Politics As Usual

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by sgtclub
Not if he went through SA

You might want to check a map on that one.

[SlaveNoMore]

Atticus Grinch
I thought we had seen a quantum leap forward in socking technology with Lawtalkers' introduction of a "log out" button and the ability to reuse the same Hotmail account to verify a valid address.

I never imagined it would be possible for a right-wing parody sock to actually become corporeal, incarnate, and, indeed, tenured at Boalt.

• First, we need to impress upon the Boalt community that a new day is dawning. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation will have diminished returns on our students, since they already are inured to the procedure from one too many cram sessions. If we are to undo years of liberal indoctrination at Cal, we must employ some of the tactics we refined in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since their hormones are raging anyway, I suggest a rigorous application of the more erotic punishments that have worked so well for us overseas. We could even tailor the humiliation to the curriculum; anyone who fails to recall the substance of Antonin Scalia's dissent in the recent sodomy ruling, for example, won't make the same mistake again after we school them in the art of anal violation.

"School them in the art of anal violation"? This guy sounds way cool. Now I really wish I'd gotten into Boalt.

You think Yoo could sue them for libel for that nonsense? He should.

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Whil discussing numbers, I believe that this Big "Mess" and "quagmire" we are now bogged down in has resulted in ~850 American deaths.

Which, in perspective, is about one third of how many Americans were killed on D-Day alone.

Don't get me wrong - the loss of one mere American is terrible - but these actual numbers at issue are miniscule to say the least.

The actual number of people killed in the WTC are miniscule compared to the pop of New York, yet I don't see anyone using the term "miniscule" with that tragedy. 850 people who swore to defend our country have been killed.

I know everybody's got stories about their link to the troops, so I'm not arguing I'm special, but I have a family member who wa sin Iraq and is now rotated out. He served as a pallbearer for a guy from his brigade who was killed a month ago in Iraq. He didn't really know the guy that well but since the rest of the unit was still in Iraq he wanted to do what he can. The descriptions he gave of the sadness of the family and friends of this guy were pretty heartbreaking. You might think that "miniscule" is perspective, but my perspective is that the suffering of that kid's family and friends is being felt 850 times over.

Sorry to get all holier than thou. It's usually not my style but I think the word miniscule just set me off. I think it's time for happy hour.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop

God DAMN

Shhhh! Stop that or you will bring Gin Rummy out of lurking, firing off scripture verses condemning to hell those who use the lord's name in vane.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
You might want to check a map on that one.

First you expect us to know history, and then math, and now GEOGRAPHY?!?!?!? JFC, Ty, give it a rest it is FRIDAY!

[SlaveNoMore]

Not Me
My thoughts on the GC are - why? Purportedly it is to protect our soldiers, right? Name me a war in which our enemies abided by the GC.

Let's see, was it WWII with the Bataan Death March, etc. Nope.

Was it the Vietnam War? Hell nope.

Korea, Gulf War I??? Nope and nope.

Are we ever likely to fight a war against a country that would adhere to the GC? I guess if Canada invades maybe.

Let me take this one Ty.

Because we are supposed to lead by example. The "well, they do it too" doesn't fly with this here American

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
You might want to check a map on that one.

Irrelevant.

Fear, and beg for mercy from, the Iraqi Navy!

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
You might want to check a map on that one.

I did: http://www.mideastweb.org/maps.htm

Those water ways don't look very deep on the map . . .

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Let me take this one Ty.

Hank is good with the Gilligan's stuff, so I was counting on him to cite Hogan's Heroes to remind us that the Red Cross got to see U.S. POWs in Germany during WWII.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
The actual number of people killed in the WTC are miniscule compared to the pop of New York, yet I don't see anyone using the term "miniscule" with that tragedy. 850 people who swore to defend our country have been killed.

Well, this may set you off, too.

I don't think it is an apt comparison to compare a terrorist attack on civilians to a military action. There is a difference between civilians sitting in their offices at work, and a military death during war. People in the military, like police officers and fire-fighters, know that they are doing a dangerous job. And IMHO, not getting paid enough for it. This is why they are honored in such heartfelt ways when they die while performing their duties - they are heros.

Unless they were a firefighter/police officer or an ordinary person who lost their lives trying to save another, those who died in the WTC weren't heros. They were victims. You may mourn the death of a victim or honor them for the things they did during their lives, but they aren't heros. Heros are those who act heroicly.

We have an all volunteer military and I respect and grieve for those people who die while so honorably serving their country. But the reason I feel such respect for them is precisely because they chose this service knowing full well what the risks were. They knew war was a possibility and knew that they might die. The fact that only 850 people have died in the invasion and subsequent attempt to stabilize Iraq is a testament to the skill of those in the military. I would say that number is unexpectedly low given the magnitude of the job they were asked to do.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by sgtclub
I did: http://www.mideastweb.org/maps.htm

Those water ways don't look very deep on the map . . .

More than two or three feet would stop most of the Iraqi Army. The Red Sea is deeper than that.

[SlaveNoMore]

The Larry Davis Experience
The actual number of people killed in the WTC are miniscule compared to the pop of New York, yet I don't see anyone using the term "miniscule" with that tragedy.

Au contraire, mon frer.

I remark all the time that it is an absolute miracle that so few people died in that carnage. It could have been 65,000.

I feel for your friend's family. I really do. But there is loss whenever a loved one does, however the cause.

Bottom line is that ~850 deaths over an entire year out of a current mass deployment of over 138,000 troops (a lot more if you count rotations) is a SMALL amount.

Hardly the mess. If anything, I'd say the minimal loss of life is quite the SUCCESS.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Hank is good with the Gilligan's stuff, so I was counting on him to cite Hogan's Heroes to remind us that the Red Cross got to see U.S. POWs in Germany during WWII.

Can't help you.
Once Auto Focus came out, Ashcroft really discouraged using HH for our blogging nuisance sock work.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Because we are supposed to lead by example. The "well, they do it too" doesn't fly with this here American

If that is the reason, then people should state it. But all this talk about how it is important for us to abide by the GC because the GC protects our soldiers when they are taken as POWs is just bunk. Hasn't happened once.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
More than two or three feet would stop most of the Iraqi Army. The Red Sea is deeper than that.

I was kidding. The sad thing is that I actually checked the map before I posted the first time. Israel is so damn small that I missed it.