This is too touching for words: Iraqi Soldiers Donate to Katrina Victims.
(via Malkin)

And this article on the "bad working conditions" at Wal-Mart reads like a Scrappleface entry. What a joke.

Posted by: Sarah at 02:14 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Interesting discussion on subtle racism at Annika's
Interesting article on "the story that no one is reporting" about Katrina

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Wanna see some photos of white people cackling and rubbing their hands together as black people drown in New Orleans? Sorry, I don't have any. All I've got are these photos of human beings helping each other.

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Some Thoughts on Casualties in Times of War and Peace

The media's breathless tabulation of casualties in Iraq--now, over 1,800 deaths--is generally devoid of context. Here's some context: between 1983 and 1996, 18,006 American military personnel died accidentally in the service of their country. That death rate of 1,286 per year exceeds the rate of combat deaths in Iraq by a ratio of nearly two to one.

The Grunts...and The Press...

The Grunts aren't Rhodes Scholars, but they have seen the press show its ass. Their jobs have been made harder because some idiot with a typewriter decided that his right to shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater overrode the simple human decency of restraint.

Col. Thomas Spoehr is annoyed

Spoehr is the director of materiel on the Army staff. He had a good news story to tell [reporter Michael] Moss, which Moss converted into a bad news story.

Most of these links are taken from or found via Conservative Grapevine. You really should check it out every day; John Hawkins consistently finds gems on blogs I've never even heard of.

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Mark Steyn: Mugged by reality? (via RWN)
This Will Make You Proud (via my dad)

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Aid to Africa
The Left doesn't support the troops and should admit it

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1 Typical right-wing thinking, Prager is an utter pin-head, you think the mission is FUBAR, but you can't support the troops? Praytell me then what was the "care package" I sent to the Army about?? I think the troops should not be in Iraq, but if the miserable pile of excrement that is our government insists on placing them in harms way I can send some stuff to them to make their time a little easier, doesn't mean I approve of the mission foisted upon them though. What a schmuck.

Posted by: Bubba Bo Bob Brain at July 14, 2005 08:04 PM (aHbua)

2 Oh yeah Sarah, Go ask some of the "chickenhawks" how much they have sent to Iraq to "support the troops". I bet you'll be surprised at the answers you get.

Posted by: Bubba Bo Bob Brain at July 14, 2005 08:08 PM (aHbua)

3 There is one clear sense in which I think all Americans support the troops, which is that we wish for their well-being. I support the troops in another sense, too; I fervently hope that their efforts to patch Iraq together into some kind of functioning society succeed. But I do think it was foolish to launch the war when and as we did, and I continue to say so. Does this mean that I don't support the troops in the sense that you care about? It isn't hard to find quotes on the net where conservatives (including people in the Administration now, like Cheney) criticized the decision to deploy forces in the Balkans. This even while fighting was taking place. Does this mean that THEY failed to support the troops?

Posted by: Pericles at July 14, 2005 10:13 PM (hHudX)

4 Conservative voices from 1999 on the war in the Balkans. http://slate.msn.com/default.aspx?id=27730

Posted by: Pericles at July 14, 2005 11:46 PM (hHudX)

5 Gee, Bubba: I thought the point of supporting the troops was... supporting the troops, and not bragging about how great you were for doing it.

Posted by: Patrick Chester at July 14, 2005 11:56 PM (74cXW)

6 There are plenty of people on the Left who do not wish for our servicemembers' well-being: Democratic Underground is full of them. A perfect example was the thread I hope the bloodshed continues: The only way to get rid of this slime bag WASP-Mafia, oil barron ridden cartel of a government, this assault on Americans and anything one could laughingly call "a democracy", relies heavily on what a shit hole Iraq turns into. They need to die so that we can be free. Soldiers usually did that directly--i.e., fight those invading and harming a country. This time they need to die in defense of a lie from a lying adminstration to show these ignorant, dumb Americans that Bush is incompetent. They need to die so that Americans get rid of this deadly scum. It is obscene, Barbie Bush, how other sons (of much nobler blood) have to die to save us from your Rosemary's Baby spawn and his ungodly cohorts.

Posted by: Sarah at July 15, 2005 01:18 AM (ujwCC)

7 You can't pull some random quote from a place like Democatic Underground and take that to be representative of how "the Left" thinks. Or even significant portions of people on the Left. That is no more fair than my going to Free Republic or Little Green Footballs (?) and choosing the nuttiest thing someone posted there and saying "This is how conservatives think." From a site like that, you can't even be sure that the craziest quotes don't come people who are actually on the opposite side of the spectrum, trying to discredit their opponents by making them look like whackos. That post you quoted might have come from Karl Rove. In criticizing a view held at most by some weird fringe element, you are arguing with a strawman. There are plenty of serious-minded critics of the war; it would be a better use of time to engage their arguments. When people you love are risking their lives in a war, I can understand how it must be frustrating to hear people say things like "This was the wrong war." or "Even if it was the right war, it was the wrong plan." But don't shoot the messenger. And don't think that it means that the people saying these things have less respect for people in uniform.

Posted by: Pericles at July 15, 2005 08:06 AM (hHudX)

8 So here's how you support your view of the LEFT: You link to Vodka Pundit who links to Sullivan who links to a message board (Democratic Underground) on which anyone can post anything. That explains everything. You need to get out more.

Posted by: Dave at July 17, 2005 12:36 PM (19PZO)

9 Hey Chesty, I didn't mention it to brag, but rather to point out how specious the argument raised by Prager is. As usual the right manages to mis-interperate the most simple of sentence constructions.

Posted by: Aging Veteran at July 17, 2005 09:33 PM (aHbua)

10 Stupid comments wouldn't give me my usual nick-name, and e-mail.

Posted by: Bubba Bo Bob Brain at July 17, 2005 09:35 PM (aHbua)

11 Sarah, Nobody expects you to standup to the flak you're getting here. But I hope you at least think about it.

Posted by: Dave at July 18, 2005 12:36 AM (h40yz)

12 Bubba wrote: "Hey Chesty, I didn't mention it to brag, but rather to point out how specious the argument raised by Prager is." Uh huh... and your saying "I have put off paying bills to send supplies to the troops" combined with attacking all the icky people who disagree with you as not sending much isn't bragging? Pull the other one, it's got bells on it. Hm. I wonder where I said I was on the right or the left? Oh wait, I didn't. Are you claiming to be on the left? If so, I will address you as such. Otherwise, I don't need to know your political leanings to know you're just another loudmouthed little braggart.

Posted by: Patrick Chester at July 18, 2005 01:36 AM (MKaa5)

13 Chesty I dare your ass to come to Clementon NJ and say that to my face. First, after I disply my DD214 to you I'll proceed to feed it to you ok?? You will discover that I do not brag when I say: "I take shit from no man, woman, child, small mammal, or vending machine".

Posted by: Bubba Bo Bob Brain at July 18, 2005 07:59 PM (aHbua)

14 Main Entry: brag·gart Pronunciation: 'bra-g&rt Function: noun : a loud arrogant boaster Odd, how I never said anything about whether or not you'd been in the military and discharged yet here you are using it in a threat against my well-being. Oh well.

Posted by: Patrick Chester at July 18, 2005 11:10 PM (MKaa5)

15 Typical mouthy blog coward eh Chesty? Only further illustrates the "Chickenhawk" meme.

Posted by: B at July 19, 2005 12:03 AM (aHbua)

16 Odd. You emailed me and offered to take this to email. How unsurprising that you did it after making your last post. Ah well. Make one last post, I guess. I am through with you on this topic.

Posted by: Patrick Chester at July 19, 2005 01:10 AM (MKaa5)

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ItÂ’s All About 9/11

I'm not getting much computer time these days because Charlie can't climb stairs, and when I do bring him upstairs he 1) chews on the computer cords or 2) thinks "upstairs" is "outside" and piddles. I'm trying to read stuff as fast as I can while he takes his little naps, but I'm finding it hard to concentrate.

And I miss Bunker a lot these days; I keep coming up with things I want to discuss with him.

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Heh. Kelo is about to bite one of the Supreme Court justices in the butt. How deliciously crafty this proposal is:

The proposed development, called "The Lost Liberty Hotel" will feature the "Just Desserts Café" and include a museum, open to the public, featuring a permanent exhibit on the loss of freedom in America. Instead of a Gideon's Bible each guest will receive a free copy of Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged."

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We were careless once, and thousands of people died. Let us not make the same mistake again.

Thus ends Varifrank's post. (Erin, you're gonna like this one.)

Posted by: Sarah at 02:18 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I don't even know what to say about this story: Grieving 9/11 Widow Spends Almost $5 Million. Glad to know that all the money we donated to 9-11 funds went to a good cause, right? Perhaps I'm a part-owner of one of this woman's $5000 purses.

At least I had this story to read afterwards and restore my faith in humanity: A long shot in more ways than one brings a town to tears

Posted by: Sarah at 03:56 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Right Wing News has a good round-up today. Just go to his blog and go down the grey list on the right.

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I had five Varifrank blog entries to catch up on today, and I can't say which is my favorite. You just need to go to his blog and start reading from the top. Make sure you go all the way down to "I got your desecration right here pal" if you haven't already read it.

I can point out a certain bit that made me chuckle: Varifrank's advice to the EU constitution writers...

First, get an Englishman to write your constitution. It worked for us; it can work for you too! President Valery Giscard DÂ’estang? What were you thinking? For godsÂ’ sake, the French can write 2000 pages on the various color of apples without breaking a sweat. Its not getting them to talk thatÂ’s the trick, itÂ’s getting them to shut up. You donÂ’t put a Scotsman in the kitchen, you donÂ’t put a Frenchman near a pen and paper, its one of lifeÂ’s little rules.

I know exactly what he means, for I've been forced to read Marcel Proust.

Posted by: Sarah at 04:08 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Tanker Schreiber shared a good article with me: The green card mercenaries

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Via RWN I found an interesting calculator that shows you how you'd fare under President Bush's Social Security reforms.

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I was thinking about civility again this morning and I remembered Den Beste's post on Thomas Dewey. It's worth reading again.

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Man, I wish I could punch Saddam in the face!

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My first instinct is to say something extremely rude to Ms. Gyllenhaal. All I can think of saying after reading this disgusting article are some pretty choice insults. I'll leave them to your imagination...

Posted by: Sarah at 08:45 AM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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1 I know, I felt the same way. Then I got to this sentence: "The 27-year-old vaulted to stardom after appearing in "Secretary" as a mousy assistant." HAHAHAHAHA! Vaulted to stardom in "Secretary" - what a crack-up. Clearly a not-too-well thought out publicity plan. What a dolt. Hey, and wasn't she in that other runaway hit, "Mona Lisa Smile?" Yep, a rip roarin' career on the horizon for this little airhead.

Posted by: Oda Mae at April 25, 2005 09:41 AM (FmIVz)

2 Oda Mae, You've got to stop thinking like one of them right-wingers. Success in Hollywood is not measured by (snort) money. Heavens, no. Oh no, did I say something r-religious? Seriously, I suspect that line about vaulting to "stardom" (hah!) is taken straight from her publicist's press release. The idea, I suppose, is that if one keeps saying one is a star, others will eventually believe it. Hey, it worked for Angelyne: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelyne "Angelyne is an icon of Hollywood and Los Angeles best known for purchasing billboards advertising herself." A look at Gyllenhaal's bio allows one to speculate about the "root causes" of her ... views: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0350454/bio "Niece of Eric Foner." Search on Foner's name at frontpagemag.com and you'll get hits like this: Ronald Radosh: "And Eric Foner, Columbia University’s most prominent historian and President of the American Historical Association, writes that he is 'not sure which is more frightening: the horror that engulfed New York City or the apocalyptic rhetoric emanating daily from the White House.' Evidently President Bush’s admonition that we 'rid the world of evil-doers' is seen as equally dangerous by Foner as the terrorist attack that killed nearly 7000 of our countrymen [Sexist™!]. The pen might be mightier than the sword; but this time, the sword was a domestic airliner turned into a lethal explosive weapon. Yet Foner is worried about our response. Perhaps he thinks that a world of 'evil-doers' is to be taken lightly, and that if we only address their legitimate concerns, all will be well. No wonder Foner hopes that our 'allies …impose some restraint on the White House.'" Back to her IMDb bio: "grew up in Los Angeles where she and her brother attended the prestigious Harvard-Westlake prep school." "Earned a B.A. in English from Columbia University (1999)" She must have been a GOOD student. She still participates in the small-r right extracurricular activities: "During the 2003 Academy Awards, she wore a peace sign pin in support of the organization Artists United to Win Without War." And she is clearly a product of meritocracy: "The first six movies she made ... were all directed by her father." "To promote her film, Secretary (2002), she posed for Playboy." She lives up to this quote of hers: "There is a need, especially right now in America, to be a bit provocative."

Posted by: Amritas at April 25, 2005 11:51 AM (+nV09)

3 James Hudnall says Gyllenhaal has "the intellectual prowess of a lobotomized chimp." http://jameshudnall.com/blog.php?/weblog/imbecile_ahoy/ Ah, no wonder Bush's enemies compare him to a chimp. It's projection!

Posted by: Amritas at April 25, 2005 02:38 PM (+nV09)

4 Ya know I don't see what the big deal is, she is after-all entitled to her opinion. Besides which, she does have a bit of a point, our history ain't all that squeaky clean, and filled with only good deeds. Oh oops I forgot that is relativism, and that makes me a "traitor", even though I served six years in the United States Air Force...... Yeahhhh riiiight. Makes me all the more aware of how poorly we teach history, especially our own.

Posted by: Bubba Bo Bob Brain at April 25, 2005 08:07 PM (aHbua)

5 Yeah, Bubba, thousands of innocent people should be killed by Islamo-Fascists because of George Custer! Right on, Duuuude!!! Tell it to the man! Speaking of education, you aren't going to get a gold star until you finish coloring all those books you read.

Posted by: James Hudnall at April 26, 2005 02:49 PM (FV8Tp)

6 No one has said she was not entitled to her opinion, just that her opinion, like your opinion, was a drizzling shit piece of stupidity.

Posted by: Walter E. Wallis at April 26, 2005 04:48 PM (MBCZx)

7 Well well, I offer a rather neutral stance and I still get excoriated by a couple right wing no-nothing asshats. Look at our recent history you two buffoons, and tell me again why the third world should look on us as this benevolent nation. We are hated for a frigging reason, and whether or not you think the reasons valid, we need to address those reasons before we continue. Then again, these thoughts make me a "treasonous-liberal". Shame your both too stupid to recognize sarcasm, when presented.

Posted by: B at April 26, 2005 08:08 PM (aHbua)

8 So you think you're a treasonous liberal? I never said you were, neither did anyone else in this thread. "Shame your both too stupid to recognize sarcasm, when presented." Talking to yourself is the first sight of dementia.

Posted by: James Hudnall at April 26, 2005 11:14 PM (FV8Tp)

9 I have made a new practice out of MSM, celebruty etc.....who?

Posted by: ArmyWifeToddlerMom at April 27, 2005 05:08 PM (1EA2I)

10 The thing that most annoys me is that some empty-headed micro-celeb, who likely will be referred to as "Maggie Who?" five years from now, can use the bully pulpit of that momentary celebrity to bray whatever mindless pap they wish, and it will be accorded some small measure of weight merely because it came from the lips of a famous person. Idiocy from Hollywood faces is a long and distinguished tradition. Feh.

Posted by: bigTom at May 04, 2005 02:55 AM (RwC3v)

11 you now how to make a celebrity mad......Who.... simply ignore them....

Posted by: ArmyWifeToddlerMom at May 05, 2005 04:18 PM (Lh1NL)

12 Hmm... nice site but be more informative!

Posted by: Cari at July 15, 2005 08:52 AM (+/Int)

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I'm stuck here at school on parent-teacher conference day, and no one wants to talk to me. I've been here two and a half hours and I've talked to one parent. So I've been catching up on my reading, and I came across a wonderful Varifrank post.

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I'm with Deskmerc: Berger needs a whupin' from my husband's platoon sergeant.

Via Amritas: a good write-up on minimum wage

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Found via RWN, a *monster* of a post by Jane Galt on the institution of marriage. I'm not sure what I think of this post yet, but I sure know original thinking and a worthy post when I see it, and I plan to take the time to digest the whole thing.

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