10-15-11 Hodgepodge
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Iran's Acts of War
Investor's Business Daily correctly calls Iran's attempt at murdering an ambassador on American soil and act of war:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday that the plot "crosses a line." We shall see. In the past our only reaction has been to draw another line. Iran has declared war, and unless we are prepared to secure our borders and act as if Iran has indeed crossed a line, the next plot may involve a dirty bomb rendering a major American city uninhabitable.Regarding the drawing of new lines, the folks at IBD not only aren't whistling Dixie, they're more right than they probably realize.
"These are acts of war," Pete Hoekstra, an intelligence expert and former GOP congressman, said of this latest plot and other Iranian actions, "and they need to be viewed and treated as such." [bold added]
Weekend Reading
"[Children] also need to understand human virtues such as courage, reason, and strength of character and what can happen when someone exercises his own judgment in the face of opposition." -- Charlotte Cushman, in "Save Western Civilization: Defend Christopher Columbus" at The American Thinker
"For everyone, gay or straight, it's not necessarily the case that their final choice of partner can meet every single need they have." -- Michael Hurd, in "Look for Integrity First" at DrHurd.com
"Many of the world's most successful investors have endured losing streaks." -- Jonathan Hoenig, in "Getting Back in the Game" at Smart Money
"The anti-capitalists, environmentalists, and anarchists we see amid the 'Occupy Wall Street' rabble polluting Wall Street in recent weeks -- most of them core supporters of Obama -- don't mention that as a Senator and presidential candidate in 2008 Obama voted for TARP." -- Richard Salsman, in "TARP After Three Years: It Made Things Worse, Not Better" at Forbes
"Let us mourn the loss of Steve Jobs–but let us also use this as an opportunity to look in the mirror and question whether we have treated Jobs and others like him as they deserve." -- Yaron Brook and Don Watkins, in "What We Owe Steve Jobs" at Forbes
From the Vault
Members of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement would do well to consider how the whole premise of "occupation" would apply to their own lives, were total strangers inevitably to decide to "occupy", say, their own homes without permission. Four years ago today, I posted about a house that was "occupied" by some barbarians who were just literate enough to glean details of a party off the Internet.
Private property is a right that enables individuals to live and enjoy their lives. It astounds me that anyone could be so self-centered or foolish as to apparently not realize that their actions condone and invite real thugs to commit crimes against themselves and those they care about.
The Brain as an Imaginary Friend
The Oatmeal does it again! This may well be my new favorite.
-- CAV
6 comments:
Hi Gus,
The Oatmeal cartoon reminds me of a bit by comedian Nick Griffin.
"Women always want to know what men are thinking. 'What are you thinking, Nicki?'"
"What am I thinking? What am I thinking? I'm thinking about sex. I'm thinking about every woman I've ever had sex with and every woman I've ever wanted to have sex with! Then I do this Mr Potato Head thing where I mix and match. I know. I know. It's crazy."
"Why do you think men go so nuts about losing their hair? They're thinking, are people going to be able see inside my head? And see all this s**t?"
I haven't found the above bit on the internet, but this will give you a little bit of an idea about his delivery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL1uwIcTJbo&feature=related
Yes, he is a bit dark. But it is still funny.
Another bit...
"Yeah, old people have better relationships. They tell us that we've had it too soft, that we can't stick with it. But what're ya gonna say to that? My grandparents fought the Nazi's. WE are afraid of carbs."
And this bit about Demi Moore after she hooked up with Ashton Kutcher...
"I saw this magazine cover on a women's magazine. 'Demi Moore; mother, actor, skinny, beautiful and she's just hooked up with a young stud. How does she do it?'"
"How does she do it? How does she do it?! I'll tell you how she does it. She makes 10 million dollars per movie. At that rate, she can hire a guy that does nothing all day but slap cookies out of her hand. And she can hire a whole different guy for pies and cakes."
So, that's where the oatmeal cartoon sent My brain.
c. andrew
C.,
That clip is hilarious. Thanks for telling me about where your mind wandered. Hadn't heard of that guy.
Gus
Hi Gus,
I have to admit to a youtube binge today. I think you might like this bit by Sean Morey about communication between the sexes and a separate one on profanity. Don't bother watching the imagery as it adds nothing to the experience.
c. andrew
Heh. The comments on shopping are right on the money. (And to think that, before I met Mrs. Van Horn, I thought of myself as a guy who is okay with shopping! How little did I know the meaning of that word!)
CAV,
The alleged Iranian plot seems to be attracting a good deal of skepticism amongst Iran-watchers in the UK press.
In my view, Americans should be highly skeptical of their govt and certainly of their military when it comes to claims of acts of war being plotted on US soil.
Do you not think that the US govt is stupid enough to see war spending as a means to stimulate the economy, no doubt seeing parallels with WWII, and to prevent the ongoing economic depression?
More warefare concerns me unless there is outright, uncontestable evidence that the West is attacked by Iran.
Will Sellars
UK
Will,
Yes. I am skeptical of our government regarding acts of war by foreign countries -- I am skeptical that it will ever to do anything like wage a proper war at all. Iran has been at war with us since at least 1979, and they're still happily supporting Islamic terrorism and working on building nuclear weapons, which I am sure, they will be happy to use.
Sadly, "stimulating" the economy by fighting a protracted, half-hearted war IS the most likely way our "leaders" would confront Iran, if they ever do. War is expensive, even if fought to inflict maximum harm on an enemy state as rapidly and efficiently as possible.
I'm not going to waste my time arguing with you on whether there is "incontestable" evidence that Iran is at war with us.
Gus
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