More morons!
Man, when we get in this sort of mood, we just can't stop finding fools to criticize and poke fun at. The tribune finally gets around to reporting a motion passed by the American Library Association back on 29 June. Guess what they want? Right, the troops home and the billions of dollars we spend there diverted to, of all things, libraries here. Just a few points here:
- The billions we're spending? It's keeping you safe at home. You think if we pulled out tomorrow anything would be better? You think if we scaled back troop numbers, Iraq wouldn't collapse into a boiling cauldron of civil war that would make Bosnia look like a tea party? Grow up. The second we leave, it's the Taliban II taking over an almost westernized arab nation with modern infrastructure and educated work force. The hundreds of mass graves we keep finding over there? They'd triple overnight.
- Money on libraries? Book sales are plummeting, Harry Potter not withstanding. People don't buy books anymore. That's why you see fewer and fewer publishers. Libraries are museums to the golden age of books. Google is paying hundreds of thousand of dollars, maybe millions to digitalize entire libraries, including Harvard and the University of Michigan. The Library of Congress is preserving books electronically. Ever hear of a little program called "encarta?" That Bill Gates may be a ruthless business man, but he can see the future and guess what it isn't? Paper books. Encyclopedia Britannica laid off its salesmen about 7 years ago. You think libraries will be around in 50 years? Pardon our laughter.
Here's a little clue to all the movie stars, celebrities, librarians, and musicians who constantly demand we simply pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan and stop acting "unilaterally." If the islamofascists take over, guess who they are going to imprison, oppress and kill? Not the farmers. Not the industrialists. Not even the skilled laborers. You know, there aren't many movies (at least movies like we like) in the islamic world. Libraries? In many countries, the koran is the only reading allowed. Musicians? Got any other skills? Like maybe goat herding or camel raising? No? Then get back to prison. And don't even get us started about what they do to "sexual deviants." You think you're oppressed now? Try getting some in an islamic state. And those bags they put over their women? Lovely.
Now please, shut up and let the adults run the world so you can remain safe in your little dream utopia. We'll let you know when we're done and you can go back telling us how you would have done it differently some other day.
Now please, shut up and let the adults run the world so you can remain safe in your little dream utopia. We'll let you know when we're done and you can go back telling us how you would have done it differently some other day.
posted by SCC at 12:50 PM
13 Comments:
Amen! I agree 100%. I am constatntly amazed that entertainers believe they can give advice on national issues. THEY'RE ENTERTAINERS! When they aren't playing parts in movies, plays, or other performing arts, they should be ignored. I don't think Alex Baldwin, Martin Sheen or any other entertainer's political opinion deserves more respect than any busboy's.
W.Allen
The ALA motion was reported on National Public Radio (NPR), right after it happened. You know NPR, Mr. Moderator "the other" radio station.
Keeping us safe at home, Mr.M? (I am tired of typing Moderator so I'll call you M), not to be confused with M in the 007 movies.
Safe at home? Boy, I was looking for those Iraqi terrorists in the 'ole USA. Wait, wait, those guys on the planes were mostly from Saudi Arabia. Yet, we didn't go after that country, did we? No, no too much oil money there.
Iraq will collapse after we leave if it is tomorrow or 10,000 tomorrows. Can you say Viet Nam? Remember those old films of the last chopper lifting off the American embassay and seconds later it was overrun by the Viet Cong?
I am surprised M. that you sanction the elimination of books in favor of computers. Can use say 1984?
For future reference, when you see the initials SCC at the top of the comments, that's the moderators.
We'll address these issues bottom to top. Eliminate books? Where do you see that? It's an observation of the reality of the situation. Publishing houses are going under. Books sales are plummeting. We have a lovely library numbering in the thousands, but as the Library of Congress and Google digitalize books, paper books will become a thing of the past.
Vietnam was a unique situation in the annals of history. We ask you to provide us a single instance of the US losing a battle in SE Asia. There are none. Even Tet was a disaster for the North Vietnamese. It was a lack of political will. After US withdrew following the high casualty rates of Tet, the Democratic-led Congress cut off all funding for the S. Vietnamese Army and it collapsed. Thanks to Ted Kennedy, over 1 million lost their lives, another half million drowned during the boat lifts and countless millions were subject to starvation, imprisonment and re-education in camps. They are only just now reemerging from the "dark ages." And we hate to burst your bubble, but after the helicopters left the US embassy, it was two or three days before the VC made it there.
Saudi Arabia was/is not a direct threat. The strategy is to eliminate the physical bases of operation and regimes providing material support. Afghanistan was providing a safe haven. It fell in three weeks. Iraq was providing support, training and weapons. Combined with the fact that it had defied UN resolutions for 11 years, it was time for Saddam to go. It fell in 6 weeks. The US is working on eliminating Saudi money through quiet diplomacy. There was no need to invade (yet).
Safe at home, yes. Can you name any attacks on US soil that have occurred since 9/11? We didn't think so. Whether by luck or by hard work or a combination of both, there have been NO attacks on US soil. We are of the opinion that you and numerous other "lefties" are just praying for an attack on your fellow citizens just so you have the chance to say "I TOLD YOU SO." Truly, that is a sad state of affairs.
And the ALA motion. We don't listen to NPR and we are activiely working to eliminate Federal funding for it and PBS. If NPR is so good, let it stand on its own. We were just commenting on the fact that the tribune is reporting a story that happened months ago. We actually read about it months ago on right leaning news sites, but wonder why the trib feels it ought to be reported now? Maybe they needed to make the President look bad on a slow news day?
Just found an interesting, anti-police webpage about Public Housing South. Even I would say it has quiet a bit of fiction. It is quiet lengthy, but read Parts 1 to 4 to get your blood boiling.
It is www.viewfromtheground.com
P/S My pal, M. I think a book is something you hold in your hand, reading a computer is not the same thing,
I am so glad this blog for cpd members turned into a place for advertisements about cheesecake recipe's.
Hopefully soon a landscaping business will post cause I need a load of rocks for my backyard
Hey lefty? I know you are a young fella, but do you remember the old old police radios? They used to have to mount them in squad cars, they were so big. And then the portable radios? They must have weighed 5 pounds easily. Now bike messengers have little earbud 48 channel radios 10 times better what we have for the streets.
I'm not quite old enough to remember when computers took up entire rooms with all of their vaccuum tubes and punch cards, but now? They're these tiny little things called "Blackberrys" and all the bosses got em.
And music? I remember how hard it was to go jogging with music because you had to coordinate the schedules of 70 different orchestra members. Don't get me started on the 33 1/3's, 45's and 78's we own. They're all scratched up because jogging with the turntable was such a pain in the nuts. And the extensions cords! Whoa. Then came the 8 tracks and cassettes and CDs and now ::gasp:: iPods!
I'll bet dollars to donuts that books will shortly, if not already, be portable enough to read on a palm pilot or a blackberry. I think Moderator got your number on this one.
Sorry SCC, but you are wrong about attacks on U.S. soil since 9/11. The Beltway sniper out in Wash D.C. was an Islamic nut job with sympathies to Al-Qeeda ,but no known ties to Al-Qeeda (none publicized anyway). And what about the anthrax attacks? Who did that? Have you ever heard any results of the investigation on that? Don't misuderstand me, I totally agree with W's policies in the war on terror, but let's not stick our heads in the sand. What happened in London can happen here. I'm sure as time passes we will find out how close we came to more 9/11s save for the efforts of law enforcement and intelligence services.
We stand corrected, though with a slight caveat: No attacks on US soil with a provable al-Queda connection since 9/11.
If you'd like to count the beltway snipers, do so. If you'd like to count the deranged islamist at the LAX airport, do so. But these were both al-Queda sympathizers acting alone without material support from or even contact with al-Queda. There will always be loonies and fringe elements who declare themselves part and parcel of a larger movement, but as of yet, the larger parcel hasn't claimed them or even acknowledged them.
Dear SCC-
I was bowled over with my first impression of your blog's depth and breadth and focus on being "black & blue" all over...
But today's right-wing-fling is a bit much... for my taste anyway.
But you've got a "right" and all, especially after all the time you've put in here- more power to ya and all that stuff... but I'd personally say stick to things one knows best (and you obviously do)- CPD and Chi-Town... or at least do your right rants in quicker "hits"... while linking to longer forms or supporting material elsewhere on da web...
The in-depth National/Global scene commentary thing is probably better left to our respective "Big-Time Blogs" on either side of the aisle...
and not to wimp out to much here- but I'm a little hung over, softball sore and jet-lagged/sleep deprived today to really join in with some rejoinders as to your rants today, suffice to say that I don't buy all that much of it- but who the F*** cares, right?!
You're probably correct in "aiming or leaning" right if CPD people are you main intended audience- but maybe you'll be surprised by the number of slightly lefty "blue men" that visit the site (like myself- not "raging liberal"- and eyes-opened on-the-job-wise, but still perplexed, nay- baffled by the Right's/Fox's/Bush Co.'s hold on the average joe's psyche that populate CPD and our neighborhoods...
So yah- a little turned off today- and hey- I realize- that probably makes ya happy- but I don't know how much more my virging lefty sleepy eyeballs can take- so mix it up tomorrow as a favor to me and all the people on my mail list I raved about you last n ight- okay? ;-) Whatever...!
Just my two dirty cents... still glad you're here- going to consume as much of your archives as I can over the next few days as time allows... lots of cop-shop there I can see- great stuff too!
Thanks regardless- best wishes-
- Shady / "ydahS"
Go away Timmy.
M, I have to agree with the earlier anonymous post. This blog is great, and I am definitely right-leaning, but I don't need a diet of it here when I can get it at the excellent sites you've brought to our attention. Please - stick to the city and the CPD, which you obviously know VERY WELL, with a "seasoning" of political info here and there. (Unless it's Chicago politics - then pour it on thick and heavy....)
Bring back the Hitler youth
Leftisthebest.
The Reich shall return give us time.
Maybe you have not heard but only 38% of Americans approve of this fiasco and the way Mr. Bush is handling it. If you support it so much then why don't YOU act like a grown up and sign you or your kids up and head to Iraq. Until you have the stones to send your own blood instead of someone else's, your no more than another far right blow hard to me. And before you aaccuse me of being a lefty, I've probably voted for more Republican Presidents than you! Safe at home? The economy is in the toilet and there are less Public Safety Workers than four years ago. But hey they are hiring cops in Iraq. Now how about hiring a few here....no wait we are laying them off because there is no money to pay for them. Feel safe now. And in the true Republican fashion...take responsibility for your actions now and quit blaming an administration that has been gone for over four years. As bad as the Clintons were they are no longer in the White House.
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