Back and Forth

Kids say the darndest things

2005-01-18T13:57:00.001-05:00

Especially free ones:

This is a very delighted moment for me. And thank God," said Abu Muslim Al-Haydar, who fled Najaf 1991, after joining a Shiite uprising against Saddam Hussein. "Iraqis have been waiting for this."

"This is the bullet that goes directly toward terrorists and terrorism," al-Haydar said, brandishing the voting card he had just received, emotions swelling in his throat. "And we want this world to live in peace and in freedom, and Iraq is the first state toward this process. All people in the world should come by us and help the Iraqi people get free of those terrorists."

Many said that they wanted to stress that the United States is primarily responsible for what is now a different and hopeful life in their homeland."For us, right now, this is like a new birthday," said Ali Alhachem of Dearborn. "And we say thank you very much for the USA people, thank you very much for the USA government, thank you very much President Bush.

"Everyone, all over Iraq, we know the American people have helped them very, very much and we appreciate it."

"You know, we've been waiting for a lot of years, like 35 years, since the last election like this," Albrhai said. "And we're very happy to try to make a new president for Iraq, and we say thank you to the American people and President George Bush because they helped us. And in Iraq, they helped make Saddam gone."

"It is a remarkable day," Al-Zaidi said. "It is considered, for me, a historical day. Voting for Iraq and for the people of Iraq is a big deal."

Who are these out-of-touch dreamers? Find out here.

Kids say the darndest things

2005-01-18T13:57:00.000-05:00

Especially free ones:

"This is a very delighted moment for me. And thank God," said Abu Muslim Al-Haydar, who fled Najaf 1991, after joining a Shiite uprising against Saddam Hussein. "Iraqis have been waiting for this."

"This is the bullet that goes directly toward terrorists and terrorism," al-Haydar said, brandishing the voting card he had just received, emotions swelling in his throat. "And we want this world to live in peace and in freedom, and Iraq is the first state toward this process. All people in the world should come by us and help the Iraqi people get free of those terrorists."

Many said that they wanted to stress that the United States is primarily responsible for what is now a different and hopeful life in their homeland."For us, right now, this is like a new birthday," said Ali Alhachem of Dearborn. "And we say thank you very much for the USA people, thank you very much for the USA government, thank you very much President Bush.

"Everyone, all over Iraq, we know the American people have helped them very, very much and we appreciate it."

"You know, we've been waiting for a lot of years, like 35 years, since the last election like this," Albrhai said. "And we're very happy to try to make a new president for Iraq, and we say thank you to the American people and President George Bush because they helped us. And in Iraq, they helped make Saddam gone."

"It is a remarkable day," Al-Zaidi said. "It is considered, for me, a historical day. Voting for Iraq and for the people of Iraq is a big deal."

Who are these out-of-touch dreamers?

Find out here.

Um.....you're....wel....come?

2005-01-14T15:25:00.000-05:00

From AP:

"BANDA ACEH, Indonesia - Indonesia announced that U.S. and other foreign troops providing tsunami disaster relief must leave the country by the end of March and ordered aid workers Wednesday to declare their travel plans or face expulsion from devastated Aceh province on Sumatra island."

If you don't speak Indonesian, allow me to translate:

"Leave the check on the counter and don't let the door hit ya in the tush on the way out."

"Put the money on the dresser, sweetie."

"Hey, when you get back, don't forget to write.....more checks."

"Hey, next time Mother Nature wants to stick it to us, can we still count on you to bend over? Great! Now beat it!"

Unbelievable. Does the Left still think we can use this opportunity to make nice and improve our standing in the world view?

Ugh. Sigh. Woe.

Curtsie: Corner

From the It-Was-Nice-While-It-Lasted department...

2005-01-14T15:16:00.000-05:00

And so it goes.

The jobless recovery

2005-01-07T10:47:00.000-05:00

2004 best jobs year year since 1999. That W! What a wank!

Land of the free?

2005-01-05T10:13:00.000-05:00

Not anymore, according to the WSJ.

Americans are so stingy

2005-01-03T14:58:00.000-05:00

From movie stars to average Joes, ya just can't beat America...willing to give, even to those (many) who don't like us.

Happy New Year

2005-01-03T11:16:00.000-05:00

Train keeps a rolling.

I say again...

2004-12-30T09:27:00.000-05:00

Worst president ever!

Since it's slow...

2004-12-28T16:27:00.000-05:00

The 16 and 1/2 most oft-heard utterances at New Year’s Eve parties:

1.) How was your Christmas? (ugh)

2.) Any of these chicks single?

3.) See ya next year! (guffaw guffaw guffaw!)

4.) You been fitted for that Y2K yet?

5.) If I absolutely HAD to…ya know, in a pinch…where would I puke?

6.) That dude making out with his friend’s wife: he’s not driving, is he?

7.) Ya know that expression, “sticking out like a turd in a punch bowl?” Well, you might wanna come have a look at this.

8.) How ya fixed for plungers?

9.) So, I’m thinking of telling my Rabbi it’s over.

10.) Next year’s gonna finally be the year that I find my pencil.

11.) That chick with the gum in her hair: she drive here?

12.) Needless to say, that was the last time I mixed booze, Thai food and midget wrestling.

13.) Stock tips? I lost my shirt in that buggy whip fallout!

14.) Hey, pal…that’s an ottoman, not a urinal.

15.) Hey, hon….stop licking that ottoman.

16.) It’s like I always say, there's more spinach in the world than there isn’t lettuce.

16 1/2.) If that germbo isma beernuts, gwana needa bitty jellnish ishba nedder!

Military poll

2004-12-28T10:44:00.000-05:00

Hey, guess who supports the war, approves of Bush's prosecution of the war, and blames the lack of armor on Congress -- not Rummy?

The answer may surprise you.

Oh yeah, THAT America

2004-12-28T09:43:00.000-05:00

I'm reminded once again why the whole world hates America.

Once again, Captain America to the rescue.

Will the world thank us? That sound you don't hear is me not holding my breath.

UPDATE: Apparently, leading the way monetarily and logistically is still not enough for the U.N. Glad I didn't waste my breath, er...holding my breath.

The Wizard of Odds

2004-12-22T08:44:00.000-05:00

Lyin, tigers and bears, oh my!

OK, that was just a weak attempt to be clever in pointing out that the U.N. is a corrupt joke, oil continues its slide, the economy continues to grow, and the stock market insists on rebounding.

Worst President ever!

On the contrary

2004-12-14T09:54:00.000-05:00

This is a very interesting article, about why we were not greeted with hugs and kisses from some of the Iraqis (namely, the Sunnis).

Still, I'd use the word ingrates in a pinch. And I'm in a pinch.

Must read

2004-12-10T13:20:00.000-05:00

A nudder.

Liberal Logic Dualities

2004-12-10T11:42:00.000-05:00

1.) The war in Iraq is a mess; we should bring our troops home now!
2.) There aren't enough troops to win the war, we should send more!

1.) I voted for Kerry, who votes against funding for American soldiers in Iraq.
2.) Rumsfield is ill-equipping our troops!

1.) Kerry should've been President, the man who voted down a tafillion weapons systems.
2.) Why can't our armed forces get the equipment they need?!!?

1.) Bush is making the world hate us and fostering terrorism!
2.) My man was Clinton, who did nothing to thwart terrorism's advance in eight years in the White House.

1.) There were no WMDs!
2.) Bush's military let a cache of dangerous WMDs go unchecked and unguarded in Iraq, left to fall into the hands of terrorists!

1.) There were no WMDs!
2.) Sarin, mustard gas, nerve agents, biological weapons labs, clandestine nuclear programs, deceptively "halted" chemical weapons progams don't count.

1.) There was no basis for war!
2.) Sixteen U.N. resolutions were working, or at least the next one might've, or at least sanctions might've worked, or the inspectors may have been one day allowed to return to their work.

1.) The Administration was asleep at the switch and did nothing to preemptively prevent 9/11 from happening!
2.) The Administration rushed to war with Iraq without letting the threat from Saddam fully materialize!

1.) Saddam had absolutely no connection to al Qaeda or terrorists!
2.) Giving refuge and asylum to al Zarqawi doesn't count.

1.) Saddam had absolutely no connection to al Qaeda or terrorists!
2.) Giving refuge and asylum to Abbas doesn't count.

1.) Saddam had absolutely no connection to al Qaeda or terrorists!
2.) Paying $25,000 per Palestinian suicide attack on Israel doesn't count.

1.) Saddam had absolutely no connection to al Qaeda or terrorists!
2.) Terrorists training camps don't count.

1.) We should turn over the country of Iraq to Iraqis!
2.) These elections should be delayed; there's no way they'll work!

1.) The insurgents are not terrorists.
2.) Bush's military let a cache of dangerous WMDs go unchecked and unguarded in Iraq, left to fall into the hands of terrorists!

1.) War never solved anything!
2.) Thank God the slaves were freed, Europe was liberated from Hitler, and the U.S. gained independence from England.

1.) Bush went it alone without a U.N. war resolution!
2.) I have no problem with Clinton going it along in Kosovo, without a U.N. war resolution.

1.) We are morally obligated to stop the mass genocide in Kosovo and the Sudan
2.) Saddam never did anything to precipitate war (I'm looking the other way when you show me those pictures of mass graves, by the way).

1.) You must show us WMDS!
2.) I doubt Yugoslavia ever had any WMDs.

1.) Milosivic was a madman!
2.) Saddam was framed by a lying Bush!

1.) Haliburton was given a no-bid contract in Iraq...what horror!
2.) Haliburton was given a no-bid contract in Kosovo...so what?

1.) Republicans want to impose their views on us!
2.) If you don't accept my views, you're a bigot, a homophobe and a fascist!

1.) I should move to Canada!
2.) Hell no, I'm not moving to Canada...there's nothing up there!

1.) Republicans need to be more enlightened, open-minded and accepting of other people's views.
2.) Bush is a fascist. I hate Dick Cheney. Rush Limbaugh can go to Hell. Sean Hannity needs to shup the @#$% up!

1.) Outsourcing is traitorism!
2.) Let's see...how can we bribe Toyota to build a plant in Michigan?

1.) How can we elect a draft dodging coward into the White House for TWO terms!?
2.) Oh, how I pine for the days of William Jefferson Clinton.

1.) I may not support the war, but I wholeheartedly support the troops.
2.) Pat Tillman is an idiot who got what he signed up for.

1.) I am right on this issue.
2.) [insert anything at all here]

Context, my friend

2004-12-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

As always, it's important to get the WHOLE story, as opposed to the byte-sized portions spoonfed to us by the MSM. Notice how Rummy doesn't come off NEARLY as defensive or dismissive when you read the entire transcript:

Q: Yes, Mr. Secretary. My question is more logistical. We’ve had troops in Iraq for coming up on three years and we’ve always staged here out of Kuwait. Now why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromise ballistic glass to up-armor our vehicles and why don’t we have those resources readily available to us? [Applause]

SEC. RUMSFELD: I missed the first part of your question. And could you repeat it for me?

Q: Yes, Mr. Secretary. Our soldiers have been fighting in Iraq for coming up on three years. A lot of us are getting ready to move north relatively soon. Our vehicles are not armored. We’re digging pieces of rusted scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass that’s already been shot up, dropped, busted, picking the best out of this scrap to put on our vehicles to take into combat. We do not have proper armament vehicles to carry with us north.

SEC. RUMSFELD: I talked to the General coming out here about the pace at which the vehicles are being armored. They have been brought from all over the world, wherever they’re not needed, to a place here where they are needed. I’m told that they are being – the Army is – I think it’s something like 400 a month are being done. And it’s essentially a matter of physics. It isn’t a matter of money. It isn’t a matter on the part of the Army of desire. It’s a matter of production and capability of doing it.

As you know, you go to war with the Army you have. They’re not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time. Since the Iraq conflict began, the Army has been pressing ahead to produce the armor necessary at a rate that they believe – it’s a greatly expanded rate from what existed previously, but a rate that they believe is the rate that is all that can be accomplished at this moment.

I can assure you that General Schoomaker and the leadership in the Army and certainly General Whitcomb are sensitive to the fact that not every vehicle has the degree of armor that would be desirable for it to have, but that they’re working at it at a good clip. It’s interesting, I’ve talked a great deal about this with a team of people who’ve been working on it hard at the Pentagon. And if you think about it, you can have all the armor in the world on a tank and a tank can be blown up. And you can have an up-armored humvee and it can be blown up. And you can go down and, the vehicle, the goal we have is to have as many of those vehicles as is humanly possible with the appropriate level of armor available for the troops. And that is what the Army has been working on.

And General Whitcomb, is there anything you’d want to add to that?

GEN. WHITCOMB: Nothing. [Laughter] Mr. Secretary, I’d be happy to. That is a focus on what we do here in Kuwait and what is done up in the theater, both in Iraq and also in Afghanistan. As the secretary has said, it’s not a matter of money or desire; it is a matter of the logistics of being able to produce it. The 699th, the team that we’ve got here in Kuwait has done [Cheers] a tremendous effort to take that steel that they have and cut it, prefab it and put it on vehicles. But there is nobody from the president on down that is not aware that this is a challenge for us and this is a desire for us to accomplish.

SEC. RUMSFELD: The other day, after there was a big threat alert in Washington, D.C. in connection with the elections, as I recall, I looked outside the Pentagon and there were six or eight up-armored humvees. They’re not there anymore. [Cheers] [Applause] They’re en route out here, I can assure you. Next. Way in the back. Yes.

Curtsy to Rich Lowery at The Corner.

Fibs! Who knew?

2004-12-09T10:15:00.000-05:00

So my first post in nearly a fortnight and what do I post about?

RUMMY catchin' shiite from the troops? Nope. Pundy's got that covered. (Scroll down to "Armor:")

Air America finding Funding? Nah. (I give 'em six more weeks.)

A feel-good story about a charity winning the lottery? No Sah! (Prediction: someone's gonna bitch about "not the right kinda people" winning the money ... you watch.)

Its TAMPONS! And yes #2 is unfortunate.

Hat tips all around! (Drudge, InstaPundit, Drudge, The Divine Ms. Malkin, and Lileks respectively.)

The New Republic Was Right!!!

2004-12-08T10:51:00.000-05:00

There was a Saudi plot to artificially deflate oil prices to hand Bush re-election. However, it was only put in place AFTER the election, and the deflation was due to market factors, but hey....why let the facts get in the way of a good story?

(Also, Osama is still holed up in Bush's gulag, as Bush waits for the most opportune time for us to show him to the world...perhaps during Bush's bid for a third term.)

Keep up the fine work, TNR!

This is interesting

2004-12-06T20:39:00.000-05:00

...to me, anyway.

I've heard a lot about His Holiness condemning the war, too. This post (at Link below) makes me wonder where I heard that.

Gloat Closet

2004-11-30T11:56:00.000-05:00

Get your "I'm better than you are!" gear here.

Fun facts and a dig at France to boot!

Nice.

Maybe they should move to Canada

2004-11-30T11:27:00.000-05:00

C'mon, libs...they're dying up there. They need you, lest their organized Bush-whacking whither on the vine.

Tra la la...

"OTTAWA (AFP) - Hopes for early mass protests in the streets of Ottawa on the eve of Tuesday's visit by US President George W. Bush fizzled out, as journalists outnumbered demonstrators."

Can we stop calling it a "recovery" yet?

2004-11-30T08:51:00.000-05:00

GDP up 3.9%.

At what point does unprecedented economic growth become an "expansion?" Let's see now...by my calculations, we've been "recovering" since the third quarter 2001.

The NYT and DNC in cahoots!

2004-11-29T16:30:00.000-05:00

This is the type of research that pullitzers used to be made of.

Great work...please click and read. I promise you will be entertained.

They don't like Mike

2004-11-29T10:51:00.000-05:00

Too bad for Chub Moore.

Re: They can't really think this stuff, can they?

2004-11-24T11:28:00.000-05:00

Finster, don't read this. You won't like it.

Whatever happened to "God willing, we will prevail and the Americans' blood will flood the streets?"

2004-11-24T11:09:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or do these sound like the words of a defeated loser?

"Instead of implementing God's orders, you chose your safety and preferred your money and sons. You left the mujahedeen facing the strongest power in the world. Are not your hearts shaken by the scenes of your brothers being surrounded and hurt by your enemy?"

Too bad Zark...that's why you made the Back and Forth list of election losers, my man.

I'm thankful for thoughtful conservatives

2004-11-24T11:01:00.000-05:00

Jonah, on Thanksgiving:

"The sad -- and fortunate -- truth is that the European conquest of North America was an unremarkable old world event (one tribe defeating another tribe and taking their land; happened all the time) which ushered in a gloriously hopeful new age for humanity. America remains the last best hope for mankind. Still, I think it would be silly to deny how America came to be, but the truth makes me no less grateful that America did come to be.

"Also, I really, really like the food."

...for all the lefties who will insist on decrying Christopher Columbus, the pilgrims and the rest of the pioneers who came to this land with a great idea and a good plan.

Radio Waives

2004-11-24T08:54:00.000-05:00

Overheard on the way into work this morning, on CBS Radio News:

"...Rumors surround Rather's retirement, in light of a story on President Bush's national guard service and perhaps faulty documents used in the airing of that report."

Perhaps?! Faulty?!

Editor: Replace "perhaps" with "obscenely;" replace "faulty" with "bogus." Add "partisan."

We're Number 1!!!!!!!!

2004-11-24T08:36:00.000-05:00

Polipundit, a blog that gets about 100,000 unique visitors a day, has posted its blogroll for its weekly feature "Wictory Wednesday."

And WE'RE NUMBER ONE!

Such an honor....an honor roll, if you will.

Now Hear This

2004-11-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

Dan Rather is, er...stepping down from his anchor post.

Brokaw is retiring.

WHO WILL DELIVER US THE NEWS?!!

Do You Hear What I Hear?

2004-11-23T11:42:00.000-05:00

Regarding you post about the Marines and the nice notes ... yes I did hear. But, of course, I get my news from places other than the MSM.

The question is, how come Tom Brokaw hasn't heard this?

BTW, how cool is that? The notes thing I mean?

Did you hear this?

2004-11-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

From a marine's father:

"He informed us that a large number of the residents of Fallujah, before fleeing the battle, left blankets and bedding for the Marines and Soldiers along with notes thanking the Americans for liberating their city from the terrorists, as well as invitations to the Marines and Soldiers to sleep in their houses."

GREAT!

2004-11-22T13:47:00.000-05:00

Because of this, Rush is referring to Detroit as "New Fallujah" right now ... bummer.

RE: Taking Their Word

2004-11-22T13:45:00.000-05:00

Wait a minute, Ralphie ... I thought the Geneva Conventions applied to them too?

More "taking their word for it"

2004-11-22T13:33:00.001-05:00

More proof that we can't trust terrorists in battle....who knew?...

(from the New York Times)

"Two marines were killed and four wounded in an ambush on Friday in which an insurgent deceived the Americans by waving a white flag, military officials said Saturday."

Me likey Jonah

2004-11-22T11:55:00.000-05:00

As usual, Jonah's right on.

RE: Sick Feelings

2004-11-22T11:49:00.000-05:00

I have been hesitant to articulate such things ... but I have the same dread.

I'll just keep praying (am I allowed?) that I'M being irrational.

RE: Near Miss?

2004-11-22T11:32:00.000-05:00

My initial reaction was that this e-mailer into Powerline was overreacting a bit, but I could be wrong. You never know. I mean, I never know. Really. I'm not so smrt.

I do have this sick feeling in my gut that there will be an attempt before his term is out. I hope to God (moral values!) that they're unsuccessful (red stater!). And if it happens, I'll partly blame Moveon.org, Michael Moore, and the rest of the extreme left for painting this man as a fascist, someone who "hates America," a religious zealot, an imperialist, a terrorist, a Nazi, a murderer and the scourge of the planet Earth. Knuckleheads.

Wow, how surprising...

2004-11-22T11:22:00.000-05:00

...a terrorist in Fallujah was faking dead! ...and tried to engage in combat after playing possum! Where have we heard this before? You'd think a marine would be well-suited to defend himself in this situation.

For the holier-than-thou crowd, read
this post and spare me the phony moral outrage and righteous indignation.

Hat tip to Polipundit, who points to a
petition for you to sign.

Near Miss?

2004-11-22T09:56:00.000-05:00

Ralphie,

Have you heard about this?

What do you think?

Hat tip to KLO at the Corner.

Conspiracy Theories

2004-11-22T09:51:00.000-05:00

Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. After killing Vince Foster and running a prostitution ring out of the White House, just look at the friends Bill Clinton made.

Now, see, if this were Bush, this would be the stuff Fairly Hyped 911 movies are made of.

Weeeee!

2004-11-22T08:02:00.000-05:00

Anonymous is back!

Woo Hoo!

How was the honeymoon?!

Awww...too bad

2004-11-19T14:06:00.000-05:00

This movie is now out on DVD. Poor Mike.

What I would think, if I were a liberal

2004-11-19T11:07:00.000-05:00

arc_y_Ceremony10
Originally uploaded by ralphphillips.

I love this photo. If you can make out the look on Bush's face, as he ganders at whoever Clinton is pointing at, his expression seems to read, "Whomever he's pointing at...I will hunt him, I will find him, I will finish him....Somebody, DOOWITT!"

From the men on the ground

2004-11-18T14:34:00.000-05:00

You simply must read this.

But then, what would an actual marine know, as opposed to, say, the righteously indignant Matt Lauer?

Regarding: "They can't really think that, can they?"

2004-11-18T13:30:00.001-05:00

I've just received this e-mail from a close friend of mine:

"The neocon plan for world domination is coming to fruition. Everything is going according to plan."

I've come to the conclusion that, yes, they really do believe their own nonsense. It has become apparent to me that the left is nothing but a clearinghouse for the latest conspiracy theory to come along, propogated by the Michael Moores and George Sore-Asses of the world. They are so blinded by sensationalism, conspiracy and Bush hatred that they have rendered their own party -- and, indeed, diatribes -- impotent. And, since they insist on lending credence to, believing and repeating such conspiratorial, non-sensical bile, one can only resort to ignoring them. It is no longer feasible to carry on a sane, rational conversation with today's left, so we're left with nothing but to laugh and dismiss.

I submit as evidence all this talk about secession and emigrating to Canada. Again, nonsense. But let's look at it rationally. Why not move to Canada? What's not to like? "Free" universal healthcare, high taxes, alliances with France and the other surrender monkeys of the world, no military, no war, homosexual marriage, slacker-embracing welfare policy, government-sponsored public services for as far as the eye can see...Everything the left wants in a country is waiting for them only a scant few miles to the north. They are ostensibly fighting tooth and nail to get America to be the utopia that Canada is now. What are they waiting for? What's wrong with actually moving to Canada and getting everything they want in one fell swoop? Wouldn't that be easier (on us all)?

Of course, we know that none of them will actually move. So I'd like to know why.

They don't like the low median income up there? They don't like the disproportionately high cost of living? They don't like surrendering 45% of their paychecks to the federal government? They don't like the sluggish economy, weak dollar and crippling energy costs? They don't like making nanna wait 9 months for a hip replacement?

Hmmm....maybe America's not so bad after all.

When push comes to shove, they will all stay here because they know America offers them the best opportunity for wealth, career advancement, healthcare, property ownership and prosperity. So, in essence, they're hypocrites. (I know, shock!) They pretend to hate America and love/espouse the very politics that Canada can offer them, but they remain in the States to profit from, live off of, and benefit from the policies that make America the best country and government on the planet. Interesting.

So, I guess I'm back to, "They can't really think that, can they?"

Harumph!

Dead lines

2004-11-17T10:40:00.000-05:00

Is this from the sports page, or news of some domestic abuse incident?:

"Sam Houston beats Rice"

OK, I'm done.

Re: ????

2004-11-17T10:38:00.000-05:00

What if Powell came back?

"Colin expels Rice"

???

2004-11-16T16:47:00.000-05:00

"Gritty Rice Impacted Colin's Void?"

Sorry.

Best of the Web

2004-11-16T16:26:00.000-05:00

Evidently "Best Back and Forth" wasn't a category this year ...

RE: Hidden message

2004-11-16T16:11:00.000-05:00

"Bush sucks the marrow out of your bones and squishes puppies?"

Headlines III

2004-11-16T15:44:00.000-05:00

Hidden message headline: When it is revealed what holiday gift Rice is giving the Bush family...

"Condi sending Bushes a lyre"
(Can you decode the hidden message, Finster?)

Almost an anagram headline: When she summers in San Francisco and sublets Jerry Rice's old home....

"Condoleeza Rice leases Rice's condo"

When Condi marries John Gibbons (whoever that is), does she become Condoleeza Gibbons?

RE: Headlines

2004-11-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

Ya know, this just the sort of thing that is gonna get us one of those "Best of the Web" awards!

Even More Headlines?

2004-11-16T15:11:00.000-05:00

What if Condi jilts the famed 007 producer?

"Steamed Broccoli Over Rice"

More headlines

2004-11-16T14:56:00.000-05:00

Wow. Rice peel off. That's gonna be hard to beat, but here we go ... off the top of my head:

If she left the "Monsters of 80's Arena Rock" concert early in a huff ...

"Updates: As Condi Shuns Warrant"

If she were asked to lend her voice to a documentary about English topographical features ...

"Rice on Wight"

If she attended a forum with Ben Vereen and Ben Johnson ...

"Black Bens and Rice"

And now back to the studio.

Headlines II

2004-11-16T14:12:00.000-05:00

If Condi gets caught speeding away from the scene of a crime:

"Questions surround Rice peel off"

OK, your turn.

Headlines

2004-11-16T14:05:00.000-05:00

If Condi gets mixed up in the Halliburton ruff-ruff:

"Rice a croney?"

Back to you, wise guy.

Rice checks in!

2004-11-16T08:20:00.000-05:00

What, you'd have preferred "Condi meant business?"

Anyway, awesome news about Condoleeza Rice! Lileks nails it with this:

I want her to go to Saudi Arabia, and I want her first words upon getting off the plane to be “I’ll drive.”

BAM!

And Pundy has a good collection of thoughts (scroll down) and theorizes:

"I wonder if she's being groomed for a Presidential or Vice-Presidential slot in 2008?"

Hmmm ... Go Team!

UNSCAM, Saddam almost rhyme

2004-11-15T16:35:00.000-05:00

This is why I had to laugh every time I heard Kerry talking about rebuilding alliances. They're all crooks...up there in that UN thingy!

Ugh.

Re: Dumbester

2004-11-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't be so sure, Fin...wouldn't put nothing past MM. But wouldn't that just be his way...going after someone that can't hurt him no more? I mean, Bush is essentially harmless to them now (the Left) -- since he can't run again -- but that won't stop them from crucifying him.

Of course, Bush CAN still hurt them...by fixing the economy, winning the war on terra, killing their puppies, imprisoning their minority brethren, stealing from their grandparents, and single-handedly making sure that the air we breath closely replicates the exhaust of a '62 Duster...

W, unleash HELL'S minions!!!

And Gerry Mander as the Beaver ...

2004-11-12T10:36:00.000-05:00

Keeping in mind that right now, at this very moment and stage of my life, where I pretty much want conservatives to win every debate, election and pissin' match ... and basically want libs driven out of the galaxy, and every one of their transgressions against humanity expunged from memory like so many UofM basketball records ... and seeing as how I can't stomach giving the libs any free ammo, this can't be a good thing.

And seeing as how the WSJ is in agreeance ...

RE: Dumb and Dumberer

2004-11-12T10:15:00.000-05:00

Here's my prediction ... movie never gets "made."

It won't see light of day if it does get made. This is just bluster.

"Couldn't get a good script" [Script, ha!]

"Ran outta backers"

"VRWC quashed it"

"Dog ate my dogma"

Whatever.

UPDATE: To clarify, he's not serious about it. Also, he may make another piece of trash movie, but it won't be FH9/11-1/2.

Dumber and Dumbererer

2004-11-12T09:31:00.000-05:00

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

Told ya they don't get it.

For the price of just one cup of coffee ...

2004-11-12T08:38:00.000-05:00

From Frank J. at IMAO, in honor of Arafat's death:

" ... maybe we could start a charity to help the victims of Nobel Peace Prize winners. I know some people are still recovering from the Carter administration."

As they say, "Heh."

As they say, "Read the whole thing."

The Corner

2004-11-11T13:57:00.000-05:00

Great blogging going on here.

Re: What to do?

2004-11-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

Finster, I think I touched on this in my previous post. Unless the people you have conservations with (or the Hollywood types) can be intellectually honest, if they can't carry on a rational, sober discussion of the issues, then we are not morally obligated to pay them any more heed than that pigeon that just left my window ledge (or the present he left me). That's what this bile is...it comes across as so much pigeon excrement that it almost demands to be ignored.

So, I do. I really don't care what a bunch of highschool dropouts think about politics, so I don't listen to Mellencampy or Springersteen when they try to "educate" us. Just as I don't care what Rush Limbaugh thinks about music, movies or sports, I don't lend any credence whatsoever to what actors, directors, musicians and other hipppies say about the political machine.

As for your friend, he is more than welcome here, where he can learn the many ways we conservatives steal elections, suppress the Black vote, imprison helpless Arabs and steal Social Security money from shut-ins.

Re: They just don't get it

2004-11-11T13:27:00.000-05:00

Here's the problem I think they have with religion. They certainly can't object to "Thou shalt not steal," et. al., so it must be something else. What the "else" is, is equally irrational, however. When you look at this recently posted e-mail to Jonah you get an idea of where they're coming from: Ashcroft, Bush and the rest of their minions have a secret plan to make their religion the national religion of America....and then the world!

It's all so conspiratorial that it's just comical. It's gobbledygook to the extreme, and it hearkens back to your original question, "They can't really think this stuff, can they?" They can't. That's my answer. Any intellectually honest, sane, sober, thoughful person cannot think -- and certainly can't demonstrate the point -- that Bush wants to convert the country. If they do think that, they have earned the same right to be heard and to be taken seriously as this pigeon that landed on my window ledge right now.

Shop Scotch

2004-11-11T11:53:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't quite know what to get me for Christmas. A little dram will do ya.

Page might take a while, be patient while I get loaded!

Dammit! The gig is up!

2004-11-11T10:06:00.000-05:00

HT: InstaPundy ...

This is very clever!

Back to the theme of this site

2004-11-11T08:21:00.000-05:00

Now that the election is over, maybe I can try to get my posts back to the main theme of this site ... the reason we started this thing. The whole "two guys trying to figure it out" thing.

(Yes, Ralphie baby, you've held up your end of the bargain with both volume and content.)

So I offer this up ...

I just recently got reacquainted with an old friend. Politics got brought up. We're on opposite ends of "sprectum." Now, when I read online the vile bilious vitriol of some on the left ... it sometimes upsets me, but I'm usually very detached, sometimes to the point of not caring.

But my recent conv. with the old friend has left me upset and incapable of moving on. Why? It has finally dawned on me.
Its personal. I "know" this person. When I read things online, I've always deep down felt that "they don't REALLY feel this way ... their trying to cause a stir." But, here in front of me is someone I know ... and the same crap is oozing out of various orifices. I guess I haven't thought that a "real" person feels these things ... at least so extreme.

So, I ask you Ralphie, how do I deal? How do I cope?

I know you are much better able to detach or compartmentalize than I ... you don't have near the problem I do with Hollywood types "ruining" movies, or musicians making their CDs unlistenable.

What advice can you give me?

RE: They just don't get it...

2004-11-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

I concur, Ralphie.

And if I may add a little ... Can you explain to me what the libs don't like about people who use their religion as the sole basis or starting point for their decisions? What EXACTLY appears in the Ten Commandments that is so upsetting? Is it the don't murder thing? Honor your mother and father?

The cynic in me can find a couple things that probably runs counter to your garden variety lib, but when the "adult" me comes back ... I'm perplexed. WHAT is so bad?

You say your an atheist, non-believer or you suscribe to the cafeteria plan at your local church or synagogue? Great! I ask again, what part of "don't covet thy neighbors house" upsets you?

Are Ashcrofts prayer breakfasts THAT threatening to you? Their over danish for cripesake!

They just don't get it...and never will

2004-11-10T15:36:00.000-05:00

The libs are dumbfoundedly clueless as to why they lost this election. All this talk about moral values is such a red herring, I want to chop down the largest tree in the forest with it (nod to Monty Python fans).

First off, look at the numbers. Twenty-two percent cited moral values as the main reason they voted one way or the other. Now, simple riffmatic demonstrates that, while the Left is carping on and on about Jesusland and waxing apocalyptic about separation of church and state, they are ignoring a full 78 percent of the voters that voted for reasons other than "moral values." Could it be that nearly 8 out of 10 voted as a referendum on the war and economy, like the mainstream press told us they would?!! Of course the MSM cannot cede this point, as to do so would be to admit that they were wrong: people really do approve of Bush's first four years in the White House.

Continuing with the numbers game, a full 20 percent of those that voted based on moral values voted for Kerry. Is that a large percentage? Either it is or it isn't. But it seems to me that if 20 percent is a small margin in this context, it must also be a small margin in the context of the 20 percent of voters in general who voted based on moral values in the first place.

Lastly (on numbers), isn't it conceivable that 20 percent of the electorate ALWAYS votes according to moral values? The numbers show that evangelicals voted in no greater numbers/proportions than they did in 2000. Those of us who don't hail from Jesusland...can't they, too, vote based on moral values? I happen to be the furthest thing from a born-again Christian, but I happen to believe that my moral values play a part in nearly every significant decision I make. Can't "moral values" also be trust, faith (not necessarily religious faith), honor, integrity...all of the virtues we hope our leaders will personify? Cannot "moral values" also be: Who do I believe has the right values to win this war against terror? Can't protecting one's family from murderous Islamists be a "moral value" of a sort?

Now, if Kerry had won, all we would be hearing now is how the election was a referendum on the war in Iraq. But, he loses, and the MSM trips over themselves trying to find excuses, rather than seeing the forest for the mandate-setting trees: "Protect us, W.," was the cry I heard on election day. "We trust you to wage this war; we don't trust your opponent."

Pride is preventing the Left from seeing things as they really are. It is evident to me that all the Left needs to do to be a credible party again is to come back to the middle a bit. Think and govern like Clinton pretended to think and govern for most of his presidency, and you will be a legitimate party once again, one worthy of being taken seriously.

But what WILL happen is the Left will screech uncontrollably farther to the left, the hate will become more pronounced, the hate-SPEECH will become increasing vitriolic, and the Michael Moores and George Sore-ass-Losers of the world -- those who should be villified for costing the Democrats this election -- will once again be canonized and proudly paraded out as the party's saviors.

And once again, liberals will be relegated to the realm of irrelevance, obscurity and mockdom. Meanwhile, we in the Red States will be thumping our Bibles and discharging our weapons...at least as seen through the condascending, moral superior, rose(neck)-colored glasses of the righteous liberal elite.

Carry on, my wayward sons!

Say, that felt good!

2004-11-10T11:29:00.000-05:00

I'd forgotten how good it feels to blog ... yeah, that's just about right!

I might do this again!

Ralphie! Is that you?! I'm coming towards the light! Ralphie!

The Ballad of Bloodthirsty Pacifism and Frog Massacree

2004-11-10T11:23:00.000-05:00

From The Corner and Mr Derbyshire:

"There is nobody more bloodthirsty than a pacifist"

Love it! I shall add it to my list with "There is nobody more close-minded than a liberal."

Read the whole thing. Heh.

Strange but true

2004-11-10T10:32:00.000-05:00

“Only 3 Democratic candidates for president – in U.S. History – Andrew Jackson, FDR & LBJ have received a higher percentage of the popular vote than did our man W in last week’s presidential election.”

If you click on the link, you'll see more "strange but true:" gays and lesbians for Bush.

Ashcroft

2004-11-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

A nice tribute.

Snippet:

"Attorney General Ashcroft's legacy is a complex one. In ordinary times, the accomplishments of the Department of Justice under his watch would be impressive. Violent crime is at a 30-year low, declining by 27 percent during the three-year period between 2001-2003. While a staunch supporter of gun ownership, Ashcroft also realized what many of his predecessors had not — that the way to stop violent crime is to enforce the gun laws that are on the books. Thus, federal gun-crime prosecutions are up over 75 percent in the last four years. In 2003 alone, more federal gun charges were brought than any prior year on record. The result was that 250,000 fewer gun crimes were committed in the last three years than in the prior three. Drug trafficking and human trafficking have been heavily targeted by the Justice Department, resulting in severe disruptions in criminal syndicates operating in both areas. The list goes on."

Click Link to read more:

Re: What's blue when red all over?

2004-11-08T15:11:00.000-05:00

All colored in!
Originally uploaded by ralphphillips.

All colored in and final for 2004. What color do you see when you look at this map? I know what color liberals see.

More Jonah

2004-11-08T13:31:00.000-05:00

Even though we're taking a respite following the election, others are carrying the torch:

"Look, I understand that the entire Popular Front of the Left lost — and big — last week. I understand they thought they were going to win. I understand that many of them believed all of the nonsense about Bush's being a fascist crusader and I understand that some actually believed P. Diddy's axiom that you should vote (Democratic) or die. (Although it should be self-evident that a man who chooses the name P. Diddy is not a man to take very seriously. Last time I checked, Henry Kissinger never contemplated calling himself "Special K.")

"But for those of you who think your grief and disappointment justify your pious nastiness and blame-shifting for your own failures: Do keep in mind that it is precisely such self-indulgence and arrogance that costs you elections."

Nice.

Let the good news begin to trickle in

2004-11-05T13:09:00.000-05:00

377,000 jobs created in October. It's okay to release good news now, MSM...it can't hurt your candidate anymore.

More to come, I'm sure...

Calling a spade a spade

2004-11-04T11:46:00.000-05:00

"On Tuesday, America voted to hand George Bush a shovel and get on with the business of decapitating snakes."

I would like to say right now ... wow ... you're getting good at this.

How long before you take this thing national?

Great post. Great synthesis. Great work. I have something to strive for now, thank you.

Point well made

2004-11-04T11:25:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love this quote from Scott McClellan today:

"I might point out that (the President's) arms are only so long; it's important for others to reach back as well."

All this talk from the Left (the losers) about wanting to unify America (in other words, give us losers a job in your administration)...I wonder, will it go both ways?

Why We Won

2004-11-04T10:29:00.000-05:00

Zell Miller (everyone's favorite Democrat) tells a great story about a day he was doing some yard work in his back yard. He needed to remove and replace a stone step leading up to his porch. Upon removing the old step, he uncovered three snakes nesting -- poisonous, venomous snakes.

He says, "I had a number of options at that point. I did not call my wife, like I usually do when I need help. I suppose I could've tried to reason with the snakes. I suppose I could've called my neighbors and friends -- my allies -- in for help to deal with the snakes on a multi-lateral basis. I suppose I could've seen if killing the snakes would pass the global test.

"No. Instead, I grabbed the nearest shovel and quickly, forcefully offed their poisonous heads. They were a threat and a danger to my wife, my children, my home and all that I hold dear. For that, they needed to be eliminated -- immediately. And I took it upon myself to unilaterally rid my home of those dangerous beasts."

Nice. This is W's philosophy in waging the war on terror, and it's a pretty stark contrast to that of the Left. It's pretty clear to me that this, above all else, is why W won re-election, despite the MSM and countless odds against him. Never underestimate the vote of a security mom...or security dad...or security uncle...or security brother.

On Tuesday, America voted to hand George Bush a shovel to get on with the business of decapitating snakes.

Two days in a row

2004-11-04T09:07:00.000-05:00

Katie Couric and Matt Lauer were both wearing black again today. So sad. Perhaps they should just both take a leave to cope with their loss. Four years or so might suffice.

(They both took a leave of their senses years ago.)

Pretty pitcher, 2004

2004-11-03T15:47:00.000-05:00

2004countymap
Originally uploaded by ralphphillips.

This is preliminary, but pretty much a repeat of 2000 (as posted here before).

Tell us there's not a mandate. Tell us that there must be something afoul with the results. Tell us how Michael Moore, Bruce Springsteen, the Hollywood Left, MoveOn.org and Liberal Elite are changing the political mood of this country.

Methinks they need a new plan for '08. Bush hatred ain't getting it done.

Just for Funsies

2004-11-03T13:17:00.000-05:00

Democratic Underground is precious right now.

Predictions

2004-11-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

I believe mine was 280-260, give or take.

Final, as it stands now: 286-252.

The cowards are out!

2004-11-03T09:56:00.000-05:00

This year's biggest election-season losers:

1.) Michael Moore

2.) Dan Rather

3.) John Kerry

4.) Terry McAuliffe

5.) John Edwards (in both Americas)

6.) Tom Brokaw
6.) Peter Jennings (tie)

8.) The New York Times

9.) Washington Post

10.) Mainstream media at large (but getting smaller)

11.) Osama bin Laden

12.) MoveOn.org

13.) George Soros

14.) Zarqawi (the end is near, my man)

15.) North Korea
15.) Iran (tie)

16.) Tom Daschle

17.) The extreme left (What's left of the left, besides the extreme?, I wonder.)

18.) Teresa (You may remove foot from mouth now, Dear.)

19.) Bill Clinton (couldn't move the vote)

20) Katie Couric

21.) P. Diddy

22.) Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and the rest of the Vote for Change ilk

23.) The Hollywood Left and the Liberal Elite

24.) The Dixie Chicks (still ashamed, for FOUR MORE YEARS)

25.) Chris Matthews

26.) 60 Minutes

27.) Richard Clarke, Joe Wilson, Sandy Berger, Bob Woodward (4-way ick)

28.) Campaign Finance Reform

29.) Liberalism, whithering on the vine......

The awards are in!

2004-11-03T09:50:00.000-05:00

2004 Election MVPs:

1.) Sean Hannity (God bless his determined heart)

2.) National Review staff and NRO

3.) George W. Bush

4.) Rush Limbaugh

5.) The blogosphere for exposing Rathergate, NYTrogate, and all of the MSM's diabolical hit jobs

6.) Dick Cheney

7.) Zel Miller

8.) Laura Bush

9.) Conservative, alternative media in general (whatever that means to you)

10.) An optimistic, sane, sober electorate

11.) Fox News (just looky at the ratings reports)

12.) Thune, and other Senate pick-ups

13.) Swiftboat Vets for Truth

14.) Neocons everywhere

15.) Karl Rove
15.) Ed Gillespie (tie)

16.) Dennis Miller, Ron Silver, David Zucker and others who have seen the light since 9/11

But most of all, conservatism and conservatives everywhere! God bless your voting hearts!

Good morning, good morning!

2004-11-03T09:47:00.000-05:00

.)(.

<

\_/

I Hear "Here"

2004-11-02T16:06:00.000-05:00

Finster, Hannity put it even better yesterday.

Paraphrasing badly:

"That message that Osama delivered on that tape last week was NOT the message he WANTED to deliver. Believe that."

Yes indeedio....something in a large explosion would've fit his fancy more, I reckon.

Thank you, W, for keeping us safer for three years plus...

Here Here

2004-11-02T15:15:00.000-05:00

The Internets are slow so I'll just copy and paste. From NRO and Cliff May ...

"AN HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT [Cliff May]
It’s 3 PM on November 2, 2004. There has not been a terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11/01.

If Osama bin Laden could have attacked us over the past three years, he would have.

If OBL could attack us today, he would.

Whoever is responsible for keeping the barbarians outside the gates deserves praise – and re-election."

That sounds about right to me.

Something to consider on election day

2004-11-02T11:43:00.000-05:00

THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW!

I've been waiting for these numbers for a long time. Of course, the MSM will suppress this news until after election day, much the way they did to W's father in '92.

" Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property
located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 3.7 percent in the third quarter of 2004,
according to advance estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the second quarter, real
GDP increased 3.3 percent.

"The major contributors to the increase in real GDP in the third quarter were personal consumption
expenditures (PCE), equipment and software, exports, government spending, and residential fixed
investment. The contributions of these components were partly offset by a negative contribution from
private inventory investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased."

Go sell crazy somewhere else!

2004-11-02T10:14:00.000-05:00

Michael Moore, in his open letter to voters claims of Bush, "This guy doesn't have a clue about how to win a war."

Um, sir: See Afghanistan. Um, sir: See the fall of Baghdad in 21 days.

Um, sir: See your candidate...

Votes against weapons systems.
Votes against funding (after he votes for it).
Votes to cut intelligence programs.
Serves four months in a war then protests it endlessly after meeting in person with the Communist enemy.
Votes against armor, munitions, military aircraft.
Votes for a war, then campaigns against it.

Um, sir: Is this how you win a war?

"Rock the Vote Irks Republicans"

2004-11-02T09:52:00.000-05:00

Umm....you might say...

And this is news how?

2004-11-01T16:54:00.000-05:00

Flooding in Venice. Hmm, that's odd. (HT Drudge)

But most importantly, "Venice's boat public transportation system suspended service for about one hour..."

Huh?!!

In other news, Chet's All-U-Can-Eat Buffet in Walla Walla, closed temporarily today after patrons complained "too much food" was available.

Jonah's got it good

2004-11-01T14:55:00.000-05:00

What'ya know? I say something, then Jonah says it...only better.

I guess this is where I was going:

"No, it does seem far more plausible that Bin Laden would want Kerry to win. I'm largely persuaded by the Belmont Club's analysis. Bin Laden is offering a truce. A time out. The sort of "Wait, wait, wait!" you used to plead to your big brother right at the moment the pummeling was to begin. He seems to be saying that if America rejects Bush and accepts Kerry — if we reject the American way and accept, literally, the Swedish way (read the transcript) — then maybe we can all just get along. That, I think, is the plain meaning of the text."

I like agreeing with smart people not on purpose.

Read the whole thing:

A vote for Osama

2004-11-01T14:35:00.000-05:00

Several months ago, I had a ridiculous argument with my lefty friends about "who the terrorists would rather have as our president." See, I told you it was ridiculous. The ridicularity was not so much that we were even having the argument, but moreover that the lefties were claiming that UBL would want Bush to remain in power to help his recruiting efforts.

Bush = kill all terrorists
Kerry = summits and the like, more sensitive wars and what not

In light of UBL's recent get out the vote campaign ad, can we now all put this argument to rest? Question answered: terrorists want Kerry. (Remember, Arafat endorsed him a couple of weeks ago...before/after losing his mind.)

The cruxt of my argument back then, and remains today, is that, for this reason alone -- the world's most important campaign issue -- we need to re-elect Bush. Anything UBL wants can't possibly be good for America or the world. Anything UBL fears is what America needs the most.

"A dramatic reading of Farenheit 9/11"

2004-11-01T14:23:00.000-05:00

That's what this author calls Osama's recent tape.

Funny.

Isn't it telling...

2004-11-01T14:09:00.000-05:00

...that UBL is now telling us how we can be spared? Does this sound like a maniacal murder who believes he is winning? To me, it sounds like a desperate bid to prove that he is maintaining control over the situation. If Kerry wins, he will think/claim it is because he told us how to vote. Yet, he is offering to spare the states that vote Kerry. Just six years ago (and several times more recent than that) he proclaimed all of America and her allies to be sitting ducks waiting to be sacrificed for Allah. Now he's trying to make nice with the Michael Moore's of the world. To me, he sounds far more demure this time around than he did when pounding his chest in the days following 9/11. Could be he needs a rest and respite from the manhunt.....poor guy.

Interesting.