Look into the void...

...for it is you.

Gerard has a long and excruciatingly thoughtful piece on the refusal to imagine.  From what I've seen in the last 10 years, 8 months and 19 days, the refusal to imagine starts with the refusal to look.  Look at what has happened, knowing the we can easily become part of it, either as perpetrator or victim.  (But remember, there are no victims, only volunteers.)  So, some images from around the web as a reminder  (warning - really graphic stuff below the break):

WW II

9/11/2001

You, or my lyin' eyes, II...

Stolen from the Ulsterman Report, via Gerard (of course):

Presidents At Work

by Ulsterman on May 30, 2012 with 7 Comments in News

This photo is now making the rounds – suggesting perhaps in 2008 Americans actually elected its first woman president?




And that exit sign is rather appropriate as well…

One of my (former) co-workers saw this on my computer and immediately said, "Oh, well, He's helping someone else, unlike the other two!" 

I didn't think so, either

Taylor...

... just pray:

Mme Scherzo writes:

"Everyone, stop and reblog this, it won’t make your blog ugly. Taylor is fighting a rare form of cancer and she is struggling to survive. Reblog this photo if you hope she will win her battle with cancer.  Pray for Taylor Love.  Shes so beautiful!"

Rabid Penguin Photography...

...is my young cousin's photography site.  He is a young man, about to get married and chase after a Master's degree.  He's had, from what I've seen, a bumpy time of it, but his recent goals bode well for him, I think.  I'm hoping that his pain (I know it was there) has passed.

Go visit.  He has some interesting stuff up.

You...

...or my lyin' eyes?

From Cold Fury:

"Bill Clinton, a white Southerner, was the first black president. Obama, an apparently straight guy, is the first gay president. George Zimmerman, an Hispanic, is a white guy. Elizabeth Warren, the whitest white woman anybody ever saw, is an Injun."

(Altho, I'm not sure about Obie...)

As you can see from above...

...I'm out of the political closet.

If you are so moved...

...sign this and pass it on.

Be sure to personalize.

Thanks to The Anchoress.

The Universe is God Dreaming

Gerard has this up, and its too good not to share:

In short...

Maj. Owens...

...on his next deployment??

(Yes, I know he's retired, but when duty calls...)

New Scam...

Updated

Got another one of these (similar, anyway).  The English is awkward/atrocious, and I had to share this:

"The position involves liaising with clients and managing processes in a fast paced circumference..."

Almost makes me want to respond, just to see how bad it really is.



...this was in my spam folder just now.  Wonder why??


Greetings,

I would like to discuss a business proposal that has the potential for significant earnings.

I am currently employed with a privately held manufacturing company. My company has demand for a specific material that is vital to its processing operations. We are currently purchasing this material at a price well over the manufacturing cost.

I would like to explore the possibility of having you stand-in as a new supplier, providing this material while retaining the same profit margins. My role would be to introduce you to my company, as the supplier, and to obtain a contract between you and my employer. I have already discussed sourcing possibilities with the existing manufacturer, leaving room for attractive profit margins. What is still required in order to materialize this venture is an individual who is at arm's length to oversee these supply chain transactions. The required capital to purchase our initial order from the manufacturer will be funded strictly from myself and no additional investment will be required from yourself. With that said, we can discuss terms and commission structure in the near future.

I understand that your experience with  ******************* does not directly relate to my field. However, this venture is more in line with your personal capabilities rather than your professional experience.

I would like to confirm your current phone number *********. Please send a return email to verify your contact number and to schedule the most convenient time to discuss these possibilities in detail. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Kindest Regards,
Curtis Stanford 

He is first talking about a material, then switches to talking about "...requires capital to purchase our initial order from the manufacturer...".

I don't believe that he is serious.

A-ha!

...had an epiphany about this on the way to work today.

Obie's strategy is not to attack something (business, religion) directly, but to hobble it so it can't do what it is supposed to do, until it dies.

What do I mean?

Well, he can't make farming illegal, or nationalize it.  Instead, he tries to control the actions of the farmer, in this case, essentially making it illegal for farming skills and work ethic to be passed down in the family.  Similarly, he's not directly confronting the Catholics, rather he's trying (thru HHS) to tell them they must do something that is, in their view, immoral.

Beauty of this is, when we go to argue abut what's really happening (can you say "collectives"?), it's "O noes, it's for the chirren!! We has to!!"

You have been warned.

Por Favor...

When you drop by, leave a comment, even if it's just to say "Hi".

I'd like to know who my visitors are.

Muchas gracias!!

Anonymity

I was browsing an open thread over at the Headmistress's place, and  Anonymity is mentioned a couple of times, which moved me to share a couple of links:

Ixquick ("Is quick") has put a layer of anonymity over your Google search, hiding your IP address and blocking cookies from Google.

DNT+ (Do Not Track Plus)  by Abine is a browser extension that blocks tracking by social networks, ad networks and tracking companies.  Downloading is free.

You're welcome.

And thanks to Vodkapundit for pointing me to them!

Voting time...

...over at Zilla's place.

Pick one...

Bad man kills innocent youth



Bad man kills bad man



Upstanding citizen kills innocent youth



Upstanding citizen kills bad man



 Out of the four possible choices from these four photos, our media chooses the only one that supports their narrative.

They seem to have forgotten their business model -  they are selling readers/viewer to the advertisers.  Really.  Where does most of their revenue come from?  Advertisers.  And they can't convince us to pay for the privilege of being advertised at because of crap like this.  So, subscription rates are crashing, and revenue is crashing with it.

It isn't the technology, it's the content.

E-mail to a friend...

I write my friend in Ca from time to  time, and then realize it could be a post, so...

I'm sorry to hear about you losses.  Sadly, we are the age where that becomes more frequent.  It's weird being the 'elders' at family gatherings now.  I'm glad to hear that your parents are still with you.  Why is your mom in hospice?  And, how is your dad?  Tell them I said "Hello", please.

I'm doing OK.  Met a nice lady on line... we've gotten together a few times in the last month - 1/2 and enjoyed it.  Just hangin' together, but it's been fun.  No rush to take anywhere in particular, which is nice.  I finally found a decent MD, and I'm back on NSAIDs for arthritis in my hands, so I haven't been hurting so much since the first of the year.

Working at two schools as an adjunct, looking for more class hours, or, better yet, a full time gig w/ bennies.  The new doc wants me on Lipitor, but I can't afford it right now, what with the head and hand meds.  He does have me on low-dose aspirin, and I'm generally in good shape.

Arrgh!  Sound like an old guy, talking about all this health shit.

Going to make a business proposal to my lady friend - she has been very successful in sales, and I'm going to ask her if she would try to sell me as a consultant to local small businesses.  I'll go back to being a computer geek whore, and she can be my pimp.  I got a call out of the blue Friday... someone in the DC area code wanted to know if I'd like to be a UG drafter for him.  Going to call back Monday.

Well, that's about it.  Did I send you the link to Eric Raymond's political manifesto?  If not, it's on the blog.  You guys ought to take a look at it.

Say "Hello" to your lovely wife for me!

Cheers!

I've long been a fan...

...of Eric Raymond.  I first discovered him when I picked up a copy of his New Hacker's Dictionary at the MIT Press Bookstore many years ago.  I thoroughly enjoyed The Cathedral and the Bazaar, and I enjoyed his comments in the film Revolution OS, about the early history of Linux.

But this is amazing.  He's captured pretty much everything I've thought in the last 11 years.  Go read =>, or click the AIM button on the right.

200 + people...

...just having fun!  (Ignore DougM's atrocious pun, tho...)

Just... dumb.

OK.  I finally figured out that I wrote about and to Lifelock, rather than Carbonite about Rush.

I hate when I do stuff like that.

Sheesh...