For anybody still up (midnight here in California) ABC News is reporting that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a bombing raid by US forces tonight.
What I find interesting about all this is that as of this moment (about ten minutes after I turned on the broadcast to see the report of Zarqawi’s death), neither Drudge nor ABC News’s own website have anything to say about it. Hmpf! I thought the Internet was faster than that!
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Instapundit posted a link to this astounding video of a radio-controlled model plane. I never really understood the attraction of radio-controlled cars and planes (model trains I like), but after seeing what this guy does with his plane, I’m seeing the attraction, oh yes.
Cobra maneuver be damned — this thing’s incredible! Crank the sound to get the full effect — it’s like watching ice skating at the Olympics….
As everyone is probably painfully aware, Seattle is the Coffee Capital of the nation. We manufacture, distribute and probably drink more coffee here than any other major metropolitan center in the US.
Which makes this new find an explanation of some of the weirdness
Drinking coffee makes you more open-minded
The coffee you drink as a pick-me-up in the morning could also make you more open to persuasion, researchers say. Evidence from a new study suggests that this happens because caffeine revs up the brain, not because it generally boosts mood.
Previous studies have show that consuming caffeine can improve one’s attention and enhance cognitive performance, with 200 milligrams (equivalent to two cups of coffee) being the optimal dose.
Moderate doses of caffeine can also make you more easily convinced by arguments that go against your beliefs, say Pearl Martin of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and her colleagues.
In fact, if this turns out to be true, I bet this broad has an IV set up
We need another Jimmy Carter for president
Amelia Veneziano, Staff Writer, The Daily Evergreen
The longest day of my short life occurred a week and a half ago. At some point while I slept in Pullman, the sun rose Thursday morning. That evening, I watched the gray sky fade from the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. On the road back to Pullman, the early morning rays lit up the sky again on the hill down into Washtucna.
It was a long road trip.
What was the purpose of this borderline insane trip? Former President Jimmy Carter, of course.
Eighteen members of the WSU Young Democrats had an important meeting with the man who is, arguably, the last honorable president in recent memory — and by recent, I mean since the 1960’s. Carter was clean, moral and honest. He worked hard to restore the presidency to its former glory. Though he served just four years, he successfully turned the nation around. His Baptist faith was a main part of his administration, but he didn’t use it to minimalize anyone else.
In this day and age of government corruption and executive powers running rampant, we need a new Carter
We need a new Carter like we need a nuke going off, which would almost be guaranteed to happen if someone like Carter got into the Oval Office.
If you think you recognize the name of the paper, you’re probably pretty close. Mz. Veneziano writes for the school paper at the Evergreen State College, in Olympia.
Do you remember those protests in Olympia I wrote about last week, the one with the pic of the rather large truck driver about to rip some dingleberry protester’s nuts off like a paper towel?
This is the school they go to.
Rachel ‘St. Pancake’ Corrie’s alma matter.
Great bunch of folks, huh?
Our good man in Canada, Mugwug, has created some artwork worthy of linkage
It is so true, it hurts.
He’ll be posting them at his blog, Moral Flexibility, on Fridays. This was from last Friday.
Well, everyone who is sane, anyway.
Timber-salmon plan gets federal go-ahead
In one of the most sweeping deals of its kind in the nation, federal officials Monday agreed to shield timber companies and forest landowners from provisions of the Endangered Species Act for 50 years if they follow new state rules to protect salmon when logging.
The contentious, hard-fought agreement grew out of rules approved by the state Legislature in 1999 that will govern 9.3 million acres of public and private state forest land. The rules will require loggers to leave more trees near streams, reduce timber harvest on unstable slopes and control runoff on private land across the state.
In exchange, the government will give the state’s thousands of participating landowners assurances that they won’t be required to further restrict use of their land to save fish.
The blueprint, known formally as a Habitat Conservation Plan, and its organizers were praised by officials from the state, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, who consider it the only way to ensure salmon and timber harvesting can both survive in rural Washington.
Because of the eco-socialist cult, landowners have had to ask permission of cry, loud flatulence near stream on their land for the last couple decades. That, combined with ever changing regulation, sometimes just depending on the whim of a particular inspector and his tape measure, landowners have left their lands to become fire hazards.
Both sides, the landowners and the government, are happy. Business will move forward and life for loggers and sawmills and government inspectors will stop being such a pain in the ass.
Which means that the eco-socialist cult is incredible pissed off.
But environmentalists, who backed out of initial negotiations seven years ago claiming their positions would never be seriously considered, remain deeply skeptical that the program will work as designed.
“Our concern is that it is nowhere near protective enough,” said environmentalist Glen Spain, of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen. “Will this adequately protect the state’s fish runs? That’s a big open question.”
Miguel Perez-Gibson, a policy adviser for a collection of conservation groups known as the Forest and Fish Conservation Caucus, said, “while this plan is a step in the right direction, we want it to be able to adjust to new biology and new science.”
Basically, they want to change it when they can come up with (or fabricate) some proof that the fishies MIGHT be in danger.
The whole of the US is in danger from terrorism (or, in days past, communism), that is absolutely not a problem. In fact, it is just a neo-con conspiracy to frighten everyone. But slow down the flow of a stream where the little fishies will be affected, and holy shiznit, they’ll work to strip you of your land, livelyhood and see if they can stick some jailtime in there too.
They’re priorities are just one of the things they’ve got screwed up.
Yesterday morning, I took a little trip over to see Walter and Jessica Gaya’s bakery that David posted on last week.
 (clickee for mondo-size)
Easy to find and with plenty of parking, even at 8am in downtown Tacoma, the Corina Bakery is a place I should not visit too often if I want to keep the ‘ol Doc in a good mood (but that’s his problem, not mine, so I’m going).
The smell that hits you as you enter the door is one that will send you to your knees with pure bliss. They were already cooking and still getting set up as I walked in and I let them know I’d be happy to wait while they brought out the goodies.
Neither Walter or Jessica were there at that time; from the info I got from the nice young lady working behind the counter, they both come in a little later in the day. I will adjust my time for my next trip.
The Corina is not a large place, as you can see in the picture above, but as I watched the ladies fill the display cases that stretch nearly all the way across the store with treat after delectable treat, I could only hope that I wasn’t wearing too odd and expression.
I ended up walking out with a piece of apple pie, a piece of tripple layer Devil’s Food cake and two peices of Chocolate Cheesecake. The portions on each were rather sizable and the Devil’s Food slice was probably the heaviest piece of cake I’ve ever hefted.
The RNS Food Review gives the Corina Bakery the maximum 5-Stars for taste, texture, and all around “Good Lord, that could have been too delicious!”
I ate the Apple Pie for breakfast when I got home. The ultra-thin layer of carmelized sugar across the top of the pie made it perfect. I had the Devil’s Food for desert last night and, to be completely honest, I couldn’t finish it, even though I waited for my stomach to make some room. Co-worker, Tits McGhee, was working early and had the remainder for breakfast. She asked twice if I was sure I had only brought one piece.
I’m eating the Cheesecake right now and, while my cheesecakes get rave reviews from everyone who has tried them, I feel humbled by this creation. Smooth, rich and if I didn’t know any better, taken out of the Corina ovens by angelic beings (actually, the young lady who helped me yesterday morning was a cutie, but I’m married and not supposed to notice that).
The Corina Bakery is located at 510 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA. 98402Â (click the addy for a mapquest link)
They are located just north of the County/City Building and the Tacoma Public Library. The whole of Tacoma is going through a sort of rebirth and the Corina Bakery has arrived just in time. Their block and those surrounding it are revitalizing and that whole area will probably be as close to new as you can get by the end of summer.
I’m guessing that they do one hell of a lunch business and probably a sizable “Just getting off work and need something for desert” business, and I see no reason for it to ever slow. Because of that, I won’t be expecting to hold either Walter or Jessica’s attention for more than a quick “Thank you for your sacrifice” or other compliment. Though, if I was able to say more than that, I’d be quite grateful.
Walter has what looks to be a couple of the photos of his time in Iraq on the wall behind the register. Above that are the very reasonable prices per slice. If you would like a whole cake of whatever variety, you should probably call beforehand.
Here’s the low-down on getting Corina Baked Goodies without living in Washington: Right now, you can’t (neener!), but Walt sees the demand and is working on it. I’ll let you know as soon as I do. I was told by the lady behind the counter that I was the dozenth person to ask and that they’ve been fielding phone calls since Michael Yon’s piece was posted.
RNS Co-Poster, David, was one of those calls and yesterday he got a message back from Walter confirming they’re working on it and that while cakes and pies are probably not a good thing to hand off to FedEx or UPS, Lemon Bars, Cookies, Brownies and Muffins woudl probably survive the shippers handling quite well.
Again, either David or I will let you know when we are told, and if I have to transcribe the offered items, I will do so.
If you do live in the Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia area and have a sweet tooth (and if you don’t, what’s wrong with you?), make a special trip to a special place owned and operated by a very special husband and wife team.
If you don’t, it can only be considered as your loss.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote this note
“Our landings in the Cherbourg-Le Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone.”Â
Due to the strength and determination of the American soldier, along with smaller contingents of soldiers from other nations, Ike never had to tell anyone about it.
There were large numbers of dead and wounded, even before sunrise on this day, 62 years ago. On the beaches, in the farmer’s fields and along the hedgerows.
There were massive intelligence failures; the numbers of German troops in places they weren’t supposed to be, and sending 225 Rangers up the cliffs of Point Du Hoc to knock out a group of heavy artillery pieces that weren’t actually there. 135 of those 225 were either killed or badly wounded that morning, trying to achieve their objective. The 90 who were still able to move did eventually find the artillery pieces, miles away from where they were told they would be, and destroyed them.
There were logisitcal failures; shells from ships off the Normandy Coast falling short; bombs from aircraft missing half of their targets due to bad weather; the anti-aircraft artillery firing on the transport planes, causing them to veer off course and drop the Airborne units miles from their objectives, into trees where German troops shot them while they tried to free themselves from their gear, or into flooded fields where the weight of their gear drowned the soldiers; some soldiers hit the ground with nothing but their combat knifes and they had to kill enemy soldiers to get their hands on a weapon.
In today’s world, even with gaining the Allied foothold on the Normandy Coast, the press and the opposition party would have called for Eisenhower’s head on a platter with his stars in a gravy boat.
They would have demanded we retreat from our foothold and offer apologies to the Nazi forces, if for nothing else than for attacking while Rommel was away at his wife’s birthday party and causing him to have to leave early.
But, luckily for us and for history, that never happened. I can only hope for the same outcome today. The men and women fighting today will be the next Greatest Generation, if only we can hold out against those both home and abroad who long to see us lose.
I got an email or two asking about the measurements I used in my post yesterday about happenings at work.
If you’d like to follow me below the fold, I shall instruct. Keep them handy for your next review or request for a pay raise. (not safe for anyone)
The Dems aren’t happy with just saying Iraq is like Vietnam, they have to come up with the same stories too.
Now that they have a possible My Lai with Haditha, they are feeling good enough to start dropping the drug references.
In December, NEWSWEEK interviewed some Army soldiers going home as conscientious objectors. To fight boredom and disgust, said Clif Hicks, who had left a tank squadron at Camp Slayer in Baghdad, soldiers popped Benzhexol, five pills at time. Normally used to treat Parkinson’s disease, the drug is a strong hallucinogenic when abused. “People were taking steroids, Valium, hooked on painkillers, drinking. They’d go on raids and patrols totally stoned.” Hicks, who volunteered at the age of 17i, said, “We’re killing the wrong people all the time, and mostly by accident. One guy in my squadron ran over a family with his tank.”
Hicks’s own revulsion peaked while he was on patrol in January 2004. He came upon a bloody scene in a Baghdad housing project, where some soldiers had mistaken celebratory shots fired at a wedding for an attack, returning heavy fire and killing a young girl. “I looked in the door and she was dead, shot through the neck, Mom there, Grandma there, all losing it. Then I started thinking, this is really f—ed up, this is horribly wrong.” Hicks stopped taking his malaria pills, hoping he’d get sick and shipped out. He says that infantry soldiers sometimes stick their legs out of the Humvee under sniper fire, hoping to get a nonlethal wound.
Hicks claims that “there’s a lot of guys who steal from the Iraqis. Money, family heirlooms, and then they brag about it. Guys would crap into MRE bags and throw them to old men begging for food.”
I have the feeling I’m the one being fed crap here.
Found, of course, at the DUMB (Democratic Underground Message Board)
(Alternative title: How I get away with dirty jokes at work)
My employer is a multinational corporation. Recently, corporate whipped some new service standards by which each division has work by. Seeing as how our division was already kicking ass and taking names, we pretty much already met these standards, but there were a couple that had compliance numbers so high, we had to bust our hump to meet them.
After we did so, the middle managers realized that in order to keep those and the rest of the numbers up to corporate’s requirements, we’d need to bring an additional person into the office. So they sent off their ‘New Employee Request’ forms, probably in quadruplicate from what I’ve heard about the head office’s tight-fistedness these days.
A couple weeks later, lo and behold, we have our new emlpoyee. She was your typical office drone: late 20’s/early 30’s, types at an ungodly rate, a coffee junkie, though not a bad looker. The boss-lady tells us she is to learn a particular job and will then be handed off to each of us in turn to learn as much about our jobs and the computer system as possible.
