Article

2005-08-01

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Posted by Fred 2005-08-01 00:09|| || Front Page|| [10 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Bring the goat fucker back!!
A plug for the Greek we all know and love!!

Posted by Long Hair Republican">Long Hair Republican 2005-08-01 00:31|| 2005-08-01 00:31|| Front Page Top

#2 Now, now, LHR, Fred just said he wasn't in it for the money---so why'd you have to go and do that?
(Speaking of beer... grin!)

But on topic, I don't think any of us would threaten to withold funding in order to get someone banned... the very idea is pretty fricked up, and very indicative of a dysfunctional thought process.

Otherwise you'd think that Fred would hold a bannination auction every month?!?! What sort of people are we?

I give when I can, not necessarily always in the same name. Sometimes someone would spur me to give out of concern for the bandwidth I was eating replying to them... but we won't go there.

Posted by asedwich">asedwich 2005-08-01 00:45|| 2005-08-01 00:45|| Front Page Top

#3 Shut up, idiot.

Posted by Pappy 2005-08-01 00:46|| 2005-08-01 00:46|| Front Page Top

#4 I'll also add that Rantburg is not a hate site.

Yeah, I was about to say...

Posted by Rafael 2005-08-01 00:46|| 2005-08-01 00:46|| Front Page Top

#5 I was referring to the long-haired one, btw.

Posted by Pappy 2005-08-01 00:47|| 2005-08-01 00:47|| Front Page Top

#6 We don't hate. We are just easily annoyed, dammit!

Posted by Vlad the Muslim Impaler 2005-08-01 01:36|| 2005-08-01 01:36|| Front Page Top

#7 Hey Pappy was it something I said?

Posted by Long Hair Republican">Long Hair Republican 2005-08-01 01:45|| 2005-08-01 01:45|| Front Page Top

#8 My 2c worth. One of the things that makes RB unique is the lattitude Fred allows posters and consequently the diversity of opinions. All of us would have different views of what is acceptable/unacceptable. For example, I don't have a problem with 'Bring back the goat fucker', it has a certain irony to it, and I speak as the person at one time most hostile to Aris. OTOH last night I thought last night's remark about going to your local mosque and killing a thousand was unacceptable because it didn't really add anything to the debate, I don't think LHR meant it literally, and it sets us up as a target.

IMO there is nothing wrong with using the F word in certain situations and in-your-face language in general - .com has elevated it almost to an art form.

The problem is what I call noise, the stuff you skip over to get to the good stuff. Mikey's JU posts are just noise, as was Aris's stuff, as are the posts from people who repeat the same things (which generally didn't add much the first time) over and over, and the nuke Mecca type comments.

I don't envy the editors their job, but IMVHO its time to find a way to limit the noise. I am sure we can come up with ideas. Anyone else watch reality TV? Maybe vote someone off for 48 hours?

I love RB, I'd hate to lose it.

Posted by phil_b 2005-08-01 02:02|| 2005-08-01 02:02|| Front Page Top

#9 I'm beginning to think it might be better if we all took a one month vacation. You know, to recharge before posting or commenting again.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-08-01 02:04|| http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]">[http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-08-01 02:04|| Front Page Top

#10 Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who feels like our country is at war. I think about what my grandfather and what he went through during WWII. I love this site. I don't like to beat around the "shrub" when it comes to this stuff.

I admit it, I post stuff that makes me ill. I do. I think as a country we are becoming a bunch of pussies. We are not the same as we were and it scares me.

I love my country so very much. I am just a god guts and guns type of American. I would and do anything to preserve our way of life.

If I am an idiot to some...fine. I don't care. Especially from some jerk off named Pappy. But be honest with me. A Bio Bomb, a nuke blast in one of our city's and you are going to tell me that you would not want to take some action?

We are becoming a nation of pussies and it just pisses me off to no end. Our men and women are fighting a war with one arm and one leg tied behind their back. On top of all that 50% of our nation does not feel there is a threat to our way of life. Well FUCK that!

To me, it's down right scary how some of you so called hard liners react to some of the news now days. To much TV....go home you sit in your fucking chair and not give a shit.
Shame on you! Diluted Americans is what I read and see now.

Fred ban me anytime you want. I will and always will express myself on this site.

Yes I do have hate and it is generated towards the enemy of my country. If you don't think this is the second Crusade then you are the idiot.

Posted by Long Hair Republican">Long Hair Republican 2005-08-01 02:31|| 2005-08-01 02:31|| Front Page Top

#11 LHR, you are way off base on a few things.

One of them is Pappy. You're fairly new here and you clearly don't have a clue about what he has done to defend this country. If you really are a gun/guts/God person then Pappy is who you should want to grow up to be.

As to what's wrong with your first comment here - and a lot of other comments by a lot of people at RB lately, too - well, you can make your point without language like "goat fucker".

As far as "will express myself here no matter" what I'm pretty sure that Fred can and will ban your ass if you start eroding the value of this site to others. It's his call, but I personally am getting sick of the casual hatred being thrown around on at RB lately. The next decade or more is going to present us with some pretty hard decisions - bad ones, no good options, ones that push us right up against our deepest values. Let's not indulge this hatred crap or start calling the patriotism of others into question here. You don't have a clue -- and I repeat that to be sure you hear it -- you don't have a clue what some of the RB regulars here are doing for the defense of this country. And unless YOU are out there doing similar things, you don't have a leg to stand on with the sort of shit you just posted here.

There will be more hard choices than we really want in our near future. And some of the regulars here know exactly what that will entail, in far more detail than you show any evidence of understanding.

There are a lot of people who read RB from work and whose jobs might be on the line if the site continues to erode towards open hatred. If Fred has to choose between them and you, well ....

Posted by too true 2005-08-01 06:06|| 2005-08-01 06:06|| Front Page Top

#12 I have no particular reason to defend LHR, but he has been around for a while, at least a year, and in my experience civil and prepared to engage on the issues. I'll wait to see what others have to say before commenting further.

Posted by phil_b 2005-08-01 06:22|| 2005-08-01 06:22|| Front Page Top

#13 in my experience civil

Mostly, I agree. But the "jerkoff like Pappy" line he threw out here wasn't. And was off base, as was the in-your-face tone of that comment.

I guess mine was in-your-face back, so let me tone it down and just say:

let's avoid the open hatred and the attacks on the patriotism, balls or whatever of others here. Especially of the good guys. Nearly everyone here at RB is on the right side -- if we start attacking each other we will NOT win this war.

And, if we start talking hate we will not have the rest of the country on our side when we have to take actions that I think most of us hope fervently we can avoid.

Posted by too true 2005-08-01 06:34|| 2005-08-01 06:34|| Front Page Top

#14 Fred, thanks for your clarifications about Aris. And I will try to follow your guidance about posting JU articles.

I love Rantburg, but in February I decided to leave because I was fed up with the ugly dog-pack attacks on Aris and anyone else who challenged the group-think here. I came back recently and found immediately that it still goes on (#18).

While I was gone, I spent time on other sites and found that many are free of such misbehavior. It doesn't have to be like this. You have moderators and a Sink Trap. Use them.

Some of your regulars are the worst offenders. In most cases, one trip to the Sink Trap would suffice.
.

Posted by Mike Sylwester 2005-08-01 07:03|| 2005-08-01 07:03|| Front Page Top

#15 Hey Fred, don't you dare spend my contribution on "software" or "bandwith." That money is soley for beer. Jeez, ya'would'na thought I'd have to spell that out.

:=)

Posted by DragonFly 2005-08-01 07:41|| 2005-08-01 07:41|| Front Page Top

#16 I agree, Rantburg was originally set up to track and better understand the War on Terror, and just about everyone here supports it, including Aris.

Most of the hostility directed against someone began with their support of the EU, which is a valid opinion the opposition to which seems to have more to do with an imagined ideological purity of the site, rather than a group of people who understand the threat posed by the Global Jihad.

Posted by Paul Moloney 2005-08-01 07:43|| 2005-08-01 07:43|| Front Page Top

#17 I believe it was Aris' continuous lecturing of Americans on what Americans believe/think/do that got on people's nerves.

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2005-08-01 07:56|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2005-08-01 07:56|| Front Page Top

#18 I perceive that most of the constant, furious attacks against me are based substantially on only two issues: my arguments 1) against using extraordinary interrogation methods and 2) for staying in the UN. Because of those arguments, a few people have attack me personally at every opportunity for months and months.
.

Posted by Mike Sylwester 2005-08-01 07:56|| 2005-08-01 07:56|| Front Page Top

#19 You are not exactly correct in your perceptions MS. There are better reasons. PS HINT - You can't be jesus if you go ahead and nail your own self up on the cross.

Posted by MunkarKat 2005-08-01 08:16|| 2005-08-01 08:16|| Front Page Top

#20 No, Mike, most of the attacks on you have to do with your attitude -- as partially exposed in these two quotes from you yesterday:

"Although I did not start posting these absurd casualty reports in order to offend other Rantburgers, I indeed have been amused to see that a few people pretend to be seriously offended by the articles."
People aren't pretending. We ARE offended by your steady dose of enemy propaganda.

"I don't post Jihad Unspun articles because I agree with them. I post them because I think they will interest other people. I think also that these casualty articles are funny."
They're not funny. The fact that you regularly visit their source and help propagate them suggests a serious character flaw to me.

Finally, I ponder this:
"While I was gone, I spent time on other sites and found that many are free of such misbehavior."
My sense of it is that Rantburg was pretty well behaved while you were gone. And if other sites are free of misbehavior, what drew you back -- the desire to spread Jihad Unspun without comment?

Posted by Neutron Tom 2005-08-01 08:28|| 2005-08-01 08:28|| Front Page Top

#21 Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who feels like our country is at war

Understood. I think that's what is driving a lot of the the nastiness here and elsewhere lately -- a feeling that big things are at stake and the people around us aren't paying attention or don't care.

LHR feels as if people at RB are pussies because s/he (sorry LHR, I don't know if your a guy or a gal) doesn't see people saying/doing what s/he would.

Mike S. and Aris feel that they have to defend the UN and other things. Liberalhawk cares about civil liberties. And so on.

Meanwhile, in order to get more support, people bash the others here. The beatings will continue until morale improves and you agree with me .....

It's time to take a deep breath and stand down a little. Most people are here because they care about the war we're in. That's a basis for our working together even if we disagree on the steps to take.

And ----- this is Fred's backyard. We are all guests here and should behave accordingly. If you really want to get pissed drunk, smash beer bottles and crank up the loud music, do it at your own site. There's plenty of room at blogspot or typepad or in the comments of other sites who already have been trashed that way.

Posted by Stef 2005-08-01 08:30|| 2005-08-01 08:30|| Front Page Top

#22 Mike Sylvester wrote:
love Rantburg, but in February I decided to leave because I was fed up with the ugly dog-pack attacks on Aris and anyone else who challenged the group-think here.

Robert Crawford responded:
I believe it was Aris' continuous lecturing of Americans on what Americans believe/think/do that got on people's nerves.

Well, I just got extremely tired of defending someone who with every other word out of his mouth was accusing me and about half my country of being religious extremists on a par with the taliban. If being pissed off with that is groupthink, then it's groupthink you'll have to get used to.

Mike S also wrote: I perceive that most of the constant, furious attacks against me are based substantially on only two issues: my arguments 1) against using extraordinary interrogation methods and 2) for staying in the UN. Because of those arguments, a few people have attack me personally at every opportunity for months and months.

It's not merely the arguments, it's the way you conduct them. You accuse everyone who disagrees with you about interrogation of advocating torture and on other subjects you have an extremely passive-aggressive style of argumentation where you never definitively state anything for yourself. You've never outright said _your_ beliefs about the UN until now.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-08-01 08:38|| 2005-08-01 08:38|| Front Page Top

#23 But be honest with me. A Bio Bomb, a nuke blast in one of our city's and you are going to tell me that you would not want to take some action?

We'll take action when it happens. Some are taking action right now to keep it from happening. But unless you're in the need to know chain, you don't ... ok? Doesn't mean it ain't happening.

I like RB because a lot of people here are doing things in the WOT or used to serve. Their recon on the news is pretty valuable, but it's getting obscured with all the hot air that a few people are putting out.

And Mike just cause you set the fire rather than puff smoke doesn't let you off the hook - you're a part of the real problem here lately in my book.

Posted by Stef 2005-08-01 08:42|| 2005-08-01 08:42|| Front Page Top

#24 For the record, 3 years ago Aris drove me completely nuts like non-one else before or since, and because I'm not American it wasn't his anti-Americanism, then I got over it and he just became noise.

Posted by phil_b 2005-08-01 08:43|| 2005-08-01 08:43|| Front Page Top

#25 You accuse everyone who disagrees with you about interrogation of advocating torture

I have never done that. Never.

I have argued that it is counter-productive.
.

Posted by Mike Sylwester 2005-08-01 09:08|| 2005-08-01 09:08|| Front Page Top

#26 You've never outright said _your_ beliefs about the UN until now.

???

I'm speechless.
.

Posted by Mike Sylwester 2005-08-01 09:09|| 2005-08-01 09:09|| Front Page Top

#27

Posted by Howard UK 2005-08-01 09:15|| 2005-08-01 09:15|| Front Page Top

#28 Mike, take a position and defend it. Posting ersatz news without comment doesn't count. The unwritten rule here is that you can post breaking news without comment, but otherwise you have to explain in your comments by whatever means why this is of significance. You don't do that. And you have to engage on the issues raised. So, prove me wrong and do it.

Posted by phil_b 2005-08-01 09:21|| 2005-08-01 09:21|| Front Page Top

#29 Coming in on #28. Aris didn't have much support at the end, Mike, and I only saw the last couple of months. Looks like you've still got a chance here.

So let me give you my support, such as it is:

Some interrogation methods are counterproductive on some people, but very effective on others. That's why good interrogators have a wide range of 'tools' in the toolkit.

The UN could serve a useful purpose, even it is just a vehicle to allow folks to bash Americans. It's better than blowing up embassies and seizing hostages for 444 days.

They certainly have not been very effective in reducing genocide - oh, wait, that didn't happen in Darfur, or any other place they didn't go. Better International Relations Through Semantics™.

Then there's Oil-for-Food, perverted by Saddam and the UN staff. Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud™. That's why I think Bolton's flames will be useful, over time.

Posted by Bobby 2005-08-01 09:55|| 2005-08-01 09:55|| Front Page Top

#30 ima allwayz missen all teh funz.

Posted by muck4doo 2005-08-01 10:03|| http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/]">[http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/] 2005-08-01 10:03|| Front Page Top

#31 Since my Samos IP hasn't be banned yet, only my Athens one, here's an opportunity to clarify things for one last time. I expect this IP to be banned also immediately, ofcourse, so I'll try to
make this post as comprehensive as can be made.

In my opinion someone can't be "Anti-American" when that same someone thinks that America is probably among the top 10 best countries in the world. Perhaps people are offended that I never considered America to be THE top country in the world, but that's a rather parochial view, I think.

If I'm "lecturing Americans about America", please remember how many times me, as a European, has been lectured about Europe and have had to hear words like "Eurabia". As a sidenote I've NEVER used (nor do I believe in) words like "AmeriKKA".

I'm not sure I've *ever* defended the UN. I believe it does a random amount of both good and bad and it's anyone guess which is the most. Disband it and I won't much care. Replace it and I think it's even odds whether the replacement will be better or worse. So I'm not that passionate over it one way or another.

My regular IP was banned shortly after I hoped that Frank G. would drop dead, which may have been a morally wrong thing to wish for, but it came from the heart. He's certainly not endeared himself to me since. E.g. the way he thought I'd have rabid hatred for the French after not voting the way I'd prefer about the European Constitution: I certainly don't expect him to have any understanding for the concept of "respect for democracy" and how I could never have the slightest bit of hatred for a people that voted as they had every moral right to so vote. (As opposed to many Rantburgers which e.g. loathed the whole Spanish people after they voted for Zapatero)

I do think that several Rantburgers have the heart of genocidal murderers or atleast the words of such. This has expressed itself in many ways over the years, from once-upon-a-time insisting on the forcible conversion-on-point-of-death of the whole Muslim world, and more lately by niftily calling Muslim moderates "mythical" which implies that since *every* Muslim is therefore an extremist, it's your rightful duty to exterminate them all. And if people don't understand that those are the implications of their own words, then I do find it enjoyable to clarify them on their behalf.

I think that to consider a possible failure of democracy in Iraq as an indication that it's impossible to democratize *any* Muslim nation, is a coward's way out of the situation. By blaming Islam, you refuse to blame your choice of Iraq as the nation to become your democratic domino keypiece despite the many inherent problem of Iraq's situation. (Still think that you should have picked Syria, btw)

And lastly I think that using the word "pussy" to signify cowardice is subconsciously (or even consciously) misogynical, not to mention ironic when the same poster mentions the brave men and WOMEN who fight the good fight.

Bye bye. I expect this IP to be soon redirected to "roadsideamerica" also.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-08-01 10:04|| 2005-08-01 10:04|| Front Page Top

#32 Don't knock RoadsideAmerica! I grew up near there and loved the place as a kid.

Posted by MunkarKat 2005-08-01 10:16|| 2005-08-01 10:16|| Front Page Top

#33 hiya aris! :)

Posted by muck4doo 2005-08-01 10:18|| http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/]">[http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/] 2005-08-01 10:18|| Front Page Top

#34 Hey! That's wasn't so bad. I say, let him back in! OTOH, I wish to remain safely anonymous, since I haven't pissed off everyone else yet.

Posted by Afraid to Use my Real Name 2005-08-01 10:19|| 2005-08-01 10:19|| Front Page Top

#35 more lately by niftily calling Muslim moderates "mythical" which implies that since *every* Muslim is therefore an extremist, it's your rightful duty to exterminate them all.

What an odd, sick mind you must have, if that's the implication you've drawn.

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2005-08-01 10:19|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2005-08-01 10:19|| Front Page Top

#36 That's one of the reasons he raised hostility -- he loves to tell people what he thinks they think and then skewer them for the outcome of what he thinks they think. All arrogance, all the time.

Posted by Neutron Tom 2005-08-01 10:24|| 2005-08-01 10:24|| Front Page Top

#37 Wow--I didn't really like the direction this thread took to begin with, but I'm really enjoying it now.

It really saddens me to see ad-hominem attacks on Rantburg when any two people can't agree. We need to have some dissenting ideas and free exchange of views on this site instead of a bunch of people slapping each other on the back for sharing the same views.

God help me, as set as I am in my views I do not want to be close-minded and I welcome a contrasting opinion. Whether it cause me to re-think or to re-affirm my opinion, at least it keeps my mind from becoming stagnant.

Posted by Dar">Dar 2005-08-01 10:26|| 2005-08-01 10:26|| Front Page Top

#38 arid do maken theengs intrastin rownd heer tho.

Posted by muck4doo 2005-08-01 10:27|| http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/]">[http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/] 2005-08-01 10:27|| Front Page Top

#39 I came here to say some really nice things about Fred, and how his blog has been quietly kicking the behind of the NYT and other so-called ~~press release~~ news outlets for about 4 years now and lo and behold, here is ~~Mike Sylvester~~ Aris demanding attention once again. Only now instead of Aris tooting Aris' own horn, we have Aris pretending to be "Mike" tooting Aris' horn.

Aris may have a new IP and even have moved, but Aris it is. Some things are just soooo obvious we might as well acknowledge them.

Posted by 2b 2005-08-01 10:51|| 2005-08-01 10:51|| Front Page Top

#40 I'm missing something here, possibly because I lack subtlty. King Fod is dead. There' a significant chance the royal gene pool's going to be drained in the next few weeks. Garang is dead. There's a significant chance Sudan's going to explode in the next few hours, possibly into a dozen pieces.

And we're flinging rotted fruit at each other?

Posted by Fred 2005-08-01 11:29|| 2005-08-01 11:29|| Front Page Top

#41 And we're flinging rotted fruit at each other?
Posted by Fred 2005-08-01 11:29|| Front Page|| Comment Top

no yoos throwen way that wich culd be yoos for entertaynment fred. :)

itn calld ecolojikal ecomonizen

Posted by muck4doo 2005-08-01 11:38|| http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/]">[http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/] 2005-08-01 11:38|| Front Page Top

#42 Especially from some jerk off named Pappy.

That's Mister Jerk Off to you.

To me, it's down right scary how some of you so called hard liners react to some of the news now days. To much TV....go home you sit in your fucking chair and not give a shit.

There are plenty of present and former 'professionals' that visit and moderate this site. Methinks you and others mistake professional detachment for indifference.

Emotion is okay, when one has the luxury to display it. As I did when you uttered that, bigoted ethnic-based epithet about Aris. I apologize for calling you an idiot. Perhaps 'thoughtless' is the better term.

But at other times, emotion is... inappropriate, especially anger. I learned that the hard way as a young petty officer, when I came within a hair of shooting a sailor who decided a security alert was a pretend-game, tripped a responder carrying a shotgun, and may have damn near killed himself and three of his fellow crew (including me). I had a month suspension and a review board to think about that one.

Yes I do have hate and it is generated towards the enemy of my country. If you don't think this is the second Crusade then you are the idiot.

Then I suggest, if you are not already doing so, that you do something more substantial than berate and name-call.

Posted by Pappy 2005-08-01 12:02|| 2005-08-01 12:02|| Front Page Top

#43 I have not often agreed with Aris but the only time I spoke out against him was when he wished death upon Frank G (who wasn't as pure as the driven snow either). I felt that an apology would have settled the matter.

A lively debate needs people who don't agree with you (trolls excepted). And it's interesting how often Aris was mentioned in threads long after he had left.

I guess he had time to cool off and if he so wishes I would like to read from him again (if Fred feels so, of course).

It also seems to me that Aris preferred this site over others to express his dissenting views. This actually speaks for Rantburg. Too many conservative sites ban dissenting opinions very quickly, Rantburg is not one of them which is one reason I prefer it.

Maybe we should all cool down a bit and chose to hear what others have to say. The postings at Kos and LGF are mostly predictable, those at Rantburg are not, and that's a very good thing.

Let's just keep out the name callings and the ad hominem attacks and we'll be fine.

Posted by True German Ally 2005-08-01 13:39|| 2005-08-01 13:39|| Front Page Top

#44 2 things my dear old momma taught me come to mind.

Try to ignore people who try and make you mad. Life is too short.

If you can't say anything nice about someone in public, keep your mouth shut, you may end up eating your bad words later and they will not taste very good.

Posted by Sock Puppet 0â Doom 2005-08-01 13:46|| 2005-08-01 13:46|| Front Page Top

#45 Americans are so much more complicated than this site could hope to resolve. We're all extremely different, with different backgrounds and different opinions. I appreciate this site (even after being banned) and will continue to read it (even if I'm banned a second time). It's a great medium to discuss what's going on in the GWOT and what literate, free-thinking people have to say about it. When it starts to break up into cliques and chickenhawks, it's definitly disapointing and loses the natural value Rantburg has. And by the way Pappy, you should've shot the squid.

Posted by shellback 2005-08-01 17:33|| 2005-08-01 17:33|| Front Page Top

#46 I have visited this site a few times before, and I believe that much of the language, and many of the comments and jokes which are found on this site are completely inappropriate. I strongly disagree with you, "phil_b" when you say that it is acceptable to use the "F word". I believe that language is a gift from our Lord, and it grieves me to see it so disrespected. Had such speech occured during our country's early years, it would have been outrageous; that we, who claim to be conservatives, see no problem with shows how far our once glorious nation has declined. I wish that the administrators of this site would make the rules regarding language usage much more strict than they currently are.

Posted by Puritan 2005-08-01 17:48|| 2005-08-01 17:48|| Front Page Top

#47 I get more real information from this site than a host of others. People talk here the way they do in person and most of these commentors know a whole shitload more than I do. Kepp it up, people.

Posted by Crolurong Cluns5874 2005-08-01 18:21|| 2005-08-01 18:21|| Front Page Top

#48 Assume that the average Rantburgers are, like the children of Lake Wobegon, "above average." As my grandmother used to say, "Swearing means that the speaker isn't smart enough to use intelligent words." So, swearing and invective reduce the perceived IQ of the poster; and detract from the force of the poster's argument.

Dorothy Sayers once quoted a dowager's observation to a bright young man: "Some people can be funny without being vulgar; and some people can be both funny and vulgar. I suggest that you be one or the other."

There are many good minds posting and responding to Rantburg; please do not waste Fred's bandwidth with abuse.

Posted by mom">mom 2005-08-01 18:48|| 2005-08-01 18:48|| Front Page Top

#49 I for one, enjoy all the comments on here, they make me think, they make me mad, they make me laugh...what more can you ask for? I dont agree with all of them, but I do read them and try to take something away from them. I learn from you folks, I enjoy the banter and the insults--directed at the right people--and I absorb what I learn here. My only hope is that somehow, sometime, a solution will be found for the problems that face this world of ours...and I thank God for the troops that are defending our way of life in those far away places.
I dont post much, I would rather read and learn, so to all of you...thanks, you make my days a lot brighter and me a bit smarter about things that are going on....
Carry on folks...fight the good fight.

Posted by Live to Ride 2005-08-01 18:50|| 2005-08-01 18:50|| Front Page Top

#50 Puritan, a great many Rantburgers are current/former military. Many are also male. When such get together, the language flows colourfully. As for America's founders, George Washington himself was much admired for his command of the colourful, and very off-colourful, language of his time. Even dear Jane Austen, maiden aunt writer on the subject of genteel romance and the perils of husband-hunting, was thought by her nieces and nephews to be entirely too off-colour and ribald for the eyes of early 19th century youth.

You'll have to make a choice, I'm afraid: Rantburg news and analysis with its accompanying language, or avoid both. Of course, you could do as I do, and take it as an opportunity to expand your vocabulary against future need. ;-)

Posted by trailing wife 2005-08-01 18:51|| 2005-08-01 18:51|| Front Page Top

#51 When it starts to break up into cliques and chickenhawks...

Interesting choice of words -- who among the regular contributors do you choose to slander with the moonbat pejorative de jour?

Posted by docob 2005-08-01 19:15|| 2005-08-01 19:15|| Front Page Top

#52 The above question directed at shellback.

Posted by docob 2005-08-01 19:16|| 2005-08-01 19:16|| Front Page Top

#53 I strongly disagree with you, "phil_b" when you say that it is acceptable to use the "F word". I believe that language is a gift from our Lord, and it grieves me to see it so disrespected.

Fucking A bubba! Jeeebus hates for us to fucking cuss and take the lord name in a damn vein.

Posted by Shipman 2005-08-01 19:32|| 2005-08-01 19:32|| Front Page Top

#54 God has no damn sense of houmour, else he would'a kept Hartley on. PRIASE THE LORD AND PASS THE PERDITION!

Posted by Shipman 2005-08-01 19:34|| 2005-08-01 19:34|| Front Page Top

#55 Pappy, what happened to the guy that almost killed you and the other two? Just curious, but I'm sure a hard lesson learned.
Yes I think a healthy level of passion behind an opinion at times, brings interest to the mix.
I love this site and am very glad I found it. I like reading opinions from all different backgrounds.

Posted by Jan 2005-08-01 21:15|| 2005-08-01 21:15|| Front Page Top

#56 Pappy, what happened to the guy that almost killed you and the other two? Just curious, but I'm sure a hard lesson learned.

He was a fireman apprentice who had just reported to the ship - maybe three hours before. The other sailor with him was showing him around. He was off the ship, with his seabag, and with a 'hardhat' shore patrol escort less than an hour after the incident. Part of that time was spent by him changing his pants.

Hard lesson for me, too. He was stupid. I had the training and the experience and should have known better to do what I did.

Posted by Pappy 2005-08-01 22:05|| 2005-08-01 22:05|| Front Page Top

#57 Pappy, remember in Kindergarten cop with Arnold S. when he hit that dad who was beating up on his kid and the principal asked Arnold what it felt like hitting the dad. That it felt good.
It would be a good thing in the long run if they learned from it.
My dad had many great stories of when he was in Korea. Not many were politically correct either.

Posted by Jan 2005-08-01 22:33|| 2005-08-01 22:33|| Front Page Top

#58 showt owt an helo an welkum to new posterz an reeders hoo doent post. :)

Posted by muck4doo 2005-08-01 22:58|| http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/]">[http://meatismurder.blogspot.com/] 2005-08-01 22:58|| Front Page Top

23:54 Kalle (kafir forever)
23:37 Mike Sylwester
23:13 trailing wife
23:08 Fred
23:07 BigEd
23:01 muck4doo
22:58 muck4doo
22:56 Gun Hippy
22:50 OldSpook
22:50 BigEd
22:47 Jan
22:42 Angie Schultz
22:40 Captain America
22:37 Old Patriot
22:34 Atomic Conspiracy
22:33 Jan
22:28 Unomomp Whomotle2072
22:23 Unomomp Whomotle2072
22:21 Glerong Whomoting9661
22:18 Atomic Conspiracy
22:18 Jan
22:14 Mrs. Davis
22:08 Shipman
22:06 Shipman