Real Men of Genius: Father Time

In lieu of a regular post...

The Fly presents: Real Men of Genius. Today we salute you, Mr. Really, Really, Really Old Man.

[singing] Mr. Really, Really, Really Old Ma-an...

When most men reach your age, they just keel over and die. But not you, oh General of the Geriatric. You continue to amaze, with your volunteer work; your yard work; your infrequently updated blog; and your curmudgeonly comments about your friends' romantic lives.

[singing] Hand me that shovel...

Only you have the time to spend three months preparing a backyard for an informal wedding ceremony, all the while throwing rhetorical grenades at men who are literally a third your age.

[singing] Giving adviiiiiiiiiice!

So crack open an ice cold Guinness, oh Titan of the Trowel. Remember: every year that you hold on is another twenty days of sloppy comedy for your friend's blog.

[singing] Mr. Really, Really, Really Old Ma-an!

Thus Saith the Fly, Old Dominion, Virginia.

(I kid because I love. Hope all's well, Father Time.)

Fly Report: 30th September 2009

Good morning. The Fly is in the market for a miracle.

It's 11° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 51° Fahrenheit with rain and snow.

A barrel of oil is trading at $66.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9742.20. The exchange rate is $1.59 for £1, or £0.63 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 Psalm 133 and 134. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 342

I wish you were here to see what I have seen.

Crazy Uncle Moammar and Wild Bill

Hmmmm. Welcome to Tuesday, folks.

Jobless Man Uncovers Gold Hoard with Metal Detector Sky News (Sky News, CNN)

[British] General quits 'over Afghanistan' (BBC, Times)

CNN: UK newspaper reveals mole who leaked lawmakers' expenses - The unidentified individual who leaked documents about inappropriate personal expenditures that members of parliament were making with taxpayer money did so because he was being guarded by troops who were taking second jobs in order to pay for decent gear before they went off to war. The British Army has been chronically underresourced for more than thirty years, to the point of squaddies taking second jobs to pay for decent equipment, and members of parliament were spending public funds to have the moats at their houses cleaned. I'm not in favor of leaking sensitive documents, and I'd never do it, but I think this guy deserves a statue in Whitehall.

Times: Armed with guns and tea (Taliban)

Times: Gaddafi interpreter 'collapsed during UN speech'; The Taleban: the options and recommendations

AFP: US general to send Afghan troop request this week Pentagon

AFP: Marines go shopping to win Afghan hearts and minds

SPX: [Australian] Vice Chief Outlines Need For New Ground Combat Vehicle

UPI: Al-Qaida warns Saudis: We'll hit you again

Michael Yon: Bullshit Bob - Michael Yon is most excellent, and this one's a more important read than most of his fantastic articles.

Carnal Nation: Why Sex Positive COmmunity Should Care About Gun Rights - The Crypto King, AKA Chops, has routinely reminded me of the excellence of Oleg Volk, whose posts feature guns and hot women. I ran across this article while reviewing some of his posts the other day. I obviously disagree with the basis of some of the arguments, but the core of the editorial is accurate: so-called "progressives" who try to manufacture justifications for gun control are hypocritical and short-sighted, given that liberal agenda items like abortion and gay rights are based on very broad interpretations of the Constitution. The right to keep and bear arms is explicitly and clearly stated in the Second Amendment; a woman's "right to choose" is stated nowhere, nor is the so-called "right to gay marriage" that lefties have tried to fabricate. Efforts to fight for these undefined and controversial "rights", while simultaneously denying a fundamental human right that is explicitly stated in the Constitution, are bizarre and logically untenable.

AP: Gaddafi Able to Pitch Tent in Venezuela; AP: Libyan Leader Gaddafi Cancels Trip to Canada; Times: Gaddafi proposes a 'Nato of the South' - Good ol' Crazy Uncle Moammar: always in the news.

CNN: Bill Clinton: 'Vast right-wing conspiracy' as 'virulent' as ever - Is it just me, or does President Clinton almost sound like Crazy Uncle Moammar on this one? Vast right wing conspiracy, my ass. Conspiracies are secret!

CNN: Simple Facebook question raises problems around the world

BBC: What Iraq lessons are there for the Afghan campaign?

BBC: Afghan storm kills French troops - I'm generally reticent to make light of death, particularly death of soldiers at war; but French soldiers dying in a storm? It's almost as if the French have surrendered to weather.

Guardian: On Calvin, part 1: A world figure

Times: General backs call for surge in Afghanistan - "[British] Lieutenant-General Jim Dutton says that al-Qaeda cannot be denied their safe havens by 'simply patrolling from the skies'" - something we learned in Kosovo, something that we've relearned in Iraq and Afghanistan, and something that some politicians seem keen to ignore.

Times: Afghanistan troops surge: stakes for Obama could not be higher

Times Gallery: Afghan National Army military training camp; British soldiers on the front line

Commentary Magazine (Michael Totten): The Arab Preference for War

Michael Yon: The American Pedros: No Nonsense Rescuers - Michael Yon publishes the work of a Danish journalist. It's not up to his usual standards, but when Michael posts something, it's worth reading.

I've written previously about one of my favorite books, An Unorthodox Soldier by LtCol Tim Spicer, OBE. I finished re-reading it about a week ago, having received my original copy (of three) back from Desert Rat Tim a few weeks back. For this, and other reasons that I may or may not discuss at some point in the near future, my interest in LtCol Spicer and his work since 1999 (when he published the book) has been sparked anew. As such, I recently ran across a couple of articles about LtCol Spicer and his more recent expoits.

Vanity Fair: Iraq's Mercenary King

Times: Making a killing

And, just for fun, from College Humor: Metaphor-Free Radio by College Humor. Excellently hilarious.

That's it for today, folks. Have a fantastic Tuesday.

Fly Report: 29th September 2009

Good morning. After watching an episode of NCIS, I've come to the conclusion that no self-respecting terrorist would wear ACU trousers.

It's 10° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 82° Fahrenheit with partial clouds.

A barrel of oil is trading at $66.02. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9789.36. The exchange rate is $1.59 for £1, or £0.63 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 132. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 341

It's just a moment, this time will pass.

Stuff Fly Wants: September 2009

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

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

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) - $69.99

TAD Gear Pathfinder Zip Hoodie - $117.70

Sony 8GB Walkman Video MP3 Player (black) - $119.95 (Amazon price $99.77)

Mini Cargo Pocket Organizer - $27.95 NEW

M9 Mag Pouch - $29.95 NEW

Bushmaster Deluxe Armorer's Kit - $180.95

FN FAL

Household Items

Union Jack - $8.09

Amazing Pasta Maker [click me] - $39.95

Fouled Anchor lapel pin

Walther PPK

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

book case

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

deer skin sporran

Books

Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNab - $7.99

Contact Zero by David Wolstencroft - $7.99

Entertainment

Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 - $49.98 (Amazon price $31.49

Best of Chris Isaak (CD & DVD) - $24.98 (Amazon price $22.99)

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: 28th October September 2009

Good morning. Halt! Hammerzeit.

It's 11° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 74° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $65.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9665.19. The exchange rate is $1.60 for £1, or £0.63 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 133. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 340

Don't take it on board, don't fall on your sword, just play another chord - if you feel you're getting bored.

Crazy Uncle Moammar Strikes Again

I finally swam again yesterday afternoon after more than two weeks of laziness and/or anger. And then I celebrated Arthur's Day with some friends over burgers and brews. Thus, this AMF will be as brief as I can make it.

AP: Bear Injuring 9 at Japan Rest Stop Is Shot Dead

BBC: Somali Islamists 'ban' UN books

Guardian: Global burning: could a phrase save us from catastrophic climate change?; AP: Greenland, Antarctic Ice 'in Runaway Melt Mode' - I really, really hate dirty hippies who care more about an agenda than actual science, though I'm pleased when they accidentally admit that that's the case.

Commentary Magazine (Michael Totten): Is the U.S. About to Dump Syria?

CNN: 'District 9' depiction angers some Nigerians - Ha!

The Onion: George W. Bush Chuckles To Self Upon Thinking About How He Was President Of The United States For Almost A Decade

BBC: Iran police 'target mannequins' - If mannequins aren't wearing headscarves, and if they're showing curves, watch out for the Mahmoud Patrol! Idiots...

AP: Ammo Sales Spike Continues Months After Obama Elected - And how!

AP: Two Men Kidnap Girl, 14, From School to Marry Son, 14, Cops Say - This would have to be tied to both Kentucky and North Dakota. Awesome.

AP: Switzerland and U.S. Sign Treaty to Share Tax Information - If Congress would actually fix the tax codes and eliminate wasteful spending, maybe people wouldn't hide their money in Swiss bank accounts. I'm against breaking the law, but I also hold no sympathy for the U.S. government on this issue.

AP: Chechen Leader Claims U.S. and Britain Back Militants

CNN: U.S. urges caution after German terror threat

BBC: In pictures: Anglo-Saxon treasures uncovered

BBC: In pictures: Life in poverty-stricken North Korea

Spacecraft see 'damp' moon Soils (BBC, Guardian, Times) - Fascinating!

BBC: US commander denies Afghan rift

BBC: Debuts and diatribes as leaders take the floor at UN;

CNN: Security Council doesn't work, Gadhafi tells U.N.; Guardian: Gaddafi's UN questions, answered, Gaddafi's 100 minutes at the podium, In Pictures: Muammar Gaddafi's speech at the UN - For those who missed this story, Crazy Uncle Moammar had a time slot of fifteen minutes to speak at the UN General Assembly, directly following President Obama. Qaddhafi spoke for an hour and a half. I love Crazy Uncle Moammar, he's the most entertaining world leader there is.

Guardian: US commander to draw back troops from remote areas and focus on major population centres - Which is the wrong idea, since the Taliban derive most of their material support from rural areas.

Times: Worried White House evokes the language of Vietnam

Wired Danger Room: Did Obama Force Gates to Cut the Pentagon Budget? - Basically, yes, but read it anyway, even though the kids at Wired still don't understand journalism or facts.

National Nuclear Safety Agency: NNSA Announces Equivalent of More Than 15,000 Nuclear Weapons of Russian HEU Eliminated - Cool.

Have a great weekend, and many congrats to Mighty Mo, who gets married to the Man of Steel this weekend!

Fly Report: 25th September 2009

Good morning. The times, they are a-changin'.

It's 15° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 80° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $65.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9707.44. The exchange rate is $1.61 for £1, or £0.62 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is lame, but unrelated to astronomy. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

Today's scripture reading is Psalm 132. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 337

See the canyons broken by clouds.

Arthur's Day

Today is Arthur's Day, the 250th anniversary of Guinness - ze greatest beer in all ze world! So, I put together the news from Tuesday and Wednesday, and decided to categorize and post the more serious items today, and save the lighter elements for AMF. So, have a great day, and check back tomorrow.

Crazy Uncle Moammar at the UN

NY Post: Libya's Al-Qaddafi Denied Posh NYC Townhouse for U.N. Visit

Colonel Gaddafi's tent falls foul of US building code (BBC, Guardian)

Gaddafi finally pitches his tent - on Trump's land (Times, Guardian); Times: Libyans pretend to be Dutch to get Gaddafi a room

Guardian: Britain's realpolitik relations with Libya

Afghanistan

Taliban Leader Tells 'Invaders' to Study History (AP, AFP) - I'm pretty sure that the picture in the AP article isn't actually Mullah Omar - Mullah Omar only has one eye, and intentionally avoids being photographed or videotaped because he believes that photography is idolatry.

AP: Afghan Commandos Try to Persuade Countrymen to Turn Against Taliban

U.S. general seeks more troops in Afghanistan (CNN, BBC, Guardian, Times, Guardian)

Al Qaeda Warns Germany of 'Rude Awakening' in New Message (Sky News, Times) - Germany looks like it could very well be the next nation to fall out of the ISAF coalition. In recent weeks, the death of German troops and an air strike on Taliban fuel thieves that ended up killing some civilians has made Afghanistan a major campaign issue. Let's hope that what happened in Spain in '04, doesn't happen in Germany in '09.

Times: Analysis: the flaws in McChrystal's strategy

Guardian: Afghanistan troop numbers data: how many does each country send to the Nato mission there?

Times: A vision of victory in Afghanistan

Times: Afghanistan: the options and recommendations

LA Times: CIA expanding presence in Afghanistan

AFP: Japan's new FM hints at more aid for Afghanistan

CNN: Karzai backs U.S. military call for more troops

Times: Fighting a losing battle? British forces are worn down by the Taleban and lack of support at home

AFP: US weighs less ambitious options in Afghan war - My understanding is that they want to increase the drone war. This is frustrating, in that it ignores the lessons learned from the wars in the Balkans: no amount of air power replaces boots on the ground.

Questionably Timed Arms Reduction

Guardian: Obama ready to slash US nuclear arsenal

Britain to scale back Trident nuclear program from four to three subs (CNN, BBC, Times, AFP, Guardian)

Russia and Neighbors

Times: Dirty war rages on Russia's doorstep

Guardian: Europe must stand up for Georgia

AFP: Ukraine needs west to safeguard independence: Yushchenko

UPI: MiG probe undercuts Russia's arms push

Fly Report: 24th September 2009

Good morning. Happy Arthur Guinness Day!

It's 13° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 78° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $68.03. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9748.55. The exchange rate is $1.64 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is gorgeous, but unrelated to astronomy. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

Today's scripture reading is Psalm 130 and 131. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 336

Time is at train, it makes the future the past. It leaves you standing in the station, your face pressed up against the glass.

Crikey!

This morning, I experienced an hour-long Internet outage. Last night, I was pretty physically and mentally drained, so I didn't have an opportunity to scrape the news together. I intend to do that tonight, and may break Monday's and Tuesday's news up with today's news so that it's not just a massive overflow of news that nobody (but Sam-Wise) will read. I hope everyone's well.

Fly Report: 23rd September 2009

Good morning. The Fly is building a mystery... Or something.

It's 10° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 76° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $70.86. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9829.87. The exchange rate is $1.64 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 128 and 129. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 335

Where I came from there were no hills at all.

Waving Off

Hey, folks! I hope everyone's having a fantastic Tuesday. I didn't have an opportunity last night to put together a post, due to dinner with Mrs. Mike Nelson and a meeting with the Butt Rubber and Olive Oil. I'm running on a tight schedule this morning as well. There could be big mojo happening in the coming days, so we'll see what happens - if it becomes appropriate, I'll make some note of the situation here. Check back tomorrow.

Fly Report: 22nd September 2009

Good morning. When I was a young boy, my mama said to me: "There's only one girl in the world for you, but she probably lives in Tahiti."

It's 14° Centigrade and rainy with wind in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 70° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $69.66. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9778.86. The exchange rate is $1.62 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is basically unrelated to astronomy. The picture at the Orkneyjar Photoblog is not new.

Today's scripture reading is Psalm 126 and 127. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 334

I've got a submarine, you've got gasoline, I don't wanna talk about wars between nations.

Monday Morning Monkeys

BBC: Afghan role at stake in German poll; Walter Kolbow: We are committed to Afghanistan; Paul Schäfer: Germany must pull out of Afghanistan - Paul Schäfer's claim: "The policy of denying we were involved in the harsh reality of war was bound to fail – now we must help the nation find peace." How are the Germans supposed to help Afghanistan fight peace if they give up against the Taliban? Part of the problem has always been that most NATO "partners" have been unwilling to do what it takes to win this war.

CNN: Berlusconi eyes Afghan exit for Italian troops

'Time against' Afghanistan forces (BBC, Times, Petraeus)

Fox: Report Says Iran Has Ability to Make Nuclear Bomb, Iranian Ambassador Tells West to 'Read Between the Lines' on Nuclear Program; Guardian: IAEA secret report: Iran worked on nuclear warhead

BBC: I saw you across the platform... - The BBC has a mildly entertaining piece on what to do if you glimpse someone on public transportation, but don't get a chance to get their name and number.

BBC: Developer showcases new Halo game - I love that video games are now big enough to have become part of mainstream media coverage.

BBC: [space] Station grabs Japanese freighter

BBC: Yemeni conflict has roots in 1960s Cold War politics

BBC: PSNI [Northern Ireland] officers train Libyan police - The irony of this, given that Libya supported the IRA, should be lost on no one.

Guardian: Should you straighten your afro hair? - Being from the Pacific Northwest, an area in which there are almost no black people, I was completely unprepared to arrive in California, and subsequently on the East Coast, where black women's hair can change on a daily basis. Even though the linked article talks about Tyra Banks and Michelle Obama, two women to whom I'm largely indifferent, I found it fascinating.

Wired Danger Room: What a Revamped US Missile Shield Might Look Like; Guardian: Did the US do a deal with Russia? - President Obama really, really, really frustrates me.

Times: A welcome for the British [soldiers] - in Germany

Times: Queen Mother's Personal Letters Revealed

Times: Mad Johnny Baa Lamb is here to save the pit bulls - In Father Timeesque fashion, a columnist for the Times suggests sheep fighting in lieu of dog fighting. Even though he takes the mick out of the United States, it's hilarious. Go read it.

UPI: Al-Qaida seeks to 'rekindle Chechnya war'

UPI: Loss of leader seen to hit al-Qaida hard

LucasArts: The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition; Telltale Games: Tale of Monkey Island - Oh sweet merciful heavens, there are two new Monkey Island projects. That's fantastic!

Fly Report: 21st September 2009

Good morning. We fight when they ask us. We boast, then we cower. We beg for a piece of what's already ours.

It's 13° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 60° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $70.74. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9820.20. The exchange rate is $1.63 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

Today's scripture reading is Psalm 124 and 125. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 333

Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas.

AMF: News

Reports: U.S. suspends missile defense shield plans (CNN, BBC, Guardian, Times); Wired: Dear Poland, Happy Soviet Invasion Day. Love, Uncle Sam - President Obama picks Russia, a strategic competitor with a habit of bullying American allies and supporting American enemies, over Poland, a firm NATO ally that has deployed troops to both Afghanistan and Iraq, on the seventieth anniversary of the Russia invasion of Poland. Wow.

First rocky planet found outside solar system (CNN, Times) - Money quote: [It is so close to the star it orbits "that the place may well look like Dante's Inferno, with a probable temperature on its 'day face' above 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit (2,000 degrees Celsius) and minus-328 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 200 degrees Celsius) on its night face," said Didier Queloz of Geneva Observatory in Switzerland, the project leader.] Do people even bother reading Dante anymore? Earth to jackass Swiss scientist: in The Inferno, Hell is portrayed as cold, not hot - Satan is trapped in ice. A reputable journalist would have caught that.

BBC: Gaddafi son calls for democracy

BBC: Viking silver - The skills that prepare dark ages treasure for display

BBC video: Troops trained on spotting IED's

Times: 'Arms ship' makes another odd voyage

Times: Friends like Carter are all Obama needs

Times: Japan ready to withdraw from Afghanistan

Fly Report: 18th September 2009

Good morning. But first... The whores!

It's 14° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 83° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $71.34. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9783.93. The exchange rate is $1.65 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 reading is Psalm 124 and 125. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 330

How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?

Thursday News and Kanye West Reminder

Jimmy Carter: Racism plays major role in opposition to Obama (CNN, BBC, Guardian, Times) - Unbelievable. I'm seriously starting to believe that Jimmy Carter may be suffering from some sort of undiagnosed mental illness.

CNN: Commentary: Drinking age of 21 doesn't work - From Themis. As far as I'm concerned, the guy makes an airtight case for lowering the drinking age.

CNN: Commentary: How GOP can manage Tea Party

BBC: Denmark pulls 'promiscuous' video

Guardian: Goldstone's sins of omission [about Gaza]

Times: Gaddafi heir's PhD offers hope of democracy, Gaddafi's son had help from MI6's former chief

Times: Top US military adviser demands Afghan surge

Times: Ancient gold traced to Mountains of Mourne

UPI: Russia seeks Mideast arms sales boost

SPX: Hawker Beechcraft And LM Team For USAF Light Attack And Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft

AFP: China, Russia tarred with US intel listing

The Onion: U.S. Government Finds $20 Trillion Buried By Absentminded Reagan In 1987





What a jackass.

Fly Report: 17th September 2009

Good morning. The Fly is ready for this week to be over.

It's 13° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 85° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $71.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9791.71. The exchange rate is $1.65 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

Today's scripture reading is Psalm 122 and 123. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

Consecutive days without CCG: 329

We fight all the time. You and I, that's alright, we're the same soul.

Bollocks

Navy Seals Kill Wanted Terrorist in Somali Raid (Fox, CNN, BBC, Guardian, Guardian, Wired); Times: Extremists vow revenge for US special forces raid

AP: Pakistan Police: Detained Swedish Terror Suspect Was Once at Gitmo

Guardian: The pursuit of happiness is a fool's errand - "Attempts by politicians to measure wellbeing are doomed to failure. If we forget about happiness we'll all be a lot happier."

Times: Support soars for man who called Obama a liar

Times: Comment: how Kanye West became a serial show-stopper

Fly Report: 16th September 2009

Good morning. Never give up, never surrender.

It's 13° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 82° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $70.06. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9683.41. The exchange rate is $1.64 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 120 and 121. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Consecutive days without CCG: 328

I don't need to hear you say that if we weren't so alike, you'd like me a whole lot more.

Apologies and Travel Memories

First and foremost, I owe an apology and a correction to my beloved big sister, Mighty Mo. Yesterday, I erroneously stated that she recommended that I get my oil changed at Jiffy Lube. While this is vaguely reflective of her actual advice, it was a misstatement, and for that I apologize. What I meant to infer was that she advised me to stop getting my oil changes done at the dealership. I had forgotten that she'd recommended WalMart (which I may try the next time I need one done). So, I followed part of her advice, but not all of her advice, and I misstated this in yesterday's post. I apologize for this oversight, and hope that this sets the record straight.

Now, the news.

CNN: Ancient synagogue found in Israel

BBC: In pictures: Journey down the Jordan

BBC: Foreign troops launch Somali raid

Guardian: Video: [Growing] 'Almonds [in the West Bank] paid for my children to go to university'

Guardian: Obama's big silence: the race question - "Today's mobs, on the other hand, are reacting to the symbolic victory of an African American winning the presidency." You know, I'm associated with a number of folks who are tied into the Tea Party movement. They're not a "mob"; and, almost without exception, the Tea Party movement has nothing to do with President Obama's race, and everything to do with his agenda and his unbridled plans to spend beyond the capacity of Americans to pay for his programs. Leave it to a Canadian writing in The Guardian to completely misrepresent American politics.

Guardian: Don't repeat this mistake: The government should not use the same flawed tactics with the far right that it used on Muslims - The guy makes an interesting point, although I question the equation of "far right"/British nationalist groups with Muslim extremists. The two groups are diametrically and fundamentally opposite: one is a cultural invader, while the other is a cultural defender. Oh, and it's also disturbing that the columnist, Yahya Birt, incorrectly equates fascism with the "far right" - fascism was always a far left ideology.

Times: Afghanistan troops become [German] poll issue;

AFP: Obama faces skeptics in Congress over Afghan war - I really, really dislike the direction in which this Afghanistan situation is going. Liberal hippies in Congress whined for years that President Bush had "taken America's focus off of the real war in Afghanistan in order to fight an unsubstantiated quagmire of a war in Iraq". President Obama is in, and now they're ready to abandon Afghanistan, too? This is really, really frustrating.

Wired Danger Room: Companies pitch ideas for new light attack aircraft

Wired Danger Room: Venezuela's shop-'til-you-drop deal with Russia; AFP: Chavez announces Russian missile purchase

UPI: Commentary: Al-Qaida 360

Michael Yon: Pedros - Michael Yon rides along with the Air Force Pararescue personnel who save lives on the front lines in Afghanistan. Great writing, but phenomenal images.

Cracked: 5 Facts About Woodstock The Hippies Don't Want You to Know - Oh, snap!

I continue to observe the five year anniversary of the greatest two weeks of my life: my walkabout in the British Isles. Given that I spent several nights in Orkney, I lost track toward the end of last week. I left Orkney by way of Stromness on the morning of 10th September, 2004. I travelled by ferry, by bus, and finally by train, which took me from Thurso to Inverness, and then from Inverness to Glasgow. I stayed the night of 10th September at the Glasgow Backpackers Hostel. On the morning of 11th September I collected a resupply package from a funeral home in Glasgow, then went to Edinburgh, booked lodging for that night, and then took a train to Carlisle where I crossed the line of Hadrian's Wall and ate at the Ristorante Adriano (approximate location). I was back in Edinburgh long enough to sleep at the Highlander Backpackers Hostel. The next morning, I took a train back to Glasgow (which is really a beautiful city with a lot of wonderful people), then boarded another train to Stranraer, where I took a ferry to Belfast.

Belfast is also a beautiful city, with wonderful people. I spent the night of 12th September at Arnie's Backpackers (website/location), which was one of the more memorable hostels that I stayed in during my travels. I was particularly thrilled when, on 13th September, I walked into the Ulster Museum (website/location) and, within five minutes, was having a conversation with Professor Richard Warner, the Keeper of Antiquities (and a man whose writings I had quoted previously in a paper I'd written on ancient Ireland). He actually let me photocopy the entirety of his files on the subject of whether or not the Romans sent expeditions to ancient Ireland, or interfered in Irish politics. I mailed the papers home to myself (pretty slick, huh?) and later that evening, boarded a bus for Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. On 13th, 14th, and 15th September, I stayed at Globetrotters Hostel (website/location). Since I've done a lot of catching up in this post, I'll leave my tales about Dublin for tomorrow.

Have an excellent day, folks.

Fly Report: 15th September 2009

Good morning. Kanye West is an idiot.

It's 13° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 74° Fahrenheit with isolated thunder storms.

A barrel of oil is trading at $68.43. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9626.80. The exchange rate is $1.66 for £1, or £0.60 for $1.

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

Today's scripture reading is Psalm 119. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Consecutive days without CCG: 327

Lights flash past like memories.

Painful Monday

How are we already halfway through September? Here's the news.

CNN: Afghan police find Iranian-made weapons, source says

BBC: Turkey approves Kurdish studies

Guardian: Intelligence from captured western recruits suggest al-Qaida's terror network is weakening; Al-Qaida faces recruitment crisis, anti-terrorism experts say

Times gallery: Defence Systems Equipment international [trade show for military technology]

Wired Danger Room: Russian mystery ship suspected of arms shipment to Iran

UPI: NIST creates new trace explosives standard - I love NIST. It's one of the few government agencies from which I believe that we actually get our money's worth out of.

AFP: Top Obama ally warns of lack of Afghan war support - "Top Obama ally" is Nancy Pelosi. I really, really, really dislike that woman.

UPI: Outside View: From London to Kabul

Computer World: Opinion: The unspoken truth about managing geeks - Work with geeks? Work in IT? This is a must-read.

Just for Fun: Soviet Space Image Catalog

Just for Fun: Number Stations: Mysterious Broadcasts

I got a few things done this weekend.

I got the oil changed in the Locust Wind. Instead of going to the dealership, I went to Jiffy Lube, per Mighty Mo's advice. If the Locust Wind explodes, I will find a way to make the Man of Steel a premature widower.

I defragmented my hard drive. Between that and running the disk cleanup last week, I went from 9GB free, to 20GB free. Clean livin'.

I called in to Verizon Wireless, and when I was done they had changed my plan around and saved me nearly forty bucks a month off my bill. Excellent.

That's it for today. Check back tomorrow.

Fly Report: 14th September 2009

Good morning. Today is going to be very, very painful.


It's 12° Centigrade and cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 83° Fahrenheit with partial clouds.

A barrel of oil is trading at $68.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9605.41. The exchange rate is $1.67 for £1, or £0.60 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 Psalm 119. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Consecutive days without CCG: 326

Go. Shout it out. Rise up.

AMF: Let's Roll

Remember Joanne Ahladiotis. Remember everyone who was murdered eight years ago by evil savages. Never, ever forget. Never capitulate. Never appease. Never surrender.

News.

BBC: Superb vistas from reborn Hubble; Times: A universal success

UAE 'weapons plane' leaves India (BBC, UPI); Times: Mystery of UAE plane with arms for China

French general gets NATO command (BBC, AFP)

CNN: Volunteer fighters help purge Taliban in Pakistan

BBC photo: Iranian Green

BBC: Chavez recognises Georgia rebels - Hugo Chavez recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent? Yeah, right after he recognized Dictator Night at the nearest buffet...

BBC: Help! I'm a Beatles hater - I really hate the Beatles, so I enjoyed this article.

BBC: Japan's space freighter in orbit

Guardian: The [Anglican] right gains ground

Guardian: Another fine speech will not be enough [from Obama] - Unfortunately, the guy who wrote this op-ed thinks that President Obama should ram through a bill as soon as possible. I'm fairly sure that the writer is British, which means that he's never lived without the NHS, which is garbage as far as national health care systems go. He makes some interesting points, and the article's worth reading, but I have to disagree with his ultimate recommendation.

Times: Defused bomb increases tensions in South Armagh

Times: Plan for Afghanistan withdrawal could be set

Times: Rules for war reporters do not exist - "It used to be possible for Western reporters to meet the Taleban and preserve their liberty but the reverse is now true." Context: The Reporter's Account: 4 Days With the Taliban.

Wired Danger Room: District 9: A Military Analysis - The money comment: "ok... so where is the military analysis? This is half a step below what my nerd friends and I used to do in my parents basement when we were teenagers." I repeatedly check Wired's Danger Room blog because they do have a tendency to link to, and provide some basic commentary, on a variety of defense-related issues; but after the third or fourth time that I read that DARPA is the "Pentagon's far-out mad science arm", it became pretty clear that these were not the professional journalists that they thought they were. I understand that, being from Wired, they take a bit of a different tack on some issues, but there's such a thing as journalistic integrity and professionalism, and these guys display neither. The bit about District 9 is interesting, but like the guy in the comments section said, I've done more sophisticated military analysis sitting around a table with a bunch of buddies than Michael Peck did in the entire post.

Just for Fun: The Waterpod - I subscribe to a YouTube channel called RocketBoom, and even though they're a bunch of ignorant hippies, they sometimes come up with something interesting. In a recent video, they had a video highlighting the Waterpod, which is a sort of... Um... Basically, a bunch of hippies made their own houseboat out of an old barge, four chickens, some potting soil, and a bunch of crap that they scrounged up. This proves a point I've made a few times: hippies have some good ideas, but it usually takes a grown-up to make them respectable or presentable. The prototype "waterpod" in the video is ugly and looks like it's inhabited by hippies, because it is; an adult could probably make this both presentable and every bit as sustainable - dare I say it, marketable to people who aren't hippies.

Last night, I had a conversation with an old friend of mine that she agreed to let me share with you all.

The Fly: Feel like making... Ehh, you know the rest. How are you?
Buddha Belly April: Haha, Not bad. You?
The Fly: I just discovered comedy gold: peopleofwalmart.com
Buddha Belly April: lol That is AWESOME! Thanks. Seen failblog.org?
The Fly: Yeah, look at it every day.
Buddha Belly April: Me, too. :)

[...]

The Fly: What are you up to tonight? Other than being hit on, clumsily, with lines from Bad Company songs.
Buddha Belly April: Calling my friend Jess in Taiwan in a moment.
Buddha Belly April: LOL Awesome
Buddha Belly April A cop hit on me in a Chinese buffet. That was funny.
The Fly: Nice.
The Fly: The Chinese buffet part.
The Fly: Oh, a cop. Cute. What did he say?
Buddha Belly April: Yep. He was ladeling seasame chicken into his to go box. He heard me talking to the owner about my grandparents and she said something about them eating a lot.
Buddha Belly April: He stopped me and said "I don't eat that much."
Buddha Belly April: I said she was talking about my grandparents. And he said, this is my favorite part: "Good, I'd hate for you to think I ate too much. You look nice."
Buddha Belly April: How random is that? All in a deep southern accent.
The Fly: That's even clumsier than half-quoted Bad Company lyrics.
Buddha Belly April Yes. Yes, it was.
Buddha Belly April: It could only have been funnier if he'd said "You smell purty"
The Fly: "If good lookin' was a crime, you'd be wanted in all forty-eight states."
Buddha Belly April: lol

Enjoy your weekend, but never, ever forget. See you Monday.

Fly Report: 11th September 2009

Good morning. Let's roll.

It's 14° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 71° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $71.08. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9627.48. The exchange rate is $1.66 for £1, or £0.60 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 Psalm 119. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Consecutive days without CCG: 323

I don't know if I can make it, I'm not easy on my knees.

Ehhh News Joy

Ehhh. News.

BBC: Monopoly game launches on Google

Guardian: Julian Mann: What is the future for Anglican conservatives?; What is the future for Anglican conservatives?

Times: Former CIA agent's hunt for bin Laden in Pakistani badlands; Double game that let bin Laden slip through net; Al-Qaeda hasn’t gone away - "The worst is over and the threat diminishing, say commentators. But the consequences of such a view could be calamitous"

Times: Mosque 'extremist recruiting ground' for 20 years

Times: Whole Food boss John Mackey becomes unlikely hero of the US Right

Wired: French fighter beats out American, Swedish aircraft in Brazil; Times blog: Sarkozy ends jynx on French fighter jet - I'm not sure how the Dassault Rafale is, but according to Michael Yon, the Dassault Mirage 2000D is the least favorite aircraft of troops in Afghanistan needing air cover. This sounds good for both France and Brazil, so even though the United States lost out on this one, more power to both of these other nations - I'd rather see Brazil flying French fighters than Russian ones.

AFP: India questions detained UAE air force crew

Joy.

Fly Report: 10th September 2009

Good morning. "Chinese whore" doesn't rhyme with "dog".

It's 14° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 82° Fahrenheit with partial clouds.

A barrel of oil is trading at $71.17. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9547.22. The exchange rate is $1.66 for £1, or £0.60 for $1.

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

Today's scripture reading is Psalm 119. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Consecutive days without CCG: 322

You put your lips to her lips to stop the lie.

09/09/09 Buffet Style News

You have got to be kidding. I put together a Fly Report for yesterday, and forgot to post it until after work? Bad, bad, bad mojo. Here's the news.

AP: U.K. Official Says Oil Was 'Big Part' of Lockerbie Talks; Sky News: Qaddafi's Son Blasts Lockerbie Release Critics; CNN: Saif Gadhafi: Libya wanted deal for al Megrahi's release; BBC: Libya 'surprise' at pay-out row; Times: Gaddafi son dismisses role as heir apparent; Times: Ministers 'gave green light' for Libya riot gear - Libya: the story that keeps popping back up.

BBC: Arctic Sea Iran arms link denied; UPI: Russia delivers SAMs to Syria - Russia: the international arms dealer that completely devoid of any trace of standards.

BBC: The rise of Israel's military rabbis

Times: Last loyalist paramilitaries vow to disarm; BBC: Army makes safe 600lb border bomb - The irony of these two stories about Northern Ireland dissident groups and their weapons happening on the same day is just exceptionally ironic.

Times: Queen 'unhappy over equipment shortages'

Times: Six feared dead after 'cross-border water bomb from North Korea'

Times Photo Gallery: Marines in Afghanistan

AFP: Four African countries draw up anti-terror plan: sources

The Hindu: Chandrayaan-1's images debunk conspiracy theories: ISRO scientist - Click on this link. Seriously. The satellite image of the Apollo 11 landing site is breathtaking.

Michael Totten: The Warlord in His Castle - Michael Totten recounts a recent encounter with Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt. Very, very interesting.

Michael Yon: New Afghan War Frontline Correspondent Says Fight has Morphed – But We Still Can't Afford to Lose; Eight Years After 9/11 - Michael Yon's work is always worth reading. The first piece is a brief op-ed about the need to understand the changing objectives in Afghanistan and redouble our efforts; the second is his final dispatch about his prematurely cancelled embed with The Rifles, a British infantry regiment.

Just for Fun: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection - If you've never checked this site out, have a look. It's probably the best source of a variety of maps available on the Internet.

That's it for today. Things to do, things to do. Take care, and check back tomorrow.

Fly Report: 09 September 2009

Good morning. Some people's audacity and transparency make them easy to leave behind.

It's 14° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 82° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $70.51. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9497.34. The exchange rate is $1.65 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 119. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Consecutive days without CCG: 321

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

Fly Report: 08th September 2009

Whoops...

Good [afternoon]. Father Time and Facebook are a deadly combination, mainly because I think it's going to cause him to get frustrated to the point of having a stroke.

It's 15° Centigrade and rainy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 69° Fahrenheit with sunshine.

A barrel of oil is trading at $68.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9441.27. The exchange rate is $1.64 for £1, or £0.61 for $1.

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

Today's scripture reading is Psalm 119. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Consecutive days without CCG: 320

It's cold outside, but brightly lit.

Lazy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day. First, the news.

Guardian: We can't give up on Afghanistan; AFP: US Concensus on Afghanistan Begins to Crumble; UPI: Commentary: Strategic retreat?, Outside View: The NATO-Afghanistan dilemma

Sydney Daily Telegraph: Smokes and Fatty Foods the Fitness Regime for [Russell Crowe]; Rusty Crowe's Fatty Fitness Regime with a [Cigarette]; BBC: Russell Crowe challenges journalist to bicycle duel; Sydney Daily Telegraph: Movie Star vs. Gossip Girl: Now Looks Who's Rusty - Russell Crowe was recently sited on a bike ride in Sydney with his trainer, which was interrupted by a few cigarettes and a stop at a fast food joint for tacos. He was lambasted by the Daily Telegraph in Sydney, then challenged the offending journalist to a twelve mile bicycle race through Sydney - in which he completely trounced her. I find the whole thing to be completely and totally hilarious.

AP: Scottish Separatist Government Pushes for Independence - Good luck, kids.

Fox: Scotland's Parliament Votes Not to Back Lockerbie Bomber's Release - It's a little bit late for that, kids.

CNN: 1990s Arctic temps warmest in two millennia - So, what they're saying is that Arctic temperatures peaked ten or fifteen years ago, and they've been coming down since then? Great success! I guess we don't need that "Cap and Trade" bullshit!

BBC: Trail-blazing for Morocco's Berber speakers

BBC: My father was Hitler's bodyguard

BBC: How to make a perfect cuppa

Guardian: Satellite imagery of Mars; Gizmodo: Indian Probe Takes Clear Photo of Apollo 15, Hopefully Smashing Conspiracy Theories Forever

Guardian: Drax climate change protesters sentenced today - I didn't even hear about this. A bunch of hippies hijacked a coal train. Yet another reason not to take anything that hippies say seriously.

Times: David Bebber in Libya - Another interesting pictorial of life in Libya. I remain fascinated with this country and its crazy malignant despot, Crazy Uncle Moammar.

Times: Russia uses tough tactics in tinderbox republic [Ingushetia]

Times: Former spy who masterminded Libyan democracy

Gizmodo: Amazon Tries to Make Amends for Deletion of 1984 with Warm Words, Cold Hard Cash

Today, four years ago, I spent most of the day cruising around Aberdeen, to include an excellent lunch at Jimmy Chung's Chinese Buffet (website). That afternoon, I went to the Northlink Ferry Terminal, boarded the MV Hrossey, and got off at Kirkwall, Orkney. Brilliant.

Check back tomorrow, and enjoy your holiday.

Fly Report: 07th September 2009

Good morning. Keep on a slowburner from Monday 'til Friday, keep on a slowburner, and I'll take it's place.

It's 15° Centigrade and partly cloudy in Kirkwall. In Cody, the forecast calls for a high of 72° Fahrenheit with morning showers.

A barrel of oil is trading at $67.96. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is at 9441.27. The exchange rate is $1.64 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 119. The Fly is currently reading The Royal Marines: From Sea Soldiers to a Special Force by Julian Thompson and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Consecutive days without CCG: 319

I'm still talking about the end of the world.

AMF: Qaddhafi Dreamin' and the '04 EuroTrip

I absolutely love AMF posts, because they mean that it's Friday. First, the news.

Belgian arrested in alleged Iran arms deal (CNN, BBC); Wired Danger Room: Note to Gunrunners: Don't Use Gmail - Belgian arms dealer Jacques "the Field Marshall" Monsieur made his name selling arms to Bosnia and Croatia (in contravention of UN embargoes), claiming all the while to be a CIA/French DST operative. He then makes an attempt to sell jet engines for the F-5 fighter to Iran by claiming they're heading for Colombia, then rerouting them to the UAE and on to Iran. And to do all of this, he uses a Gmail account. No matter what you may think of black market arms dealers, this guy deserved to get caught.

Fox: Glenn Beck: Why Are We Still Listening to Progressives About the Environment? - You know, Glenn Beck may be kind of a twerp, but in this one, he makes some pretty good points. We've been listening to environmentalists, at the cost of both legitimate profits and human lives for years, without any of their dire predictions (or even most of their pseudo-scientific claims) coming true. Maybe it's time to reconsider their credibility, starting with Father Time.

BBC: NHS workforce cuts plan rejected - And yet, President Obama wants to copy it. No thanks.

BBC: I was in Hitler's bunker of death - The last survivor of Hitler's inner circle recounts his experiences as one of Hitler's bodyguards. I'm amazed that this guy survived multiple years in a Russian labor camp.

BBC: Ancient wall found in Jerusalem

BBC: Nigerian 'trained in Afghanistan'

Guardian: Getting local to defeat the Taliban - Hmmmmm.

Times: US Senate asked to probe Lockerbie 'oil deal'

Times: (British) Army is 'repeating the same old mistakes' - This one's very much worth the read.

Times: Wounded medic Sally Clarke stayed to treat injured soldiers in Afghan ambush - This proves the Law School Goddess/Triathlon Goddess/Themis Theory: even skirts/dames can be totally badass.

New York Times: Chafing After 40 Years, Qaddafi Baffles the West - I really hate that I'm citing the New York Times, but the article's at least interesting.

It's been an interesting and largely productive week. Here are just a few of the things that I did this week.

I watched Ocean's Twelve for the first and second times.

I did three swim workouts, and two push-up/sit-up workouts. The fourth and third, respectively, are scheduled for this afternoon/evening. I may yomp this weekend. I may not.

I ate a pomegranate for the same time - not bad, but not worth spending three dollars on - at least, not on a regular basis.

On Monday night, I dreamed that I met Moammar Qaddhafi, but couldn't get him to pose for a picture with me. On Tuesday night, I had a similar dream about his son, Saif al Qaddhafi. I fully expected to dream myself up a fight with Hannibal Qaddhafi on Wednesday night, but this did not come to pass.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the holiday weekend, but I want to use the time to work on a couple of things that I've needed to do for a while, such as continuing work on the Grand Unified Theory of Awesome, and cleaning extraneous crap out of my flat.

The best two weeks of my life were when I was backpacking through Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and France in September of 2004. Generally speaking, I try to revisit that period of time on the blog each year. The first day of the trip was Monday, 06th September, at which point I flew from London Gatwick to Inverness Airport, took a bus to the Inverness Railway Station, then took a train to the Aberdeen Railway Station. That night, I stayed at SYHA Aberdeen (website), because the ferry to Orkney didn't run until the next day.

I'll pick this up again on Monday. In the mean time, have a fantastic weekend.