Schmaltz und Grieben mit Alois, Klaus, Deb und der Lugers

August 2007

08/31/07:

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Days after 911 I was deeply shaken by the attack. I think being a veteran with PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder – ed.] made it much worse for me. The feeling of helplessness was really hurting me.

I turned on the TV and started watching Farm Aid on CMT. And there was Martina McBride, blue eyed and beautiful, singing her ass off. Her confidence, beauty, and talent was dead on. I had seen her at a Buckarama concert in the Georgia Dome years earlier. Her voice is so powerful you could hear her with the microphone off. As I watched her rip through her set, it hit me. Those arabic scumbags attacked us that day. But they will never have someone like Martina. They will never have football. They will never enjoy the myriad diversity of life that we as Americans enjoy every day. And this revelation brought me a great inner peace. Be it manifest destiny, fate, or luck, I know as a people we will continue to carry on. And pretty Martina McBride will continue to sing. And the kids today will stand tall for this country just like myself and Denny [the Grouchy Old Cripple – ed.] and all the rest did yesterday. And everything will be ok.

– vetfromhell, commenting on Grouchy Old Cripple's site

Image credit: Shelly Fabian via Countrymusic.about.com

Posted by Alois on

THE WIMPIFICATION OF AMERICA STARTS YOUNG: And we wonder why our kids are turning into such a bunch of fat-asses...

Remember tag? I thought it was a fun way to get a little exercise while playing with my friends. I have such fond memories of playing it that I've already taught it to my girls who are not yet 4 and 2. Why not? What could be healthier than running around a lot?

Little did I know the hidden dangers of tag. Luckily, the children of Colorado Springs have adults less ignorant than I in charge of their recess time!

Children no longer allowed to play 'tag'

A Colorado Springs elementary school no longer allows students to play tag because of fears the game "fuels schoolyard disputes," The Gazette reports.

"It causes a lot of conflict on the playground," Assistant Principal Cindy Fesgen tells the paper.

She says they decided to ban the popular game after children complained about being chased around the schoolyard.

The Gazette says other "running games are still OK ... as long as students don't run after one another."

Well, as long as they don't run after one another! Can they WALK after one another? No, I suppose not. Some kids can walk really fast.. What about crawling? Oh no, I suppose the Muslim kids would take offense at having to behave in ways resembling dogs, and as we all know, dogs are dirty. Hop? Can they hop after each other? Oh, that might offend the crippled--er, "disabled" kids. So is there any possible way kids can actually move that won't hurt someone's feelings? And what happens when they're all a bunch of fat-assed wimps, more inclined to run crying to mommy than to solve their own problems? Will teachers pat themselves on the back for a job well-done?

And people wonder why I'll be homeschooling?

Posted by Deb on

TODAY'S MUST-READ: The ever-trenchant Jeff Jacoby on giving war the Surge a chance.

Read between the lines, and it all comes down to this: Is America once again going to be bamfoozled into letting the Dhimmicrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? Just so the Kos Kidz and their ilk can gloat about America being "humbled"?

Hell of a price to pay so a bunch of bedwetting basement-dwellers can Feel Good About Themselves.

Posted by Alois on

08/29/07:

BRASS BALLS DEFINED: Tehran Protests U.S. Detention of Iranians in Baghdad

Well, let's see. Let's embark upon a nakedly visible nuclear weapons program. Let's hang everybody who doesn't agree with us. And finally, let's outfit America's enemies in Iraq with sophisticated anti-personnel weaponry.

And then let's bitch about it when we get called out.

In a normal world, this could never have happened.

Posted by Alois on

08/28/07:

"GOODY GUMDROPS!" That's what Hillary must be saying after hearing this news:

Quote: Castro calls Clinton-Obama ticket 'invincible'

Castro thinks a Clinton-Obama ticket is unbeatable.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Add another name to the list of political observers who think a Clinton-Obama ticket would be unbeatable: Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

In an editorial in Cuba's communist party newspaper, Granma, the ailing dictator said the pairing of the two White House hopefuls seemed "invincible," according to an English translation on the paper's Web site.

Castro, who has overseen communist rule of Cuba since 1959, did, however, make it clear that he is no fan of the two Democrats' support of democratic reform in Cuba.

"Both of them feel the sacred duty of demanding 'a democratic government in Cuba,'" Castro wrote. "They are not making politics: they are playing a game of cards on a Sunday afternoon."

The two Democratic candidates actually disagree over America's policy toward Cuba. Obama, a senator from Illinois, wants to grant Cuban-Americans "unrestricted rights to visit family and send remittances to the island." Such activities are strictly limited by current U.S. policy.

Meanwhile, Clinton, New York's junior senator, said through a spokesman that "we cannot talk about changes to U.S. policy" unless and until Castro passes from the scene and a new government demonstrates its intentions.

Castro also weighed in on the "will-he-or-won't-he" debate on former Vice President Al Gore's potential candidacy.

"I don't think he will do so," Castro said, but added that Gore, "better than anyone, he knows about the kind of catastrophe that awaits humanity if it continues along its current course."

Castro was not, however, entirely full of praise for the 2000 Democratic nominee, conceding, "When he was a candidate, he of course committed the error of yearning for 'a democratic Cuba.'"

How can she not be just *thrilled* to have Castro's endorsement (qualified though it may be)?

/sarcasm

The net effect of his comments will probably be nil. He says she is invincible, despite opposing his government (1 point for Clinton), but then he says she has to say that, it's just a "game of cards." (1 point for Castro).

Still, I get a chuckle knowing that she still has to deal with the fact that one of the most hated men in that all-important state of Florida has endorsed *her* for President. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Posted by Deb on

GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY: Here's another view of Sandy Brandie:

Happy Tuesday!

Image credit: Bullz-Eye

Posted by Alois on

08/27/07:

AL QAEDA: AS DEADLY AS EVER. And just as nihilistic, exterminating 500 members of an Iraqi religious minority in the worst AQ attack since 9/11.

If you're an "infidel" (and, believe me, if you're not a Wahhabist Sunni Muslim, you ARE), this is al Qaeda's plan for YOU.

Thanks to Michael J. Totten for reporting this.

Posted by Alois on

(ROCK STAR) IMAGES OF THE DAY: Being artists n' all, many rock musicians are better-than-average photographers.

Here's a Jorma Kaukonen shot of post-Katrina Biloxi:

And here's Ringo Starr's rendering of Bluebell Wood:

Posted by Alois on

08/23/07:

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Believe me, not many people are more aware of the embarassing statistics of crime rate, incarceration rate, out-of-wedlock births and other things that are displayed in the black community. However, one thing that I have tried to get across... is the fact that black people are not like the "Borg" off of Star Trek. In case you are not familiar this is a huge race of people who have a singular mind...

Hopefully a lot of white people don't look at rappers and jocks as the "face" of the black community. In reality, this would be like thinking that any 26 year old blonde girl would be down to make a sex tape with you because Paris Hilton would.

There are a multitude of problems that need to be fixed from within the black community, and the onus is on those people with moral failings to correct that behavior and not pass the sentiment and attitude on to their children. I think this has been passed on directly because of attitude or outlook on life, or is passed on because of parental neglect. I consider myself to be fortunate to have been born to the man and woman that are my parents. Others have not been so lucky. Does that diminish their culpability in life choices? Certainly not. But, is their behavior predicted before they take their first step or utter their first word. Certainly.

There are many communities in the United States, but I don't believe there are seperate "cultures" per se. I think there is American Culture because of common experiences, outlook, cuisine, history from the 1600's until now, and language. I do believe that there are sub cultures which have almost become "counter-cultures" due to changes from the 60's until now. It is most evident in the decline of the black family...

– Blogger (and soldier) DKelSmith, commenting on a Grouchy Old Cripple thread about the Michael Vick case

(And, while you're at it, don't miss DKel's excellent blog.)

Posted by Alois on

08/22/07:

ANOTHER REASON TO QUIT IRAQ: “Listen,” said another Iraqi, who wore a long black beard as well as a dishdasha. “I have something to tell you, but it has to be away from the children.”

He said this in English so the children would not understand. A young man led them outside and suggested they play with their new toys on the lawn.

“When you came and liberated this country,” he continued, “Iraq had 25 million Saddams. America is turning us back into human beings. That soccer field is not for a specific person. It is for everybody. We appreciate that. We believe that if Americans have something that is ours, they will return it to us. If the Iraqi government has something that is ours, we forget it.”

Our host for the evening nodded in agreement.

“We support you,” the man continued. “You support our back, we support your back. But you must understand: If you pull back, we will pull back. I will have no choice but to pull back if I can’t depend on you. It will be much harder for us to stand together. But as long as you stand firmly behind us we will support you against Moqtada al Sadr and the other bastards in the area.”

“Are they Sunnis?” I said to Lieutenant Pitts. Moqtada al Sadr leads the radical Shia Mahdi Army militia.

“No,” he said. “They are Shias. But they don’t like any of the idiot groups, regardless of sect. They want peace.”

From Michael Totten, auf course.

Und now you will RTWT.

Posted by Alois on