Old Weird Ward
Unless otherwise noted, that which is posted here is opinion, which is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. If you don't like my opinions, go somewhere else. Nobody is forcing you to actually read this drivel.
The presumption exists that you can read at all.
That may be a large assumption.
Blog Roll
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Wednesday, April 18, 2007
I'm posting here today because, once again, my posts at Swamp Gas have gone wonky. Movable Type won't let me post... Grrrrrr.....
I may move back to Blogger permanently if this keeps up...Labels: Blogging
posted by Ward at 8:01 PM
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In view of the recent "Imus Affair", I feel that the below is certainly appropriate. Lifted this from Michelle Malkin HERE.
1987: Sharpton spreads the incendiary Tawana Brawley hoax, insisting heatedly that a 15-year-old black girl was abducted, raped, and smeared with feces by a group of white men. He singles out Steve Pagones, a young prosecutor. Pagones is wholly innocent -- the crime never occurred -- but Sharpton taunts him: "If we're lying, sue us, so we can . . . prove you did it." Pagones does sue, and eventually wins a $345,000 verdict for defamation. To this day, Sharpton refuses to recant his unspeakable slander or to apologize for his role in the odious affair. (Annnnd...he's never paid dime one of the judgment. Sharpton claims he doesn't have the money. Have you seen the slick suits he wears? ed. by OWW)
1991: A Hasidic Jewish driver in Brooklyn's Crown Heights section accidentally kills Gavin Cato, a 7-year-old black child, and antisemitic riots erupt. Sharpton races to pour gasoline on the fire. At Gavin's funeral he rails against the "diamond merchants" -- code for Jews -- with "the blood of innocent babies" on their hands. He mobilizes hundreds of demonstrators to march through the Jewish neighborhood, chanting, "No justice, no peace." A rabbinical student, Yankel Rosenbaum, is surrounded by a mob shouting "Kill the Jews!" and stabbed to death.
1995: When the United House of Prayer, a large black landlord in Harlem, raises the rent on Freddy's Fashion Mart, Freddy's white Jewish owner is forced to raise the rent on his subtenant, a black-owned music store. A landlord-tenant dispute ensues; Sharpton uses it to incite racial hatred. "We will not stand by," he warns malignantly, "and allow them to move this brother so that some white interloper can expand his business." Sharpton's National Action Network sets up picket lines; customers going into Freddy's are spat on and cursed as "traitors" and "Uncle Toms." Some protesters shout, "Burn down the Jew store!" and simulate striking a match. "We're going to see that this cracker suffers," says Sharpton's colleague Morris Powell. On Dec. 8, one of the protesters bursts into Freddy's, shoots four employees point-blank, then sets the store on fire. Seven employees die in the inferno.
If Sharpton were a white skinhead, he would be a political leper, spurned everywhere but the fringe. But far from being spurned, he is shown much deference. Democrats embrace him. Politicians court him. And journalists report on his comings and goings while politely sidestepping his career as a hatemongering racial hustler. |
OWW sez Sharpton has proven himself, over and over again, to be a RWPP (Race Warlord Poverty Pimp). His past record shows me that he is NOT to taken seriously by anyone with two brain cells to rub together. Yet the MSM (MainStreamMedia) gives him plenty of airtime, the Democrats and even a few Republicans defer to his opinions. With his record of "accomplishment", he should be, at the very least, consigned to oblivion. In short, Sharpton is a demagog and a thug. Labels: Society
posted by Ward at 7:57 PM
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Saturday, August 27, 2005
- - - - - Leaving Blogger - - - - - I've been doing this blog here at BlogSpot.Com for a couple of years now, using the editing facilities provided by Blogger. Now, due to my changing requirements, and my frustrations with the limitations imposed by Blogger, I've decided to change Old Weird Ward's home. In the future, my stuff can be found at Swamp Gas. I'm not going away, just moving from an apartment to a house.....
posted by Ward at 10:12 AM
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Monday, August 22, 2005
- - - - - San Francisco and the US Navy - - - - - For many years, San Francisco was a Navy town. From 1850 right through the Viet Nam war sailors were made welcome in SF, most of the time. Oh, I remember getting the occasional "dumb sailor" comment when my ship, USS Nereus (AS17) was there, back in 1970, but nothing like the nastiness I got in another California city that shall remain nameless, for the moment. But now, it's official. The City and County of San Francisco so despises the US Navy that the Board of Supervisors has voted, 8-3, to decline the honor of acting as host city for the honorable retirement of the USS Iowa (BB61), in spite of her long, active and distinguished history. Here's the whole AP story that the SF Chronicle carried, which I've excerpted below. The USS Iowa joined in battles from World War II to Korea to the Persian Gulf. It carried President Franklin Roosevelt home from the Teheran conference of allied leaders, and four decades later, suffered one of the nation's most deadly military accidents.
Veterans groups and history buffs had hoped that tourists in San Francisco could walk the same teak decks where sailors dodged Japanese machine-gun fire and fired 16-inch guns that helped win battles across the South Pacific.
Instead, it appears that the retired battleship is headed about 80 miles inland, to Stockton, a gritty agricultural port town on the San Joaquin River and home of California's annual asparagus festival.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a former San Francisco mayor, helped secure $3 million to tow the Iowa from Rhode Island to the Bay Area in 2001 in hopes of making touristy Fisherman's Wharf its new home.
But city supervisors voted 8-3 last month to oppose taking in the ship, citing local opposition to the Iraq war and the military's stance on gays, among other things.
"If I was going to commit any kind of money in recognition of war, then it should be toward peace, given what our war is in Iraq right now," Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi said.
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I'm sure that Supervisor Ross Mirdarimi will forgive me if I regard him as a somewhat backward child. I'm sure that he's not aware that the USS Iowa made many port visits to San Francisco, and the crewmen of the ship dumped a ton of money into the local economy. And that some of those crewmen fell in love with the City by the Bay, and moved there after they'd served their time. And of course, only a backward child would be ignorant of the long history of the US Navy in and around San Francisco. Now, of course, I'm sure that many US Navy people, active-duty, retired, and those who just did their four years and got out, are thinking that San Francisco no longer likes sailors. Fine. Get a clue, knot-head. We'll not like you right back. And we'll tell our friends about the blunt-brains in SF who did in fact commit the following dumb-ass actions: 1. Turned down a piece of America's naval history. 2. Turned down a guaranteed tourist attraction. Tourists, as everyone knows, like to spend their money in the location of the tourist attraction. 3. Turned down a spectacular piece of the naval architect's art. HERE is a view of the USS Iowa. Face it, she's gorgeous. She mounts nine 16-inch rifles, a bunch of 5-inch rifles, and armor a foot thick - and she's still got a an absolutely beautiful profile. 4. And managed to enrage a whole bunch of people who aren't at all shy about making their views known. And our friends will think twice about going to San Francisco to spend their money. Blunt-brains. Dumbos. Peaheads. Asshats. Booger-eatin' mohrons. Just out-and-out stupid. Sheesh! posted by Ward at 6:35 PM
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- - - - - US Navy Ships - - - - -
'Way back in the days of yore, battleships were named after states - USS Iowa, USS New Jersey, USS Maine, USS Arizona, USS West Virginia, USS Nevada and USS California are remembered.
Cruisers were named after cities - USS Salt Lake City, USS Chicago, USS Brooklyn, USS Albany and USS Los Angeles come to mind.
Destroyers were named after US Navy people who had distinguished themselves - USS Reuben James, USS The Sullivans, USS Bancroft, USS Samuel Elliot Morrison are noteworthy.
Submarines were named after sea creatures - USS Nautilus, USS Wahoo, USS Albacore, USS Tang, USS Trigger, USS Queenfish, USS Tirante, USS Narwhal, USS Archerfish.
These are a roll-call of distinguished crews and their ships.
Recently, we here in Camden County were honored by the presence of the first submariner to become President of the United States. He visited the submarine named after him - he spent a couple of days aboard, and went out on some local ops.
It is my hope that the USS Jimmy Carter becomes far more distinguished than the former President.
posted by Ward at 6:33 PM
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Sunday, August 21, 2005
- - - - - Order of Succession - - - - - No, I really don't want to be Prez. Dictator for Life might be nice, while it lasted....  Get your position here posted by Ward at 10:33 AM
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- - - - - Immigration Taboos - - - - - One of the most emotionally loaded subjects in America is illegal immigration, especially from Mexico. Just mention of the subject in any grouping of four or more will usually generate a heated comment or two about how we "need" illegal aliens to do America's dirty work - the work that "real" Americans won't do. Thomas Sowell's column in my local daily rag grabbed my attention. HERE is the link to the entire column at TownHall.com. (My local newspaper kills off their stuff after a couple of weeks. TownHall keeps theirs active, apparantly forever.) What we "need" depends on what it costs and what we are willing to pay. If I were a billionaire, I might "need" my own private jet. But I can remember a time when my family didn't even "need" electricity.
Leaving prices out of the picture is probably the source of more fallacies in economics than any other single misconception. At current wages for low-level jobs and current levels of welfare, there are indeed many jobs that Americans will not take.
The fact that immigrants -- and especially illegal immigrants -- will take those jobs is the very reason the wage levels will not rise enough to attract Americans.
This is not rocket science. It is elementary supply and demand. Yet we continue to hear about the "need" for immigrants to do jobs that Americans will not do -- even though these are all jobs that Americans have done for generations before mass illegal immigration became a way of life.
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The economic basis for illegal immigration has been glossed over by the MSM (MainStreamMedia) for years. What the MSM says is "they come here for a better life". What the MSM doesn't tell you is that illegal aliens will work for less money, and put up with more abuse, than "real" Americans.
Mr. Sowell makes this point in a reasoned, logical fashion. That alone will get him a ton of hate mail, no doubt.
posted by Ward at 9:23 AM
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Sunday, August 14, 2005
- - - - - Weird Crime - - - - -
Here in the rustic, bucolic reaches of Camden County, GA, we don't see much of the sorts of crime you'll find in the big cities. Gang activity, with the attendant HUG (Heavy Urban Gunfire) just ain't there. The heavy-duty drug activity is found on I-95, when the GA State Patrol or the locals (County Sheriff or Kingsland PD) stop someone headed north with a trunkful of weed or whatever, and of course the occasional DUI.
But, we do have our home-grown criminal masterminds who try some very strange things - like Mr. Richard Houston.
MAN ARRESTED IN FIRE HYDRANT THEFTS
The Camden County Sheriff's Office arrested Richard C. Houston, 50, of St. Marys Aug 7.
Investigators believe Houston sold several fire hydrants to a local contractor, which Houston knew were stolen. The hydrants, valued at more than $900 each, might have been stolen in a slew of thefts in Glynn and Pierce counties.
Houston was arrested and charged with theft by receiving stolen property and is currently in the Camden County jail while the sheriff's office further investigates the incident. |
Now, I guess that you could make the case for Mr. Houston being an original, perhaps even an unusual sort of suspect.
After all, fire hydrants are not the usual objects of a thief's affection.
Since the charge is "theft by receiving stolen property", it would appear that Mr. Houston acquired these objects from another person. That begs the question - just how were these things stolen? It's not like you could just grab one that's laying around on the ground, tuck it under your arm and stroll away with it. Just how many miscreants did it take to snaffle these objects of great value?
And as for selling them, well, I would think that there's a limited number of fire hydrant suppliers, and that the hydrants are readily traceable (I walked across the street and looked - there are serial numbers on those ugly things).
All things considered, Mr. Houston does not strike me as the sharpest pencil in the box.
posted by Ward at 3:56 PM
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Monday, August 08, 2005
- - - - - Peter Jennings - - - - -
I remember Peter Jennings reporting from Viet Nam - before my time in the service.
I remember his reports from other places overseas.
Of course, I remember his long tenure as the anchor dude at ABC News.
Annnnnd.... I remember his pronunciation of "about", as in "at aboot four this afternoon, the President... "
You had a good ride, Peter. But now it's time, eh?
posted by Ward at 8:04 PM
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Sunday, August 07, 2005
- - - - - Snakes and Garages - - - - -
I don't like snakes.
Before we moved to the wilds of SouthEast Jawja, my exposure to snakes was pretty much limited to the variety of rattlesnake you get in California.
Rattlers in California are fairly civilized, as snakes go - you get too close and you hear Carmen Miranda's castanets going off, and you hop back right smartly, and make a wide path around Mr. Rattlesnake. Then you both continue on your merry way, each much relieved that other wasn't feeling frisky.
Well, snakes in SE Georgia are a little different. They don't rattle. They do hiss, a bit. And the miserable little sods like to hide in my garage. In this case, behind my clothes washing machine. Some of 'em are water moccasins, which are poisonous.
Saturday mornings here at The Swamp are reserved for coffee, newspaper, and loafing. OWW rolls out at about 8 AM, opens the garage door, staggers strolls suavely down the driveway and picks up the morning paper, and blearily greets the new day.
I followed this routine last Saturday. So far, so good. I even got to my favorite garage chair, with paper, eagerly anticipating seeing what foolishness the politicos and Molly Ivins have decided to spout today. My coffee was still steaming gently, my cigarette was releasing fragrant clouds, and The Idiot Dogs were bounding about the lawn investigating, when I heard The Slither.
Idiot Dog #1 ("Tiny" by name, 3 years, 30 pounds, black-and-brindle) trotted up with her ears pointed forward. Idiot Dog #2 ("Bruiser", 10 weeks, 9 pounds, brown - and no, I did name him) ran up, then stopped by Tiny, with his tail-stump going to beat the band. And OWW is saying "What the hell is that?"
So I moved towards the sound, Very Cautiously, and whaddaya know? Here comes Mr. Snake, a very handsome black-bodied specimen, poking his miserable head, and about 3 feet besides, out from behind the washing machine.
Oh....crap. I hauled the dogs, and myself, back inside the house.
Some of you may remember that we had the same thing happen last year, in April I think it was. THAT time we called Animal Control, who sent out 3 Sheriff's Deputies and a guy from the DNR. And that time, it WAS a mocassin.
THIS TIME, I decided to get properly dressed and positively locate Mr. Snake before calling Animal Control.
After informing Mrs. OWW of the situation ("Again?"), and telling the girls to stay OUT of the garage ("A snake, Daddy? You gonna kill it?"), I went back out to the garage and looked. And.... no snake.
I poked, and prodded, and shoved boxes around - no snake.
Shoot, shucks, and other manly comments.
Four hours later, I had emptied that damned garage.
No snake.
I did have my neighbor's Ford F250 pickup filled with trash, which I trundled up to the landfill. (Thanks, Charlie. I owe you one, in spite of your rude comments about the state of my garage.)
I never did get past page four of the "A" section of the paper. And I never get to the editorials. Mrs. OWW and I now know which boxes contain what, and where they are. And we have a good idea of what to do with most of that... stuff. In about a month, or a little less, we will be able to get at least one car into the garage.
And if I ever see that snake, he's going to be one sorry reptile.
This Saturday, Mrs. OWW and I continued the Great Garage Cleanup and Throwout Party. The procedure is: 1. Haul box outside to driveway, left side. 2. Open box, inspect contents. 3. Discard 90% of contents of box, to right side of driveway. 4. Store the "good" 10% in an appropriate place. 5. Load Charlie's truck with trash, flattened boxes, and plastic trash bags full of packing paper. And the whole while, working in 85F+ temps, with humidity of at least 90%, feel the sweat drip off the end of your nose. I made two trips to the landfill yesterday. Including the trip from last weekend, Mrs. OWW and I have moved over 1000 pounds of .... junk out of that garage. With little creative shuffling, I'm sure that I could now get one car into the garage. But we will continue to sort, empty, and throwout until such time as we both can declaim "Enough already! We are well and truly DONE!" And the peace which passeth understanding shall return to The Swamp.
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