Saturday, November 19, 2005
Cycling NOLA
Cycle of Violence visits Southern LA:
In NOLA, there is a co-op of anarchists who take donated bicycles, refurbish them, and sell them for $10-20 a pop.
While on R&R in NOLA last week I purchased from them a Spaulding 12-speed with a light, lugged frame. The bike proved a delightful means of touring the French Quarter, traveling to the PX, and getting some much-needed PT.
Back at the camp in scenic Port Sulphur, the camp managers decided to replace my clinic boardwalk with a graveled path. The crew doing this pranged my front steps with a front-loader, and damaged the bike which was locked to the steps. So much for the new-old bike. Still works, but the thrill is gone.
/cross-posted to lgc & LGF
In NOLA, there is a co-op of anarchists who take donated bicycles, refurbish them, and sell them for $10-20 a pop.
While on R&R in NOLA last week I purchased from them a Spaulding 12-speed with a light, lugged frame. The bike proved a delightful means of touring the French Quarter, traveling to the PX, and getting some much-needed PT.
Back at the camp in scenic Port Sulphur, the camp managers decided to replace my clinic boardwalk with a graveled path. The crew doing this pranged my front steps with a front-loader, and damaged the bike which was locked to the steps. So much for the new-old bike. Still works, but the thrill is gone.
/cross-posted to lgc & LGF
Friday, November 11, 2005
Rewriting WWI, Dhimmi Style
I've also posted this at littlegreenfootballs.com:
But here's a paragraph from further on, explaining how it was the west that screwed up the peaceful Middle East:
"Unlike the wars that followed, World War I doesn't have the visual record so important to becoming part of American consciousness, Flynn says. Yet its impact can be linked to many problems facing the world today, including conflict in the Balkans and the rise of Arab nationalism that occurred after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire."
Again, the historical rewrite pisses me off.
From an AOL article on WWI VETS:
"World War I, fueled by intense nationalism and conflicting economic and colonial interests, began in the Balkans in 1914 and quickly spread across Europe because of military alliances. The major allied powers were Great Britain, France and Russia, and they were opposed by Germany, Austria-Hungary and a few others."
It's insane. Even historically, they can't bring themselves to mention the Muslim Ottoman Empire as an enemy of France and England. WTF? I mean seriously, rewriting history for today's youth? The Muslim's never harmed the West? WWI was a European Conflict only?
As a historian, I'm deeply offended by this crap.
But here's a paragraph from further on, explaining how it was the west that screwed up the peaceful Middle East:
"Unlike the wars that followed, World War I doesn't have the visual record so important to becoming part of American consciousness, Flynn says. Yet its impact can be linked to many problems facing the world today, including conflict in the Balkans and the rise of Arab nationalism that occurred after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire."
Again, the historical rewrite pisses me off.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
France Burning
Okay, I've held off on posting about the insurrection in France, but I've reached the end of my tether.
Some brief points- (as understood from media coverage)
1. There is no insurrection. This is merely a charity act by Muslim youths to bolster France's failing car dealerships.
2. There is no insurrection. Young Muslim youths are simply insuring that the French auto industry remains Koran Kompliant.
3. If there is an insurrection, it's because George Bush invaded Iraq, and thereby distracted Chirac from the concerns of the Muslim youths now protesting their marginalization.
4. If George Bush is not to blame, improbable as that may seem, than the "protests" must be the work of the Jews.
5. Okay, let's face it. Of course this is the work of the Jews, but it's not what you think. There wasn't some grand Zionist design to sully the image of Islam in France, its just that things kind of got out of hand. You see, if you want to blame any one Jew, you really have to blame me.
That's right, it's all my fault. It started with a correspondence class I offered to some Muslim youths, and just sort of spiraled out from there.
Laugh if you will, but there really is a market for preparing students to take the difficult Al-Qaeda entrance exams. Anyway, it was during a session on urban operations, and Hassim was having some difficulty with the theoretical methods of car burning. Stupid, stupid me. I suggested that he try a few experimental practical demonstrations, explaining that a few extra car burnings would be lost among the regular nightly burnings.
Let's face it folks, computer security is very important. Apparently, Hassim's email account was compromised, and my message got forwarded to about 300 of his closest friends. Next thing I know, I'm seeing night one of the "non-insurrection" on the nightly news. Talk about your wild, out of hand, classroom experiences. Anyway, I've tried to be quiet, but I can't hide my shame anymore. Yes, there is a Jew behind the car burnings in France, but it is only foolish, little me, not a grander Zionist plot.
So, when Hassim and his buddies get around to burning the cemeteries where those who died to make France free lie, I'll take full responsibility. But if they nail a vineyard, that's not my problem; the French should know to secure their important stuff by now.
Some brief points- (as understood from media coverage)
1. There is no insurrection. This is merely a charity act by Muslim youths to bolster France's failing car dealerships.
2. There is no insurrection. Young Muslim youths are simply insuring that the French auto industry remains Koran Kompliant.
3. If there is an insurrection, it's because George Bush invaded Iraq, and thereby distracted Chirac from the concerns of the Muslim youths now protesting their marginalization.
4. If George Bush is not to blame, improbable as that may seem, than the "protests" must be the work of the Jews.
5. Okay, let's face it. Of course this is the work of the Jews, but it's not what you think. There wasn't some grand Zionist design to sully the image of Islam in France, its just that things kind of got out of hand. You see, if you want to blame any one Jew, you really have to blame me.
That's right, it's all my fault. It started with a correspondence class I offered to some Muslim youths, and just sort of spiraled out from there.
Laugh if you will, but there really is a market for preparing students to take the difficult Al-Qaeda entrance exams. Anyway, it was during a session on urban operations, and Hassim was having some difficulty with the theoretical methods of car burning. Stupid, stupid me. I suggested that he try a few experimental practical demonstrations, explaining that a few extra car burnings would be lost among the regular nightly burnings.
Let's face it folks, computer security is very important. Apparently, Hassim's email account was compromised, and my message got forwarded to about 300 of his closest friends. Next thing I know, I'm seeing night one of the "non-insurrection" on the nightly news. Talk about your wild, out of hand, classroom experiences. Anyway, I've tried to be quiet, but I can't hide my shame anymore. Yes, there is a Jew behind the car burnings in France, but it is only foolish, little me, not a grander Zionist plot.
So, when Hassim and his buddies get around to burning the cemeteries where those who died to make France free lie, I'll take full responsibility. But if they nail a vineyard, that's not my problem; the French should know to secure their important stuff by now.
