Category: Uncategorized

• Humanitarian aid comes with some strings attached and apparently a cross to bear as well (via Warfilter)
• It’s a good thing that the Kurds just seized control of another oil field (much to the dismay of Turkey) because the house just rejected yet another effort to increase fleet fuel economy
• Marines crack down on Iraqi looting but, at least the economy is doing well
• Smoking gun, version 8.0. Did you have any doubt that one would be “found?” At least the dollar is in good shape
• Where in the world is Saddam? We probably should ask the CIA some think it was far simpler than that
• The war in Baghdad won? Think again, bodies are still piling up. (via The Agonist)
• A University of Montana linguistics professor suspended for voicing anti-war opinion
• “Moore” responds to backlash, “Bowling for Columbine” continues to break records, “Stupid White Men” back at number one.
• Cronkite calls Bush ‘Grossly Arrogant‘ for war in Iraq
• The Iraqi dollar is apparently doing pretty well too… on eBay

• Iraqis exult over toppled Saddam statue, it only took them 300 people and 5 hours to pull it down, sad irony? Eventually, a tank had to pull it over, yet more sad irony.
• A ‘liberated’ Basra in anarchy
• Newspaper: Nuclear Site Possible ‘Smoking Gun.’ Not that we had any doubt one would be produced.
• We’re back! Taliban reviving structure in Afghanistan
• Congratulations on your liberation!
• British military: Body of ‘Chemical Ali’ found
• Christiane Amanpour is a class act.
• A shadowy figure aboard Flight 722. One woman’s account of the uselessness of The Office of Homeland Subjugation.
• China bracing for battle?
• ‘The wrong war at the wrong time,’ former Mideast envoy maintains
• Join The Presidential Prayer Team for Kids or perhaps you’d prefer this
• Poynter.org’s media map, listing all the “embeds” or “in beds” as Walter Cronkrite called them
• Military shows no increase in enlistments
• All the men who died in Vietnam in Bush and Cheney’s hometowns
• One Photo of “Liberation” is Worth a Thousand Words
• Nine bodies recovered in POW raid were Americans? Nasty stuff…

• A warmonger explains war to a peacenik – By Bill Davidson
• Are coalition forces readying chemical weapons for use against Iraqis?
• The shock and awe photo gallery. (caution disturbing images)
• Contrary to Geneva convention guidelines, US forces occupy schools and church
• Iraq does not allow red cross access to POW’s -or – Iraq does allow red cross access to POW’s. Take your pick, which story best supports your viewpoint.
• Umm Qasr humanitarian aid effort “a shambles“
• The U.S. military came up with a solution yesterday for the penniless people of this port town begging for water: Sell it
• Parsons and Bechtel top contenders for cleanup and reconstruction, Cheney anxious in his orbiting headquarters
• Iran will infiltrate 5 Iraqi cities? let’s hope not
• (UPI) – “America hasn’t learned a thing since it last fought Iraq, when pregnancies played havoc with deployments. And now there are fewer people to shuffle to compensate for personnel shortfalls.”
• New Oregon legislation would jail war protesters as terrorists
• The Iraq-o-meter for instant, control panel-like, view of the war
• Get Ready for PATRIOT II
• Florida freshmen congresswoman’s e-mail account hacked and used to send anti-war message. She added that the message used bad grammar
• Iraq: Reconstruction and U.S. Interest
• How to salvage the Iraq debacle – Ted Rall Gas and War author
• Trouble still brews with Rumsfeld as his Generals revolt against the enemy within – The Nation

• Arnett says US does not want credible reporting from Iraq
• More, dreadful accounts from the Iraqi family in which 11 were killed at a military checkpoint. “Our Lives Are Over” To this I must reiterate, to hell with the “war is hell, these things happen” mentality. Can someone please give us some assurances that every measure is taken to keep these kids fingers from the triggers?
• Bush demonstrates great personal sacrifice, he gave up sweets just before the war began
• One bunch of thugs gives the other bunch of thugs deadlines in Afghanistan
• 175 special forces lost, killed or wounded since the beginning of post 9/11 assault on bin Laden and al-Qaeda
• Fearing the worst, Haliburton withdraws bids in Iraq, could still stay on as subcontractor, Cheney was unavailable for comment from his orbiting headquarters

. Has anyone seen the vice-president alive since 9/11?

• Technology companies, desperate for business these days, bid for business in postwar Iraq.
• The first public hearings finally commence on the events of 9/11, indications are good that they have decided upon the size and shape of the table
• (AP) — Red Cross workers saw the bodies of dozens of people — including women and children — at a town south of Baghdad where Iraqi officials claim U.S. helicopters attacked a residential neighborhood
• Movie studios quickly pull marquees and posters depicting “What A Girl Wants” star giving peace sign. (pulled poster here)
• New U.S. guidelines take tougher Iraqi civilian stance. Ummm… yeah, tougher than watching your entire family maimed by .50 machine-gun fire as in above? Jesus wept indeed
• Israel to the US, “when you get to Baghdad, send in the bulldozers“
• “What does Bush want from us?” Enough said
• Dollar soars as U.S. forces move in on Baghdad. Bush parties hearty
• (AP) France. A convoy of trucks packed with 60 tons of blankets and food essentials pulled out from the foot of the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday, marking the first batch of French humanitarian aid for Iraq. No doubt fully stocked with Freedom fries and Freedom toast.
• Ashcroft chimes in. Prayers of thanks that he isn’t singing are given nationwide
• “War in the Locker Room” — Olivia Crawford. Excellent article, worth a read

• Executive Branch split as war unfolds one faction hopes Bush notes ‘Bum Advice‘
• Afghanistan needs to be disarmed – By Said Tayeb Jawad, lest you’ve forgotten what we started there, Bush has.
• Iraq: U.S. attacked American human shields
• The press gets ahold of it’s first conscientious objector
• Go back to bombs, you’ll never win any hearts and minds
• Bush and cabinet drag old bones out that date back to the Iraqi monarchy
• Rumsfeld thinks he is a general, is micromanaging the entire conflict. Thankfully, he’s under close scrutiny
• Bush is loosing the war at home. The House Republicans are cutting, of all things, veterans benefits. The message, evidently, is God bless our troops when they are dodging bullets but God help them when they come home.
• If Iraqis want a king, Hassan of Jordan could be their man
• Marines act on report of comrade hanged in town square or, not… how funny the media is. Get on the media merry-go-round if you can!
• More hamfisted foreign policy from the executive branch, apparently drunk with their new found war powers, they feel empowered to say (and do) anything they damn well please to anyone they damn well please, Kilpatrick style.
• Paul Wolfowitz with Iraqi-Americans Emad Dhia, Zakiya Hakki and Sam Kareem briefing the foreign press
• Desperate, marines bum cigarettes off Iraqi farmers. Get the god damn troops some tobacco for christ’s sake! Do people honestly think that a G.I. cares about his lungs in the midst of combat? Political correctness is not for wartime.
• The media-go-round keeps going round and round. Are you getting on?
• Come, see the liberated Iraqis
• Peter Arnett, one last gasp before he heads out to become Food TV’s war correspondent.

• Today, I Weep for My Country… By Sen. Robert Byrd
• Rumsfeld warns Syria: Stop assisting Iraq
• The Americans badly miscalculated by believing that the Iraqis would welcome them as liberators
• Colombia protesters throw grenades near US Embassy

• Why did the Bush Administration endorse a forgery about Iraq?s nuclear program?
• Chaos in the Middle East is not the Bush hawks’ nightmare scenario – it’s their plan. Very scary stuff, shows that the Neo-conservative think tank is on track, however.
• Polish defense minister scolds Bush for talking about Polish troops.
• Vietnam rewards Iraqi friendship
• “…The Iraqi troops are putting themselves at the middle of the civilian community and firing back at the British forces with their RPGs. The coalition forces are then firing back and hitting the civilian community. The hospitals are full and we have run out of critical supplies.? it goes on…
• Al-Qaeda fighting with Iraqis, British claim
• Friendly fire? Must be over these
• War threatens economic recovery
• War-theme easter baskets for sale in central Florida. What no real guns, Florida is slipping. I’m writing Jeb.
• “Freedom Toast” served on Air Force One. Finally. When will those French ever learn?

Someone set up a cute site to act as a personals for missing socks. Although, it’s not exactly a new idea. I wonder if he will accept submissions in metric tons. Here at paxtonland, I’d say we have about 17 metric tons of unmatched, lonely socks… looking for a mate. (link via memepool).

At metafilter, there is a discussion of a young man who killed himself while in an IRC chatroom.

Back in the early 90’s I remember a challenge was issued offering cash to a person who would commit suicide online. Rumor was, at the time, that someone actually did it… I never learned if it were true or, not.

This time unfortunately, it was true and it did happen. Now the friends, family and onlookers are left to sort out the aftermath.

Very sad indeed.

Try squares for killing off your evening.

More strange e-mail from the internet.

This time, all the humor isn’t in the e-mail itself rather, its in the translation:
(more…)

TheStar.com – Gulf war stars CNN as itself

Instead, Live From Baghdad is just much more propaganda from the company that seems to want a war so that it can … what? Regain top spot in the news network ratings race? Relive CNN’s glory days?

Worked like a charm back then, helping to shape world opinion against Saddam and Iraq – until it was exposed as the not-so-carefully crafted fiction that it was. Yet, here is that propaganda again in Live From Baghdad. Why?

Interesting reading. I saw the movie in question tonight on HBO myself. It did seem a little bit self-congratulatory. It did seem to take a flattering look at itself and the CNN news machine.

But then again, journalists will probably have more than one opinion about this film. Some will love it for documenting their craft. Others will hate it for many other reasons.

Watch the Movie

This video (on the left) was prepared by the Underwriters Laboratories to warn of the dangers of deep frying turkeys. Now, I wouldn’t advise doing what they did; placing a partially frozen, overweight turkey into an overfilled, overhot turkey fryer. But, they had a point to prove. I think that the circumstances in which they illustrate their point are a bit extreme, however, there are surely people who will unwittingly repeat this performance exactly.

Everyone is, apparently, frying a turkey this year. Millions of people will be in their backyards dipping the hapless fowl in vats filled with near boiling oil. This is a note to those of you that are trying this feat for the first time to be exceptionally careful. Although the process should be relatively straight forward, accidents can and will happen.

Having done this myself, I can give you a couple of pointers:

Before you fry the bird, fill the intended pot with water and immerse your turkey and check the amount of water it displaces. Once you have a good idea of the safe margin, make a mark inside the pot. This will save you a great deal of trouble later.

Don’t bother with injection marinades. In my opinion, they simply foul the oil (which can be reused several times if you don’t burn it) with the residue of burned seasonings. For my time and trouble, most of the marinade escaped the bird as steam and what was left behind offered little in the way of taste enhancement. Save the marinade injection for smaller pieces of chicken and such. Don’t bother to try and marinade a 16lb. turkey. In fact, the concept simply doesn’t work beyond 1/3 -1/4 inch of the meat.

Follow the instructions and safety precautions for your particular fryer implicitly. It’s just as simple as that. Many of these things are flimsy three-legged affairs that do seem quite unstable. When you are dealing with several gallons of flammable hydrocarbons, it’s best to play it safe as you can. Although I’ve conducted several searches, I’ve yet to see a news item or testimonial of a person dying or, even injured as a result of one of these things. That doesn’t mean it does not happen.

Don’t be too afraid of the thing. Once you lower the bird (s-l-o-w-l-y) into the oil it will steam like a locomotive. The oil will be rocking and rolling like crazy as the water molecules the oil can get to are exploding violently. When the time is up and you retrieve the carcass from the oil, it will resemble a burn victim. Arms and legs splayed out with black and charred flesh. Don’t worry it’s not ruined. When you’re ready to carve the thing, you’ll enjoy a good turkey and get a lot of compliments. do enjoy. Remember, the boob in the back yard didn’t really work as hard as the poor sap that spent 6 hours preparing all the other thanksgiving crap. Don’t take credit away from them.

For myself and my family, I’ll go with brined turkey every time. More on that later…

For you, faithful reader, I submit Weebl and Bob. It’s made the rounds indeed but, its still a source of amusement to me. Not sure why.

Intervention Magazine – Top ten reasons for invading Iraq. Very funny stuff.

Be on the lookout for 9/11 memorial contributions… There are quite a few already: yahoo, google, ebay, netscape, and many many more. Have you spotted any?

Jeb!

12 years ago, I was discharged from the military. Among the first things that I did was to join a local VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) outpost. The older fellows there (WWI, WWII and Korean era) welcomed me unconditionally. However, there were very few Vietnam era veterans there. Those that were there kept to themselves… Not one of them even offered me a handshake in friendship. I didn’t last long at my local chapter of the VFW. I shrugged that off and headed over to the American Legion. Same treatment. Welcomed by the old guys, shunned by the middle-aged guys. Being among the first of the returning wave of “new veterans,” I’m sure that scene repeated itself across the country and still is today.

In the 1970’s, the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) was formed to represent the interests of Vietnam era veterans. The belief was generally held, at that time, that the traditional veterans groups (VFW, American Legion, etc…) did not represent the needs and issues that are unique to Vietnam era veterans. The VVA now represents over 50,000 members in 525 chapters in the U.S. I’m sure that the returning veterans of the Vietnam war felt much the same as I did. 20 years earlier, they stood in the same place as I did, among veterans from another generation, not feeling very welcome.

Now, the ranks of the WWI generation of veterans has nearly all died. The WWII era veterans are dying at an increasing rate. The Vietnam veterans now all but control not only the VFW but, also the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans. With the VVA, they also have an exclusionary group dedicated to their needs. Now, Vietnam era veterans nearly all but represent the entirety of most veterans groups, advocacy, and information.

I think that it is time for the “new veterans,” veterans discharged from between 1980 and present to organize their own group as well. I fear that the current Vietnam focused veterans groups have exhibited the same behavior that they experienced in the past. The same behavior that caused so much resentment that they formed their own groups. Much of this is understandable, veterans groups are largely social organizations based upon common characteristics. I did not fight along side these men. I did not live through the same struggles and have the same problems as these men. I cannot reminisce about experiences I did not have. I can listen and learn from their stories but, that isn’t enough either. This is the primary reason for the need for a “new veterans” organization. Perhaps there are some, if so, let me know. There are a lot of veterans groups but, most are focused. Veterans For Peace interests me most currently, even though peace is not very popular right now.

I was hopeful that my feelings and experiences were unique. I held the hope that the “new veterans” have not been shunned and made to feel as if an unwelcomed outsider, as I was. From the personal discussions and non-scientific surveys that I have conducted, I can say that I am not alone in my feelings.

R. Lee Ermey, most famous in his role as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. A role for which he was not originally cast. He actually was on the set as a technical advisor and to show the actor that was cast how to be play the part. He did such a superb job they re-cast the role for him. Among the many other roles he has played, he was notably in The Boys in Company C as a drill instructor and Apocalypse Now, as an helicopter pilot.

He is currently being seen on Mail Call for the History Channel. Readers e-mail questions for the show to answer. Not a completely original idea but, Ermey takes the format to the extreme. Not only explaining each answer but, often demonstrating an example as well. All while delivering his answers in the fine Marine style that he embodies.

When I first saw Full Metal Jacket, I was amazed by the character he portrayed. Amazed really isn’t the word. To me, his performance represented the ultimate Marine drill instructor. His appearance, his bearing, and especially his voice, in my mind, could be hailed as the example of a Marine Gunnery Sgt.

Random error condition generator

The food timeline will occupy too much of your time, if you love food too. (old link, worth a look tho)

I’ve finally updated the software selection for the month of July.

Last month’s entry was ieSpell which was recently updated, make sure and download the newest version when you get a chance. It’s worth it.

The author of the software was kind enough to e-mail me and let me know that the newest version has been released. Included is right click support, which was lacking in the previous release.

The most comprehensive study about corporal punishment to date has been recently released. An analysis of 62 years and 88 studies has concluded that corporal punishment does more harm than good. The research, as well as the response, is being published this week in Psychological Bulletin, a publication of the American Psychological Association (APA).

I don’t doubt the veracity of the study, especially not having read it. I do think, however, that it is of little use to normal people. I’m sure that several conclusions can be drawn from it but, how much if it is useful outside the mental health community? As a parent, the things that have “guided my hand” are:

1. How angry am I?

If I’m not being rationally angry or, if I’m a little angry… I’ve learned that is the worst time to decide to spank. Period. I always allow myself a cooling off period to determine the best course of action

2. How old is the child?

Babies that are under 18 months benefit very little from spankings. Their memory is very short and an awful lot of pain needs to be applied for them to remember and learn new behavior patterns at that age. Similarly, 10 or 11 is too old. If the child cannot modify his own behavior using the rules that you have carefully set forward, then spanking will be of little use. Except to satisfy your own anger, which if true, is indeed unfortunate for the child to say the least… to say the most, it’s quite simply child abuse. Hint to young parents, get to work now, by age 10, it’s too late.

3. What happened?

Was someone hurt or, placed in danger because of the actions of the child? Did they place themselves in danger? If so, then a the rule of spanking must be applied in a consistent manner. Otherwise, alternative methods of punishment should be examined. This has always been my criteria for deciding if a spanking was necessary. If no one was hurt, then applying hurt probably won’t help or teach them much.

4. Do the ends justify the means?

If the act so severe that a spanking was warranted, then make it a memorable incident. If you are going to use pain as an behavioral aversion tactic, don’t tap the kid’s backside with the tip of your little finger. Always measure the pain delivered, make the child understands how many they will get then, deliver it in a consistent and “purposeful” manner.

5. Follow through… After the pain.

Deal with the aftermath and tears in a loving manner. If needed, walking away for a moment to allow some reflection is good but, come back and speak to the child. Hold them and let them know you love them and aren’t angry with them anymore, etc. Don’t allow them to sit in solitary confinement… they will forget quickly what they did to get them in their predicament. What will echo in their mind is what you did, not what they did. Use the time after a spanking to it’s best. Most parents miss this part.

If you are going to use corporal punishment, use it in an effective, consistent, and controlled manner. Use only your hand (no wood, belts, paddles, etc…) Demonstrate carefully that hazardous, malicious, and careless behavior has a dire consequence. If you can’t apply most of what I mentioned above to most situations, then don’t spank. Use it as a last resort and as an ultimate penalty. Otherwise, they will quickly become immune to it. When a person becomes immune to violence, not only do I consider it be abuse but, I also believe that it will teach the child to deal with the rest of their lives in a violent manner as well.

Rusty announces that kuro5hin is out of money… Small wonder.

Well, I’ve already spoken my piece elsewhere.

I hope for the best for them, I think they are a superbly valuable resource to the web community. However, I fear the worst for them at the same time. I’m not close enough to the inner workings of these types of communities to help them but, perhaps they’ll listen to reason and live on.

Layne Staley, lead singer of Alice In Chains was found dead in Seattle today, a victim of a drug overdose. He was 34. He was another fuckhead heroin addict with no ability for self control in the face of success. I feel badly for my generation… and I feel badly for him. I also marvel at the apparent lack of ability to control compulsive consumption of drugs and alcohol in my generation. I thought the boomers were bad, we’re really no better A lot of good people have taken themselves out.

On the other hand, that’s less of them to compete with for the good seats at McDonalds when the rest of us get old. I guess there is a bright side to just about everything.

I think that they changed the course of music. So many bands since them have modeled their sound after AIC, too many probably. Staley had a voice like no other. There have been many, many imitators (Stone Temple Pilots, Creed, etc…) but, no AIC. They still have an incredible following amongst their fans and have probably picked up as many fans since their last work in 1995 as they did while they were working. What really makes me sad and angry is that they well could have kicked Metallica’s ass for the title of Rock God Superband but, the couldn’t keep this guy straight and productive. I would even go out on the limb and speculate that they could have gone as far as Led Zeppelin if they had wanted to. Now, we are going to have to stare at Hetfield for another 20 years, yeeech.