So what’s going on in Georgia? Hmm. The poor, oppressed South Ossetians whom the Russians had to save from Great Georgian Imperialism are ethnically cleansing South Ossetia. I’m sure they don’t have Russian permission to do this. Their army must … Continue reading →
I’m not a big fan of political spin by any party. This financial crisis that we’re facing is not Obama’s fault. And while maybe he could have been more vocal in his prior warnings and efforts to rein it in, … Continue reading →
Far be it from your Œcumenical Volgi to disagree with the estimable Kathy Shaidle, Canada’s angriest and sharpest bloggeuse, but apropos her argument here that United Russia is looking increasingly like the old KPSU, Confucius* says respectfully that Russia under … Continue reading →
Today, New York Post headline writers picketed in front of the New York Stock Exchange. The writers produced their own signs, perfectly capturing the sentiment of many Americans who foolishly played by the rules. ** Satire. And picture may be … Continue reading →
I’m reminded of that superstition today by the absurd overvaluation of intelligence and educational credentials of the Democrats. Of course, as Heather MacDonald points out it’s always possible to go too far in the other direction, but I’m inclined to … Continue reading →
Every time I read Thomas Sowell, I’m impressed. I’ve wondered why some of my relatives lean to the political left, so this column seemed relevant. Just chill on the following quote from the column: It is hardly surprising that young … Continue reading →
…of the regulatory mess that created the mortgage meltdown. It gets a little partisan and histrionic (though not wrong, I’d wager) at the end, but it’s worth watching all the way through. UPDATE: And for a more precise explanation of … Continue reading →
I wasn’t able to watch the first debate and all I’ve seen is the general spin of McCain won or Obama won for various reasons. In the end, it seemed like a wash. Later this weekend, I was sent an … Continue reading →
Our friend Chernyshevski would have understood this. Whether or not the specific thesis holds, the Volgi remains flummoxed that Obama’s troubling—if not damning—association with all sorts of groups on the far left that has gone entirely unexamined by the “centrist” … Continue reading →
Strong statement by Condi contra Russian demands: “We will not permit Russia to veto the future of NATO, neither the countries offered membership nor their decision to accept it…We and our European allies will give our help to Georgia…. The … Continue reading →
Our latest contestant is Sandy Binkley, a high school math teacher in at Portland (TN) High School. Go Purple! Ms. Binkley allegedly succumbed to the knowing experience of a 17 year old student. Ah, young, illegal love. ‘Puter recently … Continue reading →
You want to know who’s really responsible for this economic crisis? Look in the mirror. See that handsome chap/fetching lass staring back at you? It’s all his/her fault. I want more, I want it now and I don’t care what … Continue reading →
This will work great! I mean, it worked so well the first time, right? Like when President Hoover raised taxes in the teeth of an economic downturn, helping the economy to tank and stay in the tank for 15 or … Continue reading →
The roots of the crisis in four easy steps. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Doubtless all the Gormogons’ readers saw through Russia’s silly “Kosovo” pretext for invading Georgia. If, however, you were worried about the details of the claim, Noel Malcolm (who literally wrote the [ok, a] book on Kosovo) goes through the historical … Continue reading →
As a brief follow up to this story, and without going into details, I do want to say that I’ve seen promise for various elements of the IC (Intelligence Community). Several agencies are suffering a generational continuity gap and parts … Continue reading →
So, let’s see what’s going on. Rattling sabres, or just flexing, Russia claims it’s going to build a space-based missile-defense system and upgrade its nuclear submarines. And laughing at the U.S. and defiling the grave of James Monroe, she’s giving … Continue reading →
The OICW, one of the most misbegotten weapons projects in the history of small arms, may have finally borne fruit. For those of you who haven’t been following this, the OICW was a massive overreach in terms of technology and … Continue reading →
Instead of furthering the inevitable liquidation of the maladjustments brought about by the boom during the last three years, all conceivable means have been used to prevent that readjustment from taking place; and one of these means, which has been … Continue reading →
Well, JPMorganChase and Jamie Dimon just bought up the bricks and mortar and some of the better assets of Washington Mutual at the fire sale price of $1.9 billion, seemingly at the behest of the FDIC. Not to say ‘Puter … Continue reading →
…that’s basically become the State Department with more levels of classification? Well, this article (via Shmuel Rosner) won’t do anything to allay your fears. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Gordon Chang reports the Russian foreign-policy establishment is saying with one voice, “Look, we’re not playing ball. Punish us for Georgia, and we’ll upset your precious little multilateral applecart.” This is about as blunt as diplomats get. So, what now, … Continue reading →
Ah, never one to disappoint, the New York Times offers up an unintentional satire of itself on par with New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael’s obliviousness and New York arrogance. Ms. Kael is reputed to have said, in response to … Continue reading →
Patrick Nagel meets Princess Leia. Read all about it. And buy GorT one here, before the limited edition of 200 is gone. UPDATE: Welcome, to all those lashed to the oar at JVL’s Galley Slaves! Stick around! Have some fun! … Continue reading →
Wonderful, wonderful little essay by Suzanne Vega on her gorgeous ditty “Tom’s Diner.” Ms. Vega’s a nice prose stylist, as well a terrific lyricist. And, yeah, the Notorious ŒV listened to Solitude Standing for several years straight. Great, great album. … Continue reading →
Two of the three Gormogons have extended family members who are true believing liberal Democrats. The Notorious OEV did a better job of choosing his relatives. As the election has approached, and truth be told, for the last eight years … Continue reading →
…those crafty Georgians must have forced forced the simple, good-hearted Russian soldiers to destroy their country’s cultural patrimony. They’re tricky bastards, those Georgians. This reminds the Volgi of the kind of crimes against history and culture that the Serbs perpetrated … Continue reading →
So, we’ve crossed Iraq off our list of malefactors. Who’s left on the actively anti-American front? Well, if we ignore great powers like Russia and China, we’ve got Venezuela, Iran, Syria & North Korea. (Pakistan’s ISI may soon be bidding … Continue reading →
So is Hubert Chang’s claim true? Google has exploded and continues to do so taking on a multitude of competitors (mostly Microsoft) in a variety of fields: search technology, web-based email, web-based applications, photo sharing, maps, location-based services, data centers, … Continue reading →
Although we’re not entirely sure of its utility, the Gormogons have added a “Followers” widget thingy to our sidebar. And, mirabile dictu, we’ve have our first members! A special Gormogonical welcome to Michael Bird of Yorba Linda, California, and the … Continue reading →
This hunk of awesomeness is a homebrew video about Japan’s new PM, Tarō Asō, whom we’ve already discussed a little chez Gormogon. Turns out Asō can outshoot the Ghettoputer nine days of the week with a scattergun. He was on … Continue reading →
No, not the half-Luo Hawaiian who spent a bunch of his childhood in Indonesia. That’s old hat for the heirs of Empire. No, it’s the candidate who’s so compellingly, entrancingly American. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass … Continue reading →
Nice gesture by Medvedev; let’s hope he does more. Too bad Stalin’s the “strong Russia” model Putin is going for. The Russia Lobby continues to press Washington. Matlock’s arguments about the effects of admitting Georgia and Ukraine aren’t trivial, but … Continue reading →
‘Puter’s not certain what to think of the bailout. ‘Puter doesn’t trust Paulson much at all, with his “everything’s OK, nothing to see here, move along” shtick of a month ago coupled with his “the sky is falling” position of … Continue reading →
In a shocking turn of events today, Clay Aiken has come out of the closet! Knock ‘Puter over with a feather! This may have been the worst kept entertainment industry secret. Ever. In all seriousness, best wishes to Mr. Aiken … Continue reading →
Well, nationalism and attacking an unbeloved ethnic group is apparently popular in Russia, boding ill for any sort of domestic check on revanchist nationalism and, indeed, likely stoking public anger at the first sign of push-back by the West. Not … Continue reading →
OK, ‘Puter knows this is not technically teaching, but ‘Puter did get an interesting education on the bus, so ‘Puter’s going to shoehorn this one into the Great Moments in Teaching series. And really, what teenaged girl hasn’t taken a … Continue reading →
On the lighter side, ‘Puter finally sat down last evening to do some thinking and drinking, and reviewing of the Sunday ad inserts in the Upstate Fishwrap. One sporting goods vendor was advertising an end of the season sale on … Continue reading →
At least in the imagination of the people nearest the Tunguska Event of June 30, 1908. (I know, I’m a couple months late, but what’s a couple months is cosmic-geologic time?) Something—no one’s quite sure what—created a massive fireball over … Continue reading →
So Fred Kaplan here (via Shmuel Rosner) is saying that there’s no sign of the necessary preconditions for a Pashtun Awakening or the like that would allow an Afghanistan surge to succeed. I find this curious, because just last night … Continue reading →
Max Boot says: The Wall Street Journal reports on the sharp boost in Russian military spending, which is due to rise by over 25% to more than $50 billion next year. That may appear insignificant compared with U.S. defense spending(more … Continue reading →
Just not in the way the frothing lefties allege. In 1936, anti-Fascist historian Gaetano Salvemini wrote in his Under the Axe of Fascism that Mussolini’s regime subjected the tax-paying citizen to corporations because, “the State pays for the blunders of … Continue reading →
‘Puter agrees (mostly) with The OEV’s post below. To clarify ‘Puter’s position a bit, this new-found government focus on elimiation of moral hazard certainly changes the rules of the game, making taxpayers implicit guarantors of private equity’s risks. We all … Continue reading →
…there’s a brand new article posted on Mark Steyn’s website. Might the best opinion columnist in English* be returning from his hiatus? Nous vivons et l’espérons. Confucius suspects Steyn wouldn’t agree but recommends Lou Reed’s cover of Weill’s “September Song.” … Continue reading →
Condi: Georgian invasion leaves Russia isolated. Well, except for Europe. (I mean, a three-month delay is enough for invading a tiny neighbor, right?) Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Ok, as y’all know, your Œcumenical Volgi is one Skeptical Volgi when it comes to government bailouts of enterprises. Ghettoputer is not happy with the fact that foreign-based banks operating in the U.S. might be bailed out of their junk-mortgage … Continue reading →
Has Russia just set itself up to lose territory by justifying their invasion of Georgia in terms of South Ossetian self-determination? Because now, Gordon Chang reports, the South Ossetians are mumbling about reunifying with North Ossetia. Which is part of … Continue reading →
Populism is the belief that the little guy, the common man, has wisdom that should (and at times, must) be followed. Elitism is the belief that the betters in our society should rule, and that dictates should come from the … Continue reading →
‘Puter’s had it with the credit crunch/greed is good/bailout debacle. ‘Puter was going to post on aging gay pop-star drug abusers who want your sex receiving minimal punishment, but then he came across this little gem, so he had to … Continue reading →
Sen. Obama is running ads and preaching that the Fannie Mae / Freddy Mac debacle and subsequent bailouts are due to failed Bush policies. Now, I won’t defend the current administration as being fiscally conservative. In fact, I agree with … Continue reading →
The invaluable Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has a new and improved website. Go poke around. RFE/RL incidentally is run by Friend and Hero of the Gormogons, Jeffrey Gedmin. Or M.C. 900-Foot Gedmin, as he’s known around Gormogons HQ. Confucius, Œc. … Continue reading →
Ok, while GungaDin, I mean Ricky Tiki Tavi, I mean Rin Tin Tin is interesting, I’d like to offer up the following movie as the next must see movie. Maybe it’s all the Philip K. Dick novels I read as … Continue reading →
Ticket to ride, white-line highway Tell all your friends, they can go my way Pay your toll, sell your soul Pound-for-pound costs more than gold The longer you stay, the more you pay My white lines go a long way … Continue reading →
Moving ahead with Eastern European missile defense. God love the Czechs. Thank you. Or as I hear you say, “Moje vznášedlo je plné úhořů.”* By the way, Russian objections to NATO expansion and deepening on its borders—like the Polish-Czech missile … Continue reading →
For all your housing-market-induced-meltdown news, here’s the Mortgage Lender Implode-O-Meter. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →I was doing a little light reading in between coughing fits and stumbled upon* today’s article in The Week by Gormogon favorite David Frum. I’ll clip a few highlights here, but it’s worth the extra click or two to pop … Continue reading →
It’s official. ‘Puter is putting Minnesota’s Department of Transportation and the contractors who rebuilt the I-35W bridge in charge of every highway project in the nation. These guys finished the project on budget and three months early. I guess eating … Continue reading →
We’ve all heard way too much recently on the dark side of the current financial meltdown. ‘Puter was thinking and drinking last evening and came to the realization that we’ve heard little about who’s taking advantage of the instability in … Continue reading →
I can’t remember who wrote it, but some smart guy once said, “‘Capitalism’ is simply a pejorative term for ‘economic reality.’” James Bowman has a nice screed on the topic here. The Volgi is nowhere near qualified to weigh on … Continue reading →
…but not by much, and possibly less for actually getting things done. Or such is the upshot of Joshua Muravchik’s piece in the new Commentary. A brisk jog through the history of twentieth-century summitry and other high-level diplomatic stunts, he … Continue reading →
GorT’s been under the weather for the past 2 weeks with a nasty cough – I’ll spare everyone the gory details. So I’m glad to be back and while I’ve seen, read and heard way too much to post about … Continue reading →
…by Ralph Peters here. I don’t know much about Putin the man, but Peters seems pretty on-target. Jumping off from that piece, Abe Greenwald here discusses just how alien the cultural and psychological premises of our principal adversaries are, and … Continue reading →
Maureen Dowd, pictured right, has completely lost her ever-lovin’ mind. That’s not really Ms. Dowd, and she’s really only 56, not 70. But that said, today’s opinion piece in the NYT may be the most incomprehensible piece of drivel ‘Puter’s … Continue reading →
‘Puter hereby volunteers to do his part in this expanding financial crisis. ‘Puter has informed Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed Chair Bernanke that he stands ready to accept an $85 billion no strings attached bailout with taxpayer money. It’s for … Continue reading →
Dear God, what a mess. This is what we get for overburdening the Fed. The Fed has zero business worrying about the economy. The Fed should only worry about the stability of the currency, but it’s charter gives it dual—and … Continue reading →
Well, turns out Pakistan is now putting its notional territorial sovereignty above its participation in the War on Terror. While we may paper over this diplomatically given the return of an elected government in Islamabad, this effectively moves Pakistan into … Continue reading →
Apparently John McCain has been hammering the government-backed profit machines for a while. This is promising; if he wins, it shows that he might not succumb to the usual Washington madness of re-regulation and subsidy. McCain’s not deeply versed in … Continue reading →
24 July 2008: The Gormogons go online “furthering the eschatological doctrine of the Return from Occultation of the Thirteenth Imam, Val Kilmer.” (See sidebar.) 16 September 2008: This story surfaces. Coincidence? Go on thinking that. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent … Continue reading →
Read all about this disgrace. Why, after all the assistance we’ve given to Iraq over the past five years, was the first major Iraqi oil deal signed with China and not with an American or even a western company? The … Continue reading →
PALIN BAGS A BIGFOOT Conservatives have immediately rallied to their party’s new star, citing that gun ownership and hunting are indelible parts of American culture. Indeed this point is hard to argue, as John Adams was notorious for having captured … Continue reading →
So, not to kick a Puter when he’s down, but St. Mildred of D.C. could in fact tell ’Puter that there was a St. Cameron, martyred at Cagliari, Italy (feast, August 21). Though to be fair, he’s awfully obscure. And … Continue reading →
Some kids never learn. Adults these days are hep to the “old laxative in the cupcake trick.” Two genii at a Louisiana magnet school decided to have a little fun with teachers by poisoning their food. ‘Puter had issues with … Continue reading →
Hoselton Nissan, you just made ‘Puter’s little list. Nissan recalled ‘Puter’s 2001 Pathfinder because Nissan didn’t realize that road salt corrodes metal. Well, sort of. The recall was for a defective fuel filler tube that is subject to corrosion due … Continue reading →
The Tina Fey spoof of Sarah Palin on SNL last weekend was good…heck, even Sarah Palin noticed the resemblance and dressed as Tina Fey on Halloween. However, it looks like the un-funny Chevy Chase has a little to say about … Continue reading →
Apparently so. (Couldn’t get the drill-down link to work; hope your mileage varies.) Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →And somewhere, Vlad is smiling. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Too funny. I wonder if he’s been reading David Berlinski’s new book, a terrifically wry and profoundly learned plea for epistemological modesty. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Now this, on the other hand, is delicious. Here’s a list of the twenty-one “republics” in Russia (twenty-one out of eighty-four administrative units). You’ll note (or let me inform you) that all of those except Dagestan are named for ethnic … Continue reading →
God, this is going to give the Volgi an effing stroke. Gordon Chang here reports and explicates the perfidy, pusillanimity, and vileness of the President and foreign-policy establishment’s going out of their way to screw Taiwan over at the implicit … Continue reading →
Obviously, Iraq and Israel’s interests diverge, but given that they’re both mortal enemies of Syria and Iran from way back, this guy’s approach, with the context of received Arab opinion, is breathtakingly audacious. بالتوفيق یا سعیدی Via Max Boot. Confucius, … Continue reading →
‘Puter’s been doing some drinking and some thinking this past weekend, hence the dearth of posts. Both the drinking and the thinking are the direct results of the most recent financial news shaking out on Wall Street. Lehman Bros. is … Continue reading →
M.A. O’Grady is doing her typically excellent work on Latin America in the WSJ today, with an excellent piece on Chávez and his comrade Evo Morales (she didn’t mention the Hondurans’ snide move this week, though), which contains this gem … Continue reading →
The Volgi has tried to restrain himself from going foreign-policy berserk, but it’s too tough today, especially with all my excess anxiety about the Redskins game. (Though they just got what could be the game-winning interception!) So, looks like the … Continue reading →
Thus writes Ian Buruma (of Occidentalism fame) in the Los Angeles Times. His article is very much worth reading, but your Volgi would take exception to one assertion: The prospect of joining the European Union has strengthened the democracies of … Continue reading →
It was inevitable, but still well done. Tina Fey in the role she was born to play: I’d have written the script a little more pointedly to show Hillary actually backing McCain and Palin in order to clear the path … Continue reading →
Teachers are getting their naughty on early and often this school year. Nothing says “professional” like inadvertently showing your charges pornography on the classroom projector. You stay classy, teachers’ union! 'PuterAlways right, unless he isn’t, the infallible Ghettoputer F. X. … Continue reading →
Schools are becoming increasingly treacherous for all. Exposure to teachers has now caused school nurses to be unable to keep their hands off their charges. To be fair to the teachers, these incidents happened outside of school, so that makes … Continue reading →
I have no words for the sheer mindlessness of this. Well, maybe “dumb*ssery” fits. Again, and ‘Puter will leave a more detailed smackdown to GorT, THERE IS NO IRREFUTABLE PROOF OF ANTHROPOGENIC GLOBAL WARMING! Even assuming there were, vandalism is … Continue reading →
But, hey, we’re groß in Germany this month. I have no clue why, but I’m happy to see my beloved Nordrhein-Westfalen showing up in force. Danke sehr, Deutschland. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →…yes, it’s Cat vs. Printer in an epic battle of titans. Watch the whole thing. Via Film Drunk. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Yep, according to Harper. Of course, was he lying then or is he lying now? Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Water-cooler article of the year. Does anyone else find the phrase “pornography use” a pretty creepy euphemism? The Volgi’s main concern with the spread of pornography is that, exposed to ubiquitous porn from youth, some kids today (mostly boys, to … Continue reading →
This may be an overdue reckoning, or it may just be the inevitable result of Musharraf’s downfall. The more public opinion—not to mention the military and ISI—comes into play in Pakistan, the less well we’re going to do in in … Continue reading →
And, from Canada, of all places. Yeah, there’s lots of stuff McCain can’t do, like, oh, I dunno, raise his arms. To surrender. Even if he wanted to. Which he never will. Visit Five Feet of Fury. You’ll wish you’d … Continue reading →
Behold ‘Puter’s new girlfriend, Megan McArdle of The Atlantic! Why, you may ask, does ‘Puter need a girlfriend when he’s got Mrs. ‘Puter at home? Beacuse Ms. McArdle may be the person most simpatico with ‘Puter’s thoughts on teachers’ unions … Continue reading →
Great Congressional testimony here at the Standard‘s blog. Read it all. And hmm, he sounds a little like the Volgi… Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →Photo via With Leather Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →‘Puter just discovered that the people who live on this rock are, for the most part, absolute morons. According to this poll, fifty-four percent (54%) of the surveyed geniuses think someone other than Al Qaeda was responsible for the 9/11 … Continue reading →
Sarko’s foreign policy, such an object of hope, proves ham-handed at best, counter-productive at worst. Confucius, Œc. Vol.Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu. 3.14.242.153
Continue reading →