H&I* Fires, 29 MAR 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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Boudi's Bro strikes again:

An astronaut crew crash lands on a planet in the distant future where the French are the dominant "species", and other humans are the oppressed and enslaved, and forced to eat nothing but food wrapped in thin pancakes.

I'm calling it, PLANET OF THE CREPES.

Sigh. I probably shouldn't encourage this - but mebbe if he gets good at it and famous, I can be in his posse and pick up scraps. Moving along...

I'm not a McCainiac, but what the heck, Patrick Hynes was polite when he asked...

John McCain has launched a petition on the campaign’s website regarding the actions of the U.S. Senate last night. (Signatories need only give their names). We sure would appreciate a link:

Click here to sign the petition.

· The supplemental appropriations bill that passed the Senate on March 27, calling for a date certain withdrawal from Iraq , is nothing more than a guaranteed date of surrender.

· It is a refusal to acknowledge the dire consequences of failure, in terms of the stability in the Middle East and the resulting impact on the security of all Americans, whether home or abroad.

· Democrats have chosen the politically expedient position of failure rather than putting aside the small politics of the day in the interest of our nation and the values upon which this nation rests.

· We the undersigned remain steadfast in our support for the war against terrorism and mindful of the consequences of failure in Iraq , even if Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid refuse to acknowledge those consequences.

· We support our troops and the new strategy and believe it should be given the opportunity to succeed. American national security interests are directly at stake. Success or failure in Iraq is the transcendent issue for our foreign policy and our national security. People say they want to defeat the terrorists, but if we withdraw from Iraq prematurely, it will be the terrorists' greatest triumph.

· If we leave Iraq based on an artificial timetable, al Qaeda will be free to plan, train for and conduct operations from Iraq just as they did in Afghanistan before 9/11.

Signed, [YOUR NAME]

Act as you see fit!

More politics, this time from the people who are stuffing blogger email boxes with stuff they hope we'll post (I don't post it all, believe me!) comes this "Best One Minute Of The Day" from Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana:

When it comes to the new democrat congress it is the 1970's all over. Hostages in Iran , congress is making plans to withdrawal from another unpopular war and the democrats return to the floor of congress with plans to tax and spend once again. Higher taxes for working families, small businesses and family farms to finance billions of dollars in new spending with absolutely no reform of entitlements, the real threat to our children and grandchildren. The G.O.P. Budget alternative will balance the budget by 2012 without tax increasing, without raiding social security and with truly historic entitlement. I say, madam speaker, say no to reform, bell bottoms, disco and the tax-and-spend politics of the 1970's. Say yes to the republican budget resolution and I yield back.

Click here to view the entire floor speech should you feel the need. Of course, when you do that, you realize from the *packed audience* that most of this speechifying is for the Congressional Record...

Concluding this "All Politics With An Introductory Groaner" edition of the H&I today, let's put in President Bush's speech to an industry group yesterday:

"Our Troops In Iraq Deserve The Full Support Of The Congress"

President Bush: "At The Very Moment That General Petraeus's Strategy Is Beginning To Show Signs Of Success, The Democrats In The House Of Representatives Have Passed An Emergency War Spending Bill That Undercuts Him And The Troops Under His Command." (President George W. Bush, Remarks To The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Washington, DC, 3/28/07)

1. "First, The House Bill Would Impose Restrictions On Our Commanders In Iraq, As Well As Rigid Conditions And Arbitrary Deadlines On The Iraqi Government." "It would mandate a precipitous withdrawal of American forces, if every one of these conditions is not met by a date certain. Even if they are met, the bill would still require that most American forces begin retreating from Iraq by March 1st of next year, regardless of conditions on the ground."
- "What Is Clear Is That The Consequences Of Imposing Such A Specific And Random Date For Withdrawal Would Be Disastrous." "If the House bill becomes law, our enemies in Iraq would simply have to mark their calendars. They'd spend the months ahead … plotting how to use their new safe havens once we were to leave."

- "It Makes No Sense For Politicians In Washington, D.C. To Be Dictating Arbitrary Time Lines For Our Military Commanders In A War Zone 6,000 Miles Away."

2. "Second, The House Bill Also Undermines The Iraqi Government, And Contradicts The Democrats' Claim That They Simply Want To Help The Iraqis Solve Their Own Problems." "For example, the House bill would cut funding for the Iraqi security forces if Iraqi leaders did not meet arbitrary deadlines. The Democrats cannot have it both ways. They can't say that the Iraqis must do more, and then take away the funds that will help them do so."

- "To Cut Off Support For The Security Forces Would Put Our Own Security At Risk." "Iraq is a young democracy. It is fighting for its survival in a region that is vital to our security. The lesson of September the 11th must not be forgot."

3. "Third, The House Bill Would Add Billions Of Dollars In Domestic Spending That Is Completely Unrelated To The War." "For example, the bill includes $74 million for peanut storage, $25 million for spinach growers. These may be emergencies, they may be problems, but they can be addressed in the normal course of business. They don't need to be added on to a bill that's supporting our troops."

"This Week The Senate Is Considering A Version That Is No Better"

President Bush: "The Senate Bill Sets An Arbitrary Date For Withdrawal." "It also undermines the Iraqi government's ability to take more responsibility for their own country by cutting funds for Iraqi reconstruction and law enforcement. And just like their colleagues in the House, Senate Democrats have loaded their bill with special interest spending."

- "The Consequences Of Withdrawal Would Be Disastrous For The United States Of America." "If we were to step back from Baghdad before it was more secure, before the government could secure its own capital, it would leave a security vacuum. … The terrorists could emerge from chaos … with new safe havens to replace the one they had lost in Afghanistan."

"This Is A Fight That Can Be Won"

President Bush: "Prevailing In Iraq Is Not Going To Be Easy … But This Is A Fight That Can Be Won." "If we cannot muster the resolve to defeat this evil in Iraq, America will have lost its moral purpose in the world, and we will endanger our citizens, because if we leave Iraq before the job is done, the enemy will follow us here. Prevailing in Iraq is not going to be easy. Four years after this war began, the nature of the fight has changed, but this is a fight that can be won."

- "If We Stand By The Iraqi People Today And Help Them Develop Their Young Iraqi-Style Democracy, They're Going To Be Able To Take Responsibility For Their Own Security." "And when that day comes, our forces can come home, and ... we will leave behind a stable country that can serve as an example for others, and be an ally in this global struggle against those who would do us harm."

-the Armorer

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Arts and Crafts, Part Deux: It's official -- the Marines now frown on A&C in combination with bodywork. --BillT

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Tacky. Funny, but tacky. Racist? How do you do that math in this context? Posta-poo. -the Armorer

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Iran just keeps digging

/sigh

I'm not a proponet of the "Let's attack Iran" group (for reasons I won't bring up currently, but it's not because "we shouldn't") , but I'm rapidly seeing us headed that way. The ramifications of which are both good, and depressing.

-BloodSpite
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One of my buds with of cheapa$$ Pictish skinflint haggis-muncher Scottish descent sends me this every. blastid. year. at this time...

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 million developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside-down, on almost any surface including glass, and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300°C.

The Russians used a pencil.

Your taxes are due again--enjoy paying them.

At least he didn't send it *before* I filed... --BillT
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Late to the party, but wanted to add this tid-bit:

My analysis is that the Brits were taken due to the sanctions. Earlier this month, Ahmidinjad had vowed to "hit back hard" if sanctions were voted in. He knew it, we knew it. The blogosphere is going crazy saying the sanctions were "toothless". If they were so toothless, why did the Iranians risk war with their Barbary Pirates impersonation? Only those who do not pay attention to economic reports would call the sanctions "toothless". At this time in Iran's economy, the sanctions have the bite of a 12ft shark on a feeding frenzy at the sea lion waterpark.

We won't have to fire a shot at the Iranians. They are going to implode Soviet Style. Sooner rather than later by the indicaters.
-Kat