If Goths Ruled the World

July 11th, 2006 by Administrator

Link

Posted in America, Photoshop Phun | No Comments »

We’re All In This Together

July 11th, 2006 by Administrator

Posted in America, War | No Comments »

Washington Post Publishes Manson Op-Ed

July 11th, 2006 by Administrator

Imagine that one day you awoke, opened your local newspaper and found a screed written by Charlie Manson.

That’s the way some felt this morning after finding this oped in their newspaper. I write about it at length in this Dean’s World piece.

What’s worse is the fact that Manson has less blood on his hands than the writer does. Evidently you need a lot of blood on your hands before the Washington Post takes you seriously.

Posted in Traitors, War | No Comments »

DDT Doesn’t Kill Birds - Wind Turbines Do

July 11th, 2006 by Administrator

Wind Turbines damage the environment. At least this article (portion - sub required (email and I’ll send you a copy)) at the New Scientist says they do. Here’s how:

In the UK, the best wind conditions are those found in rolling hills and near the sea. Unfortunately, these conditions are good for peat bogs. Now peat bogs are natural carbon sinks, so building a wind turbine on them doesn’t make much sense. Worse, when disturbed the peat can dry out, and release carbon dioxide as it does so.

Nobody ever said combatting global warming was going to be easy. Well, the nuclear people said so, but then we’ll just ignore them because radiation is scary - and so are they.

The wind turbines sit on meter thick concrete pads. Concrete happens to produce lots of global warming gases - meaning that it may take anywhere from 6 to 18 years for the wind turbine to “save” enough greenhouse gas-free energy to justify building the thing in the first place. That is far beyond the 3-6 months the wind turbine developers said it would take, and a significant portion of the 25 year life span of the turbines and their support structure.

Building on bogs also requires the building of roads, which can disturb the environment as far away as 250 meters from either side of the roadway - way beyond the estimated 10 meters of disturbance predicted by the developers.

The problem isn’t limited to bogs either. Little studies have been done about the damage caused by placing the turbines at sea. In California the turbines have minced eagles and hawks. The problem is particularly bad in Norway:

The Smøla islands, 10 kilometres off Norway’s north-western coast, have one of the highest breeding densities of white-tailed or sea eagles in the world. Smøla also has a new wind farm, most of whose 68 turbines started turning last summer. Between August 2005 and May 2006, researchers have found nine sea eagles killed by turbine strikes. … “Breeding results on Smøla have been strikingly poor compared with the 30 years before the wind farm was built,” says Arne Follestad from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. “We are not confident that white-tailed eagles will adapt to the turbines and return to the wind park area.”

It’s too bad that Norway does not have a nuclear power generation program, because it appears that in a few years, it won’t have sea eagles either.

Posted in Euroweenies, America, Economics | No Comments »

Passing On the Funk

July 10th, 2006 by Administrator

A scene on Chestnut St. today at 5pm:

A black woman walking on the sidewalk with her 3 year old boy.
Mom: Earth.
Boy: Earth!
Mom: Wind.
Boy: Wind!
Mom: and Fire.
Boy: And Fiiiii-ya!

Old Skool will never die thanks to women like her.

Posted in America | No Comments »

Bored with Technology

July 10th, 2006 by Administrator

I’m getting bored with technology. There is no piece of hardware or software out there that I simply must have, even just to tinker with. Sure I have my eye on a Pentium D 805 which I want to overclock to 3.9 gigahertz, but so what? What will I do with all that raw power? Run Photoshop REALLY fast, create Excel files that calculate in an instant? I’m more interested in just building the thing and making it work than I am in actually using it. Of course, that’s not enough to justify the cost so it doesn’t even get built - it just exists as a half-hearted wish as I view the bargains at Newegg.

The problem isn’t limited to PCs either. I have a PDA that I bought for the Wife two years ago that sits gathering dust. I’d have sold it on Ebay if she hadn’t felt guilty for asking me to buy it. Still, I don’t feel like using it myself because I got tired of carrying around my own around the time I bought hers.

I don’t listen to music when I’m walking, so that rules out the Ipod. I like to be aware of my environment when I walk around a city. One never knows when a City Ninja will leap out and attack - or more likely, you’ll fail to hear the screech of a taxi’s tires and get runover. Besides, I like to listen to music the old fashioned way: in my car and embarrassingly loud for a man my age.

I’m even getting sick of video games for the first time in, well, my life. I’m down to playing Robotron on the PS2 (and am considering building a fullsize board with dual joysticks - hell, I’ll just build the whole standalone machine maybe…) and Far Cry on the PC (nothing relaxes me more than shooting bad guys with a sniper rifle from 600 meters).

Technology has been in the doldrums of late. Lots of incremental improvement but no killer apps or paradigm changing hardware.

We need something new. Something that will change the way we look at the world. Something that we cannot imagine living without after we have it.

But what?

Posted in America, Economics | 4 Comments »

Democrats and Revolutions

July 10th, 2006 by Administrator

Many years ago back in my college days I took a class on revolution taught by an Israeli marxist. Even though my politics have shifted rightward from where they were back then, I haven’t forgotten what I learned in that class and recognize it as being one of the better ones I had during my 6 years in academia.

One of the important things I learned was that it is the nature of revolutions to turn on themselves. In the end, the revolutionaries always turn into that which they revolted against in the first place. The rebels become the regime, and during that process they inevitably turn on their leaders. The death warrant of Danton is inevitably signed by Robespierre who in turn is guillotined by those he once led.

Every revolution follows this cycle, and its presence indicates that a revolution is in progress. By this measure it is clear that the Democratic party is in the final stages of a revolution begun by the so-called “Deaniacs” three years ago. Howard Dean’s candidacy was energized by liberal bloggers, who organized a grass roots campaign that resulted in a juggernaut behind Dean’s candidacy. Don’t forget that at one point, Al Gore, Bill Bradley and Jimmy Carter supported Howard Dean’s candidacy and recommended that other candidates unite behind Howard Dean in January 2004.

However, the Democratic powerbrokers including the Clintons’ man Terry McAuliffe , head of the DNC, stymied this revolt temporarily as he engineered John Kerry’s candidacy.

After Kerry lost the ‘04 election, the revolutionaries took power with the usurping of McAuliffe in Feb 05, and have since pushed the national party leftward under the leadership of Howard Dean.

We are currently in a stage of ideological “purification” - think Mao’s Cultural Revolution here - where the troops all carry their little red books, don red scarves, and rat-out their parents as “counter-revolutionaries”. The most visible attacks are centered on Joe Lieberman, who has suffered some of the nastiest attacks I’ve ever seen in a democracy - let alone in a liberal-on-liberal attack. That’s monstrous stuff - beyond the pale of even the most enthusiastic Rove-fan. Now other Democratic politicians are running scared, afraid to find themselves in the cross-hairs of the “purification cadres”. Others inevitably will find themselves in that position before the ‘06 election is over in 4 months. 4 months is plenty of time for careers to be shortened, reputations ruined.

But the cycle of revolution will not stop. Eventually the moderates who survived the purges eventually retake power in the stage known as Thermidorian Reaction (Marx is big on stages) after the revolutionaries weaken their cause by destroying themselves.

When will that happen?

There are two possible points:
1. the November ‘06 Election - The Deaniacs demand an oath of fealty to their belief that the Iraq War is a failure - just at a time when the war is petering out and the Iraqis are taking care of themselves. Should the war fail to be the defining issue in November, their “ideological” candidates will be trounced at the polls. This will force Dean to quit the DNC and leave the Deaniacs stunned, disheartened, and eventually apathetic - allowing the moderates to take back the party.

2. the November ‘08 Election - Should the Deaniacs survive the midterm elections, they will be even more energized and place a McGovern-type presidential candidate at the head of their party. While Americans may not like the Iraq War, the odds are that they will like an ideological candidate even less. Expect a landslide victory for the Republicans along the lines of ‘72 or ‘80.

Americans aren’t very ideological. Most are too busy to be energized by any one particular issue. Given the conditions of a growing economy and a war that is successful in its aims in Iraq, as shown by the failure of the anti-war movement to gain traction during the past 5 years, then it is likely that the revolutionaries will fail; it’s only a question as to when.

I’ll predict November ‘06 as of today, July 10, 2006. If I’m wrong, be sure to stop by and view my apology which I will hyperlink to here if and when it is necessary.

Posted in Democrats, Politics, Traitors | 9 Comments »

The Real Motorcycle Diaries

July 7th, 2006 by Administrator

A list of those killed by Che:

14 executed by Che in the Sierra Maestra during the anti-Batista guerrilla struggle (1957-1958): 1. ARISTIDIO 2. MANUEL CAPITÁN 3. JUAN CHANG 4. “BISCO” ECHEVARRÍA 5. ECHEVARRÍA BROTHER #1 6. ECHEVARRÍA BROTHER #2 7. EUTIMIO GUERRA 8. DIONISIO LEBRIGIO 9. JUAN LEBRIGIO 10. “EL NEGRO” NÁPOLES 11. “CHICHO” OSORIO 12. ONE UNIDENTIFIED TEACHER (“EL MAESTRO) 13.-14. 2 UNIDENTIFIED PEASANTS 10 executed in Santa Clara at Che’s orders in only two days (January 1959): 1. RAMÓN ALBA 2. JOSÉ BARROSO 3. JOAQUÍN CASILLAS 4. FÉLIX CRUZ 5. ALEJANDRO GARCÍA OLAYÓN 6. HÉCTOR MIRABAL 7. J. MIRABAL 8. FÉLIX MONTANO 9. CORNELIO ROJAS 10. VILALLA 156 executed at La Cabaña Fortress prison at Che Guevara’s orders: 1. VILAU ABREU 2. HUMBERTO AGUIAR 3. GERMÁN AGUIRRE 4. PELAYO ALAYÓN 5. JOSÉ LUIS ALFARO 6. PEDRO ALFARO 7. MARIANO ALONSO 8. JOSÉ ALVARO 9. ANIELLA 10. MARIO ARES POLO 11. JOSÉ RAMÓN BACALLAO 12. CEVERINO BARRIOS 13. EUGENIO BÉCQUER 14. FRANCISCO BÉCQUER 15. RAMÓN BISCET 16. ROBERTO CALZADILLA 17. EUFEMIO CANO 18. JUAN CAPOTE FIALLO 19. ANTONIO CARRALERO 20. GERTRUDIS CASTELLANOS 21. JOSÉ CASTAÑO QUEVEDO 22. RAÚL CASTAÑO 23. EUFEMIO CHALA 24. JOSÉ CHAMACE 25. JOSÉ CHAMIZO 26. RAÚL CLAUSELL 27. ÁNGEL CLAUSELL 28. DEMETRIO CLAUSELL 29. JOSÉ CLAUSELL 30. ELOY CONTRERAS 31. ALBERTO CORBO 32. EMILIO CRUZ 33. JUAN FELIPE CRUZ 34. ORESTES CRUZ 35. HUMBERTO CUEVAS 36. CUNY 37. ANTONIO DE BECHE 38. MATEO DELGADO 39. ARMANDO DELGADO 40. RAMÓN DESPAIGNE 41. JOSÉ DÍAZ CABEZAS 42. ANTONIO DUARTE 43. RAMÓN FERNÁNDEZ OJEDA 44. RUDY FERNÁNDEZ 45. FERRÁN ALFONSO 46. SALVADOR FERRERO 47. VICTOR FIGUEREDO 48. EDUARDO FORTE 49. UGARDE GALÁN 50. RAFAEL GARCÍA MUÑIZ 51. ADALBERTO GARCÍA 52. ALBERTO GARCÍA 53. JACINTO GARCÍA 54. EVELIO GASPAR 55. ARMADA GIL Y DIEZ CABEZAS 56. JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ MALAGÓN 57. EVARISTO GONZÁLEZ 58. EZEQUIEL GONZÁLEZ 59. SECUNDINO GONZÁLEZ 60. RICARDO GRAO 61. BONIFACIO GRASSO
62. RICARDO JOSÉ GRAU 63. OSCAR GUERRA 64. JULIÁN HERNÁNDEZ 65. FRANCISCO HERNÁNDEZ LEYVA 66. ANTONIO HERNÁNDEZ 67. GERARDO HERNÁNDEZ 68. OLEGARIO HERNÁNDEZ 69. SECUNDINO HERNÁNDEZ 70. JESÚS INSUA 71. ENRIQUE IZQUIERDO 72. OSMÍN JORRÍN 73. SILVINO JUNCO 74. ENRIQUE LA ROSA 75. IGNACIO LASAPARLA 76. JESÚS LAZO 77. ARIEL LIMA LAGO 78. RAÚL LÓPEZ VIDAL 79. ARMANDO MAS 80. ENERLIO MATA 81. ELPIDIO MEDEROS 82. JOSÉ MEDINAS 83. JOSÉ MESA 84. FIDEL MESQUÍA 85. JUAN MILIÁN 86. FRANCISCO MIRABAL 87. LUIS MIRABAL 88. ERNESTO MORALES 89. PEDRO MOREJÓN 90. DR. CARLOS MUIÑO, MD. 91. CÉSAR NECOLARDES ROJAS 92. VICTOR NECOLARDES ROJAS 93. JOSÉ NUÑEZ 94. VITERBO O’RREILLY 95. FÉLIX OVIEDO 96. MANUEL PANEQUE 97. PEDRO PEDROSO 98. RAFAEL PEDROSO 99. DIEGO PÉREZ CUESTA 100. JUAN PÉREZ 101. DIEGO PÉREZ CRELA 102. JOSÉ POZO 103. EMILIO PUEBLA 104. ALFREDO PUPO 105. SECUNDINO RAMÍREZ 106. RAMÓN RAMOS 107. PABLO RAVELO 108. RUBÉN REY 109. MARIO RISQUELME 110. FERNANDO RIVERA 111. PABLO RIVERA 112. MANUEL RODRÍGUEZ 113. MARCOS RODRÍGUEZ 114. NEMESIO RODRÍGUEZ 115. PABLO RODRÍGUEZ 116. RICARDO RODRÍGUEZ 117. JOSÉ SALDARA 118. PEDRO SANTANA 119. SERGIO SIERRA 120. JUAN SILVA 121. FAUSTO SILVA 122. ELPIDIO SOLER 123. JESÚS SOSA BLANCO 124. RENATO SOSA 125. SERGIO SOSA 126. PEDRO SOTO 127. OSCAR SUÁREZ 128. RAFAEL TARRAGO 129. TEODORO TELLEZ CISNEROS 130. FRANCISCO TELLEZ 131. JOSÉ TIN 132. FRANCISCO TRAVIESO 133. LEONARDO TRUJILLO 134. TRUJILLO 135. LUPE VALDÉS BARBOSA 136. MARCELINO VALDÉS 137. ANTONIO VALENTÍN 138. MANUEL VÁZQUEZ 139. SERGIO VÁZQUEZ 140. VERDECIA 141. DÁMASO ZAYAS *15 additional executions were reported by The New York Times (on 2/6/59, 2/8/59, 3/16/59, and 4/2/59)

Posted in Euroweenies, War | No Comments »

The Wrong Size Glass: Alternative Energy Sources

July 7th, 2006 by Administrator

Donald Sensing, with a little help from Steven Den Beste, considers paving over Georgia, poisoning the world with lead, and frying hang gliders in this post that looks at alternative energy sources.

Posted in America, Politics | No Comments »

New Jersey: Still Closed

July 6th, 2006 by Administrator

Zen koan of the day: If a state government shuts down and nobody notices, is it even necessary?
Ooooohmmmm!

Stay up to date at EnlightenNJ

Posted in America, Politics | No Comments »

CNN Reports on Ken Lay’s Afterlife Experience

July 5th, 2006 by Administrator

Posted in Photoshop Phun | No Comments »

Happy 4th of July 2006

July 4th, 2006 by Administrator

I am proud to be an American.
Thanks, Dad…

Posted in America | No Comments »

Hell’s Newsstand

July 3rd, 2006 by Administrator

Posted in Photoshop Phun | No Comments »

Life in the Nanny State: Fireworks Laws

July 3rd, 2006 by Administrator

This time of year I’m always reminded that I’ve never lived in a place where fireworks were legal. Even growing up as a kid in St. Louis county meant a trip in the backseat of my brother-in-law’s T-bird across the line to lawless Jefferson County, where communities such as Peerless Park and the nearby Valley Park catered to those willing to cross the border with their contraband.

Looking back as a parent, giving explosives and magnesium flares to children makes no sense whatsoever. So why do I miss holding bricks of Black Cat firecrackers and grosses of bottle rockets?

Give a kid a brick of firecrackers and you’ve handed him a night’s worth of mayhem.

Here is a list of things I’ve blown up with firecrackers:

1. Model Airplanes - Before my teens I used to build model airplanes and hang them from my bedroom ceiling. At the age of 13, most of these were blown up in live-action reenactments of Midway, Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Britain.

2. Army Men - Battle of the Bulge the seige of Ke San were reenacted, complete with buried explosives and flung grenades.

3. Crayfish - At the age of 10 I was attacked by a group of jihadi crawdads all wearing suicide vests. Well, actually they were trying to scurry away with lit fireworks on their backs but the results were the same.

4. Copper pipes - Hammer one end of a pipe nearly shut, drop a firecracker in, add rock and bang - instant pellet gun/pipe bomb (if you overdo it)

5. Fingers - By the time I came of age, cherry bombs and M-80s* were just myths: most firecrackers could go off in your hands without anything nastier happening than some light burns and one heck of a sting. Fast fuses in the cheaply made Chinese firecrackers were common, as were the sounds of ZZT, BANG, followed by a boy’s cry for his mother.

For all the fireworks I illegally shot off, for all the bottlerocket fights and mishandling if not downright abuse of them, I never needed more medical attention than a squirt of bactine and a bandaid.

There are still places in America where people can participate in this uniquely American fascination with blowing things up with explosives, and do so without the heavy hand of the Nanny State. As a good parent though, who is not living in a free state, I won’t teach my kid disrespect for the law by driving to a nearby state, picking up a few bricks and grosses and having a blast in my own backyard. But as the cicadas whine and the heat and humidity bear down, I will nurse a healthy resentment for the bureaucrats and do-gooders who keep me from blowing things up behind my stockade fence.

The Nazi advance must be halted, Charlie must be repelled…

*The M-80 was the stuff of legend among boys ages 8-12. We had all heard stories about the power of this explosive, and yearned to find one or make one ourselves. This lead to serious engineering efforts along the lines of a neighborhood Manhattan Project whereby we slit open firecrackers, emptied out their powder onto a piece of newspaper, added a fuze and rolled it as tightly as possible. While these cigar-sized wads usually fizzled, we did get lucky once. Billy Moore: We hardly knew ye…

Posted in Bush | 2 Comments »

To Gitmo or Not to Gitmo

June 30th, 2006 by Administrator

Summary of NPR discussions over the past day following the Supreme Court Hamdan decision:

Reporter A: Human rights groups want Guantanamo Bay facilities closed. The US Military wants Guantanamo Bay facilities closed.

Reporter B: What would happen to the 450 detainees?

Reporter A: Some would be jailed elsewhere, but most would be sent home. However, many of those who would be sent home would face torture, imprisonment or in some cases, death.

B: So many of them wouldn’t want to be sent home.

A: Correct. And no other country wants them. Some human rights groups believe that due to media attention, these detainees are safer in Guantanamo Bay than they would be if they were in fact released.

I’m sure Saudi Arabia would know how to handle them.

My question: What does the left want to happen to these terrorists? They don’t want them at Gitmo, and they don’t want them sent home….

I know! How about placing them under house arrest in Lefty homes? I’m sure multi-millionaire Noam Chomsky could afford luxurious accomodations. Ditto the short, fat Dixie Chick and Barbara Streisand. Heck, maybe they could score heroin for the lead singer of Green Day too by calling their buddies back in Afghanistan.

Posted in Politics, Traitors, War | No Comments »