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Wow a number of interesting items today, none of which really seemed to justify their own post, so here you go. I’m gonna do this Glenn Reynolds style.

Ever wanted to know the anatomy of a M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank?? Well no worry, I just provided you with a link

Thomas Sowell produces yet another gem where he debates with if we had worried about things like proportional responses back during WII. It includes this gem

Eventually, by 1945, allied armies had both Germany and Japan retreating. What would have happened if we had had Kofi Anan and the mushy mindset called “world opinion” at work then?

Kofi Anan would undoubtedly have called for a cease fire.

He could have pointed out that the American response to Germany was wholly “disproportionate” because the Germans had never landed troops in America or bombed American cities, and were certainly no real threat to the United States at that point.

Remember the big deal about the photos of the little Israeli girls writing on the artillery shells a few days back?? But you haven’t heard the whole story huh? That’s right, and it makes alot more sense when you do.

Senate asks for emergency supplemental funding to secure border. Much better than Sessions amendment from a few days ago.

Funniest Cartoon Today.

Heh.

The whole “Chicken Hawk” slur?? Destroyed here.

You don’t need medical training to express an opinion on healthcare. You don’t have to be on the police force to comment on matters of law and order. You don’t have to be a parent or a teacher or a graduate to be heard on the educational controversies of the day. You don’t have to be a journalist to comment on this or any other column.

And whether you have fought for your country or never had that honor, you have every right to weigh in on questions of war and peace. Those who cackle “Chicken hawk!” are not making an argument. They are merely trying to stifle one, and deserve to be ignored.

Amen

I’m rather disturbed to hear this idea of an international force being used to secure southern Lebanon being treated as if it had some merit. Especially if it is led by the UN, whose (borrowed) forces have turned virtually every location they’ve been deployed into an absolute clusterfuck.

As an example of how pointless an international force would be, I offer this single multiple-choice scenario.

The situation : International force has been deployed, and one patrol happens upon a group of Hezbollah fucktardsterrorists about to launch a rocket towards Israel. What do they do?

A) Advise the fucktardsterrorists that they are about to violate a UN resolution and issue them a warning while glaring harshly
B) Radio into HQ and wait until their request for instructions is filed in triplicate, lost, found, refiled, submitted to international inquiry, bumped up the chain of command and then returned for more information.
C) Continue on their patrol and file the incident under “Contact with locals” when they return to base
D) Flip off the safety on their .50 cal and convert the fucktardsterrorists into a fine mist of pink ooze.

Until the international “community” is prepared to answer D, an international force is pointless because the force won’t have the power to actually do what it is supposed to do…enforce peace.

Kevin, a handsome dude, walked into a sports bar around 9:58 PM. He sat down next to this blonde at the bar and stared up at the TV.

The 10:00 o’clock news was on and the news crew was covering a story of a man on a ledge of a large building preparing to jump.

The blonde looked at Kevin and said, “Do you think he’ll jump?”

Kevin says, “Yes, I bet he’ll jump.”

The blonde replied, “Well, I bet he won’t.”

Kevin placed $20 on the bar and said, “You’re on!”

Just as the blonde placed her money on the bar, the guy did a swan dive off the building, falling to his death.

The blonde was very upset and handed her $20 to Kevin, saying, “Fair’s fair. Here’s your money.”

Kevin replied, “I can’t take your money, I saw this earlier on the 5:00 o’clock news and knew he would jump.”

The blonde said, “I did too, but I didn’t think he’d do it again.”

Kevin took the money . . .

When I was younger, I was in the Boy Scouts, and even ended up attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Now I have many fond memories of my time in the Scouts, but one of them that stands out was our Dragon Log campfires. They were the best, and we made it a tradition that every year we would have at least one along the shore of a lake I’ve since forgotten the name of. But the Dragon Log campfires stand out in their magnificence.

Today I was at a friend’s house eyeing up a dead oak tree that is going to need to come down sometime soon. I found myself wondering out loud if we could eventually convert it to a Dragon Log. Of course, since I have yet to meet another person that knows what a “Dragon Log” is, I was met only with blank stares.

What is a Dragon Log?? Quite simply it is a log standing on end that appears to breath fire. Properly set up it will do this for hours. If conditions are right, you’ll even be treated to some impressive colored flames shooting out. And such intense heat will be produced inside that virtually anything will be converted to ash in seconds.

Because this is a campfire treat that everyone deserves to experience, especially little kids, I present how to make a Dragon Log campfire.

Materials

First, we need to find a suitable log to convert to a dragon log. Now as many of you know, when an oak tree dies, nature has a tendency to hollow it out. This is good for us, because it’s exactly what we’re looking for. Problem is that oak trees last forever so finded a dead one that nobody else wants and that is also hollow is the hardest part.

Find a hollowed out trunk of an oak tree. Five feet long is probably the smallest suitable length. Eight feet long is probably the biggest you’ll want for stability reasons (you’ll understand later). Width…it has to be wide enough that if you stand it on end it is suitably stable. You may have to cut it’s length to make this happen, if not, leave it. Really, what I’m aiming at here is the longer and wider it is, the better….and yes insert whatever sexual commentary you want here.

Log Preperation

Now as with any worthwhile task, there is prep work needing to be done.

Now the center should be hollowed out already, but the inside edges may be soft and rotten. Wet wood doesn’t burn. Use a pole, stick or whatever you have to chip away most of the wet rotten wood. Now hopefully you have at least an couple inches of healthy solid wood around the entire circumference.

If the sides of the log are especially thick it may not be a bad idea to drill a couple 1-inch holes about a foot from the bottom.

If the tree was recently dead or the wood is wet, let it sit until dry.

Now you should have a big hollowed out log that’s dry enough to ignite if exposed to Ted Kennedy’s breath. Find all sorts of small kindling. Dead (dry!) branches from pine tree including dead pine needles are excellent for this. Ideally what you are looking for is stuff that will ignite easily and hold a flame for a decent amount of time.

Stuff the hollowed out log with lots of this kindling. Don’t overstuff it though! Remember, one of the most overlooked but essential ingredients for fire is oxygen. So air still needs to be able to circulate through this log.

Brave souls have also been known to soak the inside of the log and the kindling with gasoline or kerosone. I leave it to you to judge whether this is necessary.

Fire preperation

You need a big fire. By big I mean wide. Start a normal fire and come up with a very healthy and hot bed of coals. Have a stack of logs (at least as wide as your arm, and several feet long) ready.

Also make sure you that if your fire has any trees overhanging, that the lowest branch be very high up. I’ve seen flames several feet tall shooting out of a Dragon Log and the heat produced inside the log is intense.

Awakening The Dragon

Pick up the log (requires several people) and stand it on end in the center of the bed of coals. Hopefully it stands on it’s own, but probably not. One person will have to hold the side, while the others quickly build a log cabin of logs around the log to hold it steady. It should eventually settle into a stable position though.

While you are doing this the coals should ignite the tinder and kindling inside the log and fire should start traveling up the inside of the log. Eventually flames will come shooting out the top, and at night it will look like a fire-breathing dragon. Hence “Dragon Log”. Hopefully the kindling inside last long enough that the inside of the log itself should catch fire and this flame will continue to shoot out the top all night long.

You’ll want to keep a fire going at the base of the Dragon Log. This helps feed the fire within the log even more. Plus if holes burn through the side of the log at the base it allows more oxygen to enter the log which generates even more heat. This is where those pre-drilled holes for thicker logs comes in. Because oxygen is usually the critical factor in this project.

Slaying The Dragon

Now as you should be aware, oak takes a long time to burn, so this should last for awhile. Eventually however, the log will burn itself from the inside out and it’s structural integrity will fail. So keep an eye on it, it’ll eventually fall on it’s own but for the safety of those around it, sometimes it’s best to knock it down yourself in a semi-controlled manner.

The Rankings Are As Follows:
Triple “I Whine Like A Child” A : 4
Dan S : 3
Aelfheld : 2
Sola-Man : 2
NightWriter : 2
Mall Diva : 2
Bobby_B : 2
Harvey : 1
Bogus Doug : 1
tommy g : 1
spurringirl : 1
Drunkguy : 1

For this contest you get to make up your own answers!! That’s right…just pretend you’re a real life journalist and just make shit up. Post answers in the comments. They will be judged on creativity, plausibility and humor.

Question : Come up with a name for this super-hero pair

Past Contests

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19

Scenario:

You are driving in a car at a constant speed. On your left side is a valley and on your right side is a fire engine traveling at the same speed as you.

In front of you is a galloping pig which is the same size as your car and you cannot overtake it. Behind you is a helicopter flying at ground level. Both the giant pig and the helicopter are also traveling at the same speed as you.

What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?
(more…)

Now obviously I’m a big fan of the Minutemen and greatly admire the work they do. But if there is one thing that gets my blood boiling faster than illegal immigration it’s wasting money…especially due to incompetence or corruption. Both of which certainly sound like they could be at work within the Minutemen organization.

A growing number of Minuteman Civil Defense Corps leaders and volunteers are questioning the whereabouts of hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of dollars in donations collected in the past 15 months, challenging the organization’s leadership over financial accountability.

Many of the group’s most active members say they have no idea how much money has been collected as part of its effort to stop illegal entry — primarily along the U.S.-Mexico border, what it has been spent on or why it has been funneled through a Virginia-based charity headed by conservative Alan Keyes.

Several of the group’s top lieutenants have either quit or are threatening to do so, saying requests to Minuteman President Chris Simcox for a financial accounting have been ignored.

Granted this is a government agency so they are not accountable to the taxpayers, but it’s not looking good. You’ll see what I mean.

Gary Cole, the Minutemen’s former national director of operations, was chief liaison to the national press corps during the group’s April 2005 border watch in Arizona. He was one of the first to raise questions about MCDC finances. He personally collected “tens of thousands of dollars” in donations during the 30-day border vigil. But despite numerous requests — many directly to Mr. Simcox — he was never told how much money had been collected or where it went.

Ok…maybe not a big deal…

The Minuteman organization has not made any financial statements or fundraising records public since its April 2005 creation. It also has sought and received extensions of its federal reporting requirements and has not given the Minuteman leadership, its volunteers or donors any official accounting. A financial statement promised to The Times by Mr. Simcox for May was never delivered.

Once again, maybe not a big deal. Maybe just red tape getting in the way. But it’s certain turning into a pattern.

Mike Gaddy, a retired Army veteran of Vietnam, Grenada and Beirut who helped organize the Minuteman’s April 2005 border watch as a field coordinator, said he and other volunteers challenged Mr. Simcox on numerous occasions to come up with a financial accounting and are suspicious of the need for hiring outside consultants.

It’s important to not these aren’t critics of the organization that are raising questions. These are supporters.

He said Mr. Simcox rejected his offer last year to personally pay for an audit to answer growing concern among the ranks about the group’s finances.

“He told me what he did was his business.

His business?? One would think it’s the whole organizations business.

Mr. Keyes said that MCDC is in the process of applying to the IRS for nonprofit status and that those responsible are “adhering to all relevant federal regulations.” He called concerns over finances and accountability “groundless,” saying they were being “bandied about by members of anti-immigrant and racialist groups, and other unsavory fringe elements attempting to hijack the border security debate to further their individual agendas.”

See that card only applies if it’s actually critics of your organization that are making the accusations. So far we’ve seen multiple current/former members of the organization raising questions. It’s not your critics leading this charge, it’s your own people…there’s a difference.

Earlier this year, Vern Kilburn resigned as director of operations for the Minuteman’s northern Texas sector because of what he called “professional differences with the management and business practices” of the MCDC national headquarters.

In a letter of resignation, he said Mr. Simcox and other Minuteman leaders offered “no acceptable answers” to concerns that he had about the management, accountability, ownership and the distribution of money for the Texas operation, adding that they were unable to verify Texas’ share of the Minuteman donations.

Several Minuteman volunteers said questions concerning the group’s finances intensified during October when money promised by Mr. Simcox and others for food and supplies never reached the volunteers on the line.

Some of the MCDC leaders gathered at the time to discuss replacing Mr. Simcox but reached no consensus. At that meeting, attended by The Times, they said money promised for field operations was never delivered and questioned the role of “outsiders” with the Minuteman organization.

When your own people are thinking of replacing you…yeah, you might have a problem.

Overall, it appears that something isn’t on the up and up within the Minuteman organization, otherwise I have to imagine some sort of proof of legitimacy would have been offered. Granted at this point it’s all pure speculation, but when the accused offers no defense, what is the jury supposed to think?

It would be a shame if this tarnished the name of the Minuteman and the good work they do. Here’s to hoping this is all just smoke and mirrors.

The Truth Laid Bear has the full text of the resolution the Senate passed today declaring their support for Israel and denouncing the actions of Hezbollah.

The best part? It actually names the real culprits

(5) condemns the Governments of Iran and Syria for their continued support for Hezbollah and Hamas, and holds the Governments of Syria and Iran responsible for the acts of aggression carried out by Hezbollah and Hamas against Israel;

Occasionally the Senate gets something right.

Why is it that every time I see some really stupid news story, it comes out of either:
A) Washington DC
2) New Jersey
C) Florida
4) Wisconsin

Today’s case comes from Wisconsin

Michael Wilk was tossing back a few beers with friends…

Oh this oughta be good.

…when he saw God on the side of his 4-foot-long pet alligator.

Without even squinting, Wilk noticed white markings pop out against a backdrop of black scales to form the letters G-O-D.

Seriously people, God, Jesus, Mary or any of the rest of the upper management over at Heaven Inc. have a heck of a petty cash account. They don’t need to appear on toast, road signs, cheese sandwiches, muffins, highway overpasses, or alligators. Trust me, if they wanted to make themselves known they’d appear during the final performance on American Idol and say “HEH, listen up, I got something to say…“. Whether we could vote them off the show by calling in is up to the producers.

“When I first saw it, my jaw dropped,” said Wilk, 25. “It’s just sort of like a phenomenon on it.”

It’s farking stripes!!!

Wilk, a home remodeler with hopes of one day starting up an alligator farm…

Because if there is one thing alligators like, it’s the cold weather of Wisconsin.

…did not notice the gator’s unusual markings when it was given to him in December by another Wisconsin man who could no longer care for it.

So Wilk “found God”….how nice.

The gator’s home is a 450-gallon artificial pond where it feeds on raw chicken, steak and frozen mice, Wilk said.

While this may not answer the question of “What Would Jesus Do?”, it is clear that “God” is not a vegetarian.

Though most folks who have seen or heard of Wilk’s gator share a sense of amazement, they don’t see a higher meaning behind the letters on its hide.

Yeah, tell that to the people down in South America who are still crying over a water stain on a highway overpass that supposedly looks like the Virgin Mary.

Wilk, who was raised Roman Catholic but does not attend a church, said the creature hasn’t affected him spiritually:

“We don’t sit around with candles worshiping this animal, if that’s what you mean.”

Well good, because if you had been raised Roman Catholic, you presumably know that they tend to frown on worshipping false idols. If a golden calf qualifies, certainly a malnourished alligator does.

Which brings me to my final question…when do we get to see Steve Irwin kick God’s ass??