Sunday, March 18, 2007
The Other Side of Kim du Toit - TheOtherSideofKim Front Page
The Other Side of Kim du Toit - TheOtherSideofKim Front Page
1. Jarlsberg (Norway)—Unquestionably one of the finest cheeses ever made. It’s smooth, with a slight “nutty” flavor and lovely aftertaste, and if I was told I could only ever eat one cheese for the rest of my life, this would be the hands-down winner. Even the “Lite” variant (made not in Norway, but under license in Ohio) is better than most other cheeses.
2. Emmentaler AO (Switzerland)—Almost as good as Jarlsberg, Emmentaler is smoother yet more nutty-flavored, is a superb after-dinner snack, and it’s my cheese of choice if the store has inexplicably run out of Jarlsberg. It’s also kinda spendy, because [duh] it’s made in Switzerland.
3. Wisconsin String Cheese (U.S.A.)—Specifically, I’m referring to the stuff sold at The Brat Stop (at the intersection of I-94 and Hwy 50 in Kenosha, WI). It’s the jerky of dairy foods: dry, chewy and super-salty, comes apart in long threads, and whenever we’re within fifty miles of the place, it’s a mandatory stop. Annoyingly, it’s not branded at all, so finding it is a chore (it’s not even listed on their website). Just go to the Brat Stop and buy a few bags, if that kind of cheese is to your taste. Don’t be surprised if one of the bags doesn’t survive the trip home, because it’s perfect road food.
4. Old Amsterdam Gouda (Holland)—My favorite aromatic cheese in the world, Old Amsterdam has a wonderful flavor reminiscent of port wine. Dry, it crumbles to the touch, and you can’t eat a big piece of it. Just a few crumbs melted in the mouth will suffice. And then again, a few minutes later. And again, and again… (Old Amsterdam also makes a 5-year-old variant, but that’s too strong, even for me.)
5. Cheddar (England)—Forget those impostors made all over the world, all called “cheddar” but none deserving of the name. The real thing (made in Cheddar, Somerset) is one of those rare cheeses which not only makes a fine snack, but also cooks up well, for example in a grilled ("toasted") cheese sandwich. If I lived in England, there’d be a 5lb block of the stuff in my fridge, and it would never have a chance to go off. Tech Support and I once ended up in a pub in Fulham somewhere, and ordered a cheese sandwich. It was just bread, butter and cheddar, with a side order of chips—a simplicity which would have delighted old G.K.—and it was one of the best light meals we’d ever had.
Now for the “ingredient” cheeses.
1. Burrini (Italy)—I’ve never been able to find this anywhere except Treasure Island in Chicago. Made in the south of Italy, it’s a hard, aromatic Provolone-style pear-shaped cheese, which in turn encases a small ball of sweet, creamy butter. It’s too rich to snack on by itself (although I have), and is best eaten grated over a salad. If you use it thus, you won’t need any salad dressing. If you really want to indulge yourself, a thin slice melted on toast will make you think you’ve died and gone to heaven. The Italians cut it open, spread the butter on their bread, and then add the cheese, so Burrini is like a self-contained sandwich-builder.
2. Beyaz Peynir (Turkey)—A variant of Greek feta cheese. Combine this wonderful stuff with spicy Turkish sausage (made of very finely-ground beef and lamb), throw in some sun-dried tomatoes or roasted sweet red peppers, and you have perhaps the perfect savory appetizer. It’s a combination of sheep- and goat’s milk.
3. Mozzarella (Italy)—Thickly-sliced, with roasted sweet red peppers (again) and an aromatic olive oil sprinkled over it. My second-favorite appetizer after Beyaz Peynir. If anyone’s curious where the term “buffalo mozzarella” comes from, it’s because all mozzarella was once made exclusively from the milk of water buffaloes—but nowadays the Mozzarella di bufala available in the U.S. is made from a mixure of buffalo- and cow’s milk. (Incidentally, Monzeta is a mozzarella-based equivalent of Burrini, but has a blander flavor.)
4. Kasseri (Greece)—Yeah, it’s the basis of saganaki, that flaming dish brought to your table with cries of ”Oppa!” and doused with squeezed lemon. Never mind the ceremony, Stavros, just gimme the damn cheese, which is fabulous. (It’s made purely from goat’s milk, by the way.)
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The Other Side of Kim du Toit - TheOtherSideofKim Front Page
The Other Side of Kim du Toit - TheOtherSideofKim Front Page
Great Letter!!!
Great Letter!!!
Here’s a letter which made my day, and made me feel quite humble:
Hello Kim. My name is Nick A___. I recently discovered your site and I must say I was shocked.
In the best possible way.
I found a link to your article about the pussification of America from someone’s comment on another blog. The article (and your others which I have read so far) really invigorated me and reminded me of what I am.
I am 18 years old and will very soon (less than a week) be enlisting in the United States Marine Corps Reserve as infantry (LAV Crewman). Undoubtedly I will soon after be activated and deployed to a combat zone on the other side of the world. Needless to say, I have met a LOT of opposition to my decision to join the Corps. Even though everyone is so gung-ho about “supporting the troops”, the second you say you want to join them, everyone looks at you like you should be wearing a straitjacket. Sometimes it is hard to stay true to what I believe and remember what I stand for when it seems everyone else thinks I’m crazy for doing so, even the people who I hold closest, including many of my friends and my entire family. What I call bravery, they call recklessness, lack of foresight, stupidity, or brainwashed. You reminded me that these people are cowards who believe that their own lives are more important than the freedom of their nation.
Finding someone out there who shares my views in such a clear and frank manner was, as I said, a shocking thing to find in today’s world of appeasers.
Thank you very much for your site, and thank you for showing me that I am not alone. Stay strong and stay healthy.
I responded to him thus:
Nick,
Never mind me. YOU take care of yourself.
Just oblige me with with this one favor: tell everyone you meet in the USMC that we support them, utterly and without reservation. Ignore the Murthas and Pelosis of this world: they are less than the mud you’re going to get on your boots.
And never mind all the whiners and cowards: you’re going on to bigger and better things, and you’re going to be associating with a better class of person.
Don’t bother trying to convert those who think otherwise, because it’s a waste of your time. Instead, think of us—me, and the many thousands of Readers of this website, who not only appreciate what you’re doing, but applaud your decision, loudly and enthusiastically.
I just wish I could go in your place.
Thank you for realizing that honor, duty and courage are important: so important, in fact, that they are worth more than your own life.
You hold the future of this wonderful country in your hands, and as long as you do, the rest of us can sleep soundly at night. Always remember that.
And keep in touch. Please.
Kim
Those of you who are God-fearing folks, you know what to do for young Nick.
We are not worthy.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
R-Squared Energy Blog: When Will Saudi Arabian Oil Production Peak?
R-Squared Energy Blog: When Will Saudi Arabian Oil Production Peak?
Contrarian view to some degree. However
"I believe that by summer (barring recession) we should know one way or another, because the market looks to be undersupplied at the moment. I think Saudi will be called upon to open the taps by summer. If they can't, look out."
Contrarian view to some degree. However
"I believe that by summer (barring recession) we should know one way or another, because the market looks to be undersupplied at the moment. I think Saudi will be called upon to open the taps by summer. If they can't, look out."
The Oil Drum | Saudi Arabia and that $1000 bet
The Oil Drum | Saudi Arabia and that $1000 bet: "Saudi Arabia and that $1000 bet"
Basically Saudi will not have prod in excess of 10 MM BPD ever again!
Basically Saudi will not have prod in excess of 10 MM BPD ever again!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Random Roger's Big Picture: 25%!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Energy Roundup - WSJ.com : The New Seven Sisters
Energy Roundup - WSJ.com : The New Seven Sisters
The New Seven Sisters
Posted by WSJ.com Staff
The Financial Times writes today that the world’s oil industry is dominated by a new group of “Seven Sisters,” a reference to the old lineup of oil giants that dominated the world before OPEC rose to prominence: Esso (now Exxon Mobil), BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, Mobil (now part of Exxon Mobil), Gulf Oil (now split between BP and Chevron) and Texaco (now also part of Chevron).
The new Seven, per the FT, are Saudi Aramco, Russia’s Gazprom, CNPC of China (parent of PetroChina), NIOC of Iran, Venezuela’s PDVSA, Brazil’s Petrobras and Petronas of Malaysia.
All are state-controlled. A few are owned by governments that are less-than-friendly, if not downright hostile, toward the U.S. Many are flexing their “resource nationalism,” wresting control of lucrative oil and gas projects from foreign companies, including the old Sisters.
Together, the FT points out, the new Sisters control more than 10 times the oil reserves of the old Sisters. They produce more than twice as much oil as the old Sisters.
The new Sisters only lag the old Sisters in net income. But the new group will likely control the world’s production for decades to come, so they should make up that ground soon. And investors have already bid up their shares on the world’s stock markets, lifting the market capitalizations of the biggest New Sisters past those of most of their developed-world rivals. The Old Sisters may never make up that lost ground.
Badgers Forward: Badgers Down: Memorial Day
Badgers Forward: Badgers Down: Memorial Day
Monday, March 12, 2007
Badgers Down: Memorial Day
Some days you dread. Some days you hope will never arrive, or if they are inevitable, you hope you do not know exactly when that day will arrive or in what guise. Then there are days you dread and you know exactly when they are going to arrive. Following the deaths of SGT Holtom, SGT Clevenger, and PFC Werner, this day had become an inevitability: Memorial Day, 13 February 2007.
I awoke just before 0600, before my alarm went off. I was immediately wide awake, fully aware that this was going to be a day filled with emotion and I was doggedly determined to get through it with dignity and strength. I was determined to honor our fallen with the same professionalism they demonstrated on the field of battle.
Coffee made, I checked my email and the significant actions overnight to see if there was anything I need to be immediately aware of. Team Badger had been completely in the wire since early afternoon the previous day. There was nothing I needed to know.
The memorial was to be at 1015 in the Dining Facility. Memorial services on Camp Ramadi are always at the DFAC. One section has been set aside to be turned from a large dining room a hall for a ceremony whenever the need arises.
We needed to be there at 0900 for a full rehearsal. We had rehearsed the previous day, but we did not have the firing party. They rehearsed separately after they came back from a mission.
Those early morning hours flew by, filled with ordinary tasks. At 0850, I announced to the TOC, “I’m going to the DFAC. Let the First Sergeant know. I’ll see you all over there.”
“Roger that sir.”
Carrying what should be the final version of my remarks, I had a final few minutes alone to steel myself and reflect on the Soldiers we were getting ready to honor.
A five-minute walk and I was at the hall. Thanks to some very helpful people the room was almost completely set up.
The front of the room contained the display. In the center, there were three two-tier stands. M-16 rifles were inverted on bayonets and stuck into the upper tiers. The rifles were topped with Army Combat Helmets with camouflage coverings. Silver dog tags dangled from the rifles’ pistol grips. Dusty, well-worn, tan canvas boots were placed to create a V at the point where there bayonet entered the stand.
The lower tiers held the awards they have received. All three were awarded the Bronze Star for service, the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat, and the Combat Action Badge for engaging the enemy in close combat. Behind the stands, the Flag of the United States of America and the Battalion Colors stood crossed.
To the left were three large portraits of the fallen set up on easels. Further to the left, there was a speaker’s podium and seats for the Chaplain, the Task Force Commander, myself, the Platoon Leader, 3-6, and the three Soldiers who will speak about their fallen friends.
To the right of the center display stands was a large screen, now blank but soon would display a video tribute .
0900. We perfrom the final rehearsal. The mood is somber. The Company struggles between presenting a military demeanor and the overwelming grief we all feel. The rehearsal is executed well though and we are ready.
1000. With the rehearsal complete, the doors were opened. Generic instrumental funeral home music drifted from the loud speakers as people moved to their seats. The seats were arranged in two sets of 10-person fronts that extend back for at least 30 rows. Even with 600+ seats, the service was standing room only. I am both anxious for this to begin and dread it at the same time. When this is over we need to start getting on with our missions again and it all seems too fast.
1015. Everyone was in place. The Brigade Commander had arrived as had the Senior Commanders on Camp Ramadi. Time to execute the mission.
The Chaplain spoke first. He asked everyone to stand for the Invocation and said a few words about why we were there. He then asked us to remain standing for the National Anthem. Some of the services I have attended used recorded music. In our task force, we are fortunate to have an excellent singer who volunteered to do the National Anthem acapella. He gave a moving rendition.
Next, 3-6 (the Platoon Leader) delivered the Service Record of his three Soldiers. Sitting next to me, he stood and we subtly bumped fists as we do before every mission. Delivery of the Service Record can be tricky. The speaker needs to recite a sketch of the fallen’s life, place of birth, the circumstances that led to the Soldier’s entry into service, military education, awards and honors, the bare circumstances of the action leading to the Soldier’s death, the Soldier’s survivors. In this case, 3-6 had to do this three times. It is one of those things that can easily fall into a monotone statico that leaves the listener bored. About the only thing a speaker can do is to use inflection and change some words from person to person. 3-6 had rehearsed this and did it well. As he took his seat, we bumped fists again.
The Task Force Commander spoke next. A tough job anyway you slice it. He commands almost 800 Soldiers and his effort to get to know all them is overwhelmed by shear numbers. He took the time to learn as much about them as possible and talked with their loved ones. His comments are concise, appropriate, and well directed.
I was next. I started working on this speech the day we got back to Ramadi. I want to do this right. I have tried to talk about them as Soldiers and as men with familes and loved one’s back home. I have rehearsed this at least a dozen times to familiarize myelf with my material, both for good delivery and to make it the status quo so I will not break down delivering the speech.
And then, as quickly as I started, I am done. I kept my composure. I looked my Soldiers in the eyes and told them how we would go on as Soldiers, a family, friends, and by doing so how we honor the men for whom we gathered this day to remember.
After I sat down, it was time for their fellow Soldiers to talk about the men they knew. Three Soldiers, two Specialists and a Private First Class, prepared and rehearsed for this. To me this the most moving part of these memorial services. These young men, usually not experienced in public speaking, have the opportunity to lay out a memory of their friends and fellow Soldiers. Sometimes it is ribald and off-color, but it always true. I suppose this is what makes it real and what makes it special. All three of my Soldiers get through their remarks well and complete the mission.
An 8-minute video tribute prepared by 3rd Platoon played on the large screen. Set to Johnny Cash’s version of “Hurt” and “When I’m Gone” by 3 Doors Down.
The Chaplain took to the podium again and asked everyone to stand and he delivered the Benediction.
My First Sergeant, who has been an absolute rock through this entire event, and who deserves so much credit for the success of the company, strides purposefully to the front of the hall and begins the roll call.
“Private Brown.”
“Here, First Sergeant.”
“Specialist Jones.”
“Here, First Sergeant.”
“Sergeant Black.”
“Here, First Sergeant.” When he had called all the names of the Company Soldiers present, he called the names of the fallen.
“Private Werner.”
“Private First Class Raymond Werner.”
“Private First Class Raymond Mitchell Werner.”
“Sergeant Clevenger.”
“Sergeant Ross Clevenger.”
“Sergeant Ross Aaron Clevenger.”
“Sergeant Holtom.”
“Sergeant James Holtom.”
“Sergeant James Joseph Holtom.”
And the First Sergeant moved off.
“Firing party, fire three volleys,” came from the unseen firing party commander just outside the hall.
“Ready . . . Aim . . . Fire.”
CRACK
“Ready . . . Aim . . . Fire.”
CRACK
“Ready . . . Aim . . . Fire.”
CRACK
Then taps played by a bugler.
When taps came to a close, the Task Force Commander and the Task Force Command Sergeant Major moved to the front of the hall and render present arms to the displays with the inverted rifles. The Commander placed a Battalion Coin on one boot of each Soldier. They did a right face and moved off.
My First Sergeant and I walked toward the stands. As we closed in on the stands, with our backs to the crowd, I see a single small tear streak down his cheek, the only real emotion I have seen from my stoic right hand man. We presented arms. When we come to order arms, I moved forward and touched the helmets and the dog tags. I said goodbye and thank you.
I executed a right face and moved off to join the receiving line where I thanked everyone for coming. I think I hugged everyone in the company and much of the Task Force. The Company spent the rest of the day together, talking about our brothers. We rarely have the opportunity for all of us to be together in one place and we wanted to spend as much time together as possible. The next day we were back on mission.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
The Braden Files : Rontrell's choice
The Braden Files : Rontrell's choice
Great story about a boy's efforts to improve his lot.
also
A voice from the past and
Leadership skills
Great story about a boy's efforts to improve his lot.
also
"It appears we have appointed our worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers! In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editor/geniuses plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late.
Accordingly, I'm readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I'll, in turn, do my best for the Cause by writing editorials - after the fact."
Robert E. Lee, 1863
One last class before graduation at the Naval Academy the Instructor gave out one final assignment.
"Given one metal pole, two bags of cement, a selection of shovels, a wheel barrow, and any other tools you find necessary, AND One Chief, one Petty Officer and a selection of Seamen, DESCRIBE The process you will take to erect the pole so that a flag hung from it can be seen from XX number of feet away.
You have two hours. Begin."
The near-Ensigns began to write with concentration. At the end of two hours, the Instructor called time and collected the papers.
Quickly paging through them, he announced the grades.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, there are some thorough and detailed responses here, but only one "A". I would like to read it to you.
"In order to erect the flag pole, I would do the following: I would say: 'Chief, put up the flagpole.' "
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Good And Bad Reasons For Believing : Richard Dawkins
Good And Bad Reasons For Believing : Richard Dawkins:
* * *
"What can we do about all this ? It is not easy for you to do anything, because you are only ten. But you could try this. Next time somebody tells you something that sounds important, think to yourself: 'Is this the kind of thing that people probably know because of evidence? Or is it the kind of thing that people only believe because of tradition, authority, or revelation?' And, next time somebody tells you that something is true, why not say to them: 'What kind of evidence is there for that?' And if they can't give you a good answer, I hope you'll think very carefully before you believe a word they say.
Your loving
Daddy"
* * *
"What can we do about all this ? It is not easy for you to do anything, because you are only ten. But you could try this. Next time somebody tells you something that sounds important, think to yourself: 'Is this the kind of thing that people probably know because of evidence? Or is it the kind of thing that people only believe because of tradition, authority, or revelation?' And, next time somebody tells you that something is true, why not say to them: 'What kind of evidence is there for that?' And if they can't give you a good answer, I hope you'll think very carefully before you believe a word they say.
Your loving
Daddy"
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
The Oil Drum | Saudi Arabian oil declines 8% in 2006
The Oil Drum | Saudi Arabian oil declines 8% in 2006: "Saudi Arabian oil declines 8% in 2006"
Saudi's falling production????
according to OPEC data (discussed at length in this Oil Drum post on Friday). “Clearly Saudi Arabian oil production is lower. The magic question is: Why?” he asks. “Have they hit peak production on enough of their fields that they’re…at their all-time peak?
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Saturday, March 03, 2007
wsjblank
Dr Seuss poem wsjblank: * * *
"Then, when every last cent of their money was spent,
the Fix-It-Up-Chappie packed up and he went.
And he laughed as he drove in his car up the beach,
'They never will learn; no, you can't teach a Sneetch!'
But McBean was quite wrong, I'm quite happy to say,
the Sneetches got quite a bit smarter that day.
That day, they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches,
and no kind of Sneetch is the BEST on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars,
and whether they had one or not upon thars."
"Then, when every last cent of their money was spent,
the Fix-It-Up-Chappie packed up and he went.
And he laughed as he drove in his car up the beach,
'They never will learn; no, you can't teach a Sneetch!'
But McBean was quite wrong, I'm quite happy to say,
the Sneetches got quite a bit smarter that day.
That day, they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches,
and no kind of Sneetch is the BEST on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars,
and whether they had one or not upon thars."
Monday, February 26, 2007
Counseling Center - 52 Proven Stress Reducers
Counseling Center - 52 Proven Stress Reducers: "52 Proven Stress Reducers"
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
An explanation, but not an excuse - Wizbang
An explanation, but not an excuse - Wizbang
An explanation, but not an excuse
Among the (well-deserved) outcry over conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, one question has been repeated over and over: how the hell did things get so bad there? And amidst the muddle, a lot of people have extended that argument in wrong directions: from "how can we treat our veterans so badly" to "how did the Veterans Administration let this happen?"
That little misunderstanding -- that Walter Reed falls under the VA -- was actually a pointer to some people.
Walter Reed is not -- repeat, NOT -- a Veteran's Hospital. It is owned and operated by the United States Army, and is for active duty personnel -- not former service members.
And as part of the Army, it fell under the last round of Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) cuts.
In 2004, a non-partisan commission took a long, hard look at our military installations, and made recommendations that many of them be reduced, consolidated, or eliminated entirely. And Walter Reed -- the Army's premiere hospital -- has been around for almost a century. The commission recommended that it be closed, effective 2011, and consolidated with the Naval National Medical Center at Bethesda, Maryland.
Here are a couple of cold, hard facts that most likely contributed to the deterioration at Walter Reed:
1) The military has a finite amount of money to spend.
2) Any money invested in Walter Reed will, in essence, be "wasted" as the whole facility will cease to exist in about four and a half years.
What SHOULD have happened was that the shut-down should have been modified, with the worst facilities being closed down, modest temporary fixes applied where possible, and patients transferred to other facilities. Administrators of the hospital should have been performing architectural "triage" on the campus, sacrificing the most deteriorated buildings and focusing on their core concerns. Instead, it appears they just watched the clock, betting that things wouldn't get too bad before the whole issue became irrelevant.
That was a losing bet -- and our sick and injured service members are having to cover it.
This in no way excuses what happens there. It needs to be fixed, and fixed NOW. Those who made that bet need to be disciplined, demoted, reassigned, or fired. Courts martial might even be in order.
But the state of matters at Walter Reed are too big to be the result of negligence, of carelessness, of even malice. They are systemic -- and the BRAC decision was a major factor in perverting that system. It should have been anticipated that this might happen when one schedules the shuttering of such a huge hospital, especially during a time of war.
At this point, I don't care if we find someone to blame now, or go looking later. The main thing we need to do first is get those sick and wounded service members the hell out of those conditions. They've suffered far too much already in service to all of us; to leave them there while trying to pin the blame on whoever you don't like is to use them in the most obscene of political theatre.
If I were in their place, if given the choice between staying in the disgusting conditions in parts of Walter Reed and being used as a political prop, I think I'd stay with the rats.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Friday, February 16, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: Politically Correct ? Or Just Stating a Fact
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: Politically Correct ? Or Just Stating a Fack
TEXAS FRED may not be politically correct but he is right. It is about time to move past this bullshit about race and move on to protecting the country. Am I biased? You gotdam right. I am a predjudiced sumbitch when it comes to not liking people who are dead set on destroying a country I love. I have no use for ragheads..and until the Moslem population in this country takes to the streets demonstrating against the ragheads that are trying to destroy us ...instead of trying to force the rest of us to abide by THEIR perverted religion ...I will include them as part of the raghead population of the world.
Here's the deal people. I don't give a rats ass about the color of your skin..we all bleed red. I don't really give a rats ass about your sexual choices as long as the goat agrees. I could care less about who, when, where, or how you worship provided you don't require me and mine to abide by your religious rules. But I do care about the government taxing hell out of me to provide housing and subsistance to a sub culture that happens to be primarily black..but there are also so low life whites in this group as well as Hispanics and others. Does this make me prejudiced? Yeah, according to the Politically correct assholes it does. I do care about trying to fight the left wing socialists and try to keep them from taking over the country..but I fear it is a losing battle.
But primarily I care about freedom. I don't ordinarily use the so called hate words suck as Kike and nigger and spick and mick. But I have the RIGHT according to the constitution of the USA to use these words if I so desire. No one has the right to NOT be offended. If I had the right not to be offended Hillary Clinton would be in jail because every time she opens her thieving mouth she offends me. It offends me that Ted Kennedy can get not only get by with manslaughter..the people of his state are stupid enough to keep reelecting him. It offends me that Jessie Jackson gets by with extorting money from big business. It offends me that American corporations rooled over for trade unions years ago and passed the cost on to me..the consumer. Yeah, there are a lot of things that offend me..but I have no right NOT to be offended. Not as long as I still live in a free country.
TEXAS FRED may not be politically correct but he is right. It is about time to move past this bullshit about race and move on to protecting the country. Am I biased? You gotdam right. I am a predjudiced sumbitch when it comes to not liking people who are dead set on destroying a country I love. I have no use for ragheads..and until the Moslem population in this country takes to the streets demonstrating against the ragheads that are trying to destroy us ...instead of trying to force the rest of us to abide by THEIR perverted religion ...I will include them as part of the raghead population of the world.
Here's the deal people. I don't give a rats ass about the color of your skin..we all bleed red. I don't really give a rats ass about your sexual choices as long as the goat agrees. I could care less about who, when, where, or how you worship provided you don't require me and mine to abide by your religious rules. But I do care about the government taxing hell out of me to provide housing and subsistance to a sub culture that happens to be primarily black..but there are also so low life whites in this group as well as Hispanics and others. Does this make me prejudiced? Yeah, according to the Politically correct assholes it does. I do care about trying to fight the left wing socialists and try to keep them from taking over the country..but I fear it is a losing battle.
But primarily I care about freedom. I don't ordinarily use the so called hate words suck as Kike and nigger and spick and mick. But I have the RIGHT according to the constitution of the USA to use these words if I so desire. No one has the right to NOT be offended. If I had the right not to be offended Hillary Clinton would be in jail because every time she opens her thieving mouth she offends me. It offends me that Ted Kennedy can get not only get by with manslaughter..the people of his state are stupid enough to keep reelecting him. It offends me that Jessie Jackson gets by with extorting money from big business. It offends me that American corporations rooled over for trade unions years ago and passed the cost on to me..the consumer. Yeah, there are a lot of things that offend me..but I have no right NOT to be offended. Not as long as I still live in a free country.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: RECORD TRADE IMBALANCE..AGAIN
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: RECORD TRADE IMBALANCE..AGAIN
People, there ain't no free lunch. Business is in business for one reason and that is profit..not to provide social services nor jobs but PROFIT. When government and unions make the cost of doing business so high there is not enough profit business either has to shut down or move out of the country..either means loss of jobs. The public just can't seem to understand that all of the "feel good" laws that are passed for labor such a family sick leave and maternity leave adds to the cost of doing business and as such adds to the cost of the finished product to the consumer. The public demands all of these benefits and gets laws passed to mandate them and then wonders why business moves off shore. The problem in this country is that everyone wants $70,000 a year in wages but wants Wally World prices..
People, there ain't no free lunch. Business is in business for one reason and that is profit..not to provide social services nor jobs but PROFIT. When government and unions make the cost of doing business so high there is not enough profit business either has to shut down or move out of the country..either means loss of jobs. The public just can't seem to understand that all of the "feel good" laws that are passed for labor such a family sick leave and maternity leave adds to the cost of doing business and as such adds to the cost of the finished product to the consumer. The public demands all of these benefits and gets laws passed to mandate them and then wonders why business moves off shore. The problem in this country is that everyone wants $70,000 a year in wages but wants Wally World prices..
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
Cafe Hayek: Let's Have Less Hot Air About Global Warming
Cafe Hayek: Let's Have Less Hot Air About Global WarmingLet's grant (if just for the sake of argument) that environmental scientists have proved that Earth's ideal average temperature was reached about a century ago and that the temperature is rising because of human activity ("Just the facts," Op-Ed, yesterday).
The truth remains that these scientists have no expertise to judge whether government can be trusted with the power and resources to "combat" global warming. Nor can these scientists tell us how a free market likely would deal with global warming's consequences.
Contrary to widespread belief, environmental scientists can legitimately say nothing about whether, or how, to respond to global warming.
DONALD J. BOUDREAUX
Chairman
Department of Economics
George Mason University
Fairfax
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: Something to Think About...
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: Something to Think About...: "'A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.' .....................by Marcus Tullius Cicero"
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: "Charles Krauthammer has made the right call in THIS COLUMN. The 'hate America'..'blame America'..crowd is quick to criticize anything that our forces do in Iraq. But as Krauthammer writes:
We have made a lot of mistakes in Iraq. But when Arabs kill Arabs and Shiites kill Shiites and Sunnis kill all in a spasm of violence that is blind and furious and has roots in hatreds born long before America was even a republic, to place the blame on the one player, the one country, the one military that has done more than any other to try to separate the combatants and bring conciliation is simply perverse.
It infantilizes Arabs. It demonizes Americans. It willfully overlooks the plainest of facts: Iraq is their country. We midwifed their freedom. They chose civil war."
We have made a lot of mistakes in Iraq. But when Arabs kill Arabs and Shiites kill Shiites and Sunnis kill all in a spasm of violence that is blind and furious and has roots in hatreds born long before America was even a republic, to place the blame on the one player, the one country, the one military that has done more than any other to try to separate the combatants and bring conciliation is simply perverse.
It infantilizes Arabs. It demonizes Americans. It willfully overlooks the plainest of facts: Iraq is their country. We midwifed their freedom. They chose civil war."
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
CONTROLLED GREED.com: Book Values: Self-Help
The four books I've enjoyed are:
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Succeeding, by John T. Reed. This gem isn't available in book stores or on Amazon. You have to buy it from Reed's website. Reed is a West Point grad, former Army Ranger, Harvard Business School grad, football coach, former real estate investor and author of numerous books, mostly on real estate investing. His style might not appeal to some, and you or I might not agree with all his views, but we can all find this work worthwhile.
The Templeton Plan
Of course, you may have benefited from works by folks like Norman Vincent Peale, Stephen Covey, Les Brown and many more. Like I said, the bookstores are packed this time of year with people looking at bookshelf after bookshelf of these books. I could never begin to read them all -- I'd never have to time to read anything else. Or do anything, either.
But getting a bit of inspiration here or there, and gaining a few nuggets of wisdom, can only impact our lives for the better. And wouldn't that have left Samuel Smiles with a grin on his face? ;-)
CONTROLLED GREED.com: Book Values: Self-HelpHerb Greenberg
Herb Greenberg: "'No. We've been here before, and the consequences -- though not always immediate -- have invariably been bad. There is not a single instance in historical data since 1871 when the S&P 500 traded above 18-times record earnings and there was not a low a year or more later that erased every bit of advantage over Treasury bills. Not one.'
He concludes, 'Simply put, there is no investment merit to the stock market at these valuations.'"
He concludes, 'Simply put, there is no investment merit to the stock market at these valuations.'"
Monday, February 05, 2007
.:. WitNit .:.: Another Scientist Speaks Out Against Global Warming
.:. WitNit .:.: Another Scientist Speaks Out Against Global Warming
Another Scientist Speaks Out Against Global Warming
n case you missed it, check out this article written by a former climatology professor at the University of Winnipeg. Here's a sample:
I think it may be because most people don't understand the scientific method which Thomas Kuhn so skilfully and briefly set out in his book "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." A scientist makes certain assumptions and then produces a theory which is only as valid as the assumptions. The theory of Global Warming assumes that CO2 is an atmospheric greenhouse gas and as it increases temperatures rise. It was then theorized that since humans were producing more CO2 than before, the temperature would inevitably rise. The theory was accepted before testing had started, and effectively became a law.As Lindzen said many years ago: "the consensus was reached before the research had even begun." Now, any scientist who dares to question the prevailing wisdom is marginalized and called a sceptic, when in fact they are simply being good scientists. This has reached frightening levels with these scientists now being called climate change denier with all the holocaust connotations of that word. The normal scientific method is effectively being thwarted.
Meanwhile, politicians are being listened to, even though most of them have no knowledge or understanding of science, especially the science of climate and climate change. Hence, they are in no position to question a policy on climate change when it threatens the entire planet. Moreover, using fear and creating hysteria makes it very difficult to make calm rational decisions about issues needing attention.
And more interesting material from The Wall Street Journal:
Take rising sea levels. In its 2001 report, the U.N.'s best high-end estimate of the rise in sea levels by 2100 was three feet. Lord Monckton notes that the upcoming report's high-end best estimate is 17 inches, or half the previous prediction. Similarly, the new report shows that the 2001 assessment had overestimated the human influence on climate change since the Industrial Revolution by at least one-third.Such reversals (and there are more) are remarkable, given that the IPCC's previous reports, in 1990, 1995 and 2001, have been steadily more urgent in their scientific claims and political tone. It's worth noting that many of the policymakers who tinker with the IPCC reports work for governments that have promoted climate fears as a way of justifying carbon-restriction policies. More skeptical scientists are routinely vetoed from contributing to the panel's work. The Pasteur Institute's Paul Reiter, a malaria expert who thinks global warming would have little impact on the spread of that disease, is one example.
U.N. scientists have relied heavily on computer models to predict future climate change, and these crystal balls are notoriously inaccurate. According to the models, for instance, global temperatures were supposed to have risen in recent years. Yet according to the U.S. National Climate Data Center, the world in 2006 was only 0.03 degrees Celsius warmer than it was in 2001--in the range of measurement error and thus not statistically significant.
The models also predicted that sea levels would rise much faster than they actually have. The models didn't predict the significant cooling the oceans have undergone since 2003--which is the opposite of what you'd expect with global warming. Cooler oceans have also put a damper on claims that global warming is the cause of more frequent or intense hurricanes. The models also failed to predict falling concentrations of methane in the atmosphere, another surprise.
Meanwhile, new scientific evidence keeps challenging previous assumptions. The latest report, for instance, takes greater note of the role of pollutant particles, which are thought to reflect sunlight back to space, supplying a cooling effect. More scientists are also studying the effect of solar activity on climate, and some believe it alone is responsible for recent warming.
Posted by witnit at February 5, 2007 3:12 PM
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Econbrowser: Cantarell in decline
Econbrowser: Cantarell in decline: "im Puplava (of Puplava Securities and financialsense.com) mentioned back on 13 January 2007 that Cantarell was declining at around 14%/year, Ghawar at around 8%/year, and Burgan (in Kuwait) at around 11%/year. The WSJ article's figures make Cantarell's drop more like 25% over the past year or so."
Econbrowser: Cantarell in decline
Econbrowser: Cantarell in decline: "From Saturday's Wall Street Journal ($$$): Mexico's biggest field declining significantly!
The virtual collapse at Cantarell-- the world's second-biggest oil field in terms of output at the start of last year-- is unfolding much faster than projections from Mexico's state-run oil giant Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex. Cantarell's daily output fell to 1.5 million barrels in December compared to 1.99 million barrels in January, according to figures from the Mexican Energy Ministry.
Mexico made up for some of the field's decline. Mexico's overall oil output fell to just below three million barrels a day in December, down from almost 3.4 million barrels at the start of the year. It marked Mexico's lowest rate of oil output since 2000....
The field's decline is expected to continue, if not worsen, this year, according to most estimates."
The virtual collapse at Cantarell-- the world's second-biggest oil field in terms of output at the start of last year-- is unfolding much faster than projections from Mexico's state-run oil giant Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex. Cantarell's daily output fell to 1.5 million barrels in December compared to 1.99 million barrels in January, according to figures from the Mexican Energy Ministry.
Mexico made up for some of the field's decline. Mexico's overall oil output fell to just below three million barrels a day in December, down from almost 3.4 million barrels at the start of the year. It marked Mexico's lowest rate of oil output since 2000....
The field's decline is expected to continue, if not worsen, this year, according to most estimates."
The real deal?
The real deal on GLOBAL WARMING?
"Solar activity can explain a large part of the 20th-century global warming," he states, particularly because of the evidence that has been accumulating over the past decade of the strong relationship that cosmic- ray flux has on our atmosphere. So much evidence has by now been amassed, in fact, that "it is unlikely that [the solar climate link] does not exist."
The sun's strong role indicates that greenhouse gases can't have much of an influence on the climate -- that C02 et al. don't dominate through some kind of leveraging effect that makes them especially potent drivers of climate change. The upshot of the Earth not being unduly sensitive to greenhouse gases is that neither increases nor cutbacks in future C02 emissions will matter much in terms of the climate.
Even doubling the amount of CO2 by 2100, for example, "will not dramatically increase the global temperature," Dr. Shaviv states. Put another way: "Even if we halved the CO2 output, and the CO2 increase by 2100 would be, say, a 50% increase relative to today instead of a doubled amount, the expected reduction in the rise of global temperature would be less than 0.5C. This is not significant."
The real deal?
The real deal on GLOBAL WARMING?
"Solar activity can explain a large part of the 20th-century global warming," he states, particularly because of the evidence that has been accumulating over the past decade of the strong relationship that cosmic- ray flux has on our atmosphere. So much evidence has by now been amassed, in fact, that "it is unlikely that [the solar climate link] does not exist."
The sun's strong role indicates that greenhouse gases can't have much of an influence on the climate -- that C02 et al. don't dominate through some kind of leveraging effect that makes them especially potent drivers of climate change. The upshot of the Earth not being unduly sensitive to greenhouse gases is that neither increases nor cutbacks in future C02 emissions will matter much in terms of the climate.
Even doubling the amount of CO2 by 2100, for example, "will not dramatically increase the global temperature," Dr. Shaviv states. Put another way: "Even if we halved the CO2 output, and the CO2 increase by 2100 would be, say, a 50% increase relative to today instead of a doubled amount, the expected reduction in the rise of global temperature would be less than 0.5C. This is not significant."
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The First Post : Robert Fox: Gulf stands on brink of all-out war
The First Post : Robert Fox: Gulf stands on brink of all-out war: "his is not the only threat facing the allies as they stare defeat in the face in Iraq. Tensions are rising between the Americans and the British.
American officials, particularly in the CIA, have criticised the British approach to dealing with the Iraqis, particularly the Shia militias in the south of the country.
A confidential British briefing paper says this is now a major bone of contention. 'The Americans believe the British should take out the Mahdi Army "
American officials, particularly in the CIA, have criticised the British approach to dealing with the Iraqis, particularly the Shia militias in the south of the country.
A confidential British briefing paper says this is now a major bone of contention. 'The Americans believe the British should take out the Mahdi Army "
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Blogs of War � Video: John Kerry Calls the U.S. an “International Pariah”
Blogs of War � Video: John Kerry Calls the U.S. an “International Pariah”
Ignore links above
Article by Geo Tag
Ignore links above
Article by Geo Tag
| Issue Date: January 2007, Posted On: 12/28/2006 |
| Forget the Koran. Forget the ayatollahs and the imams. If we want to understand the enemy we're fighting in Islam is not our opponent in For two years I've been researching a book about Alexander the Great's counter-guerrilla campaign in In other words, the clash of East and West is at bottom not about religion. It's about two different ways of being in the world. Those ways haven't changed in 2,300 years. They are polar antagonists, incompatible and irreconcilable. The West is modern and rational; its constituent unit is the nation. The East is ancient and visceral; its constituent unit is the tribe. What is a tribe anyway? Am I knocking tribalism? Not at all. In many ways I think people are happier in a tribal universe. Consider the appeal of post-apocalyptic movies like The Road Warrior or The Day After Tomorrow. Modern life is tough. Who can fault us if now and then we entertain the idea of going back to the simple life? The people we're fighting in How do you combat a tribal enemy? What is the nature of the tribe? What can sociology tell us about its attributes? The tribe respects power. The tribe must have a chief. It demands a leader. With a top dog, every underdog knows his place. He feels secure. He can provide security for this family. The tribe needs a Tony Soprano. It needs a Godfather. The The tribe needs a boss. Alexander understood this. Unlike the When we Americans declared in essence to the Iraqis, "Here, folks, you're free now; set up your own government," they looked at us as if we were crazy. The tribal mind doesn't want freedom; it wants security. Order. It wants a New Boss. The Iraqis lost all respect for us then. They saw us as naive, as fools. They saw that we could be beaten. The tribe is a warrior; its foundation is warrior pride. What the warrior craves before all else is respect. Respect from his own people and, even more, from his enemy. When we of the West understand this, as Alexander did, we'll have taken the first step toward solving the unsolvable. The tribe places no value on freedom. You can't sell "freedom" to tribesmen any more than you can sell "democracy." He doesn't want it. It violates his code. It threatens everything he stands for. The tribe is bound to the land. The tribe cannot be negotiated with. The tribe has no honor except within its own sphere, deriving justice for its own people. Its code is "Us versus Them." The outsider is a gentile, an infidel, a devil. These are just a few of the characteristics of the tribal mind. Now: what to do about this? How to deal with the tribal mind. To deal successfully with the tribe, a negotiator of the West must first grant it its pride and honor. The tribe's males must be addressed as warriors; its women must be treated with respect. The tribe must be left to its own land, to govern as it deems best. If you want to get out of a tribal war, you must find a scenario by which the tribe can declare itself victorious. The tribal mind is canny; it knows when it's whipped. But its warrior pride is so fierce, it cannot admit this. The tribe has to be allowed its face. How Alexander got out of a quagmire. Alexander made the tribesmen his equals. He acknowledged their warrior honor. When he and his army marched out to their next conquest, Alexander took the bravest of his former enemies with him as his Companions. They rode at his side in stations of honor; they dined at his shoulder in the royal pavilion. (Of course, he also beat the living hell out of the Afghans for three years prior, and when he took off, he left a fifth of his army to garrison the place.) The outlook for the Perhaps, in the end, our leaders, like Alexander, will figure some way to bring the tribal foe around. More likely, in my opinion, they'll arrive at the same conclusion as did Lord Roberts, the legendary British general. Lord Roberts fought (and defeated militarily) tribesmen in two bloody wars in Steven Pressfield's most recent book is "The Afghan Campaign: A Novel." © 2006 Steven Pressfield |
Iraqi Mojo: Fouad Ajami on Iraq
Iraqi Mojo: Fouad Ajami on Iraq
Katie: 10 Questions On Iraq
Questions by Katie Couric
1.
We’ve heard so much about Sunnis and Shia. What are the main religious differences between them? What do they have in common?
Big, complicated history. It begins with the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, leaving no male heir. The majority Sunni (literally orthodox, mainstream) community subscribed to the rule of the first three Caliphs who succeeded him. The minority movement, the Shia (literally the Partisans) of his son-in-law, Imam Ali, husband of his daughter Fatima, asserted that succession belongs to the Prophet’s family, to Ali in the first, and to the Prophet’s grandsons and their descendants. In the great civil war in the House of Islam that played out in the later years of the seventh century, the Sunni governments won, the Shia “martyrs” and oppositionists lost. In 680, The Prophet’s grandson, Imam Hussein, the hero-martyr of Shi’ism was killed in southern Iraq on the plains of Karbala. And with this, the great wound in Islam deepens forever. What Sunnis and Shia still have in common is belief in the unity of God, in the Prophet Muhammad, in the Quran. They are separated by temperament and by how they look at history.
2. Why are Sunnis and Shia politically divided? Could you tell us about the history of the two sects in Iraq?
The first question goes to the heart of this second one: They differ about legitimate power, and who should hold it. The Shia believe that power belongs to the pious, and to The Prophet’s family; the Sunnis believe that power and order have legitimacy of their own. In Iraq the Sunnis and the Shia are both Arab through and through. Iraq became a battleground between the (Sunni) Ottoman empire and the (Shia) Persian empire. The Sunnis, though a minority in Iraq, have ruled that country for centuries. The Shia were cut out of political power, and successive regimes in that country (the monarchy, the military regimes since the Revolution of 1958 that overthrew the monarchy) were based in the Sunni community. With the Shia holy cities and seminaries of Najaf and Karbala on Iraqi soil, the Shia clerics have had great say over the life of the Shia community.
3. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen what appears to be a resurgence of sectarian violence in Iraq. Why is this happening now?
The sectarian violence is precisely what the Arab Sunni jihadists have sought to trigger, in alliance with the Saddamists. Last February, they attacked the sacred Shia mosque in Samarra. The result was predictable: The Shia were drawn into the fight. And now the Shia have extremists of their own, and death squads and avengers – the boys of Moqtada al-Sadr in the slums of Baghdad.
4. Is there any hope for Sunnis and Shia to live together peacefully in a democratic Iraq? Or is the ultimate solution some way of separating them into different states—as Senator Joe Biden has proposed?
In the long run, the Sunnis and the Shia are doomed to live together. In the past Iraqis prided themselves on the high rate of inter-marriage between Sunnis and Shia – Sushi is the label so many of these people go by, for wit. Partition will not work. Baghdad can’t be divided, and the Sunnis would be stranded in regions without oil. I have great respect for Senator Biden and have talked with him at great length over the years about Iraq and other Middle Eastern subjects, but he is off target here.
5. Two Shiite mosques and five Shiite-owned businesses in Detroit were vandalized earlier this month. The head of the Michigan Council on American-Islamic Relations said that many in the community believe it was an attack by Sunnis, though this hasn’t been proven. Is there also a Sunni-Shia divide among Muslims in the United States?
There is a Sunni-Shia divide in Detroit, in Amsterdam, wherever Muslims live, alas. Detroit because of the automotive industry, and the history of labor migration by poor Lebanese Shia, may have a Shia majority, though of course in the Muslim world as a whole the Shia are a minority.
6. Qatar recently held a conference intended to bring Sunnis and Shia closer together. How do you think sectarian fighting can be curbed in Iraq and elsewhere? Does it require a military or a political solution?
The conference in Qatar is o.k. as far as it goes. The problem is that there is in Qatar a very hugely influential Sunni cleric, of Egyptian background, Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, who is fairly strict and not given to kind thoughts about the Shia. The answer is both cultural and political: The Sunni Arabs will have to accept the claims of the Shia; for their part, the Shia must, with time, rid themselves of the attitude of opposition that has marked their history.
7. We know that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, honorable people. But what do you say to people who ask why almost every terrorist is a Muslim?
I say there is a painful truth here, and that one of the Arab world’s most influential and liberal journalists, the Saudi Abdulrahman al-Rashed, head of Al-Arrabiya television channel based in Dubai, bluntly observed that not all Muslims are terrorists, but all (most?) terrorists are Muslims. What is clear and indisputable is that violence and terror are on the loose in Islamic lands – and in Islamic communities in the West – and that it has religious support given it by free-lance preachers who have bent the faith to their own interpretation.
8. What motivates Islamic extremism? Is it repressive governments—the lack of democracy—as the president has said? Is it economic disadvantage?
Economic disadvantage is part of the story, but that interpretation misses a lot. The boys of 9/11 (the Egyptian Mohamed Atta, the Lebanese Ziyad Jarrah who piloted the plane forced down in Pennsylvania on that sad day) were not poor. Ayman al-Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden come from aristocracy and a merchant dynasty, respectively. It is, in part, the will to power, and a belief that Islam – as interpreted by these men – ought to prevail.
9. We seemed to have much of the Islamic world on our side in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Why are we now so unpopular there? Is it just Iraq, or is it more than that?
Good question, but a seductive one. We did not have the Muslim world on our side after 9/11. Huge numbers of Muslims believed we got our comeuppance on that day, while others were embarrassed. Iraq complicated our lives, but the American position in Islamic lands was never brilliant to begin with. We befriend the rulers in the Arab world, and we are caught in the crossfire between the rulers and populations that resent them but can’t overthrow them. We are the perfect scapegoat for every problem under the sun. Anti-Americanism is the weapon of mass distraction, a clever man once said.
10. What is the biggest misconception Americans have about Islam?
People think that Islam is on the boil, overly political. But for the vast majority not caught up in radicalism and sectarian violence, it is a faith that provides solace and comfort, people still go on pilgrimage, give alms to the poor, turn to Islam for meaning, for a bit of shade, if you will, in a turbulent Islamic world. From Indonesia in the east to Morocco in the Western-most land of Islam, there are 1.2 billion Muslims. There is fanaticism among a dangerous minority, and ordinary life for the vast, silent majority. posted by Iraqi Mojo
Katie: 10 Questions On Iraq
Questions by Katie Couric
1.
We’ve heard so much about Sunnis and Shia. What are the main religious differences between them? What do they have in common?
Big, complicated history. It begins with the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, leaving no male heir. The majority Sunni (literally orthodox, mainstream) community subscribed to the rule of the first three Caliphs who succeeded him. The minority movement, the Shia (literally the Partisans) of his son-in-law, Imam Ali, husband of his daughter Fatima, asserted that succession belongs to the Prophet’s family, to Ali in the first, and to the Prophet’s grandsons and their descendants. In the great civil war in the House of Islam that played out in the later years of the seventh century, the Sunni governments won, the Shia “martyrs” and oppositionists lost. In 680, The Prophet’s grandson, Imam Hussein, the hero-martyr of Shi’ism was killed in southern Iraq on the plains of Karbala. And with this, the great wound in Islam deepens forever. What Sunnis and Shia still have in common is belief in the unity of God, in the Prophet Muhammad, in the Quran. They are separated by temperament and by how they look at history.
2. Why are Sunnis and Shia politically divided? Could you tell us about the history of the two sects in Iraq?
The first question goes to the heart of this second one: They differ about legitimate power, and who should hold it. The Shia believe that power belongs to the pious, and to The Prophet’s family; the Sunnis believe that power and order have legitimacy of their own. In Iraq the Sunnis and the Shia are both Arab through and through. Iraq became a battleground between the (Sunni) Ottoman empire and the (Shia) Persian empire. The Sunnis, though a minority in Iraq, have ruled that country for centuries. The Shia were cut out of political power, and successive regimes in that country (the monarchy, the military regimes since the Revolution of 1958 that overthrew the monarchy) were based in the Sunni community. With the Shia holy cities and seminaries of Najaf and Karbala on Iraqi soil, the Shia clerics have had great say over the life of the Shia community.
3. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen what appears to be a resurgence of sectarian violence in Iraq. Why is this happening now?
The sectarian violence is precisely what the Arab Sunni jihadists have sought to trigger, in alliance with the Saddamists. Last February, they attacked the sacred Shia mosque in Samarra. The result was predictable: The Shia were drawn into the fight. And now the Shia have extremists of their own, and death squads and avengers – the boys of Moqtada al-Sadr in the slums of Baghdad.
4. Is there any hope for Sunnis and Shia to live together peacefully in a democratic Iraq? Or is the ultimate solution some way of separating them into different states—as Senator Joe Biden has proposed?
In the long run, the Sunnis and the Shia are doomed to live together. In the past Iraqis prided themselves on the high rate of inter-marriage between Sunnis and Shia – Sushi is the label so many of these people go by, for wit. Partition will not work. Baghdad can’t be divided, and the Sunnis would be stranded in regions without oil. I have great respect for Senator Biden and have talked with him at great length over the years about Iraq and other Middle Eastern subjects, but he is off target here.
5. Two Shiite mosques and five Shiite-owned businesses in Detroit were vandalized earlier this month. The head of the Michigan Council on American-Islamic Relations said that many in the community believe it was an attack by Sunnis, though this hasn’t been proven. Is there also a Sunni-Shia divide among Muslims in the United States?
There is a Sunni-Shia divide in Detroit, in Amsterdam, wherever Muslims live, alas. Detroit because of the automotive industry, and the history of labor migration by poor Lebanese Shia, may have a Shia majority, though of course in the Muslim world as a whole the Shia are a minority.
6. Qatar recently held a conference intended to bring Sunnis and Shia closer together. How do you think sectarian fighting can be curbed in Iraq and elsewhere? Does it require a military or a political solution?
The conference in Qatar is o.k. as far as it goes. The problem is that there is in Qatar a very hugely influential Sunni cleric, of Egyptian background, Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, who is fairly strict and not given to kind thoughts about the Shia. The answer is both cultural and political: The Sunni Arabs will have to accept the claims of the Shia; for their part, the Shia must, with time, rid themselves of the attitude of opposition that has marked their history.
7. We know that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, honorable people. But what do you say to people who ask why almost every terrorist is a Muslim?
I say there is a painful truth here, and that one of the Arab world’s most influential and liberal journalists, the Saudi Abdulrahman al-Rashed, head of Al-Arrabiya television channel based in Dubai, bluntly observed that not all Muslims are terrorists, but all (most?) terrorists are Muslims. What is clear and indisputable is that violence and terror are on the loose in Islamic lands – and in Islamic communities in the West – and that it has religious support given it by free-lance preachers who have bent the faith to their own interpretation.
8. What motivates Islamic extremism? Is it repressive governments—the lack of democracy—as the president has said? Is it economic disadvantage?
Economic disadvantage is part of the story, but that interpretation misses a lot. The boys of 9/11 (the Egyptian Mohamed Atta, the Lebanese Ziyad Jarrah who piloted the plane forced down in Pennsylvania on that sad day) were not poor. Ayman al-Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden come from aristocracy and a merchant dynasty, respectively. It is, in part, the will to power, and a belief that Islam – as interpreted by these men – ought to prevail.
9. We seemed to have much of the Islamic world on our side in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Why are we now so unpopular there? Is it just Iraq, or is it more than that?
Good question, but a seductive one. We did not have the Muslim world on our side after 9/11. Huge numbers of Muslims believed we got our comeuppance on that day, while others were embarrassed. Iraq complicated our lives, but the American position in Islamic lands was never brilliant to begin with. We befriend the rulers in the Arab world, and we are caught in the crossfire between the rulers and populations that resent them but can’t overthrow them. We are the perfect scapegoat for every problem under the sun. Anti-Americanism is the weapon of mass distraction, a clever man once said.
10. What is the biggest misconception Americans have about Islam?
People think that Islam is on the boil, overly political. But for the vast majority not caught up in radicalism and sectarian violence, it is a faith that provides solace and comfort, people still go on pilgrimage, give alms to the poor, turn to Islam for meaning, for a bit of shade, if you will, in a turbulent Islamic world. From Indonesia in the east to Morocco in the Western-most land of Islam, there are 1.2 billion Muslims. There is fanaticism among a dangerous minority, and ordinary life for the vast, silent majority. posted by Iraqi Mojo
Iraqi Mojo: Where Were You?
Iraqi Mojo: Where Were You?
Read this when you have time. A Christian Iraqi tells about past and present.
Read this when you have time. A Christian Iraqi tells about past and present.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
BizzyBlog
BizzyBlog
Do You Mean Credit Isn’t Automatically Evil (and Being Debt-Free Isn’t a Bed of Roses)?
Imagine that. The two major takeaways from the SmartMoney.com article are:
- There are challenges to living debt-free.
- There are times when having certain debts makes financial sense. For example, having a low-rate traditional fixed-rate mortgage with a rate of under 5%, not paying it off more quickly, and investing money you may have targeted towards paying the mortgage off more quickly in a reasonably aggressive manner will ordinarily leave you with more wealth when the mortgage is eventually paid off.
I’ll focus on the challenges to living debt-free in this post.
The biggest challenge is that if you are truly debt-free, you may not even have any credit established — and if you don’t have credit, you often can’t get credit. “Credit” in the broadest sense includes getting services that you don’t have to borrow money to obtain, but for which you still have to present some kind of proof of financial viability to get access to. In this broad scope, not having credit could even affect your ability to get a wireless phone, to avoid having to put down deposits to get utility, cable, or phone service, or to make other supposedly “routine” purchases.
Then there is the hassle you’ll likely face when traveling. Most rental-car companies insist on having a credit card number (a debit card will NOT suffice. More hotels are insisting that you guarantee your room with a credit card (debit cards are somewhat more likely to work here).
Putting the above potential problems aside, most people aspire to owning a home, and most people wishing to be totally debt-free usually don’t have the money to pay cash for a house. A person without a credit history or having a very sketchy one will often have a tough time getting a mortgage loan approved. It shouldn’t be that way, and if I were king of the world, I would force lenders to consider the absence of late payments on routine bills, such as utilities, wireless phone and the like positive evidence of creditworthiness. If lenders felt like they routinely needed proof (a fair request, I suppose), I would want the service providers I just named to report payment history to the bureaus. Voila, the “problem” of being debt-free without evidence of creditworthiness would be solved.
Since I’m not king (yet), the main ways to head off the potential “no credit, no approval” problem in advance of applying for a mortgage are:
- Get a general-purpose credit card (Visa/MC/Discover/Amex). Use it occasionally, and pay the bill in full when it’s due. The card will at least show up on your credit report (even Amex, as of some years ago). Whether the card’s unpaid balance shows up on the report, even when always paid in full, depends on the card, but I don’t think it matters that much to your perceived creditworthiness whether it does or doesn’t (if you think I’m wrong about that, let me know or leave a comment).
- If you already have a general purpose card or two already but never use them, do the things suggested in the previous step.
- If you can’t get approved for a general-purpose card because of no credit history, get a retail card, for which you will get approved if you either a) have a pulse, or b) can fog a mirror when you breathe. Charge a few things on it for 3-6 months and pay it in full, and you will probably have little difficulty getting approved for a general-purpose card.
- Have a checking account AND a savings account — A surprising number of people who are living debt-free without established credit also live outside the banking system. I like privacy as much as the next person, but this is not a good long-term idea. The credit-application scoring systems (different from your credit score) give a person a lot of points for having an open checking and an open savings account. You may get approved even if you are totally debt-free and don’t have much of a credit history (but don’t take it for granted that this is what will happen).
- Consider borrowing from a credit union where you are already a customer if it offers mortgages. The rates they offer may be a bit better too.
TheStockAdvisors.com - Boomers, dollars and debt
TheStockAdvisors.com - Boomers, dollars and debt
| Best of the Best: Today's Top Investment Ideas |
| Boomers, dollars and debt |  | Digg It! |
| Thursday, 25 January 2007 | |
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In addition, the Adens share some thought-provoking commentary regarding government debt, the dollar and baby boomers from David Gallard of Casey Research, also a long standing expert in this sector. “We often discuss the unprecedented U.S. debt load and what it means for the economy, gold, the dollar and so on. But we rarely discuss the baby boomers and how this will affect the future, which is also one of the main reasons why we believe gold will continue to rise for years to come. In the excerpts that follow, David Gallard explains why… “Seventy eight million is the number of baby boomers who are in or approaching retirement. That’s the biggest demographic bulge in U.S. history, fully 26% of the population. "And many of those 78 million are in a jam. As they approach retirement, they are still carrying historic levels of debt and, on average, have woefully inadequate net worth — and much of that based on shaky housing prices. “In fact, 25% of the retiring boomers are facing retirement with a net worth of less than $50,000. You don’t need to be an accountant to see that they won’t get very far on so little. "Meanwhile, U.S. government debt now tops $9 trillion, before taking into account its unfunded obligations for Social Security and Medicare — debts that the retiring boomers will soon have their hands out to collect. “After adding in Social Security, Medicare and all the government’s other pay-later obligations, the current debt actually comes in at over $60 trillion—an amount so large, not one person in a million has a real sense of it. So let’s try to put that number into perspective. “A trillion is 1000 X 1000 X 1000 X 1000, or a million millions. President Reagan, himself a big spender, accurately pointed out that a stack of $1,000 bills four inches high makes you a millionaire, and that a trillion dollars would be a stack 67 miles high! The U.S. government owes 60 of those sky-piercing stacks of $1,000 bills. “It’s a lot of money. And it’s not just any kind of money. Amazingly, this unbacked currency of a bankrupt government is still the reserve currency of virtually every nation in the world today. But not, we think, for much longer. “To service its debt and keep the game going, the U.S. government must sell on the order of $2.5 billion per day in new Treasury bills, much of it to foreigners already sitting on something like $6 trillion of U.S. paper. "Recognizing that the U.S. has little capacity to rein in its profligate spending and has neither the intent nor the ability to actually pay off its $60 trillion debt in money worth anywhere near what it’s worth today, foreigners are increasingly leery about accumulating more greenbacks. “So what are nervous bureaucrats to do? The answer is to depreciate the currency – and as quietly as possible. That allows the government to meet its obligations, but with ever more worthless dollars. It’s their only way to buy time. “In other words, the total amount of money in the system – what we ‘print’ — is whatever the government finds convenient from one day to the next. That’s a way of saying that the U.S. government is planning to paper over all its many obligations and accelerate a trend that has been in motion since the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913. “While no one can say with certainty how this will play out, there is one truth you can take to the bank. Throughout all of human history, gold has always held its value as a monetary instrument. That sort of shock-proof durability cannot be claimed by any paper currency, certainly not by the dollar, which has lost 70% of its value since abandoning the gold standard in 1971. |
Mary Anne and Pamela Aden have long been among the most respected advisors in the resource sector and in the latest issue of The Skeptical Optimist: Pie Chart of Who Owns the Debt, and Bar Chart of Who’s Been Buying It
The Skeptical Optimist: Pie Chart of Who Owns the Debt, and Bar Chart of Who’s Been Buying It: "If we’re supposed to be scared of the foreigners who are buying up our debt, I guess we’d better stop looking across the Pacific for the culprits, and start keeping an eye on the Brits—because in the six months through March ’06, they increased their holdings almost six times as much as the Chinese did ($84B vs $15B). Not only that, but the Canadians were right behind the Chinese ($12B vs $15B).
In that environment, it’s tough to figure out who we’re supposed to be scared of, isn’t it? I gave up a long time ago; I’m just grateful they’re helping (indirectly) to fund our economy’s growth, and helping (indirectly) to keep our tax rates lower than they’d otherwise have to be to keep our debt burden (debt-to-GDP ratio) from growing. (Thank you, foreigners! Maybe you should consider immigrating...)
In any case, the two biggest groups of T-bond buyers swamped everybody else (see the two longest bars at the top of the chart). Those two groups are made up of you, me, our families, our friends, and our neighbors. "
In that environment, it’s tough to figure out who we’re supposed to be scared of, isn’t it? I gave up a long time ago; I’m just grateful they’re helping (indirectly) to fund our economy’s growth, and helping (indirectly) to keep our tax rates lower than they’d otherwise have to be to keep our debt burden (debt-to-GDP ratio) from growing. (Thank you, foreigners! Maybe you should consider immigrating...)
In any case, the two biggest groups of T-bond buyers swamped everybody else (see the two longest bars at the top of the chart). Those two groups are made up of you, me, our families, our friends, and our neighbors. "
Friday, January 26, 2007
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