I Do Not Get It.
How could someone hang around the planet for an entire century, working her butt off, and never find gainful employment?
Bonus question: how many typos can you find at the link? The article was clearly a surprise, like the one we ran at my junior high newspaper about our edior/teacher, Carol Jago (then McGonigle). Carol pretended not to know about it until it ran, which was sporting of her. As I recall, the effort was spearheaded by Cindy Rogoway, though I think Sandi Levin was also in on the plot.
They weren't going to tell me until afterward, because I wasn't in the "in crowd." But someone had to proofread the damned thing.
Hat tip: Caltech Girl, who would like to know whether I eat Cheetos. I do not. I have obsessive-compulsive habits, but they do not include fluorescent orange dye.
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And, look: I've barely noticed his arms. I mean, the degree of muscling thereon, the tattoo . . . all have escaped my notice, so just get off my back.
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 20, 2008 12:40 AM (TpmQk)
I'm Afraid There Was a Lack of Clarity About the Job.
I was not informed that working full-time would cut into my blogging routine.
Oh, sure: I know what you're thinking. "Why didn't you do the arithmetic? Take 24 hours, subtract eight for sleep and 1.5-2 for drive time . . . "
I'm telling you, I just didn't realize. There should be some kind of disclosure form or something . . .
So. Blogging light, etc. etc. and so on and so forth. But you are still required to stop over here every day and pay obeisance to me. Preferably in cash.
In a pinch, however, I'll take the traffic.
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Marriage is a great deal for men, much better than being single, provided you get the right woman. The whole point of dating is to find that one woman. But young men are so damned superficial and selfish nowadays, and caught in a passive-aggressive loop, alternating between callous womanizing and self-pity.
Good women are much easier to find than good men. Over the years in Washington, I'd meet nice young single women and think, "Wow, I really ought to try to introduce her to a nice guy." And then I'd realize, "Wait a minute -- this is Washington, DC. There are no nice guys here."
Guys, let me give you a clue: Your low self-esteem is poisoning the well. You figure that any girl who actually likes you must be a desperate loser. So you ignore or disparage the women who are actually available, while chasing after women who hate you. You are only interested in super-beautiful women, because having a super-beautiful woman validates your own attractiveness. And yet you become angry at her demand that you bring something to the table to validate her.
Do you see the self-defeating vicious cycle you're setting up for yourself? Try this: Just forget about looks. Hang out with some fat chicks and try to learn to enjoy women as human beings, rather than as status symbols or as a means to an end.
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Thanks for your opinion, good luck on changing human nature.
Posted by: Sejanus at November 17, 2008 02:16 AM (vQmYW)
2provided you get the right woman
Well, there's always a catch, isn't there.
Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie at November 17, 2008 07:49 AM (1hM1d)
3hang out with some fat chicks
In other words, teach yourself to not be a superficial douchenozzle by deliberately choosing friends based on a superficial physical attribute.
Interesting!
Posted by: apotheosis at November 17, 2008 09:35 AM (xWk3U)
Posted by: Mikal at November 17, 2008 11:05 AM (C2XOb)
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It's never been easier. Show them your "Sarah Palin 2012" button and exclude any woman that doesn't think it's a great idea.
Posted by: Darrell at November 17, 2008 01:19 PM (H4h6i)
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I really wanted to comment on this one because women like to tell men that we are "bad" because we like to have an attractive female. What is always left out is the vast majority of women that are looking for "Mr. Rich". "I will not date a man unless he makes $100,000 a year or he comes from a rich family." This is something that is out there and affects men who are good men that are simply looking for that "good woman".
I submit that the gold digging is much more likely and damaging than what men do.
Posted by: Mere at November 18, 2008 06:21 AM (9pF7c)
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I think it's unfair to disparage all men in D.C.
Women need to allow themselves to be attracted to the "good men" and not the flashy, charismatic guys. It takes two to tango
Posted by: Susan at November 18, 2008 09:15 AM (2B6CO)
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If you think the men in and around DC are bad now, wait until more of them become Democrats in January...
Posted by: John at November 18, 2008 04:40 PM (zmiQf)
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You humans are always thinking with your lizard brains and focused on the wrong Stuff.
Pay no attention to looks, EXCEPT fat. Run like hell from fat chicks. They can go find a husband at Wal-Mart. 99% of the time fat people are LAZY and self-indulgent. She's not fat like that because she goes deer hunting in her spare time, dude.
One requirement for a good woman is that she has to have a LIFE of her OWN - i.e. *something* she's interested in. It doesn't matter what it is, but if she doesn't, YOU'LL quickly become the only thing she's interested in, and she'll end up making your life HELL trying to control you.
Also, somewhere between the front door and the bedroom, you're going to have to TALK to her. Unless you like talking about airhead bullshit (in which case YOU'RE an airhead and are going to deserve the stupid sow she's going to be after 20 years of marriage), GET ONE WITH SOME BRAINS. The best way to do this is to find one at a *college*. (I prefer the Art Department, but YMMV) or somewhere else that INTELLIGENT women hang out. I.e. if you pick one up in a bar, don't whine and expect sympathy when you end up with the aforementioned Dumb Sow.
It REALLY helps to have some sort of initial brick-wall filtering mechanism, too. For insatance... *I* like to find out right away what kind of music a woman likes, and then run like hell, no second chances, if it isn't the right kind. Not having voted for OBlahBlahBlahBlah in the latest election would probably provide a useful brick-wall filter at this point, (and is a good gauge of intelligence as well.) The point is, the earlier you decide to run like hell, the easier it is to get away in time.
Actually, a filtering mechanism is good to have for filtering out humans *in general*, not just those you're thinking about sleeping with. Like, I make a subtle wisecrack and if it goes right past them, they're outta here.) That doesn't mean you shouldn't fall in love at first sight, of course - it just has to be for the right *reasons*. Like that spaceship captain in the "Firefly" series - he fell head-over-heels for the whorehouse madam when she showed him her *guns*. (Now, THERE's a guy with his head screwed on straight.)
I'm not sure there are ANY intelligent people in DC, though. Maybe there's a refuge for intelligence in there somewhere, but it sure as hell doesn't look like it to us rednecks out here in the hinterlands.. I always thought that group of Republican clowngressmen , had the right idea when they formed a prayer group the instant they got to Wastington - about all you *could* do if you got stuck in *that* schumerhole would be to *pray*.
Posted by: Merinas van der Lubbe at November 20, 2008 09:57 AM (Cpvun)
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"You humans?"
...Talk about setting yourself apart from the herd.
Worf: "Nice legs!" (Everybody looks at him, pause) "For a huumaan..."
Posted by: Darrell at November 21, 2008 12:34 AM (z3JME)
HOLLYWOOD - Long-time UPI White House correspondent Helen Thomas will co-star as the cannibal witch in Dimension Films' upcoming production of Hansel and Gretel. Director Chris Abbott said, "Helen nailed the audition . . . "
Bacon Apple Pie!
I'm sorry, but I lovethis idea. And CalTech Girl got to have it for breakfast today! As it happens, my favorite breakfast is a not-too-sweet pie like pumpkin or apple.
If that slice of apple pie were topped with a bacon lattice, life would be pretty darned good.
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The best apple pies are simple. Use Red or Yellow Golden Delicious apples in a puchased pre-made crust. Slice apples with a vegetable peeler directly into the "bottom,' where you have added farina and a little sugar and vanilla first(keeps the botton from getting soggy). Every couple of layers lightly dust with granulated sugar and a hint of cinnamon. Remember, since you are starting with naturally sweet apples you hardly need any sugar. Heap the apples becuase they will shrink considerably during baking. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes to an hour. Enjoy.
A good apple pie doesn't need other seasonings. Try it and see. It should work great for the bacon lattice, too.
Posted by: Darrell at November 10, 2008 03:36 PM (Rb2qq)
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I tend to roll out my own crusts, so I can make cookies with the leftover pastry.
In the old days, rather than make a lattice, I'd use a nearly solid top crust, and use apple-shaped cutouts in it. But bacon will work, too . . .
You're saying no nutmeg at all? Hm. I can try it. I've also tended to use Jonagolds or other baking apples that retain their firmness. The sugar would, of course, be adjusted to the type of apple, but I do tend to dial that down. (That's one of my arguments against a lot of commercially made pies: they tend to be awfully sweet. Especially pecan pie, for some reason.)
Oh, and--if you EVER make an orange meringue pie, the sugar must be reduced drastically; the one time I tried it, I didn't adjust sufficiently, and it was just WAY over my sugar threshold.
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 10, 2008 03:50 PM (TpmQk)
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No nutmeg--it doesn't need it. And the texture is just fine. Fuji apples seems to be abundant and relatively cheap this year. A few added to the Delicious would pick up the bite factor considerably. Please try one with a set of Pet-Ritz crusts, just to make it even easier. By the time you slice the apples into the pie, the top crust will have defrosted enough (if you set it near your oven during pre-heating) to set on top of the pie. I like to rub a little vanilla extract on the top crust before sprinkling with granulated sugar and cinnamon. Nothing beats that full top crust. Why cheat yourself of one of life's greatest pleasures?
Commercial pies are always too sweet for my taste. And they have "secret ingredients" like clove and cardamom that don't belong anywhere near a good apple pie. We live in a time where we can be extravagant and use hand-eating apples for pies. The natural sweetness beats the pre-cooked syrupy mess based on Granny Smiths that usually is thrown into pies.
Now I think I'll go make another apple pie.
I made one already this season before the temp rebounded back to the sixties. Since we had our first snow yesterday, it's time for a little free byproduct heat. . . Better turn on the incandescent bulb too.
Posted by: Darrell at November 10, 2008 08:56 PM (Qylyg)
More "Interesting News Items"
Uh-oh. Someone's been sliming Joe Biden:
WASHINGTON D.C. - Best known for verbal fumbles, gaffes, and crazy talk, Democratic vice president elect Joe Biden often uttered quiet, self-aware statements in private. An anonymous aide to the senator recalled Biden saying, "My helicopter was never forced down in Afghanistan by terrorist gunfire. I guess I wanted to appear braver and more experienced than I am. Kinda silly of me, huh?" Terri Ambrose, spokesman for Senator Biden, denied the charges. "What you see is what you get. This lie is an attempt to smear Joe's colorful personality . . . ."
NEW YORK - In a disturbing trend, the stock market has begun to call in sick, take long lunches, and behave in a surly manner previously unseen on Wall Street. "This is really creepy," said Dan Stover, senior analyst at Miller Tabak & Co. "Take Monday: bell rings at 9:00 and the market doesn't show up until 9:14, muttering something about car trouble. No one believed it. Then it went out for lunch at noon and didn't come back until 2:20. You could smell the beer a mile away. God help you if you ask what's wrong. The market'll drag its feet and go on a slow down that kills any trading momentum."
Experts speculate that large inflows of federal money into the private sector may have triggered the behaviour.
Hm. I fear that this is funny "because it's true."
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Missed Iowahawk's Election-Night Coverage?
I think Tim Blair was still in town—but that's no excuse. It's a crazy salad, but I'd scroll down to the point where Burge starts exit-polling the contents of his liquor cabinet.
Even if I'd been home, I wouldn't have thought to do that.
And once I find my headphones, or it isn't late at night, I'll go back to check out his son's guitar video—both of his kids are as talented musically as he is at . . . cars, satire, drinking, and just kind of chilling-without-being-a-douchbag. You know: just Iowahawking. That's what he does, and he does it like no other.
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Safe at the Undisclosed Location.
I'm snugged up in the home of a prominent Nevada blogger, who may or may not want to own up to having one of the black sheep of the b-sphere in his guest digs. (I think my husband had a full FBI-level background check done on The Gentleman Blogger before permitting me to stay here; A the H was deeply reassured that a mutual friend of all three of ours with a military intel background gave my host the thumbs up.)
So far, Gentleman Blogger has fed me bitchin' lasagne and given me the most essential information about politicking in Clark County:
a) It is not a taboo to refer to Las Vegas as "Vegas." (Not at all analogous to referring to San Francisco as "Frisco," which is a fun parlor trick for Californians who want to see their Bay Area relatives flip out. Try it some time.) Some locals say "Vegas," and some do not. Personal preference.
b) It is unacceptable to refer to the state as "NevAHda," as GB and I both did, instinctively. (That could be an "educators-in-the-family" thing, or a California native thing.) The locals taught him, and he taught me, that the first "a" should sound like the "a" in "dad."
Nice to get to talk to GB a bit tonight, since they'll keep me busy at McCain HQ all week. There are several of us volunteering from California, and even a few who travelled up from Arizona. ("An army of us from nearby states, who want to help you turn Ne-vatta red.")
This state is so important; this election is so important. If it weren't for the unions' stranglehold on Las Vegas, it would be a slam-dunk for McCain . . . but Las Vegas is, they tell me, considered an integral part of the state. One citizen I spoke with today said the whole thing would be a cinch if it weren't for the city of Vegas. "Well, yes," I replied. "And California's electoral votes would go elsewhere if we could surgically remove Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland from it. Not that that would be fiscally prudent."
"Yup. The day I moved here from SF was the happiest day of my life," he affirmed.
"Well, we may be right behind you, once my husband retires," I told him.
Of course, no one seems to be asking what a carbon-correct version of The Strip would look like. I understand that Al Gore has been fantasizing about a "sublte," "toned-down" version of Las Vegas Blvd. that offers the tourist more of a "starry evening sky" effect . . . he's been consulting with Sarah Palin about whether a "Northern Lights" vibe would be classier and ultimately more compelling than all these tacky incandescent bulbs. Good luck with that, Al.
As to the work at hand, I've discovered that:
• I'm decent on the phones, except unable to properly cut short conversations with the uber-patriotic and the elderly; I tend to burn up "too much company time" telling them that if they are disabled and cannot travel to Henderson to help, the national phone banks may have campaign work that they can do from home, or, finally (with the very elderly, and very chatty) to explain that we're all praying very hard, too, and the race is neck-and-neck, if one accounts for crazy poll methodologies. "So keep the television off, and keep praying. Talk to your friends, relatives, and neighbors whom you might be able to persuade."
Of course, since I'm a volunteer no one has said a critical word, but I feel like I should be able to get through my calling lists more quickly, and entice more people to commit to some "get out the vote" time. I'm considering the "Jewish mother" approach: "I drove out from L.A. to spend nearly a week doing this, and you can't commit to three hours of precinct-walking this Friday? For people like you, I'm pouring my heart and soul into a campaign for a guy who isn't even quite libertarian enough for my taste?"
Then I'd tell them they need to eat more, and that they are breaking my heart.
• I'm fine on the door-to-door stuff. One has to balance the fact that I tend to get lost a lot (especially since my sunglasses aren't prescription-level, due to my cheap streak) against the fact that I'm learning (ever-so-slowly) to sweet-talk my way into the "guarded communities" (even tougher to get into than the "gated communities").
If all goes well I'll take off a little time to visit Attila the Hub's cousins on Saturday afternoon. It's a delicate matter, since a few of his relatives have defected to the Other Side lately, and we don't know if they have. (I doubt it; he's retired LAPD. Also, A the H's relatives trend as conservative as mine do liberal. Even in voting . . . I know there are California propositions that A the H and I voted on differently, and that's not even counting the gay marriage thing. Shockingly, we disagree as to when public monies might legitimately go to certain types of infrastructure.)
And if I can sneak away briefly on Sunday, there's a shootin' event I'd like to attend with some of the locals. I haven't clung bitterly to a firearm in a long time; my former editor at the gun journals tells me I just have to go to the SHOT Show one of these years, preferably when it's happening here. (The availability of ranges where full-auto weaponry is available is, of course, a draw.) I actually wonder whether that might be a justifiable expenditure, since they know I'm a decent gunwriter, and a damned good editor (if I do say so myself). It probably wouldn't hurt to re-introduce myself, although until I go on one hunt (even if it's a guided one) I'll always feel like a second-class citizen within the firearms community. (Though I do know a few prominent gunwriters who are not hunters; I choose not to "out" them.)
As Gary Sitton would say: "Be safe; and shoot straight."
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Glad you've arrived safely in the Silver State, LMA. A buddy of mine who frequents *Little Green Footballs* is headed out tonight to Reno to do similar work around Washoe County.
BTW, I've been invited to an Obama victory party on *Friday the 7th*, but I haven't had the temerity to ask the host what he'll do if *The One* doesn't quite pull it off on Tuesday. Methinks that if that's the case, the Bay Area will be in a low-grade state of insurrection, and social affairs of any ideological bent might not be advised.
Posted by: Mikal at October 30, 2008 02:38 PM (C2XOb)
The Chris Muir Trail
Day by Day is especially good today, but it's an extended Sunday edition; you'll want to go to Muir's site to see it in all its glory, or you'll drive yourself mad scrolling around in my sidebar. *
And, well—I see why Obama feeds the media Miracle-Gro. He kind of has to. But I can't help but think that good old Purina Reporter Chow would be more cost-effective. (Some bloggers, on the other hand, prefer Purina Puppy-Blender Chow, but that's probably a specialized taste.)
* Titanic trivia questions:
• Which of the four funnels on the Titanic was merely ornamental?
• Which of the Titanic officers, in addition to being a crewmember, was also a yachtsman—a sailor?
• What tipped the passengers off on the rescue ship that something was awry, and how did they get information that they were headed into colder waters?
Posted by: Chris Muir at October 26, 2008 08:15 AM (Qn+aj)
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Charles Herbert Lightoller, First Officer (during sea trials, Second Officer after Henry Wilde transferred from the Olympic).
But White Star only employed the best and ALL their officers had to be fully trained in sail, hold a Master's Certificate, and be prepared to join the Royal Naval Reserve upon joining the company. That's why I hate trivia quizes.
Posted by: Darrell at October 26, 2008 02:18 PM (CiXh8)
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But it isn't LIghtoller I'm thinking of. Hang on; now I have to go look something up, and most of our books are packed up. (Why A the H would put my Walter Lord books into storage is beyond me . . . .)
Posted by: Attila Girl at October 26, 2008 03:54 PM (TpmQk)
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I think I'm thinking of Lowe. All the lifeboats had sails IN them, but one of the officers--and I was pretty sure it was Lowe--actually USED the sail in his boat to get around on the morning of the rescue. Lowe was the Welshman.
IIRC, Lightoller (another favorite of mine) was the one who was organizing the guys on the upside-down lifeboat, which was the one that Lowe sail over "just to be sure of her" after he saw his passengers to safety.
Posted by: Attila Girl at October 26, 2008 04:02 PM (TpmQk)
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http://books.google.com/books?id=jiWUlzNdwWIC&dq=a+night+to+remember&pg=PP1&ots=lNQf-bk4ju&source=bn&sig=V5RUWt9Hv_zwUGcWsBvzOgW6zFA&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA131,M1
p.131, A Night to Remember. I think those are my two favorite chapters: the craziness aboard the Carpathia as it sped toward the wreck in the night, and the rescue at sunrise.
Posted by: Attila Girl at October 26, 2008 04:11 PM (TpmQk)
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Your memories are impressive. . Especially considering you weren't there. You just Americanized the quote. Joe Biden remembers gunfire when he should remember snow. And he was there. Hillary remembers corkscrew landings and sniper fire, when she should remember children and flowers. And she was there. Barack doesn't remember a thing. Really. Even spending time with mentors, hundreds of hours.
Posted by: Darrell at October 26, 2008 11:57 PM (LMsvN)
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Fifth Officer Lowe was the man who used a sail on a lifeboat. He literally sailed to meet the Carpathia, once he sighted the rescue ship.
Passengers on the Carpathia first became aware of change on board when Captain Rostron had all heat and hot water shut off so steam could be used for the engines.
The yachtsman who slid down a davit line to man a lifeboat? If anyone knows, I'd like to know too. He is depicted but unnamed in the movie "A Night To Remeber."
The aftmost funnel is sometimes called dummy, but this is not accurate. While it did not vent from the engine room, it did vent from the kitchens and turbine room.
Posted by: SRS at October 27, 2008 02:19 PM (vanan)
Goldstein on "Socialist" as Yet Another Code-Word for "Black."
I don't understand this. If we (Classical liberals / libertarians / conservatives / Republicans) were as racist as the lefties claim we are, couldn't we just use "black" as a code word for "black"? It would save everyone a lot of trouble: less time and effort encoding everything we say and write, and less time decoding on their end. We'd save a lot of time for arguing about . . . the electoral college or something.
Again and again IÂ’ve highlighted the end game for speech codes, and for the slippery slope that is inherent in the post-structuralist movement to un-tether language from intent.
Here, it is now being alleged that socialism is being used as a code word that signals a distrust of blacks. To believe this, however, we must willingly bracket from history all of the whites who have also been accused of communist or socialist / radicalist / Maoist sympathies (including, quite recently, Ayers, Dohrne, and several white members of the New Party, among whom one counts the inarguably pasty faces of Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, and Barbara Ehrlenreich).
Such attacks serve no other purpose than to put the accused on the defensive — and so in a very real way speak to a supreme irony evidently lost on “intellectuals” like Mr Diuguid: they have become the new McCarthyites, even as they pretend to be fighting against a kind of neo-McCarthyism of their own creation.
Up is down. Black is White. Josie is the Pussycats.
When I use a word, it means just what the leftist kooks around me choose it to mean—neither more nor less.
But my quarrel with Jeff is that I now have the theme song for Josie and the Pussycats going through my head—and I fear that it might stay there for a good, long time.
There's nothing for it, then: I must spread the earbug around; everyone's better off that way:
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Take it from someone who was a cryptographer in the military, the lefties donÂ’t have a clue about code words so they just make them up to fit their agenda. ItÂ’s pathetic, at best.
Posted by: Don at October 23, 2008 06:18 AM (o+IoV)
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But we will have our revenge:
"It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all,
It's a small, small world"
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Yeah, seriously. Wouldn't an actual racist just say, "hey, don't vote for that guy, he's black"?
Posted by: S. Weasel at October 23, 2008 08:39 AM (rasT+)
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The problem with racism is that it is illegal, and therefore the racist like the drug dealers goes underground. Then you have to do sting operations to catch them. I usually have a sixth sense about racist people, call it a survival mechanism. But I can spot them by reading their work or just across the hall. So to answer your question a racist would not say "don't vote for that guy he is black" He will hide instead under words like socialism or other appeal to popular attitudes, if socialism was not a derogatory word he would have to find another one maybe communism or fascism.
I used to like living in a world where racist people were allowed to freely express themselves, but this political correctness has shut them up. I would so much appreciate the truth if Attila were to come out and just admit that she runs a racist blog, or if Darrell et al. would admit that they are intolerant of other religions. What a wonderful world it would be.
Posted by: Azmat Hussain at October 23, 2008 11:38 AM (ZVMDn)
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Is Azmatism a religion now? I do admit I am an anti-Azmatite, but I have a good basis in fact for that position.
I am very tolerant of Obamanism. The tithe is just too high for me personally.
And only the British consider Pakistanis to be black. You'll have to suffer being white like most people at MSNBC have to do.
Code words like Progressive, Liberal, urbane, Democrat, et. al., should never be tolerated in a free society.
Socialism: A progressive political system that takes the power away from wealth creators and gives it to wealth distributors. Wealth distributors are typically a class of highly trained government bureaucrats who are being watched by a class of political commissars, who, in turn, are being watched by a class of secret police, all of whom are banded together by shared progressive morals. Because progressive morals are relative by definition, a certain measure of absolute propaganda is necessary to encourage collectivism and discourage counter revolution. Since such propaganda is delivered through mass media, arts, and schools, a degree of ideological monopoly, uniformity, and censorship is also required in those fields. The resulting mass enthusiasm creates a vibrant state-subsidized culture, leading to great economic successes and technological breakthroughs, e.g., North Korea.
Posted by: Darrell at October 23, 2008 01:17 PM (wkQKK)
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Az: Racism isn't illegal.
Furthermore, I was a socialist for decades, and a communist for years. I didn't notice ANY additional pigment in my skin during that time. I didn't even tan any better than I do as a supporter of capitalism.
And, yes: I'm afraid that I recognize the old Encyclopedia Brittanica definition of race, wherein there are only three: Asian, Negro, Caucasian.
Remember: if groups are racial just on the basis of skin color--without regard to skin color--my full brother and I are different races, since he has that Native American coloration in his skin (also, full lips and fuzzy hair: I do suspect we have some African in our ancestry, on the Virginia side).
As it turns out, I look a lot more like my half-sister (who is part Arab) than I do my full-brother. And she is blonder than I am (she got even more of those genes from my grandfather's side--and her hair is curlier as well, from the same grandfather, or maybe the suspected African contribution--the brother's hair is frizzy).
Basically, I acknowledge three "races," as I do three primary colors. But people show up in even more infinite variation than ink colors do on paper, and it's a glorious thing.
One of my nephews in California inherited my brother's "built-in tan." The other, of course, ended up all white and boring, like me.
My nephews on the Syrian-Irish side are too young to be sure what they'll end up looking like, but I'm looking forward to finding out!
Posted by: Attila Girl at October 23, 2008 02:57 PM (TpmQk)
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People may resort to playing their “racist” or “racial” card when they fear that the deck may be stacked against them. That’s just sad.
Posted by: Don at October 24, 2008 05:57 AM (o+IoV)
He's a bit of a Renaissance Man (and Favazza, a Renaissance Woman), so it's hard to summarize the interview, but here are a few appetizers:
Favazza: How would you describe the ways in which your book differs from other popular conservative books?
Valentine: I don't mean this in a cocky way but there's really nothing else out there like it. Don't get me wrong, there are some great conservative books out there from some great conservatives. There's just not anything out there this comprehensive as far as laying out conservative principles on a whole host of issues. Readers tell me they use it as a desktop reference book to refute liberal arguments. That's exactly why I wrote it.
Hm. Maybe that'll tell me why I'm supposed to be so angry about "amnesty," and up in arms about "illegals." (I mean, I get that we can't afford porous borders in this day and age, and I understand the argument that illegal immigration may be a net drag on the economy, but I don't really see crossing the border to get work unavailable in Latin America to be an act of "contempt for our laws," as so many of my colleagues do. I think people are just trying to get by, ya know?)
Favazza: How is your biofuel coming along? Can you briefly explain what you're trying to do for Bennie the BioBenz and your brand of "going green?"
Valentine: Yeah, my going green is all about more green in the pocket. I was just tired of getting jerked around by Big Oil and Big Terrorism. I also wanted to see if your average Joe with no mechanical inclinations could actually do it. It took me over a year to finally stop talking about it and take the plunge but once I did, man, what a liberating feeling that was. I remember the first time I poured biodiesel into Bennie that I had made and started him up and drove around town, I was on Cloud Nine. When Nashville went through the gas shortage in September I saw people lined up for blocks for gas, if they could find it. I drove right on by in Bennie the BioBenz. It was great.
Is it for everyone? Probably not, but I don't think our solution to foreign oil dependency is going to be one thing. It'll be a combination of solutions that gradually move us away from foreign oil. Some states penalize people who make their own fuel. Fortunately, Tennessee does not and it's encouraging all sorts of people to delve into different kinds of alternative fuel.
If the Mercedes people wanted more people to buy their cars, they'd start offering the conversions to biodiesel—if not vegetable oil—themselves. (Though these urea-injected Mercedes diesels are intriguing—perhaps not in an energy- or cost-saving sense, but certainly in terms of reducing particulate matter. What's needed might be more aftermarket firms that convert used vehicles on behalf of The Unhandy. There's a conversion primer here, to get you started. And you can read all about Valentine's adventures in his book.)
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Maybe illegals don't stop on the border and spit as they cross but their attitude is no less than, "Oh, THOSE laws. Who cares? My desire to work, to get free medical care, to get cheap tuition and an education, to join a gang, or work in the drug distribution profession is the only thing that counts. The people of the world have a right to enter and live in any Western country they if they can get there and cross the border. What people of the host country think is of no moment."
They may be and frequently are personally nice people but the above is the essence of their attitudes. They know our laws exist and yet they come anyway. What? 25,000,000 have come across the border? And not one ever turned back out of respect for our laws.
I'd say that's contempt.
Posted by: Col. Bunny at October 22, 2008 06:30 PM (WssOi)
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That might be the case if so many Americans weren't willing to hire them.
As it stands, the state has put itself in the awkward position of standing between a willing seller and a willing buyer.
This is analogous to the "Drug War": in order to get somewhere, we'd have to be honest. In this particular instance, we'd have to be honest about how dependent areas like Southern California are on the labor of illegal immigrants.
But we are not supposed to say that out loud.
Right now, you have a person who needs a service, and a group of people who are willing to provide that service. There is a second group of people who could help to meet that demand--the INS--by enforcing the borders and letting non-Latino immigrants into this country in a timely fashion (that is, quickly processing requests from people who don't enjoy the same geographic proximity). That would keep those who come North to get here less of an advantage simply on the basis of geography.
But in order to facilitate that, a government bureaucracy would have to get off its ass and do its job.
Fat chance.
Posted by: Attila Girl at October 22, 2008 07:35 PM (TpmQk)
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Right. But the excuse 'everybody's doin' it!' does not make it right, or legal.
Take software and 'entertainment' piracy, for instance. EVERYBODY in Asia does it to some degree or another. Does it make it right or legal, though? (It's legal to possess but not distribute pirated stuff in Malaysia. So a bit of shooting my own foot here.)
Lots of people screwing each other and living together without benefit of marriage. Society seemingly accepting it. Is it right? (probably legal, depending on where you are)
Conservatism, it seems to me, is concerned with the ideals and principles it purports to stand for, and will handle exceptions case by case.
Hard cases make for bad law, or something like that.
Posted by: Gregory at October 22, 2008 09:07 PM (cjwF0)
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Yes. But--as with Prohibition--you make something illegal that absolutely everybody does, you've simply set up a system in which 70-90% of the population is "guilty," and law enforcement thereby can engage in "selective enforcement"--go after anyone it pleases.
And in CA I think we pretty much approach 90% in our participation in the cheap labor available here. The staunchest conservatives I know still pick up day-laborers outside of Home Depot for special projects, or use contractors whose "taxpayer IDs" may or may not be valid. (For some businesses, the threshold is "does this look good enough for me to get plausible deniability?")
And, yes: you did negate your argument a little, there. If behavior that is considered theft of intellectual property here is widespread and acceptable in Malaysia, to make it completely illegal there may not be realistic. Better to decriminalize the common user of the prohibited product, and go after the wholesale distributors.
But international copyright law is more complex than drug legalization, because there is theft involved--it isn't a truly victimless crime, as drug use is here.
The fact is, I don't smoke a lot of weed. But I'd feel weird living in a place where it was not just decriminalized, but outright illegal illegal--and enforced.
By the way: if I'm at a party, and a pipe is being passed around, am I showing contempt for the law if I take a hit?
What if my friends weren't such light users, and I suspected that my host had more than the misdemeanor amount in his home? (I think it's an ounce.) What if I suspected that he sometimes . . . gasp! . . . sold the evil herb to people who wanted it for other than medicinal purposes?
Posted by: Attila Girl at October 22, 2008 10:27 PM (TpmQk)
