Slow Day
So how about a little Michael Moore slammin', what say ye (sorry, was watching Pirates of the Caribbean, and no, has nothing to do with the website :))

So, introducing Fifty-nine Deceits in Fahrenheit 911.

Thanks to Dave Kopel, who put it together.

40,000 Troops
In many a chat room, I have commented on Kerry's proposal of adding 40,000 troops, 20K for MP duty, and 20K for public affairs. Quite frankly, I probably have spent more time at Kerry's official website then most of the people who say they are going to vote for him. I once asked:

Which is the real Kerry website?
www.johnkerry.com
or
www.kerrycore.com
Most couldn't answer without looking, and then have to look for the sarcasm.

But, I digress. Troops do not grow on trees, nor do Special Ops folks. Yet Kerry said during his speech:

"We will add 40,000 active duty troops, not in Iraq, but to strengthen American forces that are now overstretched, overextended, and under pressure. We will double our special forces to conduct anti-terrorist operations. And we will provide our troops with the newest weapons and technology to save their lives and win the battle. And we will end the backdoor draft of National Guard and reservists. "

Um, yeah. That should be real easy, what with Kerry specifying on his website that he plans on doing away with all restrictions on gays and lesbians in the military. Say what you want, but, no matter how good a troop someone is, being homosexual in the military is not conductive to the esprit de corps. No offense to the Gay and Lesbian Community, just reality, but you will see enlistment and reenlistment, as well as retirements, in the US Military go up.

Isn't this the same Kerry who voted to multiple times to kill weapons programs, and reduce the military? Yup. Didn't vote for the $87 billion? Yup.

And Special Ops forces do not just materialize. They are the best of the best, and it takes a certain mental, as well as physical, makeup to be one. They certainly have their uses, and I would bet that we have SEALs, Rangers, Delta, etc, running around the world right now performing special ops. But we need large units to take out Nation-State armies, as well. And, that would take a draft.

I agree that the National Guard shouldn't be used: I have always held the opinion that the NG is for defense of the United States on our home soil. Replacements? Let's pull our troops out of Germany, for a start. See how they fare.

Do Floridians Blame the GOP for election problems?
The answer would be: NO. Seems like they blame the former Elections Supervisor, Miriam Oliphant, who was canned by Jeb Bush for incompetence.

Seems that only 8% would return her to office. 84% say not going to happen.

And, lets give her the benefit of the doubt on the check, shat happens.

The Complete Military History of France
I once went to school with a very nice lady from France, who told me not to judge all of France by it's government or the Parisians. I truly try not to.

However, when it comes down to it, they aren't much to talk about when it comes to war:

Gallic Wars
- Lost. In a war whose ending foreshadows the next 2000 years of French history, France is conquered by of all things, an Italian.

- Hundred Years War
- Mostly lost, saved at last by female schizophrenic who inadvertently creates The First Rule of French Warfare; "France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchman." Sainted.

- Italian Wars
- Lost. France becomes the first and only country to ever lose two wars when fighting Italians.

- Wars of Religion
- France goes 0-5-4 against the Huguenots

- Thirty Years War
- France is technically not a participant, but manages to get invaded anyway. Claims a tie on the basis that eventually the other participants started ignoring her.

- War of Revolution
- Tied. Frenchmen take to wearing red flowerpots as chapeaux.

- The Dutch War
- Tied

- War of the Augsburg League/King William's War/French and Indian War
- Lost, but claimed as a tie. Three ties in a row induces deluded Frogophiles the world over to label the period as the height of French military power.

- War of the Spanish Succession
- Lost. The War also gave the French their first taste of a Marlborough, which they have loved every since.

- American Revolution
- In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as "de Gaulle Syndrome", and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare; "France only wins when America does most of the fighting."

- French Revolution
- Won, primarily due the fact that the opponent was also French.

- The Napoleonic Wars
- Lost. Temporary victories (remember the First Rule!) due to leadership of a Corsican, who ended up being no match for a British footwear designer.

- The Franco-Prussian War
- Lost. Germany first plays the role of drunk Frat boy to France's ugly girl home alone on a Saturday night.

- World War I
- Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States. Thousands of French women find out what it's like to not only sleep with a winner, but one who doesn't call her "Fraulein." Sadly, widespread use of condoms by American forces forestalls any improvement in the French bloodline.

- World War II
- Lost. Conquered French liberated by the United States and Britain just as they finish learning the Horst Wessel Song.

- War in Indochina
- Lost. French forces plead sickness; take to bed with the Dien Bien Flu

- Algerian Rebellion
- Lost. Loss marks the first defeat of a western army by a Non-Turkic Muslim force since the Crusades, and produces the First Rule of Muslim Warfare; "We can always beat the French." This rule is identical to the First Rules of the Italians, Russians, Germans, English, Dutch, Spanish, Vietnamese and Esquimaux.

- War on Terrorism
- France, keeping in mind its recent history, surrenders to Germans and Muslims just to be safe. Attempts to surrender to Vietnamese ambassador fail after he takes refuge in a McDonald's.

The question for any country silly enough to count on the French should not be "Can we count on the French?", but rather "How long until France collapses?"

"Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordion. All you do is leave behind a lot of noisy baggage."

Or, better still, the quote from last week's Wall Street Journal: "They're there when they need you."

Courtesy of
Goofy Gallery.

Did I miss the Plans?
I was promised detail. Where was the detail? What we were given, in essence, was a recap of all of Kerry's talking points, with the added "Help is on the way" patronism. Wasn't Edwards about "Hope is on the way?" Now it's "help."

The speech certainly satisfied all the lefties out there, hitting on his overdone "what I am going to do" rhetoric, and bashing Bush (wasn't that something which Kerry said he didn't want the convention to be about?), but, again, no detail. No plans. As they say, "If there is no plan, there can be no attack. Without an attack, there can be no victory."

HOW does he plan on (insert Issue here)? Where was the steak? All we got were the veggies. International Cooperation. Health Care. Outsourcing. The Environment. War. Terrorism, er anti-terrorism (nice slip of the tongue by JFK, jr, eh?). Etc. "Were I the President..." Come on, John, details, mon.

Terrorists Ready to Attack?
Two stories regarding AL Queda infiltrating the US, many posing as Mexicans to gain access. The other story is here at Lonewacko.

Could Al Queda be looking for a primarily West Coast attack this time? Maybe a nuke in a fault zone? Chemical/biological attack into LA's limited water supply area? Perhaps I am being overly alarmist, but, we have already seen 19 people who were willing to crash airplanes into buidlings. Only time will tell, and I hope it doesn't. But, we have to be realistic: these Muslim extremists want to destroy America and kill Americans.

Let us not persecute those who do not follow the tenents of of the Islamic extremists. We do not hold Hitlers parents responsible, and we should not hold the entire religion and it's people responsible.

Democratic Convention
Mood:  incredulous
Anyone else tuning in? Or is it as painful for others to listen to the substance free drivel as it is for me? What it all comes down to is Teddy's "The only thing we have to fear is four more years of George Bush."

I suppose, as a North Carolina resident, I should have listened to Edwards speak, but, it is the same old same old. Long on talk, short on reality. Or should I say long on lies? Edwards is a rather good speaker, but his speaking ability can only take him so far, which is one of the reasons NC pundits proclaimed that he would be kissing his Senate seat goodbye in the next election.

Read his speech yourself, and count out the "untruths." Don't forget, "There is Hope." That's nice, isn't it? It does address the "feelings'" of the Left, but doesn't address "thought."

The Kerry Iraq Video
Mood:  celebratory
Dems Extreme Makeover has the video of Kerry on Iraq that the RNC released today. GO. SEE IT!

The other Iraqi Death Count
One of the stats that has seemingly been ignored by the media now is the death toll to the Iraqi people during the 12 years of sanctions. I remember reading that it worked out to approximatley 50,000 people per year or more.

That figure might be low. Some have estimated almost 2 million children alone died during the sanctions. That comes to around 166 thousand a year. And what of those that Saddam and his regime killed during that time period? 50K might be low.

And what of those killed during Saddams reign pre Gulf War? Some say 500K during the Iran-Iraq War. What of the Iranians killed during that war, which Saddam started? How about all the Kuwaiti's killed during Iraq's invasion? And the Israeli's and Palestinians who died as Saddam payed off the families of the suicide bombers?

Can keep going on and on, but you get the picture. Look me in the eye and tell me deposing Saddam and his regime wasn't the right thing to do.

Hatch out to get the tech industry
Mood:  irritated
Obviously, tech piracy is not a good thing. But, Instapundit has a few links to this insane Bill proposed by Hatch, which would seriously damage the will of companies to come out with new tech.

If you feel negatively about it, go here and send a fax to your Senator. There is also a nice explanation of the Bill.