Misfiring Synapeses?

Posted on August 23, 2007 by Phil Kadath

I can think of a couple of other reasons for what Steve Benen wrote over at the Carpetbagger, but they’re rather uncomplimentary.

He blathers on and on about the problem of toys coming in from China with lead in the paint and points scathing fingers at “The Market” as the reason consumers are buying potentially poisonous products and as the only receptacle for blame in the letting down of consumers.

He then spends the rest of his post relaying how the federal government, who is supposed to be regulating this stuff, and not “The Market”, for letting this stuff through.

Does he seriously think that the government is “The Market”? And if so, does his readership think the same?

And if so, should people that stupid be allowed to vote?

“The Market” is taking care of the problem. People are slamming the brakes on their buying of Chinese products and Chinese manufacturing plant owners/managers are “committing suicide just before the Chinese police arrive”.

That should clean up those bad Chinese imports real damn quick.

Posted in Dare To Be Stupid | 2 Comments

Unstoppable plague kills thousands

Posted on August 23, 2007 by Alaska

…in the World of Warcraft computer-gaming environment, that is. Coverage here and here. I guess this incident happened in 2005, but now researchers are studying the “outbreak” for insights into real-world human responses to such things.
I haven’t played a computer game since about 1995, so as far as this WOW thing’s concerned I’m pretty much like Angela in this comic. Clueless.

Any RNS readers’ WOW characters get whacked by the plague?

Posted in Armageddon | Leave a comment

Linkfest

Posted on August 23, 2007 by Alaska

Over at the Skeptical Optimist, some new developments towards what would be the most effective anti-terror weapon — improved batteries.

Fred Thompson wrote a book a few years ago about his experiences during Watergate. Salon looks through it to try to find damaging material. Well, they may think it’s damaging. I don’t.

In the new issue of the Blue Press from Dillon, there’s an article by Marko Kloos, “Why the Gun IS Civilization,” that’s really well-written. Money quotes:

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force.

…In a truly moral and civilized society, …[f]orce has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

Emphasis mine. You can read Marko’s blog here. Seems worth a look.

Posted in Kewel!, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

RNS Quote of the Day, 08/23/07

Posted on August 23, 2007 by Alaska

More from the Reagan Diaries:

Friday, May 1 [1981]

More meetings with Congressmen. Highlight was noon visit by Prince Charles. He’s a most likeable person. The ushers brought him tea — horror of horrors they served it our way with a tea bag in the cup. It finally dawned on me that he was just holding the cup & then finally put it down on a table. I didn’t know what to do. Mike escorted him back to the W.H. and apologized. The Prince, “I didn’t know what to do with it.” Betty Wilson & the Prices came by in the afternoon. Why does that just make me more homesick?

–Ronald Reagan

Posted in Quote of the Day | Leave a comment

Not my kind of axe

Posted on August 22, 2007 by Phil Kadath

But cool nonetheless

6_o.jpg

As you can see by the name on the neck, that is Uncle Ted Nugent’s guitar.

More unique guitars here.

Found at Samizdata, where you can also see Russian Thug/President Putin campaigning for the gay vote.

Posted in Kewel! | 2 Comments

Wait for it

Posted on August 22, 2007 by Phil Kadath

By now, most of you have probably already heard about the FBI request for information on these two men, seen acting suspiciously on multiple Washington State Ferry boats

ferryfbi.jpg

While I did hear about this and was going to post on it, after reading a couple of the local leftist blogs, I’d decided to wait for something I knew to be inevitable:

One of the local media outlets refusing to post the above pitcure.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper has refused to run the picture on the grounds that the FBI’s want to speak to these men is akin to racial profiling.

I have always assumed that the “Post” in the newspaper’s title was defined as “After” instead of a “Public Announcement” as most folks mistake it for,

It seems I’m right in that respect as well.

Posted in Useful Idiots | 5 Comments

Back to the Future

Posted on August 22, 2007 by Phil Kadath

Quite literally.

Steven Wynne of Humble, TX is bringing the DeLorean back.

Though, while the 2.85 liter PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) engine was well designed, lightweight and reliable as the sunrise, it’s disgustingly puny 135HP was a big disappointment (a conversion for the GM 4.3L V6 is out there, but sets off the car’s excellent balance).

Good luck to Mr. Wynne.

Posted in Kewel! | 3 Comments

Good News on the Fred Front

Posted on August 22, 2007 by Alaska

There’s been a lot of action in the Fred Dalton Thompson camp, much of it fundraising activities that were not particularly visible to most folks unless they had already contributed or signed up as a Friend of Fred. More recently, though Fred’s been making more public appearances. He gave a decent speech to the VFW that’s currently running on C-SPAN and at the much-improved Imwithfred.com website, made an appearance in Iowa, and has generally stepped up his on-the-ground presence.

All this finally seems to have pushed the NewsHour to decide that he’s worth covering, so they ran a segment on Fred last night. (Realaudio and MP3 here; transcript not up yet but check back during the day.)
The good news is that the NewsHour interviewee flatly stated that Fred’s “people” are saying that he will announce shortly after Labor Day. That’s been a persistent rumor, but this is the most authoritative statement of a date I’ve heard so far.

In addition, she mentioned that he’s accepted an invitation to join a Republican candidates’ debate on September 5th, which would indicate to me the announcement has got to be the 4th.

Also Alphecca notes FDT’s backhanded slap at Giuliani over the 2nd Am. here.

Anyway, our patience is about to be rewarded, folks!

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

RNS Quote of the Day, 08/22/07

Posted on August 22, 2007 by Alaska

From the Reagan Diaries, a long one:

Thursday, April 23

…Last night watched the NBC Special on our first 100 days. If only Bobby Burns had waited for TV he would never have written “If only we had the gift to see ourselves as others see us.”

Attached is a script of a letter I wrote to Brezhnev by hand.

My dear Mr. President

I’m sorry to be so long in answering your letter to me and can only offer as an excuse the problems of settling into a routine after my hospitalization. I ask your pardon. 

I won’t attempt a point by point response to your letter because I agree with your observation that these matters are better discussed in person than in writing. Needless to say we are not in agreement on a number of points raised in both my letter and yours.

There is one matter however which I feel I must bring to your attention. All information having to do with my gov’ts practices & policies past & present is available to me now that I hold this office. I have thoroughly investigated the matter of the man Scharansky an inmate in one of your prisons. I can assure you he was never involved in any way with any agency of the U.S. gov’t. I have seen news stories in the Soviet press suggesting that he was engaged in espionage for our country. Let me assure you this is absolutely false. 

Recently his wife called upon me. They were married and spent one day together before she emigrated to Israel assuming that he would follow shortly thereafter. I believe true justice would be done if he were released and allowed to join her. 

If you could find it in your heart to do this the matter would be strictly between us which is why I’m writing this letter by hand.

While on this subject may I also enter a plea on behalf of the two familys [sic] who have been living in most uncomfortable circumstances in our embassy in Moscow for three years. The _______ family & the _______ are Pentacostal [sic] Christians who feared possible persecution because of their religion. Members of that church in America would, I know, provide for them here if they were allowed to come to the U.S. 

Again as in the case of Scharansky this is between the two of us and I will not reveal that I made any such request. I’m sure however you understand that such actions on your part would lessen my problems in future negotiations between our two countries.

Sincerely

–Ronald Reagan

Natan Sharansky was not freed until 1986.

Posted in Quote of the Day | 1 Comment

I do so very much appreciate it

Posted on August 21, 2007 by Phil Kadath

When a guy I’ve been laughing at for years finally writes something ignorant enough to get himself laughed at by nearly the entire blogosphere.

Here is racist, and now sexist, hatemonger David Neiwert’s post on masculinity.

And here is Jeff at Protein Wisdom completely demolishing the aforementioned post.

Here’s Neiwert’s actual blog, which is should be mentioned, where he didn’t even have the “masculinity” to post about masculinity. Notice the top post, where he realizes he managed to somehow put his foot in his mouth while simultaneously suffering from rectal-cranial impaction, and won’t debate his original post.

On another note, the video’s I linked to last week which supposedly depicted a member of the Minutemen shooting at and/or killing illegal border crossers, which I discovered via Neiwert’s blog, have been proven to be complete fakes.

Not only did I call it right, so did commentors Fred and Michael. Three people who actually have experience in either dealing with the Minutemen or are friends with members, knew this was a hoax designed to cast a shoadow on the group’s excellent and restrained work.

Neiwert, who claims to know about the Minutemen and their racist ways, was wrong to even post about these videos until there was confirmation one way or the other.

And that is why he earns the title “Hatemonger” and deserves to be laughed at.

Posted in Freaks, Mutants, and Morons | 2 Comments