Category Archives: Scribbles

DeLay’s conviction

Posted on November 30, 2010 | Comments Off on DeLay’s conviction

I didn’t follow the local trial, so I’m not qualified to judge the verdict.

On the one hand it would not surprise me to find out that he, like Charlie Rangel (whose dishonesty went for personal gain and so certainly should be indicted but probably won’t be) and a host of other as-yet-unnamed national pols, are guilty of corruption.

On the other hand, I do think DeLay’s indictment was political and so his conviction may fall in the same category. He’ll appeal. We shall see what the arbiters of the law (as opposed to politics and emotion) have to say.

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Posted in Scribbles, Texana

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Fight Iran? We’re already fighting Iran

Posted on November 30, 2010 | Comments Off on Fight Iran? We’re already fighting Iran

A key revelation of the Wikileaks doc dump confirms what some of us have long believed:

“U.S. servicemen and -women are being dispatched to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan where they are fighting Iranian soldiers and assets in a regional war with the Islamic Republic that our officials dare not discuss, lest they have to do something about it.”

An analysis of the dump that’s worth a look.

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Posted in Afghanistan, Iraq, Obamalot, Scribbles, The War, Troops

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Flowers In The Gun Barrels

Posted on November 29, 2010 | Comments Off on Flowers In The Gun Barrels

first-idf-paratroopers-at-the-western-wall-june-1967I never have cared for American hip hop, but I love this Hebrew remix of “Prahim ba kane,” a victory song from Israel’s 1967 war in which they took back the Western Wall (right).

The song was first recorded by an IDF army band but it’s bested by the Zionist rapper Subliminal and his group, including sultry pop singer Sivan Behnam.

The refrain in English goes: “The sun will shine red in Gaza and Rapiakh/ The moon will shine white over the peak of Mount Hermon/ Flowers in the gun barrels and young girls in the watchtowers/ Soldiers will return in great number to the city.”

And the rest of the lyrics. Very hard to sing along in English, though.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Israel, Scribbles, The War

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Peak oil takes another hit

Posted on November 27, 2010 | Comments Off on Peak oil takes another hit

The new Tyler Formation could be another bonanza for the lower forty-eight, while the unctuous authors of unsustainability prattle on. Fortunately most of the leases are already in place and North Dakota welcomes drilling.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Science/Engineering, Scribbles

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Go Sarah Go

Posted on November 26, 2010 | Comments Off on Go Sarah Go

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Palin Derangement Syndrome makes me laugh. She’ll be a great president.

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Posted in Scribbles, The War

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Stoner

Posted on November 25, 2010 | Comments Off on Stoner

What a captivating story. A classic up-from-the-hardscrabble-farm tale. But with only ordinary success at the end. The title has an unfortunate modern meaning that it did not when first published in the 1950s, but you soon realize that it doesn’t apply.

A story of love, with all of its tragedy. Sad, yes, but with enough joy to know the difference and Stoner finds much of his joy in his work. “What did you expect?” the teacher asks himself again and again in a Victorian-style deathbed scene. One without the comfort of an explicit god, yet full of the religion of life.

Stoner’s appraisal of his student-lover’s book: “The prose was graceful and its passion was masked by a coolness and clarity of intelligence,” is a fitting summary of his creator’s effort as well. With the exception of a few long, vague sentences I had to reread several times before I could understand half the sense. So I moved on. For the most part the telling was seductive and endearing.

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Posted in Library, Scribbles

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The disappearance of military service

Posted on November 25, 2010 | Comments Off on The disappearance of military service

I would not especially care to see the return of the Draft, which was inequitable before and likely would be again, but it would at least spread the burden among more of the educated than volunteering does now, to the detriment of all:

“The loss of the martial virtues weakens an entire culture. Whole generations begin to rate themselves too special, ‘with a special kind of hide to be saved,’ as Gen. Savage puts it in Twelve O’Clock High, to risk their careers, let alone their lives, for their country.”

Insight from an academic blogger who burned his draft card back in the day and now regrets his youthful arrogance. At least he’s not a wannabee lying about serving when he didn’t.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Infantry OCS, Scribbles, Troops

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