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Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
Live free or die!
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September 13, 2002
There's a Republican in the woodpile
Two California congressmen, Democrat Loretta Sanchez [who's awfully cute for a damned congressman] and Republican David Dreier appeared On the Record with Greta van Susteren to discuss the Iraq situation.
As per expectations, Congressman Dreier was hawking a hawkish view. Besides general ideas about maybe probably having WMD, the congressman tried to tie Saddam Hussein somehow sort of directly to 9-11. Most damningly, some Al Qaeda members have been given refuge in Iraq, he said.
Now that's bad. Direct ties of Saddam Hussein supporting Al Qaeda would constitute about the most straightforward case you could possibly take to the American people for attacking Iraq.
Except that as Congressman Sanchez pointed out nicely, the good congressman was somewhat materially misrepresenting the facts. There hasn't been any smoking gun to tie Iraq to 9-11, as Mr. Dreier implied. There wouldn't be much objection anywhere to the pending attack if there was such evidence. Congressman Dreier could cast about that Saddam kept company with that type of people, but has little or no evidence to present of direct association with Al Qaeda.
Far worse, specifically, were the good Republican's implications about Al Qaeda being harbored in Iraq. Ms. Sanchez pointed out that the Al Qaeda were given refuge in the northern part of Iraq- which Saddam doesn't much control [ie no fly zone] by the Kurds, his worst domestic enemies. Congressman Dreier's response? "Yeah, well it was still in Iraq."
In other words, Congressman Dreier admitted to, by any other word, directly lying- purposely stating the opposite representation from what he knows to be real truth. The bad guys in this case are the Kurds. These are prime among people inside the country the US government apparently intends to go to for help in overthrowing Saddam and setting up a new government. The Al Qaeda connection should be something that would obviously cast at least a bit of doubt on our big allies. Are we going to war in order to put Al Qaeda sympathizers in power? Instead Congressman Dreier puts it on the opposite person from the perpetrator, offering to punish the guy they're fighting against.
There's a lying Republican in the woodpile here, and this should make us slightly more skeptical of the case for war. I'm inclined to support attacking Iraq, but this makes me just a little less inclined to support this action. Just this type of misrepresentation casts doubt now on anything else Congressman Dreier says about this war effort- and anything else, for that matter. This gives his credibility a big blow with me.
Are other things that he says in support of the war effort equally credible? Do I want to endorse military action being controlled by someone who works like that? When you ask us to support and pay for bunches of people getting killed in a war on both sides, it is extremely important that we be able to trust that you are telling us the truth about just what we're doing and exactly why we're doing it.
Rand knows I hate taking the side of a Democrat, but Ms. Sanchez seemed pretty reasonable in her moderate skepticism of the war effort, looking for as many facts as possible.
Mostly though, she won by default. That is, you have to at least give her that she made her arguments fair and square, and did not obviously and blatantly lie to make her points.
Post Script: I may have somewhat oversimplified this matter by not properly taking into account the internal factions among Kurds. Lynxx Pherett says that I should Assume the Position while making some explanation of the intricate intra-tribal rivalries.
The main relevant point here is that the Kurds said to have been harboring Al Qaeda were not ones that we are dealing with. That's good. Glad to hear that. That's still not Hussein, though.
Nonetheless, the main point of this was that Congressman Dreier was purposely misrepresenting (the less diplomatic word would be "lying.") His "It's still in Iraq" reply to Ms. Sanchez says that he knew the difference, but didn't care.
We're probably going to have to take Hussein out, certainly at the risk of serious American casualties from exactly the WMDs that everyone's talking about. This may be necessary, but this makes truthfulness from our leaders absolutely critical. This isn't fudging some budget numbers; this is life and death. This is also a good reason for being glad we've got a President Bush (fairly honest, as politicians go) rather than Bill Clinton or *$#&^ Al Gore.
posted by Al at 9/13/2002 11:16:00 PM
September 12, 2002
A message from God
God spoke to me today. Her voice was stern and clipped, sounding very much like Ayn Rand- though that may have simply been an affectation for my benefit. Anyway, I was buzzing down the road in my car, and we were chatting amicably. She sent a message for all y'all.
God told me to tell you that the national mourning period for 9-11 is now officially over. From this point, it should be considered history. It has been one full year, and everybody should be getting on with their lives. One point she said you should take from the whole wicked tragedy is that your time here is limited, and should be invested wisely. "Perhaps unnecessary crying and hoo-haaing are not the wisest investments of time I have given you."
This does not mean that the events are to be forgotten, or forgiven too easily. She said that eye for an eye stuff was still good. "It might behoove you to pay a little better attention to your surroundings." She further pontificated (well, she has a right) that we all need to quit indulging ourselves in the fantasy that the world is a safe, cushy place. She said that we need to use the brains She gave us.
"Using that brain," she elaborated, "should lead you to the conclusion that it doesn't serve Me or you either one for you to indulge in unnecessary dramatics over bad things like 9-11. Bury your dead and move on."
I'm not entirely comfortable with this, though. People are hurting. I want to ameliorate pain. Please, Ayn, uh, God, uh, ma'am- don't you have compassion for their suffering?
"Yeah, yeah," She answered. "I feel your damned pain. Frankly, however, I'm tired of hearing about it. Much of your pain now bores me. As I look into your grieving hearts, I see self-indulgence. You got off with only three thousand dead out of a nation of 300 million. That figures out to only about one out of every hundred thousand. To 99% of Americans, this was largely an event on television; you didn't actually know any of these people. Quit milking it for something to feel bad about like a bunch of teenage girls."
God, uh, ma'am, you're being awful tough. I said this with my head hung low, and my eyes cast down in shame. To myself, I'm thinking, geez what a bitch. "I heard that." She said. Oh yeah, omniscient. Means a man can't get any damned privacy. "Tempt me a little bit more, hillbilly boy, and I'll whup a mojo on your dumb ass." I saw the error of my ways and repented profusely.
But back to the issue at hand, though- me representing America before God. I tried to emphasize all the vast numbers of people suffering. Okay, maybe some folk have carried on a bit much, but what about all the thousands killed, and their families and co-workers?
She softened her heart...a little. "Alright, I'll still hear anguished prayers from immediate families of the 9-11 victims, and their co-workers. The rest of y'all can give it a rest, though."
I dared not cross her. That's the best deal She'd give. Furthermore, She suggested specifically that the dental assisstant in Wichita who gets the willies every time she sees a guy with a beard, figuring bin Laden has personally come to her town- she needs to get over herself. Also, the bar bouncer in Billings, Montana should can the outrage at the treatment of women in the Arab world. She knows you're doing that just to get laid. Needless to say, She's not amused.
Also, she suggested that we might express some gratitude to Her for having staid the illiterate hands in Florida two years ago that almost gave us Al Gore to be in charge during this national test. "What kind of bunch of idiots are you people, anyway?" I responded- not under duress- that we are foolish and don't deserve a good God like Her. "Please don't hurt me." I pleaded.
"Shut the hell up" She demanded.
Up I shut.
Finally, she was very clear that "If you hear anybody presuming to speak for me other than Al Barger, you should beat them up."
Then Her presence vanished, and I was left with Macy Gray on the radio:
"c'mon and
gimme all your lovin'
or i will kill you
put one right through your head
gimme all your lovin'
or i will kill you
and cry when you're dead"Labels: god, julie andrews
posted by Al at 9/12/2002 07:54:00 PM
Our Hero!
HL Mencken was born September 12, 1880. An American person of letters could hardly hope to equal the style and substance of HL Mencken, his insight, his way with the language, his savage wit, his forgiving heart. He had the best BS meter you could ask for, and he's the most quotable writer you could ask for. Oh, OK, sample quote on democracy: "It remains impossible...to separate the democratic idea from the theory that there is a mysterious merit, an esoteric and ineradicable rectitude, in the man at the bottom of the scale - that inferiority, by some strange magic, becomes a kind of superiority..."
We could be here dropping Mencken quotes all day, or talking about his impish involvement in the Scopes Monkey Trial. HL is the man.
Mencken's Creed:
I believe that religion, generally speaking, has been a curse to mankind - that its modest and greatly overestimated services on the ethical side have been more than overcome by the damage it has done to clear and honest thinking.
I believe that no discovery of fact, however trivial, can be wholly useless to the race, and that no trumpeting of falsehood, however virtuous in intent, can be anything but vicious.
I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war upon liberty...
I believe that the evidence for immortality is no better than the evidence of witches, and deserves no more respect.
I believe in the complete freedom of thought and speech...
I believe in the capacity of man to conquer his world, and to find out what it is made of, and how it is run.
I believe in the reality of progress.
I - But the whole thing, after all, may be put very simply. I believe that it is better to tell the truth than to lie. I believe that it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe that it is better to know than be ignorant.
Read Mencken's book In Defense of Women
posted by Al at 9/12/2002 05:29:00 AM
In Defense of Scott Ritter
B.A.,
Several problems with the "Let's smear Ritter" site you sent me a link to:
First, since I've heard Ritter speak at length, making comments similar to those recently reported, I've heard his detailed argument in full context-NOT merely the out-of-context snippets quoted by the Ritter-bashers.
1. Ritter heavily emphasizes that the instant that the Bush administration can produce credible evidence that Iraq is attempting to rearm, in any way, that he, Ritter, will gladly join the pro-war bandwagon. The Bush administration need not share sensitive information with the general public, but there's no excuse for hiding the allegedly credible new information from the House and Senate Intelligence committees, + Dashcle, Lott, Hastert, et al. That's precisely why every member of both the House and Senate Intelligence committees, in order to be allowed to serve on those committees, are given the highest security clearance status. Clinton, for example, could never have started a war somewhere, while arguing that the intelligence which indicate, "We gotta go to war, NOW!" is "too sensitive" to even share with Congressional Intelligence committee members + the top Congressional leadership.
2. Ritter argues for full, unfettered weapons inspections, and would not oppose invading Iraq IF Iraq refuses reasonable, full, unfettered inspections. The Ritter-bashers who "ignore" that part of Ritter's argument are "spinning".
3. Ritter claims that the U.S. used weapons inspections as an excuse to expand the weapons inspections mission, and in fact look for ways to "destablize" Saddam's regime. To 90%+ of Americans, this probably sounds like a damn good idea! One little problem with that, though: The U.N. sanctions against Iraq call for ONLY ascertaining that the bitch is disarming. As a pure legal issue under international law, Saddam has a solid case against the U.S., if it's true that weapons inspectors were doing any C.I.A. "side projects" (!) of any kind, whatsoever. As long as he's actually disarming, as a legal matter under international law, even the attempt to use weapons inspections for secret C.I.A. infiltrations, etc., is a violation BY THE U.S., of the U.N. mandate. Was the U.S. doing anything in Iraq, during the inspections, other than merely, narrowly confirming the destruction of Saddams weapons programs? Saddam insists they were a bunch of C.I.A. spies! Now, Saddam could be right, or he could be full of feces. However, the idea that the weapons inspectors were really covertly also looking for ways to destablize Saddam's government is not exactly a farfetched conspiracy theory!
What would meet Saddam's stated objection, and yet still allow full, unfettered new inspections by the U.S., is to take up Canada on their offer to "monitor" our U.S. inspectors, and serve as an "honest broker" between the U.S. and Saddam: If the U.S. is seen doing anything OTHER that weapons inspections, the Canadians will report this right to the U.N. Secretary. Likewise, if the Iraqis won't cooperate, THAT fact will likewise be reported to the U.N. Secretary. Since it was a series of U.N. resolutions that officialy instigated the entire weapons inspections program, and since the U.S. agreed to the U.N.'s role, this deal seems only reasonable. Note: We'd STILL have full, unfettered access; Only we'd be also eliminating one of Saddam's pet propaganda points, (that the U.S. inspectors are really C.I.A. spies, covertly trying to undermine his regime, instead of just "weapons-inspecting", like their supposed to!).
3. Comparing Ritter's assessment circa 1998 with his assessment in 2002, he may have simply changed his mind. Also, the '98 vs. '02 statements, paired side by side, give a misleading impression. For example, 'Does Saddam pose a threat to his neighbors?' Ritter, in '98:"Yes"; Ritter, in '02: He's quoted as saying, in effect, "no". But Ritter is not contradicting himself. Rather, the columnist does a bit of context-dropping. In '02, Ritter would say, that Saddam does have enough conventional weapons and troops to menace a neighbor, if he chose to. However, in '02, he is making no sign, (troop movements, etc.) that he intends to invade any other country; and thus he is not currently threatening any other country. Ritter will point out that none of the bordering countries around Iraq currently expresses any fear of an imminent Iraqi invasion, or feel menaced in any way. (Israel does not border Iraq. Israel might feel menaced, but as Ritter argues, the most recent internal Israeli "threat assessment" lists Iraq as only number SIX, on their list of greatest threats to Israeli security).
4. This column is fairly heavy on ad hominems. Please try to focus more on in-depth analysis, and not so much on sites that merely quote Ritter out of context, (as I've demonstrated they have).
5. Ritter's personal "agenda", if he has one, is not important. His evidence and arguments are what's important. Is his analysis correct? If it is, then I don't care whether or not he's getting some big ego boost out of standing up to the Bush administration.
6. Let's contrast Ritter's position, with Cheney's. On "Meet the (de)Press(ed)", Sunday, Russert directly asked Cheney, "Do you possess any actual intelligence, that Saddam is actually re-arming, or pursuing any weapons program, whether nuclear, chemical, or biological?" NOTE THE QUESTION. Not, "WHAT IS your evidence?" (To which, "It's classified!" might be a reasonable response). Cheney's reply was artful in it's evasion, :"We don't know what he's got, now. That's why we have to take him out". IF Cheney possessed new, fresh intelligence on the alleged Iraqi weapons programs, he'd have said, "Yes, we do have actual intelligence...I can't share it with you, but-yes we have it!" Just the kind of artful evasions on the subject that Ritter put us in mind to beware of, from the Bush administration! Can you see why I smell "a great big Commie Rat", in Cheney's artful evasion?
7. Ritter insists that if we invade, we won't be fighting teenaged boys, out in the desert. He insists that Saddam's much reduced army will consist primarily of his 100,000 "elite" Republican Guard troops. Furthermore, he WON'T engage our troops, in the desert. (Been there, done that, and got his ass whipped!) Instead, he'll hole up with his troops, in the major cities and use civilians as human shields! Saddam knows we CAN oust him, if we have the will. Knowing this, he COUNTS ON al Jazera and CNN saturation coverage worldwide, of U.S. Troops mowing down ten's of thousands of Iraqi Arab/Muslim women and children, (to get to his Republican Guard troops). In other words, if Saddam has to go out, he's got it planned to, (shall we say?) "Go out in style"! It's a very realistic senario, (and Bush has to know it), that Saddam's "Top of the world, Ma!" Blaze of Glory is going to likely spark street battles in Arab countries all around, and even (potentially), coups in a couple of these countries. Somewhere along the line, someone, (not necessarily Iraq) will lob a couple of scuds at Israel, (just on G.P., to REALLY make things more interesting!) who will NOT sit this war out!
So you see, Bush is setting us up for a world of trouble. I think that Congress ought to exercize it's role as a check on the power of the President, in this case. If Saddam is really THAT dangerous, then Bush needs to lay out his evidence NOW to Congressional leaders, and ask for a formal Declaration of War. Or, shut up. One or the other.
posted by Satan's at 9/12/2002 04:28:00 AM
Pleased to meet you, hope you guessed my name
We're adding another voice to the Culpepper Log. The guy's really truly not an America hating commie, but he can't seem to help but making lawyerly defenses of people and positions seemingly designed just to bug the bejesus out of me personally.
He makes about the cleanest anti-war arguments going, however, based on some rational faculty rather than blind emotions.
Welcome our new Culpepper contributor, Satan's Attorney.
posted by Al at 9/12/2002 04:21:00 AM
September 11, 2002
An American HATE CRIME!!
Don't let this crime go unreported!
On September 11, 2002, MTV News took over for a 10 minute story detailing a traumatic story about the discrimination faced by Muslems in America. Oh, god, they've come up with a story of an Arab American teenage girl who had to face some hideous hate incident.
After slow, ominous dramatic buildup, it turns out that her great searing oppression, in December of 2001, came from airport security insisting that she remove the sacred religious scarf wrapped from around her head. Really, miss, no fooling, and brought in the National Guard troops on standby to politely insist on compliance. The long detailing of the incident continued- probably longer than the incident itself, coupled with the slow motion graphics. She felt "violated." They made her out like a rape victim. Some nine months later, she's still exorcising the demons from her mistreatment.
Like my hero Elvis, "I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused." Usually that works, but this time I feel it slipping back to me just being good old-fashioned damned disgusted. This is some wealthy Americanized teenaged girl bitching about how traumatized she's been for most of a year over having to take off a damned scarf. Oh, and she's also pissy because a Catholic nun came through, and SHE didn't have to take off her head gear. It's not FAIR.
They're running this on the 9-11 anniversary? Did you not notice that there are people around who have actually had their religions violated perhaps even more substantially than you? I'm almost sure there's a rule in Judaism against being blown to pieces in the middle of the ritual Passover seder, but they're not still bitching about that one. Of course, that may simply be because they've had so many murders and bombings since then that they've lost track. I mean, you had to take off the scarf for inspection at an airport in December 2001?@#? Cry me a river, bitch. Jesus H Criminy.
Surely MTV did not intend to make viewers want to give this child a good Homer Simpson style choking. Nor do I think they intended to make viewers want to pimp slap the ditzy little Asian American Valley Girl who did the "interview." I've probably just committed heinous hate crimes against both of these poor victimized women for what I'm thinking. Surely this was not the response MTV intended, but what other response could a sentient creature have? Could you possibly be more self-absorbed, or more lacking in perspective on the world?
These two little spoiled brats in front of the camera were bad enough, but consider the adults running the show. How assinine must they be? Could they possibly be stupid enough to think this was a worthy example of discrimination? Yet if I were waiting outside the back door with a 2x4 to show the network programmers what an actual civil liberties violation would look like, I would be made out to be the jerk. [Perhaps I should cut back on listening to Merle Haggard.]
Of course, the whole story may have been the network's backward way of assuring us that everything is fine, since this is the worst thing they can come up with to bitch about. Yeah, that must be it. Anger subsiding. Urge to kill fading.
posted by Al at 9/11/2002 10:18:00 PM
Charlie Hustle rules!
We had an unfortunate attack with substantial ramifications a year ago today, but I'd prefer to emphasize another historic event on this date, something of a much more positive nature. I intend on having things to dwell on for September 11ths besides a handful of stupid psychos; damned if I plan on giving up that psychic ground. What else can we think about instead?
On September 11, 1985, Cincinnati Red Pete Rose got the 4,192nd hit of his career, surpassing the record of Ty Cobb. He wasn't the dramatic power slugger that Babe Ruth was or Barry Bonds would be, but he was totally committed. He kept swinging, hard, and knocked that thing out there thousands and thousands of times. They called him "Charlie Hustle."
In the broader populist sense, a country full of Charlie Hustles built America, and will re-build everything we've lost and more. Sure, Charlie Hustle has his faults, and minor pecadillos, but he's for real. It'll take more than a few fools with boxcutters to knock him down.
4,192 hits. Way to hustle, Pete.
posted by Al at 9/11/2002 07:34:00 PM
September 09, 2002
Al pimpin' Cristy Lane?
An AOL search for "cristy lane downloads" led some poor unsuspecting sap into the Culpepper archives. It just strikes me funny to think of a Cristy Lane fan accidentally wandering off into Al land. Seems that she [god, I hope it wasn't a man looking for Cristy Lane] got this search result:
Culpepper Log - ... Theres definitely more to this song than anything on the crappy Springsteen record, Ill tell you that. posted by Al Barger at 11:45 PM. Cristy Lane tv ...
That sure looks like me saying something certifiably insane. But no, wait, that's not what I meant.
posted by Al at 9/09/2002 05:44:00 PM
A challenge to South Dakota voters
Why Al is not a professional speechwriter
In November, Republican South Dakota congressman John Thune is challenging incumbent Democrat Tim Johnson.
By rights, it should be a walk for Thune. Voters here went for Dubya in 2000 by a big margin. These are among the most conservative folks in the country. Rural white folk, predominantly Republican, they have a good percentage of farmers. Should be easy pickins.
Greed, however, gives Johnson a good chance at re-election. Their other US senator is Tom Daschle, the Democrat majority leader who runs the institution. Crafty enough to get elected in the first place, the good conservative folk of South Dakota would hate this obstructionist liberal if he weren't theirs. As it is, their little state has never had anyone this high in national leadership, and they are loathe to lose this influence. They may even re-elect this hateful little weasel Johnson rather than risk the Democrats losing control of the senate, and thus losing their state's leverage.
This argument holds such sway that people [well, reporters actually] have been asking Mr. Thune if he would promise to vote for Daschle as majority leader, rather than the Republican in order to preserve the influence of South Dakota. The desirability of keeping Daschle's influence rates so strong that Thune has apparently left open this possibility.
Mr. Thune is an idiot if he thinks this will get him over the hump. If keeping Daschle's ability to bring home the bacon ranks as their deciding issue, they ain't voting Republican.
As an alternate strategery, let me offer the following proposed script for a Thune campaign ad:
Voters of South Dakota, you have a decision to make. It boils down to this: will you select the senator whom you believe will be best for the whole nation, or selfishly back the hack who will keep the pork rolling into our state?
Which do you value more, the good of the nation or a few extra bucks we get from having Tom Daschle running the senate? Sure, we get some extra grease with Daschle at the wheel- a water project here, some highway funds there. That's nice.
But you know also what this costs the nation, and the money's the least of it. As long as Tom Daschle runs the senate, the president will have hell defending the country. This is because Daschle is an extraordinarily partisan hack who obviously rates his political position as more important than anything else. This does not come from any loyal philosophical opposition to the president's foreign policy [that might actually be worthwhile], but from the fact that he is more interested in knocking down any possible Republican presidential initiative than he is in serving the broader national interest.
Consider how much damage Daschle does to the whole country, not just on defense issues. For example, he'll happily have the entire federal courts system grind to a halt rather than even allow a vote on Bush judicial nominees. How far will you support this destruction for the sake of some piddling local pork? Daschle is the most destructive partisan hack on the American political scene today. You know it, I know and the American people know it.
So, come November, vote for John Thune as the next senator for South Dakota. Do it for the children. Or do it for the veterans, or whomever. But do it, because you know better than this nonsense you're sponsoring now.
posted by Al at 9/09/2002 02:42:00 PM
September 08, 2002
Why we fight
Born Alecia Moore on September 8, 1979, the queen of punk pop turns 23. "Don't Let Me Get Me" has to be rated one of the top half dozen jams of the year. Pink has perhaps the best mainstream pop album in the market this year [Missundaztood], along with the India.Arie record.
What Pink and and Arie have in common with each other and different from, say, Britney is songs. Among other things, young Alecia was dosed with Bob Dylan. Some of that rubbed off enough for her to specifically write some of the best pop songs of the year. I ain't putting her up with Dylan, but she's already way north of the kiddie groups song technology wise.
Most obviously, Pink has become the spiritual heir of Joan Jett. She definitely don't give a damn about her bad reputation. She's still young, but if she makes three or four more albums this good, she'll make you forget every chick west of Sinead Herself.
You know, this is why we fight the Moslem fundamentalists: Pink wearing a burka just wouldn't cut it.
posted by Al at 9/08/2002 03:13:00 AM
Real Nazis
On September 8, 1941 the whole Jewish community of Meretsch, Lithuania was exterminated.
It has become so commmon for whining jerks, particularly of Palestenian persuasion to casually and constantly call the Jews "nazis" that the blood libel of it no longer offends. By sheer repetition, they have worn down the capacity for response.
Not here, though. Quick recap: Jews have been horribly discriminated against, beat down, and murdered. The actual Nazi Party in Germany absolutely massacred innocent Jews by the million. Yet modern Israelis respond to the near daily Palestenian murders of their women and children with restraint, carefully targeting the specific individual terrorists with the most surgical precision they can muster. Any Palestenian calling Israelis "nazis" needs to be beaten down for that alone.
posted by Al at 9/08/2002 02:18:00 AM
US Navy endorses Culpepper Log?
In an official US government endorsement of the Culpepper Log, Navy Secretary Gordon England has ordered that navy ships begin flying classic Culpepper "Don't Tready on Me" flags, starting 9-11-2002. The move is believed to be a strong endorsement of the internet's popular Culpepper Log, a news and entertainment bonanza named for and flying the ominous rattlesnake flag.
Others who are not delusional, egomaniacal cranks writing about themselves in the third person suggest that the famous rattlesnake flag was the first navy flag ever.
Either way, it's the right image to lay out before our enemies. I'd like bin Laden, Hussein, and the Saudis to look at that coiled rattler and think - long and hard, "Do I really want any of that?"
posted by Al at 9/08/2002 01:48:00 AM
Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque, New Mexico has a new Triple-A baseball team. Clever and good humored management named their team the Isotopes, in homage to a classic Simpsons story. Excellent!
The really great part comes from mayor Marin Chavez, however. "This isn't a second-rate city that should be taking our name from a cartoon show." Really? Even Mayor Quimby would know not to be so humorless and self-important. The Simpsons are widely recognized now as one of the greatest artistic achievements in the history of television. What has Albuquerque contributed? Atomic bombs? They don't even get that. That would be Los Alamos.
posted by Al at 9/08/2002 01:23:00 AM
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halen images
satan
blondie photos
joni
mitchell pictures
merle haggard
images
rocky horror pictures
monty
python
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