February 22, 2005
Robot News: K.I.T.T. Car Comes Closer To Reality
David Hasselhoff's robotic co-star, the Knight Industries Two Thousand, may be one step closer to reality.
Swiss manufacturer Rinspeed Industries plans to introduce the Senso next month at the Geneva Motor Show.
The 'Senso', which runs on environmentally friendly natural gas, has, not without reason, been labeled the most sensuous car in the world. The 'Senso' actually 'senses' the driver by measuring his (or her) biometric data, and then exerts a positive effect on him with the help of patterns, colors, music and fragrances. A person who is relaxed and wide-awake simply drives better and more safely.
The Senso, while not as articulate as K.I.T.T., seems to care just as much for the well being of its driver.
As both speed and number of cars increase steadily, mobility becomes its own pitfall: the more cars there are on the street, the more stress is induced in the drivers – which might even add to a potentially aggressive mood caused by private or work-related problems. Nowadays, cars are used primarily by individuals, so there is no-one there to soothe the drivers in case of aggression, or keep the drivers awake during a long, monotonous journey. This results in an increasing number of accidents caused by stress or drowsiness.
One solution to this predicament would be a car that reacts to the mood of its driver.
The Rinspeed Senso with zenMotion shows what the future in automotive man-machine interaction could look like . . .
During the trip, sensors constantly measure speed, accelerate-brake-frequency, the driver's pulse, and other aspects that are part of the 'driving behavior'. Depending on the situation, the patterns change to soothe the driver or keep him/her awake, the music volume is adjusted accordingly, and the cabin temperature rises or falls. Of course, this happens in very subtle and unobtrusive ways, so the driver will still fully concentrate on the traffic.
i don't know about you, but the novelty would probably wear off on me after the first week. Then it would just become annoying. Kind of like the show Knight Rider, come to think of it.
The whole project is based on an elaborate sensory system that forms the heart of the vehicle. It consists of a number of sensors that have the job of gathering data about the driver's condition. Firstly, there is a biometric Polar watch to measure the driver's pulse. A "Mobile Eye" camera records his driving behavior, in other words how well and how often he changes lane, and how close and at what speed he approaches the cars in front. Then - this, at any rate, is the vision - a HP board computer evaluates the data and establishes, with the aid of special algorithms, the driver's current state of mind.
. . .
In the 'Senso' – depending on the condition of the driver - four small Sharp LCD monitors emit stimulating (orange/yellow), relaxing (blue/violet) or neutral (green) color patterns into the driver's line of vision. They are integrated into the futuristically designed interior paneling, which lights up over the entire area and bathes the cockpit in dazzle-free ambient light.
. . .
The optical stimuli are reinforced by especially composed sounds stored digitally on a computer. In addition to the eyes and ears, the nose is stimulated, too – by scents developed by the fragrances specialist, Voitino CWS, which flow into the car through the ventilators. Vanilla-mandarin has a calming effect, while citrus-grapefruit is more stimulating.
Interesting. Anyone who has ever ridden in a car with my brother when he has gas can verify the power of odor to keep a driver awake and alert, if not extremely eager to arrive at her destination. But i digress.
Even the tactile senses are included: should the central computer establish any symptoms of tiredness in the driver, electric motors integrated in the seat will shake him awake by vibrating.
A vibrating seat? Now that has promise.
i bet this car will be a big hit in Germany because, as you know, Germans love David Hasselhoff.
[cross-posted at A Western Heart]
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STOP!!! You're making my head hurt! Unless your next post is about those $10,000 love dolls.
Posted by: Casca at February 22, 2005 07:11 PM (cdv3B)
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Robot Etymology
Greetings. Here is some robot trivia.
The word robot apparently dates back to 1920, from a play by Czech author Karel Capek called R.U.R., or "Rossum's Universal Robots."
Capek is the founder of the Czech school of science fiction writers and an annual award given in the field of science fiction writing in Prague bears his name. This play introduced the word 'robot' first into Czech in its present meaning and then on to the world's languages.
Here's a snippet of philosophical dialogue from R.U.R., concerning the very nature of an android:Mr. DOMAIN: ...a working machine must not want to play the fiddle, must not feel happy, must not do a whole lot of other things. A petrol motor must not have tassels or ornaments, Miss Glory. And to manufacture artificial workers is the same thing as to manufacture motors. The process must be the simplest, and the product must be the best from a practical point of view. What sort of worker do you think is the best from a practical point of view?
Miss GLORY: The best? Perhaps the one who is most honest and hard-working.
Mr. DOMAIN: No, the cheapest. The one whose needs are the smallest. Young Rossum invented a worker with the minimum amount of requirements. He had to simplify him. He rejected everything that did not contribute directly to the progress of work. He rejected everything that makes man more expensive. In fact, he rejected man and made the Robot. My dear Miss Glory, the Robots are not people. Mechanically they are more perfect than we are, they have an enormously developed intelligence, but they have no soul.
Reminds me of what Data said to Riker in the Star Trek TNG pilot episode: "I am superior, Sir, in many ways. But I would gladly give it up to be human."
More etymological trivia:
Some references state that term 'robot' was derived from the Czech word robota, meaning 'work', while others propose that robota actually means 'forced workers' or 'slaves.' This latter view would certainly fit the point that Capek was trying to make, because his robots eventually rebelled against their creators, ran amok, and tried to wipe out the human race.
Stupid robots. Always bent on destroying the human race. Even from the beginning, it seems.
Back to the etymology:
However, as is usually the case with words, the truth of the matter is a little more convoluted. In the days when Czechoslovakia was a feudal society, 'robota' referred to the two or three days of the week that peasants were obliged to leave their own fields to work without remuneration on the lands of noblemen. For a long time after the feudal system had passed away, robota continued to be used to describe work that one wasn't exactly doing voluntarily or for fun, while today's younger Czechs and Slovaks tend to use robota to refer to work that's boring or uninteresting.
Kind of like the work i'm trying to avoid doing at this very moment.
Robot week! Let's celebrate it together, shall we?
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The List Of Words That Reuters Won't Say Is Longer Than i Had Thought
i already knew that Reuters won't use the word terrorist, but apparently they have an aversion to a few other words. Here's a google news page for today's top story. See if you can see what's missing.
US Citizen Accused of Discussing to Kill Bush
Reuters - 23 minutes ago
Man charged in alleged plot to kill Bush
CBC British Columbia, Canada - 42 minutes ago
Man charged for 'Bush death plot'
BBC News, UK - 1 hour ago
Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Kill Bush
ABC News - 1 hour ago
Virginia man accused of plot to assassinate Bush
Sun-Sentinel.com, FL - 1 hour ago
Plan to assassinate Bush
News24, South Africa - 1 hour ago
Man charged in alleged plot to kill Bush
San Jose Mercury News (subscription) - 2 hours ago
A plan to assassinate Bush?
Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, FL - 38 minutes ago
Plan to Assassinate President Bush Revealed
Elites TV, TX - 38 minutes ago
Man Charged with Conspiracy to Assassinate Bush
WLNS, MI - 1 hour ago
US Citizen Plots to Assassinate President Bush
The Conservative Voice - 1 hour ago
Virginia Man Charged With Plot To Assassinate President Bush
Jackson Channel.com, MS - 58 minutes ago
Indictment alleges Bush assassination plot
WBBH, FL - 1 hour ago
Former High School Valedictorian Charged In Bush Assassination ...
KWTX, TX - 1 hour ago
Ex-Virginian accused in alleged plot on Bush
Richmond Times Dispatch, VA - 1 hour ago
Man charged in alleged plot to kill Bush
Salon - 20 minutes ago
US man accused of discussing to kill Bush
Reuters.uk, UK - 26 minutes ago
Houston native charged in Bush death plot
Houston Chronicle - 45 minutes ago
Former Saudi prisoner accused of Bush
Ireland Online, Ireland - 1 hour ago
Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Kill Bush
San Francisco Chronicle - 1 hour ago
Virginia man charged in alleged plot to assassinate Bush
San Diego Union Tribune - 1 hour ago
Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Kill Bush
Wired News - 2 hours ago
Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Kill Bush
Guardian, UK - 1 hour ago
Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Kill Bush
ABC News - 2 hours ago
Valedictorian Charged With Plotting Bush's Assassination
WFIE-TV, IN - 22 minutes ago
Man Charged In Alleged Plot To Kill Bush
KFMB, CA - 18 minutes ago
Man charged in alleged plot to kill Bush
Albany Times Union, NY - 1 hour ago
Virginia man charged in alleged plot to assassinate Bush
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO - 1 hour ago
Virginia Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Assassinate President
7Online.com, NY - 1 hour ago
Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Assassinate Bush
WJXX, FL - 1 hour ago
Something's wrong when Reuters is more politically correct than the San Francisco Chronicle.
Update: i was wrong. In some limited contexts, Reuters is perfectly comfortable using a word like "terrorist," for example.
Bastards.
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Ridiculous. It doesn't even sound grammatically correct to me. They have added words in order to get around saying the most obvious words.
Posted by: red at February 22, 2005 12:21 PM (qxKkx)
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They're definitely not smoking what I am.
Posted by: Scof at February 22, 2005 01:08 PM (9lWXc)
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i was going to say something clever about how being PC is lame. i couldn't avoiding using words that make four year olds giggle, so instead you get this rambling comment.
anyway, keep up the good work.
Posted by: david hayes at February 22, 2005 02:19 PM (VzNHf)
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NOBODY is smoking what they are.
Posted by: JD at February 22, 2005 02:59 PM (J+Gcr)
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I don't think its neessarily got PC reasons but rather that this is a US citizen rather than some foreigner.
So he may be guilty of conspiracy, or treason, but labeling a US citizen as a terrorist is different than labeling a foreigner.
Isn't that one of the reasons for the enemy combatant label, rather than terrorist?
Posted by: Bob at February 22, 2005 03:23 PM (YmBsR)
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February 21, 2005
Completely Lame Robot Mailbag Post
annika's journal gets mail, and Robot Week is no exception.To: Annika
From: Leonard Nimoy
Subject: Robots
Dear Annika,
I was reading through your blog from beginning to end, and I noticed this Robot related post from last March. In it you incorrectly refer to Iron Man as a colossal death robot.
Allow me to point out that Iron Man, while colossal and deadly, was not a robot at all. A key fact, which you seem to have quite forgotten, is that Iron Man "was turned to steel in a great magnetic field."
Logic therefore dictates that Iron Man was at one time a carbon-based life form, and at no time was he a mechanical device, which by definition all robots are.
Please correct this error.
Sorry, Mr. Nimoy. If that is your real name. It's too late to correct that entry, so you can just kiss my ass.
Iron Man? Gimme a break. "Why should we even care?"
Any more celebrities wanna take a shot at me?
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Posted by: Johnny "Wad" Holmes at February 21, 2005 10:37 PM (cdv3B)
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It could be argued that carbon-based biology is merely a very complicated mechanism, albeit more immediately prey to the chaos which seems to be inherent in all so-called "life". In which case, perhaps the degree of life in a certain thing should be measured not by the complexity of its mechanism, but by its victimization at the hands of chaos. Or, carrying the thought further, perhaps we are only alive to whatever extent we embrace chaos.
By belittling robots, Mr. Nimoy, you belittle not only myself (I can take it, for my skin is Iron) but the beautiful unpredictability of life as a whole.
On behalf of the universe, I await your apology.
Yes, I'm a robot, but I'm more alive than you'll ever be. I am chaos and love.
Posted by: Iron Man at February 22, 2005 01:57 AM (v9/Gu)
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For robot stuff, check out the letters page of today's NYT...bizarrely, many NYT readers object to US use of "robot soldiers"...I guess they would rather have actual living American soldiers get wounded and killed.
Posted by: david foster at February 22, 2005 06:18 AM (bS4D3)
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Nimoy is right. What is steel made of? Iron and carbon. Iron Man must have been carbon based at one time.
Posted by: Q at February 22, 2005 10:23 AM (zAOEU)
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Iron Man isn't a robot because it's a man, baby. It is just a Howard Hughes wannabe in a fuckin' suit of armor. There's no excuse for such ignorance of the facts of the Marvel Universe unless if you're blonde or something. Get your geek on, people!(or in Annika's case, get on a geek)
Geez.
PS: Look at my fancy shmancy Iron Man gimp suit.....
http://www.y2cosplay.com/ComicCon/CCI99pics/CCI99Masq/IronMan1.gif
I'm so 1337.
Posted by: GO GO GADGET DICK! at February 22, 2005 10:52 AM (mnbUe)
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"look at my fancy shmancy Iron Man gimp suit....."
damn that is one nice suit.
Yes i clicked. I could not help it.
Posted by: cube at February 22, 2005 11:12 AM (nyNr0)
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Robot soldiers would presumably not be destroyed by a neutron bomb.
Has Elton John written you yet?
Posted by: Ontario Emperor at February 22, 2005 12:16 PM (v9NCH)
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No. Has Boy George written you?
Posted by: annika at February 22, 2005 02:06 PM (zAOEU)
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BL Line Of The Night
We all hate our clients. It's good to hate. It allows us to overcharge and still sleep at night.
--Denny Crane
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What a pregnant line. That's good dialogue.
Inevitably, we become what we are. If you practice love in your life, you become loving. If you give way to hate, ultimately there is no joy. That's why there are so many joyless lawyers. Way too much cognitive dissonance in that line of work.
The only happy lawyers who I ever met weren't practicing law.
Posted by: Casca at February 21, 2005 10:36 AM (cdv3B)
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Casca wrote:
The only happy lawyers who I ever met weren't practicing law.
LOL
then that would make them.......not lawyers!!!!!
a rabbit and a snake, both blind from birth, and not knowing what they were, bumped into each other every day in a field as they crossed. on one occasion, they stopped and explained their predicament to each other. using this as an opportunity to discover each others identity as well as their own, the snake wrapped itself around the rabbit. they then proceeded to describe each other thusly. the snake said you are furry, soft, big ears, cold nose, large hind legs.....you must be a rabbit. the rabbit was overjoyed at hearing this. the rabbit said, you are slimy, scaly, you have a forked tongue, but lack a backbone.....you must be a lawyer.
Posted by: louielouie at February 22, 2005 08:53 AM (i7mWl)
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February 20, 2005
OMG Tony Pierce Is So Awesome!
Read
Part One of my interview. It's even illustrated!
Then go buy How To Blog.
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Posted by: Jennifer at February 20, 2005 07:44 PM (IKn6K)
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I thought that the Elton John illustration was a nice touch, although I still think that Boy George would make a better UN Secretary General.
Posted by: Ontario Emperor at February 20, 2005 08:19 PM (muth+)
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I can't believe Tony Pierce read my (well, my and OS's) blog. I normally assume the only people reading my blog are mutants like me. (This is how I rationalize the relative dearth of traffic. There aren't many mutants like me.)
Posted by: Matt at February 20, 2005 11:04 PM (TLYaI)
Posted by: ginger at February 21, 2005 04:12 AM (Fl6Ze)
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Starts slow, finishes better.
Heh, I've only been reading blogs for the past five years. Who's Tony Pierce?
Matt, one thing I have noticed is that if you want traffic, you've got to have good content and make it a life goal, or have female tender parts and talk kinda slutty.
Posted by: Casca at February 21, 2005 09:59 AM (cdv3B)
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Congratulations!!
Posted by: Amy Bo Bamy at February 21, 2005 11:44 AM (RpVKX)
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Mmm..female tender parts..
Posted by: JD at February 22, 2005 03:02 PM (J+Gcr)
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WTF?
Am i the only one who was uncomfortable seeing a dancing midget onstage during the halftime show of the NBA All Star Game?
Wasn't that a bit insensitive, given that basketball is a sport that celebrates height more than any other human endeavor?
i mean, that was worse even than LeAnn Rimes' trashy outfit. What was up with that, anyway?
Update: Even though hardly anybody watched the game, and fewer still probably stuck around for the halftime show, i wasn't the only blogger who noticed the dancing midget.
Nasal Passages had this to say:
Ummmmmmmmmm, so at the half time of the NBA All-Star Game they have some "entertainment." LeeAnn Rimes was cute and her song, while very boring, wasn't bad. But right now there's this band on called "Big and Rich" and, well, they suck! What REALLY sucks about them is they have a little person on stage with them wearing a fuzzy orange hat and dancing with his two canes. Does a midget make for an entertaining half time show?? I think not. It's just all really disturbing....REALLY disturbing!!
Absolutely. Disturbing is exactly the word for it.
But Marti was distinctly pro-midget. Or at least pro-Big & Rich:
They had a midget with a cane in each hand dancing backup.
I got you now.
A midget,
cane in each hand,
dancing backup.
That's just too funny to pass up. . . . Apparently, this duo invites many colorful characters into their fantasyland, including Limo Larry, a formerly homeless drug addict who ferries off-duty strippers and inebriated musicians around Nashville every night. And Tim the Electrician, a guy with a big mustache and a beer-swigging red macaw named Santana who clings to his owner's shoulder while Tim practices the sport he's invented, championship chair riding. I'm curious to see the rulebook for this one.
My god, you can't make up stuff this funny.
Well, i guess i need to be there.
Michael Lorenzo didn't like the music either:
I am appalled.
I just saw 3 country songs too many, a 6'5" rapping self-proclaimed black cowboy, a back up rapper dressed in a mad hatter costume, several small young white boys trying to pop and lock and a midget trying to imitate an animatronic bear.
i like a lot of country music myself. But that halftime show last night was wrong on too many levels.
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I missed the NBA All Star Game due to personal commitments, but LeAnn Rimes has THE VOICE.
So did Shaq beat up Kobe?
Posted by: Ontario Emperor at February 20, 2005 08:21 PM (muth+)
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People actually watch the NBA all star game?
Posted by: Mark at February 21, 2005 05:48 AM (oQofX)
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With all of that to recommend it, I'm glad I missed it. Plus, basketball sucks.
Posted by: JD at February 21, 2005 10:51 AM (J+Gcr)
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The whole midget genre really topped out with Spinal Tap. Nigel, as was typical, screwed up the measurements for the fake stonehendge display, and it ended up getting "trod upon" by the midgets. Really, after that tragic scene, anything else just isn't going to...er, measure up.
Posted by: Pursuit at February 21, 2005 01:39 PM (VqIuy)
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What would a halftime show be without someone complaining about it?
Just get rid of them all I say.
Posted by: Jason at February 22, 2005 11:16 AM (Y2Bw/)
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Hateful Lawyer
Sacramento blogger
Digger has the inside scoop on that idiot lawyer named
Pearcy who keeps hanging up the soldier's effigy, then scurrying back to Berkeley.
Look at the sign he displays on the back of his Boxster. What a piece of work.
Update: You simply must see what Rodger did to the Pearcy's Boxter. What a freakin' riot!
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Wow. I thought Portland was a liberal place, but it doesn't hold a candle to that. I may not like Bush much but that's a disgrace to the uniform and everything it stands for. At least for me since I wore a uniform for 8 years ( USMC ) I think if he was in my neighborhood I'd have to go have a little chat with him.
Posted by: Andy at February 20, 2005 07:01 PM (l04c2)
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People like this are quick to claim they mean no disrespect to the soldiers themselves, a bald-faced lie. Cowards themselves, they despise the military and make this claim solely to avoid the Jane Fonda stigma.
Posted by: JD at February 20, 2005 07:45 PM (J+Gcr)
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I suppose a Boxter is way more fuel efficient and environmentally conscious than an SUV?!? Liberals are great, aren't they?
Posted by: Roach at February 20, 2005 08:40 PM (DHoAQ)
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"Makin' mock of uniforms,
what guards you while you sleep,
is cheaper than those uniforms,
and they're starvation cheap."
As for hating SUV's? If you don't, you've never been cut off by a woman with a cell phone in one ear, and tires that reach your eye level.
I feel sorry for these two. They're have set a course in life, where every waiter will be spitting in their soup.
Posted by: Casca at February 21, 2005 09:31 AM (cdv3B)
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"Spitting"?
Be careful Casca, you are losing your touch.
Posted by: shelly at February 21, 2005 04:24 PM (+7VNs)
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I suppose you're right. Spitting in one's soup is a bit mild, and can even pass untasted, but when they piss in your coffee...
Posted by: Casca at February 21, 2005 10:42 PM (cdv3B)
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Robot Week On annika's journal
Attention.
i have unilaterally decided to designate this week as Robot Week here on annika's journal.
i'm not sure what all that will entail, besides putting up the new poll on my sidebar, which i encourage you to vote in.
Oh, and experimenting with a new robot-friendly font.
Maybe i'll do a post about Al Gore...
...in Fortran.
Any suggestions?
Robot week! Come celebrate it with me.
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Not difficult to predict how the voting is going to turn out..
Posted by: JD at February 20, 2005 03:51 PM (J+Gcr)
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DAMN! So you're drinking through a rainy day too? Do vibrators and enhanced love dolls count?
Posted by: Casca at February 20, 2005 04:19 PM (cdv3B)
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10 PRINT "I DO NOT KNOW FORTRAN"
20 PRINT "BUT I LEARNED BASIC"
30 PRINT "MANY MANY YEARS AGO"
40 PRINT "WHEN LINE NUMBERS WERE REQUIRED"
50 GOTO 10
60 END
Posted by: Ontario Emperor at February 20, 2005 08:22 PM (muth+)
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I think the poll results should tell you everything you need to know about your readers--and I'm one of the majority in this case.
Posted by: ken at February 21, 2005 09:11 AM (9WeJO)
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GO GO GADGET DICK!!!11one1
Posted by: Spanky at February 21, 2005 01:04 PM (dP84C)
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More Completely Useless Sunday Afternoon Blogging
Laurie Dhue appears to be
retaining water.
Developing...
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Posted by: JD at February 20, 2005 12:27 PM (J+Gcr)
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She's still my #1 reason to watch Fox News, though.
Posted by: Dave J at February 20, 2005 01:23 PM (CYpG7)
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Better than spewing it out, I guess.
How many of the female Fox anchors are blonde? How does that compare to the general population (or even the general TV population)?
Posted by: Ontario Emperor at February 20, 2005 08:24 PM (muth+)
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Maybe I should watch more FN..
Posted by: JD at February 21, 2005 06:29 AM (J+Gcr)
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Dear George...
"It's me versus the world," he told Mr. Wead. "The good news is, the world is on my side. Or more than half of it."
Huh?
You know i love you George, but are you sure Doug was the only wead in the room when you said that?
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Interestingly, the part they didn't report was what he said immediately after that. It was: ehh, ehh dude, lets get a pizza.
Posted by: Pursuit at February 21, 2005 06:31 PM (VqIuy)
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Wead is a worm. A tape worm.
The only people lower than Wead are the people that would buy his "book".
I get a warm and fuzzy feeling that he is (per Wead) still a friend of The President. I wonder if the President thinks that is so.
Every time I think that Ted Kennedy, John Kerry and some of the other scumbags are as low as one can get, along comes a lowlife like Wead to remind me I might be wrong.
Is no one else offended by this betrayal?
Posted by: shelly at February 21, 2005 06:59 PM (+7VNs)
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News Flash!
On ABC's
This Week With George Stepopotamus, terrorism "expert" Dicke Clarke made the following pronouncement
Terrorists can't make a nuclear weapon.
Thanks Dicke. i feel so much better now. i was wrong to worry. i see now why they paid you the big buckes.
i'll ignore the way you stammered when George Will pointed out that terrorists could simply buy a nuclear weapon.
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Getting and detonating a nuke is problematic. These are delicate devices, since so much has to work just right in order to get a detonation. A device that hasn't been maintained in five years, probably isn't going to work right.
The Rooskees buried suitcase bombs all over the West during the cold war, then simply forgot where they put them. It's a safe bet, that none of these devices could work today.
So, if they went out to "buy" a device, they'd have to buy a "working" device. AND, if they were buying from Roooskeees, lol, well, more likely that the Rooskeeees get the money, and the camel-fuckers get something that LOOKS like a bomb.
It is worth remembering, that your average Roooskeee HATES Moslims with centuries of good reason. The Ost Theater and the massacre of schoolchildren being among the least of these.
The real threat is a dirty bomb, and the reality of what can be done with one of those pales compared to the real thing. The real fallout of such an act would be to galvanize the American public around a more Shermanesque approach to dealing with our rug-kneeling brothers as compared to the current planting of the tree of liberty approach.
Posted by: Casca at February 20, 2005 09:30 AM (cdv3B)
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So, Casca, I guess you are for a limited dirty bomb here somewhere, as long as it's not near someone you hold dear.
It might help some of the readers who are not up on this stuff to know that the word "Chechins" is the MSM's nice word for "Moslems". Somehow, the MSM has difficulty identifying them as such.
Oh, and congratulations for getting through an entire post with only using one potty mouth. It is a lot easier to read. I, myself, prefer to call them "Sheetheads" and watch my pronunciation.
Posted by: shelly at February 20, 2005 10:15 AM (6krEN)
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That whole business of putting words in one's mouth, and attempted rhetorical trickeration is what puts people off of lawyers in the first place. I never advocated any sort of thing. I'm merely positing the logical progression of events, ya fucker, lmao.
Posted by: Casca at February 20, 2005 04:40 PM (cdv3B)
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off topic post------
Casca wrote:
"The Rooskees buried suitcase bombs all over the West during the cold war,"
LOL
everytime i hear about the russian suitcase bombs, it reminds me of a story. it makes perfect sense to anyone familiar with russian society.
at the height of the cold war, a spy was sent into russia in an attempt to verify whether or not it was true about a "russian suitcase nuke".
after an extended absence, the spy returned and confirmed that russia in fact had a nuke that would fit in a suitcase.
it would be deployed as soon as the bugs in the suitcase were worked out.
Posted by: louielouie at February 21, 2005 12:56 PM (i7mWl)
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Spasibo, Louielouie.
Ochen' harasho.
Posted by: Dave J at February 21, 2005 02:48 PM (CYpG7)
6
That's pretty damn close to the truth. But don't sell them short. They have great scientists. It's their culture that is corrupt.
Posted by: Casca at February 21, 2005 04:51 PM (cdv3B)
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February 19, 2005
American Skankwoman Update
i refer you to
these excellent remarks, from
Citygurl.
Posted by: annika at
12:27 PM
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1
That Citaygurl smells like psychotwat.
Posted by: Casca at February 19, 2005 03:05 PM (cdv3B)
2
If Brittany had any talent, I would worry about her. But she doesn't so its time for the world to forget her.
Posted by: Jake at February 19, 2005 06:02 PM (r/5D/)
3
Hasn't anyone told Britney that alcohol is sugar? Well, it's nicely tanned blubber..
Posted by: JD at February 20, 2005 08:52 AM (J+Gcr)
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Oh... My... God...
i've just fallen in love. Alas, they're
too freakin' expensive.
Posted by: annika at
09:04 AM
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1
I'll ask you the same question I regularly ask my three sisters:
"What IS it with you chicks? I mean, jeez, what's the deal? They're freakin'
shoes, not hubcaps, fer cryin' out loud."
And this is the point where I usually run away.
Posted by: ccwbass at February 19, 2005 10:04 AM (Y5Ww1)
2
So, what's it like to be nucking futz? You can buy a pretty good meal for that kind of dough.
Posted by: Casca at February 19, 2005 10:53 AM (cdv3B)
3
Gentlemen! If they can put up with us building a pumpkin catapult at 2AM (with or without the aid of alcohol), we can put up with them buying 80 or 90 pairs of shoes.
Posted by: Victor at February 19, 2005 11:33 AM (etHvD)
4
my God, but those shoes belong in a museum, they're so pretty!
Posted by: annika at February 19, 2005 11:57 AM (7nCqE)
5
Victor,
You built a pumpkin catapult? Totally cool.
Posted by: Pursuit at February 19, 2005 12:43 PM (VqIuy)
6
Surgical tubing: it's not just for the operating room.
It's also for catapulting pumpkins.
In other pumpkin news, this limerick from NOR's
John Derbyshire should please one and all:
A certain young hillbilly bumpkin
Was caught having sex with a pumpkin.
When arrested he swore:
"What's all this fuss for?
Where I'm from, it's okay to hump kin!"
Thank you! Good night!
Posted by: ccwbass at February 19, 2005 10:20 PM (Y5Ww1)
7
Yes, but ONLY 80 or 90..
Posted by: JD at February 20, 2005 08:53 AM (J+Gcr)
8
Victor,
I must respectfully dissent. The fact that I construct
one pumpkin catapult -- a purely utilitarian device, one of which belongs in every household -- does not necessarily say anything about my better half's need for
more than one pair of shoes!
Of course if my better half questions me regarding that statement, I will point out that anyone could have used my name and e-mail in composing this comment.
Further, I have no interest in discussing why I need to own about seven different varients of the M1911 pistol in .45 ACP caliber. It should suffice to say that they're all different. In
really important ways. No, I mean it. Seriously!
All kidding aside, though: Holy shit! $400 for
shoes?
Those shoes?! Christ, my Danner boots only cost half that!
Posted by: Matt at February 20, 2005 11:36 PM (TLYaI)
9
May as well buy them, Annika, that whole re-incarnation thing isn't what it's rumored to be..
Posted by: JD at February 21, 2005 06:33 AM (J+Gcr)
10
Matt, I can think of several reasons why you should own "seven different varients of the M1911 pistol in .45 ACP caliber." Hell's bell's, didja forget to put one in each of the bathrooms?
annika, you need a "momma needs a new pair of shoes" donation button somewhere.
Posted by: Victor and his seventeen pet rats at February 21, 2005 07:25 AM (L3qPK)
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February 17, 2005
Useless Candy Blogging
Why hasn't Reese's made a peanut butter cup in dark chocolate?
Posted by: annika at
04:05 PM
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Posted by: ken at February 17, 2005 04:29 PM (xD5ND)
Posted by: Spanky at February 17, 2005 04:44 PM (ICWUG)
3
DAMN! Shoulda gone to biz school!!
Posted by: Casca at February 17, 2005 04:47 PM (cdv3B)
4
Or one with white chocolate? Mmmmm...white chocolate
Posted by: Robbie at February 17, 2005 06:45 PM (htx4h)
5
My guess would be because either 1) the expense doesn't justify the small niche market it'd marginally expand into or 2) dark chocolate does something to peanut butter. But I concur in the wish that they did.
And Robbie, sorry, but white "chocolate" is gross, and not really chocolate, either.
Posted by: Dave J at February 17, 2005 07:55 PM (CYpG7)
Posted by: Matt at February 18, 2005 06:18 AM (TLYaI)
7
Ooops. Ignore that superfluous and grammatically incorrect "make."
Posted by: Matt at February 18, 2005 06:19 AM (TLYaI)
8
Oh, and Annie: If you scroll down to the bottom of that Reese's link I posted, you'll discover that, "Recently, the company introduced popular limited edition items including White Chocolate (now a permanent item),
Dark Chocolate, INSIDE OUT and BIG CUP peanut butter cups." See
here.
No word on whether they're still in production.
Posted by: Matt at February 18, 2005 06:23 AM (TLYaI)
9
Matt, the singular versus plural for a company with a plural or posessive name isn't necessarily grammatically incorrect: just British rather than American forms for collective entities (e.g., "the Administration is" versus "the Government are").
Posted by: Dave J at February 18, 2005 07:13 AM (CYpG7)
10
Although using BOTH singular and plural forms at the same time is, of course, as you noted, superfluous.
Moreover, does my saying that white chocolate is disgusting imply that I thought there weren't white chocolate Reese's cups? I wouldn't think so.
Posted by: Dave J at February 18, 2005 07:16 AM (CYpG7)
11
"the singular versus plural for a company with a plural or posessive name isn't necessarily grammatically incorrect"
Thanks for the heads-up; I wouldn't have picked up on the Brit angle. However, since I tend toward linguistic descriptivism, and speak American English, I still prefer the plural. (Perhaps we Americans take the concept of corporate personality a bit more seriously than the Brits.)
"does my saying that white chocolate is disgusting imply that I thought there weren't white chocolate Reese's cups?"
No. I inferred it from the fact that you didn't mention that there
are white chocolate Reese's cups, which seemed a natural thing to mention at that juncture, if you knew.
Did you know?
Posted by: Matt at February 18, 2005 12:06 PM (TLYaI)
12
Dammit. I can't get through a single comment or post today without flubbing at least one thing.
I'm going to take a nap.
Posted by: Matt at February 18, 2005 12:08 PM (TLYaI)
13
I think you guys need to get a life.
Posted by: shelly at February 18, 2005 09:10 PM (+7VNs)
Posted by: Matt at February 18, 2005 09:28 PM (TLYaI)
15
Folks,
I'm in the business. Trust me, Reese's (Hershey) does make Reese's Dark Chocolate PB Cup.
You'll probably find the product in your favorite convenience store.
I can tell you this--they are available here in the Midwest.
To you marketing aficionados, dark chocolate is the only segment of the the chocolate biz that's experiencing double digit growth.
Can you say brand extension?
Hence, the dark chocolate product.
Posted by: joe at February 19, 2005 06:42 AM (1w3cL)
16
that would be yummy! i wonder why, too?? hmmm... i think i'm gonna ask? heee... tk =^.^=
Posted by: maizzy at February 19, 2005 07:42 AM (qB1h2)
17
They made it two years ago when they introduced white chocolate. Open your eyes. They were limited edition and by far the best kind out there. Typically they chose to continue the lesser of the two...white chocolate. Yeah, apparently people like Maroon 5, too.
Posted by: jimmy at August 07, 2005 08:45 AM (l9Oo7)
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Bush Picks His Intelligence Czar
Intelligence czar?
The first order of business, i would imagine, will be teaching the president how to pronounce "nuclear."
Posted by: annika at
01:50 PM
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February 16, 2005
How Committed A Fan Are You?
No no, i'm not expecting
everyone anyone to get an annie's journal tattoo...
...although i won't discourage the idea.
Now that i think of it, that would be a great way to advertise - and i need only 93 more links to pass fatbody Oliver Willis on the Ecosystem!
Posted by: annika at
10:20 PM
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1
Who the fuck could read that porcine shitstain Ollie?
Posted by: Casca at February 16, 2005 11:10 PM (cdv3B)
2
Is that real or photoshopped?
Posted by: Victor and his seventeen pet rats at February 17, 2005 05:48 AM (L3qPK)
3
check the rubrics, ratboy!
Posted by: annika at February 17, 2005 08:58 AM (zAOEU)
Posted by: Victor and his seventeen pet rats at February 17, 2005 09:14 AM (L3qPK)
5
SNL had a "commercial" for laser tat removal on recently. It was advertising for women to get their back tats removed. In a demo, it showed a nice sexy back with the tatoo "Sexy Lady". They then demonstrated what happens as the skins ages and droops. The Sexy Lady morphed into "Just Sad". It was pretty good yuks.
Posted by: Pursuit at February 17, 2005 12:01 PM (VqIuy)
6
Damn. I just posted something about tats and now I find you've beaten me to the punch.
Posted by: Paul at February 17, 2005 01:23 PM (vbP6L)
7
The internet is the only place Oliver has done anything on note.
Posted by: jcrue at February 17, 2005 03:11 PM (Qs+xB)
8
So Annie, who's butt is that?
Posted by: shelly at February 17, 2005 03:26 PM (ywZa8)
9
Careful Shelly, I'm the rude fucker here.
Posted by: Casca at February 17, 2005 03:41 PM (cdv3B)
10
Where's the rubrics cube? I don't see it.
Posted by: Spanky at February 17, 2005 04:43 PM (ICWUG)
11
Shelly, not mine, happily.
Posted by: annika at February 17, 2005 06:56 PM (LGiAC)
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Wednesday Is Poetry Day
In keeping with this week's grumpy Valentine's Day theme, i've selected the perfect sonnet from my favorite poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay.
If I should learn, in some quite casual way,
That you were gone, not to return again—
Read from the back-page of a paper, say,
Held by a neighbor in a subway train,
How at the corner of this avenue
And such a street (so are the papers filled)
A hurrying man—who happened to be you—
At noon to-day had happened to be killed,
I should not cry aloud—I could not cry
Aloud, or wring my hands in such a place—
I should but watch the station lights rush by
With a more careful interest on my face,
Or raise my eyes and read with greater care
Where to store furs and how to treat the hair.
Ouch. Edna could be a snarky bitch when she wanted to.
Which was often.
Posted by: annika at
06:56 PM
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1
An oh so very eloquent, "Fuck Off".
Posted by: Casca at February 16, 2005 08:39 PM (cdv3B)
2
Nathan Jones You've been gone too long. Bananrama?
Posted by: taylor collins at February 18, 2005 04:58 PM (Ya2t1)
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February 15, 2005
Study Habits
A very nice commenter sent me an e-mail expressing concern about whether i am studying hard enough, with all the blogging i do. i actually try to follow a pretty strict study schedule, and do most of my posts after i'm done for the night, or in the down time between classes.
Actually, blogging has helped me at school. My ability to write quickly, in a form that is closer to final draft quality, is directly related to the daily writing that i have been doing for almost two years as a blogger. My highest grade last semester was my writing class, i think thanks to blogging.
But, as further proof that i have been studying hard, i've decided to let you be the judge. Open the extended entry and you will find a photograph of my study space, complete with annotations.
more...
Posted by: annika at
11:11 PM
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1
my desk is probably twice as cluttered but 0% of its items could be labeled as evidence that I've been studying.
Posted by: Chris at February 16, 2005 05:27 AM (23bPv)
2
someone loves her some rolling rock!
Posted by: lorie at February 16, 2005 06:38 AM (PPPwU)
3
Someone seriously needs a bigger, flat-panel monitor. What is that thing? 13"?
And Toad the Wet Sprocket? They haven't released an album with new music since
Coil flopped in 1997. Is that the same year you purchased that monitor?
Posted by: Robbie at February 16, 2005 08:49 AM (AAqv2)
4
hmmm... where's the wine rack?
Posted by: d-rod at February 16, 2005 08:55 AM (T3c0Z)
5
Um, I love Toad too.
Terrific, Annie. And thank you for your very kind gift. It has pride of place on my desk.
Posted by: Hugo at February 16, 2005 09:56 AM (Qst0d)
6
Actually, I argue that the Rolling Rock bottles, chips, etc. are evidence of good study habits. You don't have to leave your desk to take a break. Just multi-task...
Posted by: Ontario Emperor at February 16, 2005 12:26 PM (c6rOB)
7
What? No bong? Wow, school certainly has changed!
Posted by: Pursuit at February 16, 2005 01:59 PM (VqIuy)
8
"My ability to write quickly, in a form that is closer to final draft quality, is directly related to the daily writing that i have been doing for almost two years as a blogger".
Absolutely right. The more you write the better writer you become. Especially when you expose your writing to a thousands of critics every day.
Posted by: Jake at February 16, 2005 03:21 PM (r/5D/)
9
Lol, I still take forever writing a paper, but blogging has helped me get used to thinking critically and putting my thoughts down. Good ole-fashioned ranting pays off :-)
Posted by: Ron (Naughtypundit) at February 16, 2005 05:30 PM (9Z7dn)
10
Ah yes, Latrobe, PA. I used to like that stuff. Actually, Genesee Cream Ale was the gargle of choice.
Posted by: Casca at February 16, 2005 08:49 PM (cdv3B)
11
It looks like a NEC 17-flatscreen. annika, trust me on this one: you don't need an LCD flatscreen. You might
want, but they're waaaay overhyped. They're a great example of form over function. Look good, act crappy.
Posted by: Victor and his seventeen pet rats at February 17, 2005 11:22 AM (L3qPK)
12
i love my NEC. But i wish it didn't hog so much desk space tho.
Posted by: annika at February 17, 2005 06:58 PM (LGiAC)
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A Continuum Of Leftist Hatred
Maybe i'm wrong, but isn't there the potential for a dangerous progression of hatred in the recent post-election gnashing of teeth by the American left.
In other words, doesn't this. . .
'I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for,' former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean told Democrats gathered at a Manhattan hotel.
. . .
encourage this . . .
Bush supporters need not apply (we hate that asshole). Also, you should be a student as well. House has 4 easy-going, liberal, intelligent male students and one friendly, intelligent dog.
. . .
which leads to this . . .
This sweet little children's teddy bear [for sale at CafePress.com] bears the phrase 'Save America, Kill Republicans'. The caption for the item . . . reads:Making fun of Repubicans won't get them on our side, but threatening to kill them might be more effective.
. . . and
possibly stuff like this . . .
The FBI and Auburn police are investigating the discovery of an incendiary device that was left at the entrance of the Placer County Courthouse over the weekend.
The discovery raised questions about whether the device was connected to a series of arsons and attempted arsons in Northern California by someone claiming to be with the Earth Liberation Front, a radical environmental group.
. . .
The Auburn Police Department said Sunday's incident was troubling because it diverged from the pattern established in the other attacks. Instead of targeting a site under construction, whoever planted the most recent device did so at a historic landmark.
The beautiful Placer County courthouse in Auburn
is a working courthouse, not just a landmark.*
People need to cool it, seriously.
_______________
* Placer County, by the way, is one of California's reddest counties, voting for Bush 63% to 37%.
Posted by: annika at
11:56 AM
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Post contains 299 words, total size 2 kb.
1
Fuck You! Islam in general is a peaceful religion, but I myself would become jihadi if my country would be occupied by fat ass American rednecks. All you can do is only eat, some day your whole fucking country will sink because all of you are so fucking fat. It’s disgusting! But to get back to the subject. Who’s aggresive here? Who bombed who, who occupied who and who wants to exploit who? I don’t see Arab soldiers patrolling the streets of LA or New York. I don’t see any Egyptian army barracks in the US. You fuckers have bases all over the world. God bless America right, the racist, imperialistic hegemonic colonizer under it’s Fuhrer George W.Bush.
History has proven Christianity to be evil. It’s christianity which is the most aggressive religion. It were Christians who wiped out the original population of the America’s (and forced the rest to convert, something unfamiliar to benevolent islam). It was all Christians who antisemitic (muslims were not)and a Christian nation (Germany) killed 6 million of them. I can go on and on if I want. Islam is peaceful, but everybody has a right to defend himself if being attacked by genocidal racist maniacs, even muslims!
Fuck You!
Posted by: tim at February 15, 2005 01:39 PM (ZCft5)
2
Alright, it's not April Fools day, but nice try.
Posted by: annika at February 15, 2005 04:03 PM (zAOEU)
3
How come we never hear from the sophisticated Europeans?
Posted by: d-rod at February 15, 2005 04:21 PM (CSRmO)
4
Dude, perhaps you have not heard. We'll put a boot in your ass. It's the American way. Chances are we'll enjoy it too.
Posted by: Jim Mattis at February 15, 2005 05:58 PM (cdv3B)
5
haha, don't take the bait boys. that's gotta be a hoax commenter.
Posted by: annika at February 15, 2005 06:17 PM (E8dbz)
6
How did blonds EVER get a reputation as being dumb?
Posted by: Casca at February 15, 2005 06:27 PM (cdv3B)
7
I know, I know. You'll always be blond to me.
Posted by: Casca at February 15, 2005 06:28 PM (cdv3B)
8
Hey Annie, speaking of drama queens did you know Andy Sully, Wonkette and Glenn Reynolds are on Charlie Rose tonight?
Posted by: Radical Redneck at February 15, 2005 07:51 PM (7XTy8)
9
If they want to fight, i will be more than willing to. Of course since all the red states have all the best guns because the blue states are outlawing them, they will be at a disadvantage.
The red states also have a higher amount of schools to train civilians with handguns than the blue states do.
Posted by: cube at February 16, 2005 08:16 AM (nyNr0)
10
Getting back to the original point, it's a stretch to argue that Howard Dean's ravings are the direct cause of murders of Americans. (In the same way, I don't believe that listening to Ozzy will make a well-adjusted person suddenly off himself.) I don't think anyone can equate Howard Dean with the Earth Liberation grunts.
What can't be denied, however, is that the so-called party of loving inclusiveness can suddenly get downright hateful about who to include. In fact, last night I
blogged about the way in which a few leftist blogs are describing "Jeff Gannon" as a "homosexual" and "sodomite." Interesting choice of terms, isn't it?
Posted by: Ontario Emperor at February 16, 2005 12:33 PM (c6rOB)
11
I'm more annoyed with the hypocricy (and with me being too lazy to see if I spelled that right, lol). I know many on the Left have loudly complained about rightwing talk fueling violence. Yet if ya look at the last election, seems like the vast majority of the political violence (such as the attacks on GOP offices) came from the Left. Don't hear a peep about that. How a culture of hate from liberal figures fueled violence.
Posted by: Ron (Naughtypundit) at February 16, 2005 05:37 PM (9Z7dn)
12
If the libs want to get to killin', they'll see who's better equipped and more skillful.
Posted by: JD at February 20, 2005 08:38 AM (J+Gcr)
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