it.

"He also called for an international declaration that would make the right to a sound environment a universal human right."

Right on, Sparky. Good luck making that declaration a reality.

Why is it that power and delusions seem to walk hand in hand?

Arrogance and Intolerance, Indeed

For those of you living under a rock, the Washington Post blogger William "I Support the Troops" Arkin posted a tirade Tuesday entitled "The Troops Also Need to Support the American Public" http://http://blog.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2007/01/the_troops_also_need_to_suppor.html

Cutting to the chase, this was a hit piece, dripping with condescension, in which Bellicos Billy pretends to thoughtfully "mull over" a story run on NBC sunday in which the troops on the ground were asked what THEY thought about a few things. Understandably, Billy was upset because asking those in the know what they thought rather than trying to tell the rest of us how it isn't deviates significantly from the script used in the major media outlets. The reporter responsible for the story, Richard Engel has taken a huge risk by going to the horse's mouth, and will no doubt face ostracism and a career stall, but predictably, the hollowed members of the fourth estate stick together and instead of unloading on his collegue Dick, Billy decided that the real scolding should be given to the troops. These troops expressed their displeasure with the two-faced reality behind the sacred liberal meme "I support the troops, but I don't support the war." More than one soldier expressed an opinion that this is utter hooey, and in so doing, damaged poor little Billy's psyche enough that he lashed out in response showing his true colors.

"I'm all for everyone expressing their opinion, even those who wear the uniform of the United States Army. But I also hope that military commanders took the soldiers aside after the story and explained to them why it wasn't for them to disapprove of the American people."

This one statement speaks volumes. The implecations are staggering. No one possessing reason and logic would question the propriety of an American soldier expressing discontent with the military or civilian leadership. Such an event is destructive to order and morale. But when an American soldier expresses dismay with the insincerity of the American left, and their darlings like Cindy Shehan and Michael Moore for making rediculous statements without support and instead of being challenged by the media, they are embraced, they are doing two things: speaking out against another, more pernicious morale-killer, and exercising their rights, yes, the very rights they are defending, that they have as citizens of this nation.

But if wasn't enough for Billy to show his true face. He decided to compound his error with condecension and insults. You can read the column yourself, but to whine about the way we care for soldiers and their families, to call them mercenaries, and to stupidly allege that we "ship obscene amenities in to the war zone for them", well you understand that poor Billy was in full froth. It was the kind of moment when other, wiser people would have hesitated before pressing "SEND", just on the off-chance that maybe it was a little too over the top. Not Billy. Billy was so supremely confident that his opinion had merit that he felt compelled to speak for the "American Public" (and no, Billy, you don't) in his childish outrage that American Soldiers dare make remarks that suggest that they don't buy the impassioned statements of "support" that he and his ilk desperately foist upon us whenever anyone dares question their patriotism.

Poor Billy. He really didn't foresee the sheer numbers of the American Public who did not appreciate his usurpation of their voice when he lashed out. The next day, he posted a half-hearted retraction of his use of the word "mercenary", but of course, when people continued to let him know that he didn't speak for them, his yellow feathers got ruffled and stiffened in the self-perceived righteousness of his opinion. Never one to miss the opportunity to show the world his ass, Bellicos Billy sat down at his keyboard to again to elequently convert his detractors by clumsily shaming them into accepting his opinion. In so doing, he gave us yet another priceless insight into the liberal mindset in the now classic work of irony "The Arrogant and Intolerant Speak Out"
http://http://blog.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2007/02/the_arrogant_and_intolerant_sp.html

His reaction to the blowtorch of criticism he pointed in his own direction was to paint his detractors with a broad brush, portraying them all as believing that he shouldn't express his own opinion and that he should just die. While many noted he expressed his opinion, they did tell him what he could do with it, which was a fair expression of their own opinions...a dish too difficult for Billy to swallow, but such is life. In a nod to the possibility that perhaps he was wrong about some of his earlier statements, he attempted to rehabilitate the prior column with a characterization that God in all his omniscience could not reasonably infer from the prior offense:

"I said I was bothered by the notion that "the troops" were somehow becoming hallowed beings above society, that they had an attitude that only they had the means - or the right - to judge the worthiness of the Iraq endeavor."

He neither said nor implied any such thing, but as any good little liberal, he wasn't about to let fact get in the way of an attempt to cover his ass. And also true to liberal form, he falled to see the stupidity in his own arrogant belief that the troops, the ones actually on the ground day in and day out, did not have a valid opinion about the Iraq endeavor. It isn't like the media has tripped all over itself in a rush to ask the troops what they think. That would mean that the American Public that Billy claims to speak for might hear something different than the daily servings of "Bush is bad, Bush is an idiot, Bush is losing this war" that the media shovels around with reckless abandon. Even worse, such a practice might allow the American Public o hear that a war the left keeps claiming is unwinnable might be won if we agree to unshackle our troops by abandoning the Rules of Engagement that practically require troops to die before their fellow soldiers can respond.
But Billy just can't help himself. Behind the safety of his keyboard, he takes yet another shot at these soldiers, showing even more of what he REALLY thinks:

"These men and women are not fighting for money with little regard for the nation. The situation might be much worse than that: Evidently, far too many in uniform believe that they are the one true nation. They hide behind the constitution and the flag and then spew an anti-Democrat, anti-liberal, anti-journalism, anti-dissent, and anti-citizen message that reflects a certain contempt for the American people."

Wheeew. Where do we start?
"These men and women are not fighting for money with little regard for the nation. The situation might be much worse than that: Evidently, far too many in uniform believe that they are the one true nation. "
Hmmmmmm. How should we interpret this? That our soldiers, whom we expect to embody our best and brightest do not have the right to think of themselves as such, even though, for better or worse, we are ambassadors for our nation? AND how dare they have an opinion that he does not approve of? Back to the re-education camps with them!

"They hide behind the constitution and the flag and then spew an anti-Democrat, anti-liberal, anti-journalism, anti-dissent, and anti-citizen message that reflects a certain contempt for the American people." Projecting a bit, aren't we Billy? They don't hide behind the Constitution, they defend it. The only people I see hiding behind the Constitution are journalists trying to defend statements and stories that in other eras would have garnered the authors one-way trips to the pokey in a place where they could blab all they wanted because NO ONE would evry hear them. As for anti-Democrat, they have the right to vote. If you were in their places, you wouldn't be too eager to support those who look upon you with contempt and derision, so you can't really be upset about this---if you concede they have the same rights as you. Anti-liberal? Nothing more needs to be said about this indictment from the liberal court of Bellicos Billy. Anti-journalism? Let me put it this way. If you walk into my room daily, and smack me in the face and spit in my eye, I'm likely to hold and express the opinion that Billy and the rest of his tribe, who behave the same way, are all assholes. No shock there, truely. Anti-dessent? Dissenting from dissent. Nothing more American than that, but any liberal must automatically assume that this means their rights are being infringed upon, so I understand his confusion.

Anti-citizen. *sigh*
You just don't get it, Billy. These people don't volunteer because their masocistic fascists who enjoy long tours of duty away from their homes and loved ones to go to places where they could get killed and where they must follow a set of rules that their enemies are unhindered by, all for the priviledge of so-so pay, Dear John/Dear Jane letters and the chance to hold a firearm. They do it because they believe they are defending our country, because they believe they are making us all safer, because they believe that they are contributing to something greater than themselves. They have an espirit de corps that people like Billy will never understand. He may catch a glimmer of what motivates these fine people, like something flashing in a bright room, but always out of reach. Unable to see beyond his own sense of self-importance, his own delusion that his contribution to society and freedom is superior to theirs, he will always be like a bitter old man, lamenting the spark in others that he miself does not possess, and can never understand, and so resolve himself to attack it instead at every turn. The sad thing is that he knows this. That is why he claims to speak for the American Public when he delivers his steaming offerings for the perusal of the reading public. He intends it to be a talisman, to ward off the freightening and destructive realization that his opinions are his own, and they are offensive. This is my opinion Billy. I don't claim to speak for the entire American Public. I speak for myself, and I know my opinion is worthwhile because it matters to me. I don't hide from it and I don't apologize for it, only take it back at a later date. You are a small man. I don't mean in stature. I mean that something in your character never fully developed. That would be ok, except you know it, and this knowledge drives you to say outrageous things. That is your right, but perhaps you should be man enough to accept the consequences of your keyboard.

Linky-Love

New links to the side.

Ms. Kelly---It was an oversight, really, don't sick Dick on me! :lol:

Sig---I am enjoying your page.

Alex: Seriously. Even though we have different parents, he is my brother. Don't be surprised if his posts are intermitant for a while. He is in the process of a big move.

Welcome, all.

Recent Thoughts

Last week brough news of a national guard unit on the border retreating from an incursion by armed Mexicans. In the old days, when our government wasn't afraid to act like it has a pair, this would have been called an invasion, and we would have responded by sending armed troops agross the border in search of some banditios for a necktie party. Of course, in the old days, it would have been unthinkable to allow illegal immgration to go unchecked, allow services to be granted to illegals---as a matter of right, no less, or to permit undocumented men of middle eastern orgin to skulk around on of our ports.

I haven't yet determined what our government gets out of sitting in the corner sucking its thumb and issuing stupid and dangerous Rules of Engagement to its troops and police. Unlike the bedwetters and pillow-biters of Europe, the populace of this country is still well-armed, and when left to its own defense, it will defend itself. So why, then?

Perhaps because as a nation we have decided to let the inmates run the asylum. We have granted so many rights and entitlements that we cannot expect to do what needs to be done, because we might hurt someone's fweeeings. We might be disrespecting their individuality. We might might expect them to get off the couch and take care of their own messes. We might be expecting them to act like americans, rather than __________-Americans. Maybe someone figured out that as long as the self-imposed shackles stay on, we will continue to be insulted, belittled, and berated as a people, from the self-loathers within, and the evnious without. Maybe these people have set about removing the shackles, by leaving the job to us. By realizing that there are still enough Americans who understand what the word means, who feel the weight of the nation's history, and unrepentant pride in their citizenship to not let continued smacks from the gauntlet go unanswered. Perhaps the only real question is "How Long?"

My New Ride*

* As long as I become independently wealthy so I can afford the car, the insurance, the gas...

Passings

Very late New Years Day, my grandpa passed away in Michigan. He had been sick with Parkinsons and a few other problems for quite a while, so it wasn't a shock. He hasn't really seemed like Grandpa for a few years now.

With his passing, I become the eldest Blackiswhite male. I take comfort in the fact that he believed in God, and served him for most of his life. I have no doubt where he'll spend the rest of eternity. I also closely resemble him. I have more in common physically with him than I do with my own father. I suppose that bodes well for my life expectancy. I only wish my sons could have known him like I did.

Sometimes, at the edge of slumber, I think I'm back to a Michigan summer day at his house, getting ready to go swimming, or get in a boat. I can feel the humidity, smell the water, and feel his strong, patient presence that gave me the confidence and experience at some many different things when I was growing up. I miss him a lot these days.

(The top is Grandpa holding Heir No. 2, the bottom is Grandpa holding Heir No. 1. Both were taken in my parents' home in Michigan in April 2004, when there were two male Blackiswhites older than me. Heir No. 1 was almost 5, Heir Number 2 was about 2 months old.)

A Return to Normalcy

Christmas is over, the boys have started to calm down, I can almost see the living room floor again, and I can still smell my new cologne even after wearing it all day. Now if I could just start feeling like I'm not so tired...

Who's the Third?

It has been an interesting week in the world of who died. James Brown, the godfather of soul, is no longer the hardest working man in showbiz, at least not on this planet. Gerald Ford, 83rd President, and the only one with the dubious distinction of not having been elected to the Vice-Presidency or the Presidency died at age 93. While it was sad to see the loss of an ex-President who retained some dignity and decorum in retirement, rather than pissing on our flag and nation to any hostile government willing to grant a podium (are you listening Dhimmi Carter?), the guy was old, and served the country with distinction for decades. Godspeed to him, and condolences to the Ford family. Now, the question that remains is : "Who's next?" These things seem to come in threes. Who is the next public figure to die before the new year?

Returning to President Ford, I have heard a lot of carping in the past 24 hours about his pardon of Nixon. I've thought a lot about it myself. I was only 4 when he granted the pardon, so as you can imagine, i wasn't really paying attention at that time. In the interim, I have voratiously studied American 20th Century History, and my first degree was in Political Science. When I earned that degree, I had more intellect than wisdom (what 20 something doesn't?) and I roundly condemned the pardon. As I have picked up the mileage and years, I have thought again and again about this. It isn't that I've mellowed. Not really. I have learned to pick my battles, and if I turn a blowtorch in your direction, I'm not going away. He's my current analysis: Nixon was a jackass. I'm not so naive to think that he is the only president to engage in election chicanery. But he did get caught, and he lied about it. No mea culpa. No apologies of any sort. Just denial, and manuvering. The damage he inflicted on the public's perception of politics is incalculable. No quarter, and none asked for. His actions gave rise to the cynicism that dominates the political process today. His actions turned off an entire generation to politics. People who might have let their better natures take them into public service stopped caring and paying attention. Actual involvement became unthinkable. As a result, elements that have always been present, but rarely dominant in politics came into control. A government meant to serve the people ended up serving its own officials and the people who put them there.

But Ford's pardon of Nixon is a diferent matter. Would justice have been served by letting an investigation, indictment, and trial of Nixon? It is hard to say. While it would have demonstrated that not even the President is above the law, it would have impaired our country's ability to pay attention to anything else. If you asked me ten years ago if I thought the pardon was wrong, I would have said "YES!"

Now I can see the value of shutting the door on a process that would not have any positive benefit for the country, and surely cost Ford the next election. Doing it let those who wanted blood unsatisfied, but in no uncertain terms kept the country moving forward, rather than allowing it to linger over a period that we would rather forget. That took the conviction of a true public servant. Thank you Mr. President, for the example. Thank you Mr. Brown, for the music.
*exits to 'Funky Drummer'*

Another Christmas

Another year has sped by, and here we are on the cusp of Christmas again. The good news is that those who seem to hate Jesus and all he stands for are have been pushed by to the fringes, rather than being allowed to call the tune and denounce any foolish enough to call the holiday what it is for a majority of Americans. Even better, these wild-eyed fanatics are not happy about it. Boo-Hoo. Atheism and rock-worship both suffer from the same flaw: each stamps its foot and howls and moans when it doesn't get its way.

Things are ramped up high in the Blackiswhite household. The children are all tweeked out of their minds for the big day, and the eldest has displayed several emotional outbursts that would make any 13 year old girls proud. At work, 'tis the season to sue, and at home, anxiety of the youngest's speech difficulties, on top of the usual Christmas madness make it a less than restful place.

So without further dithering,

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

IF YOU'RE OFFENDED, TOUGH.

IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE ACLU, CAIR, OR LIKEMINDED FIFTH COLUMN ORGAINZATION, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TO. GOT A BEEF WITH THAT? SUE ME. I DARE YA.

Pali Pres Calls for Early Election, Ham-Ass Squeals At Unfairness of it All.

Say this headline at the Globe and Mail this morning:

Hamas rails against early vote(69)
Hamas denounces president's decision, calling it a 'coup' against the will of the Palestinian people 11:15 AM (69)

For all of Ham-Ass's screeching about thwarting the will of the people, we can look past the bullshit an get right to the TRUE nature of their complaint:

"But we have not had time to consolidate our party's resources." which means "We have not yet had the chance to kill all who oppose us."

and

"We have not had an opportunity to do any campaigning." which means "We haven't killed any Jooooooos in at least a week. Let us launch a string of high-profile terrorist attacks before you hold the election."

And they think we don't understand middle east politics. Mheh.

I Broke My Own Rule

I broke my own rule. I underestimated the stupidity of a would-be revisionist.

I was over at the playground (Bareknuckle Politics-Home of the Stupidest Trolls on the Planet!) when I was greeted with the following statement:

"treaty of tripoli was a founding document however, and it CLEARLY states that we are in no way a christian nation. "

A moment of breathtaking stupidity, from a clue-challenged knuckledragger who refers to himself by the misappelation "the Truth" or as I lovingly refer to him, "Truthless".

The Treaty of Tripoli:

Treaty of Peace and Friendship, signed at Tripoli November 4, 1796 (3 Ramada I, A. H. 1211), and at Algiers January 3, 1797 (4 Rajab, A. H. 1211). Original in Arabic. Submitted to the Senate May 29, 1797. (Message of May 26, 1797.) Resolution of advice and consent June 7, 1797. Ratified by the United States June 10, 1797. As to the ratification generally, see the notes. Proclaimed Jane 10, 1797.
The following fourteen pages of Arabic are a reproduction of the text in the original treaty book, first the pages of the treaty in left-to-right order of pagination, and then the " receipt " and the " note " mentioned, according to the Barlow translation, in Article 10. Following the Arabic and in the same order, is the translation of Joel Barlow as written in the treaty book-the twelve articles of the treaty, the "receipt," and the "note"; and after these is the approval of David Humphreys from the same document, which is fully described in the notes. Following those texts is the annotated translation of 1930.
[Translation]
Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary.
ARTICLE 1.
There is a firm and perpetual Peace and friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and subjects of Tripoli of Barbary, made by the free consent of both parties, and guaranteed by the most potent Dey & regency of Algiers.
ARTICLE 2.
If any goods belonging to any nation with which either of the parties is at war shall be loaded on board of vessels belonging to the other party they shall pass free, and no attempt shall be made to take or detain them.
ARTICLE 3.
If any citizens, subjects or effects belonging to either party shall be found on board a prize vessel taken from an enemy by the other party, such citizens or subjects shall be set at liberty, and the effects restored to the owners.
ARTICLE 4.
Proper passports are to be given to all vessels of both parties, by which they are to be known. And, considering the distance between the two countries, eighteen months from the date of this treaty shall be allowed for procuring such passports. During this interval the other papers belonging to such vessels shall be sufficient for their protection.
ARTICLE 5
A citizen or subject of either party having bought a prize vessel condemned by the other party or by any other nation, the certificate of condemnation and bill of sale shall be a sufficient passport for such vessel for one year; this being a reasonable time for her to procure a proper passport.
ARTICLE 6
Vessels of either party putting into the ports of the other and having need of provissions or other supplies, they shall be furnished at the market price. And if any such vessel shall so put in from a disaster at sea and have occasion to repair, she shall be at liberty to land and reembark her cargo without paying any duties. But in no case shall she be compelled to land her cargo.
ARTICLE 7.
Should a vessel of either party be cast on the shore of the other, all proper assistance shall be given to her and her people; no pillage shall be allowed; the property shall remain at the disposition of the owners, and the crew protected and succoured till they can be sent to their country.
ARTICLE 8.
If a vessel of either party should be attacked by an enemy within gun-shot of the forts of the other she shall be defended as much as possible. If she be in port she shall not be seized or attacked when it is in the power of the other party to protect her. And when she proceeds to sea no enemy shall be allowed to pursue her from the same port within twenty four hours after her departure.
ARTICLE 9.
The commerce between the United States and Tripoli,-the protection to be given to merchants, masters of vessels and seamen,- the reciprocal right of establishing consuls in each country, and the privileges, immunities and jurisdictions to be enjoyed by such consuls, are declared to be on the same footing with those of the most favoured nations respectively.
ARTICLE 10.
The money and presents demanded by the Bey of Tripoli as a full and satisfactory consideration on his part and on the part of his subjects for this treaty of perpetual peace and friendship are acknowledged to have been recieved by him previous to his signing the same, according to a reciept which is hereto annexed, except such part as is promised on the part of the United States to be delivered and paid by them on the arrival of their Consul in Tripoly, of which part a note is likewise hereto annexed. And no presence of any periodical tribute or farther payment is ever to be made by either party.
ARTICLE 11.
As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,-as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen,-and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
ARTICLE 12.
In case of any dispute arising from a notation of any of the articles of this treaty no appeal shall be made to arms, nor shall war be declared on any pretext whatever. But if the (consul residing at the place where the dispute shall happen shall not be able to settle the same, an amicable referrence shall be made to the mutual friend of the parties, the Dey of Algiers, the parties hereby engaging to abide by his decision. And he by virtue of his signature to this treaty engages for himself and successors to declare the justice of the case according to the true interpretation of the treaty, and to use all the means in his power to enforce the observance of the same.
Signed and sealed at Tripoli of Barbary the 3d day of Jumad in the year of the Higera 1211-corresponding with the 4th day of Novr 1796

Now understand, Truthless was using this to say we aren't a Christian nation. Considering that there is no official state religion in this counrty, unlike others, say...theBarbary Coast states???, he is correct. However,Truthless, it cannot be truthfully stated that this is in any way a 'founding' document. He/she/it did not explain the basis for such a silly assertion, but there are some interesting events surrounding this treaty.

At that time in history, we were a fledgling nation, still unable to discourage hostile parties from preying upon our shipping, and along the northern coast of Africa, the 'Barbary Coast', the islamic nations there supported pirates who went out onto the shipping to do what pirates do best: murder and steal. All in the name of Allah. For a time, our ships could count on the aid and protection of the English and French ships who plied the waters. However, with the rise of Napoleon, the English became obsessed with blockading the French, and the nations who allied with them. As time passed the needs of manpower to keep the blockade in force lead the English to board American ships and kidnap American sailors. This practice, known as impressment, was one of the causes of our second conflict with the Britsh Empire in less than a half a century. Without this protection, our shipping was an easy target for the muslim pirates. We soon sought a treaty, (think neogotiated extortion) to relieve the threat against our ships. Hence the treaty.

Now the clause Truthless got him/her/itself all stirred up about, Article 11, was in the copy of the text translated from the Arabic by the diplomat in the region. Let that sink in for a moment.

It was translated from the arabic text.

That means that it could not have been a statement authored by elected representatives of our government, meant to be a statement by us, about what we are about.

All communication at that time was subject to the limitations of travel, which meant it was nearly two years before this copy got to the Senate. The records of the time indicate that it was read aloud on the floor before the vote to ratify it was held. Personally, I find the record dubious, if only because today's Congressional Record frequently publishes entire texts of speeches never said aloud in Congress.

What is more noteworthy is the fact that the treaty renewed eight years later did not contain the Article. It would be unusual to delete something so 'formative', something that nimwits like Truthless' so fervently cling to as conclusive proof that Christianity wasn't the elephant in the room during our nation's formative years, and our law wasn't an extension of the judeo-christian values and mores that were embodied in the jurisprudence of western civilization.

'Founding document', my great-aunt Hattie.

Memo to all would-be revisionists: If you are going to rewrite history to fit your spiritually-stunted agenda, don't rely on a document 'negotiated' at gunpoint, that was changed to remove your weak-kneed justification at the earliest opportunity.

And Truthless, use your head for something more than a place to hang your dunce cap. It is getting tiresome correcting your stupidity.

More Guests Are Coming

We now have an office at the Dept. of Domestic Affairs over at the Rott. If you came here from there, please make yourself at home. Just don't barf on the furniture. I just had it cleaned.

An American's Response to Ahamadinnerjacket's Open Letter

Since this waste of skin had the audacity to address me directly with this nonsense, I felt it appropriate to give him my response as an American—through the magic of interlination.

Message of H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
If he is deserving of the honorific "Dr.", then my J.D. and LL.M. should entitle me to pompously refer to myself as "Dr." also.

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Proof of what happens when no real competition is allowed.

To the American PeopleIn the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Whose mercy is demonstrated by the fact that you are still sucking oxygen instead of gracing the pavement as a scorchmark remnant from a well-placed lightning strike.

O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers.
I’m sure you’re mistaken about that, Ahamadinnerjacket. God never directed his followers to pray to a rock and kill infidels.

Noble Americans,
Were we not faced with the activities of the US administration in this part of the world and the negative ramifications of those activities on the daily lives of our peoples, coupled with the many wars and calamities caused by the US administration as well as the tragic consequences of US interference in other countries?
I see the question mark, but is there a question in that mess?

Were the American people not God-fearing, truth loving, and justice seeking, while the US administration actively conceals the truth and impedes any objective portrayal of current realities;
Don’t talk to me about concealing truth and impeding objective portrayal of current events, you taquiya following, uranium enriching, piss poor excuse for a human being.

And if we did not share a common responsibility to promote and protect freedom and human dignity and integrity;
There are liars, and obviously DAMN liars. You have as much respect for human dignity as I have for you, that is to say none at all.

Then, there would have been little urgency to have a dialogue with you.
Writing a letter isn’t a dialogue. You wouldn’t last five minutes in a dialogue, simpleton.

While Divine providence has placed Iran and the United States geographically far apart, we should be cognizant that human values and our common human spirit, which proclaim the dignity and exalted worth of all human beings,
Which is one of the reasons we have been the world’s beat cop for years, whether you like it or not.

have brought our two great nations of Iran and the United States closer together.
You’d have a long way to travel to reach "adequate", Chief. Proclaiming yourself "great" is letting your reach exceed your grasp, and obtaining nukes wouldn’t confer it on you either. The Soviets were miles ahead of you, yet were never more than a second-rate power with a big club.

Both our nations are God-fearing, truth loving and justice seeking, and both seek dignity, respect and perfection.
The United States and America? You can’t mean Iran.

Both greatly value and readily embrace the promotion of human ideals such as compassion, empathy, respect for the rights of human beings, securing justice and equity, and defending the innocent and the weak against oppressors and bullies.
I’m sure that would come as a surprise to the Iraqi war dead from your own recent eight year long conflict with them.

We are all inclined towards the good, and towards extending a helping hand to one another, particularly to those in need.
See above.

We all deplore injustice, the trampling of peoples' rights and the intimidation and humiliation of human beings.
Unless your psychopathic imams declare us to be an infidel and issue a fatwa for our death, or we draw an unflattering depiction of your murderous, pedophile prophet. Then intimidation, and all bad behavior that can follow becomes ok.

We all detest darkness, deceit, lies and distortion, and seek and admire salvation, enlightenment, sincerity and honesty.
If that were true, you’d drop to your knees, beg for God’s forgiveness, and renounce Islam.

The pure human essence of the two great nations of Iran and the United States testify to the veracity of these statements.
No, but our continued existence after your nation is reduced to a radioactive cinder will be a testimony to our greatness.

Noble Americans,
Our nation has always extended its hand of friendship to all other nations of the world.
Except for when you stormed our embassy, and involved yourselves in a protracted war with Iraq.

Hundreds of thousands of my Iranian compatriots are living amongst you in friendship and peace,
Yes. I went to law school with one. However, he was also a jew, and didn’t say nice things about your detestable regime.

and are contributing positively to your society. Our people have been in contact with you over the past many years
Are you that so-in-so who keeps calling and hanging up when I answer? Knock it off already.

and have maintained these contacts despite the unnecessary restrictions of US authorities.
You must have confused your government with mine. I’m sure you speak to your operatives from CAIR on a regular basis.

As mentioned, we have common concerns, face similar challenges, and are pained by the sufferings and afflictions in the world.
Uhhh, yeah, riiiiigght, except for the ones you cause or contribute to.

We, like you, are aggrieved by the ever-worsening pain and misery of the Palestinian people.
They can end it. They can quit being murderous asshats bound and determined to kill any jew they can siddle up next to before detonating themselves.

Persistent aggressions by the Zionists are making life more and more difficult for the rightful owners of the land of Palestine. In broad daylight, in front of cameras and before the eyes of the world, they are bombarding innocent defenseless civilians, bulldozing houses, firing machine guns at students in the streets and alleys, and subjecting their families to endless grief.No day goes by without a new crime.
Probably not, but since the Israelis have done a better job isolating these killers, the instances of their children being blown into little bloody bits have been dramatically decreased.

Palestinian mothers, just like Iranian and American mothers, love their children, and are painfully bereaved by the imprisonment, wounding and murder of their children. What mother wouldn't?
Of course, they couldn’t seem to successfully teach them to do something other than walk into crowds of civilians and blow themselves up. You reap what you sow.

For 60 years, the Zionist regime has driven millions of the inhabitants of Palestine out of their homes. Many of these refugees have died in the Diaspora and in refugee camps.
Yeah, the prospect of a horrible death at their hands encourages any thinking person to ostracize them like the animals they are.

Their children have spent their youth in these camps and are aging while still in the hope of returning to homeland.
So they too can blow themselves up and kill civilians.

You know well that the US administration has persistently provided blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it.
If that were true, ding-a-ling, we wouldn’t have had to take Sodamn out. The Israelis would have done that after the second SCUD violated their airspace in the first gulf war.

Who can deny such broken promises and grave injustices towards humanity by the US administration?
As opposed to the peace-loving acolytes of Islam.

Governments are there to serve their own people. No people wants to side with or support any oppressors. But regrettably, the US administration disregards even its own public opinion and remains in the forefront of supporting the trampling of the rights of the Palestinian people.
Assuming that the drivel reported as news in our media represents the average American’s opinion would be a mistake. Most of us are simply not that stupid.

Let's take a look at Iraq . Since the commencement of the US military presence in Iraq , hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed, maimed or displaced.
Many by their own people, or adventurers from other Islamic nations.

Terrorism in Iraq has grown exponentially. With the presence of the US military in Iraq , nothing has been done to rebuild the ruins, to restore the infrastructure or to alleviate poverty.
I call "Bullshit". We have people working on infrastructure, but other ‘persons’ in Iraq seem to be determined to destroy everything that our people have been building, as quickly as these things are built.

The US Government used the pretext of the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq , but later it became clear that that was just a lie and a deception.
Yeah, all those poison gas shells were just figments of our imaginations. Talk about an inconvenient truth.

Although Saddam was overthrown and people are happy about his departure, the pain and suffering of the Iraqi people has persisted and has even been aggravated.
So quit sending your people to f*** things up there, already.

In Iraq , about one hundred and fifty thousand American soldiers, separated from their families and loved ones, are operating under the command of the current US administration.
You mean those volunteers who believe in what they are doing?

A substantial number of them have been killed or wounded and their presence in Iraq has tarnished the image of the American people and government.
Sorry, I live in a military community. The only ‘tarnish’ here is only the aging hippies who keep trying to equate this to Vietnam.

Their mothers and relatives have, on numerous occasions, displayed their discontent with the presence of their sons and daughters in a land thousands of miles away from US shores.
Cindy Shehan is not a good representative sample. She disgraces her son and disrespects his choices every time she shoots her mouth off.

American soldiers often wonder why they have been sent to Iraq.
None that I’ve spoken with.

I consider it extremely unlikely that you, the American people, consent to the billions of dollars of annual expenditure from your treasury for this military misadventure.
If it means that you are confined to your sandy, hellish little corner of the planet, rather than spreading violence and mayhem here in mine, I consider it to be money well spent, peabrain.

Noble Americans,
You have heard that the US administration is kidnapping its presumed opponents from across the globe and arbitrarily holding them without trial or any international supervision in horrendous prisons that it has established in various parts of the world. God knows who these detainees actually are, and what terrible fate awaits them.
OOOOOO. Panties on their heads. Diets that allow them to gain weight. The opportunity to practice your insult of a religion unmolested. Air conditioning. Pu-leaze. I faced worse in Hell Week when rushing my college fraternity.

You have certainly heard the sad stories of the Guantanamo and Abu-Ghraib prisons.
Yeah, it s sad they get to continue robbing oxygen on my dollar, rather than being executed on the field of battle where they were captured.

The US administration attempts to justify them through its proclaimed "war on terror."
You haven’t been paying attention, junior. We’re Uncle. We don’t have to justify ourselves to 'the world'.

But every one knows that such behavior, in fact, offends global public opinion, exacerbates resentment and thereby spreads terrorism, and tarnishes the US image and its credibility among nations.
You mean like the countries that had vested financial interest in Sodamn’s regime, like much of Europe, or those that benefitted from bribes and kickbacks in the Oil for Food scam?

The US administration's illegal and immoral behavior is not even confined to outside its borders. You are witnessing daily that under the pretext of "the war on terror," civil liberties in the United States are being increasingly curtailed. Even the privacy of individuals is fast losing its meaning.
A debate is under way. However, your country’s record on civil liberties and privacy strip you of any qualification to comment on what occurs here, and the fact that you are squealing like a pig about it indicates to me that some of these measures are frustrating your clandestine activities here.

Judicial due process and fundamental rights are trampled upon. Private phones are tapped, suspects are arbitrarily arrested, sometimes beaten in the streets, or even shot to death.
I challenge you to name ten such occurrences.

I have no doubt that the American people do not approve of this behavior and indeed deplore it.
Which is why we have an annoying tendency to second-guess and question those we charge with enforcement of our nation’s laws. Something that would undoubtedly get us in a wealth of trouble in your nation. The very fact that such idiocy is spoken aloud in this country with no consequence other than ridicule is evidence of the superiority our laws and way of life.

The US administration does not accept accountability before any organization, institution or council.
No, it answers to the electorate, which is as it should be. Our government is chosen by and is responsible to us, and unlike your subjects, we the people can change our government if we do not like it.

The US administration has undermined the credibility of international organizations, particularly the United Nations and its Security Council.
No, the Useless Nitwits undermine their own credibility by choosing criminals such as Kofi Annan to head the organization and allow habitual abusers of human rights who do not even pretend to give lip service to the concept of human rights to sit on committees examining such things. Countries like China and Syria.

But, I do not intend to address all the challenges and calamities in this message.
Because it would buckle and collapse under the sheer weight of the hypocritical falderall you have insisted on filling it with.

The legitimacy, power and influence of a government do not emanate from its arsenals of tanks, fighter aircrafts, missiles or nuclear weapons. Legitimacy and influence reside in sound logic, quest for justice and compassion and empathy for all humanity.
But these things, coupled with free and fair elections, a concept completely foreign to your government, do confer legitimacy.

The global position of the United States is in all probability weakened because the administration has continued to resort to force, to conceal the truth, and to mislead the American people about its policies and practices.
No matter how much you insist on deflecting attention from the very real question "what does and oil-rich country, which has threatened a neighboring country with extinction, need a nuclear ‘energy’ program for anyway?", we will keep asking. To do otherwise would be a simple surrender of civilization and all it implies.

Undoubtedly, the American people are not satisfied with this behavior and they showed their discontent in the recent elections. I hope that in the wake of the mid-term elections, the administration of President Bush will have heard and will heed the message of the American people.
The elections went the way they did because the party in power refused to act like it, and so the people who put them there decided to vote with a perpetually disgruntled group within our nation. Two years won’t be enough time for the Dhimicrats to completely abdicate our nation from the halls of reason and responsibility, and it will allow conservatives to find and support candidates who have clues and balls, and will act accordingly.

My questions are the following:Is there not a better approach to governance?
I believe that is the message I have been suggesting to you.

Is it not possible to put wealth and power in the service of peace, stability, prosperity and the happiness of all peoples through a commitment to justice and respect for the rights of all nations, instead of aggression and war?
Which you will undoubtedly commit yourself to after your exterminate those evil jews and we infidels here in the western world who remain steadfastly unconvinced by your feeble attempts at persuasion. After all, we have seen the outpouring of compassion and aid in the middle east’s response to the tsunamis in Indonesia and earthquakes in Pakistan. No, wait, that was us. You all were too busy whiling away on your nuclear ‘energy’ program to give and significant aid and comfort to your Muslim bretheren, so WE had to do it. You really make this too damn easy.

We all condemn terrorism, because its victims are the innocent.
Unless of course, they are Israelis, or Americans kidnapped in Iraq. Then our vocal support or deafening silence are both apparent to anyone paying attention.

But, can terrorism be contained and eradicated through war, destruction and the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocents?
Eradicated? No. Stupidity is the world’s greatest renewable resource. Contained? Yes. Proof? How many attacks have taken place on American soil after we decided to take the fight to the terrorists?

If that were possible, then why has the problem not been resolved?
See above.

The sad experience of invading Iraq is before us all.
Sad that we still have not let our troops take the gloves off and completely flatten regions such as the Sunni triangle, making life there so awful that going back to nations such as your particular hell hole more appealing than fighting us in Iraq.

What has blind support for the Zionists by the US administration brought for the American people?
It isn’t BLIND support, as I said before, but if it got us no more than your persistent temper tantrum which shows the world your unfitness to be a world leader, it would be enough.

It is regrettable that for the US administration, the interests of these occupiers supersedes the interests of the American people and of the other nations of the world.

Nations such as yourself, who continually pledge to eradicate Israel. Your hypocrisy is astounding. Anyone else in your position would have choked to death on the irony by now.

What have the Zionists done for the American people that the US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support these infamous aggressors? Is it not because they have imposed themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial, cultural and media sectors?
You really need to get out more. I think you actually believe what you are saying.

I recommend that in a demonstration of respect for the American people and for humanity, the right of Palestinians to live in their own homeland should be recognized so that millions of Palestinian refugees can return to their homes and the future of all of Palestine and its form of government be determined in a referendum. This will benefit everyone.
Perhaps you weren’t paying attention. When the Israelis gave back Gaza, they left behind infrastructure that could have been used to provide necessities and niceties for the Palestinians who succeeded them. These noble people proceeded to destroy and demolish everything abandoned to them and still cry out for Jewish blood. If they want to act like savages, they need to expect to be treated like savages.

Now that Iraq has a Constitution and an independent Assembly and Government, would it not be more beneficial to bring the US officers and soldiers home, and to spend the astronomical US military expenditures in Iraq for the welfare and prosperity of the American people?
As soon as we know that the government elected by the Iraqi people is strong enough to resist the influences and actions of foreign governments such as yours which have a vested interest causing the failure of their chance at true democracy and a way to radically change all middle eastern politics for the better.

As you know very well, many victims of Katrina continue to suffer, and countless Americans continue to live in poverty and homelessness.
Katrina: the focal point for divisive, race-baiting politics which is considered acceptable because the race-baiters are black. Mississippi suffered considerably, and yet there is no whining there. Poverty and homelessness have as much of a root cause in mental illness as in choice and laziness as well as any fundamental unfairnessin our system.

I'd also like to say a word to the winners of the recent elections in the US :
Who will undoubtedly hang on every word, if only to show how nuanced they are.

The United States has had many administrations; some who have left a positive legacy, and others that are neither remembered fondly by the American people nor by other nations.Now that you control an important branch of the US Government, you will also be held to account by the people and by history.
Yeah, history pulls a lot of people out of their beds and says "You idiot. You could have prevented _______!" As for being accountable to the people, that has always been true. They’re called ELECTIONS.

If the US Government meets the current domestic and external challenges with an approach based on truth and Justice, it can remedy some of the past afflictions and alleviate some of the global resentment and hatred of America .
Which is your nuanced way of saying "Retreat within your own borders, and let us set the world aflame with our madness so that when you are finally forced to act out of self-preservation, the cost will be too horrible for you to imagine. Sorry, I’m not buying what you are selling.
But if the approach remains the same, it would not be unexpected that the American people would similarly reject the new electoral winners, althoughthe recent elections, rather than reflecting a victory, in reality point to the failure of the current administration's policies.
Gee, how observant of you. Unfortunately, we are not talking about the same failed policies.

These issues had been extensively dealt with in my letter to President Bush earlier this year.
Are you talking about the one that he gave all the attention that it deserved?

To sum up:It is possible to govern based on an approach that is distinctly different from one of coercion, force and injustice.It is possible to sincerely serve and promote common human values, and honesty and compassion.It is possible to provide welfare and prosperity without tension, threats, imposition or war.
Unfortunately, people such as yourself choose to come along and muck everything up, so it will never happen.

It is possible to lead the world towards the aspired perfection by adhering to unity, monotheism, morality and spirituality and drawing upon the teachings of the Divine Prophets.
Only if we, in a moment of weakness that would be truly deserving of the damnation that such an act would visit on us decide to reject God and join you in your delusional belief in the satanic utterances that you call a religion.

Then, the American people, who are God-fearing and followers of Divine religions, will overcome every difficulty.
When we have remembered who we are and acted with the resolve that only our nation has been able to muster in the last two centuries, we have not had any difficulty overcoming difficulties.

What I stated represents some of my anxieties and concerns.
Because you know if you keep acting like a petulant child, we will eventually take you to the woodshed, and give you the spanking you so richly deserve.

I am confident that you, the American people, will play an instrumental role in the establishment of justice and spirituality throughout the world.
As we always have, without your acknowledgment and approval.

The promises of the Almighty and His prophets will certainly be realized; Justice and Truth will prevail and all nations will live a true life in a climate replete with love, compassion and fraternity.
And it will, after Jesus returns, at which time the gravity of your mistakes will become apparent to you. And all your prayers to Allah will not save you from the fate you have chosen.

The US governing establishment, the authorities and the powerful should not choose irreversible paths.
When we have committed to terrible decisions, it has been the result of ill-considered actions of others, who under estimated our resolve and ability when they set in motion event that they were powerless to stop. Pearl Harbor comes to mind.

As all prophets have taught us, injustice and transgression will eventually bring about decline and demise. Today, the path of return to faith and spirituality is open and unimpeded.We should all heed the Divine Word of the Holy Qur'an:" But those who repent, have faith and do good may receive Salvation. Your Lord, alone, creates and chooses as He will, and others have no part in His choice; Glorified is God and Exalted above any partners they ascribe to Him. " (28:67-68)
Get behind thee, Satan. Your "religion" holds no legitimacy for me.
"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." (Proverbs 21:5-6)

I pray to the Almighty to bless the Iranian and American nations and indeed all nations of the world with dignity and success.
One out of two ain’t bad.Blackiswhite, Imperial Agent Provocateur,
Attorney, and Officer of the Court in the great state of Washington.

Mahmoud AhmadinejadPresident of the Islamic Republic of Iran29 November 2006

Now I can only hope one of his spies here leads him to read it.

What's Wrong With Leftardian Thinking 101

I caught this gem at the Globe and Mail this evening.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061120.wmexx1120/BNStory/International/home

This guy has the time to set up a parallel government and criticize the elected government???

Ok, I'll concede that Mexican politics are almost as funny as Italian politics, and in terms of corruption, it is generally a race to the bottom. However, my first thought was "Why doesn't this guy just get a job?" Think about it. His shadow government will not levy taxes, but it will rely on donations in order to implement its agenda??? Handouts in Mexico for politicians to lazy to get a job? Either that is classic socialism, or his "government's" donations are less than voluntary. In any event, I'm sure that it is the Juan on the street getting screwed. Maybe we should just annex 'em already and be done with it. At least then they will be legal sponges on out social welfare system.

A Good Game

You want often hear me say this. Ohio State played a great game. It was exciting to watch. I found it hard not to scream at the TV whenever the ommentators talked about NOTRE DAME being in the running for the National Championship. Listen. I didn't set up the retarded BCS system, but the National Championship should be between the top two teams. They played each other today. If it is worthy of being called the National Championship, then one of the teams should not be the team Michigan dismantled in South Bend earlier this year. Don't like the suggestion? Too Bad. The BCS wasn't my idea, but if you are going to have a National Championship, then let it be legitimate.

A Sad Day

I was checking my email at work today and I saw the headline that Bo Schembechler died this morning.

"Stunned" seems woefully inadequate.

A class act and a man who personified the University of Michigan has left our company today. He leaves behind a legacy that may never be equaled, and all Wolverines, everywhere, are diminished slightly by his passing.

No matter which team wins tomorrow, I know he can look down and be proud of his enduring contribution to this contest.

So long, sir. And thanks for the memories.

Big Game

As a card-carrying Wolverine (B.A., 1994), there are two football games I look forward to in the fall. U of M vs. MSU and U of M vs. OSU. Now I know that MSU was not a contender this year, and if you're not from Michigan, you probably don't understand. It is imperative to keep the Spartans in their place. There is nothing worse than a trash-talking Spartan. I have always maintained that even if Michigan loses a game against any other opponent, it is a good day as long as MSU loses. I don't have many bad Saturdays.

But this weekend is different. OSU always comes to play. This year, both teams are unbeaten.
This year, the game will really mean something. This is a storied rivalry. There are the jokes:

"What did the OSU grad say to the Michigan Grad? Welcome to McDonalds. May I take your order?"

"How do you get to OSU? Drive south 'till you smell it, and east until you step in it."

"Where can you apply if MSU rejects you? OSU."

But all joking aside, each team expects the other to bring everything they've got to the table for this game, and win or lose, it usually is a good game, and unlike some other overated conferences, they play REAL football in the Big Ten. None of the pass the ball sissyness of the PAC 10 or the lithe and speedy runners of the Southeastern Conferences. Passing is ok, but RUN THE BALL. AGAINST GUYS WHO WANT TO CRUSH YOU. That's the Big Ten way.

GO BLUE!!!

More Congressional Asshattery

Picked up on this little gem over at the Rott (hattip to LC Theresa)
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c109:2:./temp/~c109SZLu8R::

I used to live in the People's Republic of Michigan, before I moved to the Traffic Republic of Western Washington. Like many people who grew up there, I drank the kool-aid and used to believe that Democrats were all that and a bag of chips. Even then, I knew Conyers was a wingnut. That's "wingnut" as in clue-challenged sockpuppet of his islamic constituency, not "wingnut" as it was applied to me many years ago when I was a "Lawn Design and Maintenance Engineer" (mowhead). I got the title for being fairly good at taking apart hearvy machinery, performing routine maintenance, and putting it all back together without all those annoying left over pieces that seem to cause so much trouble.

Where is the outrage? Official recognition of a "religion" by Congress? (That's if you can consider death-embracing, woman-hating, rock worship a "religion"). If it were a recognition of Christianity's strong influence on the formation, and intital law and culture in our country, the leftards would be howling for blood from every perch they could find.

I'm not in Michigan anymore. Could somebody who is please give him a call, and ask him to remove his head from his buttocks? If that doesn't work, you could always gently remind him what the fwench (a people not lately known for their backbone-just ask any former car owner there) did to collaberators. I know there are plenty of blue collar people in the state still who would be unlikey to be gentle if bad things happen, and I have a feeling they will.

Being a tool has its consequences, Mr. Conyers. Push hard enough, and the apathy of your consituency may not save you.

Fun Days.

I had some fun this week. Depositions yesterday went very well, and I was able to tell opposing counsel that she did not file her dilatory motion to strike in a timely fashion, and instead missed it by nearly 14 days. The No. One Son had a birthday party yesterday. Rainforest Cafe got $210.00 of my money for that, but it is only once a year, and he had a great time. Best of all, he spent the night at grandpa and grandma's house last night. Heir No. Two was asleep by 10. I was asleep by 10:30.
18 inches of rain and counting this week. A little screwed up, but we live on high ground. Now if I could just catch a few Senators games this year...

So Far, So Good.

So far, so good with the new phone. Some pretty cool features, and a picture of the gorgeous Mrs. Blackiswhite when I flip the phone open. Excellent ring tone. I'm liking it a whole lot.

Laptop is wigging out, though. Time to put the guys at Dell customer care to work.

You thought that I was going to say something about the election?

Ok. *spit*.

There, are you happy?

New Phone

Got a new phone today. The old LG gave up. It wouldn't stay on during a call, and the headphone jack fritzed out. Mrs. BiW's discount for being a corporate employee is nice. New Razer with case, home and car jack, and headphone, $54.47 with tax.

I'll let you know how it works out.

An Evening Out

What's scarier than a bunch of attorneys out for the evening? A bunch of TAX attorneys out for an evening!

Seriously, it was fun. JW is 40 now. After the third time I called him 'Gramps', he got ticked and said "You're not that much younger than me, and you're the second oldest at this table."

Good food (Fire Pasta) and some nachos, and a glass of alcholic raspberry cider. Yum.
If you're ever in Tacoma, E-9 has good food and drink.

It is too bad that we can't all form our own firm. Of course, we'd never get any work done.

Random Stuff

It has been a long busy week. Mrs. BiW and I are very tired. Late nights do that. Now that she is home this month, I am going to a friend's birthday gettogether tonight. Now if I could just not feel so guilty about that, I might enjoy myself.

On a brighter note, recent events may have given me a better insight than I thought. I was chatting with an aquaintance last night, and had an opporunity to share some of the things that have helped my marriage take a different direction for the better recently. Tey're dealing with some commonalities and some differences that presents some additional challenges. I hope it works out. I'm tired of the "walk away marriages" that our society promotes. It is one of the reasons I don't do divorces any more in my practice.

AJ, I know you're probably bummed about the Tigers. I'm sorry, man, but it's the Tigers. You've been around long enough to know that the only other MLB team so deeply invested in fan misery are the Cubs. It's hockey season now.

I have to go do my reading for our marriage class. It feels different looking forward to homework. I might log on later if I have something to say, and I get the chance. Enjoy your weekend.