Wonderful piece by Martin Kramer over at MESH on the late Ann K.S. Lambton, OBE FBA, whose Persian Grammar I have not five feet from my desk. Her knowledge of Iran was such that she realized that Mohammad Mosaddegh, the … Continue reading →
An excellent take down of peaceniks, isolationists and fellow travelers here at home and around the world by Ralph Peters in today’s New York Post. Score one for the “deal with the world as it is, not as we wish … Continue reading →
In what is likely to be a recurring theme, ‘Puter’s going to take a look at wrongdoers in the world’s second oldest profession: teaching. We all know by now that ‘Puter hates hisself the teachers’ unions because they protect incompetents … Continue reading →
So when Anton Fokin won Uzbekistan’s first medal in gymnastics, I clicked over to NBC’s page on the country. Here’s a live link to the map graphic on the page. Notice anything? (I’ll leave the link live…if they fix it, … Continue reading →
Let’s hope that the Thirties aren’t coming back in this respect. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →The Notorious ŒV’s iPhone is a 2G phone running OS 2.0.2. And it works well. Heck, I’m posting this from it. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →News is flying around the ‘net that Sims creator’s Will Wright and the Maxis/EA team have promoted their new game to gold (for those non-techies out there, this means that it’s close to final production where we’ll see it soon…as … Continue reading →
It appears that Apple is struggling to fix the 3G issues with the iPhone. (Hat tip to engadget for the details) Version 2.0.2 of the iPhone software would help the reception, dropped calls, etc. plaguing the version 2.0 3G users. … Continue reading →
Ghetto P, I’ll see your “Hello Kitty” and raise you a “Hello Cthulhu.” *You see this quoted around the internet a lot (mostly by people who wouldn’t know Harlan Ellison if he hit ’em in the mouth, and believe me, … Continue reading →
Wow, is Notorious OEV on a tear this afternoon. Who can argue with his Olympic Opening Ceremony take down? ‘Puter’s only got one small addition to make to OEV’s list of fascisti mascots: Hello Kitty. I offer the following proof … Continue reading →
Abe Greenwald finds proof of the origins of China’s cool, creepy, inhuman Opening Ceremony aesthetic. So they hired Albert Speer’s son to do the architecture (just a coincidence, I’m sure), and aspired to Kim Il-Sung’s parade drill. It’s amazing their … Continue reading →
Translation of this: “we’re fucking useless”. Not that the U.S. has been better; argubly, we’ve been even worse. Chimpy McHilterburton doesn’t exactly look like a world-despoiling warmongering tyrant now, does he, kids? I mean, there’s an oil pipeline there. Aren’t … Continue reading →
Because with the Russians holding Gori and now taking Poti, it looks like they’re planning on staying a bit. Also, notice that they stole a bunch of American equipment, as a ёб твою мать собакым хуй. Laugh it up, Vovochka. … Continue reading →
Comes what may be the ‘Puter’s favorite story of the day. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Behold the official Chinese restaurant of the Gormogons! Although for some strange reason our respective spouses don’t like the place too much. 'PuterAlways right, unless he isn’t, the infallible Ghettoputer F. X. Gormogons claims to be an in-law of the … Continue reading →
Because rule number one is, when you get prominent, you owe your family, clan, etc., lots of stuff. It’s one of the reasons that African governments tend to be kleptocratic. The tribal expectation of intra-familial redistribution tends to undermine good-government … Continue reading →
So, ‘Puter, bad as New York is*, California, as ever, is on the cutting edge of ways to keep bloated government spending alive. *And somewhere, Arthur Laffer’s loving your lyrics. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept … Continue reading →
Like Peter Pham at NRO’s Tank, the Œcumenical Volgi has long had an eye on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, stemming from his long interest in Central Asian affairs (which interest led to one of the most painful incidents in his … Continue reading →
Recently, the Spanish men’s (and women’s) Olympic basketball squads paid their respects to their Chinese hosts by being photographed pulling their eyes into a slanted position so they could look more like their Chinese hosts. Not to be outdone, the … Continue reading →
With apologies to Leonard Bernstein: New York, New YorkA dysfunctional town!Taxes are up, and the revenue’s down.The government’s run by fools and by clowns.New York, New YorkA dysfunctional town! ‘Puter’s already commented on the sorry state of New York’s affairs … Continue reading →
Just a few updates on the Olympics after my travels have concluded. First, my in-laws just returned from China. They were able to attend the opening ceremonies and a number of the events. It was an amazing opportunity and the … Continue reading →
Stuart Koehl takes a very Steynian look at Russia’s demographic death spiral and its consequences for its future as a power. Worth reading. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →The great Anne Applebaum gets it right: The critical question now is whether the West is prepared to behave like the West, to speak with one voice and create a common transatlantic policy. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like … Continue reading →
Baseball and softball are the first two sports dropped from the Olympics since, like, 1936, and they’re keeping trampoline?! Could it be anti-Americanism? Sí. Ja. Oui. Speaking of anti-Americanism, the Gormogons would like to thank the iconoclastic Britons at America … Continue reading →
The Tax Foundation said in an August 12 release that an Associated Press article on a Government Accountability Office report on corporate tax liabilities overstated by 90 times the number of large corporations not paying corporate income taxes. The AP … Continue reading →
Sen. Obama, Constitutional Ignoramus or Jackass? And no fair choosing both. The Good Junior Senator From Illinois (hereinafter, “The GJSFI“) is a proud graduate of Harvard Law School, where he edited the Law Review. Distinguished constitutional scholar Laurence H. Tribe … Continue reading →
‘Puter’s never been a fan of Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf. Anti-democratic, too accepting of Islamic extremism, unwilling (or unable) to control his tribal borderlands. His resignation of Pakistan’s presidency leaves ‘Puter worried though. With Musharraf’s departure, ‘Puter fears the rise … Continue reading →
Very possibly. From “The Return of Authoritarian Great Powers,” by Azar Gat in Foreign Affairs. (Via Shmuel Rosner at Contentions). Capitalism’s ascendancy appears to be deeply entrenched, but the current predominance of democracy could be far less secure. … the … Continue reading →
Worth reading. Covers Georgia, the Near Abroad, and the Middle East. The main aim will be to weaken America’s position in the Middle East. In this respect, there are differences of opinion in the Kremlin. Some ex-generals have come on … Continue reading →
I say again, yeesh. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Worth reading beyond the fairly rhetorical question in the headline. RFE/RL always does a good job. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Hands down. Make sure to read all the way through. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →I know the Olympics are generally GorT’s beat, but holy cow, what a crazy race the men’s 100m butterfly was. All credit to Serbia’s Milorad Čavić for taking it to Phelps without the slightest sign of fear or hesitation. One … Continue reading →
Besides the fact that Michael Phelps is physically pretty close to the perfect swimmer (length of legs, torso, size of hands, feet, double joints, etc.) the US Swim Team also has science on their side. Hear that, kids? Science. Go … Continue reading →
In “you can’t catch me,” it’s still Sasquatch 1, Humans 0. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →John Bolton is on fire in the Telegraph. Not least because he uses some of the historical allusions the Volgi has pulled out. The West, collectively, failed in this crisis. And he takes the Bushies to the woodshed. Great stuff. … Continue reading →
…by octopodes. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →The question now is whether the bear is wounded by its increasing international isolation, or is it still hungry to reestablish hegemony in its self-declared sphere of influence. “Mmmm, Georgia was good. How about a piece of Poland for dessert?” … Continue reading →
‘Puter is uncertain whether this post’s title describes Georgia’s territorial integrity or the West’s absolutely shameful response to Russia’s naked aggression toward a newly-minted democracy. However, from the AP photo at right, courtesy of FoxNews, at least one Georgian has … Continue reading →
People, let’s focus a bit here on some Olympic mockery that I’ve been lax (ok, I’ve been on vacation and still am, but a quiet house early in the morning lends itself to some mockery, I guess) on reporting. First, … Continue reading →
…Fred Thompson‘s never run for president. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →h311 2 t3h y3aH!. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →…every problem starts to look like a nail. Europe’s self-mesmerization with “soft power,” encapsulated perfectly: “What would it take,” I asked, “for Europe to stop treating Putin like a democrat? If all opposition parties are banned? Or what if they … Continue reading →
If the Georgians want to fight, Stuart Koehl has some ideas on how we can help. He doesn’t mention it, but we should be preemptively providing this kind of military assistance to other democratic countries in Russia’s sights, particularly Ukraine. … Continue reading →
Excellent piece in Small Wars Journal: …The return of strongman rule to Russia, and particularly one who regards the demise of the Soviet Union as a historic catastrophe, is now a fact of international life to which we will all … Continue reading →
So the forces of PC have managed to get this ad yanked as allegedly homophobic. I find that reading way too much in it. But I present it here for Ghettoputer’s delectation, as it’s entirely possible that he wrote the … Continue reading →
Congrats to good guy Radek Sikorski (a friend of a friend) and the Polish government, as well as the USG, for getting this done. A joke from the Polish ministry of defense I heard second-hand: Q: When invaded simultaneously by … Continue reading →
Here’s a good piece on their apparently incompetent strategists and ignoble recent history in South Ossetia pre-Rose Revolution. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Continuing on with the loathesome unions and their smarmy factotums in Congress, I give you unfree elections! That’s right, our Congress is giving serious consideration to amending the National Labor Relations Act to require that any vote authorizing a union … Continue reading →
And there you’ll find corruption and un-American acts. ‘Puter will take a look at two separate items that recently caught his attention, one from his adopted dysfunctional home state of Nueva Jork (motto: “What’re you lookin’ at?”), and the other … Continue reading →
Wow. Ukraine looks like they’ve realized that it’s on, and they’re trying to effectively lock up the Russian Black Sea Fleet. (Via Michael Ledeen @ NRO.) Good for them. As Krauthammer argues infra: we have cards; we need to play … Continue reading →
Charles Krauthammer has some excellent suggestions. And he grasps what this is all about: The real objective is the Finlandization of Georgia through the removal of President Mikheil Saakashvili and his replacement by a Russian puppet. If you don’t read … Continue reading →
According to Saakashvili at any rate: For too long, we all underestimated the ruthlessness of the regime in Moscow. Yesterday brought further evidence of its duplicity: Within 24 hours of Russia agreeing to a cease-fire, its forces were rampaging through … Continue reading →
…Mr. Johnson, who’s evidently on the same page as the Œcumenical Volgi. “The Russian invasion of Georgia is a damning indictment of Western, and especially European, diplomacy….If the Russian bluff is ever going to be called, it had much better … Continue reading →
Whatever did we do in the benighted days when we didn’t have lawyers to protect us from evil malefactors? Why, we usually worked the problem out ourselves, without violence, and without need for judicial intervention. But, to give our attorney … Continue reading →
Lest we get too hung up about the looming destruction of the international system as we know it, here’s some really important news! Now, considering it’s Georgia, I’m sort of betting that this is some unfortunate hazing casualty at GorT’s … Continue reading →
‘Puter humbly attempts to expand on a small point in OEV’s outstanding commentary on the Crisis in the Caucasus. The United States continually analyzes what wars are acceptable and which are not, which interventions are acceptable and which are too … Continue reading →
More and more frequently we are seeing people leaping to conclusions without applying any reasonable amount of the scientific method. (I could provide a simple chart explaining it to those who need it, but I figure the readers could do … Continue reading →
On NRO’s Corner, John Derbyshire argues: Either you believe the U.S.A. ought to commit — in writing — that we shall go to war on behalf of Georgia (Estonia, the Ukraine, etc.), or you believe we ought not. Precisely backwards. … Continue reading →
Read ’em in full. Melik Kaylan: Having overestimated the power of the Soviet Union in its last years, we have consistently underestimated the ambitions of Russia since. Already, a great deal has been said about the implications of Russia’s invasion … Continue reading →
In keeping with the Olympic fever (there’s only one cure — more cowbell!) sweeping our fine Nation, ‘Puter rushes in where angels fear to tread. That’s right, boys and girls, it’s time to set straight, once and for all, which … Continue reading →
Sticking with our “what are they doing on vacation” theme, ‘Puter humbly offers up this synposis of the first portion of GorT’s vacation. GorT claims to be on vacation in the Palmetto (Bug) State, enjoying peaches and fireworks. The remaining … Continue reading →
Well, this would be nice, if it’s true and it sticks. It’s a welcome distance short of the deposition of the Georgian government I was expecting. If this holds, it’s because Russia’s made her point; now, the ball is in … Continue reading →
The title is an homage to my fellow blogger who quipped the above as what the South Carolina , my current blogging location, motto should be. Maybe I should stay here. Upon returning to Maryland, I’d have to validate the … Continue reading →
…in today’s Wall Street Journal. Worth reading throughout. However, if you don’t have the time, just read this: Reversing this course will not be easy, but it is absolutely necessary. At stake are international law, energy security, NATO’s future, and … Continue reading →
Once again from Steve Sailer (I’m a few days late in posting this), here’s possibly the answer to the UNSCOM questions. If true, this effectively eliminates the need to account for a weapons-lab angle. Though that has some disturbing implications … Continue reading →
…for this film, it’ll be just fine. Seriously, no cover version. No thrash-metal version. The Queen one. Seriously. Don’t make me come out to Hollywood and bust heads. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →…the shameful silence of the Left about the emergence of what looks like a stable, peaceful, sovereign, decently governed Iraq. Turns out making Dubya look bad is more important than actually giving a damn about the fate of thirty million … Continue reading →
Instead of a series of incoherent responses to Russian actions, we should get out in front of this problem by defining it on our terms: a sovereign Georgia, a South Ossetia whose future is decided by negotiation and not force, … Continue reading →
I just can’t believe Ghettoputer didn’t entitle this post “The despot’s heel is on thy shore!” (Of course the despot in question was, at the time, Abe Lincoln. I guess that makes James Ryder Randall an early paleocon…) Best state … Continue reading →
Over at NRO’s Corner, Punditissimo Jonah Goldberg wonders why the heck Obama’s response is to refer the Ossetian War to the UN Security Council. I’d have thought the answer was obvious: the left’s innate aversion to any sort of positive … Continue reading →
Senator McCain whipped out his foreign policy and security bona fides again today in addressing Russia’s “peacekeeping” efforts in Georgia, warning the Russians of “severe, long-term negative consequences” involving a few tricks Senator McCain picked up during his time visiting … Continue reading →
Where’s your “no blood for oil” now? China’s got the frickin’ PLA in Sudan to protect its oil deals with the genocidal government, and you decide the best way to deal with the crisis is to go to the UN. … Continue reading →
The Œcumenical Volgi has been on the road and, due to a dodgy wifi connection, unable to blog at any length. Ensconced in an airport with all the modern conveniences, he can finally address the horrific events in South Ossetia … Continue reading →
So it appears that NBC and the Chinese have done some things with the Olympic presentations that might be less that openly honest. First, according to various sources, the fireworks during the opening ceremony were faked at least for the … Continue reading →
By now, everyone’s heard that the irrepressible Isaac Hayes, musician extraordinaire, and, most importantly, the voice of Chef, has died. Among Mr. Hayes’ many lifetime contributions are the Theme from Shaft and the album Hot Buttered Soul. Godspeed, you wacky … Continue reading →
Maryland comprises a small portion of the Greater D.C. Metroplex, and yet is responsible for a surprising amount of the area’s political stupidity, which is really saying something, as the fine political sages running the District of Columbia are among … Continue reading →
Great line and very appropriate with GorTechie’s Enigma post.. Y’all know where standeth the Œcumenical Volgi. But really, is anyone really surprised at all this “subtext” insanity? I mean, for God’s sake, the last two generations or so of students … Continue reading →
…in September the Large Hadron Collider overseen by CERN in a facility near Geneva, Switzerland will go operational. Now they aren’t going to start splitting or smashing atoms right away but the conspiracy theorists are out there already. We’ll keep … Continue reading →
…to find this way, way out of line. The Volgi isn’t an end-the-drug-war guy, but he does think the increasing militarization of police tactics (cf. Waco, Ruby Ridge) is very worrisome. I recognize that these incidents have come about because … Continue reading →
Where he tries to stab youSweet home AlabamaAnd frames a retard tooAlabama! Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Too cool….I spent 10-15 minutes today “geeking” out on this site. Too much fun. GorTGorT is an eight-foot-tall robot from the 51ˢᵗ Century who routinely time-travels to steal expensive technology from the future and return it to the past for … Continue reading →
Very funny story from David Frum. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Now I’m fired up. Canadia hates America? That’s like the fat boy in high school who couldn’t get a date to the prom and blamed all his personal problems on the jocks who had girls draped all over them like … Continue reading →
…stop hatin’ on our land… For the ‘Puter. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Ok, this is terrible, so I apologize in advance. But a website claims—based on God knows what, so I’m not sure that it’s true—that Bill O’Reilly’s wife (who apparently dated Ted Kennedy) was once, um, “romantically” linked to…well, check it … Continue reading →
On the melancholy anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, here’s a nice post by Roger Kimball drawing from a Guardian editorial and a Paul Fussell essay. Also worth reading is the address of Dr. Takashi Nagai, a Catholic … Continue reading →
…goes to the idiosyncratic, sometimes dead creepily wrong, sometimes terrifically perceptive and funny Steve Sailer. And he’s right—a batshit insane scientist handling anthrax is probably your leading source. Plus, the anthrax DNA seems to be pretty conclusive. I’m still a … Continue reading →
Mexico and the International Court of Justice a/k/a World Court again have their collective knickers in twist because the United States has dared to exercise its sovereignty. Our self-declared freelancing fourth branch of government, the State Department, should tell the … Continue reading →
What a crime against history and a hundred million dead that this article has to be written. But it’s the truth, and many successes to Mr. Laar and his foundation. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept … Continue reading →
Speaking of the good father, Joe, you should also mention that his supplemental weekly quizzes were on a twelve-point scale, allowing for easily-scored one-, two-, three-, four-, six-, or twelve-question variants. And, in my defense, I should add that I … Continue reading →
The upmanship continues! The Volgi missed the mark as I was too young to have the HP-35. I do, however, own the HP-28S and the HP-48S. Maybe I’ll loan each out to my fellow Gormogons so they can work out … Continue reading →
…and Ghettoputer (1983-87). So, GorT ain’t happy about the tire-inflation-as-better-than-offshore-drilling idea, eh? Well, unlike certain oneupsmanship-obsessed techies who are apparently too lazy to bust out their HP35s’es, this guy decided to do the math. In case you follow in Teen … Continue reading →
Will someone please explain to me how this is not typecasting? Have you no shame, Mr. Tarantino? This is as weak as casting Tom Cruise as an out of control, wacky member of cult attempting to pass itself off as … Continue reading →
While this is an awful, apparently nationwide problem threatening to further unravel some of the most disorderly communities in America to the terrible detriment of the vulnerable and law-abiding, when we see that this story takes as its basis fair … Continue reading →
Well, sounds like the FBI’s got some very convincing circumstantial evidence, but the fact the guy seems to have been a literally raving loon cuts both ways. On the one hand, perhaps he’d have had an insane motive for the … Continue reading →
Fulfilling a promise made earlier, and sticking with GorT’s vacation travel theme, I propose that the single cruddiest stretch of “interstate” in the Northeast is I-476, the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The fine civil engineers who developed this … Continue reading →
You put three guys together on a blog and there is some desire to “one up” each other. So, I’m going to submit the following as trumping the Volgi’s “post on Delusional Idiocy of the Week. According to Sen. Obama, … Continue reading →
It appears nature, red in tooth and claw, has again thrown a kink into the belief system of those who think that man and nature can peacefully coexist. Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit has noted the accelerating trend of predators becoming … Continue reading →
