"Bullet Bounces Off of Victim’s Face and Kills Robber."
Crime doesn’t pay, but it can shoot back.
Police say 16-year-old Clifton Chatman’s death is the result of a botched Dec. 14 robbery near a public housing complex in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood. In the attempted mugging, the teen and three accomplices ambushed a man and demanded his cell phone and other belongings.
The victim complied and the robbers began to rummage through the loot, but one of them pulled out a handgun and fired at the man. But then the round struck the man’s face, ricocheted and struck Chapman, killing him on the spot.
The other suspects fled the scene and when police arrived, the found the robbery victim, and Chatman, who was identified later.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Yer Johnson Or Yer Life
A box cutter and a trailer were involved, as you might imagine, as was threats to tie the victim to a tree.
I didn't know that the area south of Indianapolis was that much of a Deliverance-style wilderness, myself...
I didn't know that the area south of Indianapolis was that much of a Deliverance-style wilderness, myself...
Monday, December 30, 2013
Well, Freedom-Lovers, Here's Your Chance
via Amy Alkon:
LOS ANGELES, CA -- As drivers prove their innocence at warrantless police checkpoints this New Year, they will not only be scrutinized over their potential consumption of alcohol. A new technology will enable the police to detect and arrest drivers for having marijuana, narcotics, and "other drugs" in their bloodstreams.
The recently unveiled device is a portable saliva swab analyzer, capable of immediately sampling body fluids for the presence of foreign intoxicants. The machines were paid for by grants from the state.
...During police roadblocks, drivers are stopped without probable cause and forced into non-consensual interactions with government agents in which they must demonstrate their sobriety before being allowed to continue traveling down the public street.
The saliva swabs are but one of the searches that police can coerce a driver into allowing. Should the driver refuse a saliva search, the police can seek a warrant for a forced blood draw. Often in large checkpoint operations, a judge is placed on-call or on-site to sign such warrants to confiscate blood.
Such events are called "No Refusal" checkpoints, and they are gaining popularity in many states, such as Tennessee and Georgia. And with the new focus on targeting marijuana and narcotics, we can probably expect to see more of them than ever.
Well, there you go. You're officially warned. Your opportunity to fight for your liberty, as the Founding Fathers did, is now here. Are you prepared to be arrested? Beaten and tased? Thrown in jail? Killed, even? Hope you've discussed it with your family, have your will drawn up, have an attorney on speed-dial, etc. The time is now.
LOS ANGELES, CA -- As drivers prove their innocence at warrantless police checkpoints this New Year, they will not only be scrutinized over their potential consumption of alcohol. A new technology will enable the police to detect and arrest drivers for having marijuana, narcotics, and "other drugs" in their bloodstreams.
The recently unveiled device is a portable saliva swab analyzer, capable of immediately sampling body fluids for the presence of foreign intoxicants. The machines were paid for by grants from the state.
...During police roadblocks, drivers are stopped without probable cause and forced into non-consensual interactions with government agents in which they must demonstrate their sobriety before being allowed to continue traveling down the public street.
The saliva swabs are but one of the searches that police can coerce a driver into allowing. Should the driver refuse a saliva search, the police can seek a warrant for a forced blood draw. Often in large checkpoint operations, a judge is placed on-call or on-site to sign such warrants to confiscate blood.
Such events are called "No Refusal" checkpoints, and they are gaining popularity in many states, such as Tennessee and Georgia. And with the new focus on targeting marijuana and narcotics, we can probably expect to see more of them than ever.
Well, there you go. You're officially warned. Your opportunity to fight for your liberty, as the Founding Fathers did, is now here. Are you prepared to be arrested? Beaten and tased? Thrown in jail? Killed, even? Hope you've discussed it with your family, have your will drawn up, have an attorney on speed-dial, etc. The time is now.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Meanwhile, In Cartersville, GA...
...a couple come to blows over the Bible:
A man and a woman were arrested for battery following a fight over the Bible and the Ten Commandments, Georgia police said.
The fight occurred at 1 a.m. Saturday morning in a hotel room in Cartersville.
When the police officer entered the motel room, he saw blood on the carpet and a bloody towel in the sink, the police report states.
Carolyn Unfricht, one of the detainees, told the officer that the conversation had become tense, and that she used a Bible to hit Daniel Camarda across the face, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
If I had to bet I'd say it was probably a King James Bible placed by the Gideons.
A man and a woman were arrested for battery following a fight over the Bible and the Ten Commandments, Georgia police said.
The fight occurred at 1 a.m. Saturday morning in a hotel room in Cartersville.
When the police officer entered the motel room, he saw blood on the carpet and a bloody towel in the sink, the police report states.
Carolyn Unfricht, one of the detainees, told the officer that the conversation had become tense, and that she used a Bible to hit Daniel Camarda across the face, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
If I had to bet I'd say it was probably a King James Bible placed by the Gideons.
Treasure Blog: Lost Van Dyck Painting
It was brought in to the UK Antiques Roadshow and identified as possibly genuine by the host, Fiona Bruce.
Value after restoration is £400,000 or higher. Pic:
The painting was owned by a priest, who wishes to use profits from the sale to purchase new bells for his church. A worthy use, although UK being UK, I'd imagine that his local government entity will step in and stop the bells ringing when somebody - - an atheist or Muslim, probably - - complains about the "noise" from the bells ringing.
Value after restoration is £400,000 or higher. Pic:
The painting was owned by a priest, who wishes to use profits from the sale to purchase new bells for his church. A worthy use, although UK being UK, I'd imagine that his local government entity will step in and stop the bells ringing when somebody - - an atheist or Muslim, probably - - complains about the "noise" from the bells ringing.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
For You Piers Morgan Fans Out There...
...Piers is in the habit of insulting people, both on his CNN show and his Twitter feed. He's been very disparaging of sports figures in football (soccer) and cricket. Recently a cricketer who has been subject to Morgan's ridicule got a chance to play a little catch-up:
Give Morgan a *little* credit, though, for standing up there and taking his licks like a man - - mostly.
Give Morgan a *little* credit, though, for standing up there and taking his licks like a man - - mostly.
Media Starting To Squirm In Its Own Spotlight?
A story at Mediaite speculates on media complicity in the latest knockout game attack, which appears to have been committed as a sort of experiment to see if media coverage of the Knockout Game would be different if the races involved were reversed.
As, of course, it has. Unlike every other Knockout Game attack, this latest one, in which the perpetrator was white and the victim was black (every other knockout game without exception has been a black perpetrator with white or Asian victims), media coverage has been comprehensive, and the race of the perpetrator has been prominently mentioned in stories, either in the headline or the lede paragraph. And, of course, this is the first time that federal hate crime charges have been brought in a Knockout Game attack.
So: double standard proved, both in media coverage and in prosecution by authorities. The perpetrator should be congratulated on a successful experiment, without overlooking the fact that it came at the expense of an elderly black man's health. Maybe now MSM outlets such as The New York Times can stop characterizing the Knockout Game as a "myth" to be dismissed in the name of racial harmony.
As, of course, it has. Unlike every other Knockout Game attack, this latest one, in which the perpetrator was white and the victim was black (every other knockout game without exception has been a black perpetrator with white or Asian victims), media coverage has been comprehensive, and the race of the perpetrator has been prominently mentioned in stories, either in the headline or the lede paragraph. And, of course, this is the first time that federal hate crime charges have been brought in a Knockout Game attack.
So: double standard proved, both in media coverage and in prosecution by authorities. The perpetrator should be congratulated on a successful experiment, without overlooking the fact that it came at the expense of an elderly black man's health. Maybe now MSM outlets such as The New York Times can stop characterizing the Knockout Game as a "myth" to be dismissed in the name of racial harmony.
Friday, December 27, 2013
World's Hottest Pepper...Just Down the Road In Fort Mill, SC?
The Carolina Reaper:
The world record is nice, but it's just part of Currie's grand plan. He's been interested in peppers all his life, the hotter the better. Ever since he got the taste of a sweet hot pepper from the Caribbean a decade ago, he has been determined to breed the hottest pepper he can. He is also determined to build his company, PuckerButt Pepper Company, into something that will let the 50-year-old entrepreneur retire before his young kids grow up.
The peppers started as a hobby, grown in his Rock Hill backyard. The business now spreads across a number of backyards and a couple dozen acres in Chester County. As his business grew, Currie kept his job at a bank because he promised his wife, whom he wooed a decade ago by making her a fresh batch of salsa, he wouldn't leave the lucrative position until they were out of debt. She released him from that vow in February.
Currie has about a dozen employees. Even with the publicity of the world record, he still gets nervous about making payroll. He said the attention has helped him move closer to the goal of making PuckerButt self-sustaining.
Currie's peppers aren't just about heat. He aims for sweetness, too. He makes sauces and mustards with names like "Voodoo Prince Death Mamba," "Edible Lava" and "I Dare You Stupit" with a goal to enhance the flavor of food.
Guy has a flair for names too, doesn't he?
The world record is nice, but it's just part of Currie's grand plan. He's been interested in peppers all his life, the hotter the better. Ever since he got the taste of a sweet hot pepper from the Caribbean a decade ago, he has been determined to breed the hottest pepper he can. He is also determined to build his company, PuckerButt Pepper Company, into something that will let the 50-year-old entrepreneur retire before his young kids grow up.
The peppers started as a hobby, grown in his Rock Hill backyard. The business now spreads across a number of backyards and a couple dozen acres in Chester County. As his business grew, Currie kept his job at a bank because he promised his wife, whom he wooed a decade ago by making her a fresh batch of salsa, he wouldn't leave the lucrative position until they were out of debt. She released him from that vow in February.
Currie has about a dozen employees. Even with the publicity of the world record, he still gets nervous about making payroll. He said the attention has helped him move closer to the goal of making PuckerButt self-sustaining.
Currie's peppers aren't just about heat. He aims for sweetness, too. He makes sauces and mustards with names like "Voodoo Prince Death Mamba," "Edible Lava" and "I Dare You Stupit" with a goal to enhance the flavor of food.
Guy has a flair for names too, doesn't he?
Quote of the Day
All of us barbecue guys are inbred." - - Chip Stamey, Stamey's Barbecue, Greensboro, NC
Stamey doesn't mean that pitmasters are into cousin-humping; he was referring to a certain segment of the NC barbecue business working on a mentoring basis, with his grandfather, Warner Stamey, having mentored many of the men who have gone on to open barbecue joints of their own: Wayne Monk at Lexington BBQ, the Alston Bridges family of Shelby, and the Red Bridges family, also of Shelby (they aren't related to the Alston Bridges family despite sharing the same name, I swear).
Stamey doesn't mean that pitmasters are into cousin-humping; he was referring to a certain segment of the NC barbecue business working on a mentoring basis, with his grandfather, Warner Stamey, having mentored many of the men who have gone on to open barbecue joints of their own: Wayne Monk at Lexington BBQ, the Alston Bridges family of Shelby, and the Red Bridges family, also of Shelby (they aren't related to the Alston Bridges family despite sharing the same name, I swear).
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Crunchy Worm Season
I guess that a Native American would describe December in this part of NC as The Moon of Frozen Worms. As in earthworms. Our house is on a flood plain beside a creek, and thus the yard is wet quite a lot of the time, which causes earthworms to surface regularly to avoid drowning. In the winter this results in them freezing to death, and apparently the local hawks think of frozen earthworms as a particular treat - - a sort of wormsicle, I suppose you'd say. Here's our mated pair of Red-Shouldered Hawks, waiting for the humans to stop walking outside and disturbing their snacking:
You Don't Tug On Superman's Cape, You Don't Spit Into the Wind, You Don't Pull the Mask Off That Old Lone Ranger...
and you don't mess around with Jim - - or go swimming in a river full of piranhas.
A mass piranha attack left sixty people injured as they enjoy a Christmas Day swim in an Argentine river.
Dozens of bathers including more than 20 children were bitten by the shoal of meat-eating fish during the surprise attack.
A seven-year-old girl lost part of one of her fingers and a young boy was left with an open fracture in his hand.
Other swimmers suffered deep cuts to their ankles, fingers and hands.
The attack happened on Christmas Day on a popular beach on the Parana River in the city of Rosario, birthplace of Barcelona striker Messi.
Swimmers trying to cool down in 100 degrees temperatures raced out of the water bleeding from wounds and shouting for help while the parents of children in the water rushed to their aid to drag them to safety.
Coastguards called paramedics so they could assist the most seriously injured before police temporarily closed off the beach, forcing people out of the water who continued to swim despite the danger.
How about Down By the River, Fish Bit My Baby?
How about Ha ha, you fool! You fell for one of the classic blunders!
How about They chose poorly?
How about What a maroon!
A mass piranha attack left sixty people injured as they enjoy a Christmas Day swim in an Argentine river.
Dozens of bathers including more than 20 children were bitten by the shoal of meat-eating fish during the surprise attack.
A seven-year-old girl lost part of one of her fingers and a young boy was left with an open fracture in his hand.
Other swimmers suffered deep cuts to their ankles, fingers and hands.
The attack happened on Christmas Day on a popular beach on the Parana River in the city of Rosario, birthplace of Barcelona striker Messi.
Swimmers trying to cool down in 100 degrees temperatures raced out of the water bleeding from wounds and shouting for help while the parents of children in the water rushed to their aid to drag them to safety.
Coastguards called paramedics so they could assist the most seriously injured before police temporarily closed off the beach, forcing people out of the water who continued to swim despite the danger.
How about Down By the River, Fish Bit My Baby?
How about Ha ha, you fool! You fell for one of the classic blunders!
How about They chose poorly?
How about What a maroon!
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
A Miracle...
O Lord open thou my lips
And my mouth shall declare thy praise.
O God come to my assistance;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
Unto us a Christ is born, O come let us worship Him...
(the start of the Roman Catholic rite of Matins, sung traditionally at Midnight by those in religious orders).
And my mouth shall declare thy praise.
O God come to my assistance;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
Unto us a Christ is born, O come let us worship Him...
(the start of the Roman Catholic rite of Matins, sung traditionally at Midnight by those in religious orders).
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Well, You Could Sell Them At Sporting Events, I Suppose
"Golf balls, lighters and action figures: Staggering rubbish found in albatross chicks' stomachs."
And, of course, those things not being part of the Albatross's diet, it's killing them. But hey! It might provide employment for some poor woman:
And, of course, those things not being part of the Albatross's diet, it's killing them. But hey! It might provide employment for some poor woman:
Um...Pardon My Asking This, But...
...doesn't it sort of defeat the purpose of using GPS trackers if you advertise to the thieves that you're doing it?
Snatching baby Jesus at Christmas time.
Snatching baby Jesus at Christmas time.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Finally, Christians Push Back
"2 people lynched in Central African Republic."
That would be two Muslims that brandished a gun in front of a "mob" of Christians.
That would be two Muslims that brandished a gun in front of a "mob" of Christians.
Fly Amistad Airlines!
"On Jammed Jets, Sardines Turn on One Another."
When your main concern when flying is how low you can get a fare, don't complain when airlines respond by packing you in like sardines - - or slaves.
When your main concern when flying is how low you can get a fare, don't complain when airlines respond by packing you in like sardines - - or slaves.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Meanwhile, In UK...
...at the Marks & Spencer's chain of stores, if you approach the checkout aisle with alcohol or pork products such as bacon, ham or sausage in your cart and the cashier is Muslim, the cashier can refuse to process your items and you'll have to find another, non-Muslim cashier.
The non-Muslim majority in UK is offended, as you might guess.
The non-Muslim majority in UK is offended, as you might guess.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Quote of the Day
Mark Steyn:
JC: How do we fight the thought police like this in 30 seconds?
MS: You just have to stand up and reject it, and say no, it’s my right to say this. And if you’re offended, so what? That’s not a dispositive argument. Everybody’s offended by everything. And if you’re going to have a multicultural society, it requires everybody, instead of tiptoeing on eggshells, to grow much thicker skins.
JC: How do we fight the thought police like this in 30 seconds?
MS: You just have to stand up and reject it, and say no, it’s my right to say this. And if you’re offended, so what? That’s not a dispositive argument. Everybody’s offended by everything. And if you’re going to have a multicultural society, it requires everybody, instead of tiptoeing on eggshells, to grow much thicker skins.
Now That's An Apt Metaphor
MA State Police Confiscate 1250 Bags Of Heroin Labeled “Obamacare.”
If I say they're both a monkey on your back is it racist?
If I say they're both a monkey on your back is it racist?
Once Is Happenstance, Twice Is Coincidence...
...Three times it's enemy action.
Three times now, in three different states - - Texas, Alabama, and now Pennsylvania - - random police checkpoints have been set up on roadways and Americans stopped and requested to voluntarily give blood and/or saliva samples.
I think that the federal government is running an experiment - - not anything to do with the samples themselves, but gauging how much resistance/hostility to the checkpoints themselves are offered by the American people. Or, perhaps, the government is trying to provoke a violent response to the checkpoints, for purposes of cracking down even further on civil rights and liberty.
It seems faily obvious to me that the Founding Fathers would never accept such violations of privacy and liberty; the only thing remaining to determine is, will we?
Three times now, in three different states - - Texas, Alabama, and now Pennsylvania - - random police checkpoints have been set up on roadways and Americans stopped and requested to voluntarily give blood and/or saliva samples.
I think that the federal government is running an experiment - - not anything to do with the samples themselves, but gauging how much resistance/hostility to the checkpoints themselves are offered by the American people. Or, perhaps, the government is trying to provoke a violent response to the checkpoints, for purposes of cracking down even further on civil rights and liberty.
It seems faily obvious to me that the Founding Fathers would never accept such violations of privacy and liberty; the only thing remaining to determine is, will we?
OK, They Admit It: It's Just a Sideshow
Duck Dynasty, that is. And Honey Boo-Boo, and those folks that catch catfish with their bare hands. Paula Deen, too. All just part of the sideshow, like the Strong Man and the Snake Woman and Spock and the Dog-Faced Boy:
I found the admission here, in a discussion of the "offensive" remarks made by Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty:
"Channels like A&E program 'regular' people mostly to make curiosities out of them," said Jeffrey McCall, a media studies professor at DePauw University. "The programmers want to manage every aspect of their 'reality' commodities, but that isn't really possible.
"If A&E wants the Robertsons to make money for the channel by being authentic, then at some point A&E has to accept that reality stars will be real human beings," McCall added. "If A&E didn't like the Robertsons as they are, then why did they give them a weekly platform?"
So there you are. Just part of the sideshow.
I found the admission here, in a discussion of the "offensive" remarks made by Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty:
"Channels like A&E program 'regular' people mostly to make curiosities out of them," said Jeffrey McCall, a media studies professor at DePauw University. "The programmers want to manage every aspect of their 'reality' commodities, but that isn't really possible.
"If A&E wants the Robertsons to make money for the channel by being authentic, then at some point A&E has to accept that reality stars will be real human beings," McCall added. "If A&E didn't like the Robertsons as they are, then why did they give them a weekly platform?"
So there you are. Just part of the sideshow.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Happy Birthday To...
...Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, 70 years old today, and not looking a day over 160.
That's a Lot of Entering For a Virgin
The "Minute Meditations" I get from the Franciscans every morning in my email box:
What a wonder is Mary! The Lord entered her, and became a Servant; the Word entered her, and became silent within her; Thunder entered her, and His voice was still; the Shepherd of all entered her, and He became a Lamb in her, and came forth bleating. – - St. Ephrem of Syria
What a wonder is Mary! The Lord entered her, and became a Servant; the Word entered her, and became silent within her; Thunder entered her, and His voice was still; the Shepherd of all entered her, and He became a Lamb in her, and came forth bleating. – - St. Ephrem of Syria
For All of You Foodies Out There...
...worried about supplies of your favorite green-capped hot sauce, I'm happy to inform you that North Carolina's own Texas Pete has your back:
You can stop worrying about that rumored shortage of Huy Fong sriracha sauce after the shutdown of the plant in California: T.W. Garner Food Co. of Winston-Salem is riding to the rescue with Cha! by Texas Pete.
Yep, Pete is going Southeast as in Asia. T.W. Garner announced the release of the sauce Dec. 17. Cha! will be sold at national and regional stores that already carry Texas Pete brands. The company describes is as "a fiery blend of heat and sweet" that has been in development for more than a year.
Pic:
Call It Texas Pete-cha!
Now that we have Texas Petecha, can Chabasco be far behind?
You can stop worrying about that rumored shortage of Huy Fong sriracha sauce after the shutdown of the plant in California: T.W. Garner Food Co. of Winston-Salem is riding to the rescue with Cha! by Texas Pete.
Yep, Pete is going Southeast as in Asia. T.W. Garner announced the release of the sauce Dec. 17. Cha! will be sold at national and regional stores that already carry Texas Pete brands. The company describes is as "a fiery blend of heat and sweet" that has been in development for more than a year.
Pic:
Now that we have Texas Petecha, can Chabasco be far behind?
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
"Grand Bargain" On Guns?
Sounds like a promising start.
As opposed to other calls for "dialog" and "compromise" by gun owners, this offer demands that both sides bring an something to the table.
What do you think? If there was a nationwide CCW system, would you be willing to undergo the training/permitting process involved, if it wasn't too Draconian?
I like the idea of restoring civil rights (right to own guns) to certain classes of criminals. How about you? If, in return, certain violent misdemeanants - - stalkers, for example - - would lose civil rights?
Read the whole thing, and let me know what you think.
As opposed to other calls for "dialog" and "compromise" by gun owners, this offer demands that both sides bring an something to the table.
What do you think? If there was a nationwide CCW system, would you be willing to undergo the training/permitting process involved, if it wasn't too Draconian?
I like the idea of restoring civil rights (right to own guns) to certain classes of criminals. How about you? If, in return, certain violent misdemeanants - - stalkers, for example - - would lose civil rights?
Read the whole thing, and let me know what you think.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Sounds Like a Righteous Sort of Beating
Reading this story, you get the impression that Younger Brother was turned on to the drugs that killed him by Evil Roommate, which pissed off Older Brother, who went upside Evil Roommate's head with a 2x4. Might be why the DA is only bringing Voluntary Manslaughter charges instead of 2nd Degree Murder. Presumably there were no Skittles involved.
Abby...Someone.
"Teenagers who smoke cannabis have 'poor memory and abnormal brain structures.'"
You know what that leads to, of course:
You know what that leads to, of course:
Headline of the Day
"Life in jail for people traffickers as Home Office report says there could be more than 10,000 slaves in Britain today."
But UK is a civilized country! They got rid of their guns, and are getting rid of the knives!
You there, in back - - stop that muttering about cause and effect! We'll lock your ass up! You think you have free speech or something?
Rule, Britannia! Rule the waves.
Britons never will be slaves.
Well, hardly ever...
But UK is a civilized country! They got rid of their guns, and are getting rid of the knives!
You there, in back - - stop that muttering about cause and effect! We'll lock your ass up! You think you have free speech or something?
Rule, Britannia! Rule the waves.
Britons never will be slaves.
Well, hardly ever...
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Most Successful Congress Ever?
Over at Reason, David Harsanyi argues that the current Congress, as unpopular as it is in opinion polls, has been remarkably successful at blocking the sort of freedom-eroding laws that ruin a country by degrees.
Gun owners feel this keenly, since very nearly every law passed by government concerning guns is an erosion of freedom. There has been pushback against this erosion in recent decades thanks to the efforts of the NRA and other gun owner organizations, but the default position of government is to disarm its citizens, because you can't force your will upon free men if you have to worry about them shooting you in retaliation.
Gun owners feel this keenly, since very nearly every law passed by government concerning guns is an erosion of freedom. There has been pushback against this erosion in recent decades thanks to the efforts of the NRA and other gun owner organizations, but the default position of government is to disarm its citizens, because you can't force your will upon free men if you have to worry about them shooting you in retaliation.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Scoring Points In the Culture War
You can watch the headlines and pretty much keep score, if you want to.
When atheists get a Nativity scene taken out of an Air Force base, score one for the Left.
When a "homo-punk" is removed from his posh job as national spokesman for the Girl Scouts, score one for the Right.
And so on, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
When atheists get a Nativity scene taken out of an Air Force base, score one for the Left.
When a "homo-punk" is removed from his posh job as national spokesman for the Girl Scouts, score one for the Right.
And so on, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
You Lie, We Won't Comply
"How Government Officials Doom Gun Registration Laws."
The problem for gun control advocates is that they keep promising that no way will registration lead to confiscation of firearms, even as it does just that.
Compliance figures are unlikely to drift upwards very far, when government officials promise that no harm will come to the law-abiding—and then use registration lists to snatch cowboy guns, or to send goon squads to the doors of people caught up in bar scuffles.
The problem for gun control advocates is that they keep promising that no way will registration lead to confiscation of firearms, even as it does just that.
Compliance figures are unlikely to drift upwards very far, when government officials promise that no harm will come to the law-abiding—and then use registration lists to snatch cowboy guns, or to send goon squads to the doors of people caught up in bar scuffles.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
You Say That Like It's a Bad Thing
"Children of horrifying incest 'cult' with four generations of in-breeding found living deformed, filthy and mute in scenic valley."
News headline...or next season's hit Hollywood reality show?
A leftist, hearing of this story without the location being revealed, would automatically presume it took place in West Virginia, or Mississippi, or Georgia...someplace like that. A conservative would hope it took place in California, while being secretly worried that it took place in West Virginia, Mississippi, or Georgia...someplace like that (hey, stereotypes exist for a reason, you know).
And not to put too fine a point on it, but doesn't this beautiful part of Australia rather resemble the idyllic Georgia of Deliverance notoriety? It only lacks the banjos and Ned Beatty:
News headline...or next season's hit Hollywood reality show?
A leftist, hearing of this story without the location being revealed, would automatically presume it took place in West Virginia, or Mississippi, or Georgia...someplace like that. A conservative would hope it took place in California, while being secretly worried that it took place in West Virginia, Mississippi, or Georgia...someplace like that (hey, stereotypes exist for a reason, you know).
And not to put too fine a point on it, but doesn't this beautiful part of Australia rather resemble the idyllic Georgia of Deliverance notoriety? It only lacks the banjos and Ned Beatty:
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Monday, December 09, 2013
Headline of the Day
"What's really in supermarket poultry: Chemical sludge. 'Meat glue'. Pig skin. If only water was ALL they pumped into your chicken."
Hell, just slather it with sweet red BBQ sauce, it won't matter.
Hell, just slather it with sweet red BBQ sauce, it won't matter.
Sunday, December 08, 2013
My Idea For Becoming Rich
Since it seems that Americans will buy any meaty item in a restaurant if it is described in an amusing way, e.g., Buffalo wings, chicken fingers - - I decided that the next step will be to sell boar penises in restaurants. Ever seen one? Here's a drawing:
And yes, it does have a corkscrew-shaped tip. It's known scientifically as a spiral glans penis. So when Porky gets romantic with Petunia, it actually does involve screwing. Therein lies the fun, for both the pig and the purveyor of boar penis for restaurants.
What you do, see, is cook them however most appeals to you - - bread 'em and deep-fry 'em, or bake them in an oven, whatever - - and, because of the spiral glans, you call 'em porkscrews. Or, alternatively, you can thread them on a bamboo skewer and call it dick on a stick. And don't tell me you wouldn't eat it. If you slather enough sweet red barbecue sauce on something, anyone will eat it. Hence the McRib.
And yes, it does have a corkscrew-shaped tip. It's known scientifically as a spiral glans penis. So when Porky gets romantic with Petunia, it actually does involve screwing. Therein lies the fun, for both the pig and the purveyor of boar penis for restaurants.
What you do, see, is cook them however most appeals to you - - bread 'em and deep-fry 'em, or bake them in an oven, whatever - - and, because of the spiral glans, you call 'em porkscrews. Or, alternatively, you can thread them on a bamboo skewer and call it dick on a stick. And don't tell me you wouldn't eat it. If you slather enough sweet red barbecue sauce on something, anyone will eat it. Hence the McRib.
Saturday, December 07, 2013
Friday, December 06, 2013
Meanwhile, Here In Charlotte, NC...
...or, more precisely, Indian Trail, NC (just a short trip down the road from me), a gold coin was dropped into a Salvation Army kettle at Wal-Mart.
Seems to happen every year, somewhere in the USA.
Seems to happen every year, somewhere in the USA.
Robert Crumb Talks About...
...Hunter S. Thompson, Annette Funicello, Scott Joplin, and many others.
Part 7 of a continuing series. You can see earlier links in the series by clicking on the crumb tag at the bottom of the post.
Part 7 of a continuing series. You can see earlier links in the series by clicking on the crumb tag at the bottom of the post.
Thursday, December 05, 2013
What Every Single Woman Needs
"Scrotal Sack" handbag.
Married women, of course, already have a similar handbag, courtesy of their husbands.
Married women, of course, already have a similar handbag, courtesy of their husbands.
What Went Wrong?
One man's notion, from a favorite book:
"Things won't ever be like they used to be."
"What went wrong with it all?" I asked.
"They shot off the buffalo, and they meat-hunted the game. They slaughtered the wildfowl, and they give the vote to the women. The women stirred up a ruckus about their menfolks spending too much time in the saloons, and so they got Prohibition and handmade corn whisky and what they call 'speakeasies' in the cities, where you can drink gin that was made out of embalming fluid and go blind for twice the price. They invented the automobile and the airy-o-plane and speeded everything up. They got mixed up in other people's wars and got to betting on the stock market and altogether they're in a hell of a mess. And no free lunch."
"Any cure for it?"
"Not much," the Old Man said. "People ain't like they used to be, either. A bunch of smart alecks, running around in circles like beheaded chickens, dancing the Charleston, and raising Hell in general. They tell me some fellows won't dance with a girl without she takes her corsets off."
"I wouldn't know about that," I said. "But I do know I'm hungry, and that moon tells me tomorrow's high tide, and we'll be up early. Let's go down to Pete's and get a hamburger or something."
The Old Man spat.
"A hamburger," he said, as if it was a cuss word. "A hamburger, at my age. Like I said, things ain't like they used to be. But I suppose from some standpoints, they never were."
From Chapter 27 of Robert Ruark's The Old Man and the Boy, "Terrapin Stew Costs Ten Bucks a Quart."
"Things won't ever be like they used to be."
"What went wrong with it all?" I asked.
"They shot off the buffalo, and they meat-hunted the game. They slaughtered the wildfowl, and they give the vote to the women. The women stirred up a ruckus about their menfolks spending too much time in the saloons, and so they got Prohibition and handmade corn whisky and what they call 'speakeasies' in the cities, where you can drink gin that was made out of embalming fluid and go blind for twice the price. They invented the automobile and the airy-o-plane and speeded everything up. They got mixed up in other people's wars and got to betting on the stock market and altogether they're in a hell of a mess. And no free lunch."
"Any cure for it?"
"Not much," the Old Man said. "People ain't like they used to be, either. A bunch of smart alecks, running around in circles like beheaded chickens, dancing the Charleston, and raising Hell in general. They tell me some fellows won't dance with a girl without she takes her corsets off."
"I wouldn't know about that," I said. "But I do know I'm hungry, and that moon tells me tomorrow's high tide, and we'll be up early. Let's go down to Pete's and get a hamburger or something."
The Old Man spat.
"A hamburger," he said, as if it was a cuss word. "A hamburger, at my age. Like I said, things ain't like they used to be. But I suppose from some standpoints, they never were."
From Chapter 27 of Robert Ruark's The Old Man and the Boy, "Terrapin Stew Costs Ten Bucks a Quart."
Wednesday, December 04, 2013
Tuesday, December 03, 2013
He Smote Them Hip and Thigh
"Pope Francis says he once worked as a bouncer."
Judges 15:8: And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
No word on whether His Holiness used the jawbone of an ass.
Judges 15:8: And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
No word on whether His Holiness used the jawbone of an ass.
Cressida Dick Is Unhappy
"After Snowden Revelations, a Changed World for Journalists."
The UK Guardian newspaper, that published the Snowden leaks, met with members of Parliament. The police were there too, in the person of one Cressida Dick.
The UK Guardian newspaper, that published the Snowden leaks, met with members of Parliament. The police were there too, in the person of one Cressida Dick.
Sanity Returning
"Seeing the Toll, Schools Revise Zero Tolerance."
Long overdue. Hope it applies to such acts as carrying a Swiss Army Knife to school, keeping aspirin in the purse, chewing a dessert into a gun shape, etc.
Long overdue. Hope it applies to such acts as carrying a Swiss Army Knife to school, keeping aspirin in the purse, chewing a dessert into a gun shape, etc.
Shipwreck Blog: Japanese I-400-Class Submarine, 1946
2300 feet down, near the coast of Hawaii.
It would have looked similar to this:
It was taken as a war prize by the US at the end of WWII and apparently was sunk to prevent the USSR from having access to its technology.
It would have looked similar to this:
It was taken as a war prize by the US at the end of WWII and apparently was sunk to prevent the USSR from having access to its technology.
Tolkien's Revolver
Webley Mark VI, carried by Tolkien in the trenches of the Western Front during WWI:
Looks like it's in good shape.
Looks like it's in good shape.
Monday, December 02, 2013
The Walking Dead Episode Review: Don't Look Back
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
The most exciting episode in a long time. Since it was a mid-season finale (more episodes coming in February), of course at least one major character gets killed, in this case poor Herschel. Herschel wore a serene smile as he met Rick's eyes for the last time, then it got ugly quickly as the Governor cut his throat with Michonne's katana, then pursued the dying man as he crawled across the grass and hacked his head off, precipitating the final battle for control of the prison. It's probable that, if anyone were to return to the prison after this battle, they'd find poor Herschel's head zombified. The firefight for the prison reminded me of old 1980's A-Team episodes, with lots of shooting but not enough fire discipline to hit anything. It was all spray-and-pray, with a few wounds here and there; Bob, Tyreese and Rick are all wounded by gunshot.
The Governor and Rick engage in a brutal fistfight, with the Governor getting the best of it, finally wrapping his hands around Rick's neck and choking him, at which point Michonne, having escaped earlier, stabs the Governor from behind with her katana, which she apparently retrieved. Her stabbing of the Governor very much resembled Aeris Gainsborough's death at the hands of Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII. The governor, dying, is finally killed by his female lover (can't recall her name offhand), whose daughter he had left behind supposedly in safety, but who had been killed by a walker.
Most of the prison gang escaped in a schoolbus, including Glenn, too weak from his bout with the zombie flu to take part in the battle. Maggie runs off to look for Herschel's daughter and thus misses the bus, but escapes after the last of the Governor's people are killed; Daryl Dixon, Tyreese, Rick and Carl are also left behind to find their way out of the now-walker-infested prison to rendezvous with the bus. Rick's baby daughter doesn't make it, having been devoured by a walker. Thankfully we are spared watching that particular death, if death it was.
The most exciting episode in a long time. Since it was a mid-season finale (more episodes coming in February), of course at least one major character gets killed, in this case poor Herschel. Herschel wore a serene smile as he met Rick's eyes for the last time, then it got ugly quickly as the Governor cut his throat with Michonne's katana, then pursued the dying man as he crawled across the grass and hacked his head off, precipitating the final battle for control of the prison. It's probable that, if anyone were to return to the prison after this battle, they'd find poor Herschel's head zombified. The firefight for the prison reminded me of old 1980's A-Team episodes, with lots of shooting but not enough fire discipline to hit anything. It was all spray-and-pray, with a few wounds here and there; Bob, Tyreese and Rick are all wounded by gunshot.
The Governor and Rick engage in a brutal fistfight, with the Governor getting the best of it, finally wrapping his hands around Rick's neck and choking him, at which point Michonne, having escaped earlier, stabs the Governor from behind with her katana, which she apparently retrieved. Her stabbing of the Governor very much resembled Aeris Gainsborough's death at the hands of Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII. The governor, dying, is finally killed by his female lover (can't recall her name offhand), whose daughter he had left behind supposedly in safety, but who had been killed by a walker.
Most of the prison gang escaped in a schoolbus, including Glenn, too weak from his bout with the zombie flu to take part in the battle. Maggie runs off to look for Herschel's daughter and thus misses the bus, but escapes after the last of the Governor's people are killed; Daryl Dixon, Tyreese, Rick and Carl are also left behind to find their way out of the now-walker-infested prison to rendezvous with the bus. Rick's baby daughter doesn't make it, having been devoured by a walker. Thankfully we are spared watching that particular death, if death it was.
Sunday, December 01, 2013
King MacArthur, You Might Say
"King Arthur Was a Scot, Lived In Swamp: Historian."
Scotland may have a new, ancient celebrity to call its own, according to an amateur historian.
In a new book, Adam Ardrey claims King Arthur was actually Arthur Mac Aedan, the son of a Scottish king, whose "Camelot" was not Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, but a Scottish marsh — and that he pulled Excalibur from a stone in the same area in Argyll.
That's not all: Ardrey tells the Scotsman he's identified all 12 of Arthur's battle sites around Scotland, including where he died — near Falkirk, 12 miles from where his round table has supposedly been found — and the spot he was buried, on the island of Iona.
"The legendary Arthur is said to be buried in an island in the western seas — Avalon — but in the south of Britain there are no islands in the western seas," Ardrey says. "Iona fits all the criteria. It's an island where hundreds of kings were buried. Some say 128. Other members of Arthur Mac Aedan's family were buried there too."
Scotland may have a new, ancient celebrity to call its own, according to an amateur historian.
In a new book, Adam Ardrey claims King Arthur was actually Arthur Mac Aedan, the son of a Scottish king, whose "Camelot" was not Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, but a Scottish marsh — and that he pulled Excalibur from a stone in the same area in Argyll.
That's not all: Ardrey tells the Scotsman he's identified all 12 of Arthur's battle sites around Scotland, including where he died — near Falkirk, 12 miles from where his round table has supposedly been found — and the spot he was buried, on the island of Iona.
"The legendary Arthur is said to be buried in an island in the western seas — Avalon — but in the south of Britain there are no islands in the western seas," Ardrey says. "Iona fits all the criteria. It's an island where hundreds of kings were buried. Some say 128. Other members of Arthur Mac Aedan's family were buried there too."
Yet Another Reason To Go Armed
"In God We Trust, Maybe, But Not Each Other."
Something fundamental is lost when neighbor has no trust in neighbor. Every man for himself, Devil take the hindmost. It's not the American Way. It's difficult to see the US surviving as a nation if this trust isn't regained.
Something fundamental is lost when neighbor has no trust in neighbor. Every man for himself, Devil take the hindmost. It's not the American Way. It's difficult to see the US surviving as a nation if this trust isn't regained.
Dudley Dooright, Pothead
A member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has had his uniforms confiscated by his superiors because he insisted on the right to smoke medical marijuana while wearing them.
"I worked hard for that uniform," he said. "I bled for that uniform. I cried for that uniform for 21 years ... . They ordered me to give the only thing that I've lived and identified with for 21 years."
No, they ordered you not to disgrace it by smoking pot while wearing it. You chose to disobey. You valued pot more highly than that uniform. I have no sympathy for you.
"I worked hard for that uniform," he said. "I bled for that uniform. I cried for that uniform for 21 years ... . They ordered me to give the only thing that I've lived and identified with for 21 years."
No, they ordered you not to disgrace it by smoking pot while wearing it. You chose to disobey. You valued pot more highly than that uniform. I have no sympathy for you.
How To Make a Wikiup
The Daily Caller branches out into survival content.
They already have some good gun content; if you don't have The Daily Caller on your RSS feed, you might consider adding it. Politics, guns, and now survival: necessary information for living in the Suffering States of Obama.
They already have some good gun content; if you don't have The Daily Caller on your RSS feed, you might consider adding it. Politics, guns, and now survival: necessary information for living in the Suffering States of Obama.
Just Get On the Ice Floe Already, Grandma
You'll forgive me, I hope, if I express the belief that this New York Times story is encouraging senior citizens to hurry up and shuffle off this mortal coil because they're taking too big a cut of the health care pie.
And why does it not surprise me that the writer, Daniel Callahan, is a co-director of the Yale-Hastings Program in Ethics and Health Policy? Seems to me that, whenever I see the word ethics invoked in an article like this, it requires some human being to die for the collective good, whether it is geezers (as here) or babies, as in discussions in the past by ethicists regarding post-birth abortions (their term, I call it infanticide).
And why does it not surprise me that the writer, Daniel Callahan, is a co-director of the Yale-Hastings Program in Ethics and Health Policy? Seems to me that, whenever I see the word ethics invoked in an article like this, it requires some human being to die for the collective good, whether it is geezers (as here) or babies, as in discussions in the past by ethicists regarding post-birth abortions (their term, I call it infanticide).
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