• Quotes

    Lines of the moment

    The dry

    Those who would wish to take Jimmy Carter and his ideas seriously will find little assistance in this book.

    The vivid

    It’s a soothing gargle of antiseptic mouthwash prior to flossing with a razor blade.

    Comments Off on Lines of the moment
  • Europe,  France,  Islam

    Are the French even trying?

    We enter day 11 of the European intifada.

    So now the French cops found a Molotov Cocktail factory and rioters are shooting at cops and attacking firemen. They seem to be doing a successful job of ghettoizing (or creating their own autonomous areas) themselves. I suppose the French will eventually call in the military once this whole thing starts to lose steam and then call it a triumph of civilization.

    One of the commenters over at the Belmont Club observed:

    But are letting the burnings and insurrection go on so as to give the Muslims plenty of rope to hang themselves. Perhaps a decision exists within the French government that Muslim labor is not needed when less criminally-inclined, less subversive alternatives exist in Latin America, India, Asia……and that they have decided Islam cannot assimilate and the riots are a good way of convincing the public of that fact..

    Which is an interesting thought. Not practical, and a bit too clever. It also ignores the (I think) obvious observation that when you pay people to stay out of the economy you create an underclass and breed resentment. I would imagine that would happen with most immigrant groups.

    Also from Belmont

    Car burning is spectacular, serious enough to get attention yet — and this is the vital point — not serious enough to provoke lethal force

    which is probably true. That means these things can go on forever and probably continue for another week or two. All of this points to large gains for le Pen’s far right party whenever their next election happens.

    Comments Off on Are the French even trying?
  • History,  Personality,  Tech,  Torture

    Quick round up

    1. It’s now six nights of rioting in Paris.
    2. Secret CIA detention camps around the world. I’m reminded of Wretchard’s line one time that when Truman ordered Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombed, he had “the sand” to do it under his own name.
    3. I finally got the proper wireless adapter for my Tivo, which I got to work without incident. Sadly it uses Wep, but with 3-4 totally unprotected networks around me I would imagine I’m not worth pursuing.
    4. It’s amazing how much lists and visual sign of progress can affect one’s mood.
    Comments Off on Quick round up
  • Politics

    Before I forget to post about these

    From an Agitator post about a senator naming a building after himself (much like Cynthia McKinney and Memorial Drive).

    It’d be swell to see the GOP sweeped out 1994-like next year. Not that the Democrats would be any better — or worse. I’d just like to see the Republicans get smacked around a little for their arrogance. But it won’t happen. They’ve (a) passed incumbent-protecting McCain-Feingold, and (b) gerrymandered the bejesus out of the congressional map to make sure they’re immune from accountability.

    He leaves out the Roe Effect but beyond that has it about right. When will people come around to term limits?

    And infrared sniper detection is cool.

    You would think that five nights of rioting in Paris would be bigger news, but you’re wrong. You would also think that people would bring up the fact that the rioting is happening in Algerian immigrant neighborhoods but it seems to be not that way.

    Comments Off on Before I forget to post about these