“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Luke 14:11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
December 24, 2008 Have a safe, watchful, terror-free Christmas
By Thoreau
Dear Readers,
It is with a heavy heart that I urge you to temper your Christmas festivities with watchfulness. It has come to my attention that tonight a Turkish religious radical will attempt to enter US airspace and leave suspicious packages in American homes. It is believed that the timing of this attack was chosen to coincide with the birthday of a radical cleric (revered by Muslims around the world) from the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Please take this seriously. The cleric being commemorated received significant financing from the Iranians and caused substantial unrest in Israel before being captured and executed by a joint Israeli-Italian task force.
Posted by Thoreau @ 6:23 pm, Filed under: Main
Ho Ho Ho From Your Favorite Diplomat And Her Whole Extended Degenerate Family!
I'll have something warm with booze in it. And make it, y'know, Christmasey.
Mat, I just got in from my girlfriend's place at about 0730 and have been getting the turkey started ever since...I'll catch up with your links later. Nice to know you're thinking of me.
BTW, I quit smoking about 4-5 days ago, so factor that into our conversations. :-)
(Didn't really want to quit, but seems medically prudent.)
A turkish radical? don't you mean an arab or iranian and such? where the hell did you get a turkish radical from ... they are targeted too by the terrortist you moron!
d5 will have something warm with booze in it, too.
I got underbritches in my stocking! AND I'm going to spend the evening watching *every* episode of Fawlty Towers. I have preemptively claimed the living room for the duration, you filthy British-comedy-haters! (Who let you in to this highly selective outfit, anyway? Someone drop the ball on background checks?) (No, the fact that you're seven years old is not an excuse.)
Same type of neighbor folks that complain about firing up a bunch of lights and drawing a crowd to see them.
Folks that do not want their side street existence to be subject to strangers driving by and gawking at their children. Believing that greater exposure to the general public increases, needlessly, the risks to their own safety and security.
Well, I'm willing to bet two snowballs that the apparatchik who spoke against Snowzilla was an Obama decocrat. He had the look and tone of one.
Since there's not much to do around here, one of the big things is people drive around and look at X-mas lights. The bus from the rest home even takes the old folks around.
But here, in sunny Phoenix, the neighbors often complain about their neighborhoods' somewhat gawdy displays that draw thousands of viewers each season. It is, they say, a disruption of normal loving that creates traffic and other hazards, in the area of occupation.
From what the City employee was saying, the display had drawn consistent complaints, annually, from the neighbors and was in violation of the law.
What kind of a fellow would violate the law to piss off his neighbors, year after year?
I hadn't seen Farty Towels in years, ash. I adore it.
Viewing pleasure was marred by a very farty dog, however. Not MY dog, but the black lab/elephant seal mix that belongs to my parents' hand-picked menagerie of impressively stupid, lavishly offending creatures.
(I'm reminded of author Pat McManus's dog, Strange. And if you've never read McManus, bob, you should. Beginning with A Fine and Pleasant Misery or The Bear in the Attic.)
If you want to keep up on what the Religion of Peace is up to this Holiday Season you can go to the religionofpeace website where they keep a running total on the atrocities around the world. Itemized by date, place, casualties,etc.
One might ask, why do we keep electing these arseholes, but, we've had that discussion, and the answer seems to be, most people like their own Congressman, even if all the others ought to be shot.
Politics in Israel heating up--from Israel Matzov--
Likud losing votes to nationalist parties
I told you all that I was not going to vote Likud because of the way Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu treated Moshe Feiglin. A lot of you have vehemently disagreed with me (read the comments at the previous link). But my feelings are not uncommon.
Two new polls out on Thursday indicate that Likud's lead over Kadima is shrinking, but that most of the votes are going in favor of nationalist parties. Several weeks ago, Netanyahu was solidly ahead in the polls, leaving his rival, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the ruling Kadima party, lagging behind by as many as nine seats. The new polls showed his lead shrinking to four seats, but potential hawkish partners gaining the strength he lost.
A Dialog survey published in Haaretz showed Likud winning 30 of parliament's 120 seats, down from 36 seats in its previous poll two week ago. The poll, which surveyed 475 people and had a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points, had Kadima winning 26 seats, down one from its previous showing.
A Dahaf survey published in Yediot Ahronot had identical results. That poll surveyed 525 people and had a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.
Camil Fuchs, who supervises Dialog's survey, linked the shift to Netanyahu's machinations to drop the ranking of hawkish candidate Moshe Feiglin on Likud's slate of candidates for parliament. Netanyahu had been afraid that a higher ranking would have alienated moderate voters whose support he hoped to court.
But the polls suggest the move backfired, driving some former Netanyahu backers into the arms of other nationalist parties that hold a conservative stance on territorial concessions that may be part of a future peace with the Palestinians and Syria. Heh. Maybe Netanyahu will get stuck with a religious and nationalist coalition after all.
Haaretz notes the trend described above, but does not indicate which parties have gained in its poll. YNet notes the possibility of a 'world war' over Binyamin Netanyahu's efforts to bring former NRP leader Effi Eitam into the Likud. That may be Netanyahu's way of making up to the right for his shafting of Feiglin.
The second issue involves humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza which Israel is to approve during the week. Olmert wants reports on stockpiles of essential items to ensure that a humanitarian crisis does not break out in the Strip during military action.
Eighteen years ago this day, a baby boy weighing just over six pounds was born in a tiny convent hospital in northern Bavaria, not far from the Czech border. He arrived a month early and spent the next two weeks largely in the care of a beautiful, soft-spoken Novice and one frightening Mother Superior, who deemed prompt and complete attendance at Vespers more important than the requirements of human health.
The boy soon came to be called Fidel by his own maternal grandmother, who correctly discerned an unyielding autocratic tendency and general disdain for the whole, sorry lot of humanity.
He has promised he will change his name before executing his plans to form a second, more perfect union, while quietly providing for us in some obscure locale, maybe visiting us under heavy cover now and again, simply to remind us that we are still hopelessly wrong about most things.
Happy birthday, sweetheart. We all love you dearly anyway.
Methuselah, if you don't rally behind Bibi despite your nationalist mistrust of him, you'll get Labor or Kadima, and you can trust them to piece-part Israel out.
Handel . . He wuz one a them Europeean guys, wuzn't he? This cat's pure Merican. Hello Josephine
ReplyDeleteI was looking for "Frosty the Snowman," but this is better.
I don't know nothin about no exalting, but I don't think this cat was real big on the "humblin." He sang good, though. The Killer - You Win Again
ReplyDeleteDon't Miss This Rufus
ReplyDeleteOr this, case you missed it--
A Sound So Beautiful--Like A Soul Stirring
O Come All Ye Faithful--Mormon Choir
ReplyDeleteAllison Crowe
ReplyDeleteOh, Shit; You've Gotta see this: 12 Days of Global Warming - Al Gore gave to me
ReplyDeleteI've still got tears in my eyes.
Excellent, Rufus :)
ReplyDeleteWith that one I gotta take a nap. G'nite all.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, again.
More Maria McCool
ReplyDeleteMan, I like this woman's voice, like I like Sarah Palin in politics.
Silent Night--Original Version--With Harp--In German Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe little feller with the ear bob broke on a high note:)
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteEven in Alaska, the grinch people can't leave well enough alone.
Authorities: Giant Snowman in Alaska is an illegal nuisance.
From Unqualified Offerings:
ReplyDeleteDecember 24, 2008
Have a safe, watchful, terror-free Christmas
By Thoreau
Dear Readers,
It is with a heavy heart that I urge you to temper your Christmas festivities with watchfulness. It has come to my attention that tonight a Turkish religious radical will attempt to enter US airspace and leave suspicious packages in American homes. It is believed that the timing of this attack was chosen to coincide with the birthday of a radical cleric (revered by Muslims around the world) from the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Please take this seriously. The cleric being commemorated received significant financing from the Iranians and caused substantial unrest in Israel before being captured and executed by a joint Israeli-Italian task force.
Posted by Thoreau @ 6:23 pm, Filed under: Main
Ho Ho Ho From Your Favorite Diplomat And Her Whole Extended Degenerate Family!
I'll have something warm with booze in it. And make it, y'know, Christmasey.
That's funny, Trish, just add a couple pictures and hat tips and one has a complete blog topic.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, all.
ReplyDeleteMat, I just got in from my girlfriend's place at about 0730 and have been getting the turkey started ever since...I'll catch up with your links later. Nice to know you're thinking of me.
BTW, I quit smoking about 4-5 days ago, so factor that into our conversations. :-)
(Didn't really want to quit, but seems medically prudent.)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA turkish radical? don't you mean an arab or iranian and such? where the hell did you get a turkish radical from ... they are targeted too by the terrortist you moron!
ReplyDeleteD5, Saint Nicholas is the common name for Nicholas of Myra, a saint and Bishop of Myra, in Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey.
ReplyDeleteIt's a joke, son. You can laugh.
Very good, LT. Have yourself the very best of holidays, I'm very glad you quit smoking. Now, we can both go to work on Bob. :D
ReplyDeleted5 will have something warm with booze in it, too.
ReplyDeleteI got underbritches in my stocking! AND I'm going to spend the evening watching *every* episode of Fawlty Towers. I have preemptively claimed the living room for the duration, you filthy British-comedy-haters! (Who let you in to this highly selective outfit, anyway? Someone drop the ball on background checks?) (No, the fact that you're seven years old is not an excuse.)
Fawlty Towers is great! My favorite John Cleese. I think I've seen every episode, some more than once or course.
ReplyDeleteWOT'S.. THE DEAL?
ReplyDelete"LONG LIVE SNOWZILLA!"
ReplyDelete"SNOWZILLA LIVES!"
Waht if Snowzilla were from the villa of Wasilla?
ReplyDeleteWhat then?
Some evil doer would pour accelerant upon him and set him ablaze. Melting down the snowzilla in a thermal envelope of hate.
ReplyDeleteIf he were in Wasilla.
What kind of person would you have to be to complain about Snowzilla? Poor fellow is doomed anyway.
ReplyDeleteSame type of neighbor folks that complain about firing up a bunch of lights and drawing a crowd to see them.
ReplyDeleteFolks that do not want their side street existence to be subject to strangers driving by and gawking at their children. Believing that greater exposure to the general public increases, needlessly, the risks to their own safety and security.
Those kind of people, bob.
Well, I'm willing to bet two snowballs that the apparatchik who spoke against Snowzilla was an Obama decocrat. He had the look and tone of one.
ReplyDeleteSince there's not much to do around here, one of the big things is people drive around and look at X-mas lights. The bus from the rest home even takes the old folks around.
Guy's probably married to Nurse Ratched, Or, May She's His Mom
ReplyDeleteBut here, in sunny Phoenix, the neighbors often complain about their neighborhoods' somewhat gawdy displays that draw thousands of viewers each season. It is, they say, a disruption of normal loving that creates traffic and other hazards, in the area of occupation.
ReplyDeleteFrom what the City employee was saying, the display had drawn consistent complaints, annually, from the neighbors and was in violation of the law.
What kind of a fellow would violate the law to piss off his neighbors, year after year?
Then would use the liberal chant:
ReplyDelete"That it is for the children"
Then there's the city's big display down at the Park. Very ecumenical, but draws plenty of traffic for looking.
ReplyDeleteOught to all be taken down, as it causes traffic to slow by a few miles per hour.
If we let this go on any longer, our society will come to a dead stop!
It's "Wampum Night" at the Casino. Which is where I'm goin', if I can get past City Park.
Good luck and may your prayers be answered.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmass, bob.
Grinch
ReplyDeleteThat Snowzilla isn't all that big anyway. All Power To Billy Powers!
Merry Christmas to you too, Rat, and everyone.
later
Ms d5, of course some Turks are Islamic terrorists.
ReplyDeleteTurkish terror against Christians
Christians Tortured & Brutally Murdered in Turkey
Turkish Cypriot & Tanzanian Jailed for 'Terror Camps' in UK
Turkish Cypriot Confession
I hadn't seen Farty Towels in years, ash. I adore it.
ReplyDeleteViewing pleasure was marred by a very farty dog, however. Not MY dog, but the black lab/elephant seal mix that belongs to my parents' hand-picked menagerie of impressively stupid, lavishly offending creatures.
(I'm reminded of author Pat McManus's dog, Strange. And if you've never read McManus, bob, you should. Beginning with A Fine and Pleasant Misery or The Bear in the Attic.)
If you want to keep up on what the Religion of Peace is up to this Holiday Season you can go to the religionofpeace website where they keep a running total on the atrocities around the world. Itemized by date, place, casualties,etc.
ReplyDeleteCongressional Approval Rating Hits 9%
ReplyDeleteOne might ask, why do we keep electing these arseholes, but, we've had that discussion, and the answer seems to be, most people like their own Congressman, even if all the others ought to be shot.
Politics in Israel heating up--from Israel Matzov--
Likud losing votes to nationalist parties
I told you all that I was not going to vote Likud because of the way Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu treated Moshe Feiglin. A lot of you have vehemently disagreed with me (read the comments at the previous link). But my feelings are not uncommon.
Two new polls out on Thursday indicate that Likud's lead over Kadima is shrinking, but that most of the votes are going in favor of nationalist parties.
Several weeks ago, Netanyahu was solidly ahead in the polls, leaving his rival, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the ruling Kadima party, lagging behind by as many as nine seats. The new polls showed his lead shrinking to four seats, but potential hawkish partners gaining the strength he lost.
A Dialog survey published in Haaretz showed Likud winning 30 of parliament's 120 seats, down from 36 seats in its previous poll two week ago. The poll, which surveyed 475 people and had a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points, had Kadima winning 26 seats, down one from its previous showing.
A Dahaf survey published in Yediot Ahronot had identical results. That poll surveyed 525 people and had a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.
Camil Fuchs, who supervises Dialog's survey, linked the shift to Netanyahu's machinations to drop the ranking of hawkish candidate Moshe Feiglin on Likud's slate of candidates for parliament. Netanyahu had been afraid that a higher ranking would have alienated moderate voters whose support he hoped to court.
But the polls suggest the move backfired, driving some former Netanyahu backers into the arms of other nationalist parties that hold a conservative stance on territorial concessions that may be part of a future peace with the Palestinians and Syria.
Heh. Maybe Netanyahu will get stuck with a religious and nationalist coalition after all.
Haaretz notes the trend described above, but does not indicate which parties have gained in its poll. YNet notes the possibility of a 'world war' over Binyamin Netanyahu's efforts to bring former NRP leader Effi Eitam into the Likud. That may be Netanyahu's way of making up to the right for his shafting of Feiglin.
The second issue involves humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza which Israel is to approve during the week. Olmert wants reports on stockpiles of essential items to ensure that a humanitarian crisis does not break out in the Strip during military action.
ReplyDeleteIsrael Is Going Into Gaza
But being rather nice about it, by taking the 'civilian' needs into account.
Likud losing votes to nationalist parties
ReplyDelete==
I have zero trust in Netanyahu. Most nationalists in Israel share in this mistrust.
As I walk through the valley of death I fear no one, for I am the meanest mother fucker in the valley!
ReplyDeleteRufus,
ReplyDeleteOur kid was a big fan of Jerry Lee @ age 6.
...quite a bit wilder stuff than that number, tho.
jerry lee lewis - great balls of fire
ReplyDeleteJerry Lee Lewis and Gary Busey,Keith Richards
Jerry Lee Lewis & Keith Richards Little Queenie
ReplyDeleteChuck Berry w- Stevie Ray Vaughan &George Thorogood
ReplyDeleteCould Rufus make a Mississippi Girl Squeal?
ReplyDeleteGeorge Thorogood "Bad To The Bone" LIVE in Clarksdale, Mississippi at the Juke Joint Jam.
A sound so beautiful---like a soul--- go go go go go going to hell!
ReplyDeletego go go go go going to Hell!
ReplyDeleteNicotine is EVIL!
ReplyDeleteI recall a Miami Vice episode where that b b b b b bad to the bone was the theme song. Bunch of punks raising hell is all I remember.
ReplyDeleteAfter you've been listening to Maria McCool, it kind of wakes you up, kinda grates a little bit:)
Put up something in remembrance of Eartha Kitt, I got to get back to bed.
"Bunch of punks raising hell is all I remember."
ReplyDelete---
Memory Cells are the first to go in chronic Nicotinic Necrosis.
(I've never seen a single Miami Vice Episode.
ReplyDelete...among many others.)
This will bring back memories, doug, that you've never had.
ReplyDeleteSomething to Relax al-Bob's (poisoned) Nerves.
ReplyDeleteOr this version with clips from the show.
ReplyDelete(I observed West Coast Versions Firsthand!)
ReplyDeleteEighteen years ago this day, a baby boy weighing just over six pounds was born in a tiny convent hospital in northern Bavaria, not far from the Czech border. He arrived a month early and spent the next two weeks largely in the care of a beautiful, soft-spoken Novice and one frightening Mother Superior, who deemed prompt and complete attendance at Vespers more important than the requirements of human health.
ReplyDeleteThe boy soon came to be called Fidel by his own maternal grandmother, who correctly discerned an unyielding autocratic tendency and general disdain for the whole, sorry lot of humanity.
He has promised he will change his name before executing his plans to form a second, more perfect union, while quietly providing for us in some obscure locale, maybe visiting us under heavy cover now and again, simply to remind us that we are still hopelessly wrong about most things.
Happy birthday, sweetheart. We all love you dearly anyway.
Methuselah, if you don't rally behind Bibi despite your nationalist mistrust of him, you'll get Labor or Kadima, and you can trust them to piece-part Israel out.
ReplyDeleteNonsense. There's plenty to choose other than the tired US puppets.
ReplyDeleteI get rather tired being told how stupid I am, over and over again in exactly the same way that my best friend from HS always has.
ReplyDeleteFriend, an engineer, son a computer code security Nazi.
...they just don't understand...
Needless to say, neither do I.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should become Humbleth, and learn to enjoy it.
ReplyDelete...or, more properly:
ReplyDeleteHumbleth Myself.
Fat Chance.