Operation Swarmer = Media Blitz
We have heard about Op. Swarmer ad nauseum lately. The truth about this "massive air assault" is that no shots were fired, no bombardment happened, no JDAMs were deployed. In short, it was a military manoeuvre to show off Iraqi soldiers. A publicity stunt. On your tax dollars. Read about it here in Time, and here in Back To Iraq.com.
Here's a quote from the TIME article:
But contrary to what many many television networks erroneously reported, the operation was by no means the largest use of airpower since the start of the war. ("Air Assault" is a military term that refers specifically to transporting troops into an area.) In fact, there were no airstrikes and no leading insurgents were nabbed in an operation that some skeptical military analysts described as little more than a photo op. What’s more, there were no shots fired at all and the units had met no resistance, said the U.S. and Iraqi commanders.
We spend 1.5 billion dollars a week on this Iraq debacle. That amounts to:
$214,000,000 per day, or
$8,900,000 per hour, or
$149,000 per minute, or
$2,480 for every second we are there.
Awesome.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Lung Cancer
Here are some facts about lung cancer, from an email sent by American Lung Association:
Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. The more and longer you smoke, the greater your risk. But if you stop smoking, your lung cancer risk decreases each year.
Radon is considered to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. today. Because you cannot see or smell radon, the only way to tell if you are being exposed is by measuring radon levels in your house.
Secondhand smoke involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually in American nonsmokers.
What the fuck, "radon?" Everyone knows that Radon is the heaviest of the noble gases, which also include Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, and Xenon. So if it's noble, why is it bad? You don't see us running around like headless chickens when we encounter Helium, do you? Here's more from the US Dept of Health & Human Services:
Radon is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas, with no immediate health symptoms, that comes from the breakdown of uranium inside the earth. Simple test kits can reveal the amount of radon in any building. Those with high levels can be fixed with simple and affordable venting techniques. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, one in every 15 homes nationwide have a high radon level at or above the recommended radon action level of 4 picoCuries (pCi/L) per liter of air.
Here are some facts about lung cancer, from an email sent by American Lung Association:
Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. The more and longer you smoke, the greater your risk. But if you stop smoking, your lung cancer risk decreases each year.
Radon is considered to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. today. Because you cannot see or smell radon, the only way to tell if you are being exposed is by measuring radon levels in your house.
Secondhand smoke involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually in American nonsmokers.
What the fuck, "radon?" Everyone knows that Radon is the heaviest of the noble gases, which also include Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, and Xenon. So if it's noble, why is it bad? You don't see us running around like headless chickens when we encounter Helium, do you? Here's more from the US Dept of Health & Human Services:
Radon is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas, with no immediate health symptoms, that comes from the breakdown of uranium inside the earth. Simple test kits can reveal the amount of radon in any building. Those with high levels can be fixed with simple and affordable venting techniques. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, one in every 15 homes nationwide have a high radon level at or above the recommended radon action level of 4 picoCuries (pCi/L) per liter of air.
Republican Congress Slapped By Steve Chapman
The Chicago Tribune's editorialist Steve Chapman writes today of the complicit, complacent lap dogs of Congress. Chapman notes that the same Republicans who are apoplectic over the idea of censuring the "commander in chief" during "war" were not so similarly opinionated during the censure of Clinton and the Kosovo "war." Rank opportunism. This is really a great read, check it out.
The Chicago Tribune's editorialist Steve Chapman writes today of the complicit, complacent lap dogs of Congress. Chapman notes that the same Republicans who are apoplectic over the idea of censuring the "commander in chief" during "war" were not so similarly opinionated during the censure of Clinton and the Kosovo "war." Rank opportunism. This is really a great read, check it out.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Abu Ghraib Trading Cards
Salon.com has published 279 photos and 19 videos from the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse and torture scandal. It's ugly stuff. As you look at these images, remember that there were over 6,000 people held at Abu Ghraib, with exactly 0 of them being charged with any crime. Some were held for 3 years - and then released. This is acknowledgment that they were innocent. Or else why would we just release them like that? So we held them for 3 years, tortured many of them, abused many others, and then just let 'em go.
Imagine if these were American citizens that were being held and abused. Imagine if these were some of those troops that you support, held by a hostile army in some foreign land, without access to lawyers. Now look at those pictures again. Those are human beings. Any wonder why America's reputation is in tatters?
Salon.com has published 279 photos and 19 videos from the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse and torture scandal. It's ugly stuff. As you look at these images, remember that there were over 6,000 people held at Abu Ghraib, with exactly 0 of them being charged with any crime. Some were held for 3 years - and then released. This is acknowledgment that they were innocent. Or else why would we just release them like that? So we held them for 3 years, tortured many of them, abused many others, and then just let 'em go.
Imagine if these were American citizens that were being held and abused. Imagine if these were some of those troops that you support, held by a hostile army in some foreign land, without access to lawyers. Now look at those pictures again. Those are human beings. Any wonder why America's reputation is in tatters?
Arse-dribble Author In Court
Dan Brown, author of the pedestrian "The DaVinci Code," which was memorably and rightly termed "arse-dribble" is in his 3rd day of court defending himself against plagiarizing huge swaths of his pre-pubescent text from "Holy Blood, Holy Grail." Brown's website has the first 5 chapters online, free to all, if you're wondering how I have come to familiarize myself with his work. Yes, he's insufferably wealthy now, but just like the Harry Potter books, if you are reading those books and you are old enough to drive a car, it's proof that you are a moron. As to the specific charges, Brown is probably in trouble, as the writers of HBHG pretty much spelled out everything but the plodding, graceless, hackneyed sleuthing of Brown's protagonist. Brown puts the "agony" back in "protagonist."
Dan Brown, author of the pedestrian "The DaVinci Code," which was memorably and rightly termed "arse-dribble" is in his 3rd day of court defending himself against plagiarizing huge swaths of his pre-pubescent text from "Holy Blood, Holy Grail." Brown's website has the first 5 chapters online, free to all, if you're wondering how I have come to familiarize myself with his work. Yes, he's insufferably wealthy now, but just like the Harry Potter books, if you are reading those books and you are old enough to drive a car, it's proof that you are a moron. As to the specific charges, Brown is probably in trouble, as the writers of HBHG pretty much spelled out everything but the plodding, graceless, hackneyed sleuthing of Brown's protagonist. Brown puts the "agony" back in "protagonist."
Scott McClellan's Balancing Act
How does Scott McClellan balance all those balls on his chin? Is he the worst Press Secretary in history? It could go either way: since every word out of his mouth surely is a bald lie, maybe he's doing the country a service by uttering such absolute nonsense that no one will take him seriously, like he's fighting from the inside! He's a double agent, determined to expose the Bush hypocrisy and lies for what the are, if only the White House Sheep Corp could bother to get off their knees and do some real reporting. Contrasted with a competent press secretary whose lies seem like the truth at first blush, is McClellan, in fact, a hero? It takes balls, and not just those of Bush's pals that dangle on McClellan's chin, to be able to go up in front of a room full of intelligent people and take the heat, be the fall guy, fall on your sword, and spout lies of Orwellian scale. Great balancing act, Scotty, you're doing a heckuva job!
How does Scott McClellan balance all those balls on his chin? Is he the worst Press Secretary in history? It could go either way: since every word out of his mouth surely is a bald lie, maybe he's doing the country a service by uttering such absolute nonsense that no one will take him seriously, like he's fighting from the inside! He's a double agent, determined to expose the Bush hypocrisy and lies for what the are, if only the White House Sheep Corp could bother to get off their knees and do some real reporting. Contrasted with a competent press secretary whose lies seem like the truth at first blush, is McClellan, in fact, a hero? It takes balls, and not just those of Bush's pals that dangle on McClellan's chin, to be able to go up in front of a room full of intelligent people and take the heat, be the fall guy, fall on your sword, and spout lies of Orwellian scale. Great balancing act, Scotty, you're doing a heckuva job!
USA: Global Leaders
Here's the latest example of how we are respected as leaders around the world. The UN restructured their human rights commission and the USA tried to drum up support against it. The vote? We lost, 170 - 4. On our side we had Israel, the Marshall Islands (quick, point to them on a map!) and Palau. Guess it was a great idea appointing John Bolton to be our bully at the UN. Even countries like Cuba that are going to get hammered by the new commission voted for it.
Here's the latest example of how we are respected as leaders around the world. The UN restructured their human rights commission and the USA tried to drum up support against it. The vote? We lost, 170 - 4. On our side we had Israel, the Marshall Islands (quick, point to them on a map!) and Palau. Guess it was a great idea appointing John Bolton to be our bully at the UN. Even countries like Cuba that are going to get hammered by the new commission voted for it.
Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame
Musicians are eligible for inclusion after 25 years of staying power. This year, Miles Davis and Sex Pistols were both inducted, generating plenty of ink. Davis was many things. Here's a transcript of a great interview he gave to Playboy that answers a lot of questions about him and his opinions. Davis had a run of great albums but the greatness certainly came to a grinding halt despite the plethora of records. In the 70s he was out of his mind on drugs and playing covers of Cindi Lauper and Michael Jackson. However, over his 50 years of playing, he was involved in nearly every innovation and musical shift even tangentially connected to jazz. My favorites are "Workin'," "L'escalateur," "Kind of Blue," and "Sketches of Spain." When I went into Rhino Records one day years ago and accosted the sales geek, I said, "gimme a jazz record for the novice, a record that's going to make me like jazz" and he sold me "Kind Of Blue." All that aside, Davis is jazz, not rock, so it's a mystery.
The other inductees, Sex Pistols, are still swindling. Come on, you fucking poseurs. John Lydon is not a dope. He never was. He's always been very sharp and articulate, and for him to hand in some poorly written note about "not being your monkeys" is ludicrous. Steve Jones has also shown his wit and wisdom through his daily radio show on 103.1 FM. Paul Cook and Glen Matlock also were not dopes, so why are they throwing out this bizarre vibe? It's not like Sex Pistols haven't sold out a million times since their debut LP, like they haven't whored their image and artwork to thousands of merchants, nor ceased trying to tell everyone they alone created punk rock out of whole cloth. I'll give that "Never Mind..." is pure brilliance, but Johnny Rotten has been so far up his own ass for decades now, that this latest little stunt is just plain idiotic. It's the Hall Of Fame, you cunts. Shut up, go eat your dinner, and stop pretending to be the dumb anarchists you never were.
Musicians are eligible for inclusion after 25 years of staying power. This year, Miles Davis and Sex Pistols were both inducted, generating plenty of ink. Davis was many things. Here's a transcript of a great interview he gave to Playboy that answers a lot of questions about him and his opinions. Davis had a run of great albums but the greatness certainly came to a grinding halt despite the plethora of records. In the 70s he was out of his mind on drugs and playing covers of Cindi Lauper and Michael Jackson. However, over his 50 years of playing, he was involved in nearly every innovation and musical shift even tangentially connected to jazz. My favorites are "Workin'," "L'escalateur," "Kind of Blue," and "Sketches of Spain." When I went into Rhino Records one day years ago and accosted the sales geek, I said, "gimme a jazz record for the novice, a record that's going to make me like jazz" and he sold me "Kind Of Blue." All that aside, Davis is jazz, not rock, so it's a mystery.
The other inductees, Sex Pistols, are still swindling. Come on, you fucking poseurs. John Lydon is not a dope. He never was. He's always been very sharp and articulate, and for him to hand in some poorly written note about "not being your monkeys" is ludicrous. Steve Jones has also shown his wit and wisdom through his daily radio show on 103.1 FM. Paul Cook and Glen Matlock also were not dopes, so why are they throwing out this bizarre vibe? It's not like Sex Pistols haven't sold out a million times since their debut LP, like they haven't whored their image and artwork to thousands of merchants, nor ceased trying to tell everyone they alone created punk rock out of whole cloth. I'll give that "Never Mind..." is pure brilliance, but Johnny Rotten has been so far up his own ass for decades now, that this latest little stunt is just plain idiotic. It's the Hall Of Fame, you cunts. Shut up, go eat your dinner, and stop pretending to be the dumb anarchists you never were.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
All Quiet In The Middle East
Everything is going according to plan in Palestine and Iran and Iraq and Afghanistan. The Bush advisors have hit every pitch straight outta the park, they've been indisputably far-sighted and correct in every assessment of what the situation on the ground was. All hail the triumphant brilliant leadership of Bush!
The evidence:
Of course, there is the problem of Iran sabre-rattling and threatening to start massive uranium enrichment, which will obviously lead to nuclear bombs. Iran wants to be part of the nuclear club, and their history of careful reasoning and caution certainly is testament to how wonderful the world will be, and how safe Israel will be, once they have an arsenal of nuclear missiles.
Oh, and there's the fact that Hamas is in control of the Palestinians now and that they are electing murderers. Hamas has the cute position of dedicating themselves to the destruction of Israel --- which envelops them like a big bear hug. They're so silly, those Hamas people! 15,000 people came out in the streets to sing praises of the USA and Britain after Israelis stormed a compound and captured a bunch of wanted militants. Hamas is really setting the standard for stable government and workable foreign relations. Good job guys!
Don't forget that quietly last week the Bush Team floated the idea of escaping from Afghanistan by turning control of the peacekeeping mission there over to the UN. The heroin trade is up to $2.8 Billion per year, an all-time high! Thank you Mister Bush! The Taliban are back, not only refreshed but rejuvenated as well. It seems we didn't beat them after all, somehow that all slipped through the cracks. And they were the ones in control of the state and who sponsored Bin Laden and his merry band of pranksters. Gosh, it's all so confusing. Weren't all of us united behind the idea of smashing the Taliban into obliteration? Couldn't even a neutral bystander agree that the Taliban had no business on this earth and that wiping them out was a public service? So what's going on? Oh yeah, Iraq.
At least part of Bush's dream has come true: he built it and they did come. Iraq is now infested with terrorists. A plot was "foiled" recently to put 421 Al Quaeda goons in positions around the Green Zone. So it seems their recruitment continues apace unabated. Maybe we need to plant some more phony stories in local Iraqi newspapers, because those ungrateful bastards don't seem to be reading the right ones. And doing body-hunts is fast becoming the new national pasttime of Iraq. Just the other day 87 more bodies were found stashed in mass graves, all killed execution style in retaliation for other reprisals based on earlier attacks etc. It's kind of an old story now.
Everyone should get out their scorecards and maps now, because even quiet little Jordan is getting in on the act. They are also an Arab monarchy, but so far they've been a "good" anti-democratic autocratic society. They've got their own problems with Al Quaida now, as three hotels in Amman were struck simultaneously by suicide bombers, including the new and improved Female Suicide Bomber.
You know what would really teach those of us in the secular West? If all those Al Quaida and Hamas and whoever groups just dug giant ditches and hopped inside them, then shot themselves (and their friends) in the head. That would really teach us. And it would be easy for them, because we wouldn't try to stop them. Really. I mean, if you've got to die as a martyr and it's forbidden (or so we've heard) to kill innocents if you're a Muslim, what better way? Imagine the TV coverage, the press, the publicity! It's a PR coup!
One thing is clear: Bush's leadership is certainly on the right track. They've been correct every step of the way, and their planning has been devastatingly brilliant. [cue "The Star Spangled Banner"]
Everything is going according to plan in Palestine and Iran and Iraq and Afghanistan. The Bush advisors have hit every pitch straight outta the park, they've been indisputably far-sighted and correct in every assessment of what the situation on the ground was. All hail the triumphant brilliant leadership of Bush!
The evidence:
Of course, there is the problem of Iran sabre-rattling and threatening to start massive uranium enrichment, which will obviously lead to nuclear bombs. Iran wants to be part of the nuclear club, and their history of careful reasoning and caution certainly is testament to how wonderful the world will be, and how safe Israel will be, once they have an arsenal of nuclear missiles.
Oh, and there's the fact that Hamas is in control of the Palestinians now and that they are electing murderers. Hamas has the cute position of dedicating themselves to the destruction of Israel --- which envelops them like a big bear hug. They're so silly, those Hamas people! 15,000 people came out in the streets to sing praises of the USA and Britain after Israelis stormed a compound and captured a bunch of wanted militants. Hamas is really setting the standard for stable government and workable foreign relations. Good job guys!
Don't forget that quietly last week the Bush Team floated the idea of escaping from Afghanistan by turning control of the peacekeeping mission there over to the UN. The heroin trade is up to $2.8 Billion per year, an all-time high! Thank you Mister Bush! The Taliban are back, not only refreshed but rejuvenated as well. It seems we didn't beat them after all, somehow that all slipped through the cracks. And they were the ones in control of the state and who sponsored Bin Laden and his merry band of pranksters. Gosh, it's all so confusing. Weren't all of us united behind the idea of smashing the Taliban into obliteration? Couldn't even a neutral bystander agree that the Taliban had no business on this earth and that wiping them out was a public service? So what's going on? Oh yeah, Iraq.
At least part of Bush's dream has come true: he built it and they did come. Iraq is now infested with terrorists. A plot was "foiled" recently to put 421 Al Quaeda goons in positions around the Green Zone. So it seems their recruitment continues apace unabated. Maybe we need to plant some more phony stories in local Iraqi newspapers, because those ungrateful bastards don't seem to be reading the right ones. And doing body-hunts is fast becoming the new national pasttime of Iraq. Just the other day 87 more bodies were found stashed in mass graves, all killed execution style in retaliation for other reprisals based on earlier attacks etc. It's kind of an old story now.
Everyone should get out their scorecards and maps now, because even quiet little Jordan is getting in on the act. They are also an Arab monarchy, but so far they've been a "good" anti-democratic autocratic society. They've got their own problems with Al Quaida now, as three hotels in Amman were struck simultaneously by suicide bombers, including the new and improved Female Suicide Bomber.
You know what would really teach those of us in the secular West? If all those Al Quaida and Hamas and whoever groups just dug giant ditches and hopped inside them, then shot themselves (and their friends) in the head. That would really teach us. And it would be easy for them, because we wouldn't try to stop them. Really. I mean, if you've got to die as a martyr and it's forbidden (or so we've heard) to kill innocents if you're a Muslim, what better way? Imagine the TV coverage, the press, the publicity! It's a PR coup!
One thing is clear: Bush's leadership is certainly on the right track. They've been correct every step of the way, and their planning has been devastatingly brilliant. [cue "The Star Spangled Banner"]
Monday, March 13, 2006
The American Army: Dumber, Fatter, More Tattooed Than Ever
A recent Defense Department study has found that about 75% of young people are ineligible for service. The main reasons are that they are too unedumatated, way too hefty, and their gang tats on their necks don't look too rad when parading past Colonel Stilman's review stand.
Read about it here. The problem is, the Army needs cannon fodder, I mean, needs bodies, I mean, needs recruits, so they are going to have to grant waivers or lower requirements to fill their quota. Welcome to the Army of Tomorrow, you tattooed greasy fat ignorant fuck. The good news is that there is now hope for all those dimwits who watch MTV. The hope is twofold: I hope they join the Army and then go get shot before they can spread their DNA.
A recent Defense Department study has found that about 75% of young people are ineligible for service. The main reasons are that they are too unedumatated, way too hefty, and their gang tats on their necks don't look too rad when parading past Colonel Stilman's review stand.
Read about it here. The problem is, the Army needs cannon fodder, I mean, needs bodies, I mean, needs recruits, so they are going to have to grant waivers or lower requirements to fill their quota. Welcome to the Army of Tomorrow, you tattooed greasy fat ignorant fuck. The good news is that there is now hope for all those dimwits who watch MTV. The hope is twofold: I hope they join the Army and then go get shot before they can spread their DNA.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Mad Cow USA
Another "possible" case of mad cow disease has appeared stateside, read it here. The awesome thing about BSE or Mad Cow Disease is that it has a 10 year latency, meaning it can be drilling tiny holes in your brain for up to 10 years before symptoms manifest.
The moral of the story? Stop eating meat.
Also, clarification:
Yesterday's post on Slobodan Milosevic was not meant to excuse anything he had done. To be clear: he was a butcher of innocents, a criminal, and a murderer. Our point, was that just because you call someone on one side of the conflict a "war criminal" does not mean there are good guys on the opposing side. This is not the Allies versus the Axis.
Another "possible" case of mad cow disease has appeared stateside, read it here. The awesome thing about BSE or Mad Cow Disease is that it has a 10 year latency, meaning it can be drilling tiny holes in your brain for up to 10 years before symptoms manifest.
The moral of the story? Stop eating meat.
Also, clarification:
Yesterday's post on Slobodan Milosevic was not meant to excuse anything he had done. To be clear: he was a butcher of innocents, a criminal, and a murderer. Our point, was that just because you call someone on one side of the conflict a "war criminal" does not mean there are good guys on the opposing side. This is not the Allies versus the Axis.