tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post1337710233876679616..comments2024-03-28T06:32:24.557-04:00Comments on The Elephant Bar: The Obama administration policy of support for the jihadist Libyan and Syria rebels may have already come back to haunt us in other ways. Besides questions about the arms used in the coordinated assaults against our facilities in Benghazi and the UN report on weapons proliferation, there are also claims of ties between the Benghazi attacks and a brazen assault on an Algerian gas complex where foreigners, including Americans, were employed.Deuce ☂http://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-53042295771192007632013-08-21T06:07:39.270-04:002013-08-21T06:07:39.270-04:00.
Was he a Swede?
..<br /><br /><br />Was he a Swede?<br /><br /><br />.Quirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00272168240606512672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-49863638696205011812013-08-21T03:11:14.571-04:002013-08-21T03:11:14.571-04:00Good point.Good point.Deuce ☂https://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-39718046370281505442013-08-21T01:56:01.182-04:002013-08-21T01:56:01.182-04:00The persecution of the Copts will be used to gain ...The persecution of the Copts will be used to gain sympathy for the military methods used to free the Copts from radically Islamic oppression. Additionally, the military may now point an accusatory finger at the powers of fundamentalist oppression. Little known, there are approximately 100,000,000 Chinese Christians. Tens of millions of Russians/Soviets came back into the Christian fold at the first chance. American politicians know that in many districts the Evangelical vote makes the difference between victory and defeat. The Egyptian generals are playing this card well.allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15605114251615293411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-13333155697705981742013-08-21T01:45:10.141-04:002013-08-21T01:45:10.141-04:00Which usually you can only do once. Though my lawy...Which usually you can only do once. Though my lawyer's brother accidentally shot himself in the head with a small caliber deer rifle in such a way that the bullet sort of scooted around inside his skull, hardly harming him at all. An amazing event.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-11990670550154399312013-08-21T01:41:22.699-04:002013-08-21T01:41:22.699-04:00Why? Maybe they are just 'good guys'. :)
...Why? Maybe they are just 'good guys'. :)<br /><br />They at least are providing a little verbal support. Which as you point out is more than our sunni Prez is doing.<br /><br />I've been drinking ice tea mixed with chocolate milk tonight. It's really good.<br /><br />I need a marketeer.<br /><br />And a slogan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-47436089236353790852013-08-21T01:33:43.263-04:002013-08-21T01:33:43.263-04:00" The violence in Egypt is mainly being repor..." The violence in Egypt is mainly being reported as caused by the sectarian divide between the secularists and the Islamist; however, the real problems facing the country are based in major resource shortages."<br /><br />Non sense. There is a basic cultural conflict going on there now. It's not about the price of wheat, not any longer.<br /><br />"IMO the army has has already lost. It may kill thousands more in the short run but it has lost."<br /><br />It is undetermined as yet. The population seems nearly equally divided. But the Army is better organized, and much better armed, so one should expect the Army to prevail if they don't lose their will to do so.<br /><br />Recent reports are the Saudis and other gulf states are taking up the money burden - they don't need our money any longer. A sane Administration would continue to supply them weapons. But the Egyptian military may not need that any longer either. And there are other weapons suppliers.<br /><br />Our current policy, admittedly very hard to describe, looks as inept as shooting oneself in the head.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-3409645279376639612013-08-21T01:29:32.306-04:002013-08-21T01:29:32.306-04:00.
Tell it to the Russians under Stalin or the Ch....<br /><br /><br />Tell it to the Russians under Stalin or the Chinese under Mao.<br /><br /><br />.Quirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00272168240606512672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-46368415819750617152013-08-21T01:24:55.145-04:002013-08-21T01:24:55.145-04:00.
Why should the Egyptian military worry about th....<br /><br />Why should the Egyptian military worry about the persecution of the Copts when they are living on barrowed money and the largest contributors to their regime, Saudi Arabia and the US, refuse to worry about it, with the Saudis clearly antagonistic to the Copts and the US not willing to even offer them lip service.<br /><br />Obama has made it clear where he stands since day one and he has been consistent, treating whistleblowers and newsmen (and newsmen's domestic partners) as terrorists but refusing to call a murderer of 13 American servicemen, a man who declares himself a terrorist, a terrorist.<br /><br />.Quirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00272168240606512672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-34526677004764066552013-08-21T00:40:20.098-04:002013-08-21T00:40:20.098-04:00.
The US continues to contribute to the chaos cur....<br /><br />The US continues to contribute to the chaos currently unfolding in the ME. Those that applaud that chaos based on past grievances take a short term view and ignore potential future consequences.<br /> <br />Egypt is just one example of the dystopia that is spreading in the ME. IMO, if not now, soon it will qualify as a failed state. Its basic problems revolve around energy, food, and water, problems shared to some extent by many countries in the ME. The violence in Egypt is mainly being reported as caused by the sectarian divide between the secularists and the Islamist; however, the real problems facing the country are based in major resource shortages. <br /><br />The sectarian battles there have only exacerbated these basic problems, and as the problems get worse, the sectarian violence will only get worse. It is a vicious circle, one the US feeds by dumping fuel on the fire through military aid. It doesn’t matter who is in charge there, Egypt is going down, sooner or later.<br /><br />That US military aid has been consistent since the '70's while non-military aid (something that might actually help) has been cut over the past decade by over two-thirds and now amounts to little over 1/6 of the military aid. The US assumes the military aid will keep the army in charge, but IMO the army has has already lost. It may kill thousands more in the short run but it has lost. Not that there will be any winners. Egypt is starting to track Syria and Yemen in that sense.<br /><br />Since 2010, Egypt has been importing oil to keep up with its needs. It’s just maintaining gas production. They can’t get their hands on the foreign currency they need for either energy or food and their biggest problem, water, is worsening daily. <br /><br />Egypt’s population increased by one-third in the past decade. Without oil exports (or food exports for that matter) they can’t get the foreign currency they need to service their massive debt or to pay the food and fuel subsidies the population is dependent up. Forty percent of the population lives on $2 per day. These spend half their income on food. Half of the young people are unemployed. The per capita water share is just over half the accepted poverty level and within a decade they will need 20% more water than they currently have just to support population increases. And that is if the Nile flow isn’t cut as Ethiopia is currently threatening to do.<br /><br />If/when Egypt goes down, it could possibly take a good portion of the ME with it. Since the last century, the US has counted on Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, and (since Mubarek took over) Egypt to provide stability for US foreign policy goals in the ME. Iran is gone. Egypt is going. And there are even rumblings coming out of SA that the unrest is continuing there. And what does the US do? The same as we have always done. Sell them more guns.<br /><br />. <br />Quirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00272168240606512672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-83520572134271099992013-08-21T00:27:22.458-04:002013-08-21T00:27:22.458-04:00Dutifully, I pass this along, as instructed, to as...Dutifully, I pass this along, as instructed, to as many folks as I can, as my Vegas source, who is paying more attention to politics than is good for her, has requested.<br /><br />>>>>Subject: The Clintons<br /><br /> The Clintons<br /> <br />This is funnier than anything you can send me... and the joke's on us!<br /><br />Hillary Rodham Clinton, as a New York State Senator, now comes under this fancy "Congressional Retirement and Staffing Plan," which means that even if she never gets re-elected, she STILL receives her Congressional salary until she dies. If Bill out-lives her, he then inherits HER salary until HE dies. He is already getting his Presidential salary until he dies. If Hillary out-lives Bill, she also gets HIS salary until she dies. Guess who pays for that? WE DO.<br /><br />It's common knowledge that in order for her to establish NY residency, they purchased a million dollar-plus house in upscale Chappaqua. New York. Makes sense. They are entitled to Secret Service protection for life. Still makes sense.<br />Here is where it becomes interesting. Their mortgage payments hover at around $10,000 per month. BUT, an extra residence HAD to be built within the acreage to house the Secret Service agents. The Clintons charge the Federal government $10,000 monthly rent for the use of that extra residence, which is just about equal to their mortgage payment. This means that we, the taxpayers, are Clinton's salary, mortgage, transportation, safety and security, as well as the salaries for their 12 man staff- and, this is all perfectly legal!<br /><br />(interesting, isn't it.)<br /><br />When she runs for President, will you vote for her?<br /><br />How many people will YOU send this to?<<<<Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-19708952036575082282013-08-21T00:22:06.209-04:002013-08-21T00:22:06.209-04:00. . .
A new idea.
A new scam?
. . .. . .<br /><br />A new idea.<br /><br />A new scam?<br /><br />. . .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-65434474117873070482013-08-21T00:19:44.750-04:002013-08-21T00:19:44.750-04:00. .
A new cat.
A new combine?
. .. .<br /><br />A new cat.<br /><br />A new combine?<br /><br />. .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-24019755564685146602013-08-21T00:10:24.314-04:002013-08-21T00:10:24.314-04:00Rejoice! We are living in the most peaceful era in...Rejoice! We are living in the most peaceful era in human history!! (until the nukes get loose)<br /><br />>>>>THE FIRST DECLINE in violence happened during the transition from the anarchy of hunter-gatherer societies – which prevailed throughout most of our species’ history – to the first agricultural civilisations with cities and governments, which began to emerge around 5,000 years ago.<br /><br />For centuries, social theorists, such as 17th-century British philosopher Thomas Hobbes or 18th-century Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, speculated from their armchairs about what life was like when humanity existed in a “state of nature”. Today, we can do better. Forensic archaeology – a kind of CSI: Paleolithic – can estimate rates of violence from the proportion of skeletons in ancient sites bearing signs of trauma, such as bashed-in skulls, decapitations or arrowheads embedded in bones. Ethnographers have also tallied the causes of death in tribal peoples who in recent times lived in<br />non-governed societies – outside the control of a centralised state.<br /><br />These investigations show that, on average, around 15% of ‘non-state’ people met their ends through violence, compared with about 3% of citizens of the earliest states. Three per cent, by the way, is also the most pessimistic estimate of the rate of death in the 20th century from all wars, genocides and human-caused famines combined.<br /><br />Tribal violence commonly subsides when a state or empire imposes control over a territory and its people, leading to the various ‘Paxes’ that are familiar to readers of history (for example, the<br />207-year Pax Romana from 27 BC to 180 AD). It’s not that these kings and emperors had a benevolent interest in their citizens’ welfare. Subjects who raid and feud just shuffle resources or settle scores among themselves, but from the ruler’s point of view this represents a dead loss: foregone opportunities to extract taxes, tributes, soldiers, serfs and slaves.<<<<<br /><br /><br />8 August 2013<br /><br />Nothing to kill or die for<br /><br />By Steven Pinker<br /><br />The world is not a hellhole of escalating violence – you are living in the most peaceful era in our species’ existence, says Steven Pinker.<br /><br /><br />http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/nothing-to-kill-or-die-for/<br /><br /><br />Ennui. <br /><br />Is. <br /><br />A. <br /><br />Killer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-3120285662710524912013-08-20T23:27:46.985-04:002013-08-20T23:27:46.985-04:00.
A new dog.
A new helicopter?
.
.<br /><br />A new dog.<br /><br />A new helicopter?<br /><br />.<br />Quirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00272168240606512672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-87175152016933463792013-08-20T23:18:21.396-04:002013-08-20T23:18:21.396-04:00Actually I trace to Aaron.
As for Rufus's &qu...Actually I trace to Aaron.<br /><br />As for Rufus's "its your world comment?<br /><br />I carry a US passport also.<br /><br />JUST as much an American as you, like it or not...<br /><br />What is "Occupation"https://www.blogger.com/profile/02054075097495500689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-21464390685950593592013-08-20T22:32:36.481-04:002013-08-20T22:32:36.481-04:00Dogs, to keep the muzzie away.
Smartphones, refri...Dogs, to keep the muzzie away.<br /><br />Smartphones, refried beans, company of man's best friends, no muzzies - what's not to like?<br /><br />Beats part of Chicago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-24646073055854576162013-08-20T22:23:54.648-04:002013-08-20T22:23:54.648-04:00'Problematic' is way too kind.'Problematic' is way too kind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1297160775325889542013-08-20T22:10:38.216-04:002013-08-20T22:10:38.216-04:00Garbage dumps, with smartphones. The Romans never...Garbage dumps, with smartphones. The Romans never had it so good.Teresitahttp://www.cleanposts.com/index.php/Main_Pagenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-6862841559493245812013-08-20T22:02:50.740-04:002013-08-20T22:02:50.740-04:0087, that's a good run.87, that's a good run.Teresitahttp://www.cleanposts.com/index.php/Main_Pagenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-90711670999207732472013-08-20T22:01:17.470-04:002013-08-20T22:01:17.470-04:00Many of them already live in the garbage dumps.Many of them already live in the garbage dumps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-25676751702880863002013-08-20T21:50:55.417-04:002013-08-20T21:50:55.417-04:00WiO will now tell us how he traces his bloodline b...WiO will now tell us how he traces his bloodline back to David though the House of Sham.Teresitahttp://www.cleanposts.com/index.php/Main_Pagenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-85495717032583640762013-08-20T21:50:43.504-04:002013-08-20T21:50:43.504-04:00Here's a nice, little chart, that pretty much ...Here's a nice, little chart, that pretty much drives home what I've been saying:<br /><br /><a href="http://peakoilbarrel.com/bakken/" rel="nofollow">nice, little chart</a>Rufus IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297231055991566183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-42073410644978064792013-08-20T21:44:08.678-04:002013-08-20T21:44:08.678-04:00It's YOUR world, not mine, bozo; I carry a U.S...It's YOUR world, not mine, bozo; I carry a U.S. Passport.Rufus IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297231055991566183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-4644857238822327582013-08-20T21:33:11.945-04:002013-08-20T21:33:11.945-04:00Unfortunately for the victim, he was an unarmed Au...Unfortunately for the victim, he was an unarmed Aussie, not a native Okie carrying concealed.Teresitahttp://www.cleanposts.com/index.php/Main_Pagenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-32733626537449655172013-08-20T21:19:08.671-04:002013-08-20T21:19:08.671-04:00Obama is looking at photographs of the alleged per...Obama is looking at photographs of the alleged perps now, trying to decide if any one of them look like they could have been his son. Teresitahttp://www.cleanposts.com/index.php/Main_Pagenoreply@blogger.com