31 December 2008

Yesterday's Title, Today!

First thing's first: yesterday's post title was supposed to be used today. I apologize, and if your name is Father Time, please key in on today's post, as you're mentioned twice and you'll be interested in at least one section.

The week is halfway over, and tonight is the eve of the new year. As we get ready to stay up late to greet the new year as it arrives, and as Mighty Mo prepares to purchase a metric tonne of alcohol, I'm curious about several things. First, if you didn't post your resolutions for 2009 in the comments to yesterday's post, I hope you'll post them today. Second: what was your greatest memory of 2008? Finally: what do you look forward to leaving behind as we pass from '08 to '09?

Instead of starting today off with the news, I'm going to change it up a bit and top load the fun stuff. Today's satellite image is the infamous "Russian Woodpecker" site at Prypyat, Ukraine, near the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site. Long-time shortwave listeners like Father Time may or may not remember a time between 1976 and 1989 in which shortwave and other broadcasts from around the world were horribly disrupted by a semi-clandestine Russian ballistic missile warning system. The pictures of this thing are absolutely stunning, so go check them out.

Today's video is of Jamie Foxx totally zinging a so-called stand-up comedian who should have never been invited to speak. Check it out.



And now, the news.

A lingerie football player is suing her ex-lover Over nude photos that he distributed over the Internet after they'd broken up. The photos include a supposedly unauthorized picture that he took of her performing a "particularly private, intimate sexual act" with him. Folks, in a digital world, it's damn near impossible to control this kind of thing. Unless you know for a fact that you have complete control, don't send naked pictures of yourself to people... Unless you're an attractive young woman and you're sending them to me. (Shush, Father Time, it's a joke.)

Speaking of new and innovative uses for the Internet, Israel is apparently making significant use of online tools in its information operations portion of the campaign against Hamas. This follows heavy online influence on the South Ossetia War in August, and the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November. The mullahs are at it, too: they're using the Internet to register volunteers to fight Israel in various ways, shapes, and forms. Pure propaganda? Your guess is as good as mine. Shia clerics helping Sunni terrorists? Don't anybody go telling the major networks and newspapers, it would shatter their entire world view.

Yesterday, I mentioned a couple of articles that were surprisingly neutral, or even openly sympathetic to the Israelis. There were two more today, one from a commentator for the Guardian, and another for the Times of London. Neither are necessarily dismissive of Israel, but both are sober and realistic: they acknowledge that Israel is responding to an overwhelmingly adversarial and confrontational stance from Hamas that included clear and present danger against Israeli citizens. That, friends, is a telling change of pace. If multiple pundits in London, and in the American media, are acknowledging Israel's legitimate justification for assaulting Hamas targets,
the justification must be pretty damn solid.

In another follow-on to my most recent article about the MEK and Jundallah, Iran's Fars News claims that Jundallah has claimed responsibility for a recent suicide bombing in the Iranian border town of Saravan. Apparently both the MEK and Jundallah are ending 2008 in the news.

Not surprisingly, the Times answered a legitimate and mature article about Israel with a condescending and juvenile tagline about the birth of Governor Palin's grandson: "Bristol Palin and her redneck fiance have welcomed a son - Tripp Johnston, the controversial Republican's first grandchild." Accusing Sarah Palin of being "controversial" aside: redneck? Really? It's lines like that which make it difficult for me to take British journalism seriously.

That's it for today, folks. Don't forget to post your responses to the questions from the first line in the comments section, and check back tomorrow. Have a safe and exciting New Year's Eve, and may 2009 be everything that 2008 wasn't!

Fly Report: 31st January 2008

Good morning. Dude, where's my car?

It's 0° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 40° Fahrenheit with partial clouds and wind.

A barrel of oil is trading at $38.01. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8668.39. The exchange rate is $1.44 for £1, or £0.69 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is not a picture, and it's also not operational. Wankers. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new, and I'm about ready to E-Mail Sigurd Towrie to make sure he's still alive.

Today's scripture reading is Deuteronomy 2. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

Too much is not enough.

30 December 2008

Disrupting Shortwave Transmissions

First and foremost: if your name is Elias, and you left a comment to this post about the PMOI/MEK, please, please, please leave a comment using the Haloscan "comments" link on this post with your E-Mail address. I'm the only one who will be able to see it. Thanks!

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Happy Tuesday, folks. Today is the day before New Year's Eve, so before I get to the news, I'm curious: what are your resolutions, if any, for 2009? What do you want to accomplish? Post them in the comments.

Remember how I mentioned that special forces and intelligence folks are using Viagra as a bargaining chip with Afghan tribal leaders? Well, in case you wanted to read more about this story, Danger Room has a post about it, which points to a corresponding Washington Post article.

The big news over the last few days has been the Israeli assault against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and there are a few items worth sharing. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has pledged to stand by Hamas, and the BBC reports that Hezbollah has put its fighters on alert - so much for the mistaken media idea that Shia and Sunni don't work together. In among all of the anti-semitic screeds on the various British websites, I was surprised to find a pro-Israeli one at the Times of London: Hamas has precipitated this confrontation. As if there's any doubt - Hamas has turned Gaza into a wasteland, and either done nothing to prevent, or actively promoted, the relentless rocket attacks on Israeli civilians that led to the present engagement. The Wall Street Journal also has an op-ed titled Palestinians Need Israel to Win. One of the really interesting stories I read is from the Israeli paper Haaretz, and it details the excellent operational security and wildly successful deception operations that contributed to what has, at least to this point, been an overwhelmingly successful campaign for Israel.

The BBC has yet another pro-communist op-ed disguised as real news in which the "journalist", Michael Voss, extolls the virtuous wonder that was the Cuban Revolution. The Guardian has an article about how pre-marital sex in Iran is up, as is the average age at which people are getting married. Speaking of Iran, there have been conflicting reports in recent weeks as to whether or not the Russians are preparing to sell S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran. I don't know if they're selling to Iran, but they're apparently selling S-125 Pechora-2M batteries to Libya, Syria, Venezuela, Egypt, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Turkmenistan. I'm not that concerned about Egypt or Turkmenistan, but the rest of them have some pretty dirty laundry. Finally, the AP has an interesting story about the Mormon welfare system.

Remember how I did a review of Quantum of Solace? Well, apparently Maddox the Great pretty much agrees with me.

Today's satellite image is the Baikonur Cosmodrome (spaceport) outside Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Today's video, in all its hilarity, is Guy from Nickelback: Private Eye.



Awesome. That's it for today. Check back tomorrow for more, and don't forget to post your 2009 resolutions in the comments.

Fly Report: 30th December 2008

Good morning. Where's your car, dude?

It's 1° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 32° Fahrenheit with partial clouds.

A barrel of oil is trading at $38.87. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8483.93. The exchange rate is $1.46 for £1, or £0.69 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is cool. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

Today's scripture reading is Deuteronomy 2. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

Don't take it on board, don't fall on your sword, just play another chord.

29 December 2008

Big Red Buses and Turtle Nerds

Happy Monday, folks. Here are a few stories from last week.

In international news, and mirroring a story that I think I posted a few weeks ago, Russia has accused American volunteers of fighting in the August war in South Ossetia. Meanwhile, the Mauritanian junta has finally released President Abdullahi from house arrest (AP, BBC) - which is good, since I was almost positive that they'd just gone ahead and offed him.

There are several War on Terror-related stories to cover. Last week, I had an article about the MEK and Jundallah. The day before it was published, the Iraqi government, which is trying to strengthen previously poor relations with its Iranian neighbors, announced that the MEK must leave Iraq. Also relating to Iran, former Iranian President Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has criticized neighboring countries for "promoting al Qaeda (and Taliban) thought" - an interesting development, since Iran is actually supporting the Taliban. Could this signal that Rafsanjani might be preparing to run against Ahmedinejad for president? We can only hope. Ayatollah or not, Rafsanjani would be a better president than Ahmedinejad has been. Across the border in Afghanistan, the BBC reports that special operators are using gifts of Viagra to compel cooperation from tribal elders - excellent tactic if you ask me! And finally, UPI has an article that sparked a great deal of interest in me. Here are a couple of telling passages.

Unless America pumps up foreign language education, both the nation's global competitiveness and national security could be at risk.

That's the opinion of a cross-section of experts concerned that a weakened economy and heightened international tensions leave the nation in need of clearer communication with friend and foe alike. Deficiencies in Middle Eastern and Asian languages pose the most immediate problems.

"If the U.S., in the modern world, is going to maintain its position as a global leader," said Ken Gude, a former Center for National Security Studies policy analyst, "it's going to have to become more conversant."

An estimated 200 million school-aged children in China study English, according to a 2006 Education Department release. Just 24,000 of their U.S. counterparts study Chinese languages. The gap is significant.

And the money quote?

Less than half of American high school students are enrolled in foreign language classes, according to the 2002 Digest of Education Statistics, released by the Education Department in 2006.

Of those students, the overwhelming majority are enrolled in Spanish, and less than 1 percent combined study Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Japanese, Russian or Urdu.

"By default, Spanish is far and away the most widely taught language in the United States," Ingold said. As the majority of U.S. education policy is driven at the state or local level, the languages taught in high schools are usually a reflection of parent demand.

I know what you're saying: "What's that, The Fly? You think that it's a bad idea that American students are learning Spanish instead of Chinese, Farsi, Arabic, Russian, Urdu, or Japanese?" You're absolutely right. American students are learning the language of immigrants who refuse to assimilate into our culture (many of whom are here illegally to begin with), and they need to be studying strategic languages that will benefit America's economic and security dominance. Let's face it, folks: losing dominance to China wouldn't just be bad for us, it would be bad for pretty much everyone.

In business news, Warner Music doesn't want to share its videos on YouTube anymore. You know, if record companies spent a lot less time bitching, and a lot more time trying to adjust to the market, they could probably make some money. Instead, they're just as inept and incompetent as the car manufacturers. Even though it's about game companies, I think that this UserFriendly comic pretty much says it all.

On the lighter side, it appears that the iconic double-decker red buses are returning to London in the next few years. Also, an amateur British archaeologist has uncovered a cache of Byzantine-era gold coins in Jerusalem (BBC, Fox). Very cool.

Oh, and one more thing. Do you ever think your life sucks? Do you ever feel pathetic? Well if you do, read this article and watch this video:



Check back tomorrow, folks. It's been a pleasure as always.

Fly Report: 29th December 2008

Good morning. Dude, where's my car?

It's 5° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 42° Fahrenheit with morning showers and wind.

A barrel of oil is trading at $36.39. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8515.55. The exchange rate is $1.46 for £1, or £0.68 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is beautiful. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

Today's scripture reading is Deuteronomy 1. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

I walked by a thousand signs, looking for my own name.

26 December 2008

The Difference (1 of 2)

Even though I'm a reasonably good writer (phenomenally good by some accounts), I like to learn new things about language so that I can get better and better. The other day, I looked up the difference between "capital" and "capitol," just to make sure that I was consistently using it them both in correct ways. At some point soon, I'll be doing a similar post comparing "principle" and "principal." After the words, enjoy a video that even Father Time should appreciate. Have a great weekend, folks!

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cap·i·tal /'kæp?tl/ [kap-i-tl]

–noun 1. the city or town that is the official seat of government in a country, state, etc.: Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
2. a city regarded as being of special eminence in some field of activity: New York is the dance capital of the world.
3. capital letter.
4. the wealth, whether in money or property, owned or employed in business by an individual, firm, corporation, etc.
5. an accumulated stock of such wealth.
6. any form of wealth employed or capable of being employed in the production of more wealth.
7. Accounting.
* a. assets remaining after deduction of liabilities; the net worth of a business.
* b. the ownership interest in a business.
8. any source of profit, advantage, power, etc.; asset: His indefatigable drive is his greatest capital.
9. capitalists as a group or class (distinguished from labor ): High taxation has reduced the spending power of capital.
–adjective 10. pertaining to financial capital: capital stock.
11. principal; highly important: This guide offers suggestions of capital interest to travelers.
12. chief, esp. as being the official seat of government of a country, state, etc.: the capital city of France.
13. excellent or first-rate: a capital hotel; a capital fellow.
14. capital letter.
15. involving the loss of life: capital punishment.
16. punishable by death: a capital crime; a capital offender.
17. fatal; extremely serious: a capital error.

Origin:
1175–1225; ME; (adj.) (< AF) < L capitalis of the head (capit-, s. of caput head, + -alis -al 1 ); (n.) < ML capitale wealth, n. use of neut. of capitalis (adj.)

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Cap·i·tol /'kæp?tl/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [kap-i-tl] Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun 1. the building in Washington, D.C., used by the Congress of the U.S. for its sessions.
2. (often lowercase) a building occupied by a state legislature.
3. the ancient temple of Jupiter at Rome, on the Capitoline.
4. the Capitoline.

Origin:
1690–1700, Americanism; L capitolium temple of Jupiter on Capitoline hill, Rome, taken to be a derivative of caput head; r. ME capitolie.

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Fly Report: 26th December 2008

Good morning. There is not a carol about snacks.

It's 7° Centigrade and cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 18° Fahrenheit with snow.

A barrel of oil is trading at $34.58. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8468.48. The exchange rate is $1.47 for £1, or £0.68 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is cool. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

Today's scripture reading is Deuteronomy 5. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

What you leave behind, you don't miss anyway.

25 December 2008

Bah Humbug! But...

As long-time readers will know, I'm not exactly a Christmas sort of person. Because I'm so historically anal retentive, I have a very difficult time reconciling my devout Anglican beliefs with my knowledge that the origins of the holiday that we now call "Christmas," and many of the traditions thereof, predate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and are derived from the pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice. It's a tough holiday to avoid, since so many people love it so dearly. For most Westerners, Christmas has become more of a designated annual time for meeting with family and enjoying a feast together - not bad in and of itself, but it often neglects not only the real origin of the holiday, but also the Christianized meaning that was introduced by the Roman Catholic Church centuries ago.

Even so, in lieu of a regular post today, I'd like to treat any of you who are bored enough to be reading the blog on Christmas Day (or at some point in the next several) to a few videos. The first is a great song from the album Barenaked for the Holidays by the Barenaked Ladies, featuring Sarah McLachlan: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings.



I was also able to look around on YouTube and find something I adored from my childhood: Will Vinton's A Claymation Christmas Celebration, which features songs that you basically couldn't get on the TV these days due to the chaotic rush to eliminate any mention of religion whatsoever. If you grew up in the eighties and nineties, it will bring back excellent memories - especially the camels!





And if that wasn't quite enough blasphemy for you, treat yourself to some South Park Christmas action with Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics.

No matter what you folks are up to today, or in the coming days, please be safe, be happy, and be healthy. That's it for today, check back in tomorrow, or whenever you're able.

Fly Report: 25th December 2008

Good morning. I'm serious about this whole cougar bait thing. Does anyone know of anything? You know, like a special cougarnip or something?

It's 7° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 34° Fahrenheit with light snow.

A barrel of oil is trading at $33.91 - how's that for a Christmas present? The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8468.48. The exchange rate is $1.47 for £1, or £0.68 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is cool. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

Today's scripture reading is Luke II. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

All this, you can leave behind.

24 December 2008

Revisiting the Challengers of the Islamic Republic

Note: This is my latest submission to my parallel writing endeavour.

One of my first articles for my parallel writing endeavour (Challenging the Islamic Republic, 13 September 2007) introduced readers to two organizations whose sole intent is to challenge the authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The waning days of 2008 offer an excellent opportunity to check in on what these two organizations have been up to this year.


Western media outlets, and their consumers, tend to focus a great deal on America's rivals and allies. As nation after nation withdraws from what is becoming a victorious campaign in Iraq, more emphasis is thrown to Afghanistan, where an eventual victory is less certain. Calendar year 2008, like any year before it, saw a number of important news stories. From political chaos in Thailand, to the international fallout from the expansion and collapse of the oil bubble, to a controversial Russian foray into neighboring Georgia, foreign affairs analysts have had a great deal to keep track of. Through it all, the dispute over Iran's illicit nuclear program has endured. Iran has also been responsible for arming Shia militias in Iraq and the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan, in addition to somewhat substantiated accusations that Iran has maintained a relationship of some sort with al Qaeda. Iran has, accordingly, been a central player in the international politics of 2008.

Despite Iran's initial success at undermining the allied war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the iron fisted Iranian clerics are not without their own insurgent concerns. Although they operate for different reasons, and with different goals, two major insurgent groups have challenged Iran in recent years. Both groups are poised to finish 2008 on better footing than the Iranian government they live to challenge.

The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also known as the Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MEK/MKO), or as the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI, the group's umbrella political organization), was founded prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Their initial movement was based on one of a number of philosophies combining Islamic traditions and Marxist theories to come out of the 1960's. The MEK used widespread discontent over the harsh rule of Shah Reza Pahlavi to recruit operatives, then perpetrated acts of terror against Iranian targets. The MEK was also tied to the assassinations of several American military officers during the 1970's, though they claim that these murders were perpetrated by a splinter group within the organization. The group would eventually split into two organizations: one emphasizing Islam that exists to this day, and the other fully embracing Marxism. Since 1979, the MEK has become persona non grata with the leaders of the Islamic Republic. During a lengthy partnership of convenience with Saddam Hussein, the MEK headquartered itself at Camp Ashraf, an outpost north of Baghdad. In the wake of the 2003 coalition invasion, the MEK were essentially disarmed, and have voluntarily renounced terrorism.

Because of its past, the MEK was designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the Islamic Republic of Iran - likely one of only a handful of issues that the West and the Iranian government had agreed on following the ouster of the Shah. During the intervening years since 1979, the MEK/NCRI have largely moderated and liberalized their views, and formed a veritable government in exile. Their current philosophy emphasizes the rights and participation of ethnic and religious minorities, transparent democracy, and women's rights. Although the MEK is currently led by Massoud and Maryam Rajavi, Massoud Rajavi has not appeared publicly in several years, leaving his wife to serve as de facto leader. Two thirds of MEK commanders are female, and the organization purports to include members from Iran's ethnic and religious minority groups.

The standards for being added to the terrorist lists of the United States and the European Union are simple: any organization that uses violence for political ends has a good chance of finding itself on the lists. Following its renunciations of terrorism in recent years, analysts and pundits have begun to question whether or not the MEK is still a terrorist group. The MEK themselves seem to agree, and they spent 2008 using the European legal framework in an attempt to get the group removed from these terrorist lists.

In early May, the British government upheld a decision to remove the MEK from a list of banned terrorist organizations. Emboldened by this decision, the MEK kept pushing in various courts, and in various countries. The waning days of June were eventful for the group, as the group was officially legalized in the United Kingdom and held a massive demonstration in France several days later. Following their success in Great Britain, the MEK enjoyed another legal victory in October when a European Union court annulled a previous EU decision to freeze the MEK's funds.

For their part, the Iranian government makes no bones about their hatred of the MEK. The nebulous crimes of the MEK are featured regularly in snipets and asides on the Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran's English "Voice of Justice" radio programs. In addition, the semi-official Fars News Agency frequently publishes articles lambasting the West for so-called "double standards in its campaign against terrorism," due to the West's work with the MEK and its affiliates. Fars even went so far as to note Iranian lawmakers' outrage at Maryam Rajavi's recent trip to Germany.

So, what possible importance could a force of no more than four thousand have against the Iranian government? Beyond their ability and willingness to provide intelligence on Iranian nuclear activities to Western agencies, the MEK serves an important political purpose. Their simplest political strength is the voice they provide to Iranians opposed to the mullahs - both those in exile, and those in Iran who are unable to speak out for fear of retribution from the iron fisted government. The MEK also provides a political card to those Western governments engaged in negotiations with Iran. Because the body of the MEK resides in Iraq, and because its leaders have free movement in Europe, the Iranian government has little ability to counter the MEK public relations apparatus. Iran's continuing defiance on both nuclear proliferation and state sponsorship of terrorism issues could leave Western governments poised to afford more and more public recognition to the MEK. And, in the event of an unforeseen collapse of the Islamic Revolution, the MEK/NCRI is the most likely organization to form the core of an interim Iranian government.

Unlike the MEK, Iran's other prominent insurgent concern continues to engage in violent attacks against Iranian government targets. Jundallah (Arabic for "Army of God") is a Baloch nationalist group. The Balochs comprise one of South Asia's largest ethnic groups. Balochistan is similar to Kurdistan: both were divided into multiple parts following various global events of the last two centuries. As a result, the Balochi people find themselves divided in Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan as ethnic minorities, instead of being a majority in their own unified nation. Jundallah was founded several years ago to address Balochi outrage at the discriminatory policies of the Iranian government. Iran has accused the United States of assisting Jundallah, and although the Iranian media claims that Jundallah is affiliated with al Qaeda, this is unconfirmed by any evidence, and denied by Jundallah leader Abdulmalik Rigi himself.

Jundallah's modus operandi involves infrequent but daring attacks against Iranian government targets, focusing largely on military personnel. The group's most daring attack to date involved a February 2007 VBIED, in which nearly fifty members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps were either killed or injured. A second Jundallah raid occurred several days later, in which insurgents detonated a diversionary percussion bomb before opening fire on and disabling a power station. These attacks occurred in Zahedan, the capital of the Iranian Sistan-Balochistan province.

Jundallah allegedly carried out two attacks in 2008, one of which was successful. In late September, gunmen attempted to kill a public prosecutor in Khash. The gunmen escaped, and the Iranian government blamed Jundallah. Their most successful operation in 2008 began with two raids in June, when Jundallah gunmen abducted a combined total of sixteen Iranian soldiers from checkpoints near Saravan. Jundallah reportedly offered to trade the Iranian soldiers for two hundred imprisoned Jundallah personnel, including Abdulmalik Rigi's own brother, who had been imprisoned in Quetta, Pakistan before being handed over into Iranian custody. One hostage was released, but it is now believed that the remaining fifteen soldiers have been executed by their captors. Iranian diplomats protested what they perceived to be Pakistan's limited cooperation in helping to repatriate the remains of the slain soldiers.

Despite these successes, Iran has done what they could to fight back. In August, Iran executed a journalist who they claimed had ties to Jundallah. Dubai-based al Arabiya TV broadcast an interview with Rigi in mid-October. (video, transcript) Two weeks later, Iran made unconfirmed claims to have seriously wounded Rigi in a skirmish on the Iranian-Pakistani border. This claim follows previous incidents in which the the Iranian government claimed to have killed or wounded Rigi, only to have him pop up days or weeks later.

Like the MEK, Jundallah simply lacks the personnel and supplies to present a large threat to the Iranian government. Beyond that, Jundallah's ultimate goal is not to force the mullahs from power; rather, Abdulmalik Rigi and his subordinates fight for an end to discrimination against Sunni Muslims and ethnic Balochs by the Iranian government. Jundallah's continuing threat to Iran requires the diversion of Iranian security resources to Sistan-Balochistan province. Every successful attack erodes the Iranian military's morale, and also undermines the authority of the Iranian government.

By contrast, 2008 has been a lackluster year for the Iranian government. The media coverage of July's Great Prophet III missile exercise was quickly determined to have included photoshopped images, standing in for Iranian missiles that failed to launch. Iranian support for Shia militias in Iraq has also dwindled (BBC, Guardian, AFP), though there are several explanations for this decline that could be valid. What would have been Iran's greatest victory in 2008 has turned into its greatest disaster: oil prices. The leaders of the Islamic Revolution felt exceptionally secure when a barrel of oil cost $140 in July, but they were wholly unprepared for oil to fall to its current price. The government has forecasted a budget based on $45-per-barrel oil prices, but even with Iran and other OPEC nations making record output cuts, the price of oil continues to plummet. This has taken not only a short term toll on Iran's economy, but could also coax Iran's leaders into negotiating more openly in the immediate future.

What will 2009 have in store for the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, Jundallah, and the Islamic Republic? Only time will tell, but no matter what happens, the coming year promises to be an interesting one for all concerned.

Fly Report: 24th December 2008

Good morning. Am I the only one who's completely and totally creeped out by Sprint's "Claüs" advertising campaign?

It's 7° Centigrade and cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 22° Fahrenheit with partial clouds.

A barrel of oil is trading at $36.56. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8419.49. The exchange rate is $1.48 for £1, or £0.68 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is outstanding. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

Today's scripture reading is Deuteronomy 1. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

I hear voices, ridiculous voices.

23 December 2008

Stuff Fly Wants: December 2008

Hey folks. I hope everyone's having a great week. I was pretty tired all of yesterday, but I got a decent night of sleep last night, so hopefully today will be a bit better.

I'm trying two new formatting items with the SFW list this week. The first is that anything that's new to the list is marked with a NEW tag. Also, items that I've either purchased, or that I'm removing from the list for any other reason, will be struck through. Pretty simple, huh? And with gift money from family, I may actually be able to pick up an item or two by the next time this gets posted.

Have a great Tuesday, and check back tomorrow for my latest submission to my parallel writing endeavour.

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Field Gear
  • British special forces style rucksack (available at Silverman's in London, item number 35116) - £89.99
  • British SAS smock (available at Silverman's in London, item number 22001) - £90.00
  • British Desert DPM trousers and shirt
  • MARPAT Desert Utilities - $67.90
  • Six Color Desert Utilities - $39.90
  • Tiger Stripe Utilities - $39.90
  • Khaki Tru-Spec Tactical Response Uniform trousers (2) - $89.80
  • Sand Crye Precision R6 Field Pants - $105.00
  • UDT/SEAL Team Swimmer Trunks (2) - $71.90
  • Multicam Hunting Shirt - $27.95
  • U.S. Army ACU tan sweat-wicking uniform T-shirts (3)
  • Under Armour Cold Gear
  • Carhartt Double Front Logger Dungarees (2) - $93.00
  • 5.11 Tactical Polos (3) - $119.97
  • Rubbermaid 48 Gallon ActionPackers (2) - $69.99
  • Molon Labe patch - $5.49 NEW
  • FN FAL

    Miscellaneous Clothing
  • Royal Marines T-Shirt - £10.96
  • More Cowbell T-Shirt - $17.99
  • Position Wanted: Pope T-Shirt - $20.00
  • RvB Sarge shirt - $16.95
  • RvB Sarge beanie - $15.00
  • Clan Cleland tartan kilt and kilt pin - $400.00-$700.00

    Household Items
  • Union Jack
  • Amazing Pasta Maker - $39.95 [click me]
  • Fouled Anchor lapel pin - $3.00
  • Walther PPK
  • Orkney satellite map
  • Britain and Ireland Map - $10.99
  • Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East Map - $10.99
  • Roman Mainz Gladius
  • The Maxim Coffin Coffee Table - $4135.00
  • Stikfas Assault Team - $22.99 (Amazon price $20.99)
  • Stikfas Alpha Male Legionnaire - $12.67 NEW
  • Pawleys Island Tri-Beam Hammock Stand - $140.00
  • Pawleys Island Beach Quilted Hammock - $222.00 (Amazon price $184.36)
  • Discipline poster - $19.95
  • book case

    Books
  • Travels of ibn Battutah - $18.00
  • Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNab - $7.99
  • Contact Zero by David Wolstencroft - $7.99
  • New Deal or Raw Deal?: How FDR's Economic Legacy has Damaged America by Burton Fulsom, Jr. - $27.00 (Amazon price $17.82) NEW
  • Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning by Jonah Goldberg - $27.95 (Amazon price $18.45) NEW

    Entertainment
  • Best of Chris Isaak (CD & DVD) - $24.98 (Amazon price $22.99)
  • James Bond Ultimate Collection - Volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4 - $359.92 (Amazon price $234.52)
  • 24 - Seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4 - $269.92 (Amazon price $154.53)
  • Space Above and Beyond - Complete Series - $41.99 (Amazon price $36.98)
  • Reno 911! - Season 2 - $39.98 (Amazon price $31.99)
  • Kids in the Hall - Seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4 - $179.90 (Amazon price $155.98)
  • Gladiator Extended Edition - $39.98 (Amazon price $29.99)
  • Apocalypse Now Redux
  • Gattaca - $14.94 (Amazon price $10.99)
  • Mars Attacks! - $9.98
  • Switchfoot - Nothing is Sound - $18.99 (Amazon price $13.99)
  • Switchfoot - The Legend of Chin - $11.98
  • Stephanie Schneiderman - Live at Kung Fu Bakery - $15.98
  • Mystical Chants of Carmel by the Carmelite Monks - $18.95
  • RvB Box Set - $69.00
  • Fly Report: 23rd December 2008

    Good morning. This is the noise that keeps me awake, my head explodes and my body aches.

    It's 8° Centigrade and cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 14° Fahrenheit with light snow.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $36.70. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8519.77. The exchange rate is $1.48 for £1, or £0.68 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is cool. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Deuteronomy 1. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

    Still looking for the sound that's gonna drown out the world.

    22 December 2008

    No AK Usage Needed

    Note: I originally posted this on Saturday night, but due to a lengthy day of writing on Sunday, I'm reposting it today. Regular posting will resume tomorrow. I hope everyone had a great weekend, and I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday.

    Hey folks! It's [Monday morning], and I just wanted to post something quick. I had a reasonably good weekend, but Friday was truly excellent. It was exactly what I needed to break me out of the funk I'd been in all week. So, what happened?

    The day actually started out with a bit of a disappointment. I wear Dockers to work, every day, so I tend to go through them every couple of months. On Friday morning, just as I thought I was ready to leave for work, I discovered that the khakis I've been wearing for the last couple of months had a frayed hole in the crotch, forcing me to break out a brand new pair that I had on standby. I now have to replace that pair, but having a brand new pair of trousers on standby is a beautiful thing.

    As long term readers will remember, I'm not a Christmas person. Due to some deeply held doctrinal and historical views, I don't celebrate it, I scarcely acknowledge that it's happening around me, and I neither encourage nor discourage anyone else from participating. However, people still tend to give me gifts, and I graciously accept them - no matter what the occasion, if someone gives me a gift, I try to be a gracious recipient and appreciate it for what it is. Friday morning, my boss, with whom we all have a very good relationship, brought in gifts for everyone in the office. Boss Lady seems to have a knack for picking out gifts for people, and this talent has been evidenced in a number of going-away gifts for folks who have left for new opportunities in the time that I've been at this job - to include the Crypto King. She hit the proverbial nail on the head with what she got for me:

  • How to Talk to Girls by Alec Greven - the book on relationships by a nine year old
  • a Titanium Spork!

    The first item was obviously somewhat of a gag gift, as I date very seldom and have a tendency to strike out with any and all available women. The second item, though, was as much of a slam dunk as any gift I've ever gotten, and probably surpasses the previous record holder for Greatest Gift Ever, the copy of The Naval Officer's Guide that I received from Mudflap's father for Christmas of '99. It will replace the second MRE spoon that I've used since arriving here. This set the stage for the rest of my work day to be excellent.

    I communicate with the Crypto King often, usually over XMPP. When I mentioned the Titanium Spork to him, he pointed me to another source of Titanium sporks: TAD Gear. I'd never heard of this company before, and was astonished at some of the gear they have for both military and outdoor purposes. Some of their items will likely serve as inspirations for equipment for characters in my novels, and I'm interested in some of their gear for myself - not the least of these being their Molon Labe desert patch for my Crye Precision Range Vest.

    In the evening, I went to watch the Norfolk Admirals play the Albany River Rats. These were the two bottom-ranked teams in the league, but Norfolk did what I never expected: they pulled off a 5-0 shutout. I was absolutely floored, and it was a great way to finish off the great day that salvaged my entire week.

    I slept in Saturday, and I spent part of Saturday and all day Sunday working on my latest submission to my parallel writing endeavour while watching The Desert Rats on Hulu, among other things. If you have some time to kill, either today or in the coming days, go ahead and check it out.

    Oh, yeah, and President Bush is Neo. Excellent.

    Have a great Monday, folks, and check back later this week for news, that new article, and the Stuff Fly Wants list.
  • Fly Report: 22nd December 2008

    Good morning. This weekend's money quote: "I like my women like I like my Franciscan monks: wearing f***ing burqas."

    It's 8° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 21° Fahrenheit with snow.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $39.27. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8579.11. The exchange rate is $1.49 for £1, or £0.67 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is most triumphant. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Deuteronomy 1. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

    You've got the right shoes to get you through the night.

    19 December 2008

    AMF: MiG-29s and iPod Taxes

    Hey folks. I was in slightly - slightly - better spirits last night, so here's a regular post.

    Russia will give the Lebanese government ten MiG-29 fighter planes as a gift. (Fox, Guardian, BBC, AFP) Here's the thing: Algeria returned fifteen MiG-29s to Russia back in February due to quality control issues. Russia is really starting to become a strategic problem, and not just for us. Speaking of strategic rivals, the Chinese government appears poised to send ships to fight Somali pirates(!). (CNN, BBC, Guardian)

    David Paterson, the dude who took over as governor of New York from Elliott Spitzer when the latter was caught whoring, is instituting a four percent tax on music downloads, as well as electronic books, sodas, "taxi rides, petrol, cigars and beer, manicures and massages, and tickets to cinemas and sports arenas." (Guardian, Times) Seriously? Four percent on music downloads (which are interstate trade, so I'm not even sure that's legal) and eighteen percent on sodas? Here's a thought: cut your budget, asshole. This is why you don't elect Democrats to anything. It's a proven historical fact that when you lower taxes, productivity increases, and so does tax revenue. By raising taxes to fill a budget shortfall from the decline in income among Wall Street folks, Paterson is pretty much certain to prolong New York's budget woes. Unbelievable.

    There's a Times of London article claiming that Barack Obama is the fittest president-elect in American history. The fittest president-elect in American history? Really? And do they have anything to base that on? Twenty bucks says that President Bush, who works out and isn't a chain smoker, could beat the living daylights out of Barack Obama. Hell, even Bill Clinton didn't smoke. I have a feeling this whole media infatuation with Obama thing is going to get really, really tedious - especially since I read British news sources, they have literally no concept of America or American history, they have a massive chubby for Barack Obama, and they haven't had journalistic standards since Oliver Cromwell beat all those people senseless with an old .303 Lee Enfield rifle.

    There are a couple of decent stories from UPI today. First, Bahrain has apparently proposed a massive Middle Eastern body for the purpose of resolving disputes. It's a really cool gesture, for one simple reason: it refrains from excluding Israel. That, friends, is a big deal. Meanwhile, there's another article that suggests what many have been suggesting lately: that Mahmoud Ahmedinejad probably won't get re-elected in 2009. That, friends, is a very good thing, as his figurehead presidency has been a complete and total joke, and a disaster for Iranian foreign policy and economic development - the Iranian people don't deserve to suffer like they're suffering, even if they're leaders are complete and total wankers.

    I've talked once or twice about how entertaining it is to me that YouTube users will copy the original ideas of other YouTube users. I've mentioned HotforWords on several occasions. Well, another channel, Psyche Truth, is trying to usurp the Russian wonder's role as the leading word origin hottie on YouTube. Observe.



    Unfortunately, while she's hot and doesn't have the semi-troublesome, semi-adorable accent, this girl obviously isn't a philologist like Marina is - as evidenced by her incorrect etymology of the world "vulgar." Too bad. I'll keep watching the vids, though - possibly on mute.

    On the lighter side, I ran across XKCD #433 today - I guarantee you that someday, if I find a woman, land mines and crazy will almost certainly be involved. And the most truly ridiculous item of the day? Eddie Murphy as the Riddler. Read on:

    FUNNYMAN EDDIE MURPHY will play The Riddler in the next Batman movie, The Sun can reveal.

    The Beverly Hills Cop star, 47, has been signed up by British director CHRISTOPHER NOLAN to reprise the role played by JIM CARREY in 1995’s Batman Forever.

    The surprise move follows speculation linking Pirates of the Caribbean star JOHNNY DEPP to the part.

    The film, set for a 2010 release, is being developed under the working title Gotham.

    Execs have also signed up rising Transformers star SHIA LABEOUF, 22, to play Robin.

    CHRISTIAN BALE will return as Bruce Wayne, while MICHAEL CAINE will again play Bruce’s assistant Alfred.

    Meanwhile, Brit RACHEL WEISZ is said to be up for the Catwoman role.

    Insiders also revealed to The Sun the flick will end on a cliffhanger over whether Batman survives a blast at Wayne Towers.

    Well, so much for that franchise. Of course, they said that Seal was going to be in Casino Royale, and that never happened. Also, how would they have a "cliffhanger" in which Batman's very existence was in question? I mean, come on, he's the franchise. That's the most transparent plotline I've ever heard of. That would be like making Spice World 2, and leaving it up to the viewers' imagination whether it would even star the Spice Girls. Ridiculous. I'd be willing to bet twenty bucks - the twenty bucks that I'll be winning from someone over the Bush/Obama slug fest - that half the crap in that article is unsubstantiated crap. This Nolan guy seems to have learned from the mistakes of the recent Batman movies, and I have a very hard time seeing him pack Robin (Played by Shia Lebeouf? Good grief!), Catwoman (I'm sorry, Rachel Weisz is lovely, but she's no Catwoman), and the Riddler (Eddie Murphy? EDDIE MURPHY!?!) into a single film. Anyway, I guess we'll see.

    Alright, that's it for today. Finally, a real post. And it's AMF! I just realized that! Have a great weekend! Let's hope that next week is much better than this crap fest!

    Fly Report: 19th December 2008

    Good morning. I think we've gotta wait until the tide comes in!

    It's 4° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 22° Fahrenheit with snow.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $37.67 - suck, OPEC! Suck it long, and suck it hard! The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8604.99. The exchange rate is $1.51 for £1, or £0.66 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is boring. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Zechariah 15. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

    I know the truth about you.

    18 December 2008

    Slightly Unhinged

    I had a lousy night last night, so I went to bed early. Really, really early. As such, I'm going to quickly bullet point yesterday's stories. Hopefully tonight will be back to normal - I'd really rather avoid a repeat of last night.

  • Story about Hilary Duff, who I impregnated in a dream in July of '07
  • Fox News article on "The Hidden Khalid Sheikh Mohammed," mastermind of 9/11, current residence, Guantanamo Bay - very interesting read
  • Scientists Call AP Report on Global Warming 'Hysteria'
  • BA, Virgin cut fuel surcharge (due to the collapse of the oil bubble)
  • China may send ships to Somalia (knowing those buggers, it's tough to say whose side they'll be on)
  • Opec plans record oil output cut (suck it, OPEC!)
  • On the Hunt in Baghdad by Michael Totten
  • From the Onion: Coffeehouse Encounter Results In Conversation, Cunnilingus

    Take 'er easy.
  • Fly Report: 18th December 2008

    Good morning. Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thine perfect light.

    It's 8° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 26° Fahrenheit with partial clouds.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $41.22 - so much for that OPEC output cut. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8824.34. The exchange rate is $1.55 for £1, or £0.65 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is cool. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Zechariah 14. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

    Everywhere you go, you shout it.

    17 December 2008

    When Posts Get Erased

    I had a post almost completely written. Like, completely completely written. I accidentally opened a new file without saving the post. Bollocks. Okay, you enjoy the following transcript between me and the Crypto King, and I'll put in a few links and blurbs.

    Crypto King: You should go back and watch the first season [of Chuck] on hulu sometime.
    The Fly: It's on Hulu? Why didn't I know that?
    Crypto King: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/12/beef_jerky_purse.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890
    Crypto King: whoa, beef jerky purse.
    The Fly: LOL
    The Fly: www.mcphee.com
    Crypto King: yeah, chuck's on hulu.
    The Fly: Check out the "Meat" category.
    Crypto King: They actually aired the season premiere on there before it aired on real tv.
    The Fly: Really?
    The Fly: That's pretty cool, actually.
    The Fly: I watched the entire run of Doogie Howser on there.
    The Fly: During which time I learned that Neil Patrick Harris loves weiner.
    Crypto King: yeah, are you really surprised?
    The Fly: Shocked, actually.
    Crypto King: wow
    The Fly: Save for the fudge packer at Harris Teeter last night, and the kid behind the photo counter at Target, I don't assume that anyone's gay.
    Crypto King: I didn't assume he was gay.
    Crypto King: I predicted it.
    The Fly: Doesn't look like they have the first season of Chuck available on Hulu.
    Crypto King: really? that sucks then.
    Crypto King: I thought they did, but since I can't watch it on the tv, I may not have been paying a whole lot of attention.
    The Fly: Which would be in keeping with tradition.
    Crypto King: indeed.
    Crypto King: I'm nothing if not inattentive to the world around me.
    The Fly: Which is good, it helps you to stay efficient.
    Crypto King: unless it's got boobs or a hard drive, I don't care.
    The Fly: Do you mind if I post that? It didn't become hilarious until just then.
    Crypto King: sure, go right ahead.
    Crypto King: although it occurs to me that my beloved android phone does not have a hard drive nor boobs.
    Crypto King: I should have said internet connection. dammit.

    And now, the news.

    Afghanistan
  • Afghan citizens don't support Taliban negotiations
  • Disgruntled Afghan ex-poppy farmers want roads, ditches that were promised
  • Interviewing Taliban forces
  • Column from Afghan President Hamid Karzai thanking the British people for their sacrifices for Afghanistan

    Middle East
  • Jimmy Carter is a worthless tool
  • Yemeni tribesmen 'seize Germans' (BBC, Guardian)
  • Middle Easterners upset (outraged?) over magazine

    Africa
  • Tuareg rebels deny holding UK envoy

    Lighter Items
  • Enceladus (Saturnian moon) has 'spreading surface' (like the ocean floor)
  • Saturn's moon (Titan) has 'ice volcanoes'
  • Ancient Burial Ritual Identified in Iran - whatever that means
  • Rom-coms 'spoil your love life' (by fostering unrealistic expectations)

    Damn. I wish I hadn't erased that first version. Anyway, check back in tomorrow, and have a great day!
  • Fly Report: 17th December 2008

    Good morning. So, is there like, you know a way to bait cougars?

    It's 6° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 22° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $44.86. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8924.14. The exchange rate is $1.53 for £1, or £0.65 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is beautiful. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Zechariah 13. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

    He turns his money into light to look for her.

    16 December 2008

    Turkmenbashi and Ulan Bator

    Hey folks! I have a lot to do, and I need to get an early start, so I'm going to save the more important stories for tomorrow, and just post a few of the light bits from yesterday to keep you entertained. Read on.

    The company that publishes the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine has apologized for its most recent cover, which features a nude "Virgin Mary" - in Mexico, of all places. They're all Catholic there! Unbelievable. The model they got to pose for the picture is pretty hot, though.

    I don't assume many of you know where Turkmenistan is, or could even find it on a map. Okay, find Iran (shouldn't be too hard), or even Afghanistan. See the country to Iran's north, on the east side of the Caspian sea? That's Turkmenistan. Well, Turkmenistan has just held open parliamentary polls. (BBC, AFP. Why is this a big deal? Well, Turkmenistan is a former Soviet holding in Central Asia, and once the Soviet Union collapsed, it was ruled by the iron-fisted Saparmarat Niyazov. I think I noted several days ago that Turkmenistan recently edited its national anthem to remove repeated references to "Turkmenbashi," or "Father of the Turkmen," which was Niyazov's self-proclaimed nickname. This is the guy who had literally had a gold statue of himself made, and then placed it on a rotating base so that it always faced the sun. He died a couple of years ago, and they've been slowly reforming their country since then, so these are good steps for them to take, and I'll take it all as reasonably good news.

    There are also a couple of decent links to pass on from the Guardian. Their daily 24 Hour Pictures section had an awesome picture of the Mongolian capital - no shitty walls in sight! Also, we're all cheering about the collapse of the oil bubble. Would you like to see an interactive presentation on who's going to be whining about the oil bubble collapse? Here you go! And as you can see, oil is down two or three dollars since yesterday, even though the Saudis have cut production. Less consumption, less production, and lower prices, all at the same time? That's an excellent thing.

    If you're bored today, check out one of the best South Park episodes I've seen in ages: Elementary School Musical. Frickin' awesome.

    That's it for today. Check back in tomorrow for more, and have a great day!

    Fly Report: 16th December 2008

    Good morning. Happiness is realizing, after you've lived somewhere for nearly a year and a half, that you've been literally footsteps away from a liquor store on about forty occasions, and not even known it. Here's to Jack Daniels!

    It's 10° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 11° Fahrenheit with light snow.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $44.71. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8564.53. The exchange rate is $1.52 for £1, or £0.65 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is spectacular - go look at it. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Zechariah 13. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

    And in the daylight, a black bird makes a violent sight.

    15 December 2008

    Olga Kurylenko isn't Bolivian

    Happy Monday, folks. I hope all's well. Here are a few stories I've been following.

    I haven't commented until now on last week's terror bust in Belgium, but the Belgian police appear to have captured some very high priority targets. One of these is a longstanding female al Qaeda operative, the widow of one of the two killers of Ahmad Shah Massoud - the leader of the Afghan Northern Alliance, who was killed by al Qaeda just two days before 9/11. Some of those arrested appear to have had ties and lines of communication with the top levels of al Qaeda leadership. This raid, ladies and gentlemen, is a big ----ing deal.

    There are a couple of stories out of the Middle East that you ought to be aware of. An American general has said that Iran's support for Iraqi insurgent groups is waning (BBC, Guardian, AFP). This is likely the result of a number of different developments: the Iraqi Army's stunning victories in Basra and Sadr City earlier this year, improved border control and interdiction operations, and, of course, the collapse in oil prices - it's tough for Iran, whose entire economy is based on its decaying petroleum infrastructure, to fund terrorist operations in Iraq when oil falls from $140/bbl to $45/bbl in a matter of just a few months. On Friday, I noted that the Iranians were getting pissy with the Pakistanis over a number of dead hostages who were killed by Jundallah, whose bodies Pakistan hadn't bothered to police up and send back. I neglected to note an article from the previous day in which an Iranian official reiterated "foreign legations' diplomatic immunity" when assigned to consulates in Tehran. Of course, the Iranian government has a sterling track record of safeguarding the safety and security of diplomats.

    In the op-ed world, FSM had a couple of great pieces on Friday: Cheerful Remarks at Big Media's Funeral, and Jimmy Carter and Hizballah. Both are worth the read, the first one in particular if you're a news hound like me, and the second in particular if you loathe Jimmy Carter.

    MSN, usually a clearinghouse of crap, has an interesting article about teens who send naked pictures via the Internet or mobile phone. I don't agree with everything the article has to say, but it's an interesting read. I thought it could have been more effective if they had used some illustrative images of hot eighteen and nineteen year old chicks - for purely academic purposes, of course.

    Need a dose of comedy? The Editing Room has an excellent fisking of Quantum of Solace, the wretched new Bond flick that I reviewed a couple of weeks ago. Very entertaining, especially this part:

    OLGA KURYLENKO: The guy you care about for some reason is hanging out at the pier. I wish I could stay and help you, but I need to go tanning to maintain the ridiculous notion that I am Bolivian.

    Priceless. Go check it out. And that's it for today, be sure to check back tomorrow for more from The Fly.

    Fly Report: 15th December 2008

    Good morning. One night in Bangkok and the tough guys crumble.

    It's 6° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 0° Fahrenheit with snow.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $47.71. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8629.68. The exchange rate is $1.49 for £1, or £0.67 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is super lame. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Zechariah 13. The Fly is currently reading the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5.

    Touch me; take me to that other place.

    12 December 2008

    AMF: Evil Scrabble

    Today is Friday, and I don't know about you folks, but I'm stoked for the weekend. I may actually do some writing this weekend - most excellent!

    First to politics. Jimmy Carter is still a worthless asshole, while Nikolas Sarkozy is still a totally awesome badass. What's the difference between Jimmy Carter and Nicolas Sarkozy? Simple: people like Nicolas Sarkozy.

    There are three stories out of the Islamic world that are worth posting. Some are claiming that the Hajj makes Muslims more tolerant - interesting. I suppose it worked with Malcolm X; at least, I think it did, but I didn't actually see all of the movie. Iran has whined to Pakistan for not returning the bodies of hostages who were killed by Jundallah. Beyond being surprised that Jundallah pulled a raid this summer and I didn't even hear about it, I find it very interesting that Iran's so pissy about hostages, seeing as how they're so eager to take hostages themselves. Also, Michael Totten has a new article - it's brief, and Totten is one of the two best independent journalists working today.

    It looks as if things may be changing in Afghanistan in the coming months. One or two of you may have read my article from yesterday. Well, most of NATO is still sitting on their hands, but I've heard rumblings in the news that the Brits might send more troops, the DoD is sending more troops (Guardian, Times), and Italy is sending five hundred additional troops to Herat province. Herat isn't a particularly Taliban-heavy province like Helmand or Kandahar provinces are, but I'll take five hundred additional troops to be a good thing.

    Today's video is... Well, if you like Scrabble and have a Nintendo DS, have a look for yourself.



    Now that's the Scrabble I'd like to play. Yesterday's most hilarious article, other than the headline Georgia Middle School Staff in Trouble Over Inflatable Mattress Sex, is about a Japanese inventor who has invented himself a girlfriend. If it were me, though, I would have spent less time programming her to slap, and more time programming her to cook.

    I've been listening to the so-called "Voice of Justice" from Radio Iran quite a bit this week - it's not bad to go to sleep to, because it fades in and out with sort of a rhythm, and I'm asleep by the time the radio turns itself off automatically. Anyway, I was looking up the "Voice of Justice" on the web the other day, and I came across some guy's blog post about it, which led me to investigate something I'd never heard of until I went through the comments: Transnistria. No clue where it is? It's part of Moldova, bordering on the Ukraine, that claims to be an independent nation. We're all familiar with South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Some of you may have read the article by Michael Totten that I linked to discussing Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia/Azerbaijan. Some of you may have even heard of the Crimea in the Ukraine - there was a war there and everything! As Totten pointed out in his article, the Russians (during the Soviet era) arranged their holdings and played their cards so that if the Soviet Union ever fell apart, the Russians could still keep the nations on their periphery weak and conflicted. Transnistria, anyone?

    Oh, and here's a bonus video to wrap today's post up. Remember "Samuel Jackson Lager" from the Chappelle Show? I happily present the Samuel Jackson GPS!



    You know, watching that last clip reminds me of a certain sketch from SNL starring Norm MacDonald as Burt Reynolds, and Samuel Jackson as himself...

    Stage Assistant: Burt Reynolds, Pulp Fiction screen test, take four.
    Reynolds: Y'know what they call a quarter pounder with cheese in Paris, France?
    Jackson: They don't call it a quarter pounder with cheese?
    Reynolds: No... No, They call it a Royale with cheese. Baha!
    Jackson: Royale with cheese... So how about a Big Mac?
    Reynolds: Well, a Big Mac, that's a... That’s a Big Mac. Course they call it le Big mac, 'cause, y'know, they're French.
    Jackson: "Le Big Mac"... (chuckles)
    Reynolds: (laughs)
    Jackson: So what do they call a Whopper?
    Reynolds: (coughs) Quentin, ah, this whole picture about burgers, or... ?

    Priceless! Have a great weekend, folks! Check back on Monday! Great success!