My Errant Mind

While I think it was probably not a smart thing to do, and perhaps in poor taste, I don’t see how US military commanders can call it a crime. The soldier, a sniper, was punished and reassigned to duty back in the States.

According to Major General Jeffrey Hammond:

“The actions of one soldier were nothing more than criminal behavior,” Hammond said. “I’ve come to this land to protect you, to support you — not to harm you — and the behavior of this soldier was nothing short of wrong and unacceptable.”

(Source: CNN.com)

Another military “official” apparently kissed a Quran and presented it as a gift to some tribal sheiks.

Well, here we have the US military kissing asses and Qurans and punishing soldiers who shoot books? I wonder what would happen if a whole lot of soldiers started shooting Qurans for a free ride home?

And then you have Iraqis crying about it being a crime. It’s a book. Get over it and yourselves.

Here we have an American soldier defending the government of Iraq and America getting punished because he doesn’t like the holy book of terrorism and barbarism–and his own chain of command screwing up his career in a heartbeat to kiss ass. Remember your oath? Enemies, foreign and domestic? There are a lot of those in the chain of command anymore.

Your leadership will sell you out in a heartbeat; happens every time in the military. The good news, if American servicemembers want to come home all they need to do is shoot, burn or piss on a Quaran. Wouldn’t it be funny as hell if a few thousand decided to voice their disgust with the mission in Iraq, the government of Iraq, and our own political leaders by doing a simple thing that in America we have the freedom to do, but in the faux ‘democrazy’ of Iraq you cannot?

Nancy Pelosi has been going about it all wrong. She ought to just stand next to a giant cardboard cutout of John Wayne and suggest that real Americans would shoot or burn or piss on or otherwise desecrate the Quaran. The war would be over in a flash as our welcome was worn out and soldiers were sent stateside by the thousands.

If anyone knows who that sniper was, pass along the word that he’s forever welcome at my fire. You have brothers-in-arms (both current and former) out there that won’t sell you out. We aren’t at all like our Quran-kissing government and certain Quran-kissing officers appointed by it.

I can’t wait for the hate-mail. I’ll have something to read at least. Truthfully, I could care less. Islam is a religion of hate and intolerance and the Quran promotes oppression, barbarity, and everything that stands against the values of Western civilization. Since I’m not in the Army anymore, I think I’ll go buy a copy of the Quran to shoot, burn and piss on in a showing of support and solidarity for the unfortunate sniper who was merely expressing his dissatisfaction with the war.

In fact, I invite all members of Western Civilization to join me in this show of support.

In fact, I think we ought to create a Pro Western Civilization and Freedoms Day, where we celebrate by burning copies of the Quran and posting cartoons of Muhammad online. I nominate July 4 as the perfect day since there will already be lots of bangs and burning going on.

To anyone who might think to complain about my characterization, don’t bother until millions of Muslims condemn terrorism and take to the streets protesting against Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Al Qaeda and Muqtada Al Sadr. You see, if you take exception with my characterization that the Quran doesn’t advocate violence and oppression, then you must demonstrate it and your willingness to condemn those (and even fight against them) who use it for those purposes. Until the Muslim world does, their silent condoning of it will win them no sympathy from me.

It’s time we call it like it is. Religion is screwing up our world and holding human progress back. All religions. I’m all for spirituality and a belief in the divine…but the moment people organize and declare some moral authority and knowledge of the divine that another cannot access for personal, political and other reasons and begin seeking money, influence and power…that’s where I draw the line at tolerating it.

Maybe while I’m at it I’ll shoot, burn and piss on copies of a Bible and the Torah as well. It is largely the Abrahamic faiths that have screwed up the world for most of the last several millennia after all. I wonder if that sniper is willing to shoot a copy of the Bible?

Now, lest you think I don’t understand the need for being sensitive to the concerns of people in a host nation while on a military mission, you’re quite wrong. What he did was not smart at all.

But a crime? Please. Already I have read on liberal blogs how horrible this whole thing was, yet those same liberals are too happy to condone real crimes that illegal aliens commit in coming to this country and the real crimes they commit after they are here, and the crimes of the unethical business owners who hire them to make an easy dollar, and the crimes of the politicians who seek to give our nation away.

July 4, baby. Send my your Quran videos and photos.

In fact, I think I may do something I have not previously done and open my blog up to blogging by anyone who wants to guest blog on the topic of the conflict between Western civilization and the forces of Islamification, the topic of religious corruption and misuse, or on the topics of freedoms and liberties. In fact, I’m declaring now that the entire month of June and the first week of July, I am now accepting and soliciting posts on those topics should anyone care to jump in on the issues.

I’m not saying I will take any and all submissions and post them, but if it is well written and you ran a spell check, there’s no reason it won’t get posted–unless it is full of hate-mongering and comments that are slurs, racist rantings, etc. Let that be clear: I take exception with ideologies and actions and politics and even with individuals, but not with any race or ethnic group (I’m multi-racial myself after all).

If you haven’t heard about the group of women from the small Spanish village of Serradilla del Arroyo in the northern province of Salamanca, Spain, who posed semi-nude for a calendar in order to raise money for their tiny rural school and its children, you have now. They ran into financial trouble after not selling many of the calendars and found themselves in debt.

Not knowing much about marketing or publishing, they missed the Christmas rush (extremely important in Calendar marketing it seems) and were left with about 5,000 unsold calendars. The printer has pressed the issue of their being behind on payments and media attention has put the spotlight on their efforts.

Their tiny village of around 400 has one teacher for its one room elementary school spanning four grade levels. The mothers decided to try and do something that would raise money for their children to have a recreation center. I certainly have to give them credit for trying. However, it wasn’t as easy as it was for the British women who did so—and whose story inspired these Spanish ladies. These concerned moms owe $16,000 to the printer.

You can help out by purchasing one of the calendars. Better yet, buy one for yourself and as many of your friends as you can. How often do you get to honestly say you bought a semi-nude calendar to help out children in a remote Spanish village?

Calendars can be purchased here: La Casa de Medico (Calendar is towards the bottom of the home page, Calendarios Madres de Serradilla)

I’m anxiously looking forward to tonight’s fight. IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko and WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov get it on for the first heavyweight unification bout since 1999. It’s been a long time coming and I’m going to enjoy it.

Both boxers have been anxious to create a unified champion that the world would recognize as the undisputed champion. Both have brought a touch of class to the sport (and especially the heavyweight division), bringing back an emphasis on pugilism at its best and doing away with the trash talking that has been so common.

They are both warriors with class.

While both are also great fighters, I’m pulling for Klitcshko. He’s the best heavyweight out there and I think tonight he proves it. I’ve been a fan of him and his brother Vitali for quite some time. What a pair the Klitschko’s are.

I have often wondered what their parents and friends of the family think. I mean, two brothers who get into boxing and not only succeed, but end up in the top ten in the world? That would be an amazing feat by any standards. Yet, both became world champions—Vitali was WBC champion, and Wladimir is the current IBF champion (and is the former WBO and IBO champion as well).

And both have doctorate degrees to go with their 6′ 6″ (Wladimir) and 6′ 7″ (Vitali) frames and championships. [note: Vitali was also a world super-heavyweight kickboxing champion, by the way, before becoming a professional boxer.]

His degree and punishing right hand earned Wladimir the moniker Dr. Steelhammer. That is probably just what it feels like when he punches you…getting hit with a steel hammer.

Which is one reason why I’m glad I’m going to be sitting with a cold one in hand watching the fight. This is going to be one hell of a fight. Ibragimov is a great fighter and will put up a hard fight—of that there is no question. He’s good. In fact, Wladimir and trainer Emanuel Steward aren’t expecting an easy fight by any means.

Sultan Ibragimov is in the best shape of his career and is a champion looking to unify the titles as well. He has a lot of heart crammed into his 6′ 2″, 220 lb frame, having taken the fight to guys much larger than himself in a convincing and punishing manner more than once.

However it turns out, it will be the best thing for boxing since Joe Calzaghe’s win over Mikkel Kessler. (Incidentally, I’m looking forward to Joe’s April 19 bout with the racist trash-talker Bernard Hopkins)

Finally, after tonight we will be able to call someone ‘Champ’ and not ‘the __insert alphabet boxing organization here__ titleholder’ as we have had to do for so long. You already know who I think the Champ is going to be.

Which is why, for me, February 23, 2008 is Dr. Steelhammer Day.

For all you woodworkers out there, Rockler has a free freight offer on some power tools, including the Jet JJ-6CS 6″ jointer. That on top of the great price of $449.

They were running the special earlier in the month and it was due to end over a week ago, but they extended it. I think perhaps they are trying to clear them out. If you are shopping for a new 6″ jointer, this is a steal on this model. Typically, most etailers are selling it for $550-650…and you still have to pay shipping and freight.

Some places will charge you $75-125 for residential delivery. On top of that, they tack on another $35-100 for a lift gate fee if you don’t have a standard delivery ramp…and come on, how many of us have one of those at home? Added up, you would normally be shelling out well over $700 for this jointer unless you happen to have a freight center nearby (and a good friend or two to help you load and unload this thing when you get home).

When I first came across the sale/free freight offer online, I called Rockler to confirm it, and it is just as it says: you pay a $13.75 handling fee, but residential delivery and lift gate charges are free!

Ends at midnight tonight…and I wouldn’t trust that they will extend the offer into the new year. If they do extend it another week or two, I may order one myself. I have been looking at the JJ-6CS and a couple of Grizzly models for the past month. I know, I ought to go for the Powermatic 54A…and the thought is still on my mind.

Anyway, hurry! The Rockler sale ends at midnight tonight. What better way to start the new year off than a brand new Jet 6″ jointer delivered right to your door for under $465?

I just saw today that the sale was still on or I would have posted about this when I discovered it on the 21st when the sale was slated to end the first time around.

As a side note: they are selling brand new Porter-Cable 690LR routers (1 3/4 hp with 1/4″ collet) for $99. Regularly, $149. If you’re a hobbyist or need a reliable router for lightweight or non-production work, that is about as good a deal as you can find. With all the router accessories and guide bushings out there that work with the Porter-Cable routers, you can’t go wrong with that.

Happy New Year’s to all!

It’s halftime. You lost Sam Bradford, so what?

Quit acting stupid and run the ball. You have some of the most talented backs in college football.

Stop trying to pass when your backup quarterback sucks.

Blitz Texas Tech every down. Stop backing off on the pressure on third and fourth downs. When you blitz, you’re shutting Tech down.

It’s so damn simple. I’ll be glad to come coach at OU if they need someone with some balls. If OU loses this game, it is no one’s fault but the coach’s. Stop throwing. Run.

Run. Run. Run.

For those fellow Sooners fans looking for something post-Tostitos bowl crunching at the hands of West Virginia (who?)…here’s a link to a current piece: Sooners, It’s Time To Let Bob Stoops Go