Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Damn It To Hell

Christopher Hitchens has esophageal cancer.


Warren Zevon, Zevon Music BMI

You've got an invalid haircut
It hurts when you smile
You'd better get out of town
Before your nickname expires
It's the kingdom of the spiders
It's the empire of the ants
You need a permit to walk around downtown
You need a license to dance

Life'll kill ya
That's what I said
Life'll kill ya
Then you'll be dead
Life'll find ya
Wherever you go
Requiescat in pace
That's all she wrote

From the President of the United States
To the lowliest rock and roll star
The doctor is in and he'll see you now
He don't care who you are
Some get the awful, awful diseases
Some get the knife, some get the gun
Some get to die in their sleep
At the age of a hundred and one

Life'll kill ya
That's what I said
Life'll kill ya
Then you'll be dead
Life'll find ya
Wherever you go
Requiescat in pace
That's all she wrote

Maybe you'll go to heaven
See Uncle Al and Uncle Lou
Maybe you'll be reincarnated
Maybe that stuff's true
If you were good
Maybe you'll come back as someone nice
And if you were bad
Maybe you'll have to pay the price

Life'll kill ya
That's what I said
Life'll kill ya
Then you'll be dead
Life'll find ya
Wherever you go
Requiescat in pace
That's all she wrote


My thoughts and best wishes go out to you, Christopher.

h/t Hot Air.

No Charges Filed In Convenience Store Shooting

I mentioned here the case of a pair of local convenience store clerks who shot an armed robber to death; in an update, the Union County District Attorney decided not to file any charges against the clerks:

Union County District Attorney John Snyder said today that he won’t seek charges against two Sunny Food Mart clerks in the fatal shooting of a suspected robber last week.

“The honest, hard-working families that operate small businesses must be free from the fear of being robbed," Snyder said in a statement. "Those that choose to rob should be filled with fear that they will suffer the same fate as the deceased. In Union County, we have a no-return policy on armed robbery."


Now by God, that's how it's supposed to work, and does, when politicians actually trust law-abiding armed citizens with the right to self-defense and the tools to achieve it with. And if you can't see that for the public good that it is, then I'm sorry, but in my opinion, you're on the side of the criminal and really can't distinguish right from wrong.

Just What The World Was Waiting For

Cheerwine-infused Krispy Kreme doughnuts.



Well, maybe not the world. Maybe just North Carolina.

A Eureka! moment in North Carolina usually starts out, "Hey y'all, I've got an idea..."

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Otis McDonald On WBT Radio

The Otis McDonald of McDonald vs. City of Chicago, that is.

Mr. McDonald called in to Keith Larson's show this morning, and local gun show owner Larry Hyatt called in to offer Mr. McDonald his first legal handgun since the case was decided. Mr. McDonald, a WWII veteran, chose a 1911A1, since he had trained with them in the Army.

Man's got good taste in guns.

Al Gore, Crazed Sex Poodle: The Animated Movie



The fact that it's not in English is...rather a relief, if you ask me.

Jesus H. Christ On A Drainpipe!

'We were all amazed. We were just chewing the fat, as you do and then the Messiah turned up.'



This miraculous appearance occurred in Conventry, West Midlands, UK.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Men: Are You A Chimpanzee Or a Bonobo?

A scientific study indicates that these two primate species react to stress in different ways.

In stress situations the chimpanzees showed increased production of testosterone, and were more likely to fight and use violence; the bonobos, on the other hand, showed increased production of cortisol, also known as "cuddle compound." Bonobos are also often referred to as "peace and love" apes.

So basically the apes divide on ideological lines, with aggressive redneck chimpanzees resorting to violence, and peaceful hippie bonobos sitting down for a cuddle and Kumbaya sing-along.

I think I'll risk being called racist and observe that we appear to have a bonobo in the White House...

The Return of George Washington's Whiskey

Not stuff he actually drank, but whiskey made from a recipe found at Mt. Vernon.

Real Tattoos of Camp Lejeune?

A new reality series is being pitched in Hollywood.

The Right of the People To Keep and Bear Arms...

...Shall Not Be Infringed.

By a 5-4 decision, the US Supreme Court decides that the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution, which is an individual right to keep and bear arms, is incorporated into the 14th Amendment, which means that it is now the law of the land, and that jurisdictions which have banned handguns, such as Chicago and New York, will have to ease their restrictions and let citizens have tools for self-defense.

Huge victory for freedom and also for the National Rifle Association.

update: Reaction from non-US media include this story from the left-wing UK Guardian newspaper, complete with photograph of a scary, evil AK-47, and this story from the right-wing UK Telegraph newspaper, this one showing a female gun owner with a shotgun.

The Silver Lining

Thanks to global warmening, a species of UK butterfly once thought extinct is now being reintroduced to old habitats.

See? It's not all bad news.

Thanks For Warming The Planet, Humans!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

No Trial, No Reports To File

23-year old Robert Christopher Young had a gun and a need for money, so he walked into a family-owned convenience store where Sopea Pich and his brother were working as clerks.

Young pulled out his gun and announced a robbery, at which point Pich and his brother pulled out their guns and shot the robber to death.

See, you can do that when the business is family-owned and you aren't working for a faceless corporation that couldn't care less if you get killed and consequently forbids employees to arm themselves for self-defense.

Damn, but this saves the state of North Carolina a lot of money. No trial costs for the robber, no jail costs, no parole officer needed, no halfway houses to fund or educational opportunities to fund for the robber, and looking on down the line, he won't be fathering a litter of bastards spread out among a dozen or more uncaring women that will need to be paid for by the state...

Damn, maybe Sopea Pich and his brother deserve a letter of thanks from the State of North Carolina.

Yer North Carolina Highway Patrol

"The latest resignations add to what has been a spate of embarrassing personnel problems for the patrol, with troopers fired or forced to resign for lying, having sex on the job, abusing animals, driving drunk and assaulting female motorists."

To protect and serve...

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Mint HIll, NC Farmer's Market, 26 June 2010

We didn't go far afield today, just to a farmer's market in nearby Mint Hill, North Carolina. Sara has a love of fresh fruit and vegetables, so summer is her season.

Unfortunately, the farmer's market turned out to be a crafts fair instead:





In addition, they had Civil War reenactors present:





Grisly medical procedures were promised as part of the day's entertainment:



After which everyone could eat some barbecue:



To be fair, there was one vendor selling fresh vegetables and fruits at the farmer's market. Sara bought fresh tomatoes and peaches. The market area is set up as a sort of old-timey village, with buildings scattered about featuring various professions: a blacksmith's shop, doctor's office, general store, and a new assayer's office being constructed. It's a nice way to pass an hour.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Drudge Takes A Scalp, Counts Coup

The scalp of Washington Post reporter David Weigel, that is:



More here and here.

It's rather like trusting Helen Thomas to cover Israel; you know she's capable of doing it, but you have to question her objectivity.

update: Ezra Klein, who started the listserv Journolist in which Weigel made his email comments, writes on the controversy here.

more: NPR characterizes Weigel as a "conservative blogger," which is part of the problem in this story: Weigel is no such creature. I've been reading descriptions of him varying from conservative to liberal to libertarian with progressive leanings. He's what most people would view as a liberal, and to mis-characterize him as a conservative is the same mistake that the Washington Post made when they hired him.

Goodbye To "Courageous Restraint."

General Petraeus has heard the complaints, and will probably modify the onerous rules of engagement in Afghanistan.

It's a wise decision. It will immediately put the troops on his side, so he'll have their full support. I've felt all along that "courageous restraint" really means we put a higher value on the lives of Afghan civilians than we do our own soldiers and Marines, and if I were fighting in that horrible place I'd resent the hell out of that policy.

But how are we to win the fight against insurgents in Afghanistan? Independent journalist J.D. Johannes spells out how to do it here, which is an ingenious method developed by...General David Petraeus. It worked in Iraq, it can work in Afghanistan. (h/t Instapundit).

Shipwreck Blog: L.R. Doty, Lake Michigan

The Doty was the largest ship lost in Lake Michigan, and went down in a storm in 1898 while coming to the aid of a smaller ship. All 17 hands and both of the ship's cats died.

The ship, since it is sunk in cold, deep fresh water, is in a perfect state of preservation. There are no plans to salvage it, as the cargo consisted only of grain.

h/t cbullitt.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Just Reviewing The Day's Output...

...I have to say that the Muse was strong, today. I'm sure all two of my regular readers will appreciate that.

The Burger Summit

Remember the Beer Summit? Well, it was apparently so successful that it has spawned the Burger Summit.

How's Your Burger, You Communist Bastard? Fine, President Medvedev, How's Yours?


That's President Obama trying to stare down Russian President Medvedev while munching on a Hell Burger from Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, VA.

Meanwhile, Here In North Carolina...

...you can fish without a license on the 4th of July. All day.

McChrystal's Fatal Mistake: Mocking the French

Because as everyone knows, you do not mock the French; the French mock you.

Let's Change It To "Courageous Kicking of Ass"

Soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan hope that, with General Petraeus taking over from General "Courageous Restraint" McChrystal, they might actually get permission to bomb few jihadis every now and then.

Al Gore, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Crazed Sex Poodle

More in common with Bill Clinton than we knew?

ManBearPoodle: An Inconvenient Truth?

Has Everyone Taken Their sgACC? Then Sound the Attack! CHARGE!

Scientists claim to have discovered the cause of courage.

Tests involved stuffed bears and live snakes.

Jeb Bush To Buck-Passer-In-Chief: Stop Blaming My Brother, Ya Big Baby

It should have been said a long time ago.

Republicans should be making an issue of it, as well. Obama has been president for over a year now. If he's not interested in manning up and taking responsibility for his own presidency, then he might as well invite GW Bush back into the White House and let him take over, get the perks as well as the blame.

Um, Dude, You're Like...Shot

A 48-year-old Peoria man with a taste for Crown Royal whiskey didn't realize that he had been shot at a party until a neighbor made him aware of it the next day.

Drink whiskey to ease the pain...

The Meme Continues

Over at The New York Times, blogger Robert Mackey wonders if, perhaps, the controversy over General McChrystal's remarks and dismissal signal a "culture war" between the all-volunteer military and the rare-to-volunteer civilian leadership.

A Favorite Beach Fouled By Oil

Oil from the BP oil spill has reached Pensacola Beach.

I went to US Navy Technical school in Pensacola, and so spent my fair share of time on the pristine, sugar-white sands of Pensacola Beach. It's heartbreaking to hear of them covered in oil tar, and it will take years for them to recover. You won't read of Dr. Beach including Pensacola Beach on his annual list for the forseeable future.

Headline of the Day

"Pork Board Squeals Over Imaginary Unicorn Meat."



The new white meat.

Meanwhile, In Belleair Beach, Florida...

...the Coast Guard had to rescue a man who floated into the Gulf of Mexico on a pool float. He was a mile offshore and unconscious when found.

The story further states that the man appeared to have been drinking, and didn't come back to consciousness until well after having been pulled out of the water.

I think I'd like one of whatever he was having...

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

McChrystal Out, Petraeus In

I had determined on that blog title while watching the President's address, and I see that Politico is using it too. It's short and to the point.

I'll probably comment more later, right now it's lunchtime.

On The "Politicized Military."

Bruce Ackerman, described as a professor of law and political science at Yale, views with alarm the politicization of the military.

His thesis points out the change in the military during the last 100 years, in which it went from "nonpartisan" (his description) to strongly favoring Republicans after Vietnam. Ronald Reagan is mentioned, presumably as a bogeyman who brainwashed our military men and women into becoming Republicans. Missing from Ackerman's analysis is the transition of the military from conscription (the draft) to all-volunteer. It is with the advent of the all-volunteer military that politicization set in, as those who held traditional values entered of their own will, and those who held more nuanced values, no longer under compulsion, chose not to serve, again of their own will.

Prof. Ackerman's solution is to set up "a presidential commission on civil-military relations" with the purpose of instituting "a canon of military ethics." Of course, "the canon cannot be the exclusive preserve of the military. The guidelines would have implications for civilian policymakers at the Pentagon, in the White House and on Capitol Hill. Real progress requires both civilian and military leaders to engage in a sustained effort at developing a realistic code of conduct."

Civilian leaders I would presume to be Yale law professors. So the military, according to Prof. Ackerman, needs to be reeducated, I presume peaceably, but with Yale Law Profs you can never be sure.

update: Over at the left-wing UK Guardian, columist Simon Tisdall is using the word coup to describe McChrystal's actions. Looks like the developing MSM meme on this story will be the need to control these wacko right-wing generals and their men.

Funny, when former generals and generals on active duty during the Bush administration (but speaking off the record or anonymously, unlike McChrystal) disparaged the commander-in-chief, it was speaking truth to power. When Obama is in charge, it becomes a "coup" or disloyalty. How soon before we hear accusations of treason?

The Oath Is To The Constitution, MoDo

Maureen Dowd of The New York Times has some issues with General Stanley McChrystal:

Military guys are rarely as smart as they think they are, and they’ve never gotten over the fact that civilians run the military.

I think that this applies to journalists, too. Let me edit that paragraph just a bit:

Military guys Journalists are rarely as smart as they think they are, and they’ve never gotten over the fact that civilians non-journalists run the military country.

MoDo snarks on McChrystal's lack of virtues:

It was a product of the warrior-god culture, four-star generals with their own public-relations teams, that came from Gen. David Petraeus. And the towel-snapping was intensified by the fact that McChrystal used to be a tough special-ops, under-cover-of-the-night, rules-don’t-apply-to-us military guy.

It was bad enough to infuriate even the placid president, who had already told McChrystal to keep his head down once after the infamous London speech, and who was left wondering where those military core values of loyalty, commitment and patriotism were.


Patriotism is love of country, MoDo. It's not love of President Obama. It might surprise you, but the oath that military officers take doesn't mention The One:

I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. (from Wikipedia).

The oath is to the Constitution. Not to Barack Obama, George W. Bush or any other individual, but to the document that codifies what the United States of America is.

Having said that, General McChrystal did indeed screw up and needs to be fired, for the same reasons that Harry Truman fired Douglas MacArthur: insubordination and blatant disrespect for the office of commander-in-chief. It has nothing to do with loyalty, commitment or patriotism; it has only to do with discretion; McChrystal is apparently lacking in this virtue. It's a common enough fault in humans, not just military officers.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Ain't Goan Be None O' That Hootin' N' Hollerin' 'Round Here

That would be in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. Loud singing is included in the ban.

Meanwhile, In Sanford, North Carolina...

...71-year-old Neil Miller had to use deadly force to stop his violent son, Ricky Dean Miller, from breaking into his father's house. The son is dead.

The son had recently been released from prison in Virginia and was in the process of kicking down the door when the father fired a shotgun through it. I'd have to guess that the son was not the most gentle of men, and was probably terrorizing the old man or making his life a living hell. It's a tragedy by any description.

More Hardcore Than John Wesley Hardin

John Wesley Hardin, the Old West gunfighter, once killed a man for snoring. In France, Nicolas Cocaign, a "cannibal prisoner," murdered his cellmate with a razor blade and then cut out and ate his lung, simply because the man "gave him a dirty look."

Here he is, the French Hannibal Lecter:

Are You Lookin' At Me?

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Restaurant Review: Gary's Bar-B-Q, China Grove, NC

On Saturday Sara and I ate at Gary's Bar-B-Q in China Grove, NC, which is northeast of Charlotte on US 29. According to the menu, it's been around since 1941, and occupies an old Gulf Oil service station. Here's the sign:



Here's a shot of part of the exterior:



The interior is decorated with antique tin advertisement signs, so many that it appears to be the Elephant's Graveyard of tin signs:





We both ordered pork plates; here's mine:



And here's Sara's:



There were two different barbecue sauces; one was a Lexington-style with vinegar, tomato and red pepper, the other was a tomato-based sauce similar to Kansas City-style sauces; this latter sauce, even though it was in a proprietary Gary's bottle, tasted very much like a commercial sauce.

The waitress was professional and attentive, keeping our drinks topped off and providing sample cups of Brunswick Stew and Banana Pudding, a nice touch not often seen in restaurants:

Brunswick Stew


Home-made Banana Pudding


The food was only average. The barbecue meat was flavorful and moist, and was the best part of the meal. Hush puppies were oversized spheres of dry cornmeal, basically inedible by my standards. French fries were freshly cooked crinkle cuts, standard for a BBQ place. They, too were rather bland, needing some seasoning to perk them up. The sample cup of Brunswick Stew was good; it's not offered as a substitute for fries or hush puppies, however. I'd think that the restaurant should be able to let you have the stew as a substitute for two other sides.

The sample cup of banana pudding was freshly made and good, although I'm not really a fan of that particular dessert.

Gary's has Cheerwine and Diet Cheerwine in addition to the usual soft drink offerings. Those are North Carolina soft drinks with a cherry flavor and color. I had the Diet Cheerwine.

For a rating I'd have to split food and service for Gary's; the service was better than the food, qualifying as good to excellent, while the food qualified only as average: 3 out of 5: average; reasonably good food, moderate effort by staff/management. So 3/5 on the food and 4/5 on the service.

We noticed that in that China Grove/Salisbury/Granite Quarry area, there were many restaurants advertising barbecue, so we'll be up again in that area in the future.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Quote of the Day

Ann Coulter brings that sweet, sweet high-grade snark regarding SC Democrat senate candidate Alvin Green:

Obama senior adviser David Axelrod said Greene was not a "legitimate" candidate and called his victory "a mysterious deal." (Yes, how could a young African-American man with strange origins, suspicious funding, shady associations, no experience, no qualifications, and no demonstrable work history come out of nowhere and win an election?)

Wince-Inducing Post of the Day

"Pub Waxing Event Nearly Takes Testicle."

That is to say waxing as in "Brazilian waxing." The money quote:

Doctors said a man who let friends give him a "male Brazilian" waxing in a pub nearly lost a testicle when six of his seven layers of skin were removed.

Confront Your Fear, They Said...You Can't Let It Rule Your Life, They Said...

...now here I am on Monkey Island near Phi Phi Don, Thailand, being attacked and bitten by a pack of monkeys.

Fuck all you self-help gurus and your advice on getting rid of my monkey phobia.


That's how I imagine her thought process ran, anyway. "Her" being 56-year-old Dee Darwell of Peterborough, UK, the unfortunate victim of the monkey attack.

It would probably make a good reality show, wouldn't it? Call it Face Your Fear, and each week have someone with a phobia confront the object of his/her phobia, whether it be heights, closed spaces, snakes, spiders, etc. Film their reaction as they try to deal with the situation.

When A Society Is Disarmed By Its Government...

...gangs rule.

It's what goes on in prisons all over the world. And the police in the disarmed society are just as useless as the guards in the prison.

When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemonade...

,,,and when your local Burger King has no lemonade, attack the restaurant manager.

Meanwhile, In Spokane, Washington...

...the Turkey Apocalypse has begun.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

I Would Have Paid To See That MacGyver Episode

A man who attempted to amputate his own arm after it became stuck in a furnace door says he was inspired by TV detective MacGyver.

Really, he was indeed very resourceful; he managed to get hold of knives to do the cutting, managed to improvise a tourniquet, and managed to drink some water from the furnace. While it might not have been ultimately successful, it is a good tribute to his will to live and his resourcefulness.

And really, how many of you carry objects with you that would serve in an emergency to do an amputation? Shoelaces? Belt or suspenders? key chain strap, maybe a thong necklace? Do you carry a knife to do the cutting? maybe a saw for the bone, unless you planned to disjoint yourself? I myself have a keychain strap that would serve, and a knife is always on my belt or in my pocket, but first I'd be inclined to blow the whistle that is attached to my keyring. I'd blow it for a good two days before I decided on any cutting, you can bet on that. And who knows, maybe the keychain strap could serve as a turnbuckle, similar to the one Jackie Chan used as an escape device in Shanghai Noon.

But the will to live has to be there, first. Without that, all the tools in the world won't suffice.

Quote of the Day

"Considering how relentlessly the Bush “war on terror” was ridiculed, how long will it take before the Obama “war on an oil slick” is labelled as absurd? Given the tone of this morning’s coverage, perhaps not very long at all."

*snort*

We Have You Listed As Dead; Be A Dear, Hurry Up And Die

It's much easier that way, we don't have to correct our records, oh, the paperwork involved, oh, the misery...

A cancer patient in UK tries to convince the death panel National Health Service that he isn't really deceased...yet.

He Probably Didn't Sponge Out

A soldier was injured in an accident with a muzzle-loading cannon.

Since the article indicates that he was reloading the cannon at the time of the accident, I'd guess that he probably didn't swab out the cannon with a wet mop before trying to ram in a new charge. It's probable that burning residue from the previous charge was still in the barrel and ignited the powder of the new charge as it was rammed home. When such cannons were still regularly used in warfare it was the responsibility of the gun captain to call out the steps required to load and fire it, including the command to sponge out.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

"And I Said 'Get! Get!' And He Went Back Down The Path Again."

A resident of Cleveland County, North Carolina, living near South Mountains State Park, claims he had an encounter with Bigfoot.

Peeler lives on Vanada Drive, northwest of the town of Casar. There is little or no civilization between his property and South Mountain State Park, one of North Carolina’s least-developed recreational sites. He told deputies he heard screeching and grunting sounds, came outside his cabin, and saw the creature near his mountain home. Peeler told authorities he thought the creature might be menacing his dogs.

“I rough-talked him and said, ‘You get away from here,’ ” he told NewsChannel 36, the Observer’s news partner.

Peeler, who said the creature had six fingers on each hand, told WCNC the Bigfoot left his property but came back a short time later.

“And I said, ‘Get! Get!’ And he went back down the path again,” Peeler told the TV station.

These reports aren’t new to Cleveland County, although it has been three decades since Knobby – the county’s other well-publicized Bigfoot – was in the news.


Bigfoot.

Oookay.

The Better Part of Valor

Christian Hernandez realized that he no longer wanted to be a bullfighter. Unfortunately for him, this realization came to him in the bullring while the bull was charging him.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Meanwhile, In Philadelphia...

...90% of those eligible for military service can't serve because of criminal records, obesity, or lack of education.

Pretty sad state of affairs.

Gee, Thanks, Mom

A New Jersey mother defended her Islamotard son by calling him hot-headed:

Nadia Alessa told CNN that her boy, 20-year-old Mohammed Mahmood Alessa, was a hothead who had seen a psychiatrist as a teenager, but was not one to plot against the United States.

"Anything makes him angry. But he's not a terrorist; he's a stupid kid," Alessa said.

Who You?

He's a citizen of the US asking questions of a Congressman, that's who.

Unfortunately, Congressman Bob Etheridge, a Democrat from North Carolina, thinks it's ok to assault citizens on the street:



You insufferable prick.

h/t Hot Air Headlines.

Jimmy Dean, 1929-2010: R.I.P.

"Everybody knew it was the end of the line for Big John."



Did you know, though, that there was a parody version of Big Bad John, called Big Bad Bruce? Here it is:

UK: 'Elf & Safety Madness To End

Story.

Here's some examples:



You can see more recent examples by clicking on the "elf and safety" tag at the bottom of this post.

The Last Thing Remaining In Pandora's Box Was...

Hope.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Well, It's Not As If There's Any Jews Left There To Hate

A German banker and former finance minister is in trouble for suggesting that Muslim immigrants are dumbing down the German population.

Treasure Blog: Nelson's Snuffbox

Stolen by a common sailor while the hero lay dying.



Amazing that it has never been lost. It will probably bring a fortune at auction.

Meanwhile, In Nashville...

...The Judds are preparing to tour again.

Hell, they're both still young enough to get away with it, and there's a whole generation of country music fans who have never heard them play live. And it's not as if either of their solo careers have been a smashing success.

Meme To End All Memes

I posted this as a comment over at New Jovian Thunderbolt, but I want to put it here, too. This one might just go viral.

1. Pick three US Civil War generals to fight by your side in the Zombie Apocalypse.

2. Same, but WWII generals.

3. Same, but US Presidents.

4. Same, but actors (living or dead ok)

5. Same, but writers.

6. Same, but rock musicians.

7. Same, but fictional characters.


Ok, who would I pick?

For Civil War generals: Robert E. Lee, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Daniel Harvey Hill. (I'm a white Southerner. You think I'd pick Yankees?)

WWII generals: George Patton, Omar Bradley, Mark W. Clark

US Presidents: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt.

Actors: Charlton Heston, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson.

Writers: Ernest Hemingway, Ambrose Bierce, Louis L'Amour.

Rock Musicians: Ted Nugent, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton.

Fictional characters: Mack Bolan, William Tell Sackett, Bob Lee Swagger.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Meanwhile, In Aberdeen, North Carolina...

...what was probably a rabid red fox made the mistake of attacking 11-year-old Talon Thomas.

Talon Thomas, 11, said he was bitten and scratched by the fox while walking home from school Tuesday.

“He bit me on my leg, and then I just picked him up, and I just hit his head against the road and he started kicking me in my head," he said.

Talon said he kept the fox pinned down and tried to keep him quiet so he wouldn't alert other foxes.

“He kept kicking his legs up and I thought his whole family was going to come after me,” he said.

Talon caught the fox and took him to his parents. It's not yet known if the fox was rabid but Talon received a series of rabies shots as a precaution.


And a day before this occurred, another fox, and possibly the same one, attacked 22-year-old Taylor Dees, who fended off the attack with his bicycle.

This is why it's good advice to carry a walking stick with you when you're out in the woods.

h/t Confederate Yankee.

She Was A Menace, and Could Have Put Somebody's Eye Out

Don't bring a BB gun to a gunfight.

Patriotism = Racism

At least that's the reason that a Bolton (UK, of course) housing council gave for banning St. George Cross flags on employees' privately-owned cars.

And those same employees are forbidden from displaying any World Cup items that show their support for England, for the same reason.

Hopefully Cameron and Clegg will get off their asses soon and nip such bullshit in the bud; it's part of why they were elected, after all.

While Reading a Jimmy Buffett News Article...

...which can be found here, I noticed a small icon down at the bottom of the article that linked to Gulf Specimen Marine Lab, which is based in the Florida Panhandle and operated by noted naturalist and writer Jack Rudloe and his wife, Anne.

Rudloe has been writing about Florida wildlife for most of my life; I still remember the joy I got from reading one of his earliest books, The Sea Brings Forth. It, and his later books, are all worth reading if you're interested in marine life, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Now I Want To Kill Myself

Your result for The Ideal Job for Your Personality Test...

Lawyer

You scored 56 intelligence, 47 diligence, 31 charisma, and 33 compassion!

You are hard-working and intelligent, but unlikeable and unethical. You will exploit any loophole and do most anything for money. Just remember, you are above the law.



Other jobs you might be good at: actuary, accountant

Take The Ideal Job for Your Personality Test at OkCupid

Meanwhile, In Belgium...

...nurses responsible for carrying out euthanasia are getting a bit too enthusiastic about their work.

You weren't quite ready to go yet? Too effing bad.

Photographer John Hedgecoe, 1932-2010: R.I.P.

Story.

I still have a couple of his photo technique books in my library that I bought during my years in Spain in the mid-1980's. A bit outdated now, since they were written in the film camera era.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Meanwhile, At Fort Dobbs...

...there are plans afoot to actually construct a replica of that wooden French-and-Indian-War-era fort.

Right now there isn't anything much there other than some holes in the ground. Sara and I visited Fort Dobbs earlier this year.

Meanwhile, In Transylvania County...

...a woman slipped and fell over an 80-foot waterfall and...died, of course.

Ya know, I've been at the top of a waterfall that high before, over at South Mountains State Park, and nothing you could do would make me walk within ten feet of the edge of that fall. Or pretty much any cliff, for that matter. I realized in 2nd grade that I suffer from vertigo, and haven't made much effort to overcome it over the years.

The Tar Heel 25

A cool interactive look at some of North Carolina's great foods, with an emphasis on those close to the Charlotte area. From the pages of The Charlotte Observer.

Sara and I have been to some of these places in our wanderings. It's always nice to have new inspiration, though.

Losing Touch With The Land

A study in UK suggests that Britons are losing their affinity for the outdoors, with fewer and fewer each year knowing how to fish, use a compass, or climb a mountain. Some don't even travel.

And yet, I'd bet that many of them do those things while playing video games; they just can't be bothered to do them in real life.

Sh*t Runs Downhill...

...which has the US Government unhappy with the Amish.

We must fling the shit in the approved way, Jedediah.

The Death Panel Has Made Its Decision

So sorry. Letting you live would cost too much.

Caesar Says What?

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Wonder How That Interrogation Went?

Joran van der Sloot has confessed to murdering a girl in Peru.

I have to guess that the Peruvian authorities were probably a bit more forceful in their questioning than the Dutch in Aruba were...

Turncoat US Marine Took Part In Blockade Attack

A hero only Helen Thomas could love...

Since he renounced his US citizenship, he probably can't be considered a traitor from a legal standpoint, but damn. What a scumbag.

Monday, June 07, 2010

Now THAT Is Chutzpah

President Obama at a high school graduation ceremony, advising the graduates about taking responsibility and not blaming others.

h/t Hot Air.

He Threw His Arms Up In Despair

A homeowner near Wilmington, NC, is unhappy with road crews trimming back brush from the roadside.

immie Spivey, who lives on Creekside Lane, watched DOT workers cut back part of his wax myrtles.

“I threw my arms up in despair,” he said. “Those wax myrtles gave me privacy.”

Spivey, who is president of the Creekside Homeowners Association, said there were areas that needed trimming, but some feel the DOT went too far.

“They changed the character of the neighborhood,” Spivey said.


I laughed because the sentiment was so over the top. I'll have to use that myself at work when I'm frustrated.

Literal LOL

When I went to sleep this morning the world was quiet, and I was wondering what would become of Helen Thomas, the White House reporter, who made some anti-Semitic remarks on camera last week. When I went to the Drudge Report just now, this is what greeted me:



Well done, Drudge. I literally laughed out loud at this one.

Kind of a pity that Helen is ending her career in disgrace, like Dan Rather did, but that's life in the big leagues. Have a happy retirement, Helen. Now you can curse the Jews openly as you walk around the grocery stores and malls.

Meanwhile, Here In the Carolinas...

...we have to deal with snakes.

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Meanwhile, Over At Frank James's Blog...

...Frank has announced the completion of his first novel, the Prologue and first chapter of which can be read online. Go take a look.

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Not The Best Of Timing

Jimmy Buffett is opening a hotel in Pensacola Beach this week.

Jimmy Buffett, Fla. Governor Charlie Crist


I have wonderful memories of Pensacola Beach, myself. Snow-white sands, a youthful, healthy body, and endless energy; visits to Fort Pickens with Navy buddies, both male and female. Sad that the place is going to be fouled by tar ball for the next several years.

Friday, June 04, 2010

Teasing Headline of the Day

"Navy, Marine Corps Storm Calif. Beaches."

Unfortunately it's only an exercise, so visions of the People's Bankrupt Republic being subjugated and brought back into the United States of America will have to continue to be daydreams.

Thursday, June 03, 2010

Quote of the Day

"But the welfare state's problem, today becoming vivid, is socialism's problem, as Margaret Thatcher defined it: Socialist governments "always run out of other people's money."

Read the whole thing.

And The Insufferable Leftist Prick Award Goes To...

...Paul McCartney!

Nu Spru Can

To be christened on Saturday.

I remember the first warship with that name, it was homeported in Norfolk while I was stationed there. I even had a friend stationed on it, and went onboard on one occasion for a visit. Makes me feel old that the one I remember is gone and a new one will soon be commissioned.

Whatever Happened To Noogies and Indian Burns?

"Teenager Has Testicle Amputated After 'Tapping.'"

Ouch.

H/T Drudge Report.

Maybe He Watched "Troy" On TV Recently...

...and thought that he'd emulate Achilles.

And, (just expressing an opinion here) it seems to me to be another case of self-image insecurity here that might have motivated the murder; take a look at the suspect:



Not to put too fine a point on it, but he doesn't appear to be of the purest Aryan stock, here. Just sayin'. He may be similar to those fag-bashers who secretly doubt their masculinity, or those Germans during the Nazi era who worried about Jewish blood in their veins.

You can bet, though, that the main focus of the MSM will be whether they can connect him to the Tea Party movement.

Scratch-And-Sniff Billboard?

Apparently.

Hoodah Thunkit?

Maybe Those Islands Won't Sink After All

You know which islands I'm talking about, those low-lying islands that will sink beneath the sea as global warming causes sea levels to rise?

Turns out that the islands respond to rising sea levels by growing.

Hoodah thunkit?

Not climate scientists, apparently...

A Thought In Passing

You know, I don't think that there's any guarantee that even a relief well, drilled to stop the Gulf oil leak, will work 100%. So people had better be prepared for oil to leak from that well for the forseeable future, although perhaps not at the same tremendous rate as the present.

And another thing: even if we pass bucketloads of new regulations, it won't effect the drilling being done by the Chinese and Cubans in the Gulf. Think about it.

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

"One Is A Right-Wing Leftie, The Other A Left-Wing Rightie."

The Hitchens Brothers, Christopher and Peter, that is. A fine interview with Christopher in the UK Telegraph.

Guess Where I've Been?

Here's a pic to help you:

Meanwhile, In Gun-Free UK...

...the ironically-named Derrick Bird bags his limit.

Attack of the Jihadi Drag Queens, Part 4,786

But no, it would be culturally insensitive to ban burkas...

Well, They ARE Australian, After All...

...why SHOULDN'T they fall out of trees and stagger around in an inebriated state?

SANTIAGO Y VIVA ESPAÑA!

The whirring sound you hear is Ferdinand, Isabel and Cardinal Mendoza spinning in their graves as filthy Moors commit outrages on Spanish women in the city of Cartagena.

Time for another reconquista, amigos.

Meanwhile, Up In New York...

...where school kids are suspended for wearing rosaries to school...

Methinks I smell a jackboot...

"All Of Them Up There Lost Their Lives To The Enemy."

What happens when a member of the military commits suicide?

Good Stars and Stripes article.

This is similar to the proposal to award Purple Hearts for PTSD, which I blogged on a couple of years ago. I'll hunt it down and add the link. I can't guarantee the news links will work after all this time.

update: Here's the link to the PTSD blog entry.

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Health and Safety Be Damned!

After a 200-year-old tradition of rolling a cheese down a hill in Brockworth, Gloucestershire (UK) was banned for "health and safety reasons," the local citizens subjects citizenry ignored the ban and rolled the cheese anyway.

Good for them. "Health and Safety" is nothing but a disguise for a jackboot, anyway.

Here they are, having their traditional fun, just as they have had for 200 years:



Seeing such defiance of over-reaching, officious bureaucratic authority by ordinary people is encouraging.

Meanwhile, In Denali National Park...

...we learn that 9 x .45 = 4.05 one dead grizzly bear.

A man and woman reported that they were hiking Friday evening when the bear emerged from trailside brush and charged the woman, park spokeswoman Kris Fister said in a statement.

The man fired nine rounds from his .45 caliber, semiautomatic pistol at the animal, which then stopped and walked into the brush.

The two reported the shooting to rangers, who restricted access to the Igloo Canyon area for fear that the bear was wounded and dangerous.

On Saturday, rangers found the dead bear about 100 feet from the shooting site.


Here's the weird legal part of the story:

Park officials are determining the justification for the shooting. It's legal to carry firearms in that area of the park but illegal to discharge them.

So you're just supposed to brandish the gun at the bear? What if the bear isn't impressed by you flashing your gat?

*shakes head sadly*