Wednesday - December 13, 2006

Visiting The Dummies

Memo To US Troops In Iraq: the Joker is coming to visit you this weekend. Please keep the following in mind during his visit: (1) It is bad manners to “frag” a US Senator - unless you can make it look like an accident. (2) Take your time and drive real slow on the road from the airport to Baghdad - the Senator will better appreciate the scenery that way. (3) When talking to the Senator, use words of no more than one syllable - after all, Senators are usually people who are so stupid that they have failed at all other jobs in life and had to settle for being a rotten, lying politician. (4) Try to keep the Senator’s visit a secret in case Al-Qaeda tries to take him out - (nudge-nudge-wink-wink). (5) If the Senator is kidnapped by insurgents ... don’t call us. That is all. Carry on.

Kerry to Meet Soldiers, Leaders in Iraq

WASHINGTON Dec 13, 2006 (ABC NEWS) - Sen. John Kerry, whose botched joke about U.S. troops in Iraq dealt a blow to his presidential ambitions, will travel to Iraq this weekend to meet with soldiers, political leaders and military officials.

“I’ve talked to plenty of guys who’ve come back from Iraq, who are there now, who understand exactly what happened,” Kerry said of his joke in a telephone interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. “They laugh at it.” The Iraq stop will be part of a nine-day Mideast trip that includes stops in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Israel.

Kerry will spend the latter part of his trip with a potential presidential rival and fellow member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, considered the Republican front-runner in the 2008 race, also plans a trip to Iraq.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/13/2006 at 11:45 AM   
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Manuel Labor

I have a question: if an illegal alien steals my identity and goes to work somewhere, are the social security deductions credited to me? If so, that might be a good thing because it would increase my payout if I manage to reach retirement age, right? Can someone clarify this for me?

Regardless, this problem just gets worse every day. I blame both the American and the Mexican government and it’s a problem that is not going to go away. Have any of you noticed that this problem seems to have been totally lost in the past few months.

Do any of you want to take bets on whether the Democrats will do anything when they assume control next month? I’m giving 10-1 odds they don’t because the Donks don’t want to offend Hispanic voters either. Both they and the GOP are courting the Hispanic voters. As usual, they figure they can screw the rest of us as long as they get re-elected.

Illegal Workers Arrested In 6-State ID Theft Sweep
_{(WASHINGTON POST) - Wednesday, December 13, 2006}

Federal agents targeting illegal immigrants raided meatpacking plants in six states yesterday, arresting hundreds of workers on the uncommon charge of identity theft and shutting down the world’s second-largest meat processing company for much of the day.

About 1,000 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents with search warrants entered plants owned by Swift & Co., of Greeley, Colo., charging that “large numbers” of workers illegally assumed the identities of U.S. citizens or legal residents by using their Social Security numbers to get work, ICE officials said.

Company and union officials said agents, some dressed in riot gear, locked down six beef- and pork-processing plants early in the morning, segregating workers into groups of citizens and non-citizens after questioning. Some illegal workers were bused to detention facilities hours away, labor officials said.

ICE officials would not say how many people were arrested, pending a news conference today in Washington. About 90 percent of Swift’s 15,000 U.S. employees work in three shifts at the plants, company officials said.

Although many illegal workers by definition commit document fraud to get jobs, the government’s use of identity theft charges could reframe the immigration debate for the public and spotlight how sharing Social Security data could fight such abuses, she said.

In a brief teleconference with reporters, Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary of homeland security for ICE, said that “the signal we’re intending to send here is, ‘We’re serious about work site enforcement, and those individuals who steal identities of U.S. citizens will not escape action from us.’ “ She said the government would also pursue vendors of fake documents, former workers and legitimate residents who sold their Social Security numbers.

Raids took place in plants in Greeley; Grand Island, Neb.; Cactus, Tex.; Hyrum, Utah; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Worthington, Minn.

ICE spokesman Marc Raimondi said investigators will decide whether those arrested will face immediate deportation, prosecution or detention pending other legal proceedings. U.S. officials noted the participation of the Federal Trade Commission, which routinely shares data on identity theft victims with federal and state law enforcement agencies.

- More ...

UPDATE:

The United Food and Commercial International Workers union said it would ask federal judges in all six states to halt the raids. Union spokeswoman Jill Cashen said attorneys were gathering details before filing the requests.

No charges had been filed against Swift. In a written statement, President and CEO Sam Rovit said the company has never knowingly hired illegal workers and does not condone the practice.

Immigration officials last month informed Swift that it would remove unauthorized workers on Dec. 4, but Swift asked a federal judge to prevent agents from conducting the raid, arguing it would cause “substantial and irreparable injury” to its business.

Swift estimated that a raid would remove up to 40 percent of its 13,000 workers. After a closed hearing, a judge on Thursday rejected Swift’s request, clearing the way for the raids.

The six Swift plants targeted Tuesday represents all of the company’s domestic beef processing capacity and 77 percent of its pork processing capacity. Greeley-based Swift describes itself as the world’s second-largest meat processor with sales of about $9 billion.

- More ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/13/2006 at 10:48 AM   
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Jack The Ripper, Part III

First of all let me clear up something ... although there have been countless novels, movies and even plays written about Jack The Ripper, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never wrote so much as a short story about the legendary killer. However, many Sherlock Holmes fans will try to tell you that Professor Moriarty is Doyle’s stand-in for the Ripper.

Today’s Trivial Pursuit: Jack The Ripper was the subject of a Star Trek episode in its second season in 1967. (1) What was the title of the episode? (2) Which famous Sci-Fi writer wrote the screenplay? (3) Which Enterprise crew member was accused of being Jack The Ripper? (4) What is “RedJac”? (5) What famous character actor played the role of Mr. Hengist (a.k.a. Jack The Ripper) and which character is he famous for playing in the Winnie The Pooh movies? Score twenty points for each correct answer. Die-hard trekkies and Pooh lovers are not allowed to participate.

Bodies of 2 More Women Found in England
_{IPSWICH, England (AP) - Dec 13, 2006}

The search for a serial killer who preys on prostitutes in eastern England intensified Tuesday with the discovery of two more bodies, and detectives warned sex workers “to get off the streets as soon as possible.”

The two bodies found Tuesday have not been identified, but the detective leading the investigation said it was likely they were those of Annette Nicholls and Paula Clennell, two prostitutes who had been missing for days. Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull of Suffolk police advised Ipswich prostitutes not to go out to work.

“We have got three prostitutes murdered, now possibly another two. I do not know what stronger warning there can be to get off the streets as soon as possible,” he said.

Detectives were already investigating the deaths of three women, whose naked bodies were found a few miles apart. One body was found in a stream, another in a pond and a third in the woods, about 30 yards from a road.

The two bodies discovered Tuesday were lying near Levington, Suffolk, a village about five miles south of Ipswich. The corpses of the five dead women have all been found within a few miles of Ipswich.

The killing has stirred memories of the so-called Yorkshire Ripper, one of Britain’s worst serial killers. Peter Sutcliffe admitted to killing 13 women, mostly prostitutes, in the 1970s. He was sentenced to serve a minimum of 30 years in prison.

His reign of terror recalled Jack the Ripper, the notorious Victorian serial killer who murdered at least five East London prostitutes in 1888. He was never caught and speculation about his identity continues.

The latest deaths have drawn intense media interest, with Ipswich’s afternoon newspaper labeling the prostitutes’ killer “the Suffolk Strangler.” Police said they suspected a serial killer in the Suffolk cases, but were not ruling out multiple suspects. Police said there was also no indication women other than prostitutes were targeted.

The three victims who have been named were identified as Gemma Adams, 25, whose body was found Dec. 2; Tania Nicol, 19, whose body was found Friday; and 24-year-old Anneli Alderton, whose body was found Sunday. Police said Alderton who was last seen on a train was asphyxiated. It appeared she had been strangled and that she was not sexually assaulted, police said.

- Contact the Suffolk police if you have any information about the murders ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/13/2006 at 03:47 AM   
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Koffing Anus Departs

Koffing Anus has now officially gotten on my last nerve. First, he decides to come here to Missouri to deliver his last parting shot at the United States. Second, he does so at the Truman Presidential Library and invokes the memory of the man who coined the phrase ”the buck stops here.” Third, he lashes out at the US after presiding over the most corrupt administration ever at the United Nations.

Enough is enough. Send this asshat back to the third-world crap-hole he came from and never let him near the US or the UN again. I still fail to see what we stand to gain by remaining a member of this despicable organization which hires hypocritical jerks like Big Anus to bash the US while taking untold millions under the table from Saddam Hussein.

And to top it all off, Democrats in Congress refuse to send to the United Nations a man who proved he was capable of standing up to the corrupt, bigoted idiots from every corner of the planet. Democrats owe an apology to John Bolton and Koffing Anus owes an apology to the entire human race ... especially the US.

Now keep this mealy-mouthed bastard out of my state. I smell the fumes of sulfur since he was here spouting his drivel. The devil was here and we don’t want him back. Adios, Kofi! Now get the hell out of my country and stay out.

_{Bob Englehart - The Hartford Courant (CT)}

Annan Chides U.S. In Farewell Speech
_{INDEPENDENCE, Missouri (CNN) - 7:32 p.m. EST, December 11, 2006}

Kofi Annan had some strong words Monday for the United States in his farewell speech as secretary-general of the United Nations. Throughout the address, given at the Truman Presidential Museum and Library, Annan invoked America’s 33rd president to tell the United States, and implicitly its 43rd president, George W. Bush, how he thought they ought to behave.

“As [Harry] Truman said, ‘We must, once and for all, prove by our acts conclusively that right has might.’ That’s why this country has historically been in the vanguard of the global human rights movement,” Annan said. (Watch Annan’s relationship with the U.S. turn from friendly to frosty) Video

“But that lead can only be maintained if America remains true to its principles, including in the struggle against terrorism. When it appears to abandon its own ideas and objectives, its friends abroad are naturally troubled and confused.” Annan’s successor, South Korean Ban Ki-Moon, will take office on January 1.

Annan on Monday admonished the United States to use its global supremacy judiciously, saying, “The U.S. has given the world an example of a democracy in which everyone, including the most powerful, is subject to legal restraint. Its current moment of world supremacy gives it a priceless opportunity to entrench the same principles at the global level.

“As Harry Truman said, ‘We all have to recognize, no matter how great our strength, that we must deny ourselves the license to do always as we please.’ States need to play by the rules toward each other as well as toward their own citizens.

“When power, especially military force, is used, the world will consider it legitimate only when convinced that it is being used for the right purpose, for broadly shared aims, in accordance with broadly accepted norms.

“No community anywhere suffers from too much rule of law; many do suffer from too little and the international community is among them,” he added. “This we must change.”

During his 10 years as U.N. secretary-general, Annan has had his differences with the United States, which originally backed his candidacy. There were quarrels over finances with then-Sen. Jesse Helms, R-North Carolina, during the 1990s.

But his relationship with Washington became downright frosty during the Bush years as the Republican Party’s more conservative wing took power. Much of the strain has been due to the situation in Iraq. Annan strongly opposed the 2003 invasion by the U.S.-led coalition. He has called it an illegal war.

- Full text of the speech (PDF) here ...

- More on the story from CNN...

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/13/2006 at 02:56 AM   
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   Tuesday - December 12, 2006

Through The Looking Glass

“Meanwhile In Somalia”

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/12/2006 at 04:55 PM   
Filed Under: • Art-Photography • RoPMA •  
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Christmas Gift Idea #13

Technically, it’s not a “gift” but it might brighten up yours or anyone’s Christmas who watches the Charlie Brown Christmas Special every year. Grab yours today from UrbanOutfitters and see if you can perform a little Christmas “magic” like the Peanuts gang did. You might even want to send a few to Seattle Airport since their trees keep disappearing and returning for some odd reason ....

Now here’s a Christmas tree anyone can relate to: a 21” exact replica of Charlie Brown’s pathetic tree before it was magically turned into something completely different by some energetic arm-waving.

Good Grief. Learn the true meaning of Christmas with Charlie Brown’s classic pathetic Christmas tree. Leave it bare or dress it up all fancy. The tree is an exact replica of the tree from the famous cartoon, made of wire branches and plastic needles with a criss cross wooden base.

The bendable branches allow you to make it look just how you want, super pathetic or just kind of pathetic. The tree comes with one red Christmas ball ornament. Plus the bendable branches make it possible to fold the tree entirely flat for easy storage during the non-yuletide times of the year.

UrbanOutfitters.com - $24.00

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/12/2006 at 01:30 PM   
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Courage

Our young men and women in the military could teach a lot to the bellyachers, whiners and complainers back home. Single acts of sacrifice and heroism like that of Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis should be recognized and remembered by all of us.

I would like to offer a small prayer to the family of PFC McGinnis, a brave young man if ever there was one. Troops like him know why we’re fighting the war on terror and they seem to think we can win, otherwise why would they perform acts like this day in and day out.

If we give them our support and let them know we love, honor and respect them they will be glad to do the rest. That’s not too much to ask of us, is it ... ?

Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis (1987-2006)
_{FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – December 11, 2006}

Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis packed only 136 pounds into his 6-foot frame, but few have ever matched his inner strength. McGinnis sacrificed himself in an act of supreme bravery on Dec. 4, belying his status as the youngest Soldier in Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. 

The 19-year-old amateur mechanic from Knox, Pa., who enjoyed poker and loud music, likely saved the lives of four Soldiers riding with him on a mission in Baghdad. McGinnis was manning the gunner’s hatch when an insurgent tossed a grenade from above. It flew past McGinnis and down through the hatch before lodging near the radio.

His platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Cedric Thomas of Longview, Texas, recalled what happened next. “Pfc. McGinnis yelled ‘Grenade…It’s in the truck,’” Thomas said. “I looked out of the corner of my eye as I was crouching down and I saw him pin it down.”

McGinnis did so even though he could have escaped. “He had time to jump out of the truck,” Thomas said. “He chose not to.” Thomas remembered McGinnis talking about how he would respond in such a situation. McGinnis said then he didn’t know how he would act, but when the time came, he delivered. 

“He gave his life to save his crew and his platoon sergeant,” Thomas said. “He’s a hero. He’s a professional. He was just an awesome guy.” Three of the Soldiers with McGinnis who were wounded that day have returned to duty, while a fourth is recovering in Germany. For saving the lives of his friends and giving up his own in the process, McGinnis earned the Silver Star, posthumously.  His unit paid their final respects in a somber ceremony here Dec. 11.

McGinnis was born June 14, 1987, and joined the Army right after graduating high school in 2005. He had been in the Army 18 months and made his mark even before his heroic deed. “He was a good kid,” said C Company’s senior enlisted Soldier, 1st Sgt. Kenneth J. Hendrix. “He had just gotten approved for a waiver to be promoted to specialist.”

He also appeared on the Nov. 30 cover of Stars & Stripes, manning his turret.  Besides his military accomplishments, McGinnis leaves his friends and family with memories of a fun-loving, loyal man.  Private First Class Brennan Beck, a 1-26 infantryman from Lodi, Calif., said McGinnis made others feel better. “He would go into a room and when he left, everyone was laughing,” Beck said. “He did impersonations of others in the company. He was quick-witted, just hilarious. He loved making people laugh. He was a comedian through and through.” While having a witty side, McGinnis took his job seriously.

“He was not a garrison Soldier. He hated it back in garrison,” Beck said. “He loved it here in Iraq. He loved being a gunner. It was a thrill, he loved everything about it. He was one our best Soldiers. He did a great job.” Beck has memories of talking all night with McGinnis about where they wanted their lives to go, and said McGinnis always remembered his friends. “When I had my appendix removed, he was the only one who visited me in the hospital,” Beck said. “That meant a lot.”

Another 1-26 infantryman, Private First ClassMichael Blair of Klamath Falls, Ore., recalled that McGinnis helped him when he arrived at Ledward Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany. “When I first came to the unit…he was there and took me in and showed me around,” Blair said. “He was real easy to talk to. You could tell him anything. He was a funny guy. He was always making somebody laugh.”

McGinnis’ final heroic act came as no surprise to Blair.  “He was that kind of person,” Blair said. “He would rather take it himself than have his buddies go down.” The brigade’s senior noncommissioned officer, Command Sgt. Maj. William Johnson, also had high praise for McGinnis. “Anytime when you get a Soldier to do something like that - to give his life to protect his fellow Soldiers - that’s what heroes are made of,” Johnson said. It also demonstrates, Johnson continued, that the ‘MySpace Generation’ has what it takes to carry on the Army’s proud traditions.

“Some think Soldiers who come in today are all about themselves,” Johnson said. “I see it differently.” The Silver Star has already been approved for McGinnis’ actions Dec.4, and will be awarded posthumously.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/12/2006 at 12:56 PM   
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Blackmail

Guess who wants to drop their lawsuit if they’re paid off? Yes, that would be five holy men of an indeterminate religion and unknown ethnic origin ....

Ousted Imams Want Airline Settlement

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (UPI)—Five of six Muslim imams who were taken off a US Airways flight in Minneapolis last month want an out-of-court settlement from the airline for the ordeal.

After the Nov. 28 incident, the airline offered to meet with the group of clerics Dec. 4, but the men declined and instead sought legal help from the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington.

“With the hopes of reaching an amicable resolution to this matter, we would like to take this opportunity to ask for a formal meeting with US Airways executives and legal counsel,” Arsalan Iftikhar, CAIR’s national legal director, wrote to the airline.

There are conflicting reports of what happened after security agents escorted the men off the plane based on other passengers’ complaints of suspicious activity, the Washington Times said Monday.

CAIR claims the men were handcuffed for several hours, but one of the imams told the Times he was only handcuffed for “10 or 15 minutes” and that the imams were not led off the plane in handcuffs. An airline spokeswoman said the meeting request was received, but a date has not been set.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/12/2006 at 10:05 AM   
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   Monday - December 11, 2006

Christmas Gift Idea #14

Bummer! I had this little sweetie picked out last week, then the prudes attacked and M&S was forced to pull the toy. There are just way too many uptight people in this world today. Loosen up people! Get your own pole and work it out ....

The £19.50 Pole Dancer
Marks & Spencer (UK)

A toy pole dancer has been scrapped by Marks & Spencer just a week after it went on sale, following scores of protests from angry shoppers.

Store bosses had hoped the 8in-tall blonde, sporting a red bikini and matching red lipstick, would be a big Christmas hit. But they were forced into a hasty about-turn and cleared the £19.50 toy off their shelves after they were inundated with complaints that it was offensive.

The “USB pole dancer” is designed to be plugged into any personal computer and comes complete with her own silver pole to dance around, as well as multi-coloured lights and disco music to “recreate an authentic nightclub atmosphere”.

Once she is switched on she goes through a gyrating routine with the help of a pre-installed backing track.

Instructions on the packaging, which has “Girls, Girls, Girls” printed in large lettering, say: “This fun pole dancer is powered directly from the USB port on your PC and will entertain you at any time of the day or night.”

They continue: “As the music plays, the dancer spins around the pole, moving up and down.”

But Tory MP Ann Widdecombe attacked it as “cheap and tawdry”. She added: “I would think this type of product would be entirely counter-productive to the image of M&S. It won’t suit most of the customers who go to M&S anyway, so why do it? It’s not respectful towards women.”

An M&S spokeswoman said last night: “The crux of the complaints was really that some people were offended by the product. It was marketed at adults and was clearly marked ‘Not suitable for children’. It was originally intended as a fun Christmas gift and it was never our intention to cause offence but obviously we take every complaint seriously.”

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/11/2006 at 06:18 PM   
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From My Cold Dead Hands …

OK, I am now accepting applications for membership in the Skipper’s Midwest Militia, or as they are known here, “The Grumpy Old Farts With Guns.” Seriously, it never ceases to amaze me the obtuse arguments some Leftist lawyers come up with to take away everyone’s firearms. This old “militia” argument has been thrashed around for ages and is just as full of crap now as it was 70 years ago.

Read the damn text of the Second Amendment. The reference to “well-regulated militia” is only there to explain why the Founding Fathers wanted the “right to keep and bear arms” included, not as a condition for the right. I am sick to death of gun-grabbers using this lame excuse to disarm the citizenry.

Chipping away at the Constitution has become a full-time job for the Leftists in our midst. There ought to be a law against their blatant attempts to read into the Constitution whatever in hell they want. It’s too bad the Founding Fathers didn’t include such a clause. Maybe it’s time we added one. For clarification, here is the text in question. The last fourteen words are the most important ones ...

Militias Figure In Challenge To D.C. Gun Ban
_{WASHINGTON (SEATTLE TIMES) - December 10, 2006}

In a case that could shape firearms laws nationwide, attorneys for the District of Columbia argued Thursday that the Second Amendment right to bear arms applies only to militias, not individuals.

The city defended as constitutional its long-standing ban on handguns, a law some gun opponents have advocated elsewhere. Civil-liberties groups and pro-gun organizations say the ban is unconstitutional.

At issue in the case before a federal appeals court is whether the Second Amendment right to “keep and bear arms” applies to all people or only to “a well-regulated militia.” The Bush administration has endorsed individual gun-ownership rights, but the Supreme Court has never settled the issue.

If the dispute makes it to the high court, it would be the first case in nearly 70 years to address the amendment’s scope. The court disappointed gun-owner groups in 2003, when it refused to take up a challenge to California’s ban on assault weapons.

In the Washington, D.C., case, a lower-court judge told six city residents in 2004 that they did not have a constitutional right to own handguns. The plaintiffs include residents of high-crime neighborhoods who want guns for protection.

Courts have upheld bans on automatic weapons and sawed-off shotguns, but this case is unusual because it involves a prohibition on all pistols. Voters passed a similar ban in San Francisco last year, but a judge ruled it violated state law. The Washington, D.C., case is not clouded by state law and hinges directly on the Constitution.

“We interpret the Second Amendment in military terms,” said Todd Kim, the District’s solicitor general, who told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that the city also would have had the authority to ban all weapons.

Of the three judges, Judge Laurence Silberman was the most critical of Kim’s argument and noted that, despite the law, handguns were common in the District. Silberman and Judge Thomas Griffith seemed to wrestle with the meaning of the amendment’s language about militias. If a well-regulated militia is no longer needed, they asked, is the right to bear arms necessary?

“That’s quite a task for any court to decide that a right is no longer necessary,” replied Alan Gura, an attorney for the plaintiffs. “If we decide that it’s no longer necessary, can we erase any part of the Constitution?”

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/11/2006 at 04:22 AM   
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An Inconvenient Cow

Other than the fact that cars emit carbon monoxide, not carbon dioxide, the following story only serves to convince me that I was right all along. For years I’ve been worried about cow farts and their impact on the environment. They’re killing us with methane and causing glowball warming. One day cows will rule the world if their evil plan succeeds. Help stop this plot now. Grill a steer today - but don’t pull its hoof ...

Cow Emissions More Damaging To Planet Than CO2 From Cars
_{(INDEPENDENT - UK) - 10 December 2006}

Meet the world’s top destroyer of the environment. It is not the car, or the plane,or even George Bush: it is the cow. A United Nations report has identified the world’s rapidly growing herds of cattle as the greatest threat to the climate, forests and wildlife.

And they are blamed for a host of other environmental crimes, from acid rain to the introduction of alien species, from producing deserts to creating dead zones in the oceans, from poisoning rivers and drinking water to destroying coral reefs.

The 400-page report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, entitled Livestock’s Long Shadow, also surveys the damage done by sheep, chickens, pigs and goats. 

But in almost every case, the world’s 1.5 billion cattle are most to blame. Livestock are responsible for 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together.

Burning fuel to produce fertiliser to grow feed, to produce meat and to transport it - and clearing vegetation for grazing - produces 9 per cent of all emissions of carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas. And their wind and manure emit more than one third of emissions of another, methane, which warms the world 20 times faster than carbon dioxide.

Livestock also produces more than 100 other polluting gases, including more than two-thirds of the world’s emissions of ammonia, one of the main causes of acid rain. Ranching, the report adds, is “the major driver of deforestation” worldwide, and overgrazing is turning a fifth of all pastures and ranges into desert.Cows also soak up vast amounts of water: it takes a staggering 990 litres of water to produce one litre of milk.

Wastes from feedlots and fertilisers used to grow their feed overnourish water, causing weeds to choke all other life. And the pesticides, antibiotics and hormones used to treat them get into drinking water and endanger human health.

The pollution washes down to the sea, killing coral reefs and creating “dead zones” devoid of life. One is up to 21,000 sqkm, in the Gulf of Mexico, where much of the waste from US beef production is carried down the Mississippi. The report concludes that, unless drastic changes are made, the massive damage done by livestock will more than double by 2050, as demand for meat increases.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/11/2006 at 03:58 AM   
Filed Under: • Climate-Weather •  
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Season’s Greetings

Liberal Version:

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/11/2006 at 02:02 AM   
Filed Under: • Democrats-Liberals-Moonbat Leftists •  
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Guess Who?

_{Bob Gorrell - Creators Syndicate}

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/11/2006 at 01:19 AM   
Filed Under: • Iraq •  
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   Sunday - December 10, 2006

Christmas Gift Idea #15

THE KUKURI model shown has a 10 inch blade and is made with a pure silver scabbard and white Indian rosewood handle. Manufactured by hand in Dharan, Eastern Nepal. You can purchase one from Kukuri House for $79.99. This decorative Kukuri would make a nice addition to any warrior’s armory.

Less fancy and more functional Kukuris can also be found at Kukuri House, including a special edition created to celebrate Operation Iraq Freedom ($49.99). US Marines love these little tools for serious infighting.

---

The History Of The Kukuri:

Some of the famous knives of the world such as the Bowie Knife, the Stiletto, the Scimitar, the Roman Sword, the Machete and so on have all, at one time or the other, played great historical roles as formidable weapons with men have demonstrated raw power and courage during times of battle. The Khukuri (kukri), however, outdoes them all! The great romance and the extraordinary accounts of bravery that this knife evokes are legendary and historic.

With Khukuri’s (kukri) origin going back to ancient times, the Khukuri (kukri) is not only the national knife of Nepal but is also symbolic of the Gurkha soldier, a prized possession with which he has indelibly carved an identity for himself. The awesome cutting edge of the Khukuris(kukris) was first experienced by the British in India who had to face Khukuri (kukri) in the well-documented battles since 1814 while combating the Gorkhali Army in western Nepal. Thus was born the legend and the romance. In the Gurkha soldier’s grip, this seemingly small piece of curved steel called Khukuri or kukri sometimes, becomes an incredibly menacing weapon with which he has demonstrated rare feats of bravery while facing the enemy in many a battlefield.

Khukuri (kukri) is a medium-length curved knife each Gurkha soldier carries with him in uniform and in battle. In his grip, Khukuri (kukri) is a formidable razor-sharp weapon and a cutting tool. In fact, Khukuri (kukri) is an extension of his arm. When his rifle misfires, or when his bullets have run out, a Gurkha unsheathes his Khukuri (kukri) and makes his final “do-or-die” run on the enemy in a fury to finish the business. This scene created the romance and the legends. What he really did, and still does with his Khukuri (kukri), is a super-clean slaughter: The enemy tumbles down in two clean pieces- and in surprise! -because his is the kindest, quietest death because it is the quickest.

Khukuri (kukri) is the national knife of Nepal, originating in ancient times. More than being just a revered and effective weapon, however, the Khukuri (kukri) is also the peaceful all-purpose knife of the hill people of Nepal. Khukuri (kukri) is a versatile working tool and therefore an indispensable possession of almost every household, especially of those belonging to the Gurung, Magar, Rai and Limbu ethnic groups of central and eastern Nepal. Moreover, apart from the fact that the Khukuri (kukri) symbolizes bravery and valor and is a Nepalese cultural icon, Khukuri (kukri) also represents an exquisite piece of Nepalese craftsmanship and is indeed a unique memento for you to take back home from Nepal.

The Khukuri (kukri) is carried in scabbard, “dab” in Nepali, usually made of wood covered in leather with a protective metal cap over the tip. Most handles are made of wood. The “dab” may sometimes be adorned with cloth-work or engraving and hilt made of bone ivory, horn or metal. All Khukuris (kukris) have two pockets at the back of the scabbard, which hold blunt steel called “chakmak” for sharpening the blade or for striking sparks from flint and a little knife known as “karda” used for skinning small game or as a penknife. The notch (kaura) in the blade near the hilt of most Khukuris (kukris) serves as a conduit for the blood on the blade to drip out thus prevents it from soiling the hilt, as well as a device for catching and neutralizing an enemy blade. It also represents the Hindu fertility symbol. The Khukuri (kukri) is not only the national knife but also has great religious importance and is worshipped by the Nepalese during the grand Hindu festival Dashain.

The oldest Khukuri (kukri) known to exist is the one on display at the National Museum in Kathmandu which belonged to Drabya Shah, the King of Gorkha in 1627. It is, however, certain that the origins of the knife stretch further back. The machira, the cavalry sword of the ancient Macedonians that was carried by Alexander’s soldiers when it invaded northwest India in the 4th century BC, closely resembled the Khukuri (kukri). The origin of the Khukuri(kukri) has also been linked to the development of a form of blade similar to the classic Greek sword or kopis. Others suggest that Khukuri (kukri) originated from a form of knife first used by the Mallas who came to power in Nepal in the 13th century. Still others find similarities in the construction of some Khukuris (kukris) to techniques of sword making found in Japan. The weapon, Khukuri (kukri) may, however have been developed in isolation Nepalese peasants. Whatever be the roots, Nepal, the Gurkhas and the Khukuri (kukri) are inseparable in reputation.

Posted by The Skipper     on 12/10/2006 at 02:52 PM   
Filed Under: • Fun-Stuff •  
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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

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It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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