July 31, 2010
Chris Christie porn
It seems an unlikely concatenation but the comparison is entirely appropriate. It is more than a little disturbing how much I relate to this.
Alas. Sweet, sweet video at the link. Glenn Beck features.
July 30, 2010
Virtually existing socialism
Ace sums up a form of brain damage incurred by the ruling class of the entire Western world; a profoundly maladaptive memeplex, if you will: "I think there is a type of person -- well-represented in the "Political Class" and in progressive politics -- that has learned, from college, that the Abstract is everything, that Real Smart People are always focused on the Abstract, on metaphors, on symbols."
And I thought, "Gee, no, actually it's not a symbol of a division; it really is, in fact, a physical division." Because, see, you're rioting. (And not symbolically in riot, either.) You can tell it's a real-world division because now you can't get to the G-20 conference center and throw rock-metaphors through the window-symbols.
Language, vocabulary, ideas, imagery -- everything succumbed to my one intense purpose of thinking & dreaming myself back into that world of periwigs & long s's which for some odd reason seemed to me the normal world.
Agent Bedhead sent this widget along. Depending on the snippet, it is this or Cory Doctorow for me.
Ghost of a flea: Mentat Emperor
Full scale version here; best with headphones unless you have decent reference monitors. The video is an edit of Umberto Scarpelli's sword and sandal epic, The Giant of Metropolis (1961). I needed something that said "vacation on Kaitain".
July 29, 2010
Loyalty test
Michael Rubin asks if Turkey can give American defense secrets to Iran.
No, the truth is we are dependent on the goodwill of the "President" of the United States to defend the defense secrets of the United States.
It is the sort of thing Americans used to be able to take for granted two long years ago.
July 28, 2010
July 27, 2010
Gratuitous image of Katy Perry in PVC
We need traffic to fight the collaborators at Canadian Living and they tell me "sex sells". Fight the power!
July 26, 2010
The medium is the mass age
Nicholas always has good material at Quotulatiousness, please visit and thereby assuage my guilt (if only somewhat) for lifting this P.J. O'Rourke quote in its entirety.
What would Kipling Say?
Mark E. Horning posts a timely pastiche to the comments at Jerry Pournelle's Current Chaos Manor.
The lesson still stands before us, and Kipling he saw it plain.
The rest at the link.
July 25, 2010
Restoring the time line
If I could go back in time it would be a toss up between killing Adolph Hitler and killing Lawrence of Arabia for all the incalculable damage both men did to civilization and humanity.
Sources close to Dominick Browne, also known as Lord Mereworth, say he has even received a marriage proposal from beautiful 28-year-old Sara Al Amoudi.
That said, I am forced to keep my snark in reserve. Even veiled, she is a hottie. Therein lies a big part of the problem.
Next stop: The 1930s
The Russian Orthodox Church is set to train youth to "guard faith and country".
This sounds all too familiar.
What makes the new youth groups stand out is their planned promotion of a blend of religion, anti-Western philosophy, politics and patriotism — values that will be passed on by youth leaders like Batrakov, who is among 100 people who signed up for a two-month crash course on Orthodox youth leadership in Moscow that started in May. Church representatives said the number of such leaders might reach into the thousands.
Submission Earth: Now that NASA's primary mission is submission, Russia considers Chinese spaceships as a back up for Soyuz and Progress.
After U.S. space shuttles cease their missions in 2011, Russia will remain the only country capable of delivering crews to the ISS.
Defenestration
Or maybe it is still 1929.
July 24, 2010
Touchable
Purple Avenger: The peasants are revolting.
If only Canadians cared enough about their democracy to become ever so slightly irate.
Allen West on healing America
I was about to stand up when I remembered I was sitting at my desk. And I have the wrong passport (via Hot Air).
Arguably the most heavily defended airspace on the planet
Using open source satellite imagery, IMINT & Analysis offers an impressive picture of Russian strategic air defense.
...
The SAM systems which have been identified do, however, provide valuable insight into Russian SAM deployment strategies, allowing the overall SAM network to be analyzed even if all of the deployed assets cannot be located.
Many - many - maps and lively debate in the comments at the link.
Comic Book Fans vs. Westboro Baptist Church
"What do we want?" "Gay sex!" "When do we want it?" "Now!"
Hat tip to Mr. Myrick.
July 23, 2010
Notes on the World Cup
Theodore Dalrymple: The British and French teams reflected social problems back home.
Punchline at the link.
Elsewhere among the ruins: Portsmouth officials descend into self-parody, ordereding all violence to be removed from a traditional Punch and Judy show.
But puppeteer Daniel Liversidge will be keeping Mr Punch's catchphrase: 'That's the way to do it.'
They are doing it wrong.
While I am in Dalrymple country: Take the time to compare Fr. Robert Crouse on faith and pharmaceuticals with Theodore Dalrymple's Romancing Opiates. Both contradict today's received wisdom (which is neither received nor wisdom).
July 22, 2010
Equivocation is the highest form of patriotism
WWTDD?: "The Captain America movie won’t be all American-y."
“…it’s also the idea that this is not about America so much as it is about the spirit of doing the right thing. It’s an international cast and an international story.”
Only Joss Whedan can save us now. No, snap, he wrote Captain Planet, didnt' he?
The free and frank dicussion continues
"Though I chuckle, this is no laughing matter."
First, to say I am not entirely certain why I am linking this. Some combination of awe/incredulity at other people's priorities and an admiration for the speaker's cadence, yes. But mainly as an illustration of how people actually talk about the world - how people actually conceptualize the world and make decisions in the world - and how this bears no relationship to the self-imposed thought control practiced by the Establishment and its Myrmidons.
"Black women would appreciate your cooperation in this matter."
I don't have to agree with Atlanta Sistah, but she does not live in fear of a semantic planet. Respect.
Second, to bitterly complain she won't let people embed the video (Update: Ha! Now embedded. Thanks, Scott.).
Third, and I can't believe I am doing this: A reply. It has almost four times the page views.
Remember: Cook, bake and cut a bitch. It's all about priorities.
July 21, 2010
The Liberal Express
Michael Ignatieff's "listening tour" had to make a pit stop for repairs.
July 20, 2010
The Game
WIth news of the mainstream popularity of gaming in Germany, Quotulatiousness comments on the life of gamers in the English-speaking world.
Related somehow: Scientists have used a computer program to decipher a written language that is more than three thousand years old.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology told the program that the language was related to another known language, in this case Hebrew. The system is then able to make assumptions about the way different words are formed and whether they consist of a prefix and a suffix, for example.
Through repeated analysis, the program linked letters and words to map nearly all Ugaritic symbols to their Hebrew equivalents in a matter of hours.
Iwrestledabearonce: Tastes Like Kevin Bacon
In case you are wondering what the hottest woman in the world looks like.
July 19, 2010
I am an Englishman
"... from a BBC programme called NCS Manhunt, features a speech by a man called Laurence Bright, played by the excellent Marc Warren. It was originally aired on March 12, 2001, and the summary says: “It becomes clear that the crimes are racially motivated, and the team uncovers a secretive right-wing organisation bent on starting a race war.”
These three generations of my family, were in the fish trade. I'm the first member of my family not to work at the market in Billingsgate. My great-grandfather had eleven brothers and sisters. I dont know exactly how many of his generation married or exactly how many children they produced. I've so far tracked over two-hundred of them.
Many still live in Bermondsey. Some are still in the fish trade.
There are seven called George, and five called Victoria. I stand here, in front of you, as a representative of all of them. And I ask in their name the great question put by our patron, Mr Powell. What do they know of England, who only England know? Or, what can my family, who come from England, who lived in England, who know only England, say of this, our country?
Mr Powell once spoke of the destruction of ancient Athens and the miraculous survival in the blackened ruins of that city of the sacred olive tree; the symbol of Greece, their country. And he also spoke of us, the English, at the heart of a vanished empire, seeming to find within ourselves that one of our own oak trees, the sap rising from our ancient roots, and he said perhaps, after all, we who have inhabited this island fortress for an unbroken thousand years, brought up, as he said, within the sound of English bird song under the English oak, in the English meadow, beneath the red cross of St. George, it is us who know most of England.
And I appreciated him for saying that, because it was as if he spoke for my family, who understand well their own country. Who understand even better their own capital, London town, as we used to call her. As we strolled in her parks, as we marveled at her palaces, as we did buisness in the city, went west for a dance, took a boat on the river. The pale ale and eel pie of old London. The London of my family for as many generations as I know. The London that will in less than fifteen years will be less than fifty percent white. London, where in fifteen years a white person will be in the minority.
Am I racist? No. Do I have anything against people of other races? No. So what then is my gripe?
My gripe, and I speak on behalf of seven men called George and five women called Victoiria, my gripe is quite simple.
My gripe is that we were never asked. My gripe is that we were told, not asked, and everyday we are told again and again how we are to be and how our country is to be. We are told by them, and we know who they are, they're English too. They are the class that has always set themselves apart, they are the class that has always taken what they wanted for themselves, and now they are the class that is giving England away.
They have never asked us, and they never will.
Do we allow them to sell our heritage? Or is it time for us to speak?
To speak, to refuse them the right to give away our holy, or bountiful, our only England that has, that has nurtured us, naked, grown us as the oak. Is it time for us that England know to come yet again and defend our country? With our fire, our fists?
Is it time for us sons to rise again?
I say yes.
I say yes.
I say... Yes.
"This time it will be different," they (always) say. Yes, because this time we should have known better.
A nice new shopping mall opened today in Gaza
“On a day when (because EU Foreign Policy Chief Baroness Ashton is in Gaza) the BBC and other media have featured extensive reports all day long on what they term the dire economic situation in Gaza, why are they not mentioning the new shopping mall that opened there yesterday?"
Via Jonah Goldberg.
Springtime in an English Village (1944)
July 18, 2010
Steve Martin: King Tut (Live 1979)
Because life does not 100% suck. Thanks to Mr. Liddle.
July 17, 2010
Precursor
Unless something drastic is done, there are only two likely outcomes for Weimar Europe.
Imperial History of the Middle East
See five thousand years of history in 90 seconds. Sadly, no bunnies.
I almost did not link this because of its treatment of the last hundred years or so. Judge for thyself.
The Sadistic Adventures Of Captain Marvel
The first couple minutes are the most satisfying thing you will see all day. They won't let me embed the thing, damn them.
Secret of the Incas (1954)
Fair warning: You will get sucked in to the whole film. Even if you have never seen it, I guarantee parts of it will look familiar.
Yma Sumac, FTMFW.
July 16, 2010
Richard Cheese: Closer
Blame Chris Myrick for the inspiration. And my mood on a Friday afternoon. This one goes with a shout out to Agent Bedhead. Not safe for work unless you are an executive director or are too corporate or whatever.
The Master, FTW
Every Doctor Who villain since 1963.
There is a chart.
July 15, 2010
Malice In Wonderland: The Red Queen Theory
By Ed Watkins (Eat Me version at the link).
Flotilla Incident Timeline
IDF Spokesperson's Unit: "The film, produced by the Eiland Team of Experts, breaks down the events of the flotilla using a timeline which alternates between 3D models and footage captured throughout the incident."
There were 718 total passengers of the flotilla ships. Most were released without undergoing any investigation. The last passenger left on June 6th.
July 14, 2010
Krista Branch: I Am America
I had to balance polemics vs hotness with this one. 2 Chronicles 7:14 remains topical.
Related: It wasn’t all that long ago that country music was apolitical.
July 13, 2010
Taranis
BAE Systems has developed the perfect machine for destroying what remains of British civilization.
What's the over/under on this thing dropping its ordinance in the name of a) Skynet or b) the next Caliph?
The plane will test the possibility of developing the first ever autonomous stealthy Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) that would ultimately be capable of precisely striking targets at long range, even in another continent.
Let us admit the remote possibility the Taranis will be operated by someone espousing old school Celtic values. If so, things could get spectacularly interesting.
Moon-o-theism, Part IV: The Mooning is a Harsh Mistress
Charles S. Griffith offers a new plan for NASA and Muslims in outer space (via Vlad Tepes).
I won't spoil the rest.
Oksana Grigorieva: Beautiful Heartache
In solidarity with Grigorieva. The less said about the producer the better.
July 12, 2010
Heterosexual Panic Defense
These are some tough lesbians but they could have used a more inventive lawyer.
Even more topical than it was five years ago
"Well, I guess that genocide in Sudan must've worked itself out on its own."
Execution of General Anton Dostler
The good old days. And not a "human rights" lawyer in sight.
July 11, 2010
Think of the restaurants
Camel's milk will be on a supermarket shelf near you soon.
High in Vitamin C and low in fat it is also more digestible than cow's milk and suitable for the lactose-intolerant.
Camelicious!
Dear North Korea
It's not me, it's you.
"I think I need a cigarette!"
July 10, 2010
Declining Western fertility rates explained
And by declining I mean cratering.
Radar Men from the Moon (1952)
Basically Mad Men for geeks. Chapter 1: Moon Rocket!
July 09, 2010
Almost time to find out if chess beats go
Three modified Ohio-class boomers equipped with up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles each have made a dramatic entrance.
It isn't a lot of missiles compared to China's arsenal across from Taiwan but as martial theatre it is impressive nonetheless.
1983 Islington Squatter Punk Documentary
"We're not queer, that's for sure!" Ahh, the left; our moral superiors.
By 1986, we were charging ten bucks a photo in Vancouver. But then goth lacked the political niceties of punk.
Related: Now collecting for a bounty on punk era Kathy Shaidle photos!
July 08, 2010
Death penalty for honour murders
The Times of India reports a good idea. The headline explains itself but wait there's more.
In related news: All cultures are equal!
Stop presses: Civil Rights Commission does its job
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is to renew subpoenas and pursue a federal probe in the Black Panther voter intimidation case.
Commissioner Ashley Taylor said the panel will send out a letter as early as Wednesday calling for the Justice Department to open an investigation into the charge.
Video at the link. Ashley Taylor for Congress?
Twilight: For Guys
It's like a female Shawshank Redemption directed by Michael Bay! Most probably nsfw, btw.
July 07, 2010
Green wash
An "independent" enquiry has cleared British climate "scientists" of fraud.
Good news! Everyone's grants, awards, honours and sinecures are safe.
Most were unconvinced by the report that followed a the six-month review by a committee led by former civil servant Sir Muir Russell, which looked into the hundreds of e-mails hacked last year from the University of East Anglia.
Climate sceptics and bloggers had alleged that the e-mails showed climate scientists wrongfully manipulating data to change the outcome, concealing key data and attempting to subvert the process of peer review of scientific papers.
Sir Muir Russell is a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh which, purely coincidentally, endorses the IPCC. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of "green energy" producer ScottishPower. Oddly enough!
Peasants: Shut up!
Related: Hot weather in the summer and cold weather in the winter proves climate instability or something.
"My strong opinion is that these kinds of extremes are something you would expect in a warming world, and expect to happen more frequently," Harry McCaughey, a professor of climatology at Queen's University, told CTV.ca.
Also related: Climatology is a scam.
Update The Register has more on the University of East Anglia's "independent" enquiry into the conduct of its own staff. It turns out they cannot even honestly represent the content of their own report. And why should they? Their brain-washed followers can now declare the "stolen" emails proved nothing.
Not that proof of anything was ever at issue for the cultists.
Harlan Ellison speaks to college students
Testify!
Related: Grammar Nazis. This is like watching me at work.
July 06, 2010
Homeless man rescues Old Glory
In the driving wind and rain. This chokes me up and I don't have an American passport. Not yet.
Thanks to Hot Air.
Wonder Girls: 2 Different Tears
Considering a new career teaching English in South Korea. I will be gangsta.
July 04, 2010
Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward
From Quantum praedecessores, Pope Eugene III's "Summons to A Crusade" of December 1, 1154.
If not now, when?
Happy birthday, America.
Tuned to a dead channel
China reaches a developmental landmark: A generation of over-qualified, under-employed white collar workers.
Photo essay at the link.
Also: More on the ant tribe at People's Daily Online.
On the head of a pin
Elisabeth Rieper at the National University of Singapore suggests quantum entanglement holds DNA together.
Hence, quantum biology.
That's possible because phonons have a wavelength which is similar in size to a DNA helix and this allows standing waves to form, a phenomenon known as phonon trapping. When this happens, the phonons cannot easily escape. A similar kind of phonon trapping is known to cause problems in silicon structures of the same size.
Via Warren Ellis.
In joke
Flea-readers outside Google Ads' catchment area for Toronto will be edified to learn what has popped up in my sidebar.* I confess it may only be amusing to those of us in le tout rightosphere up north.**
* I make no endorsement for the advertised product or service; I am making an editorial observation.
** The answer is "yes", btw. But only if I get to be Chief of Police.
Blow that Vuvuzela
Sometimes a Vuvuzela is just a lucky, lucky Vuvuzela.
July 03, 2010
Religious Freedom Day
Is a great day to ban the Bible!
A touch of the tar brush
The Union Jack has been rebranded in the hope of reflecting "a more modern society". By adding black.
Remember: When the Left says it, it isn't racist.
The proposed new flag [at the link] is the work of Nigel Turner, an enthusiastic fan of the UK's transformation into a multiracial society over the past 50 years.
Note to the BBC: The United Kingdom has always been a multi-racial society. Even if we lump the Welsh, the Cornish, the Manx, the Scots and (some of) the Irish into a Celtic mass it is still the lot of them vs the English.*
The BBC still clearly believes there is a "white" race (which makes them not racist somehow).
* Yes, I know the Isle of Mann is not part of the United Kingdom. Just didn't want to leave anyone out. The Channel Islanders can fend for themselves.
July 02, 2010
Neglect by peace officer
Joe Warmington makes an excellent point by way of a story about a Good Samaritan (hat tip to Five Feet of Fury).
Not sure if it applies to a senior officer’s orders?
They used to shoot men for malingering. But then I am an old fashioned law and order type.
And another thing: Warmington points out we are unlikely to get much by way of an independent public inquiry.
To anyone wondering how bloggers might play a role: The Jawa Report bags another bad guy.
They have another bad guy in their sights. At the link.
It wouldn't be loverly
Hitler could not crush the spirit of the East End of London.
But the East End of London has been vanquished all the same.
As its traditional speakers emigrate to Essex and Hertfordshire, the 650-year-old accent is dying off in London., to be replaced by multicultural London English, heavily influenced by West Indian patois, Bangladeshi and remnants of old cockney.
No one consented to this.
July 01, 2010
Bad news
Christopher Hitchens has esophegal cancer. Kathy Shaidle comments to good effect.
Conan the Barbarian: The Musical
Conservatives have more fun, btw.