A Parable

I have a problem with roaches. I think it's my neighbor's fault. I am so sick and tired of them I am going to take care of them once and for all.
Where's my sledgehammer?
THERE'S ONE!
There goes a coffee mug that I left overnight in the sink full of food scraps and dirty dishes.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE!
Ooops, I smashed my wine rack and now there's wine all over my kitchen floor.
Now my neighbors are begging me to stop. I told them I wasn't going to stop until the underlying causes of my roach infestation are addressed.
My neighbors say that I am making a bigger mess that will attract more roaches. I tell them that I won't stop until every roach is dead and I don't care how many dishes I smash, how many cookie jars are broken, how much drywall I have to replace, and how many canisters of rice are busted open. I will not put down my sledgehammer until every single.fucking.roach.is.dead. Do you hear me? I will not clean up my house until I have killed every single roach in it.

Hmmm....

So is Stop the ACLU is going to publish the home address and phone numbers of the Phelps family? After all they were happy that a Jewish family had to move after they published its address after they got help from the ACLU in a lawsuit.

Ignoring the lessons of history

The first in a series of what went wrong in Iraq. It looks like it's going to be a really good series of articles. Apparently, the Army thought Iraq was going to be another Bosnia or Kosovo. The only problem is that in the Balkans, all the parties involved were bled dry and exhausted. The local military age men were either killed or burned out by 4+ years of war. The Balkans also had more of a Western outlook (yes, I know they were communists but remember Marxism is a Western philosophy that was born of the Enlightenment) than the Iraqis or the Vietnamese. That was not the situation in Iraq. Actually, I think the situation is more like the German invasion of France during WWII (no, I am not comparing our soldiers to stormtroopers) than the Balkans.

I think these are some of the more telling quotes of the political leadership:

Complicating the U.S. effort was the difficulty top officials had in recognizing what was going on in Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld at first was dismissive of the looting that followed the U.S. arrival and then for months refused to recognize that an insurgency was breaking out there. A reporter pressed him one day that summer: Aren't you facing a guerrilla war?

"I guess the reason I don't use the phrase 'guerrilla war' is because there isn't one," Rumsfeld responded.

That summer, retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson, an expert in small wars, was sent to Baghdad by the Pentagon to advise on how to better put down the emerging insurgency. He met with Bremer in early July. "Mr. Ambassador, here are some programs that worked in Vietnam," Anderson said.

It was the wrong word to put in front of Bremer. "Vietnam?" Bremer exploded, according to Anderson. "Vietnam! I don't want to talk about Vietnam. This is not Vietnam. This is Iraq!"

This was one of the early indications that U.S. officials would obstinately refuse to learn from the past as they sought to run Iraq.

As that great philosopher Obi Wan Kenobi said, "Who is the bigger fool? The fool? Or the man who follows him?"

I see your challenge and accept it.

From Simply Left Behind, I accept the challenge to find an obscure, weird version of Smells like Teen Spirit.

Why is the WaPo pro-cancer?

The Washington Post runs this editorial from the crackpots at the "Family Research Council". Realizing that opposing the HPV (cervical cancer) vaccine because it promotes sluttines was a bad idea and alienated the mainstream Americans. They have started a disinformation campaign that the HPV vaccine is not 100% in preventing cervical cancer, so your preteen daughter shouldn't get vaccinated. It is true that Gardisil only targets the viruses that cause 70% of cervical cancers. But the vaccine combined with consistent condom use can make HPV an extremely rare STD. Not only that, a substance in carageenan has been found to kill HPV in the test tube. Carageenan is used in some sexual lubricants.

The FRC is all up in arms about the 30% of HPV infections that aren't covered by the vaccine, but safe sex practices like using a condom will stop the transmission of those viruses. Of course the FRC's editorial doesn't say anything about that. If the FRC wanted to truly inform the public about preventing the remaining 30% of HPV, they would write in their editorial that condoms help prevent the spread of HPV. But nooo, they want to stop a woman from having sex, instead of truly protecting her health. Yes, they want to micromanage the sex lives of women they do not know.

How effective are these disinformation campaigns? Can you get Plan B over the counter in the United States? Will your family doctor write a prescription for it? Does your local pharmacy stock it?

Good for them

The Wilsons are suing Darth Cheney, Moped Libby, and the Turdblossum. I hope a lot of previously unknown information comes out during the discovery process. But don't expect the traitorous trio to roll over and settle out of court,

Legal analysts said they expect Cheney to argue that he is immune from the suit. But they also said that if a judge allows the litigation to proceed, the lawsuit could allow Plame and Wilson to demand documents from Cheney and others, and force the vice president to sit for a deposition.

Remember Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky? The depositions? The efforts to get Bill Clinton the most popular Democrat President ever? The Republicans established a shitload of legal precedents during the Clinton impeachment that are going to bite them in the ass big time.

What I am feeling now? Schadenfreude.

Blogaversery

Two years ago, I started this blog. I hope that my readers enjoy it.

Remember all the opinions on this blog are mine and mine alone. You may have noticed that my co-blogger is no longer on my blog. That is because NoPT4Lent and I have decided to divorce. It wasn't the fault of the blog. There were other issues in our marriage that slowly chipped away at our relationship until we realized that remaining married to each other would not be in our best interests. Even though our marriage is ending, our highest priority will be our son. I will continue to blog as it gives me a way to blow off steam.

Peace!!

Happy Blogaversery to me.

I can't believe I'm giving into peer pressure

Way better than the Hillary Duff version.

Friday catvlogging

Taken with an LG CU320 cell phone.

Happy Independence Day

I am going to Fredericksburg, VA to visit friends. Fredericksburg was the site of some Civil War battles as it was halfway between Washington DC and Richmond VA, the first capital of the CSA. I will be back with pictures, hopefully.

Questions for Senator Allen

Hat tips to Operation Yellow Elephant and The News Blog.

I have seen the recent George Felix Allen commercials where he brags about his youngest child getting ready to go to college. Why aren't any of George Allen's children serving in the military? After all, Felix feels free to criticize Jim Webb's patriotism because Jim Webb thinks the Flag Protection Amendment is a really, bad idea. Do you know why the FPA is a bad idea? Because, the next time aWol signs an American flag, he opens himself to impeachment for a high crime and misdemeanor. Would the Republican controlled House be willing to indict aWol for signing an American flag? Could the Republican controlled Senate finally have the cojones to convict him? Or would the Republican controlled Congress let him get away with it? Now do you see what a bad idea the Flag Protection Amendment is?

So anyhow, Jim Webb's son is getting ready to go to Iraq. Why aren't Senator Allen's?

I'm back, with tests!!

According to experts, my personality type is : Adult Film Star Other people like me display these traits. They are good in bed They suffer from bowel problems They are great kissers They smell like cucumbers Take the Ink Blot Personality Quiz at JokesUnlimited.com

I really don't like cucumbers.