Paradoxically, this harmed McCain and helped Obama by making the war a non-issue, especially in light of the economic problems.

Our president-elect wants us to lose.

Give Obama a chance. He's not lost the war yet, but there's still time. He's doing his level best.

EFFEN A, WE DID.

Well, have no fear. . .

Obama can still screw up the war in Afghanistan, and if his rhetoric is to be believed (though there is good reason not to believe it), that outcome is likely.

Absolutely, Charles.

Years from now, President Bush will be seen in a very different light from now.

re: #5 looking closely

Well, have no fear. . .

Obama can still screw up the war in Afghanistan, and if his rhetoric is to be believed (though there is good reason not to believe it), that outcome is likely.

Excuse me, but the War is in Iraq.

There is no War in Afganistan.

It's a MISSION.

So sayeth the Obama.

There's still Afghanistan to screw up. Give him time.

I love the word "dour."

Bush deserves more thanks for this than he'll ever get, and the troops - every last one of them - deserve the world's undying thanks.

Why is it so hard to see?

Yeah! This deserves celebration, I'm buying. Drink up.

And a very heartfelt "thank you" to Bush and the troops.

"He says the big problem everybody is talking about now is corruption. But hey, we have that here, too." Ha!

I still hold on and believe that history will receive George W. Bush well for his oversight on the War on Terror... Not so much the economy (except tax cutting)...

Let's hear it for cowboys!

VIDEO:
The Surge Worked

I'm hoping Obama will have some good advice on how not to screw up Afghanistan. Make that I'm praying.

IN YOUR FACE

Way to go, Dubya!

re: #9 joncelli

There's still Afghanistan to screw up. Give him time.

Indeed.

Though I must hope for better.

re: #8 Ben Hur

Obama's on a mission from god, but did he say which god?

re: #10 Dianna

I love the word "dour."

Bush deserves more thanks for this than he'll ever get, and the troops - every last one of them - deserve the world's undying thanks.

Why is it so hard to see?

I say dour rhymes with our.
My husband says dour like do-err.

re: #3 Iron Fist

Give Obama a chance. He's not lost the war yet, but there's still time. He's doing his level best.

It would be tough at this point for him to screw it up militarily.

Most likely, he'll just do what the nice Generals tell him, slowly withdraw troops, then claim that he ended the war all by himself.

LOOK I BROUGHT HOME OUR TROOPS! THERE HASN'T BEEN A SINGLE AMERICAN CASUALTY SINCE I'VE TAKEN OFFICE, etc

Still, there are all sorts of ways he could screw up the ongoing American military presence in the area, or the American relationship with the fledgling Iraqi gov't, if he so chooses.

America, fuck yeah!

re: #10 Dianna

I love the word "dour."

Bush deserves more thanks for this than he'll ever get, and the troops - every last one of them - deserve the world's undying thanks.

Why is it so hard to see?

We're not visionaries like the Messiah?
/

George W. Bush deserves credit for not backing down; I hope he will make a special effort to turn this into a significant announcement, and an occasion that the nation's attention can be directed to thanking the troops.

re: #20 debutaunt

I say dour rhymes with our.
My husband says dour like do-err.

I meant do-er.

Damn right, and it's the worst defeat suffered by activist media since Goebbels shot himself and the worst setback for liberalism since the Rosenbergs were executed.

...but even the Iraqi journalists are sounding optimistic now and they’re usually dour.

Let's have Obama send Madeliene Half-bright...so we can change their tune.

/

Now that this declaration has been made, "O" won't be able to get the troops out of Iraq AND Afghanistan fast enough, once he takes power. It will be one of his ways of cutting into the defense budget. And it will be a BIG mistake.

Dubya keeps looking better and better as he gets closer and closer to the end of his term.

Obama will be hard pressed to foist defeat on the US for persevering in Iraq to the point of victory. He will nonetheless try, and watch for him to attempt to beat an all too hasty retreat. Al Qaeda will be watching to be sure, hoping to stoke up the sectarian violence at its earliest possible convenience.

re: #8 Ben Hur

Excuse me, but the War is in Iraq.

There is no War in Afganistan.

It's a MISSION.

So sayeth the Obama.

IIRC, Operation Enduring Freedom was approved and funded by the US Congress.

Its a "war", even if our Messiah refuses to call it such.

Obama supports premature withdrawal.

re: #32 looking closely

but of course he voted against it... 2 years before he got to Washington...

re: #13 MandyManners

Let's hear it for cowboys!

My future son-in-law, presently in Iraq:
[Link: i452.photobucket.com...]

Obama also said the Surge would be an unmitigated failure. Completely wrong on that one. I suppose that his poor judgment is not so important, we can judge him on his record of experience and accomplishment. Oh oops...

Not to rain on the good news or the good work the troops have done, but why would the Islamists in Iraq fight us now? They already know when we are planning to pull out. I suspect they are simply waiting and gathering their strength till US troops have been completely withdrawn before going on their next rampage.

George Walker Bush was dealt the toughest Presidential hand since FDR.
Two recessions (one inherited), two stock market crashes (one inherited), two wars, 9/11, a divided citizenry, and a hectoring mean spirited press.

He protected the homeland against any further terrorist attack, and he WON THE WAR IN IRAQ.

History will treat him far better than we do today. In fcat, I think in a year, we'll miss him.

Thank you for your service Mr. President.

.

re: #35 jaunte

My future son-in-law, presently in Iraq:
[Link: i452.photobucket.com...]

Well, giddee' up!

If Bush had listened to McCain in 2004, we would have reached this point sooner. He did listen after the GOP lost congress in 2006, which is a point in his favor.

Via drudge...

Scripts just write themselves...

HORMEL FOODS struggling to keep up with SPAM demand... Developing...

re: #1 neocon hippie

Paradoxically, this harmed McCain and helped Obama by making the war a non-issue, especially in light of the economic problems.

Perhaps it was a "non-issue" to people who don't think very deeply or beyond this moment in time.

For some folks like me, it strengthened my resolve to vote for the strongest candidate in terms of how he/she views the security of our country.

re: #35 jaunte

My future son-in-law, presently in Iraq:
[Link: i452.photobucket.com...]

Awesome picture. :)

re: #32 looking closely

I know.

Was being a wise ass.

IF ONLY GWB WOULD'VE GONE ON THE OFFENSIVE AND TAKEN ON HIS CRITICS.

History will judge him well.

re: #38 Dad O' Blondes

Not to worry, Congressional Democrats will keep him in the news as they attempt to prosecute him for phantom war crimes.

re: #38 Dad O' Blondes

After a year of Obama, I'm sure we will miss Bush. Hell, after a year of Hillary we would have missed Bush....and Hillary would have been better than Obama

re: #20 debutaunt

I say dour rhymes with our.
My husband says dour like do-err.

I think both are recognized. I use your husband's pronunciation, generally.

re: #1 neocon hippie

Paradoxically, this harmed McCain and helped Obama by making the war a non-issue, especially in light of the economic problems.

YES--that's why we suddenly started seeing positive stories about stability in Iraq in the NYT and WaPo a month before the election

Wait until the start naming stuff all over Iraq in GWBs honor.

Actually, we probably won't hear about it.

I don't think there are anymore MSM journos in Iraq.

re: #36 IlyaUnion

Obama also said the Surge would be an unmitigated failure. Completely wrong on that one. I suppose that his poor judgment is not so important, we can judge him on his record of experience and accomplishment. Oh oops...

I can understand a guy being wrong - everyone makes misjudgments. What got me was his (Obama's) refusal to admit he was wrong. To me, the day I learned to say "silly me" or "oops" or "I stand corrected" when I was wrong was the day I grew up.

re: #37 Neo Con since 9-11

Not to rain on the good news or the good work the troops have done, but why would the Islamists in Iraq fight us now? They already know when we are planning to pull out. I suspect they are simply waiting and gathering their strength till US troops have been completely withdrawn before going on their next rampage.

My thought also.

re: #38 Dad O' Blondes

George Walker Bush was dealt the toughest Presidential hand since FDR.
Two recessions (one inherited), two stock market crashes (one inherited), two wars, 9/11, a divided citizenry, and a hectoring mean spirited press.

He protected the homeland against any further terrorist attack, and he WON THE WAR IN IRAQ.

History will treat him far better than we do today. In fcat, I think in a year, we'll miss him.

Thank you for your service Mr. President.

.

"Dad" -

My sentiments exactly. For all of my disagreements with "W" - he got the BIG things right. That is all.

-S-

re: #52 Dr. Shalit

"Dad" -

My sentiments exactly. For all of my disagreements with "W" - he got the BIG things right. That is all.

-S-

And he didn't go wobbly.

re: #23 buzzsawmonkey

I dunno. If he sticks his ass in the air and starts banging his head against the floor, we might have a problem....

re: #33 jcm

Obama supports premature withdrawal.

No wonder Michelle has that permanent scowl.

Actually it's because Obama won that we are allowed to hear anything good about Iraq. If it would have been McCain we'd be ducking a shit storm. Not to mention the riots here.

re: #38 Dad O' Blondes

When one looks at the quality of the man who will replace him, yes, I do believe that within a year or so we will regret that W has passed from the stage.

I can't wait for the tsunami of leftist hypocrisy.

The first being:

Obama makes a decision, and sticks with it.

re: #38 Dad O' Blondes

George Walker Bush was dealt the toughest Presidential hand since FDR.
Two recessions (one inherited), two stock market crashes (one inherited), two wars, 9/11, a divided citizenry, and a hectoring mean spirited press.

He protected the homeland against any further terrorist attack, and he WON THE WAR IN IRAQ.

History will treat him far better than we do today. In fcat, I think in a year, we'll miss him.

Thank you for your service Mr. President.

.

That made me tear up.

re: #50 Catttt

Leftists never admit to being wrong. They are NEVER sorry, NEVER apologize. NEVER. Even if they recognize that something is awry, there's always an excuse. It's always somebody else's fault.
Maybe it is a function, as you suggest, of never growing up.

re: #22 Racer X

America, fuck yeah!

this vedio is better

re: #34 tfc3rid

but of course he voted against it... 2 years before he got to Washington...

To be clear, he was a vocal opponent of the war. . .at a time when he COULD NOT vote on the war, and therefore his opposition was of absolutely no personal political consequence to him.

This was also the time when he was voting "present" on multiple issues as a State legislator.

This time around, he's actually going to have make decisions and be held accountable for them. He won't be able to waffle or vote "present".

Thank you for this bit of good news. I hope it continues and the Iraqis move forward.

OT:

I wonder how Dustin Hoffman feels about William Ayers. He was living next door to the building in Greenwich Village that was leveled by Ayers' cohorts in 1970 (killing three of them).

re: #64 Catttt

He probably just thinks that Ayers is misunderstood...

re: #62 looking closely

To be clear, he was a vocal opponent of the war. . .at a time when he COULD NOT vote on the war, and therefore his opposition was of absolutely no personal political consequence to him.

This was also the time when he was voting "present" on multiple issues as a State legislator.

This time around, he's actually going to have make decisions and be held accountable for them. He won't be able to waffle or vote "present".

Hopefully his actual goal is not to fuck things up, but I have my doubts.

A purple-ink-stained-four-finger salute to you, Mr. President! And a hearty "Well done!" to our troops!

As for Obama, well, he seems to know how to salute himself with that fickle third finger of his. That'll do for now.

Get real - the war is over by decree of the Office of the President Elect.

The post-stock market tumble - now that's 100% Bush's fault.

Amazing there are people who believe this.

OT: USA Today Article

CRIMES BY AIR MARSHALS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT HIRING

"...Recruiting rush

Under heavy congressional pressure, the government rushed to hire thousands of air marshals after 9/11. Partly motivated by enduring images of planes hitting the World Trade Center, the Pentagon aflame and a charred Pennsylvania field, 200,000 applied. With limited spots, the Air Marshal Service had an acceptance rate of about one in 40 — four times as tough as Harvard's.

"We're getting the cream of the crop," then-TSA spokesman David Steigman told reporters. "The people who are going into the air marshal program are the best of the best."

But that wasn't necessarily the case.

Shortly after joining the agency, three air marshals were indicted in corruption investigations at their former police departments. One, Louis Pirani, had been hired in early 2002, despite being under FBI investigation for months on suspicion of skimming profits from drug couriers as a sheriff's deputy in Arkansas. He eventually was convicted and went to prison for lying to investigators.

Just two weeks after joining the air marshals in April 2002, Shawn Nguyen filed for bankruptcy, claiming $200,000 in debts. Three years later, the former narcotics officer began carrying cash and cocaine past airport security for a man he knew as a drug trafficker, but who'd already turned to the FBI.

"I don't care what's in the [expletive] package, you know what I mean? Just tell me how much it is and what I'm getting in money," Nguyen told the informant in a recorded conversation recounted in court records. "I'm the man with the golden badge." Nguyen was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Before becoming an air marshal, Brian Phelps had worked at five small police departments in Alabama, but none for more than a year. He was fired from the job he held longest for losing his temper and acting "irrationally" before thinking things through, prosecutors said. He quit another job in lieu of being fired for misconduct while on duty, says Mayor Paula Phillips of Douglas, Ala.

In 2005, Phelps, known as "Cooter" among fellow air marshals, told a colleague that he wanted to see his wife's picture on a milk carton, court transcripts say. He asked the air marshal, who'd worked in Chicago's housing projects, whether he knew of anyone who could help.

The colleague said he did: The Crucifixer. The colleague told the Air Marshal Service, and after numerous contacts with FBI agents posing as hit men, Phelps was arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Another air marshal, David Kellerman, was arrested on felony charges for dealing in stolen property in 1983 and for carrying a concealed weapon in 1990. Although judgment was withheld in both cases, Kellerman was sentenced each time to probation, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records.

In September, Kellerman — a Green Beret and Purple Heart recipient — was sentenced to 27 months in prison after being caught hiding a cache of weapons that included AK-47s and a grenade launcher stolen while he was on leave for a military tour in Afghanistan. Kellerman told investigators he was bringing back training aids for his job as an air marshal firearms instructor.

Background checks

Because air marshals receive top-secret security clearances, background checks are supposed to include criminal history searches going back 10 years, credit reports and interviews with relatives, neighbors and employers. Checks are conducted by the federal Office of Personnel Management, a separate agency, which forwards results to the Air Marshal Service..."

.

From Michael Yon - 10 November 2008

A new President will soon begin to make critical decisions about Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic crisis at home, and countless other matters. While the Iraq war began, then boiled and finally cooled before President-elect Obama will be sworn into office on January 20th, 2009, the Afghanistan-Pakistan spectacle is just getting started. He was always a fierce opponent of our involvement in Iraq. And, as with so many Democrats in the Senate, he argued frequently, during the campaign, that we should have been focused on Afghanistan all along, because it is the real incubator of the international terrorist threat. Timing being everything, our new President will get his wish. Afghanistan now moves to center stage. The conflicts in Afghanistan and between Afghanistan and Pakistan have the simmering potential to overshadow anything we’ve seen in Iraq. Here are a few things I hope he understands:

Our enemies are winning. The enemies know it. We know it. Who are they? The Taliban, with its deep local roots is enemy number one. Al Qaeda is hanging around to make trouble. Some Paks, who don't want to see a thriving Pushtun state on their border, are our enemies. They fund and shelter the Taliban even though we rely on them to help us defeat it. Nothing is straightforward in this part of the world. We have other enemies in Afghanistan who hate the Taliban.

Most of our allies are not very helpful. With the exception of the British, Canadians, Dutch and a few others such as the Aussies, we are not fighting this with an “A-team” of international allies. With a few exceptions, our allies on the ground are comprised of several dozens of countries that mostly refuse to fight. The bulk of NATO amounts to little more than a “Taliban” Piñata. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is proving nearly worthless and provides no credible threat to Armed Opposition Groups (AOGs) in Afghanistan. Most of the NATO member countries seem to break out in a cold sweat at the mere mention of “Taliban.” They piled in when the war looked easy, and largely humanitarian. But now that it’s getting harder and more dangerous, they would like to pile out.

How the President elect responds after Jan 20, 2009 - and how he telegraphs his response will be critical. Is Afghanistan the 'good war' in the view of the hard left? Will he, and our allies in name only, now make the effort needed to win - or will he appease the anti-war left who see no real threat in islamofascism or jihadi terrorism a la the policies of the Clinton administraion.

OT - looks like it's my civic duty to go shopping. SIGH. /;D

re: #62 looking closely

Sure he will. Obama will use up advisors fastwer than a whorehouse uses up condoms. Whenever things go wrong, it will be the advisor's fault, not Obama's. He will never make a mistake, but we'll have an endless parade of failed advisor/scape goats to keep the little people distracted.

re: #64 Catttt

OT:

I wonder how Dustin Hoffman feels about William Ayers. He was living next door to the building in Greenwich Village that was leveled by Ayers' cohorts in 1970 (killing three of them).

[Link: www.freerepublic.com...]

Meanwhile, the fire consumed the townhouse as gas lines exploded and windows shattered into the street. But firefighters were able to get hoses on the inferno quickly and soon, it was brought under control. In the early evening, a man's body was found in the basement and a short time later, a woman's torso was discovered on the first floor. Police also found several handbags with personal identifications that were stolen from college students over the previous few months. Late that same night, cops located at least 60 sticks of dynamite, a live military antitank shell, blasting caps and several large metal pipes packed solid with explosives. Neighbors, including actor Dustin Hoffman, who lived next door, began leaving in droves.

The dead man was later identified as 23-year-old Theodore Gold, a leader of a student strike at Columbia University in 1968. He was a member of the Weathermen, a radical group of college students who believed that the only way to change America was through confrontation and violence. The dead girl, whose body was horribly mangled by the powerful blast, was eventually identified as Diana Oughton, another former college student. Seven days later, police managed to locate another dismembered body of a male. His identity remained a mystery until the Weathermen later claimed it was Terry Robbins, one of their own members.

re: #62 looking closely

Gregoire in WA has the executive "present" vote down pat. 3 options for 520 on her desk, no decision, set it back to the committee for new plans. Same thing on the Viaduct.

By the Obama figures a real crisis out, it will be over and not in our favor.

re: #71 Catttt

OT - looks like it's my civic duty to go shopping. SIGH. /;D

I bought a new (demo) Cadillac STS in June and today got a Fender Super Amp. Cmon you all. Get out there.

Can we say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED now?

re: #62 looking closely

This time around, he's actually going to have make decisions and be held accountable for them. He won't be able to waffle or vote "present".

White House, 3am: Telephone rings. Barry's voice... "Damn! Where's my teleprompter?"

Crunch.
.

re: #20 debutaunt

I say dour rhymes with our.
My husband says dour like do-err.

Merriam-Webster's gives both but "do-err" is given first, which means it is the more common.

re: #76 Cicero05

Can we say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED now?

That'll be January 20th///

re: #75 kansas

I bought a new (demo) Cadillac STS in June and today got a Fender Super Amp. Cmon you all. Get out there.

I bought an engagement ring this past weekend, so I've more than contributed to the economy, and have future plans for more stimulation!

re: #73 looking closely

Well, Mr. Hoffman's own building was badly damaged in the blast, according to what I read, so he pretty much had to move.

re: #41 tfc3rid

I'll have the SPAM, eggs, bacon and SPAM please

re: #72 Iron Fist

Sure he will. Obama will use up advisors fastwer than a whorehouse uses up condoms. Whenever things go wrong, it will be the advisor's fault, not Obama's. He will never make a mistake, but we'll have an endless parade of failed advisor/scape goats to keep the little people distracted.

That sort of excuse-making only goes so far.

There are only so many times you can blame your predecessors and subordinates before it falls back on your head.

re: #75 kansas

And everyone who hasn't bought a gun and ammunition needs to get out there and do their patriotic duty.

re: #78 Moe Katz

Merriam-Webster's gives both but "do-err" is given first, which means it is the more common.

Not where I live. It's usually pronounced as rhyming with "our". I didn't even know there was another pronunciation. Now I do. The things you learn on LGF!

re: #80 MrSilverDragon

I bought an engagement ring this past weekend, so I've more than contributed to the economy, and have future plans for more stimulation!

Does Mrs. Silver Dragon know yet?

The single most important issue of the last 8 years and Obama GOT IT WRONG.

re: #55 Daisy

No wonder Michelle has that permanent scowl.

WAB has a CBF.

re: #47 Dianna

I think both are recognized. I use your husband's pronunciation, generally.

It always sounds like someone who does, to my ear. If you write about it again, I'll pronounce it in my head as rhyming with our.

/p

re: #75 kansas

I bought a new (demo) Cadillac STS in June and today got a Fender Super Amp. Cmon you all. Get out there.

Oooooooooh. I have a 12-year old Chevy S10. Totally mine. :D

I was thinking more in terms of going to Target........maybe a new nightstand.......couple of sweaters........

re: #85 reine.de.tout

Not where I live. It's usually pronounced as rhyming with "our". I didn't even know there was another pronunciation. Now I do. The things you learn on LGF!

I'm still struggling with potato and tomato.

re: #86 kansas

Does Mrs. Silver Dragon know yet?

Yep, she helped me pick it out. Figured she should get something she wanted, so I said to heck w/ tradition, and had her assist. She hasn't gotten it yet, but I already know the answer. ;)

re: #73 looking closely

"The dead girl, whose body was horribly mangled by the powerful blast, was eventually identified as Diana Oughton,.."

Notice how, in this morning's interview, Ayers, like OJ, didn't even flinch when the fact of his murdered girlfriend was mentioned. His face, like any practiced liar's, registered nothing.

re: #84 Iron Fist

And everyone who hasn't bought a gun and ammunition needs to get out there and do their patriotic duty.

Gun, check. Ammo, to do. Gonna' let the election panic subside a little bit and buy in Dec.

re: #75 kansas

I bought a new (demo) Cadillac STS in June and today got a Fender Super Amp. Cmon you all. Get out there.

I had an STS. Loved it.

You see, the world elects Barack Obama and peace starts breaking out everywhere.

/...This is what you're going to hear as the troops begin to come home.

re: #80 MrSilverDragon

I bought an engagement ring this past weekend, so I've more than contributed to the economy, and have future plans for more stimulation!

:D Neato.

re: #84 Iron Fist

And everyone who hasn't bought a gun and ammunition needs to get out there and do their patriotic duty.

What kind of place is good for storing ammo? I don't wan't to buy a gun safe just for that, but I'm (perhaps irrationally) concerned that if we had a fire, no one could get near the house.

re: #69 Tamron

OT: USA Today Article

CRIMES BY AIR MARSHALS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT HIRING
.

Hmmmm. I wonder if a certain infamous state trooper in Alaska would qualify to be an Air Marshal?
.

and more...much more than this...GWB did it his way......

re: #90 Catttt

Oooooooooh. I have a 12-year old Chevy S10. Totally mine. :D

I was thinking more in terms of going to Target........maybe a new nightstand.......couple of sweaters........

Well, the amp is totally mine as are two other cars. The Caddy, well, that's for bidness, although Dave Ramsey says I'm a schmuck and should have saved up the cash.

re: #83 looking closely

People like us will scream, certainly, but between the lapdog media and incurious masses Obama is going to have a lot of slack. I expect him to make the most of it. Whatever else you can say about the man, he does know how to set back and let the media carry his water for him.

re: #75 kansas

I bought a new (demo) Cadillac STS in June and today got a Fender Super Amp. Cmon you all. Get out there.

The economy needed stimulating so bad last week that I went out and bought a new Canon EOS 50D digital SLR. Patriotic, yes, but I'm always willing to sacrifice for country.

re: #88 MandyManners

WAB has a CBF.

Okay, I give up. Is it polite to spell it out?

re: #95 redstateredneck

I had an STS. Loved it.

What year. I trade an 02 in on this one. This one has a 6 instead of an 8, is just as powerful and gets really good mileage. This one is better.

re: #84 Iron Fist

And everyone who hasn't bought a gun and ammunition needs to get out there and do their patriotic duty.

I just put in an order for some ammo today, but if you've tried to do this lately, you may have encountered a few difficulties.

First of all, most of the large retailers and distributors are completely out of semi-automatic rifles. You literally can't even get them on the phone, they're so backed up with orders.

Similarly, 5.56x45 and 7.62x39 ammo stocks are mostly (though not entirely) depleted nationally, and some of the retailers are jacking up prices.

Realistically, you're probably better off just waiting a few months. Stocks will replenish, prices will drop a little, and even if he wants to put it on the agenda, Obama isn't going to be able to squeeze in another gun ban for at least several more months.

re: #101 kansas

Well, the amp is totally mine as are two other cars. The Caddy, well, that's for bidness, although Dave Ramsey says I'm a schmuck and should have saved up the cash.

I don't drive much - I fill my gas tank maybe every six weeks. I telecommute. :D

re: #55 Daisy

No wonder Michelle has that permanent scowl.

omg,
that explains everything.

re: #85 reine.de.tout

Not where I live. It's usually pronounced as rhyming with "our". I didn't even know there was another pronunciation. Now I do. The things you learn on LGF!

"OUR!"

I suspect Obama won't have to find another war to get us into, one will find him. Possibly another cold war. Possibly also more ME conflict. I wonder how he'll react when the Sauds start putting the squeeze on him, too. Hmmm, Putin, Chavez, Iran, Syria, the Sauds.

We may be looking at a one-termer, here.

re: #103 Cicero05

Very nice. What lenses do you have for it?

OT Regarding the U-2 flying over Los Angeles County. It's Air Force Week.
Posted in the spin-offs:
[Link: www.losangeles.af.mil...]

re: #107 Catttt

I don't drive much - I fill my gas tank maybe every six weeks. I telecommute. :D

Well then, you got it made.

re: #8

4 Iron Fist

And everyone who hasn't bought a gun and ammunition needs to get out there and do their patriotic duty.

That'll be my Christmas gift to myself.

re: #98 eschew_obfuscation

What kind of place is good for storing ammo? I don't wan't to buy a gun safe just for that, but I'm (perhaps irrationally) concerned that if we had a fire, no one could get near the house.

Ammo, just goes pop, the bullets don't go anywhere the cartridge spits open, a round loaded in a chamber in a fire will be just like firing it. Get a dry box and some desiccant bags. Store in a cool dry place.

re: #85 reine.de.tout

Not where I live. It's usually pronounced as rhyming with "our". I didn't even know there was another pronunciation. Now I do. The things you learn on LGF!

To err is human. Pronounced "air" or "urr"?

re: #87 experiencedtraveller

There will be plenty more where this came from.

Whew.

We were hoping to get this thing wrapped up before Jan 20th. I was thinking the Iraqis would need about 6 months to really shore things up and was hoping Obama would "begin" his withdrawal immediately, but it would amazingly mirror the drawdown already planned.

But at least the big 0 gets to take credit for 'ending' the war.

re: #107 Catttt

I don't drive much - I fill my gas tank maybe every six weeks. I telecommute. :D

I do too! It's wonderful to discover how much can be accomplished from home.

re: #115 jcm

Ammo, just goes pop, the bullets don't go anywhere the cartridge spits open, a round loaded in a chamber in a fire will be just like firing it. Get a dry box and some desiccant bags. Store in a cool dry place.

Thanks much! Didn't know about those.

re: #118 Silhouette

Whew.

We were hoping to get this thing wrapped up before Jan 20th. I was thinking the Iraqis would need about 6 months to really shore things up and was hoping Obama would "begin" his withdrawal immediately, but it would amazingly mirror the drawdown already planned.

But at least the big 0 gets to take credit for 'ending' the war.

The MSM won't give it to him.

re: #120 eschew_obfuscation

Thanks much! Didn't know about those.

If you buy bulk ammo a lot of places sell it in a dry box. Cabela's and others do.

wonder if al quada will have a new attack

re: #98 eschew_obfuscation

What kind of place is good for storing ammo? I don't wan't to buy a gun safe just for that, but I'm (perhaps irrationally) concerned that if we had a fire, no one could get near the house.

Ammo is actually fairly stable.
Any cool dry place is fine for ammo. In (sealed waterproof) ammo cans with a little dessicant thrown in is as good as anywhere.

You do NOT want to store it in a safe, the closed container could act as a bomb in a fire.

And contrary to popular belief/mythology, ammuntion will not "shoot" if exposed to fire. Yes, the primers and powder can "cook off", but without a gun chamber and barrel to direct the hot gases and projectiles, they won't actually get very far.

re: #98 eschew_obfuscation

Bullets won't travel very far....generally the brass blows off.

Obama, whatever you do, do not, Do Not DO NOT mess around with this. This is too damn important for the Iraqi people.

re: #113 kansas

Well then, you got it made.

Yeah - I am totally spoiled. Also, I LOVE my company. They realized telecommuting was win-win - it makes workers really happy and saves both them AND the company money. Also, our workforce is split to three different locations, so that if one goes down, the others will still be available. We use IMs, e-mail, and phones to communicate, and I feel just as close to people in other states as I do to the workforce here.

re: #105 kansas

What year. I trade an 02 in on this one. This one has a 6 instead of an 8, is just as powerful and gets really good mileage. This one is better.

Mine was an '05. 8 cylinder 32 valve Northstar engine. Zoom zoom.
:D
Now I have a Toyota Avalon. Drives as well and better on the gas.

re: #126 davinvalkri

Obama, whatever you do, do not, Do Not DO NOT mess around with this. This is too damn important for the Iraqi people.

The problem is, despite all of their claims that they do care, the hard left doesn't really care about anyone other than themselves. The fact that this is important to the Iraqi's means nothing. Look to what happened to the South Vietnamese and Cambodians after the US abandoned SE Asia in 1975.

re: #104 Daisy

Okay, I give up. Is it polite to spell it out?

Whiney-Ass Bitch has a Cat-Butt Face.

re: #98 eschew_obfuscation

I was worried about the same thing, and I talked to a friend of mine who's family is very heavily involved in their Volunteer Fire Department. It's not that big a deal. The ammo will cook off, but because there's no chamber to contain the force, nor barrel to direct it, there's not that big a risk. It's kind of like throwing popcorn in a fire. It doesn't all go off at once. And when it does cook off it is at far lower velocities than would be experienced from shooting the ammo through a weapon.

Now, if you are into reloading and have quantities of raw gunpowder around, that might be different. Probably would be different, but I'm not really the person you should ask about that. If ReloadingIsNotAHobby is around, maybe he'd know what kind of safety precautions you need to take with raw components.

re: #122 jcm

If you buy bulk ammo a lot of places sell it in a dry box. Cabela's and others do.

Indeed.
They're also pretty cheap on the military surplus market.
You can often find them for $5-10 a pop in various sizes and conditions, and they are reuseable, practically indefinitely.

re: #128 redstateredneck

Mine was an '05. 8 cylinder 32 valve Northstar engine. Zoom zoom.
:D
Now I have a Toyota Avalon. Drives as well and better on the gas.

Yeah, but I saved GM. ; )

don't get your hopes up
soon as we leave
Iran invades
0bama concedes

oil hits $200 a bbl

and stays there a long time

Thanks for the ammo info folks!

As you can tell, I have little practical experience. Just a couple of semi automatics and a carry permit. Only one lousy range within 50 miles.

re: #111 lawhawk

Very nice. What lenses do you have for it?

I've got an EF 70-200mm/f.2.8 telephoto zoom and an EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 for a walking-around lens. I love 'em both.

re: #112 Pvt Bin Jammin

OK that explains it, thank you

re: #128 redstateredneck

Mine was an '05. 8 cylinder 32 valve Northstar engine. Zoom zoom.
:D
Now I have a Toyota Avalon. Drives as well and better on the gas.

Now I'm thinking about my good old '61 Caddy. It was my first car. One time, I thought "maybe I am speeding a bit," glanced down - I was going 95 mph! What a great car. Of course, it took only high octane gas and got terrible mileage, but it was a great car.

Sorry, Mr. Yon, but this just isn't sensational enough to get a spot on the national news. Perhaps you could dress it up with some blood and guts to "prove" our soldiers have been deliberately placed in harm's way?

/sarc

re: #124 looking closely

The mythbusters tried this out once, I think. It might be dangerous if your using .50 cal ammo and standing directly over the fire, but it's mostly the casings that are flying around. There shouldn't be too much danger of injury.

recites rules of handling firearms

The world will give all the credit to the mystical powers of the Great Obama, who's very name, when spoken aloud, projects peace tingles up the legs of our misunderstood enemies.

re: #121 jcm

The MSM won't give it to him.

Why do you say that?

re: #131 Iron Fist

My boyfriend (years ago) had a can of black powder in our apartment when it burned.

Went boom.

re: #127 Catttt

Yeah - I am totally spoiled. Also, I LOVE my company. They realized telecommuting was win-win - it makes workers really happy and saves both them AND the company money. Also, our workforce is split to three different locations, so that if one goes down, the others will still be available. We use IMs, e-mail, and phones to communicate, and I feel just as close to people in other states as I do to the workforce here.

Charles might want to know: Do you work in your pajamas?

I never knew "keep ye powder dry" could fill up a whole thread of discussion. ;-)

re: #106 looking closely

Yeah, I've ran into the same kinds of barriers around here. Maybe, just maybe, the Democrats will look at what could be considered pre-emptive civil disobediance and decide that there isn't a lot of good will to be gained by trying to go back down that path. It failed them so badly in '94, after all.

re: #140 freedomnut

Sorry, Mr. Yon, but this just isn't sensational enough to get a spot on the national news. Perhaps you could dress it up with some blood and guts to "prove" our soldiers have been deliberately placed in harm's way?

/sarc

Perhaps another "grim milestone" could be reached?....say, no American soldiers killed this month?

I'm sure he'll move the embassy to Jerusalem.

re: #129 Athos

One word regarding Southeast Asia: AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!

If we do something like that again I'm going to go catatonic, then psycho.

re: Iraq
George W. Bush did the right thing.
We had a U.N. resolution - a 'go-ahead' from the U.N.
.....and we didn't go in 'unilaterally', despite what the left says.
And if he hadn't acted, then what's the point of the resolution.....and what's the point of the U.N....?

Howeverrrrrrrr....
I am disappointed, and frustrated, that the man did not address the nation (and his critics) by going on TV and giving a 'before & after' presentation regarding Iraq. Perhaps quarterly updates (televised) would've gone a long way to stomp on his critics and put the nation at ease. And it would've kept his poll numbers up as well.

We've heard from men like Michael Totten, and Michael Yon......but imagine if this news had come right from the top......to the entire nation.

.....*sigh*....

OT:

Before I go, I thought you would all want to play the What Is On Bill Ayer's Wall & Why Does It Remind Me Of The Democratic Party Today game.

re: #138 bulwrk

Sounds like it would be fun to join in some of the celebrations.

re: #149 Ben Hur

I'm sure he'll move the embassy to Jerusalem.

Sure, why not, the Embassy of Palestine?

re: #131 Iron Fist

Now, if you are into reloading and have quantities of raw gunpowder around, that might be different. Probably would be different, but I'm not really the person you should ask about that. If ReloadingIsNotAHobby is around, maybe he'd know what kind of safety precautions you need to take with raw components.

Actually, surprisingly, smokeless powder isn't all that hazardous either, for the same reason. It requires a closed sealed container to generate dangerous pressures.

If you've ever broken open a round and lit the powder on fire, you'd find that the powder just burns. It burns kind of vigorously, but slowly, and its nowhere near as volatile or dangerous as even charcoal lighter fluid.

(If you haven't tried this, its worthwhile to do it to satisfy yourself. . .IF you know how to remove the bullet from a live round safely!)

The plastic containers smokeless powder comes in are relatively harmless. Any fire that could light the powder inside, would likely first melt the plastic container, rendering it harmless.

So long as you keep the powder NOT in a sealed container (eg a safe), you'll be fine.

On the other hand old fashioned BLACK powder is pretty volatile. . .there is a reason why even black powder gun aficionados use pyrodex as a smokeless substitute.

re: #139 Catttt

Now I'm thinking about my good old '61 Caddy. It was my first car. One time, I thought "maybe I am speeding a bit," glanced down - I was going 95 mph! What a great car. Of course, it took only high octane gas and got terrible mileage, but it was a great car.

And like a fricken tank!

I give credit to the troops, President Bush, and (most importantly) General David Petraeus.

That's what my Liberal wife keeps telling me. Her usual response:

"We've 'won', really? They're just waiting for us to leave; then they'll start slaughtering each other again. It's their culture and it's what they do. We can't change them and make them like US! It's not right, and it's imperialism!"

/sigh

re: #37 Neo Con since 9-11

Not to rain on the good news or the good work the troops have done, but why would the Islamists in Iraq fight us now? They already know when we are planning to pull out. I suspect they are simply waiting and gathering their strength till US troops have been completely withdrawn before going on their next rampage.

the lumpin prols think obama is a god
the rest of us know he can 't do what he promised

re: #141 davinvalkri

The mythbusters tried this out once, I think. It might be dangerous if your using .50 cal ammo and standing directly over the fire, but it's mostly the casings that are flying around. There shouldn't be too much danger of injury.

recites rules of handling firearms

Having been a firefighter, ammo was never high on our list of stuff to worry about. Cans of hairspray were another matter.

re: #129 Athos

That was a wake up moment for me. During the years of hearing the lefties weep over the poor peasants of Indochina I just thought they were naive idiots. Oh, maybe a little spoiled and self-important, but basically sentimental fools.
After the killing fields, after the complete indifference to the boat people,
I knew it was much, much worse than that.

Malignant narcissism.
It is never about the people they claim to care about.

re: #160 jcm

Having been a firefighter, ammo was never high on our list of stuff to worry about. Cans of hairspray were another matter.

hairspray, the stuff that puts the "gun" in spud gun

re: #145 Moe Katz

Charles might want to know: Do you work in your pajamas?

I try not to. :D

re: #91 subsailor68

I'm still struggling with potato and tomato.

Well, at least you're not struggling with "potatoe" and "tomatoe".

re: #162 Adrenalyn

hairspray, the stuff that puts the "gun" in spud gun

Spray net ammo.

re: #143 Silhouette

Why do you say that?

Hell, if Al Qaeda Surrendered in mass tomorrow and signed a surrender document it would because Obama was elected, not GWB beating them.

re: #164 reine.de.tout

Well, at least you're not struggling with "potatoe" and "tomatoe".

or fallatioe

re: #164 reine.de.tout

Well, at least you're not struggling with "potatoe" and "tomatoe".

Oh for god's sake let it go./////

re: #164 reine.de.tout

Well, at least you're not struggling with "potatoe" and "tomatoe".

Mr. Quayle, is that you?

:-)

re: #160 jcm

Having been a firefighter, ammo was never high on our list of stuff to worry about. Cans of hairspray were another matter.

Who amongst us as a lad didn't think that the warning label on cans of hairspray was really a challenge rather than a warning? "I'm gonna make a flamethrower for my G.I. JOES!"

I'd love to get myself a gun for home protection... It's just too damn hard to do it here in NYC...

God Bless GWB for taking the fight to the enemy.
I'll never forget his first speech after 9-11...I knew he was going to see this conflict through to the end.

I think Doug Feith's "War and Decision" is a must-read for anyone interested in the Adminstation's decisions prior to and during the Iraq war.
He gives GWB all the credit he deserves for taking action against jihadists and their supporters. Quite refreshing!

talked to my son in the I.D.F. he was cleaning his m-16 as i was talking to him this morning. wonder why the us army says the mag. holds 30 rounds and the i.d.f says it holds 29? interesting question.

OT,

Time for some not so good news. The DOW crashed again today.

re: #174 Dirk Diggler

OT,

Time for some not so good news. The DOW crashed again today.

and Kuwait joined Russia in closing their markets

when do WE

re: #171 tfc3rid

I'd love to get myself a gun for home protection... It's just too damn hard to do it here in NYC...

Use hairspray & a lighter - apparently its better than gunpowder.

re: #120 eschew_obfuscation

Thanks much! Didn't know about those.

Here's proof of what happens with heat and bullets. First the control, then the bake.

Maybe there is something to the Obama being elected thing with Iraq. So AQ wiped out right. But they can still do their little sneak attacks and blow up women and children, but they blame it on us. Soon as we leave, maybe the Iraqis will simply kick their asses. Just a thought. Course Bush got us here, but maybe it is time.

re: #148 eschew_obfuscation

Or another story of mental illness / suicide.
Yeah, that's the ticket.

re: #174 Dirk Diggler

OT,

Time for some not so good news. The DOW crashed again today.

It's The Obama Depression!

re: #141 davinvalkri

The mythbusters tried this out once, I think. It might be dangerous if your using .50 cal ammo and standing directly over the fire, but it's mostly the casings that are flying around. There shouldn't be too much danger of injury.

recites rules of handling firearms

I have been in several house fires where ammo has cooked off no big deal. Even a few cars had some ammo in the glove box still no big deal.
Now black powder stored in your houseBig Deal.

re: #176 BeerDrinking_VictoryMonkey

Use hairspray & a lighter - apparently its better than gunpowder.

And you could openly carry them. People would just think you were a hairdresser who smoked.
:-)

re: #171 tfc3rid

I'd love to get myself a gun for home protection... It's just too damn hard to do it here in NYC...

OK, there's this guy, Tyrone...drives a Mercedes all pimped out. Find him and tell him Kansas sent you. Take a grand with you. He'll show you a gun..

re: #141 davinvalkri

The mythbusters tried this out once, I think. It might be dangerous if your using .50 cal ammo and standing directly over the fire, but it's mostly the casings that are flying around. There shouldn't be too much danger of injury.

recites rules of handling firearms

Sure, if you stick your face into a campfire full of loaded rounds, you might regret it, but the general point is, this idea that fires are going to turn a box of ammo into a machine gun spewing rounds at random is just ridiculous. You're going to be at FAR more danger from the actual fire and smoke in a burning building than any amount of ammo.

There is a scene in the (utterly over the top action) movie "shoot em up" where the character played by Clive Owens kills the character played by Bart Giamatti by grasping a bunch of loose cartridges and sticking his hand into a fireplace. In the movie, the bullets all go off perfectly, shooting Giamatti's character.

In reality, Owens would have burned his hand, and nothing more. If you've ever tossing a metallic cartridge into a fire, they really aren't so easily set off.

I seem to recall a lot of people on this forum refused to support Rudy in part because they suspected him of wanting to magically confiscate our guns. Now we have a Dem monopoly with a gun owner's worst nightmare in the White House.

Yep, we're all really gonna want to put our support behind the socons now, huh? Who knows what we can achieve in 2010 with that kind of brain-power?

re: #145 Moe Katz

Charles might want to know: Do you work in your pajamas?

And....as a matter of fact - I wear Armani when I work. :D

re: #167 Adrenalyn

or fallatioe

LOL!

re: #165 redstateredneck

Spray net ammo.

Try engine starting ether. BOOM! Over the neighbor's house...

re: #186 Catttt

And....as a matter of fact - I wear Armani when I work. :D

OMG, you're beautiful!

re: #174 Dirk Diggler

OT,

Time for some not so good news. The DOW crashed again today.

Man, that final hour is a bitch. Maybe they should knock off at 3.

re: #173 yochanan

talked to my son in the I.D.F. he was cleaning his m-16 as i was talking to him this morning. wonder why the us army says the mag. holds 30 rounds and the i.d.f says it holds 29? interesting question.

And obviously, somebody's wrong.
Do they leave a spot vacant?

He will go down in history as the 1st person to go unilaterally with 39 other countries.

re: #155 looking closely

When I was a kid we'd take powder we stole from one of our dad's reloading supplies and mix it with high-test gasoline and set it on fire. Fun. Of course, gasoline itself is a wonderful toy. We'd soak a tennis ball in gasoline, light it on fire, and play keep-away.

(Sanity was never really my strong suit :-)

re: #141 davinvalkri

*you're

USE THE PREVIEW BUTTON, THAT'S WHAT IT'S THERE FOR!

re: #190 kansas

Man, that final hour is a bitch. Maybe they should knock off at 3.

They do - central time.

re: #173 yochanan

talked to my son in the I.D.F. he was cleaning his m-16 as i was talking to him this morning. wonder why the us army says the mag. holds 30 rounds and the i.d.f says it holds 29? interesting question.

Because that last round can cause feeding reliability issues in 30 round magazines. So the smart thing is to load 29.

One neat trick I've seen IDF soldiers do is load a red-tip (ie tracer round) as their LAST round on top of a magazine. That way you can tell at a glance if the magazine is full or has been tampered with at a glance.

Also, I've heard that some people like to load a few tracers as their FIRST rounds into a magazine. That way during a firefight, if you lose count you'll know when you are about to run out of ammo, because your tracers will fire off and you'll see them.

McCain deserves credit for sticking to his guns about the surge; I don't believe Bush would have implemented it if not for McCain's insistence. It just galls me that it helped Obama when the Iraq war got put on the back burner, and he could start making noises about Afghanistan (Mr. Tough Guy - yeah, sure).

If Obama is not a completely lost cause (I can't tell yet), he'll listen to Gates and Petraeus before he takes office, and he'll keep Petraeus right where he is. We'll know how bad things are going to be by the company Obama keeps...

re: #191 reine.de.tout

Maybe the IDF doesn't count the chambered round?

re: #173 yochanan

talked to my son in the I.D.F. he was cleaning his m-16 as i was talking to him this morning. wonder why the us army says the mag. holds 30 rounds and the i.d.f says it holds 29? interesting question.

I've heard that with a completely full magazine (30 rds), there's the possibility that the topmost round will get dented by the bolt.

Alternatively, that because of spring pressure, they'll be a misfeed when attempting to chamber the topmost round.

Or, that it over-compresses the magazine spring.

Take your pick.

Obama would do well to keep this man in his job, but the lefties are gunning for him...

C.I.A. Chief Says Qaeda Is Extending Its Reach

He drew a contrast between what he described as growing Islamic radicalism in places like Somalia and what he said had been the “strategic defeat” of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia — the network’s affiliate group in Iraq.

Still, Mr. Hayden said that Pakistan’s tribal areas remained Al Qaeda’s most significant operations base because the group’s close ties to Pashtun tribes in the region gave Qaeda militants a sanctuary to plan attacks on Western targets.

“Today, virtually every major terrorist threat my agency is aware of has threads back to the tribal areas,” he said.

Hayden is smart, experienced, well respected by the rank-and-file and he loves his job.

re: #171 tfc3rid

If you knew where to ask, you could probably get just about anything that struck your fancy...

re: #193 Iron Fist

When I was a kid we'd take powder we stole from one of our dad's reloading supplies and mix it with high-test gasoline and set it on fire. Fun. Of course, gasoline itself is a wonderful toy. We'd soak a tennis ball in gasoline, light it on fire, and play keep-away.

(Sanity was never really my strong suit :-)

Noo Rooz in Iran (the spring New Year) celebration we'd play soccer with a ball of gas soaked rags......

re: #186 Catttt

And....as a matter of fact - I wear Armani when I work. :D

Wow! You look just like Beyonce!

re: #166 jcm

Hell, if Al Qaeda Surrendered in mass tomorrow and signed a surrender document it would because Obama was elected, not GWB beating them.

Oh, there is confusion with what I said then.

I said Obama would get the credit, and you said the MSM wouldn't give him credit. But you thought I meant W.

I was thinking you had a reason the media WOULDN'T credit Obama, and as you are not a crackpot, I figured you had a good theory and it would be interesting to hear.

Gotta run folks.

Keep your ammo dry.
Your weapons clean.
And finger off the trigger until the target is acquired.

re: #177 BlueCanuck

Here's proof of what happens with heat and bullets. First the control, then the bake.

Heh. I probably won't be storing any 50 cal rounds in my oven ;-)

re: #193 Iron Fist

When I was a kid we'd take powder we stole from one of our dad's reloading supplies and mix it with high-test gasoline and set it on fire. Fun. Of course, gasoline itself is a wonderful toy. We'd soak a tennis ball in gasoline, light it on fire, and play keep-away.

(Sanity was never really my strong suit :-)

Seriously, gasoline is actually a LOT more dangerous than smokeless powder.

re: #204 Silhouette

Oh, there is confusion with what I said then.

I said Obama would get the credit, and you said the MSM wouldn't give him credit. But you thought I meant W.

I was thinking you had a reason the media WOULDN'T credit Obama, and as you are not a crackpot, I figured you had a good theory and it would be interesting to hear.

Opps.. misread you!

Moving on ----->

No doubt the mainstream media will proclaim "V-I Day" (Victory in Iraq Day) Probably sometime after Jan. 20, 2009. They'll probably even be willing to throw a parade for the troops down Madison Avenue in New York.

I think a lot of us will be uttering these lines from "Gladiator" fairly soon.

"He enters Rome like a conquering hero. But what has he conquered?"

And my favorite....

"The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end, Highness"

"

re: #208 jcm

Opps.. misread you!

Darn, and I was looking forward to that theory. ;-)

Kanye West says he's 'voice of this generation'

LONDON (AP) - Kanye West is to music what Michael Jordan was to basketball—at least that West thinks, in his humble estimation. "I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice," he said in an interview on Wednesday.

"It's me settling into that position of just really accepting that it's one thing to say you want to do it and it's another thing to really end up being like Michael Jordan."

The Grammy-winning rapper-producer said Justin Timberlake had a chance to be music's MVP, but hasn't put out enough material. (Timberlake's last album was in 2006, while West released a CD last year and is releasing his latest—"808s and Heartbreak"—on Nov. 24.)

"There were people who had the potential to do it but they went on vacation, so when Justin went on vacation I made albums," he said. "And it just came out to be that."

West, 31, said life has been difficult since his mother's death. Donda West died last November after having plastic surgery.

"I'm just going through balancing that. And I always used to have that support system, you know. My mom would be there; no matter what, she was there before everything," he said. "We were together for like 30 years. And you know now when I'm on that stage and I look out and I say, 'What am I going to do with the rest of my life?' Like when does a real life start?' Because I have sacrificed real life to be a celebrity and to give this art to people, which is great. It is great that I was able to do that, I'm not trying to shun that in any way, but it's definitely a Catch-22 and it's bittersweet."

This guy is so full of shit.

His head is getting so big they can use it in the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade".

re: #137 Cicero05

Impressive. You are indeed seeking to singlehandedly keep the economy afloat.

re: #53 Catttt

And he didn't go wobbly.

catt-

Talk about wobbly in a GOOD WAY today. PM Brown of the UK has just adopted the economic clothing of Lady Thatcher in time for the G-20 meeting.

-S-

Left-wing moonbats are dirt.

Iraq is not in the hands of Islamists?

re: #117 vagabond trader

Sadly you are prolly correct... Regards.

And yet the media convinced the majority of voters to hate and vote against Bush and his "3rd term" McCain.
It's shameful the way those that love and want to protect this country have been treated and cast aside.

have to throw in my two cents:

YEAH! EFF YEAH!

/fist pump

America!
F*ck yeah!

God bless the troops and...wait a second. Has anyone called Harry "Milk Toast" Reid? This must be a mistake.

Sorry guys, you won this battle but lost the war.

The One will make it his number one policy goal to lose this war. The left cannot let this stand.
Remember Vietnam.

I will trust the up and coming new face of the Republican party will make sure that they pound home the fact that obambi had NOTHING to do with the successes in Iraq.

re: #141 davinvalkri

The mythbusters tried this out once, I think. It might be dangerous if your using .50 cal ammo and standing directly over the fire, but it's mostly the casings that are flying around. There shouldn't be too much danger of injury.

recites rules of handling firearms

I wouldn't want to be hit by a flying shard of red-hot brass from a cartridge that cooked off in a fire. Wouldn't likely be lethal, but it could be disfiguring, or even blind you if an eye were to be struck.

War's Over, We Won. With no thanks to Rummy who resisted change in anything.

Thank God for David Paetraeus. When are we going to begin the effort for him to run for President against Obama's second term. It's never too early, as evidenced by Obama's success.

If the war is won in Iraq then Dubya should bring home a shitload of troops before Obama is inaugurated. Then let Obama be the warmonger if things begin flare up again in the future.
Any reasons for Bush not to do this, unless Yon is full of shit?

re: #225 Spare O'Lake

If the war is won in Iraq then Dubya should bring home a shitload of troops before Obama is inaugurated. Then let Obama be the warmonger if things begin flare up again in the future.
Any reasons for Bush not to do this, unless Yon is full of shit?

Yes. Playing politics with the soldiers is bad form. And, no, Yon is not full of shit. I don't like your tone on that comment.

MSM will hold off on declaring Iraq won until January 21, 2009, when all credit will be given to Obama.

Here's another prediction, Obama's campaign in 2012 will be centered on "his" victory in Iraq. The MSM will fully support this re-write of history.

re: #158 Pyrocles

That's what my Liberal wife keeps telling me. Her usual response:

"We've 'won', really? They're just waiting for us to leave; then they'll start slaughtering each other again. It's their culture and it's what they do. We can't change them and make them like US! It's not right, and it's imperialism!"

/sigh

Very late reply, sorry I had yard work.
It's not that I think it's their "culture" or "we can't change them". I just suspect that the Iranians are bidding their time and building up their stockpiles of ammunition till we leave. They know if they start killing enough American troops now even Obama might be forced to respond. They also know that in 10-12 months there will be no American troops left in Iraq thanks to Obama's win. Once we have left, I suspect the Iranian's will send thousands of their fanatical Revolutionary Guard across the border to resume the random bombings to destabilize Iraq. At this point, I don't think the Iraq military and police are strong enough to resist them.

re: #226 CommonCents

Yes. Playing politics with the soldiers is bad form. And, no, Yon is not full of shit. I don't like your tone on that comment.

Guess what - I didn't like my tone either.
It's just that sometimes BHO makes me bitter.

re: #158 Pyrocles

That's what my Liberal wife keeps telling me. Her usual response:

"We've 'won', really? They're just waiting for us to leave; then they'll start slaughtering each other again. It's their culture and it's what they do. We can't change them and make them like US! It's not right, and it's imperialism!"

/sigh

Your wife at the same time believes that it is their culture to slaughter each other, and it is wrong to try to change that?
I understand beliving that it is impossible, I don't buy that though of course it is, has been, very hard. But to believe that it is wrong to change a culture of slaughter... really?

Our enemies take the long view. Whatever it takes and no matter how long it takes, jihadists, fundamentalists, wahabbists (whatever you want to call 'em will) not stop their efforts to establish a new Caliphate. To them folks it ain't never over. The kumbyah crowd is never gonna learn that.

'Nother thought -- there probably ain't a single "COEXIST" bumper sticker in Saudi Arabia.

I'll be the one to say it: this is an effing disaster.

This means that when Obama yanks all the troops out in a year or so, the place won't go to hell in a handbasket like everyone has been saying. Come re-election time, maybe even in '10, Dems will say "Remember how those Republicans claimed a bloodbath if we left Iraq? Well we're out of Iraq and there's no bloodbath." The next election will be even worse than this one was.

So yeah, the long and short of it is that this victory in Iraq will help the party that did everything they could do to thwart stay in power for at least the next couple elections. Just one more piece of evidence of how completely f***ed up the world is.

I just wish there was a way to meet the man (W.) in person, look him in the eye, shake his hand, pat him on the back and tell him how much I appreciated having him at the wheel on 9/11 and ever since. I can't believe he will be leaving office soon. He was right, he knew he was right and he did right by us no matter what the L3's think. And it is NOT his fault if the Iraqis don't seize the moment and don't do the "right thing". Germany and Japan did. W. and our brave military and their supporting personnel opened the door for them. The notion of "doing the right thing" seems to be something of the past within 50% or more of our population. At the outset of WWII, kids "lied", parents supported the lie and military/Gov't officials turned a blind eye to the "lie" - what was the lie ? Telling a recruiter for some branch of the military that you were 18 years old when in truth, you were 17 or 16 etc. No one had to twist their arm(s), they didn't wait and see how things went - they simply knew what "the right thing" was and they did it, hook or crook. We are so fortunate to have some amongst us that seem to know this sentiment almost innately. G_d bless our troops !

I'd like to see a massive victory parade in New York, rivalling MacArthur's return, with tickertape, marching troops, military bands, contingents of vets and lots of big posters of GWB.

re: #60 wolfie

Leftists never admit to being wrong. They are NEVER sorry, NEVER apologize. NEVER. Even if they recognize that something is awry, there's always an excuse. It's always somebody else's fault.
Maybe it is a function, as you suggest, of never growing up.

Their change will cause the unintended consequences they haven't been waiting for

They not only won't admit it, they can't. To do so would undermine their thinly disguised belief that only liberal, academic elitist's like themselves from their own ignorance. I know I would probably have killed myself a million times over.

(I hope you all see this for the sarcasm it is, or do we need a liberal to explain the joke to all us poor, ignorant commoners)

Apparently, the Dems control on what matters in this nation and when it matters politically has grown to include any and all US Military actions such as the war in Iraq...the list continues to grow for the Dems...like the economy.
'It's the economy stupid', only works politically for the Dems. If things are great on the economy home front then they lay claim to the totality of the prosperity. If money matters are tanking, Dems are given the reigns by the MSM to blame all financial gloom and future doom on the Republicans.
The MSM's enabling functions for the Dems is an excellent first target for a conservative 'counter-attack.' As military leaders have affirmed, first, take out your enemy's ability to communicate, to see, to hear and to disseminate information. Money and words are the initial arsenal of the right and the immediate enemy of conservatives in America is clear...the MSM...lock and load and fire away!
Boycott anything even remotely controlled by the MSM. Stop fueling their liberal furnaces with our hard-earned money. Say 'no' to the printed materials from the left and the visual influence they have over all of us. It is painfully obvious that the MSM has finally learned how to dictate a national election result at the very highest level. The MSM boycotted America,boycotted any semblance of journalism in this election, plain and simple. Now, return the favor. No more money tendered for concert ticket purchases, more discrimination in CD, DVD buys, etc. to a huge list of entertainers. Boycott more movies where propaganda has a leading role. No more Oprah. No more Martha. No Jay. No Letterman. No to Madonna and her like minded slime and a huge 'hell no' to Hollywood. Hurt these people and their industries in the worst possible way, through the wallets. If extremely lucky I may live to see the sinking of giants like The New York Times. In these tough financial times especially, stop being an enabler. We have grown complacent as enablers to the ilk of the NYT, ABC, NBC, CBS and countless others in the liberal propaganda business all in the lust for more to be entertained to be programmed. Pull their plug. Stop the bleeding. For once I sort of feel Malcolm X's pain, the MSM has landed on us and we'll pay for decades to come if we do not stand-up to the weight and fight back. Just learn to say 'hell no, no mas!'

Well, he was wrong, and George W. Bush deserves credit for refusing to back down when all around him were losing heart: “The war is over and we won.”

Roddy, tell the folks what they've won!

You don't even have to wait until democracy is flourishing in the middle east, E-mail me and crow about our glorious victory when the Iraq democratic republic is still in control of the country one year after the U.S. troops leave.

Re: Ayers and that NY bombing

I remember reading about this years ago in a book titled "Chief", by Al Seedman, former NYPD Chief of Detectives. That was just one case in there, it also had the Kitty Genovese murder and others...good crime-solving stuff, not for the faint of heart. After, oh, two decades, I still remember the description of that torso in the townhouse. I wonder how much the those responsible are mentioned - can't remember the names in it.

Anyway, this was mostly a plug for a good book. If you can find it.

I noticed this comment in an article at the "Mudville Gazette" about troop reductions in Iraq:

[Link: www.mudvillegazette.com...]

"For instance, if this is true "The accord, ...calls for complete withdrawal of U.S. forces by the end of 2011" President Obama will be forced to veer away from his pledge to leave troops in Iraq - a promise many of his supporters are likely unaware of."

When you attempt to go to the linked page about Obama's "pledge to leave troops in Iraq", at the official US government "President Elect" site: [Link: www.change.gov...]

...Surprise! The little man has been airbrushed off the Kremlin wall (i.e., the offending article has been removed).

Big Brother has just changed hats. (Ooooo...tricky. Now no-one can recognize him. )

My only comment these days is:

The election day is over,
The talking is done.
My party lost, your party won.
So let us be friends,
Let arguments pass.
I'll hug my elephant,
You kiss your ass.

Our flag is at half-mast now but will still fly, properly lit, until the last brave soldier comes home - whenever that is and provided I'm alive. Their well being is my concern, not some president elect's. He's on my short list to prove himself -- if he doesn't implode the US first.