Bad Money Logo

 


"The frightening power of Harvey's filthy lies makes me tremble like a Frenchman. I frequently wet myself in terror and... Oops... damn." - Glenn Reynolds

"The man is a FREAK and a WEIRDO!" - Vigilance Matters

"The nicest thing about having Harvey around is that he makes the raincoat flashers look suave." - Rocket Jones




















CATEGORIES
Precision Guided Humor
King of the Blogs

BLOGS

BLOGWAR!

MY ALLIANCE BLOG-BUDDIES







Subscribe to "Bad Money" in Radio UserLand.

Click to see the XML version of this web page.

Click here to send an email to the editor of this weblog.

 
 

Bad Money

  Wednesday, December 31, 2003


ALLIANCE BUSINESS

The "Extracting Saddam's Confession" round-up is up. Be sure to stop by because there's a bonus torture in the round-up entry. Some of my favorite quotes from various participants:

***********
Play the Barney theme song continuously. Keep playing it after he breaks.

"Please! Please! Make them stop!" Saddam screeched, clawing at his eyes and ears.

Lock him in a room full of baboons who have recently dined on Mamacita Culebra’s Chili.


***********

I have to admit that I'm surprised that Susie didn't weigh in with, "give him what I've got". Speaking of Susie, she's posted a picture in the upper left of her blog that shows off every inch of her legs. You might want to take a peek before she chickens out & takes it down.

Anyway, New PGH due Jan 7th: What does the Axis of Weasels need to do earn the forgiveness of America and the Coalition of the Willing?

And don't forget your Filthy Lie Assignment, due this Friday: How will Evil Glenn be ringing in the new year?


posted by Harvey at 8:12:51 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []




NOW I'M A BELIEVER

I've just seen proof that angels exist. Apparently they're big fans of the US Air Force.

(hat tip to Blogless Brother Roy for pointing me to this one)

posted by Harvey at 5:04:31 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Tuesday, December 30, 2003


TODAY'S LOVE NOTE

(Introduction)

The Angel That Stands By Me

Dreams of love, so beautiful,
Fairies dancing by the sea...
The moon shining in the heavens,
And an angel standing by me!

And when the morning sun breaks,
Butterflies flutter by...
Bees that kiss the blossoms,
Cottony clouds in the sky!

Oh, what a lovely scenario,
Lovelier, it could not be...
And all the more perfect,
With the angel that stands by me!

For you were always by my side,
For more I could never ask...
And long ago, Heaven sent you to me,
And in soft sunshine, I always bask!

For never could I ask for more,
Than the glories I always see...
All these wonderful gifts are mine,
With the angel that stands by me!


posted by Harvey at 10:05:09 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY


[This dollar is only for Rebecca Stevens. Becky lives in Alsip, IL (Chicagoland Area) - From Larry D. Hoogstraten]

Although Rebecca thought the dollar was a sweet & thoughtful gift, she decided to buy the lottery ticket for 2 reasons. First, she was having another one of her "really strong lucky hunches", and second, if she didn't do something to break his fool heart soon, she could end up as Rebecca Hoogstraten, doomed to a lifetime "how do you spell your last name?"

"UGH!", she thought. "One Loot Pursuit, please," she said to the pimply-faced counter-boy, "and HURRY!"


posted by Harvey at 9:58:20 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



SADDAM'S CONFESSION

Saddam has intelligence. Not in the sense of being smart enough not to thumb his nose at the US, but rather he knows where certain things are. The Alliance is asking for methods of information extraction, so I will oblige.

There's always the classics, such as drugs, sleep deprivation, starvation, sensory overload and the like, but he may prove resistant to such persuasion. There are sterner options available:

Play "this little piggy" with a hammer. It may not have worked in "Payback", but then again, Saddam is no Mel Gibson.

Sea urchin enema

Strap a thermometer to his willy & have him check the temp on the McDonalds fry oil

Oops! Looks like Saddam got his tie caught in the industrial paper shredder. Sure hope nobody accidentally disabled the "reverse" button.

Ipecac coladas

Steak-umm underwear and a hungry Rottweiler

Scorpion bath

Or maybe we should just get him a new job:

No-hands barnyard masturbator

Cameraman for the new movie, "Lesbo Love Fest", starring Janet Reno and Helen Thomas

San Francisco bathhouse glory-hole sanitizer. Don't forget the buttless red leather chaps uniform
for this one.

Maybe checking Sigfried & Roy's tigers for colon polyps?

Septic tank inspector. Remember to pump the tank before sending him in. Or not.

Crash test dummy

I hear the Mayo Clinic has an opening for a colostomy-bag-emptier

Or maybe we can just send him on vacation:

To a furvert convention in a panda constume

To South Central LA. After midnight. With a pocket full of $100's. Wearing a "F*** Jesse
Jackson" T-shirt

On second thought, screw it. Brass knuckles & razor blades. Either he spills his guts, or we do.

SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS!



posted by Harvey at 6:45:30 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Monday, December 29, 2003


TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

(Introduction)

You want to know how great my love is?
Count the waves.



posted by Harvey at 11:55:05 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



Frank J. signs up yet another annoying, pop-up-ad-and-spam-delivering sponsor. A week later, as they filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection, they discovered why the "Create a Blogad for IMAO" page is the #1 Google hit for the search: "kiss of death".


posted by Harvey at 11:53:44 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF MADFISH WILLIE - THE RESCUE (BASED ON A TRUE STORY)
(A FILTHY LIE)

I was over at Madfish Willie's Cyber Saloon back on December 19th, and for the fifth day in a row, the Bartender was mysteriously absent. Dana was working the bar, so I asked her about it…

Dana: Nope. Haven't seen him since Sunday.


Harv: Odd. Oh well, I'm sure he'll turn up sooner or later. By the way, nice T-shirt. “Irrigate Hillary”. Heh.

Dana: Thanks. Just doing my part to support the troops.

Harv: By the way, have you been restocking the cooler?


Dana: Yeah… how'd you know
Harv: It's just that you're kinda… dotting the I's on that T-shirt, if you know what I mean…

Dana: *blush* Oh Harv, you're so naughty *giggle*


After admiring the view for a couple more seconds, I headed back to the corner, where Matty O'Blackfive & Mike the Marine were knocking back some Guinness bottles, occasionally pausing to shout “
brilliant!” at each other, and generally acting like a couple of drunken idiots:

Matty: Look! I've invented the 6-pack. Now I can drink 6 beers at once!

Mike: Brilliant! And I've invented the tapper so I can drink this entire keg of Guinness without having to re-fill my glass!

Matty: Brilliant!

Harv: Say, have either of you guys seen the Bartender? He's been missing for days.

Matty: What? You've found a way to keep the Bartender from telling dumb ass Kang A. Roo jokes?

Mike: Brilliant!

Harv: Would you guys shut up for a minute? This is serious. I'm starting to get worried, and...


From the TV in the corner came a familiar voice...

Evil Glenn:... so come on down to Blender's, the evilest bar in the blogosphere. And, as soon as I torture the recipe out of the Bartender, we'll be featuring the Ultimate Martini as our specialty. That's BLENDER'S!


Harv: Did you guys hear that? Evil Glenn has kidnapped the Bartender! We've got to go rescue him!

Matty: I don't know, Harv, we're kinda busy getting drunk here...

Mike: Yeah, this beer ain't gonna drink itself.

Harv: Take the beer with you. You can drink it on the way.

Matty: Harv's discovered a way to drink beer AND rescue the Bartender at the same time!

Mike: Brilliant!

Harv: Geez you guys are annoying! Mike, go get the truck warmed up. Matty, you carry the keg. Hmmm... we're gonna need some muscle. Hey! Heather! Wanna help us rescue the Bartender from the vile clutches of Evil Glenn?

Heather: Sure! Just let me finish arm-wrestling the boucer...[SLAM!]... Ok, I'm ready.

Bouncer: Oh, come on! I was just getting warmed up. One more time...

Heather: Give it up, already! I just beat you seven times in a row.

Bouncer: Best 8 out of 15?

Heather: I [WHACK!] SAID [BASH!] NO! [SLAM! *CRACK!*]

Harv: Damn, Heather, I think you broke his... well,... everything.

Heather: He shouldn't have disrespected my dainty femininity.

Harv: You're such a classy dame.

Heather: Ain't I just? Now [cracking knuckles] let's get rescuin'!

Meanwhile over at Blender's, Evil Glenn had the Bartender tied up in the Champale Cubicle and was attempting to pry the Ulltimate Martini Recipe out of him by forcing him to drink tequila shots...

Evil Glenn: You've had 35 shots of Jose Cuervo. Soon you'll be so drunk you'll tell me recipe for the Ultimate Martini. MUAHAHAHAHA!

Bartender: Uh... sure... in fact, I'm almost there already. How about another shot? That should do the trick.

Evil Glenn: Soon the customer-seducing power of the Ultimate Martini Recipe will be in my hands. Then Blender's will become the most popular bar in the blogosphere and I will double my domination of the Ecosystem! MUAHAHAHAHA!

Bartender: Hello? Thirsty kidnapping victim over here? Make with the drinky-drink already!

Evil Glenn: Yes, of course. Misguided Minioness Jen! Fetch me another bottle of tequila!

Jen: Bite me, ya puppy-blending freak! I can't believe how stupid you are! The Ultimate Martini Recipe is posted right out in the open at Madfish Willie's Cyber Saloon, free for the taking. Why the hell are you bothering with all the kidnapping & torture?

Evil Glenn: NEVER QUESTION ME! I AM THE DARK OVERLORD OF THE BLOGOSPHERE AND I SHALL NOT TOLERATE INSUBORDINATION! I don't pay you to criticize my nefarious schemes, I pay you do my bidding!... and to strut around in a black leather cat-suit... in which your breasts jiggle most fetchingly, I might add... NOW GET ME THAT TEQUILA!

Jen: Fine. What-EVER, Mr.-delusions-of-godhood. I'll be right back... [mumbling] stupid penguin-molesting assmunch...

Evil Glenn: I heard that!

Jen: And I'm pretending to care. Here's your stinkin' booze.

Evill Glenn: Here ya go Barkeep. Drink...DRINK!

Bartender: I thought you'd never ask [glug, glug, glug] AHHHHHH! Good stuff!

Evil Glenn: All right... now, tell me, what is the Ultimate Martini recipe?

Bartender: The recipe is...

Evil Glenn: Yesssss...

Bartender: PISS IN A GLASS AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS, PUPPY BLENDER! BWAHAHAHAHA!

Evil Glenn: Right! That does it! I'm through messing around with you! Jen... blow him...

Jen: What? You sick twisted pervert scumbag! I'm not gonna give this freak a BJ!

Evil Glenn: Would you NOT interrupt? I was going to say "blow him away". Here's a gun.

Jen: [blushing] Oh. Sorry. Say your prayers, Barkeep. This is the end of the line for you.

Bartender: You mean I don't get that blowjob?

Jen: You are SOOOO dead! [cocking the pistol]

Suddenly a mighty crash sounded as Heather kicked the door in with her sexy and muscular leg. Wood shards flew everywhere, and the doorknob knocked the gun out of Jen's hand.

Harv: Nice kick. A little dainty though.

Heather: Quiet, or your balls are next.

Matty: Hi, Glenn! I've got five friends that want to talk to you [punching him in the face and knocking him out cold]

Jen: Heather, you bitch! I'm gonna kill the Bartender and you can't stop me!

Heather: Oh yeah? [launching a flying tackle and wrestling her to the ground]

Mike: Mmmm.... catfight.

Harv: Shouldn't we be taping this for the Champagne Room Sunday Night Movie?

Matty: Way ahead of you, Harv [squinting at the viewfinder of a digital camcorder] Damn! This is HOT!

Mike: Cat suit's ripping! OOH-RAH!

Heather [grabbing Jen's hair and throwing a series of face punches]: Don't [WHAM!] call [THUD!] me [POW!] bitch! [SMACK!]

Harv: Heather, you might not want to kill her just yet. She's still got interviews to post, including Dana's.

Heather [letting Jen's unconscious head drop to the floor]: I suppose you're right. I don't want to break a nail, and... Matt, what are you doing with that camcorder?

Matty [quickly hiding it behind his back]: Uh,... just, uh.... documenting Evil Glenn's crimes for posterity. Heh.

Mike: Let's just get the Bartender and get out of here before more of Glenn's evil henchmen show up.

Heather: Are you ok, Bartender? Are you hurt? Can you walk?

Bartender: I'm ferfectly pine. I just need another tot of shequila to clear my head...[slumps to the floor in a drunken heap]

Matty: Heather, just grab him & let's go.

Heather[tossing the Bartender lightly over one shoulder] Mike, be a gentleman and open the door for me, please?

Mike looked at the blasted hole where the door used to be, started to mention the door's absence, thought better of it, shrugged, and kicked aside a few scraps of wood.

Mike: After you, m'lady

Heather [beaming]: You're so sweet!... Matt! Harv! Get your asses in gear!

Matty [filling his pockets with scotch bottles]: Right behind ya!

Harv [raiding the cash register]: OOOH! Look! Graffiti currency!

Heather: Harv!

Harv: Right! Coming!

Later, at Madfish Willie’s Cyber Saloon, Matty & I were sitting in a quiet corner discussing the evening’s events:

Harv: I can’t believe how incredibly stupid & dangerous it was busting into Evil Glenn’s lair like that. Good thing we had Heather with us.

Matty: No kidding. Remind me never to piss her off.

Harv: Yeah… uh,... speaking of which, do you have that video handy?

Matty: Heh. Sure do, let’s take a peek, and… oh… crap…

Harv: What’s the matter?

Matty: That DVD I burned… it’s missing.

Harv: Missing? What the hell happened to it?

Matty: I don’t know. Maybe it fell out of the camcorder or something.


Suddenly, from the TV in the corner, a familiar voice:

Evil Glenn: ...and remember, every Sunday at Blender’s is Champale Cubicle Movie Night! This week featuring the hot girl-on-girl action of “Blog War Catfight”

A familiar (and extremely hot) vision graced the screen as Matty & I broke out in simultaneous cold sweats.

Harv: Maybe Heather won’t notice…

Heather: What the f*** is THAT? You guys are SO f****** dead!

Matty: Race ya to Mexico…

Harv: Si, amigo.

Fortunately, while cowering in Tijuana, we were able to lay hands on a 500-pound crate of Orville Reddenbacher’s Movie Theater Popcorn, and had it FedEx’d to Heather, who accepted the gift of her favorite junk food, and quickly forgave us our trespasses as she lapsed into a carb-coma.

But I swear on the Bartender’s tip jar, that bastard Evil Glenn is going to pay for what he did.

The. War. Goes. On.

INSTAPUNDO DELENDA EST!


posted by Harvey at 10:33:02 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



BLOG-BUDDY LINKY-LOVE

I wish everybody's blog-buddies were as cool as mine. They have ALL voted EVERY week since the blog-buddy program started.

HUGS! HUGS! HUGS!

Here are some more reasons why they're so cool:

First, I just noticed that Susie has re-pinkified her blog. Even the pretty Alliance birdy is now the same color as Susie's cheeks after I finish talking dirty to her. Second, even though she's dying of some miserable disease or another, she still has the energy to threaten mutiny against Alliance Fearless Leader Frank J. if he doesn't start voting in the showcase. Beware the Ides of March, Frank.

America's Favorite Drunken Irish Paratrooper, Matty O'Blackfive, announces oh-so-casually that he'll soon be packing another parachute on those family vacations behind enemy lines. Go buy the proud-poppa-to-be-again a beer. Or maybe a condom.

Kevin of Eckernet has returned to blogging in fine fashion, with a big fat dose of Christian holiday greeting oppression.(Dec 28, CTRL+F "belated" - Kevin, what did I tell you about those permalinks?) Make sure to click the link to "Five Levels of a Hangover". I'll give you #4, but you have to get the rest on your own:

***********
Four Star Hangover (****)


Life sucks. Your head is throbbing. You can't speak too quickly or else you might puke. Your boss has already lambasted you for being late and has given you a lecture for reeking of booze. You wore nice clothes, but that can't hide the fact that you only shaved one side of your face. For the ladies, it looks like you put your make-up on while riding the bumper cars.Your eyes look like one big red vein, and even your hair hurts. Your sphincter is in perpetual spasm, and the first of about five shits you take during the day brings water to the eyes of everyone who enters the bathroom.
***********

The Geekster of physicsgeek posts a linky-love round-up. Normally I'd link to something original, but he actually posted the picture of the Howard Dean parody magazine cover, so it's worth the trip to Geekville for that alone. Dana, please don't click the link until I'm out of strangling range.


posted by Harvey at 9:41:27 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []




NEW BLOG SHOWCASE VOTER LINKY-LOVE SOURCE CODE

<a href="http://www.flyingchair.net/">Flying Chair</a> (159 links) - 3797 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://nicedoggie.net/">Anti-Idiotarian Rotweiler</a> (509 links) - 2268 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://blackfive.blogs.com/">Blackfive - The Paratrooper of Love</a> (235 links) - 800 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://annikagyrl.blogspot.com/">annika's journal &amp; poetry</a> (136 links) - 260 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com/">the evangelical outpost</a> (190 links) - 258 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://sayanything.typepad.com/">Say Anything</a> (68 links) - 180 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://debbyestratigacos.blogspot.com/">Being American in T.O.</a> (93 links) - 173 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.pardonmyenglish.com/">Pardon My English</a> (92 links) - 150 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://practicalpenumbra.mu.nu/">Practical Penumbra</a> (214 links) - 141 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.calpoly.edu/%7Edoleary/blog.htm">DAN K OLEARY DOT COM BLOG</a> (108 links) - 135 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://silverblue.org/mt">Ramblings of Silver Blue</a> (155 links) - 129 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://gevkaffeegal.typepad.com/the_alliance/">The Alliance</a> (162 links) - 126 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0126975/">Bad Money</a> (149 links) - 119 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://ondragonswing.com/journal/gaggle">Absinthe &amp; Cookies</a> (201 links) - 115 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://hallsofmontezumashoresoftripoli.blogspot.com/">From the Halls to the Shores</a> (75 links) - 111 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.dogtulosba.com/">dogtulosba, ink. - soapiate of the masses</a> (58 links) - 100 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://coloradoconservative.blogs.com/colorado_conservative/">Colorado Conservative</a> (67 links) - 97 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://simonworld.mu.nu/">Simon World</a> (82 links) - 87 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.vrwc.us/">VRWC, Inc.</a> (96 links) - 85 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://angelweave.mu.nu/">angelweave</a> (131 links) - 81 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.anenglishmanscastle.com/">An Englishman's Castle</a> (65 links) - 79 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://physicsgeek.blog-city.com/">physics geek</a> (82 links) - 74 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://civilization-calls.blogspot.com/">Civilization Calls</a> (64 links) - 63 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://blatherreview.mu.nu/">BLATHER REVIEW</a> (91 links) - 44 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://s-train.h2cmedia.org/">The S-Train Canvass</a> (72 links) - 43 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://winceandnod.blogspot.com/">Wince and Nod</a> (89 links) - 39 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://gcruse.typepad.com/">The Owner's Manual</a> (49 links) - 39 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.sithoughts.blogspot.com/">Semi-Intelligent Thoughts</a> (65 links) - 35 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.homicidalmaniak.com/">Homicidal Maniak</a> (68 links) - 34 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://thecommonvirtue.blogspot.com/">The Common Virtue</a> (49 links) - 33 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://sugarwhitesand.com/">CandyUniverse</a> (90 links) - 31 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.bigredgiant.com/">BigRedGiant.com</a> (64 links) - 30 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.gleefulextremist.com/blogger.html">The Gleeful Extremist</a> (60 links) - 29 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://self-composed.com/">Self-composed</a> (64 links) - 28 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.bigstick.us/">BigStick</a> (71 links) - 27 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://leftcoastconservative.blogspot.com/">Left Coast Conservative</a> (131 links) - 25 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://curi.us/domain/">curi's domain</a> (62 links) - 24 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.rocksolidcorp.com/weblog/index.html">Not Quite Tea and Crumpets</a> (73 links) - 23 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://grimbeorn.blogspot.com/">Grim's Hall</a> (63 links) - 22 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://eleganceagainstignorance.blogspot.com/">Elegance Against Ignorance</a> (78 links) - 17 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.ondragonswing.com/journal/ramble/">Ninjababe's Ramble</a> (66 links) - 13 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://newmaniwhs.blogspot.com/">Newmanisms</a> (60 links) - 11 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://cannon.blog-city.com/">Cannon's Canon</a> (59 links) - 11 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://roxettebunny.mu.nu/">Hoppings of Roxette Bunny</a> (62 links) - 10 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://leahguildenstern.blog-city.com/">Leah Guildenstern</a> (51 links) - 8 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://etalkinghead.com/">Political commentary, analysis and opinion: eTALKINGHEAD.com</a> (133 links) - 0 visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://interested-participant.blogspot.com/">Interested-Participant</a> (109 links) - visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://eckernet.com/">Eckernet.com</a> (61 links) - visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://ripebananas.blogspot.com/">Ripe Bananas</a> (58 links) - visits/day <font color="red">V</font><br> <a href="http://www.newamericanrevolution.com/">The New American Revolutionist</a> (57 links) - visits/day <font color="red">V</font></p>
posted by Harvey at 9:02:58 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



NEW BLOG SHOWCASE VOTER LINKY-LOVE

Flying Chair (159 links) - 3797 visits/day V
Anti-Idiotarian Rotweiler (509 links) - 2268 visits/day V
Blackfive - The Paratrooper of Love (235 links) - 800 visits/day V
annika's journal & poetry (136 links) - 260 visits/day V
the evangelical outpost (190 links) - 258 visits/day V
Say Anything (68 links) - 180 visits/day V
Being American in T.O. (93 links) - 173 visits/day V
Pardon My English (92 links) - 150 visits/day V
Practical Penumbra (214 links) - 141 visits/day V
DAN K OLEARY DOT COM BLOG (108 links) - 135 visits/day V
Ramblings of Silver Blue (155 links) - 129 visits/day V
The Alliance (162 links) - 126 visits/day V
Bad Money (149 links) - 119 visits/day V
Absinthe & Cookies (201 links) - 115 visits/day V
From the Halls to the Shores (75 links) - 111 visits/day V
dogtulosba, ink. - soapiate of the masses (58 links) - 100 visits/day V
Colorado Conservative (67 links) - 97 visits/day V
Simon World (82 links) - 87 visits/day V
VRWC, Inc. (96 links) - 85 visits/day V
angelweave (131 links) - 81 visits/day V
An Englishman's Castle (65 links) - 79 visits/day V
physics geek (82 links) - 74 visits/day V
Civilization Calls (64 links) - 63 visits/day V
BLATHER REVIEW (91 links) - 44 visits/day V
The S-Train Canvass (72 links) - 43 visits/day V
Wince and Nod (89 links) - 39 visits/day V
The Owner's Manual (49 links) - 39 visits/day V
Semi-Intelligent Thoughts (65 links) - 35 visits/day V
Homicidal Maniak (68 links) - 34 visits/day V
The Common Virtue (49 links) - 33 visits/day V
CandyUniverse (90 links) - 31 visits/day V
BigRedGiant.com (64 links) - 30 visits/day V
The Gleeful Extremist (60 links) - 29 visits/day V
Self-composed (64 links) - 28 visits/day V
BigStick (71 links) - 27 visits/day V
Left Coast Conservative (131 links) - 25 visits/day V
curi's domain (62 links) - 24 visits/day V
Not Quite Tea and Crumpets (73 links) - 23 visits/day V
Grim's Hall (63 links) - 22 visits/day V
Elegance Against Ignorance (78 links) - 17 visits/day V
Ninjababe's Ramble (66 links) - 13 visits/day V
Newmanisms (60 links) - 11 visits/day V
Cannon's Canon (59 links) - 11 visits/day V
Hoppings of Roxette Bunny (62 links) - 10 visits/day V
Leah Guildenstern (51 links) - 8 visits/day V
Political commentary, analysis and opinion: eTALKINGHEAD.com (133 links) - 0 visits/day V
Interested-Participant (109 links) - visits/day V
Eckernet.com (61 links) - visits/day V
Ripe Bananas (58 links) - visits/day V
The New American Revolutionist (57 links) - visits/day V


posted by Harvey at 9:01:48 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



THE POLITICS OF SHOWCASING

I've seen some discussion here and there lamenting the way the Bear's New Blog Showcase has evolved since the introduction of the sponsorship prize for the organization of bloggers producing the highest participation percentage. The main complaint seems to be that a lot of bloggers just post whatever vote that their group leaders suggest, and don't even bother reading all the entries.

Now, I have to admit that the charge is probably true. Some bloggers do vote in blind lock-step. But the question is whether this is a good or bad thing, given that the purpose of the Showcase is to give increased visibility to new bloggers who are currently mired in the obscurity of microbe-dom.

My answer is a qualified "yes" on the "good thing" side.

Before the Sponsorship Challenge, the Showcase winner usually got around 10 votes or so. More recently, the number is about 40. There's no question that showcase winners are getting more links. The question is whether this leads to more site traffic and more readers, which tends to be what most bloggers are seeking.

That part is more of a maybe. If we assume that those 30 extra votes are all just copy and paste, then probably no. But judging from the vote posts I've seen, which usually include some sort of commentary on the entry in question, I'd have to think that at least some of those votes were posted by people who actually read the entries. I don't actually have numbers to prove that assertion, but I'm inclined to believe that new bloggers still get more traffic now that sponsorship is on the line.


But I will grant that the scenario is not ideal. Not all votes translate into readership. A blind vote does nothing to increase traffic, and there's a certain sense of unfairness and/or wrongness in that. I personally would prefer that all votes be made on the basis of merit, rather than partisanship or ideology. So maybe, in a sense, winning the showcase doesn't say as much about the quality of the entry as it used to. I will admit that much.

B
ut still, even a blind vote is a bit of free advertising for the blogger. Even if the link isn't clicked, just getting your blog's name out there so that it's more familiar helps to increase the chances that a future link will be clicked, if for no other reason than a reader saying to himself, "I keep seeing this blog's name. I wonder what all the fuss is about?". My philosophy is that there's no such thing as a bad link. All exposure is at least marginally good.

In sum, although the New Blog Showcase isn't as good as it's possible to imagine it being, it's still better off with the Sponsorship prize than without it, because more people are aware of the Showcase, even if they're not all participating in an ideal fashion. Although links and traffic are two important benefits, name recognition, while often overlooked, is a very important third, and the Showcase still provides that.


posted by Harvey at 12:07:14 AM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Sunday, December 28, 2003


OH. MY. GOD.

The Packers had three chances to get into the playoffs.Their best hope was Seattle in San Francisco, since Seattle is horrendous on the road. Lucky for the Seahawks, San Francisco was horrendouser.

The next shot looked pretty good. A determined Dallas just needs to win against an out-of-the-race New Orleans. Piece of cake, and... DAMN! Stupid Dallas.

Ok, last prayer - Minnesota needs to lose in Arizona. Well, Arizona sucks, but Minnesota has a hard time on the road, and many bad days on real grass, so maybe... Nah. Might as well pack up the cheesehead for another year.

Green Bay does their job, with touchdowns on back-to-back plays as part of their 31-3 victory over Denver, but it's such a hollow victory. 2 minutes left & Minnesota is up by 11 points.

Oh look, Arizona scored a meaningless touchdown and blew the two-point conversion. Well, at least they'll only lose by 5, now. Time for the desperate on-side kick followed by some Vikings kneel-downs.

Ok, so Arizona recovered. There's still a lot of green between them and victory. I will now forcibly squash this hope that's rising inside me like a bad burrito.

Sack, sack, 4th & 24? Ugh. sigh.

Touchdown?

Ah crap! Reviewed. He was probably out of bounds. Damn!

After reviewing the play:

TOUCHDOWN!

oh. my. god.

In 4 seconds, the Packers went from sitting at home next week to actually HOSTING  the freakin' Wild Card game as the NFC North Division Champs.

If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go get happy-drunk now.

Heh. Stupid Vikings.


posted by Harvey at 6:43:25 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Saturday, December 27, 2003


WHAT'S THAT CLUNKING SOUND? THAT'S DON TELLING JOKES

Don of Anger Management has posted his "Mostly Useless Guide to Not Being Funny". Unfortunately, due to a series of typographical errors and a premature smacking of the "post" button, it wound up titled something else.

It's some 4-year old attempts at humor, and I point them out as encouragement to new bloggers: everyone sucks when they start out, but with practice, you'll eventually be asked to post Drink Alerts on your entries.

Read, cringe, and laugh at the occasional working gag.

Heh. "Humping my leg".


posted by Harvey at 4:42:34 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THE LIBERALS?

Liberals used to have a place in this country's political debate, but lately, in their quest to knee-jerkingly oppose anything that Bush says or does, they've wound up defending perpetrators of the most grotesque atrocties imaginable in Afghanistan and Iraq. Or at the very least, not opposing them as they would if those atrocities took place in America, especially considering how vocal they are on the few lesser versions that can occasionally be found. I've heard this point brought up on occasion, in one form or another, but I really like the way Lynn of Reflections in d minor phrases it as a pair of "no honest answer available" rhetorical questions:

************
Where are all the Liberals who believed in secularism and women's rights? Where are all the Liberals who cared about the poor and oppressed? They have abandoned the real oppressed and choose instead to pretend that they are the oppressed ones just because they live in a society where people are free to disagree with them
************

I swear, I'd just like to sit at her feet and have her read to me for hours. She gives me goosebumps.


posted by Harvey at 4:32:58 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



LATE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

I love the Carnival of the Vanities. Trouble is, I don't always get a chance to read it as soon as I'd like. I finally made my way through #65 at Drumwaster's. There I found one of the gemmiest gems I've gotten from a Carnival in a long time. Lee of See the Donkey took the story of the Three Wise Men and gave it a Suessian poetical twist including lots of illustrations. The overall effect is quite delightful, and no more blasphemous than the way the Revised Standard Version of the Bible knocks all the beauty and poetry out of the KJV for the sake of clarity.

I also like the fact that he gives a summary of the Three Wise Men story for the benefit of the biblically challenged.


posted by Harvey at 4:21:39 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TECHNICAL ANNOYANCES

I have no idea how it happened, but Internet Explorer took a crap on me today.

Recently, some assmaggot website hijacked itself into being my new homepage. I could re-assign a new one, but the pirate page would come back upon restart. Deleting my cookies did no good, and my limited geek skills gave me no other clues.

Well, this morning, I started tweaking my security settings and my firewall to try to block this stinking browserjacker, but all I managed to do was make IE inoperable. The shortcuts still exist, but the program simply will not fire up.

I did manage to snag a copy of Mozilla prior to compete software implosion, though, and that's working ok. Good enough, in fact, that I'd be willing to give up on IE altogether, if I could figure out how. I tried Googling for "remove internet explorer" and the top page I found sounded panicky and mentioned the importance of making back-ups of this, that, and the other before even allowing yourself to speak the words aloud. Apparently, uninstalling IE is an agonizingly delicate and complicated process akin to removing a spinal tumor. Not something I want to try when there's blogging to be done, and my geek of choice (Blogless Brother Tom) is not available to supervise.

Meanwhile, Mozilla is servicable, even if a little more creepily Netscapish than I'd like. And I hooked a copy of Opera... just in case.


posted by Harvey at 4:03:54 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



PRAISE? MORE LIKE FIGHTING WORDS

Religiously, I'm "none of the above", but Beloved Wife is "one of the above" (or "three of the above", I'm kinda fuzzy on that part), so I've been dragged to church on occasion, kicking and screaming (at least on the inside). Once those big wooden doors shut, I resign myself to my fate and try to make the best of things.

One way I do that is to try figure out just what exactly the folks who attend voluntarily are getting out of this exercise. Usually it's pretty simple with the sermon. The preacher picks a bible passage (more or less at random, as far as I can tell), connects it to a current news topic, whether local or national, and then comes to a conclusion about how to apply the particular bible verse to your life to make yourself happier.

Then come the hymns. And these I just don't get. Look, I realize they were mostly written a couple hundred years ago, but they're still just horrible. They keep calling Jesus "king" and "lord" and "sovereign" and "master". I think the original intent was to make the singer feel some sort of subserviant reverance toward a higher power.

But I'm an American. My forefathers fought battles to topple kings & lords. A sovereign in my country is answerable to his people. He is not necessarily better or smarter than I am, he's just a guy doing a job. When I hear the word "king", I want to smash his crown, not fall to my knees. It makes me rebellious rather than reverant.

Which leads me to ponder, what would be a more appropriate, modern, American analogy? President? Congressman? CEO? Quarterback? When it comes to wielding absolute power, do we trust anyone who holds it? Do we respect and admire anyone who attempts to acquire it?

Nothing comes to mind. Every position of authority in America is ultimately answerable to some person or group of people. Checks and balances aren't found only in the 3 branches of  Federal Government, they have applications in all walks of life. Vote the President out of office, impeach a Supreme Court Justice, fire a CEO, bench the quarterback - there are no kings in America.

So, what term of reverance would fit Christ in modern America?

I really don't know. I think Vince Lombardi did a pretty good job as a benevolent dictator, but somehow "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn Vince" just lacks singability. I guess I'll just have to ponder on this some more.



posted by Harvey at 3:49:01 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Friday, December 26, 2003


TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

I long to touch your soul,

To taste the sacredness of you,

A love so pure, sublime, serene…

A dream contemptuous of time.

Come to me, Love, and wrap me up

In endless dreams, caresses sweet

With gentleness and joy

My aching heart, filled with desire,

Would gladly soar through time and space

Just to dissolve in your embrace once more…

And melt into your soul’s sweet fire.

 


posted by Harvey at 11:01:45 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



Contrary to the popular legend, Lincoln did NOT actually say this after coming off a three-day bender.

 


posted by Harvey at 10:58:42 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



NEW BLOG SHOWCASE VOTES (REPOSTED FROM 12-19)

Pragmatic Conservatism by Dan K. O'Leary: Bush, Saddam, and Howard Dean

Honestly, not so much for the entry (which, although well-enough supported by the facts, still boils down to "Bush rules, Dean drools") as for a) the blogger, Dan, who is an active Alliance member and a pretty cool guy and b) because Liberal goof-balls come trolling along in the comments making off-topic remarks & personal attacks instead of addressing the point of the post.

Belief Seeking Understanding: Monday, November 10, 2003

This post makes a good point, which I hadn't thought of before:

"the moral of the story is "It costs money to not pay attention, because if you go to college, and you go to a college that isn't coveting and actively recruiting people like you, you end up underwriting the education of the students the college is coveting and actively recruiting."

However, I think it would've been better if the author had finished with some suggested action, like "so don't go to a college unless they seek you out." or something. The post just feels a little... unfinished.

patrickspero.com: Howard Dean's "Point"

No matter how hard I try, I just CAN'T take Howard Dean seriously enough to discuss him like he's intelligent human being. All he deserves is cruel mockery. Of which Patrick dishes up a big, steaming plateful. Mheh.

 


posted by Harvey at 9:27:49 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



ALLIANCE BREAKING NEWS

The Bear's going to combine last week's showcase with this week's showcase. Re-post your votes so they don't scroll off your front page. Tell your blog-buddies, too.

Filthy Lie Round-up: Evil Glenn's Christmas. My pick of the litter would be BigStick.US, here's a sample, but I'm leaving the best lines for you to find by yourself:

*************

"Yes, that's true," Glenn said, "but I needed to make toys of Chairman Mao simply for the name. Think about it. Think about the name. The spelling."

My mind still clouded by the Pure Commie Evil, I tried to figure out what Glenn meant. Finally, it hit me.

The iMao. I... M... A.......

"O... My... God..." Suddenly, I realized exactly what it was that Glenn was up to. "You designed this toy for the sole purpose of perverting the name of Frank J's website, didn't you, you sick bastard?"

"Indeed," Glenn replied. "That's not all I'm going to do to that little son of a bitch, though. I designed the iMaos to radiate Pure Commie Evil to brainwash shoppers into buying them. Soon, millions of children will find an iMao sitting under the tree on Christmas morning - it'll be one of the best-selling toys ever! And with my massive sales, I'll develop enough brand recognition to go to court and take back the iMao domain name anyone who's tried to capitalize on the popularity of my toy to trick people into reading their crappy conservative humor."

*************

And a new Filthy Lie assignment: How will Evil Glenn be ringing in the new year?

Will the New Year's Eve ball drop be onto a penguin's chin? Or will it be champagne, Guy Lombardo, and dead hobos falling from the ceiling? Tune in next Friday for the answers.

INSTAPUNDO DELENDA EST!


posted by Harvey at 9:23:10 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Thursday, December 25, 2003


TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

Love is a burning desire,

That makes your heart light on fire,

Love is being with you,

Someone saying I love you, too,

Love is your tender kiss,

Something you don’t want to miss,

Love is you and me,

And that is all I see.

 


posted by Harvey at 11:11:23 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



[Be patient]

Don't argue with me, Susie, you picked this dollar fair & square. Now, do you want to play Doctor or not?

 


posted by Harvey at 11:10:44 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



EVIL GLENN’S CHRISTMAS

(A FILTHY LIE)

As part of Alliance covert ops, I, along with many other brave and intrepid Alliance agents, was tasked with discovering what the fiendish monster would be up to during the holiday season.

Mustering all my considerable geek skills, I managed to hack into his computer. Stupid bastard has just exactly crap for a firewall, so I was into his hard drive in a wink. Soon enough, I found a folder marked "Christmas" and popped it open. Looks like our boy has been re-writing a few Christmas tunes. I'm not positive, but I suspect that this may have something to do with that day care operation of his - Happy Smiling Glenn's Super Duper Extra Fun Story Time & Sing Along Playground of Niceness. I’m guessing he’s putting on a Christmas pageant of some sort. But, as usual, he’s taken something beautiful & joyous and made it plain old sick & wrong.

 

For example, in the file named “Jingle Bells”, I found this:

 

Blender pup, blender pup

Spinning bloody fur

Oh what fun it is to watch

Those metal blades go "whirrrr"

 

Dashing through their hides

In a Waring whizzing round

Through their flesh it slides

Love that chopping sound

 

Grisly fuzzy goo

Liquefies just right

What fun it is to slurp and sing

A slaying song tonight!

 

“Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” was in there, too:

 

Oh little hobo I just killed

How still I see thee lie.

Above thy dead and dreamless sleep

I laugh until I cry.

Yet if you start to twitch and move

I'll hack you with my knife.

I'll thrust and slice and chop and dice

To end your worthless life.

 

“Oh Christmas Tree”? Yeah, it’s in there:

 

Oh Penguin porn, oh penguin porn

How lovely are your feathers

Oh penguin porn, oh penguin porn

I love your lace and leathers

You shake your bare ass just for me

I stroke so fast you can hardly see

Oh penguin porn, oh penguin porn

Bukakke on your feathers.

 

But you’d think he’d have the decency to leave “Joy To The World” alone, right?

 

Nope:

 

Joy to the world

I punched Frank J.

And bloodied up his nose.

I kicked him in the shins and then

I smacked him in the face again

Like a girl he just cried,

And ran away to hide

So wh-y oh why are you still on his side?

 

There was more, but I didn’t have the stomach for it. All I know is that Glenn’s foul undertakings have to end SOON!

 

INSTAPUNDO DELENDA EST!

 


posted by Harvey at 10:59:15 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



A CHRISTMAS STORY

From J of Quibbles & Bits. About 3-5 minutes to read. Sweet, thoughtful, happy ending. You might want to bring a Kleenex.

 


posted by Harvey at 12:05:39 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



HQ NEWS OF NOTE

PGH round-up is up. I particularly enjoyed homicidalManiak's version of what Saddam said when he was captured. Here's a tiny snippet:

**********

U.S. soldier #1: What? What did you find?

U.S. soldier #4: Sir, he's got naked pictures of Jacques Chirac posted all over the walls down there.

(sound of collective puking from the background)

Saddam: Lies! All lies! It was already there when I went into the hole! It's not mine! You put it down there! I kill you, you American bastard! I see what you did to O.J., I see you planted evidence.

**********

New assignment: What should we do to Saddam to get him to tell us everything he knows?

Off the top of my head, I'm thinking small elevator, loud Christmas music (with extra banjos & bagpipes).


posted by Harvey at 11:18:44 AM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Wednesday, December 24, 2003


BLOG BUDDIES LINKY LOVE

The Bear is still humping the vote-counting code, but I know that all my blog-buddies showed up this week, so I'm handing out the love:

Take a peek at Susie's cupcakes.

Matty O'Blackfive points out someone who FINALLY explains what good those terror alerts do. It's a serious post on a topic that I've heard a lot of people make fun of (bottom link).

Kevin of Eckernet comes out of retirement for Christmas break and posts something besides a Showcase vote. It's a beautiful homage to the insanely-last-minute Christmas shopper, and... Kevin! Where the hell are your permalinks? BAD BLOGGER! (Dec 21, CTRL+F "ode")

The Geekster whispers the words every man wants to hear, and tests your knowledge of Christmas trivia. Physics Geek gets extra linkage because I want to get some of that beer he's brewing.

 


posted by Harvey at 7:26:15 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



MUAHAHAHAHA!

I thought it would be Michael Moore, but I guess I was wrong...

Who's the #1 Google hit for "lying sack of shit"?

(Hat tip to Steve of Little Tiny Lies)

 


posted by Harvey at 6:17:02 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



BEFORE HE WAS AMERICA'S LEAST HELPFUL ADVICE COLUMNIST...

...people were asking Trey questions of a different sort, like

How did you discover that you were gay?

What does the Good Doctor think of your being a lesbian?

Why don't black and navy blue go together? And why is an exception made for blue jeans?

Children: angels on earth, or the devil in cute (if sticky) packaging?

How do you refute Zeno's paradox?

He answers them all in his interview, which is FINALLY available for viewing at Jen's place.

Find out what "my boyfriend at the time, a hand mirror and a really awkward position" is all about.

 


posted by Harvey at 5:59:12 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



I JUST HOPE JOSH & JESSICA DON'T PICK A NAME THAT BEGINS WITH J...

... I mean, think of the confusion when it comes time to sort out the luggage after a trip: "I had the brown case with JF on it", "So did I", "Me too!". Yeesh! What a mess!

Did I mention that J of Quibbles & Bits has announced his impending fatherhood?

Go congratulate.

Shoo! Go away now! Click the link already!

 


posted by Harvey at 5:39:13 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



BONFIRE PUSUING FLAME-RELATED ACTIVIES

The Bonfire of the Vanities is collection of the worst posts in the blogosphere, but you know what's even worse than that?

Trying to come up with new flame-related metaphors every week, that's what. No wonder Kevin's getting ready to farm this baby out. Anyway there's a fine crop of crap to be seen this time, but I think CD's post should simply be deleted.

Why?

Let's see, he mentions hippy music and dentists in one post. Yeah, I know, that's not SOOOO horribly bad, but then you throw in dental instrument sound effects...

*shudder*

 


posted by Harvey at 5:23:34 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

Life is an ocean and love is a boat

In troubled waters it keeps us afloat

When we started the voyage there was just me and you

Now gathered ‘round us we have our own crew

 


posted by Harvey at 12:05:53 AM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Tuesday, December 23, 2003


TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



[Fuck America!]

John Kerry donated this bill to the Bush campaign as a joke.

The volunteer to whom he handed it gave it back to Mr. Kerry as a suppository.

 


posted by Harvey at 11:59:01 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



HOME GROWN SMARTS

I was educated in a public school.

Let me re-phrase that. I was educated in spite of a public school.

I did most of my early learning courtesy of my local public library. I got my first library card when I was five, and have always gone through books the way Michael Moore goes through an all-you-can-eat buffet. On everything important, I'm essentially self-educated. All public school did was expose me briefly to various topics. Any in-depth knowledge I acquired was on my own time.

And there was one time when public school actually made me stupider. It was in one of the early grades - Second, I believe - when I was struggling to master the art of double & triple digit subtraction. The way they taught it, you started at the right side, and if you couldn't subtract the bottom number from the top, you would "borrow" 1 from the next column over. If, for example, the problem were:

 73

-27

you were instructed to cross out the 7, write a little 6 above it, and put a 1 by the 3 to make it 13.

Personally, I thought this was time-consuming and messy, so I just "remembered" that the 7 was now a 6 when I went to do the tens column. Much quicker.

Stupid-evil teacher caught me not writing things down, and said, "how do you know what you're subtracting in that column?"

I shrugged. "I just remember".

"Write it down" she commanded, in her best youthful-spirit-crushing tone.

So I did. And continued to do so for many years, making messes & wasting time, until I finally got out of that stupid habit sometime in adulthood.

Kudos to you, public education, for stifling innovation and creative thought, wherever it may blossom. I REALLY hope the trend in this nation of homeschooling takes off like a rocket.

Dana of Note-It Posts has similar feelings (although her distaste for the public education racket arises from other sources), and does a lovely job of addressing some common anti-homeschool arguments. This one is my personal favorite:

**************

"A public school does help teach kids some social skills simply because there are lots of people there and you're forced to; I don't think that can be discounted."

This is the criticism of homeschooling I hear most frequently; fewer opportunities to socialize. Fortunately, this just is not the case. Homeschooled children are involved in far more "extracurricular" activities (I believe the last statistic I saw was an average of 5.2 per child) than public-schooled kids. They have the time to pursue outside interests, and the parents can incorporate those activities into the overall curriculum. Lots of homeschooled kids participate in some school activities - notably sports and band - and may even take some of their classes at the school, if the parents are unable to provide adequate instruction or equipment (think "science labs"). Then there are homeschooling co-ops, where parents work together to teach each others' children subjects they're particularly strong in. Parks and Recreaction departments offer all kinds of supplemental sports and educational opportunities, as well as artistic and cultural pursuits. I think too many people have this notion of homeschooling as Johnny and Johnny's mom, sitting in their basement, reading books together and never going out, except to shop, when Mom teaches Johnny how to count change. That just isn't how it works in the real world, for the really dedicated homeschoolers.

**************

There's also a follow-up post of sorts - a letter from someone who someone who was homeschooled herself, and whose life greatly benefitted from the process.

************
The week before I graduated highschool (which by the way I gave the commencement speech and there 80 graduating homeschoolers in my class of 97) we made a trip down to Arkansas to see family. While I was there, I made it a point to go back and visit the teachers at the elementary school as well as the people who told me it would never be possible for me to make it past 8th grade homeshooled..and personally hand delivered graduation invitations to them and proudly told them of the scholarship I'd recieved to a 4 year university. The looks on their faces...priceless.

************

Mheh. Priceless.

 


posted by Harvey at 7:50:54 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



WE'RE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU

Heather of Angelweave is concerned... no, make that annoyed... by the recent rash of state laws aimed at fighting obesity. She rightly observes that it's none of the government's freakin' business what you eat, and speculates a bit on what the mudpit at the bottom of this slippery slope might look like:

***********

If people want to be fat, let them be fat. The only thing I've advocated so far is more detailed labelling. I'd be pretty obnoxiously vocal if somehow my favorite junk food were no longer available at my local grocery store, and that's where this may head someday if it goes out of control.

And can't you see it? A butter ration. "Mrs. Noggle, I'm sorry. You've purchased five tubs of butter in this last week. You can't have any more."

***********

Which brought to mind a short story I'd read a couple years back that takes this scenario to its ultimate ad absurdum.

***********

Most good citizen-type Americans hunkered down and learned to live with the Lipid Laws, as they came to be known. Why, I bet there's scads of fifteen-year-olds about who've never tasted real butter or a true, cholesterol-packed egg yolk. But we're not all good citizens. Especially me. Far as I'm concerned, there's nothing like two fried eggs--fried in butter--over easy, with bacon on the side, to start the day off. Every day. And I wasn't about to give that up.

I was strictly in the antiques trade then, and I knew just about every farmer in Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. So I found one who was making butter for himself and had him make a little extra for me. Then I found another who was keeping some hens aside and not giving them any of the special feed and had him hold a few eggs out for me.

One day I had a couple of friends over for breakfast and served them real eggs and toast with real butter. They almost strangled me trying to find out where I got the stuff. That's when I decided to add a sideline to my antique business.

***********

Take about 10 minutes & read the whole thing. It was originally published in 1978, and it's frightening how nearly-believable it is in the present day.

 


posted by Harvey at 7:22:13 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



THE DOCTOR IS IN

Dr. Trey has another installment of his helpful advice column:

************

Help me, Dr. T. Givens!!!! There is too much workplace drama at my place of employment!

Allow me to expound...

Employee A (Boy) is best friends with Employee B (Boy) and dating Employee C (Girl). B is jealous of C, and they bicker constantly. Meanwhile, Employee D (Girl), who is best friends with Employee E (Girl), is dating former Employee F (Boy). E is jealous of F, and does every backstabbing, catty thing possible to make D break up with F. B and E hate each other, and fight most of the time. If I fire the troublemakers, B and E, the others might quit. Help!!! What do I do?

Anxious in the Technology-Free Zone

Dear ATFZ:

These sorts of things are none of my business and I suspect that since you're a nice young lady, they're none of yours either. But does B like-like A or something? Isn't that gay? And the same for E of D. Porn? I may be confused but perhaps you could pitch a plan to Cinemax and land a lucrative, late-night movie deal and be rid of this place altogether.

************

Heh. Eye drops...


posted by Harvey at 7:10:34 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



*SNIFF* I NEVER EVEN GOT TO SAY GOOD-BYE

Susie was involved in a tragic coconut accident and, with a little help from J of Quibbles & Bits, has arrived in her very own personal version of hell:

***************

"Oh crap! A theater!" she cried. Satan laughed.

"And here to manage, may I present... your Assistant Manager!" Satan's gleeful shriek echoed from the walls.

"Hi Susie," the Assistant Manager began, "We've got a hundred shows today, and six theaters. There are disgruntled customers who have already bought their tickets seated right now, and a line around the block for the next shows."

He hefted a sledge hammer. "You deal with the customers, I'm going to go fix all the projectors!" He turned and walked off, whistling a happy tune.

***************

Poor Susie. Maybe she'll get time off for good behavior.

 


posted by Harvey at 7:07:49 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



HOW TO BE A GOOD DOGGIE

The Bartender has stumbled upon the official doggie ettiquette book. It certainly explains a lot of what's been going on at my house, lately:

**********

NEWSPAPERS:
If you have to go to the bathroom while playing in the front yard, always use the newspaper that's placed in the driveway every morning for that purpose.
[or go poop in Harvey's yard... that would be the best thing to do]

VISITORS:
Quickly determine which guest is afraid of dogs. Charge across the room, barking loudly and leap playfully on this person. If the human falls down on the floor and starts crying, lick its face and growl gently to show your concern.
[if Harvey comes over, you can lick your balls first]

BARKING:
Because you are a dog, you are expected to bark. So bark--- a lot. Your owners will be very happy to hear you protecting their house. Especially late at night while they are sleeping safely in their beds. There is no more secure feeling for a human than to keep waking up in the middle of the night and hearing your protective bark, bark, bark ...
[it's OK to wake Harvey up every night after pooping in his front yard]

**********

Ya suppose the Bartender is still a little bent out of shape about that party I threw in his comments while he was gone?

Meanwhile, I'm gonna let my horse-dog Jake do a little, uh, "ettiquette" on the Bartender's front porch. Watch your step when entering the bar.

 


posted by Harvey at 6:00:54 AM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Monday, December 22, 2003


TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

[NOTE: Unlike most of the Love Notes presented here, this one was something I wrote myself, and not just something I pulled off the internet]

 

I noticed how hard you worked cleaning last weekend. I’m sorry I forgot to say anything. Thank you for your effort and your love.

 

I love you,

Harvey

 


posted by Harvey at 10:09:03 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



"Excusez-moi, Mademoiselle, would you like to see Willy Wonder Wash's 'Wonder Willy'?"

 


posted by Harvey at 9:54:28 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



BEST STORY YET

J of Quibbles & Bits, the man who ate Stephen King's brain (or at least his tongue), has posted yet another teasy intro to probably the best story I've ever not paid money to read. I think the first three paragraphs should peak your interest:

***********

The Last Flight of Time

Gerard looked at the knife in his hand. Blood dripped from the blade, fresh, warm blood. Some of the blood had left red spatters on his white shirt and silk tie as well. Gerard gaped at Walter Jacobs, the patriarch of the Jacobs Enterprise family and father to Emily Jacobs, Gerard’s fiancé. The knife wound in Walter Jacobs’ chest bled with astounding vigor. Had he not been wearing a vest, the blood might have spewed across the conference room. Walter looked at Gerard, surprise and confusion welling behind tears of pain.

“What?” was all Walter had time to ask before he collapsed. Gerard dropped the knife. It bounced and clattered against the leg of the conference table. Gerard’s eyes shifted back and forth, from the knife to the body and back to the knife. It was a big knife, the silvery blade at least a foot long and three inches wide at the widest point, a triangle of death dealing steel.

“Are you two done yet?” The door to the conference swung open and Emily stepped in. Stunning, beautiful Emily, dressed for the Christmas party. How could he explain this to her when he didn’t even know what happened? She stopped, her hand migrating to cover her mouth as she gasped. Her color vanished and she looked at her fathers crumpled body in the spreading scarlet puddle.

***********

It gets better... and then it stops, leaving the reader thrilled, yet unsatisfied.

Since an unsatisfied Harv is a grumpy Harv, I must vent.

Allow me to direct your attention over here. This is a standard public school green slate chalkboard.

Over here, we have my fingernails, which, sadly have not been clipped recently. *sigh* I SO need a manicure. Oh well...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just warming up, J. Fingernails on a chalkboard never bothered me, personally, but I understand some people find it quite annoying.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can keep this up ALL day...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got that story finished yet?

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's ok, take your time. Mheh.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 


posted by Harvey at 8:06:32 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



FIRST WINNER!

After entering something like 257 competitions of various sorts, I FINALLY won something. In this case, it was Wizbang's weekly caption contest.

Here's the picture.

Here's my incredibly brilliant caption... and some other stuff written by lesser beings.

 


posted by Harvey at 7:49:38 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



SADDAM CAPTURED


It made headlines the world over when that sewer rat was finally captured. Most of the stories also included a report of the conversation between Saddam and the soldiers:

"He said: 'I'm Saddam Hussein, I'm the president of Iraq and I'm willing to negotiate'," Major Brian Reed, operations officer for the first brigade of the Fourth Infantry Division, told reporters at the site where Saddam was found on Saturday hiding in a hole at a hut. "The response from soldiers was: 'President Bush sends his regards'."


Although the report was essentially accurate, it didn't cover the WHOLE story. Per this week's Alliance assignment, here's the full transcript:


Soldier: All right, Hussein, you can come out now.


Saddam [crawling out of septic tank] About time you guys got here! This place smells like a French whorehouse! Maybe YOU guys are used to that kind of... uh... wait, you're not the French, are you?


Soldier: Nope. Nothing but baseball, hot dogs, apple pie & Chevrolet in this group.


Saddam: Crap! I mean... uh... Thank Allah you've arrived! Saddam Hussein has been holding me hostage here for days. He just left a few minutes ago. If you hurry, you can still catch him!


Soldier: Um, Mr. Hussein... [pointing to American flag shoulder patch] NOT stupid?


Saddam: Crap. Look here, Yankee, I'm still President of Iraq. I have great wealth and power. How's about you just kinda look the other way for a couple minutes while I make a run for it? Just give me your name & address - I'll send you a little something next time I see a post office.


Soldier: Saddam, ol' buddy, don't bullshit a bullshitter. You've got NOTHING. Last week I was taking a dump on the floor of one of your palaces. You're just another lice-infested homeless guy right now. You've got about as much going for you as that bum in L.A. who tried washing my windshield for a quarter.


Saddam: Not true! Not true! See? $750,000 in cash! It's all yours. Just let me go.


Soldier: Not much, considering I'd have to split it 600 ways.


Saddam: You're not alone? Aw, CRAP!


Soldier: Game over, feces face. Let's go.


Saddam: But I'm Saddam Hussein! I'm President of Iraq! I'm willing to negotiate!


Soldier: Ok, fine. Let's negotiate. Here's my offer [cracking Saddam in the head with his rifle butt]. If you want, I can double it....


Saddam [clutching his bleeding scalp]: No, no, that's fine. I'll come quietly.


Soldier: That's better. Well, now that you've surrendered, you'll find that Americans treat their prisoners with dignity and respect. Anything I can get for you?


Saddam: Maybe some coffee?


Soldier: Done. HEY TED! Get me a cuppa joe for the schmo!... Anything else?


Saddam: No, I'm good. Thanks.


Soldier: My pleasure.... Now there's just one more little thing you can do for us...


Saddam: Whatever you want. Here's my notes with the names of the resistance leaders. I'll also be more than happy to personally escort you to all the WMD sites.


Soldier: Well, thanks, Mr. H., that's right neighborly of you... But that's not what I was getting at.


Saddam: Oh?...


Soldier: Yeah, well, ya see, Christmas is coming up fast, and, what with the boys being so far away from home and all, I was thinking you could help bring a little holiday cheer to the 4th ID Christmas party.


Saddam: And how would I do that?


Soldier: Simple, really. All you have to do is... [explains the plan]


Saddam: WHAT? Never! I have rights! I have my dignity! I...


Soldier [raising rifle butt]: Did you want to negotiate some more?


Saddam: All right! All right! I'll do it! Just don't hit me again.


Soldier: Better.


So, during the Special Forces Christmas party, a good time was had by all, thanks to the presence of a very special guest.

HO! HO! HO!


SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS!


posted by Harvey at 7:42:57 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



AND THE NEW KING OF THE BLOGS IS...

...Tuning Spork of Blather Review, who managed to bribe four of the judges and make the other two disappear under mysterious circumstances.

Stay tuned for Spork's acceptance speech and Dethroned Blog Monarch eTalkinghead's admission of utter incompetency.

Meanwhile, go check out the reviews. Or at least mine, because I'm delightfully amusing, as always. Everyone else is such a drudge.

Except Susie, who made fun of my lame-ass Judge's Challenge question.


posted by Harvey at 7:22:16 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Sunday, December 21, 2003


PERVY'S IN DA HIZZOUSE!

So after peeling himself up off the sticky floor of that Tijuana whorehouse, the Bartender FINALLY got around to posting the Champagne Room round-up. Lots of sick twisted goodies to be had.

Now this one's a bit of hopscotch, but from the Champagne Room, we hop over to Primal Purge who pimps one of her comment... whatever the opposite of troll is...'s blog, mostly because this guy desperately wants some girl-fist-lovin' from Meredith Baxter-Birney (Dec 12 CTRL+F "Meredith). Ok, that's fine, but he also says that he wants Michael Gross to be watching from the closet while it happens.

Since I bear a strong resemblance to the aforementioned unemployable washed-up actor, AND I could really use another lava lamp, I'm thinking there's a deal to be struck, here.

 


posted by Harvey at 10:58:10 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

A Beautiful Marriage Vow

 

“As I stand here today with the world as my witness,

I pledge to you my undying and everlasting love.

I will stand beside you as your partner,

I will stand before you as your protector,

And I will stand behind you as your solace.

Please spend and end your life with me.”

 


posted by Harvey at 7:25:14 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



Translation of Arabic at left: Please enter this bill at www.wheressaddam.com

(thanks to hM of homicidalManiak for the pic)

 


posted by Harvey at 7:16:53 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



A MAN'S CHRISTMAS LIST

Naturally, every man would prefer a pair of these, but if those are unavailable (say, because of a lack of an exciter lamp), most men would be perfectly happy with something from this list at Sanity's Edge (via Matty O'Blackfive). And I can't stress enough the rightness of this observation:

********

Men like toys. Electronic toys are best. Plasma TVs and Home Theater Systems are the best choices.

********

But even Electronic Football will keep the XY in your life thrilled for hours.

 


posted by Harvey at 6:59:02 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



SADDAM SAYS:

IT’S FUN TO STAY AT THE Y-M-C-A!

 

Via Boots & Sabers, I found this company that makes action figures.

 

No, sorry, they don't have these kind.

 

But they do have a cute little outfit for Saddam.

 

You can even have a doll customized to have your face, if you want. Be sure to scroll down to look at some of the models they already have. Some of those pics are priceless. I especially like W & the Iraqi Information Minister.

 


posted by Harvey at 6:36:11 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



WHY DIDN'T I HAVE ONE OF THESE WHEN I STUDIED ACCOUNTING?

Via the Bonfire, I found a post at Snooze Button Dreams which did NOT suck (hey Jim, can I borrow your calculator for a minute?).

Requires Flash. The picture is relatively work safe, but don't push any buttons if there are prudes in the room.

Oh, and don't push the 0 if you're insecure about your manhood.

 


posted by Harvey at 6:25:08 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



I'M CALLING MY CABLE COMPANY...

...because Frizzen Sparks is introducing the best line-up of TV shows I've never seen:

**********

6:00- "Laura the Crackwhora", Dora the Explorer has a cousin in Mexico City, Laura. Laura has to navigate her way through the badlands with her companions, Heels the transvestite monkey, Stashbag, and Tubey the crackpipe. But look out for Striper the pimp. Whenever you hear Striper coming (with the sound: "Bitch better have my money!") Yell "Striper NO STRIPING!" before he stripes Laura's ass with a broken car antenna.

6:30 AM- "International Sesame Street", The new HIV positive muppets get thinner and lose fur.

7:00 AM- "Special news report: Contributions of Islam to modern society."

7:00:05 AM- "Peer into the past: History revealed." This weeks episode, the history of England: The complete bastard era (400 AD- 1937 AD)

**********

And that's just the morning line-up. Click through to see what's on afternoon, evening, and late night. Talk about Must-See TV!

mmmm... Evil Psychotic Vampire Willow lesbian threesome...

 


posted by Harvey at 6:16:39 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



JOEY'S A DORK!

Trey shows how to do a whole-blog review by giving a little man-on-man linky-love to Single White Male. First, list the good points:

**********

He's pretty funny in that dorky way that I like sometimes.

**********

Then offer some helpful criticism:

**********

PARAGRAPH BREAKS, MAN! Perhaps I'm a bit liberal with my use of paragraph breaks, but reading on the internet is hard. Long paragraphs make readers go cross-eyed.

Freakin' HUGE pictures. I'm on dial-up. I know that's kind of my own personal problem, but I don't like big pictures on web pages even when I'm at work on the T1.

**********

Hmmm... a little heavy on the criticism. Apparently Trey missed the freakin' HUGE picture of Joey pointing a shotgun (9/22 CTRL+F "two hands").

Remember folks, if you're goin' to a gunfight, bring a Mossberg instead of CAPITAL LETTERS!

 


posted by Harvey at 6:09:08 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



POETRY CORNER

Owen of Boots & Sabers posted one of those "forwarded a million times" e-mails. This one is a lovely poem that supports our troops. Here's a sample:

***********

I can carry the weight of killing another
or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers

who stand at the front against any and all,
to ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget

***********

Even a grumbly old curmudgeon like me got teary-eyed. Kleenex Alert.

 


posted by Harvey at 5:59:11 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



DR TREY ANSWERS

 

Trey Givens, budding advice columnist, got his first dilemma:

 

************

I have a dilemma at work and I need your advice.

There's this one customer who comes to the bank, and he wears a winter cap with a hammer & sickle emblem on the front. As far as I can tell, it's an official Russian Commie hat.

The problem is that I find that hammer & sickle symbol more offensive than a swastika. I've studied enough history to know that Communism has killed more people than Nazism. Also, I served in the Navy during the
Cold War, so I was personally involved in America's war against Communism.

I can't stand to look at this POS customer, much less have to wait on him. Should I ignore it, say something to him about it, or just give him a Commie Hat enema?

Ready To Snap In Wisconsin

************

 

His answer was by turns practical and amusing. Personally, I'm still leaning toward Commie Hat enema, but sound advice, nevertheless. Here's the first part:

 

**************

First, I must say that I always finding highly amusing when communists are customers. They certainly don't HAVE to be customers, but due to the complete lack of integrity, honesty, and intelligence required to be a communist, they do sometimes turn up in the consumer sector.

Second, I am curious about communists being in Wisconsin. I thought they all lived in California. The only reason I can think that yours is where you are is because he has mistaken the clime of sunny Wisconsin for that of Siberia. Again, note the lack of intelligence in your commie customer.

Once in a rather "liberal" part of Atlanta I was confronted by some card-carrying communist hippie-types. They tried to give me a copy of their newsletter. I took a look and laughed. "Ha. Ha! That's pretty funny," I said, "Look what I just bought." And held up a copy of The Fountainhead that I had just purchased. They acted like vampires confronted with the holy crucifix.

More to the point of your question; the simple fact is that we've already won. Not only has the iron curtain been shredded with alacrity, this commie is playing by capitalist rules.

**************

 

So if you've got a problem, or you just want to make commies & hippies cry, send your quandry to: advice AT treygivens DOT com.

 


posted by Harvey at 5:36:40 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



YES IT DOES (OW!)


The judge's challenge in this week's King of the Blogs tournament was:

Your significant female other asks you, "Does this dress make me look fat?"

How do you respond? Details a Must.

All the answers were excellent, and the results of the tournament should be posted shortly.

Meanwhile, my blogless Beloved Wife answered the question in my comments, and I think it deserves more exposure:

Of course not, but you look much better without the dress on at all

Which is my standard response ;-)


posted by Harvey at 5:30:29 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



WHERE WAS THE BARTENDER?

That's the mystery that's haunted the blogosphere for the last week. Sure, the Bartender offers some pathetic excuse about "being out of town", but I suspect that may be a euphemism for "got my pants stolen while I was passed out in a Tijuana whorehouse". I think his post title tends to support that theory.

However, Darren of Colorado Conservative has another theory. It not only makes sense, given the good Bartender's drinking habits, it also explains that little Latvian mystery I had a while back.

 


posted by Harvey at 5:26:08 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



HANGING OR PRISON?

 

Owen of Boots & Sabers talks about whether it'd be worth it to take the death penalty off the table for Saddam in exchange for the locations of the WMD.

 

I'm conflicted on this. I understand how helpful it would be to get the WMD under the control of the Coalition forces. There's a big safety concern.

 

However, I think I have to come down slightly in favor of the need for Saddam to die. Photodude does an excellent job of reviewing what Saddam did during his tenure as dictator and some Iraqi reactions to his capture, and Saddam's continued wasting of oxygen is a very sore spot with them. Our larger goal in Iraq is to build an island of democratic freedom in the Middle East, and Saddam's death would provide a level of closure for the Iraqis that would greatly assist them in moving on. Saddam in prison would leave a nagging loose end.

 

Having said that, I'll also say that the safety issue is HUGE, so I wouldn't be particularly upset if Saddam got his plea bargain. And it's not like like the Democrats won't find a negative spin no matter which way the decision goes. Ideally, we'll torture the WMD's out of him and THEN kill him.

 


posted by Harvey at 5:19:17 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



HEH. INDEED.

 

Either the Puppy Blender wants to re-live the challenge of clawing his way up the Ecosystem again, or there's a new blog in town. Dana of Note-It Posts points to a newbie with an interesting take on the War On Terrorism.

 

***********

You've heard of the "third rail of American politics," which is widely considered to be Social Security. Straightening that out will require a President, perhaps second term with less to lose, and some legislators with previously unexercised courageous profiles. Otherwise there will be a serious crash or generational clash after a while. This post is not about the third rail that will electrocute your political career if touched, keeping it insular from action. This post posits the war on terrorists as the "toe pick of American politics."

***********

 

Ok, part of the reason that I like this is that "The Cutting Edge" is one of my favorite movies, and the "toe pick" scene inevitably makes me giggle.

 

Anyway, Heh is off to a good start. All it needs now is to add an "about me" post and to enable comments. I recommend Haloscan.

 


posted by Harvey at 5:10:51 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



BETTER THE SECOND TIME AROUND

 

Dan of Dan K. O'Leary's blog entered the New Blog Showcase with his entry that takes a well-deserved swipe at Howard Dean. Now that the trolls have gathered in the comments to drip slime everywhere, he's posted a follow-up which is even better. More passion, more fire, and more quotable.

 

************

You know what else I love, you look back in history for justification in condemning the current president and his policies. In all my studies, I have never seen a clearer case of ethnocentrism. Comparing our COLD WAR support of " friendly dictators" and the WW2 era policies of private enterprises is like comparing apples to rancid feces. We are in a new world of political interaction and world warfare. Noam Chomsky didn't really plan on having airliners slam into our skyscrapers now did he? Where was your savior, the United Nations then? Where were our " allies" when we needed them? We have paid the price of sheepish inaction for long enough.

************

 

Definitely worth a read.

 


posted by Harvey at 5:01:53 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



OK I ADMIT IT

 

Dennis Kucinich isn't a crap weasel.

 

He's actually Gollum with a bad toupee.

(Drink Alert in effect)

 


posted by Harvey at 4:57:43 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



NEW BLOG SHOWCASE, ROUND 2

I'm a little disappointed. I tried voting in the showcase Friday, figuring it would allow me to relax a little for the weekend.

No dice.

I tried using the Bear's patented cut & paste voting code, but for some reason my vote didn't get picked up. So I'll try doing it the old fashioned way:

This one, this one, and this one.

See this post for why I picked 'em. I REALLY hope this works.

 


posted by Harvey at 4:28:05 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



ROTISSERIE OF THE VANITIES

 

Kevin of Wizbang, minguided minion of the Puppy Blender, host of the Bonfire of the Vanities, and all around great guy, has announced that after 2 more episodes at his place, the Bonfire will be hosted on a rotating basis. If you've got some time and a thirst for attention, stop by and drop your name in the hat to host the now-travelling freak show.

Fame, fortune, averted gazes, and social pariah status can be yours for the asking.

 


posted by Harvey at 4:19:43 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Saturday, December 20, 2003


NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH TOYS FOR TOTS

Don of Anger Management desperately needs a girlfriend, but until then he may have found a way around the prostitution laws, which works out about the same for him:

***********

Here’s what needs to be done. We pick three books of varying prices – say, ten, fifteen, and twenty dollars. I suggest they be economics texts, or maybe something to do with superstring theory. In any case, guys would buy one of the books, and then find a whore. He’d get his ten, fifteen, or twenty-dollar blowjob, and then hand the whore the book along with the receipt. At the end of the day, the whore could return her books for cash.

***********

Books for Blowjobs... Hmmm... Catchy name.

Which got me thinking about the, shall we say, "reading list" that would work appropriately for the program. Now, I'm not really into "literature" - "Captain Horatio Hornblower" was all I could think of. Musically, I also thought of Pink Floyd's "Ummagumma" because it sounds like a chick talking with her mouth full.

Thank God for Amazon's Advanced Search feature:

She’s Gonna Blow!: Real Help for Moms Dealing With Anger

Hear the Wind Blow

The Platonic Blow and My Epitaph

Please Blow Me North

Blow the Silver Trumpets

Thar She Blows: Whaling in the 1860’s

Blow in My Spirit

It Blows You Hollow (The New Issues Press Poetry Series)

How to Completely Blow Your Competition Away at Any Audition

Blow Me Down

Suck, Don’t Blow

Suck Up the Purple Buttermilk

Paradise Sucks

What Animals Eat

Power Eating: How to Play Hard and Eat Smart for the Time of Your Life

Eat This...It'll Make You Feel Better!

Gobble, Growl, Grunt

Gobble, Gobble, Munch

Gobble and Gulp

Lightening the Load

Come Morning

My Friends, the Swallows

Swallow the Hook

Stretch, Swallow, & Stare

Earth Swallows Man

Pathology of the Oral Cavity

Hummers

Customer Service Excellence

Golden Inches: The China Memoir of Grace Service

 

Service Success! Lessons From a Leader on How to Turn Around a Service Business

 

A Big Splash in a Small Pond: Finding a Great Job in a Small Company

Clifford Gets a Job

Mouth Organ for Angels

A Miracle in Your Mouth

 

So... who can tell me how to set up an Amazon Wish List on my sidebar?

 


posted by Harvey at 3:10:14 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Friday, December 19, 2003


TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

Love is…

Running into her arms,

Colliding with her heart,

And exploding into her soul.

 


posted by Harvey at 11:19:39 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY

 

"Charlene season!"

"Wabbit season!"

"Charlene season!"

"Wabbit season!"

 


posted by Harvey at 11:16:52 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



ALLIANCE DOO-DADS & WHAT-NOTS

Be careful clicking the links in this week's Filthy Lie round-up, you're likely to flash-fry your retinas

New assignment: Evil Glenn's Christmas (Deck the halls with parts of puppies, Fa-la-la-la-la...)

A triple-shot of late entries for Democratic campaign slogans

Charming Hostess asks: how should we welcome/initiate/torture new Alliance members?

INSTAPUNDO DELENDA EST!

 


posted by Harvey at 11:06:56 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



MMMM... DONUTS

Great news! Heather of Angelweave is making a run to Dunkin' Donuts! Stop by her comments & let her know what to get for you.

 


posted by Harvey at 10:39:13 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



NEW BLOG SHOWCASE VOTES

Pragmatic Conservatism by Dan K. O'Leary: Bush, Saddam, and Howard Dean

Honestly, not so much for the entry (which, although well-enough supported by the facts, still boils down to "Bush rules, Dean drools") as for a) the blogger, Dan, who is an active Alliance member and a pretty cool guy and b) because Liberal goof-balls come trolling along in the comments making off-topic remarks & personal attacks instead of addressing the point of the post.

Belief Seeking Understanding: Monday, November 10, 2003

This post makes a good point, which I hadn't thought of before:

"the moral of the story is "It costs money to not pay attention, because if you go to college, and you go to a college that isn't coveting and actively recruiting people like you, you end up underwriting the education of the students the college is coveting and actively recruiting."

However, I think it would've been better if the author had finished with some suggested action, like "so don't go to a college unless they seek you out." or something. The post just feels a little... unfinished.

patrickspero.com: Howard Dean's "Point"

No matter how hard I try, I just CAN'T take Howard Dean seriously enough to discuss him like he's intelligent human being. All he deserves is cruel mockery. Of which Patrick dishes up a big, steaming plateful. Mheh.

 


posted by Harvey at 9:29:55 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Thursday, December 18, 2003


THE PROJECT

(A FILTHY LIE)

 

I looked at the intelligence reports again. The Alliance was doomed. There could be no doubt about it. Evil Glenn's secret project would eventually destroy all of humanity, the Alliance included.

 

I'm not a violent man, but half-measures would be of no use in this battle. I armed myself and headed for Tennessee...

 

2am - Glenn Reynold's house -

 

The basement lights were on, alternately brightening and dimming in time to the waxing and waning of a loud electric hum.

 

"Maybe," I thought to myself "I could just cut the power lines. It would buy us enough time to..."

 

"IT WORKS! IT WORKS!" I heard Evil Glenn shouting maniacally from inside the house.

 

Crap. Out of time. I had to finish this. Had to get inside the house NOW!

 

[rattle rattle]

 

Crap! Door's locked!

 

"No problem," I muttered, as I drew my Elmer Fudd Memorial Double-Barrel Breech Loading Pump Action Shotgun from under my black leather trenchcoat. "I've got a key"

 

[BLAM! BLAM!]

 

Doorknob parts and wooden shards sprayed in all directions from the double-blast. I kicked the remains of the door in and charged into the basement, where I shoved the still-smoking barrels pointedly into the small of Glenn's back.

 

Harv: I've got you now.

 

Evil Glenn: Ehhhhhh, (munch, munch) What's up, doc?

 

Harv: DIE, PUPPY BLENDER!

 

[click click]

 

Evil Glenn: Problems?

 

Harv: Heh. Forgot to re-load... uh,... so... how's everything with you?

 

Evil Glenn: Pretty good. Carrot?

 

Harv: No thanks. That's not food, that's what food eats.

 

Evil Glenn: Suit yourself [tossing carrot stump over his shoulder]. I've been working on this secret project for months, and it's finally finished. You're just in time for the unveiling. Your sorry little Alliance is finished, and I will soon conquer the entire world. MUAHAHAHAHA!

 

Harv: I already know all about your evil creation. Alliance spies have been watching your house day and night. Our best minds are already preparing counter-measures. Your army of giant robot blenders will never succeed in frappéing America's puppies and hobos!

 

Evil Glenn: Giant... robot... what the hell are you talking about?

 

Harv: Don't play dumb with me! Even the New York Times knows about your foul scheme. Here... read this headline.

 

Evil Glenn: "Robo-Blenders - Key To A Better, Puppyless, Hoboless American Future?"

 

Harv: See?

 

Evil Glenn: Dumbass. Read the byline.

 

Harv: "by Jayson Blair"... aw CRAP!

 

Evil Glenn: Eh. Don't worry about it. Anyway, like I was saying, I've got this cool secret project, and...

 

Harv: You mean you're not going to destroy America with advanced blending technology?

 

Evil Glenn: Nope.

 

Harv: But you said that the Alliance was finished.

 

Evil Glenn: Nah. That was just a little diabolical evil genius bluster to get your goat. I'm actually working on more of a... personal project...

 

Harv: Show me.

 

Evil Glenn: Well, you know about my little... preference... for females of the avian persuasion, right?

 

Harv: ...yyyyeahhh....

 

Evil Glenn: And you know how much I hate Hillary Clinton and would give anything to see her humiliated and degraded, right?

 

Harv: ...uh huh...

 

Evil Glenn: And you know how I can't get laid, right?

 

Harv: yeahhhh... wait. I thought I got you hooked up with Fatty Sue?

 

Evil Glenn: We broke up. I couldn't afford the cheeseburger bill.

 

Harv: Ok, fine. So where are you going with this?

 

Evil Glenn: I've finally solved all three of my problems. Behold! Evil Glenn's Super Dreamy Electric Love Doll!

 

Harv: oh.... dear... GOD! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Evil Glenn: Wanna take her for a spin? Let me clean her out & lube her up for you...

 

Harv: AAAAAHHHHH!!!! [fleeing up the stairs in horror] Stay away from me you sick, twisted, degenerate bastard! AAAAHHHHH!!!

 

Evil Glenn [yelling after my retreating form] Lawyer!.... Ah well. To each his own. Now... where were we, my sweet Hillurkey?... Oh, baaaaaby!

 

 

 

Ok, so Alliance Intel was slightly misinformed about the nature of Glenn's sinister project. But the revolting terror of that sight will nevertheless haunt me forever. Evil Glenn must be stopped!

 

INSTAPUNDO DELENDA EST!

 

(apologies and/or hat tip to Little Tiny Lies for the original pic)


posted by Harvey at 6:57:03 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

I could do without many things with no hardship.

You are not one of them!

 


posted by Harvey at 6:23:47 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY

 

[Beer can toss  Andy lost  6/20/02]

Matty O'Blackfive's greatest accomplishment since leaving the Army? Winning Timmy O'Toole's Annual Beer Can Toss contest, in which only himself and Andy were participants.

...Oh yes, and his 6 month Blogiversary.

 


posted by Harvey at 6:23:07 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



 CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

No updates at Madfish Willie's since Sunday, and I haven't had that little... whatever the opposite of troll is... in my comments lately, either. It's not like him to keep his damn yap shut for 5 minutes, let alone several days.

Has anyone seen the Bartender?

 


posted by Harvey at 7:36:47 AM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT

Emperor Misha I (may his name be forever spoken in reverence) appeared to have enjoyed my Democratic campaign slogans, except for one part, to which he applies the Imperial White Out.

*********

Joe Lieberman - Because 1 out of 1 GoreBots hate me enough to stab me in the back.

*********

Plenty more slogans in the comments. Take a look

Now, the only part the puzzles me is how he got to my blog in the first place. My current working theory is that he got here via Erosblog...

What? You thought that only torture took place in the Imperial Torture Chambers? Emperors have needs, ya know.

 


posted by Harvey at 6:50:15 AM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



WHAT THE FRANCE?

My referer logs claim that somebody got to my site via Librenfin (Leftist Big Brother is Watching OVER YOU). I couldn't find the link myself:

Judging from his (her?) blogroll, which includes links to serveral gun manufacturers as well as Kim Du Toit and Ann Coulter, I'm saying that yonder Frenchman is not pleased with the above-cited Leftist Big Brother, and is just an American soul trapped in a European body. Hope he (she?) makes it over here someday. We could use more gun-slingin' cowboys.

YEEEE-HA!

The only bad part is that the site is about written in about 90% French, so I could barely make out anything. Although I think I got this part (December 15, CTRL+F "toutes"):

*************

TOUTES MES CONDOLEANCES .....

.....Au fan-club de Saddam Hussein ( Aka Le Camp de la Paix / Not in our name et consorts ).

*************

Here's the Google translated version, which is only about 30% French, and... Kim of the Roof?

 


posted by Harvey at 6:37:49 AM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Wednesday, December 17, 2003


HQ STUFF

All kinds of helpful suggestions for effective *snicker* Democratic campaign slogans.

New assignment: What did Saddam say when he was captured?

Matty reminds us where to go for some hot & nasty linky-lovin'. (Remind me to get my smut to the Bartender on time this week.)

I give some helpful advice on how to cast a vote when every entry in the New Blog Showcase sucks.

INSTAPUNDO DELENDA EST!


posted by Harvey at 10:31:28 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



GOOD ADVICE

He's not Ann Landers. Heck, he's not even Ned Flanders. But Trey Givens is hanging out his shingle as the blogosphere's newest and most unhelpful advice columnist:

**********

I'm really fat and it's hard to have sex. What should I do?
[Dr. T. Givens responds] I can only, but prefer not to imagine. You need to eat less, exercise more, and not set your goals so high. Maybe instead of sex you could aim for something less challenging like scrabble. Hang with that until you're ready for more complicated things like the whole base-system that comes with sexual inuendos.

**********

Got a problem? Need a solution? Ask Dr. T.

Then do anything except what he suggests.

 


posted by Harvey at 10:11:59 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

I love that you get cold when it’s seventy degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend a day with you I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night.

 


posted by Harvey at 10:04:49 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



Of course, Susie prefers to think of it as, "aged to perfection, and ready for the Reddi-Wip".

 


posted by Harvey at 10:01:00 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



LOOK MA! I'M FAMOUS!

Ok, not really, but I am honored that Nick picked my question for this week's official Judge's challenge at King of the Blogs:

Your significant female other asks you, "Does this dress make me look fat?"

How do you respond? Details a Must.

Answers have been posted. I'll be scrutinizing & criticizing, as well as telling the remaining 3 contestants why their blogs suck like a Hoover Shop-Vac after a Tim Taylor Home Improvement make-over.

MUAHAHAHAHA!

THE POWER!


posted by Harvey at 6:25:07 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Tuesday, December 16, 2003


TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

O woman! Lovely woman! Nature made thee

To temper man; we had been brutes without you.

Angels are painted fair, to look like you;

There’s in you all that we believe of heaven,

Amazing brightness, purity, and truth,

Eternal joy, and everlasting love.

 


posted by Harvey at 11:29:30 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



You know that thing they say about Fortune Cookie fortunes? It works with Graffiti Currency, too.

 


posted by Harvey at 11:28:51 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



LAST LOSER!

Looks like I've got another trophy for my sidebar. The results are in for the 2003 Weblog Awards, and I came in DEAD FREAKING LAST in the Best Humor Blog category, with a miserable 15 votes out of the more than 5100 cast.

Since I've read Scrappleface, I know that there are 15 people who are incredibly dishonest. Or, more likely, 2 who have way too much time on their hands (Susie, Dana - looking your way).

In any event, I'd like to thank both all the people who voted for me against their better judgments. You folks are great :-)

 


posted by Harvey at 7:23:58 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



MAKING THE CONNECTION

I know this sounds kinda tin-foil-hat & black helicopter, but bare with me.

Frank J., of IMAO, the world's funniest blogger (ok, third funniest) suddenly and inexplicably runs out of funny. On the same day, on the other side of the blogosphere, Trey Givens posts the funniest thing I've ever seen on his blog, and it has a suspiciously In My World flavor to it:

**********

Johnny Popo [a police officer]: Hello, citizens!

Fratly types: Wassap, cop-dude!?!

Johnny Popo: We have received a report of burned animal remains on the premises. Do you know if this is true?

Frat Boy Alpha: Yo, Cop-dude. It's, like, totally gnarly. See?

FBA gestures to the small, smoldering pile of leaves upon which the carcass rests.

Johnny Popo: That is indeed quite gnarly, gentle citizen. What pray tell led to this grisly scene?

Frat Boy Beta: Whoa! You talk like that Willie Shake-a-stick dude who wrote all those plays that we read in my English 101 class!

Johnny Popo: Blank stare

Frat Boy Gamma: Shut up, 'tarded dude. You're such a homo.

Frat Boy Beta: You shut up, homo dude!

FBB tackles FBG and they rip off each other's clothes and wrestle. Other fratly types spray them with oil.

**********

Coincidence? Possibly.

On the other hand, we may be looking at a case of kidnapping and torture. Check it out for yourself & see what you think.

 


posted by Harvey at 7:12:27 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



CARNIVAL OF THE VANITIES #64...

... has been up for almost a week, and I finally had time today to look around. The best Carnivals have themes instead of just categories, so this one is one of the best ones I've seen. Take a look, if you haven't yet.

My favorite was RossWhite.com with "Ah, Tech Support". Being in customer service myself, the trials of dealing with the incredibly stupid are no stranger to me. But I personally wouldn't have the patience to walk this particularly computer illiterate dunderhead through all the steps that Ross did. I mean, how do you keep from hurling obscenities at someone who's not even familiar with copy and paste? My favorite lines are:

*********

Ross: Did you hit Ctrl + V, as in victory? Or vince?

Unnamed Teacher: Like B as in Boy?

Ross: No, V as in victim.

*********

Teacher didn't even catch that part. *snicker*.

 


posted by Harvey at 7:02:49 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



BEST OF ME SYMPHONY...

...is up at Snooze Button Dreams. An interesting notion for a linky round-up: Submit your best post that's at least 2 months old.

I really like the format over there. Post name, blogger's name, blog's name, all laid out in easy-to-read boxes, with a short description of the post underneath.

And plenty of good stuff. For example, I discovered Susie, despite her claims to the contrary, leads an interesting life. Or at least she did before *I* started reading her blog. From way back in June, we have the tale of how one of her teen-age theater worker-drones wound up stuck on the roof of the building:

**********
Apparently our roof has two levels, and the little girl's shoe was on the lower one. Matt jumped down to it, tossed the little girl her shoe, and then couldn't get back up the seven foot wall to the level where the trap door is. So the cashier wanted the trainee to take our ladder upstairs, up a ladder to the trap door, through to the roof, and lower the ladder to the lower roof so Matt could climb up....while we had customers lined up to the street. Nope. No way, Jose.

**********

Of course, Susie's joy in the suffering of the helpless hasn't changed a bit, apparently.

*sigh* Is it any wonder I'm so in love? mmmm... crack that whip and punish me for being bad...

 


posted by Harvey at 6:38:06 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



  Monday, December 15, 2003


TODAY’S LOVE NOTE

 

(Introduction)

 

You will only find one true love in your life

And if you’re lucky

You’ll get to spend the rest of your life with her.

 

[to which I added]

 

LUCKY HARV! J

 


posted by Harvey at 11:43:27 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY

 

From the book "Picking Up Chicks for Dummies", page 65:

"This one falls into the category of "cute" techniques. Although it's usually quite effective, it's important to keep in mind that the denomination of bill you use should be inversely proportional to the number of drinks your target has consumed."

 


posted by Harvey at 11:38:31 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN SLOGANS


Boy, I thought the Dems were screwed before. Now that Saddam's in custody, the whole party has become almost completely irrelevant.


Nevertheless, they have to toss a sacrificial goat on the altar of the 2004 Presidential election, and there are currently 9 demented, twitching ogres eager to throw themselves on the pyre.


Being a loyal American, I want to do my part to help one of them commit political suicide, so here, in accordance with this week's Alliance Precision Guided Humor Assignment, are my suggestions for some Democratic campaign slogans:


Dennis Kucinich - Now that I'm no longer desecrating your dead sons, I'd like to defile your live daughters (link via Frizzen Sparks).


Dennis Kucinich – “Your women, I want to buy your women. The little girl, your daughters. Sell them to me. Sell me your childrens!


Carol Moseley Braun - Twice as diverse as Al Sharpton.


Carol Moseley Braun – Vote for me - unless you’re a racist misogynist.


John Kerry - Pardon my French


Howard Dean - Not to be confused with Howard the Duck.


Joe Lieberman - Because Al Gore used to like me.


Joe Lieberman - Don't worry, Gentiles, he'll still let you celebrate Christmas


Al Sharpton - Joe Stalin's politics, Kim Jong Il's hair


Rev. Al - putting "God" back into "God dammit, cracker, you better vote for me!"


Hillary Clinton - You know I can lick Bush. Wait... did that sound dirty? Nevermind.


Hillary Clinton - Now, more than ever. Because by 2008, I'll have died from the syphillis that Bill gave me.


Dick Gephardt – Dick and Jane run for the White House. Run, Dick. Run, Jane. Run! Run! Run!


Dick Gephardt - As Aryan as you wanna be.


Wesley Clark – Riding the short bus to the Presidency


John Edwards – Vote for me or my Klingon hordes will destroy you!


Or they can just go with the all-purpose Democrat slogan:


"It's not fair! Bush never should've won in the first place! Stupid electoral college! WAAAAAAHHHH!"


SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS!


posted by Harvey at 11:20:33 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



NOT JUST SEMANTICS

Steven Den Beste of USS Clueless has one of the best analyses of war and how to win it that I've ever read. It's about 20 minutes' worth, but it makes a complex subject very understandable.

One of the things that he mentioned that piqued my interest was when he contrasted terrorism and guerilla warfare:

**********

I've written at length about the basic theory behind terrorism here, so I will only briefly summarize it. The strategy is to motivate the uncommitted to join the fight or to support it, and the tactic is to engage in acts against a much more powerful enemy which will provoke reprisals from that enemy. Usually the goal is to cause the enemy to make massive reprisals against the large mass of the uncommitted, angering them. Some of them may then join your cause; many others will at least become more sympathetic to it.

Violent attacks against enemy targets, especially civilian targets, are one way to do that, and that's what most people think of as being "terrorism".

But sometimes, in very special cases, peaceful demonstrations of resistance can win directly by bringing about a loss of political will by the enemy (which is how Gandhi won in India).

That's relatively rare, and is only possible against unusual enemies. Gandhi was able to win because of British sensibilities; if the occupiers had been Russian and the enemy leader had been Stalin, Gandhi's campaign would have been a failure, and Gandhi would have been executed early on without a trial.

What is far more common for successful terrorist campaigns is that they gradually transition into guerrilla war as support builds up. There's a distinct difference between the two. According to the doctrine, terrorist attacks are primarily designed to provoke reprisals, but guerrilla actions are directly intended to harm the enemy militarily. [emphasis mine]

**********

and he comes to this conclusion as to how to label what the Baathist leftovers are doing in Iraq:

**********

All of the preceding discussion is intended to lead up to Wretchard's post about Iraq titled "Follow the Money". Though the insurgency in Iraq has used low level tactics we associate with terrorism, it is in fact a guerrilla operation. [emphasis mine] The attacks are not intended to provoke American reprisals so as to gain sympathy among Iraqi civilians and induce them to join the insurgency or to support it. If anything, Iraqi support for the Coalition has continued to strengthen since the invasion as the Coalition continues to work to try to improve the lives of Iraq's civilians.

The insurgency is rather attempting to engage primarily in classic hit-and-run attacks on Coalition forces or on other foreign bodies, hoping they'll lose heart and pull out. In some cases they've been successful; one bombing attack caused the UN to pull out, and several other NGO's have curtailed their operations in Iraq.

**********

Which made me think of the discussion that's going at Angelweave, wherein a liberal opined:

The bad guys attacking our soldiers are not terrorists--they are guerrillas, engaged in an insurgency.

And Heather's response:

Take your classification of guerillas. I disagree, and I'll take to the dictionary.

Guerilla - A member of an irregular, usually indigenous military or paramilitary unit operating in small bands in occupied territory to harass and undermine the enemy, as by surprise raids. (from dictionary.com).

Okay - suicide bombings - yeah, it fits either way - terrorist or guerilla. You believe one way, and I believe the opposite? Is one of us lying? No, I don't believe so. It's merely semantics.

Well, I guess I'll have to disagree with Heather on the analysis of that single point. The liberal is right - it's guerilla warfare, not terrorism. However, Heather's right the the conclusions drawn by the liberal in question are [my term] blithering asshattery.

Nor are they a direct threat to the American people--or is this an admission that the neo-con's beloved "flypaper strategy" is a failure? I'll further note that we created the current violent environment in Iraq through an illegal invasion and inept occupation.

Regardless, these statements are proof positive that Bush offers only fear to the American people.

Knee-jerk anti-war liberals are funny that way. Even when they finally get something right, they quickly cannonball into the deep end of the short-sighted idiocy pool.

 


posted by Harvey at 9:49:25 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



A HAPPY DAY

I was doing the New Blog Showcase Results post at the Alliance, when a happy thing happened to me. I got to put both Ith of Absinthe & Cookies AND Ninjababe of Ninjababe's Ramble in the "voted this week" category.

Why is this such a good thing?

Well, like most people, I don't get around to anywhere NEAR all the places in the blogosphere that I'd like to. I've got a pretty long blogroll and I can't make it longer, because it already takes me the whole day to make it through. But in the course of surfing hither & thither, there are some blogs that, if I see them linked by someone else, I'll go visit, because I know there's good stuff at the other end.

One of them is Absinthe & Cookies. It's got a certain edgy charm to the atmosphere that I find appealing. Not to mention an adorable picture of Ith looking doll-o-liscious in the corner. Plus I found out in the process of poking around tonight that she's recruiting ladies for the "Girls! Girls! Girls!" group blog. I don't have the right equipment, myself, but I've always been very *ahem* supportive of women.

Another is Ninjababe's Ramble. Light-hearted & fun, plus one of the biggest, best, gratuitous cleavage shots I've ever found. YOWZA! Of course, she's got here dangerous side, too. Seriously, don't let her get too close to you with that penis needle. I'm cringing just thinking about it.

Anyway ladies, I just wanted to thank you for voting in the showcase this week. You've made an old man VERY happy.

mmmm... cleavage.

 


posted by Harvey at 9:13:56 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



LOVIN' MY BLOG BUDDIES

I swear, I've got the coolest blog-buddies imaginable. Susie & Matt I don't even have to think twice about, the Geekster always has his vote up by the time I make it there all panicky on Sunday afternoon, and Kevin, who has no time to blog at all because of his insanely complicated life, still manages to put in a vote once I remind him that midnight Sunday is fast approaching. I wish everyone I nudged were so attentive.

But here's what else is cool about them:

Susie - she's always full of Christmas cheer, and even when she's feeling low, she's still fascinated by how often I can use my post in a single day. Susie, you're so naughty :-)

Matty O'Blackfive - You thought he was just a drunken Irish paratrooper? Not so. This man is a drunken Irish paratrooper who celebrates Saddam's capture with poetry! He also informs me that Kucinich took down that bullshit video. Oddly, this post was not done in the form of a poem. Therefore I will help:

Roses are red

Violets are blue

The video is gone

But Kucinich is still a fucking crap weasel for ever having it up in the first place!

Physics Geek - thoughtful guy that he is, he's posted a sweet Christmas tale that makes my Grinchy heart grow 3 sizes. He's also posted a picture of Susie taking a break during one of her braless blogging sessions. Sure it's cold in Indiana, but the scenery is just gorgeous.

Kevin of Eckernet - Still fiddling with that "real life" thingy of his, but there's plenty of goodies in his archives. I can't wait until he's got more time for blogging. Meanwhile, here's the Top 10 Reasons Regular Citizens Should Be Able To Own An Assault Rifle:

**********
10) Sometimes you're too mad for just a normal gun.

9) If you see a dozen deer in one meadow, how else are you supposed to shoot them all before they run away?

8) Self-defense sometimes involves "assaulting" a fortress.

7) Keeping control of a fully automatic weapon helps build upper body strength.

6) If we're not allowed to have assault rifles, that will make us mad and we have other guns.

**********

I'll leave the rest for you to go look at on your own.

 


posted by Harvey at 8:42:31 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



NEW BLOG SHOWCASE VOTER LINKY LOVE SOURCE CODE


<P><A href="http://nicedoggie.net/">Anti-Idiotarian Rotweiler</A> (537 links) - 4135 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.flyingchair.net/">Flying Chair</A> (174 links) - 3332 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://imao.us/">IMAO</A> (552 links) - 3261 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://blackfive.blogs.com/">Blackfive - The Paratrooper of Love</A> (292 links) - 2017 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://annikagyrl.blogspot.com/">annika's journal &amp; poetry</A> (125 links) - 260 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0126975/">Bad Money</A> (155 links) - 253 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://coloradoconservative.blogs.com/colorado_conservative/">Colorado Conservative</A> (65 links) - 231 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://silverblue.org/mt">Ramblings of Silver Blue</A> (167 links) - 230 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.patriot-paradox.com/">Patriot Paradox</A> (126 links) - 220 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://debbyestratigacos.blogspot.com/">Being American in T.O.</A> (94 links) - 218 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.taintedbill.com/">Leaning Towards the Dark Side</A> (70 links) - 211 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://inscrutable.news-portal.com/">The Inscrutable American</A> (97 links) - 191 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://practicalpenumbra.mu.nu/">Practical Penumbra</A> (230 links) - 186 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com/">the evangelical outpost</A> (149 links) - 186 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://gevkaffeegal.typepad.com/the_alliance/">The Alliance</A> (174 links) - 175 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.pardonmyenglish.com/">Pardon My English</A> (92 links) - 170 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://hallsofmontezumashoresoftripoli.blogspot.com/">From the Halls to the Shores</A> (68 links) - 169 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://ondragonswing.com/journal/gaggle">Absinthe &amp; Cookies</A> (190 links) - 162 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://angelweave.mu.nu/">angelweave</A> (133 links) - 122 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.anenglishmanscastle.com/">An Englishman's Castle</A> (60 links) - 104 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.dogtulosba.com/">dogtulosba, ink. - soapiate of the masses</A> (50 links) - 100 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.whotendsthefires.us/">Who Tends The Fires</A> (113 links) - 94 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.asininity.com/">Judicious Asininity</A> (118 links) - 84 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.realitysvoice.org/blog.html">Five Wasps</A> (56 links) - 81 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.idiotvillager.com/">Idiot Villager</A> (59 links) - 77 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://physicsgeek.blog-city.com/">physics geek</A> (72 links) - 74 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.avguru.net/">AvGuru.net</A> (39 links) - 70 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://s-train.h2cmedia.org/">The S-Train Canvass</A> (66 links) - 64 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.postmodernclog.com/">Le Sabot Post-Moderne</A> (79 links) - 58 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.vrwc.us/">VRWC, Inc.</A> (89 links) - 52 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://leftcoastconservative.blogspot.com/">Left Coast Conservative</A> (142 links) - 47 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.sithoughts.blogspot.com/">Semi-Intelligent Thoughts</A> (71 links) - 44 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.gleefulextremist.com/blogger.html">The Gleeful Extremist</A> (59 links) - 42 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://winceandnod.blogspot.com/">Wince and Nod</A> (84 links) - 39 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.frizzensparks.com/">Frizzen Sparks</A> (54 links) - 36 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://civilization-calls.blogspot.com/">Civilization Calls</A> (56 links) - 35 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.bigredgiant.com/">BigRedGiant.com</A> (55 links) - 34 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.homicidalmaniak.com/">Homicidal Maniak</A> (60 links) - 31 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://grimbeorn.blogspot.com/">Grim's Hall</A> (58 links) - 30 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://curi.us/domain/">curi's domain</A> (59 links) - 30 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.remnetworks.org/~ovrlrdq/mt/">Pinto's Blog</A> (44 links) - 27 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://cavalierattitude.blogspot.com/">Cavalier Attitude</A> (47 links) - 24 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://eleganceagainstignorance.blogspot.com/">Elegance Against Ignorance</A> (73 links) - 20 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://giveblood.blogspot.com/">Single White Male</A> (48 links) - 19 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.ondragonswing.com/journal/ramble/">Ninjababe's Ramble</A> (59 links) - 17 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://irrationalnoise.com/handh.php">Hypocrisy and Hypotheses</A> (63 links) - 17 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://cannon.blog-city.com/">Cannon's Canon</A> (57 links) - 15 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://irreconcilablemusings.typepad.com/">Irreconcilable Musings</A> (58 links) - 15 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.conservativecajun.blogspot.com/">The Conservative Cajun</A> (42 links) - 15 visits/day<BR><A href="http://wasteofbandwidth.net/dseip/ssp">Shameless Self-Promotion</A> (55 links) - 14 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://roxettebunny.mu.nu/">Hoppings of Roxette Bunny</A> (63 links) - 14 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.johnalism.com/">Johnalism.com</A> (39 links) - 11 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://newmaniwhs.blogspot.com/">Newmanisms</A> (57 links) - 11 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://sugarwhitesand.com/">CandyUniverse</A> (89 links) - 3 visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://interested-participant.blogspot.com/">Interested-Participant</A> (115 links) - visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://eckernet.com/">Eckernet.com</A> (58 links) - visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://ripebananas.blogspot.com/">Ripe Bananas</A> (70 links) - visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://etalkinghead.com/">eTALKINGHEAD.com: Political Commentary</A> (132 links) - visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT><BR><A href="http://www.newamericanrevolution.com/">The New American Revolutionist</A> (54 links) - visits/day <FONT color=red>V</FONT></P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>


posted by Harvey at 7:46:28 PM  permalink  comment [] trackback []



NEW BLOG SHOWCASE VOTER LINKY-LOVE

Anti-Idiotarian Rotweiler (537 links) - 4135 visits/day V
Flying Chair (174 links) - 3332 visits/day V
IMAO (552 links) - 3261 visits/day V
Blackfive - The Paratrooper of Love (292 links) - 2017 visits/day V
annika's journal & poetry (125 links) - 260 visits/day V
Bad Money (15