30 June 2009

MJ Parody Week: Day Two

Happy Tuesday, ladies and gentlemen. First, the news.

  • Pope: Bone Fragments Found in Tomb Are Paul's (AP, Guardian, Times) - I'm not sure I'd go so far as to make such a strong claim, but if it's true, how cool! Also, earlier this week they discovered what's believed to be the oldest icon of St. Paul known to exist, which was also found beneath the Vatican.
  • U.S. Shifts Strategy to Quall Afghan Opium Drug Trade (AP, BBC - I'm not sure who's selling this as new. The deemphasis of eradication could be sold as new, but even that policy is sort of old, and the promotion of alternative crops (wheat, pomegranates, and saphron being three prominent ones) has been going on for several years now.
  • BBC: Giving up my iPod for a Walkman - An English kid gave up his iPod for a week and carried around a walkman. Anyone who grew up with tapes and remembers the introduction of CDs and iPods should read this article, if only for pure nostalgic purposes.
  • BBC image: Paris Hilton and a Camel - The jokes that could be made from this one picture are multitudinous.
  • Guardian: Chinese algae carbon capture plan - China is growing algae to mitigate carbon dioxide. Why can't we do that, instead of enacting this asinine Cap-and-Trade policy? Oh, yeah, because realistic solutions don't matter to The One, his cronies, or his constituency. Meanwhile, also from the Guardian, more unproveable doom and gloom reports: New Orleans will be underwater in a hundred years. Yeah. Okay.
  • Times: Emaciated [Michael] Jackson weighed just eight stone - For those of you who don't know, "eight stone" is 112 pounds. For those who claimed that Michael Jackson was in excellent health, the leaked details of the coroner's report would seem to indicate that he was about as chewed-up as possible before he died. Very sad, although I still think he brought it on himself.
  • AFP: Obama's Marines in Position for Afghan Offensive - "Obama's Marines"? I really hate European "journalists".
  • UPI: Israel sells UAVs to Russia on condition - Very interesting. Israel's willing to sell UAVs to Russia, but only on the condition that they limit arms sales to Iran and other nations. Maybe the almighty dollar (in a broad sense) can be used as a proverbial carrot for getting Russia to stop acting like a twenty-one year-old kid who buys a bunch of proverbial high schoolers booze?
  • Times: Chilling echo of 1979 seizure - In case nobody heard, Iran arrested five British embassy workers, and has released them, over allegations that they've been instigating the protests.
  • CNN: Iran still interfering in Iraq, top Army general says
  • BBC: Tea 'healthier' drink than water - Take that, coffee drinkers!
  • Wired Danger Room: Taliban Bigwig Admits: "We screwed up in Afghanistan"

    Today's Michael Jackson parody video, also a classic from In Living Color, stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas! (Mighty Mo just about fainted when she read that, due to two or three years of social conditioning between 1993 and 1996.)



    Hee hee, indeed, folks. Hee hee, indeed. Shamon.

    So, I have to say, the Shepherd's Pie is growing on me. I think it's better reheated than it was straight out of the oven. At any rate, yesterday was productive, and I'm hoping to make today productive as well. That having been said, I have things to do. Have a fantastic day, and check back tomorrow for more from yours truly.
  • Fly Report: 30th June 2009

    Good morning. You have to want it more than the other guy wants it. You have to be willing to fight for it.

    It's 14° Centigrade and foggy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 89° Fahrenheit with isolated thunder storms.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $71.38. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8529.38. The exchange rate is $1.65 for £1, or £0.60 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 Psalm 73. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 250

    My brother and I would drive for hours, like we'd years instead of days.

    29 June 2009

    MJ Parody Week - and Shepherd's Pie!

    Happy Monday, folks! First, the news.

  • FSM: Iran's Unrest Shows Power of Economic Sanctions
  • Washington Post: Recent Murders Don't Sway Napolitano on DHS Report - You know, I think Janet Napolitano is about the worst possible choice that The One could have made for Secretary of Homeland Security. That having been said, I'll give Secretary Napolitano credit for acknowledging recent violence for what it is: a series of unfortunate, but ultimately isolated incidents that do not vindicate that asinine claim by DHS that the country should brace for an upsurge of "right-wing extremism". Good for Ms. Napolitano.
  • UPI: Germans discover war in Afghanistan - Ouch.
  • Cracked: Storyboards from Michael Bay's 'The Great Gatsby' - Fan-freakin'-tastic. I about pissed myself laughing.
  • Cracked: Jennifer Love Hewitt - Marvel(!) at the amount of euphemisms that Cracked writers were able to come up with for Jennifer Love Hewitt's chest.
  • Just for Fun: Lego Space Viking Longship - Awesome!

    Today's video - and all of this week's videos - is one of the many excellent parodies of Michael Jackson from the last few years. This one's a classic from In Living Color.



    Shamon, friends. Shamon.

    So, last night, I finally did it: I made Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Shepherd's Pie. The following are my observations.

  • Thirty minutes, my ass. It took me two hours, minimum, to make this. Cutting up the potatoes alone took at least half an hour, probably more. I probably cut them smaller than I needed to, but even big cubing would have taken at least twenty minutes, and I only used two potatoes.
  • I decided to forego the gravy. I might think twice about that next time, because as good as it turned out, it was a touch on the bland side.
  • I didn't use much onion (and the only reason I used that was because I unexpectedly got it free after a church picnic), and rather than use a fresh carrot and frozen peas, I just used a can of peas and carrots. That turned out fine.
  • At this point, one go-around with this recipe will probably keep me fed for a couple of days.

    So, I'll consider this one a success, but I might prepare it differently the next time... And hopefully any adjustments to the preparation will make it easier to cook faster. I hate being in the kitchen for three straight hours between cooking and cleanup. Later this week, I think I'm going to make myself an Irish Stew in my Crock Pot. I'll blog about that one, too.

    Alright, folks, that's it for today. Check back tomorrow for more. Stay out of trouble.
  • Fly Report: 29th June 2009

    Good morning. Saith Omnipobrit: "I have an on-again, off-again relationship with the idea of getting re-married."

    It's 18° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 87° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $68.84. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8438.39. The exchange rate is $1.65 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is outstanding, but it's a video. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Psalm 72. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 249

    We're one, but we're not the same.

    26 June 2009

    AMF: Stuff Fly Wants: June 2009

    Yesterday's finest story: 'Stoned wallabies make crop circles' (BBC, Guardian, Times). Read the BBC article, then read the comments. They're hilarious. Excellent. Amazing. Hysterical. Enjoy.

    Secondary to that story is the death of Michael Jackson. Rather than lament the death of a deeply disturbed individual who should have been locked away for the safety of both himself and others a long time ago, I'm going to stay consistent with my disdain and contempt for Michael Jackson and post a couple of links. The first is one of the best episodes of South Park ever made, The Jeffersons. Mark Day also has a hilarious "apology" for a couple of videos he'd made earlier Thursday lampooning Jackson's death. Let's face it, folks, the world has lost a moderately talented, highly controversial, exceptionally bizarre human being - and I use the term loosely - who, let's be honest, made it longer than anyone should have expected. The money quote comes from one of Mark Day's commenters:

    Everybody seems to be forgetting the real problem. How to properly get rid of the Michael Jackson remains without creating an ecological disaster.

    It is said that some pieces of MJ, if left untreated, can remain intact in the ground for billions of years without decomposing, leaving them a real threat to little woodland creatures who could choke to death on them.

    Always dispose of you dead bionic/cyborg/plastic pop icons by putting them in the biohazard popstar bin every odd wednesday.

    Yup. Okay, now for the news, then one other item, and then the Stuff Fly Wants list.

    General:
  • Danger Room: Why was Pakistan Drone Strike so Deadly? - A very interesting article, and better than most of the swill that Danger Room churns out. If you follow the Taliban war in Pakistan, it's worth reading.
  • BBC: Guns still at the ready in Nagorno-Karabakh
  • BBC audio slideshow: Medals of Dishonour
  • BBC: [Mauritanian] al Qaeda 'killed' US man
  • Times: Space image shows first stage of volcano eruption
  • Times: Saakashvili: Russia invaded for resources; Georgia fears second Russian invasion
  • Michael Totten's guest columnist: We will take that as a compliment - A pretty funny blurb about the London mayor reacting to Iranian claims of British spies instigating protests.

    Afghanistan:
  • Guardian: Capturing Osama bin Laden
  • Guardian: Battle of Babaji: A fight for hearts and minds in Afghanistan, but none are to be found
  • BBC: 'Shift needed' in Afghan combat
  • BBC: Helmand 'not a losing campaign'
  • BBC: New Allies: Making friends with the Taliban
  • AFP: Taliban could move from Afghanistan: NATO chief
  • AFP: Even at home, Afghanistan is close for Green Berets

    So, one of the things that I've started to listen to during the day is the Book of Mormon on MP3 - not because I'm planning on converting, but because I've been studying Mormonism for years, and I've never actually read/"read" the book all the way through. I was in the process of reading it with a Mormon friend in 2004 before I went to England, and when I got back she wasn't in a position to resume our studies, so I've never gone back to it despite intending to. There are a lot of interesting things on the Internet about Mormonism, from a wide spectrum of viewpoints. One that I was previously unaware of was a brief commentary by Mark Twain about the Book of Mormon, which is somewhat reminiscent of an essay of Twain's titled Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses. I used the latter in my eleventh grade English class when writing a paper about one of Fenimore Cooper's works. Anyway, if you've read the story about the wallaby crop circles, and you still need a chuckle to get you through, check out either of those links. To be honest, Father Time writes a lot like Mark Twain did in those particular essays. And Father Time will hate this...

    * * *

    Field Gear
  • British special forces style rucksack - £75.00
  • British SAS smock - £95.00
  • British Desert DPM trousers and shirt
  • MARPAT Desert Utilities - $67.98
  • Six Color Desert Utilities - $39.98
  • Tiger Stripe Utilities - $39.98
  • Khaki Tru-Spec Tactical Response Uniform trousers (2) - $89.80
  • Sand Crye Precision Field Pants AC - $115.00
  • UDT/SEAL Team Swimmer Trunks (2) - $71.90
  • Multicam Hunting Shirt - $32.95
  • U.S. Army ACU tan sweat-wicking uniform T-shirts (3)
  • Under Armour Cold Gear
  • 5.11 Tactical Polos (3) - $89.97
  • Rubbermaid 48 Gallon ActionPackers (2) - $89.99
  • TAD Gear Pathfinder Zip Hoodie - $156.95
  • Sony 8GB Walkman Video MP3 Player (black) - $119.95 (Amazon price $99.77)
  • Bushmaster Deluxe Armorer's Kit - $180.95
  • Celtic Cross - $11.95 NEW
  • FN FAL

    Clothing
  • Royal Marines T-Shirt - £10.96
  • More Cowbell T-Shirt - $20.00
  • Position Wanted: Pope T-Shirt - $12.99
  • Clan Cleland tartan kilt and kilt pin - $400.00 - $700.00
  • Utilikilts Knee High Celtic Weave Socks - $10.00
  • deer skin sporran

    Household Items
  • Union Jack - $8.09
  • Amazing Pasta Maker [click me] - $39.95
  • Fouled Anchor lapel pin
  • Walther PPK
  • Britain and Ireland Map - $10.99
  • Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East Map - $10.99
  • Roman Mainz Gladius - $144
  • The Maxim Coffin Coffee Table - $3995.00
  • Pawleys Island Tri-Beam Hammock Stand - $140.00
  • Pawleys Island Beach Quilted Hammock - $199.99 (Amazon price $184.36)
  • Discipline poster - $19.95
  • Turkish Prayer/Worry Beads
  • book case

    Books
  • 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)
  • Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left,
    From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning
    by Jonah Goldberg - $27.95 (Amazon price $16.77)
  • Murder at Marrakesh by Jonathan Katz - $29.95 NEW
  • Gitmo Cookbook - $10.95

    Entertainment
  • Best of Chris Isaak (CD & DVD) - $24.98 (Amazon price $22.99)
  • Reno 911! - Season 2 - $19.99 (Amazon price $9.99)
  • Kids in the Hall - Seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4 - $179.90 (Amazon price $155.98)
  • Gladiator Extended Edition - $35.98 (Amazon price $22.99)
  • Apocalypse Now - The Complete Dossier - $19.99 (Amazon price $13.99
  • Switchfoot - The Legend of Chin - $11.98
  • Stephanie Schneiderman - Live at Kung Fu Bakery - $15.98
  • Hootie & the Blowfish - The Best of 1993 Through 2003 - $11.98 (Amazon price $8.97)
  • Mystical Chants of Carmel by the Carmelite Monks - $18.95
  • Fly Report: 26th June 2009

    Good morning. Chechabee durtah, hee hee, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

    It's 18° Centigrade and fair in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 68° Fahrenheit with afternoon thunder storms.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $70.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8472.40. The exchange rate is $1.63 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

    Today's scripture reading is Psalm 71. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 246

    The road refuses strangers.

    25 June 2009

    Wherein the Fly's Life is Lambasted by The Onion

    CORRECTION: Yesterday's scripture reading should have read "Psalm 69, dude(!), and Ephesians 6". Thank you for your understanding.

    Hey, folks! Here's the news!

    Not Iran:
  • Yon vs. Military Flacks - An old blurb about some issues between prominent independent journalists, and the Army/DoD public affairs establishment.
  • AP: U.S.: N. Korea Boosting Guerrilla War Capabilities - Very, very, very interesting, particularly when coupled with the pyrrhic victory that Hezbollah achieve against Israel in '06, and suggestions that Ukraine adopt a quasi-guerrilla/irregular defensive structure when rebuilding its Army to counter future Russian incursions.
  • BBC: Piracy 'cannot be solved at sea'
  • BBC: Russia to restore presence in Africa
  • Guardian: In Pictures: Visions of Saturn - I guess Cassini's been sending some good stuff lately.
  • Times: Middle East's desire for nuclear know-how
  • Times: A gorgeous picture of a South Korean soldier standing watch on the border.
  • FSM: Burka Ban: What Barack Obama Could Learn from Nicolas Sarkozy about Islam
  • Mathaba: A Hard Look at the Numbers - An "independent" Arab news outlet (that I think is actually a Libyan front) claims to give the real numbers behind the Iranian election. I'm posting this purely for its comedic value.
  • Mathaba:Ogaden!? - The same "independent" news outlet discusses part of Ethiopia that apparently wants to break away. Who knew!?

    Iran:
  • Iranian women stand up in defiance, flout rules
  • Clerics join Iran's anti-government protests
  • BBC Persian works round restrictions

    Yesterday, I found two articles that just about made me cry, because The Onion is lampooning my life: Wild, Unattached Twenties Spent At Work, Tragic Event Forces Man to Spend Rest of Life Confined to Office Chair. At least they reposted one of my favorites: Shirtless Biden Washes Trans-Am in Driveway.

    Today's videos are some lighter, more relaxing music than Tuesday, and less jocularity than yesterday. One of them, Enya's "Triad: St. Patrick / Cú Chulainn / Oisin", is theoretically about Saint Patricius and Cuchulainn from the Táin Bó Cúailnge. Also, I played it when I was on college radio. Enjoy.





    Tomorrow's the Stuff Fly Wants list. Tune in - there are a few big changes to it! Until then, have a fantastic Thursday.
  • Fly Report: 25th June 2009

    Good morning. I may have just had a very painful but ultimately envigorating epiphany.

    It's 15° Centigrade and cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 89° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $68.40. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8299.86. The exchange rate is $1.65 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is astonishing, and everyone should look at it. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture readings are Psalm 70. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 245

    I've seen you walk unafraid, I've seen you in the clothes you made.

    24 June 2009

    Video Wednesday

    Hey, folks! I was very productive on Monday, and because I wanted to keep the productivity going on Tuesday, this will be short. First, the news.

    General News:
  • Human role in big kangaroo demise (BBC, Times) - Humans were responsible for giant kangaroos dying after the last Ice Age? Yeah, sure. Okay.
  • BBC: Egyptians ponder Mubarak successor from military
  • Guardian: Kodak stops manufacting 35mm film
  • BBC: Audio slideshow: Splendour of Saturn
  • Ranger Joe's: Celtic Cross (I think I may order one of these.)

    Afghanistan:
  • UK forces in major Afghan assault (BBC, Times)
  • Times: Villagers revolt against Taleban
  • AFP: Taliban may hit road, rail to disrupt polls: NATO general
  • AFP: Kyrgyzstan should play active role in Afghanistan: France (And apparently Kyrgyzstan has relented to letting the United States keep the Manas air base open after six months of negotiations.)
  • BBC: German troops die in Afghanistan

    Iran:
  • Guardian commentator: Iran: this is not a revolution - Well, this commentator seems to disagree with most of the other commentators out there, so I'll take it with a brick of salt.
  • Iran scrambles to counter student's 'martyrdom' (Times, Guardian)

    Now, in part because I had other things to do last night, and in part because my YouTube subscriptions yielded gold last night (vice the pyrite that they've been yielding for weeks), today is video day. The only video that I couldn't actually embed was How to Make Flapjacks. Now, this isn't pancakes, which are what Americans would refer to as flapjacks. As Katherine (formerly known as The Mirror, also formerly known as The Whore) and I found out early on in the time when we were dating, British flapjacks are much different. Actually, she brought me a flapjack on one of our early dates to show me what one was, and it's one of the nicest things that I can remember her doing for me. Anyway, if you cook, and if you enjoy something sweet, I'd highly recommend watching this How-To. Anyway, that having been said, have a look at these. And gents... Uh... I'm going to be honest, on that last one, it's volume optional.







    Well, weren't those entertaining? Alright, folks, have a great day, and check back tomorrow for more chaos and chicanery from yours truly.
  • Fly Report: 24th June 2009

    Good morning. An answer now is what I need.

    It's 15° Centigrade and cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 86° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $68.55. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8322.91. The exchange rate is $1.63 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is lame, and once again, not about astronomy. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture readings are Psalm 69 and Ephesians 5. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 244

    Stranger, stranger in a strange land. He looked at me like I was the one who should run.

    23 June 2009

    Twenty-Four Pounds of Water

    Hey, folks! I was swamped yesterday, but I put together some of the best news stories. Have a look.

    Not Iran:
  • Fox: Gitmo detainee may have killed Yemeni hostages
  • Guardian: Blade Runner house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is falling apart, also for sale
  • Guardian: Space travel: everybody's going to the moon
  • Ingushetian president (it borders Chechnya) survives assassination attempt (CNN, BBC, Guardian, Times) - Interesting in part because in addition to a recent upswing in Chechen violence, a senior minister in Dagestan was shot dead a couple of weeks ago.
  • AFP: NKorea Buys Medical Equipment For Kim: As Bunker Fever Grows
  • BBC: Pakistan's Taliban radio insurgency

    Iran:
  • Guardian: Analysis shows that some official figures of Ahmadinejad's win in Iran are hard to swallow
  • Times: Iran admits 50 cities had more votes than voters
  • Times: Obama 'is being timid and passive' over Iran
  • AP: Powerful Cleric May Be Playing Role in Iran Unrest
  • Michael Totten's guest contributor: It is about Iran, not about America!

    Following up on yesterday's videos today's video is Barra Barra live with Rachid Taha and Brian Eno, one of my favorite songs of all time.



    I'm pretty sure Rachid Taha is drunk in that video.

    Okay, so I've been fairly consistent with my workouts the last couple of weeks, mostly the swimming, but also with the yomps. This week, I'll likely have a buddy yomping with me. Also, I'm going to bump up the amount of weight I'm carrying. Here's what I've been carrying so far:

  • my ALICE pack
  • one two quart canteen
  • two one quart canteens
  • a two liter hydration pack
  • a three liter hydration pack

    My plan is to add one more bladder to that, for a total weight of around thirty pounds (factoring in the ALICE pack and two canteen covers clipped onto it). That's right, I got online, used the converters, and figured out how much it weighed. So... Here goes. So, that's Thursday, and between now and then, copious amounts of swimming.

    Have a great day, folks, and check back in tomorrow.
  • Fly Report: 23rd June 2009

    Good morning. The jet fighters wailed.

    It's 15° Centigrade and cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 78° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $66.56. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8339.01. The exchange rate is $1.63 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

    Today's scripture readings are Psalm 68 and Ephesians 4. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 243

    Angry words won't stop a fight.

    22 June 2009

    Sharif Won't Like It

    Hey, folks! I hope everyone's having an excellent Monday. Here's the news.

  • AP: Prince William Hints at Desire for Front-Line Combat
  • AFP: Latvia to focus foreign troops on NATO Afghanistan mission - It's about time someone in Europe did that!
  • BBC: [Northern Ireland] Loyalist groups 'destroy weapons'
  • Times: Speculation mounts over Kim Jong Il's health
  • AFP: US says Syria faces growing list of nuclear questions
  • UPI: Algerian jihadists seek to expand
  • BBC: Algeria militants 'ambush police'
  • Iranian state media: Taliban defectors: US, Israel funding militants - Nice try, Press TV. I don't think so.
  • CNN: Analysis: Iran's conservative leadership divided
  • New York Times: A Different Iranian Revolution
  • Just for fun: General Mattis motivational poster

    And, in solidarity with the Iranian protesters... Well, you'll see.





    Good, good, good. Alright, folks, have a great day, and check in tomorrow.
  • Fly Report: 22nd June 2009

    Good morning. Drop your bombs between the minarets, down the Casbah way.

    It's 14° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 73° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $69.01. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8539.73. The exchange rate is $1.65 for £1, or £0.60 for $1.

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

    Today's scripture readings are Acts 20 and Ephesians 4. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 242

    Where might we find a lamb as white as snow?

    19 June 2009

    AMF: Wherein The Fly Might Cook

    Note: Ugh, I'm glad I wrote this last night. Between yesterday's yomp, not stretching out after yesterday's yomp (shush, Themis), and that obnoxious electrical storm (with hail) in the middle of the night, I feel like ass.

    Hey, folks! It's Friday! That's awesome! Welcome to AMF.

    Just for the record, I yomped yesterday afternoon, and if I swim today and tomorrow, I will have met (probably exceeded, actually) my cardio requirements for my Phase I Fitness Plan, which means that if I can get the pushups and situps added in next week, and keep up with the cardio, I'll have accomplished the first week. Baby steps.

    Alright, now for the news.

  • Times: Five clones from 9/11 hero dog unveiled
  • Times: Waziristan: the colonial headache remains
  • US Army: Colbert Entertains Brings Smiles to Troops in Iraq - I'm not a huge fan of Stephen Colbert, but I'll give him absolute credit for this. A week spent in Iraq entertaining the troops? Bonehead or not, that's hardcore.
  • Real Clear Politics: Understanding the Age of Obama by Victor Davis Hanson - One of the greatest historians in the history of the discipline, VDH does a fantastic job of putting things in perspective regarding President Obama's record since taking office. This one's a must-read.
  • FSM: The Middle Eastern Cold War - I didn't read this whole article, but a great deal of the politics of the modern Middle East revolves around the Cold War between Iran and Saudi Arabia, one of the major aspects of which was the sectarian violence in Iraq.
  • UPI: Flash point Hormuz: Countering mine peril
  • Wired Danger Room: Iran Activists get assist from Anonymous, Pirate Bay
  • Times: Evidence that points to Ahmadinejad fixing poll

    As for another must-read, you should go review Michael Totten's blog posts on Commentary Magazine's website. I say "review" because I'm positive that you read it yesterday like I told you to. Either way, go read it. Michael Totten is one of the two best independent journalists working today, the other being Michael Yon. Totten's running commentary of goings-on in Iran have been fantastic, and I'll be drawing heavily from them in my own article on the subject, which I'll be writing this weekend.

    Speaking of this weekend, I'm hoping that it's going to be an interesting one. On Tuesday evening, I went to a graduation party for Guacamolly on the north end of Virginia's Eastern Shore. As I got to doing some looking at online maps, I decided that it might be nice to take a drive down the Eastern Shore, which is like a long peninsula that parallels parts of Virginia and North Carolina, and then swing back up into Old Dominion. As I look closer, I think that it might actually be a pretty long trip, so I may not do it this weekend, but the thought is crossing my mind, so who knows.

    Also, my Gitmo Cookbook arrived yesterday, although none of the other stuff I ordered has shown up yet - most of it's been shipped, but it hasn't arrived. At any rate, I think that this weekend is probably the right opportunity for me to finally try a recipe or two. At the moment, I have the following hardware to choose from:

  • Breville Gourmet Rice Duo (probably not the exact one pictured)
  • Breville Gourmet Health Grill (apparently discontinued - probably not a great sign)
  • Crock-Pot Slow Cooker

    I have a few ideas that I'm throwing around, such as Irish Stew in the Crock Pot, or some sort of rice dish, or maybe a combination of rice with Chicken Cacciatore out of the Crock Pot. I've also really been wanting to try my hand at Rachael Ray's Shepherd's Pie recipe. Or, I could get ambitious and try one of the fancy recipes out of the Gitmo Cookbook. The bottom line is that I have far too many options, and unless I settle on one or another and prepare for it, I may just wind up at Red Robin. If anyone has any input, feel free to share it.

    If I don't wind up on a spontaneous day road trip, my likely exploits will be any or all of the following.

  • hitting the pool
  • cleaning out my closet and finding stuff around the house to get rid of
  • working on the webpage/archive project, which has been neglected during the last week and a half
  • building those model kits that I bought three months ago that have sat there, untouched, ever since
  • writing an article about what's going on in Iran

    So... We'll see. What I do know is that I have to turn in an article on Sunday, and I have to usher at church on Sunday, so that prevents me from doing anything spontaneous. Well, that, and the fact that I'm not really a spontaneous person under normal circumstances. (There was that trip to Texas in January of 2006, but that almost never happens.)

    What about you folks? If you're so inclined, leave a comment with either your weekend plans, your recommendation for which recipe I should attempt to make, or both. Also... Have a great weekend!
  • Fly Report: 19th June 2009

    Good morning. Sharif won't like it - rock the Casbah, rock the Casbah.

    It's 13° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 75° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $71.22. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8555.60. The exchange rate is $1.64 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

    Today's scripture reading is Ephesians 5. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 239

    I've known her since, since she was a little girl with Spanish eyes.

    18 June 2009

    Iran Watch

    Alright, folks, lots of news today. Here's what I've got.

  • AP: China Acknowledges Incident Between Submarine, US Ship
  • CNN: Analysts pore over 'ambiguous' Iran results - "Ambiguous" my ass!
  • BBC: Mali army 'attacks al-Qaeda base'
  • Guardian: "The US president has once again demonstrated his unflappable cool – this time by gracefully swatting a pesky Musca domestica" - Oh for crying out loud, the Guardian compliments President Obama on his fly-swatting? This is just getting retarded. Related from the Times: E-mails reveal racist side of Republicanism. So, Republicans are racist, but Barack Obama's amazing for swatting at flies? Seriously, British journalists are deranged.
  • Guardian: Iran widens jamming of BBC as Revolutionary Guard cautions bloggers - This interests me for two reasons, first because I've studied electronic jamming, and second because I listen to Iran's state-run radio propaganda station (which obviously isn't jammed).
  • Times: German soldiers 'drink and complain too much to fight Taleban'
  • Times: Foreign fighters join Afghan insurgents
  • blogtalkradio: Iran: Party LIke it's 1979 - The Rick Moran Show, featuring Kevin Sullivan and Michael Totten. Just a reminder, follow Totten's live blogging at Commentary Magazine, which will continue through today.
  • Just for fun: Another reminder about Oleg Volk's blog, featuring hot girls shooting guns, compliments of Chops.

    You should always read everything that I link to, but if you only read one thing today, it should be the following piece by Times commentator Daniel Finkelstein: Fancy that. They want freedom. Just like us. The money quote?

    The protests for Mr Mousavi expose the lie that there is something Western in wanting democracy and human rights.

    I have things to do, so that's it for today. Check in tomorrow for AMF, and have a fantastic day.
  • Fly Report: 18th June 2009

    Good morning. I hear the sound of the ticking of clocks, come back and look for me, look for me when I am lost.

    It's 13° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 65° Fahrenheit with scattered thunder storms.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $70.94. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8497.18 - go, O, go! The exchange rate is $1.63 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

    Today's scripture readings are Psalm 67, Acts 19, and Ephesians 4. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 238

    In a little while, I won't be blown by every breeze.

    17 June 2009

    Beer Run: June 2009

    Hey, folks! Here are bullet points, and then, beer.

  • BBC: Jimmy Carter is still a moron - Again, that's not the actual headline, but seriously, what's this guy's deal? President Bush is doing yard work, cuttin' stuff down, and touring around the lecture circuit like a real ex-president, while this jackass is pontificating to Israeli settlers and whining about the self-inflicted misery in Gaza? Jimmy Carter is a failure as a human being.
  • Guardian: Michael Sheen might be Bond baddie Blofeld - No clue who this Michael Sheen character is, but it would be very interesting if the next Bond flick featured a Blofeld reboot. For those of you who don't know, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (played by Donald Pleasance, Telly Savalas, Charles Gray during the course of the Connery, Lazenby, and Moore films) is James Bond's arch nemesis who ultimately served as the model for Dr. Evil.
  • Times: Crackdown suggests a fix in Iran election - Gee, ya think?
  • Michael Totten: Contentions Blog - Michael Totten is liveblogging the Iranian protests. I think it may be premature, but he's saying that this has turned into another Iranian revolution. Let's hope he's right. Check this link regularly for updates.
  • BBC: Will Iran's protests succeed?
  • AFP from last week: Iran army warns reformist candidate ahead of vote - Very interesting, and a story I didn't bother posting when it came out, but fringe candidate Mehdi Karroubi (not Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the guy who likely won the election) was accusing the Basij militia of election interference last week, and they were already threatening him. Very interesting in light of what's happened since.
  • Now Lebanon: Nasrallah's "concession" - Lebanese elections were held last week, in which Hezbollah's coalition was dealt a solid defeat by the pro-Western coalition. Given the Iranian developments, and considering that Hezbollah is basically nothing more than an Iranian proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's "concession speech" is interesting. The comments below the article are excellent.

    Okay, the Fly was swamped last night, but I went and bought beer on Monday night with the rest of my groceries, and got Guinness last night since they were out of Guinness Stout at the first store I went to on Monday. So, here's the June beer run, moved up a week or so because I took a mixed sixer to a dinner last week.

  • Guinness Stout (by Guinness/Diageo Ireland)
  • Guinness Draught (by Guinness/Diageo Ireland)
  • Carlsberg Pilsner (by Carlsberg Group)
  • Honey Moon (by the Blue Moon Brewing Company)
  • Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat (by Samuel Adams/Boston Beer Company
  • Widmer Hefeweizen (by Widmer Brothers Brewery)

    No real experimentation this time, these are all pretty tried and true beer favorites. The only beer of note is one that I've had before, I've gotten sixers of it once or twice since arriving here at VDS, and that's Carlsberg. I always figured that it was an English beer, but found out that it was Danish a few months back. This is the beer that a bunch of the guys had when my bosses took me out to the pub on my last day of work in England, 3rd September 2004. It's the only beer that I've ever intentionally chugged - nice and light, doesn't burn going down, and I like that. I don't plan on chugging this time around, though.

    So, that's it for today. Have a good one, folks.
  • Fly Report: 17th June 2009

    Good morning. There are no good taco stands in Bandar-e-Abbas.

    It's 13° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 71° Fahrenheit with isolated thunder storms.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $69.89. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8504.67 - go, O, go! The exchange rate is $1.64 for £1, or £0.61 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 Psalm 66 and Ephesians 3. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 237

    One man betrayed with a kiss.

    16 June 2009

    Van Diemen's Station Revealed

    Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Tuesday. First, bullet points.

  • AP: Jimmy Carter is a moron - That's not the actual title of the article, but seriously, what makes Jimmy Carter think that Israeli settlers give a damn what his addle-minded, anti-Semitic old ass thinks about their settlements? I really wish that guy would shut up and stay on his peanut farm. Oh, wait, he can't - if he feels the need to "make peace", he can make peace with the swamp rabbits.
  • CNN: Biden expresses 'doubts' [about Iranian elections] - Way to go, Joe. That's some great thinkin', kiddo.
  • CNN: Al Qaeda fighters move into Horn of Africa, officials say - Um, yeah, those same officials have been saying that for years. This isn't news.
  • BBC: Gaddafi no-show angers Italians - That Crazy Uncle Moammar, he's all class.
  • Guardian: Emerald Isle plots green revolution - Good, let them do it, and we can all watch while it crashes and burns and doesn't accomplish jack. Then, if it works, we'll have a laboratory example to look at so we'll know what worked, and what failed miserably.
  • AFP: Hell of Afghanistan brought home to British troops - This one's a follow-up on this story that I posted last week.
  • AFP: Chinese sub smashes US destroyer's sonar: report - Very, very interesting.
  • CNN: Recycled homes, one box at a time - Special thanks to Mrs. Mike Nelson for sending me this article about shipping containers that are converted into lost-cost recyclable housing.
  • Press TV: Rigi tells all about Jundullah - Iranian media has a story, which I think is likely a fake, that claims to be an interview with the brother of Jundallah founder Abdulmalek Rigi. There are a few spots in particular that indicate that the brother, Abdulhamed Rigi, was at least coached, and more likely either coerced, or else the "interview" was flat out fabricated.
  • Michael Totten: An Enemy of the World - Michael Totten, to whom I sent a donation today, has a great article about the situation in Iran, and he's been doing some excellent blog posts that are keeping track of goings-on in Iran, and their historical context.
  • Wired.com Danger Room: Although I'm less and less impressed with the journalistic integrity, objectivity, and intellectual rigor of this blog with each passing day, they have had some interesting and, at times, insightful posts about the situation in Iran. Their posts over the last two or three days are a good supplement to Michael Totten's recent writings on the subject.

    I plan to put together a post and/or article about Iran in the next couple of days, but it probably won't be for tomorrow. We'll see what happens. Okay, on with the show.

    Alright, I've been promising for months that once I got some posters up, I'd post a few pictures of Van Diemen's Station, also known as the Fly Cave. I got posters up, and the place was relatively tidy on Sunday, so here are a few pictures.

    Here's the dining room, complete with my dining room table, compliments of Aunt Jo shortly after I moved to Old Dominion. It's decorated with a 1995 world map by National Geographic - a bit outdated, but it works.

    Behold, the kitchen. I don't have my Pinups for Vets or Hot for Words calendars up on the fridge at the moment, but you can see my poster of Mark Twain (a contemporary of Father Time's) playing billiards, and my rice cooker and countertop grill by Breville, the former of which has been used about thrice, and the latter of which has kept me alive for about three years.

    Here's the first shot of the living room, where you can see my papasan chair and ottoman, my gladius, my U2 album covers poster, compliments of Gus and St. Jen., and my coffee table, originally owned by Chops. In the foreground, you can see my second papasan footstool, covered by a saddle blanket. Seriously, my place is practically schizophrenic when it comes to artistic and cultural influences, but it still has less than my parents' cabin!

    And, finally, here's the other view of the living room. You can't see my Green Eggs and Hammocks Xchair, but you can see my new rug and floor cushions, my LoveSac, and my POÄNG chair. Pretty sweet, huh?

    Alright, folks, that's it for today. Check in tomorrow for Beer Run: June '09. Awesome! Have a great day!
  • Fly Report: 16th June 2009

    Good morning. Justice should not be based upon Themis' legs. However, if it is, she should send me pictures.

    It's 13° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 72° Fahrenheit with isolated thunder storms.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $70.73. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8612.13 - go, O, go! The exchange rate is $1.63 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

    Today's scripture reading is Psalm 65 and Ephesians 2. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 236

    Like a song I have to sing, I sing it for you.

    15 June 2009

    Mahmoud Ahmedinejad: Still a Wanker

    Hey folks! I had a fantastic weekend, quite productive, to include spending Saturday sitting around in my trollies, working on my book. Yesterday was excellent, too, with church, a solid swim, ordering some crap on the Internet, cleaning up the kitchen, and going to home group. So, I have a lot to cover, and a limited time to cover it, so pay attention. First, bullet points.

  • Guardian: Elections emphasise Ireland's north-south divide
  • Guardian: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faces defeat if election not rigged, say Iranian experts - Given that there was record turnout that was said to bolster Mir-Hossein Mousavi's chances of winning, and they claimed that Mahmoud Ahmedinejad got more than sixty percent of the vote, I'd say it was rigged.
  • Times: London's wishes nowhere on the American radar - Leave it to The One to screw up an excellent relationship with the United Kingdom, and snub France - but I'll be damned if he can't give long, pointless speeches to the "Muslim world"!
  • AFP: NATO endorses drawdown of Kosovo force - Even though this article is written by a peacenik, it explains why we (at least, America) shouldn't have been in Kosovo in the first place.
  • Michael Totten: No Divine Victory for Hezbollah - Always excellent, Michael Totten recaps last week's Lebanese elections.
  • Michael Yon: Green Beret Loses Race and Wins a Battle - A fantastic blurb with excellent pictures detailing US Army Special Forces in the Philippines.
  • Times: Qaddhafi in Italy - Another pictorial.

    A while ago, I had some major work that had to be done to my truck, and the result was that I put a few spending projects (some stuff for me, and some donations for others) on hold. I've recovered a bit, killed a couple of unnecessary expenditures (read: Match[dot]com), and although I haven't fully recovered, I'm back to being in pretty good financial shape, particularly after I pay bills early this week and get paid late this week. So, in addition to paying some bills today, I made some purchases online yesterday, and will be making some charitable donations as well. So far, I've purchased:

  • 1 pair of British Army desert trousers, £19.95 (about $36.00) before shipping
  • 1, 2, 3 sets of Turkish/Islamic worry/prayer beads, $38.00 before shipping
  • Silicone Skin Case for Sansa Connect + Armband + Removable Beltclip and a book for a combined total of $39.80, before shipping

    Also, I E-mailed the vendor of my Gitmo Cookbook, and apparently the order notification went straight to her spam folder. Because of that, she's sending me an extra book, which I'm assuming is a second copy of the cookbook. That's awesome, because it means that I can send it as a gift to one of my many friends, most of whom appreciate both conservative values and humor - mainly humor. So, it probably won't be Father Time!

    In addition to these things, I've also decided to throw some money around to some worthy causes. My cousin has started a small business in conjunction with our family business, so I'm going to patronize his services for that in order to support him, his wife, and his kid - mainly him and his kid, but that's another story. Anyway, I'm also going to make donations to the following worthy causes:

  • Michael Totten, $50 - I've had this money order sitting in my bag since April, and haven't had a chance to write out the note, so I'll try to get that sent this week.
  • Greg and Liz Dean of Real Life Comics - Liz needs tuition money, and since I love the comic (and Greg's offering hand-drawn artwork for donations of $50), I'm going to take the leap.
  • Confused Matthew - I think Matthew's movie reviews are really entertaining, even when I don't agree with them. He lost his job or something, and he's offering a ten minute movie review of the donor's choice to anyone who's willing to pay him $25, so I've E-mailed him and offered to pay up if he's willing to do a review of my favorite movie, Gladiator.

    Okay, I had planned to post pictures of my place today, and I took them last night since the place is relatively clean and I have posters and furniture and stuff now, but Themis, Goddess of Justice, needs a pep talk, so I'm giving her one. Have a fantastic day, folks! Check back tomorrow to see the Fly Cave!
  • Fly Report: 15th June 2009

    Good morning. You don't have to go.

    It's 12° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 69° Fahrenheit with isolated thunder storms.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $71.12. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8799.26. The exchange rate is $1.65 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

    Today's scripture reading is Psalm 64 and Ephesians 1. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 235

    So we're told this is the golden age, and gold is the reason for the wars we wage.

    12 June 2009

    AMF: Crazy Uncle Moammar

    Happy Friday, folks! I'm going to try to keep today's post brief, but there are a few things that I want to share - important things. Let's get started with the latest edition of NewsBusted.



    Okay, what should you take away from that? Two things:

  • Even some NASA scientists are now saying that the slight warming trend during the last century is being caused by the Sun. Therefore, we should try to do things in a more environmentally friendly way, but global warming is not the man-made catastrophe that hippies claim that it is. Thus, we should not be enacting a bunch of ineffective, intrusive, abusive programs to try and stop something beyond our control.
  • Minnesota Democrats registered three thousand dead voters in the recent election? If they can find one or two hundred of those who "voted" for Al Franken, then Senator Coleman wins the election. Here's hoping.

    Here are a few of the other stories that I've been paying attention to lately.

  • BBC: Pakistan deals 'aiding Taliban'
  • Guardian: James Bond may be going to Afghanistan
  • AP: Al Qaeda Commander Strapped for Cash, Asks Turkish Muslims to Send Money
  • BBC: Tackling the 'Taliban' in Norfolk - This is an article about the British version of the work I used to do in California.

    Okay, so the biggest piece of news from yesterday was Colonel Qaddhafi's visit to Rome. You can read about it at the following sites: Guardian, Times, Times, BBC. The BBC has a pictorial. So, a few of the interesting things that Crazy Uncle Moammar had to say:

    On African asylum seekers: "This is one of the lies that is put about... The Africans do not have problems of political asylum. People who live in the bush, and often in the desert, don't have political problems. They don't have oppositions or majorities or elections... These are things that only people who live in cities know. [Other Africans] don't even have an identity. And I don't mean a political identify; they don't even have a personal identity. They come out of the bush and they say: 'In the north, there's money, there's wealth' – and so they go to Libya, and from there to Europe."
    - Colonel Moammar Qaddhafi

    Oh, yeah, and he denounced the 1986 American bombing of Libya, which was a retaliation in response to his sponsorship of terrorist bombings that killed American troops. To top it all off, he wore a picture of Omar Mukhtar being arrested by Italians in 1931 after leading a twenty year insurgency. I'll say this about Colonel Qaddhafi: he ain't subtle.

    Just for good measure, and to end things on a hilarious note, here's a link to the My Little Pony Live-Action Trailer. Hilarious.

    Have a great weekend, folks!
  • Fly Report: 12th June 2009

    Good morning. I yomp, because I am awesome.

    It's 12° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 66° Fahrenheit with partial clouds.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $71.58. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8770.92. The exchange rate is $1.65 for £1, or £0.60 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 Psalm 62 through 63. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 232

    She waits for me to put out the light.

    11 June 2009

    Wherein the Fly was Busy

    Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Here's a list of things that I did last night instead of writing up a post.

  • I hit the pool four the third time in a week. Fourth time in a week? Between last Wednesday and this Wednesday, four times, but I think that only means three in a week. Anyway.
  • I picked up a few things at the grocery store. They just opened a new location near my office, which will save me some headache once or twice a week when I would be otherwise required to fight traffic to get to the one near Van Diemen's Station.
  • I cooked more lamburger helper. I love it, but just to make sure I don't burn out, I think I'm going to grab a couple of boxes of Tuna Helper the next time I'm at the grocery store.
  • I did laundry.
  • I went to bed at a reasonable time. It was fantastic.

    So... Uh... Have a great day!
  • Fly Report: 11th June 2009

    Good morning. You have to want it more than the other guy.

    It's 10° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 58° Fahrenheit with rain.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $71.47. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8739.02. The exchange rate is $1.63 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

    Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is gorgeous, and everyone should go look at it. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

    Today's scripture reading is Psalm 59 through 61. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 231

    It's no secret that the stars are falling from the sky.

    10 June 2009

    The Fly is Captain Jack Sparrow

    I got to bed late, and slept in about half an hour, so I'm running low on time. Needless to say, I didn't prepare a post. However, I have a couple of fun things to share. First, here's "Shadows" by Au Revoir Simone, which I heard in Barnes and Noble the other night and really liked, so I looked it up on YouTube. I'm sure it'll be another Fly Flavor of the Week, but that's okay.



    Second, I read a hilarious article from Cracked yesterday, that my Big Sister, Mighty Mo, will love because it has to do with animals outsmarting humans: 5 Diabolical Animals That Out-Witted Humans. Hilarious. And, for a bonus, the results of their latest photoshop contest: What Pets are Doing When We're Not Around.

    And, even though I have no desire to ever, ever, ever go to New York, today's satellite image is 55 Central Park West, better known as the building where the Ghostbusters battled Gozer, the Gate Keeper, the Key Master, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

    Have a great day, folks!

    Fly Report: 10th June 2009

    Good morning. I gave it all away, I lost who I am; I threw it all away.

    It's 11° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 50° Fahrenheit with rain.

    A barrel of oil is trading at $70.61. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 8763.06. The exchange rate is $1.63 for £1, or £0.61 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 Psalm 57 and 58. The Fly is currently reading Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

    Consecutive days without CCG: 230

    It's hard to walk away, when you could have it all.

    09 June 2009

    A Brief Synopsis of the Iranian Election

    Note: In lieu of a regular post, here's my latest submission for my parallel writing endeavour. Tonight will be busy, but I may have time to scrape something together for tomorrow. Check back.

    On Friday, the Islamic Republic of Iran will hold its much anticipated presidential election. Iran's presidential election in 2005 ushered in the perpetually controversial and occasionally bizarre era of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Iran's current president. No matter the outcome, this election promises to be an interesting look into the present situation in the Islamic Republic.

    The candidates alone indicate the real level of democratic transparency in Iran: of nearly four hundred registered candidates, only four (including the incumbent) were deemed "eligible" by the Guardian Council - part of the clerical shadow government behind the scenes of the Iranian state.

    Challenging Ahmedinejad are three men (no female candidates were deemed eligible by the Guardian Council): Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Mohsen Rezaei. Mehdi Karroubi is the former speaker of the Iranian Parliament, known in Farsi as the Majlis. Mohsen Razaei, an independent conservative, is a former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, and has been accused by Argentine officials of having been involved in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 and injured 151. The choice of the Guardian Council to approve the candidacy of a man wanted by Interpol is curious, to say the least. However, neither Mehdi Karroubi nor Mohsen Rezaei is favored to win.

    President Ahmedinejad's real challenge comes from Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a reformist who served previously as the Iranian Prime Minister before the position was abolished in 1989, and has also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mousavi's popularity has been boosted not only by his criticism of Ahmedinejad, but also by the active participation of his wie, Zahra Rahnavard, in his election campaign. Mousavi's candidacy is fascinating due to one other factor: his endorsement by Ahmedinejad's predecessor, the moderate reformist Mohammed Khatami. Khatami had announced his candidacy in February (AP, CNN), and began campaigning in short order. However, Khatami was attacked by an angry mob at a rally celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, and several websites promoting his candidacy were blocked. Khatami rescinded his candidacy in March (CNN, BBC, Times), and endorsed Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

    Intelligence officials claim that Iran is notoriously difficult to collect intelligence on, and that difficulty is every bit as prominent with respect to Iranian politics. Although Mahmoud Ahmedinejad appears to be poised to win, there is some question as to whether or not the Iranian clerics favor Ahmedinejad's re-election. In a recent debate, Mousavi scored points against Ahmedinejad by claiming that the constant running of Ahmedinejad's mouth has caused significant damage to Iran's image abroad. Ahmedinejad's gaffes in the last year alone are too numerous to list, and he threw in a real corker during the debate by insulting Mousavi's wife for her participation in his campaign. Assuming that either Mousavi or Ahmedinejad will win the election, and assuming purely for the sake of arguments that Mousavi holds precisely the same views as Ahmedinejad, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini and his cadre would certainly stand to gain from the installation of a figurehead president with a bit more tact and restraint than Ahmedinejad is capable of.

    Even moreso than the results of Sunday's elections in Lebanon, the result of the Iranian presidential election will offer a fascinating glimpse into the strategic situation in Iran for the next several years. If Ahmedinejad wins, the world can expect Iran to continue to posture itself aggressively against the West. If Mir-Hossein Mousavi prevails, his victory could offer the mullahs behind the scenes an opportunity to moderate their positions. And if Mehdi Karroubi or Mohsen Rezaei squeak out a dark horse victory like Ahmedinejad did in 2005 - and particularly if it's Mohsen Razaei - then all bets are off.

    Whatever the result, the next four years of Iranian-Western relations promise to be interesting - but which shade of "interesting" is anyone's guess.