We don’t get the huge influx of comments as LGF, Hot Air, or the other biggies to justify a overnight open thread but I figured a weekly one would do for all those discussions on posts that go off topic. So, the first weekly open thread to discuss whatever the hell you want to discuss is now open.
See author page
Oh, btw…the pic means nothing. Just thought it was cool, going to pick a new one out every week.
I registered at LGF a couple of years ago. I commented there one time and rarely check the site anymore. I look in here almost daily and have left a few comments. I appreciate this blog and others like it but I don’t comment often. My hunt and peck typing style doesn’t lend itself to lengthy comments.
I don’t know much about blogging but I think all the reading I do on your blog and others pegs me as a lurker. An appreciative one though.
Thanks for all of your effort.
Cool pic, looks like first class seats.
The recent frag situation, I feel for Sgt. John Russell, having demons and all, but he should have killed himself and not his brothers.
We can always find a way to track down those pesky tea party racist according to Mz. Garf-dumbo. What a twit.
David Frum asked a stupid question today. Why Rebublican’s have forsaken Col. Powell.
Being a native of California, three cheers for the still reining beauty queen that dared to be something other than politically correct.
I like the photo Curt, but if the guy in the chair is a democrat, he needs a much bigger umbrella.
I haven’t been around FA much lately because I’ve become a twitter addict. It’s like a drug that I just have to say no to. I’ll try to do better. Rest of this week though, I’m going fishing. That’s a drug I’m not going to deny myself. Have a good week! See you all Monday.
Be glad that you don’t have the influx of comments like LGF does.
Loons.
Rovin said; “Being a native of California, three cheers for the still reining beauty queen that dared to be something other than politically correct.”
This Californian voted no on the Proposition 8. However, the way Prejean was lynched was very uncalled for.
Sergeant John Russell, this is just a sad story to contemplate. My condolences go to the families of the fallen soldiers.
Speaking of Little Green Footballs, I got banned from that site last month for saying a couple of negative things about Charles.
Kevin Gregory
Here are some low cost weapons that the military can promote.
Replace the laser guided version of the Hellfire missile ($68,000+ each) with the laser guided DAGR 70mm rocket (standard sized rocket used on helicopters) for non armored targets.
Replace some air support with the laser guided MRM-CE rounds fired from the M1A2 and aimed by guys on the ground. The range per round is 12 km.
Replace some air support with the M395 Precision Guided Mortar round.
To maintain the cost of one aircraft carrier battle group in 1998 was about $10 million for 4 days.
A F-16 costs $9,300 per flight hour just to get from point A to point B. Obviously limiting the need for air support would cut costs. Also there would be no lag from waiting for the aircraft to showing up since the equipment most likely would already be in place on the battlefield.
@Roven
I agree, that is a stupid question. That’s like asking: “Why would the disciples turn aganst Judas?”
But it made me think of a few questions:
Why don’t more conservatives speak out in support of conservation? (i.e. Recycling, renewable energy, water conservation, fuel efficiency standards, reduction of waste products, subsidizing farmers who allow the land to rest and recover by the fields lying fallow. etc…) For that matter, why don’t more Liberals practice what they preach?
Why do Democrats prefer caucus primaries over democratic primaries? Why do they push for a higher minimum wage, yet hire illegal aliens so that they wont have to pay it themselves?
Why does business demand loyalty from their employees, but disdain it at the highest levels, giving themselves bonuses for poor performances, or turn around and loot the workers pension funds, or destroy the very communities that supported them by moving the company overseas out for cheap foreign labor?
And why don’t the package counts of hot dogs and buns match?
“*And why don’t the package counts of hot dogs and buns match ?
Because dogs (canine types) don’t eat the buns. 🙂
.
First President Obama stands up and says from now on no ‘harsh interrogations’ the US military will only use the Army Field manual to interrogate prisoners.
Then President Obama fires Gen. David McKiernan, a man who lives and dies by the Army Field Manual and replaces him with Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal a man whos whole career has been in Joint Special Operations Command.
This is how Mr. Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spokesfolk explained the change:
“*Defense officials said that General McKiernan was removed because of what they described as a conventional approach to what has become one of the most complicated military challenges in American history. He is to be replaced by Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, a former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command who recently ran all special operations in Iraq.
President Obama’s strategy ! ?
.
And my two cents – I would love to hear someone in our CONgress explain how we can justify (silly me) borrowing ga-zillions for all the wasteful spending that’s going on but we can let Medicare and Social Security go broke. Oh, Wait! I’m sure we’re going to have to raise all the taxes that BO said we wouldn’t raise to pay for that. I mean, really! We do need to have a program to teach hookers in China to drink responsibly! Sounds like the morons that got that through were already on the sauce!
It’s time to start recalling these idjits!
Kevin, you’re in good company!
A new threat
Why don’t more conservatives speak out in support of conservation? (i.e. Recycling, renewable energy, water conservation, fuel efficiency standards, reduction of waste products, subsidizing farmers who allow the land to rest and recover by the fields lying fallow. etc…)
Because conservatives generally favor the free market, and believe that most of the things you’re describing are best handled via prices. There are exceptions, where externalities have to be accounted for, but even then the most efficient way to deal with the situation is usually some sort of tax that will allow the price system to operate – not specific legislation like fuel efficiency standards.
To address some specific items from your list:
1) Recycling. There’s a lot of recycling that goes on without any government mandate – visit your local scrap metal dealer and see it in action. The fact that governments have to promote recycling of other materials (plastic, paper, glass, aluminum) suggests that it may not be economical. As I recall, aluminum recycling makes money, glass breaks even, and the others are money losers, in general. Now, if things get to the point that landfill space is so expensive that illegal trash disposal (dumping) is a big issue, it might make sense for government to subsidize both the landfill (to reduce the incentive for illegal behavior) and also recycling (to mitigate the distortion their subsidy creates). But that’s really an issue for places like Singapore or maybe parts of Europe, not the US, which has quite a lot of empty space.
2) Renewable energy and fuel efficiency standards. If fuel or energy are scarce, prices will be high, providing an incentive for alternative energy or fuel efficiency. If you regard CO2 emissions as a negative externality, the most efficient solution is a carbon tax, not fuel efficiency standards or direct subsidies for renewable energy.
3) Subsidizing farmers who let fields lie fallow. Farmers do this to maximize their own long-term yield; why is the government supposed to step in, here?
bbartlog,
On fuel efficiency; I can understand the reasoning behind not doing anything legislative to encourage energy conservation. However there seems to be a cultural resistence from conservatives when it comes energy consumtion. I really don’t care about CO2 emmisions, but it makes me cringe to here guy like Glenn Beck brag about their annual energy consumption. If we really want to become less dependent on foreign energy sources but we don’t want the government forcing it’s “solutions” on us, doesn’t it make sense for us as individuals to take steps to conserve energy?
I love my new Flopping Aces (Ranger Up) T-shirts, but Made in Mexico? Sheesh, don’t any of the 7 million Americans out of work know how to silk screen T-shirts? Heck, I was silk-screening T-shirts in my dorm room in college and selling them. It ain’t that hard.
Gen. McChrystal is an unconventional guy that got things done in Iraq. He is viewed outside the SPEC OPs Community as a wildcard but the fights in Stans are not the same War as Iraq. Counterinsurgency is a different ballgame in the Stans. The terrain and lack of infrastructure, proximity of the Paks that tolerate AlQ and Taliban residue until we threaten to cut off the aid money make a difference.
The tribal types that raise poppies and have smuggled opium through mountains passes for decades are not willing to give up that business with nothing to replace it that is as lucrative and the social changes that are making women more that second class citizens are a lot for them to swallow. You need an unconventional approach to the Stans not a guy that goes by the book.
Gates saw the Stans as a potential quagmire because Gen. McKiernan used the FMs as a playbook
and not as just guidelines.
The fact that NATO is there but often are reluctant warriors is another issue.
Australians, Brits and Canadians have acquitted themselves well but are too few in number.
The SPEC Ops approach to working with Host Nation troops and training up an Army does work and adapts well. It was time to change out the leadership. The War in the Stans was losing momentum. The fight will by necessity involve cross border work into Pak. That is where the plot thickens. There can be no sanctuary or training bases in Pakistan for the bad guys if they are to be eliminated enough for Afghanistan to become robust enough to survive as a Nation.
Just my 2 cents worth.
For the most part, I’ve quit following LGF (confusing intelligent design with creationism, and too many negative comments about any theory of origins other than Darwinian evolution) and Hot Air (too many negative comments about Christians in general). Also, LGF has played its part in convincing me that Islam is only a “religion of peace” when it has dominated the world and everyone is either a Muslim, a slave (dhimmi)) or dead. Although — I must say that the much-maligned Robert Spencer played a greater role in convincing me.
But I’ve always found patriotic commentary and respect for Christianity here on Flopping Aces. So I find myself coming here more and more regularly. Thanks for all your fine work, FA crew! 🙂
Jeanne G and Wanda S will say anything for attention. Why don’t the news media just ignore them and they will go away. They are second rate talents at best.
I wanted to mention to you guys something. I kinda feel like I’m advertising, but that’s not my intention.
Steven Crowder, whose video we had linked to on one of the posts regarding health care (if my memory serves me well), is now being called for interviews on Fox’s “Red Eye”. He posts those videos on his YouTube page. I think you will all enjoy his videos, as I have been, so I strongly suggest that you check him out if you haven’t already. He’s just as good as Alfonzo Rachel (machosauceproductions).
And Curt, thanks for helping me out.
~Leah
Just because a blog gets lots of comments doesn’t mean the quality of the discussions can match what goes on here 🙂 I am registered at LGF but prefer coming here because the quality IS so great! I don’t post often anywhere but FA is one place I will comment when I have the opportunity!
Okay … I thought I was the only one that noticed LGF has lost (his) mind completely:
1) All anti-Creationism all the time …
2) Islam is somehow misunderstood, and anyone who still thinks it’s bad is some form of Nazi, or Nazi acquaintance.
3) Glenn Beck seems to bug the hell out of LGF … like the dopey chess club kid in high school with the great car and hot girlfriend
4) the cute animal pics … not so much
5) his continued support of the DHS report on right wingers being domestic terrorists is correct, and he can cite every couple weeks a story in some obscure city newspaper in the country where a guy with guns and a Bible in the house that decides to kill his wife, the gas meter reader guy, and a couple bank tellers driving past his house with a Confederate flag hanging on the front porch as proof.
6) Geert Wilders is the second coming of Hitler …
But maybe it is just me.
Amen Maggie…it’s gotten very weird over there
In the course of just a couple short weeks … Did he really think he could release 2000 3-4 yr old pictures of naked Jihadis …
And only 1 really bad $350 thousand dollar picture of a jet that doesn’t belong to him terrifying a major American city … ???
Somebody, like me, would have made a big stink about that.
@Maggie:
No Maggie. It’s not just you.
Unfortunately, Chaz has gone completely ’round the bend. I, like many others, wonder if he might have some sort of drug issue.
It doesn’t bother me that his opinions don’t match mine exactly, the only place I could find that would be at my own place.
What bothers me is the constant bashing, trashing, and thrashing of those who believe differently along with the random banning of those who dare speak up to express an opposing viewpoint.
Basically, Chaz has created a true echo chamber filled with his very own hand selected Amen Chorus. It’s unfortunate.
What’s with the “All Evolution – All the Time” routine? This is a big world we live in, there’s plenty to talk about beyond that.
I once read LGF very frequently and commented some. Then my comments dwindled to nothing even though I was still reading daily.
I recently deleted LGF from my daily reads as well as from my bookmarks. LGF no longer meets any of the standards required to qualify for my time.
Maggie, I hope that you and Dan and the other new faces that I see here will come on in and make yourselves at home.
We’re glad to have you.
Chaz, if you’re reading this, just remember that when the collapse comes, and it will, it was self-inflicted.
Look, not to be persistent in dumping on another blogger on yet another blogger’s site, but I used to, as a blogger myself, consider LGF a great super highway, of sorts, of links to stories not typically covered in your Drudge or Hot Air. He’d even linked to me a time or two.
But of late LGF is lucky to get maybe 1/2 dozen posts on a good day on the page … including the cute animal pics and the music videos.
Never commented there (never able to time that door opens/door closes thing), but, of late, have noticed his stockade-like drawing out of critics to display before hacking their heads off to comment no more.
I’m all for opposing views and a good debate … and I have been known to send comments out of Spam into the black hole of cyber space when I felt they might not be a healthy tone for my blog, or the one I used to work for … but man! … Well, it’s his island, I guess … Hope he has a volleyball he can talk to eventually over there. End of that dying topic …
BTW, I have been “lurking” on FA for a couple years now. Love the wild west look, and you guys always seem to have something quite juicy … especially during dry news cycles.
We’re all in this together, guys.
What is “LGF” and a “moonbat”. Just curious. But the killing of the soldiers by another stressed out soldier is sad all around. I heard the guy was on his third tour, and close to rotating back home. And then to kill his fellow soldiers. Not the first time I know. Its happened in about every war we have had. Long term wars that is.
Viewing “Ground Zero” should be mandatory! During my first tour in Iraq, the visions of those towers falling and the people jumping out of the windows motivated me during those times when my feet hurt so bad I could hardly walk. It moved me to go the extra effort when my body said “uncle”.
Before my second year in Iraq, I made it a point to see “Ground Zero”. I couldn’t speak! My whole body reacted by not responding to my commands. I found myself wanting to leave, but couldn’t. I felt so much sorrow for these victims and their families.
After my 3 year in Iraq, I visited the Vietnam Memorial. My body reacted in much the same way as at Ground Zero. Instead of sorrow, I felt pride that I lived up to my oath of “defending the Constitution of the US against enemies both foreign and domestic” as did they. I was lucky enough to return to my family, they were not.
I retired last year. While the foreign enemies of the US are still out there, I think the most dangerous enemy is now domestic. When the people we elect to represent us in Washington fail to do the bidding of “We The People”, it is time for a different type of campaign.
Instead of my M-16, M-9 and battle rattle, I grab my sign and head to a Tea Party. If you once visit “Ground Zero” and continue to remember what happened there, only a socialist could sit on the sidelines and watch rather than participate.
I got banned from Hot Air, and I have emailed them all and no one has explained t me why?
Oh well.
You guys need to put up some cards with the democRATs faces, like the people involved w/the melt down of our economy. But a few bullet holes in them too.
Lisa –
DHS just put you on their “right wing terrorists” watch list.
It’s a brave new world, alright.
Hello, ya’ll! Happy Saturday to everyone! Nothing important to say…have to go do some weeding, though…and planting, and, well, you get the point.
O.k., I do want to ask about something, and sorry if it’s already been answered. Curt, is the most recent comments going to appear any more on the side bar to the right of the thread? Just wondering what the status was on that since I know you’d had problems recently.
Ciao now!
SoCal Chris:
We’re currently looking at reworking the site into a different template which will allow that and other plugins to come back in…..should be soon.
LGF fell off my favorites list a few months ago, for the same reasons most have listed above. The slams on Robert Spencer for out-of-context analysis of links posted on JW just went over the cliff.
on a different note, how ’bout that silence from the MSM on protests against Obama for the ND honorary degree?
Hey Randy, Welcome Home and Thank You for Your Service!
The sight of Ground Zero and the Pentagon after the hits were indeed sobering.
Talking with the Survivors was inspiring and a very humbling experience.
Folks that were heroic in that moment and looked after others in that chaotic piece of hell,
Folks that worked in High Rises in Manhattan or in offices at the Pentagon got a taste
of War that 90% of America has forgotten and America is at great risk for that.
The 9.10.01 mentality, the 9.10.01 Presidency and Congress now….
The US Armed Forces are at War, America is at the Mall.
The Fools are on Capitol Hill and the Pretender in Chief is in the White House.
How quickly they forget Old Trooper – but most never had the smell, the ash, the personal loss. I will say this though, Americans from all walks of life poured their hearts out to us New York/NJers in the aftermath, something WE will always remember.
Randy, thank you for your service, we owe you a debt we can never repay.
Gary…LGF is Little Green Footballs and “moonbat”, that’s a term we use to describe the Left Wing Loons who think what the mothership wants them to think 😉
Maggie & Lisa, we definitely are in this together and better company I can’t think of.
Randy, I can’t tell you what your comment means to me. You represent what this country stands for, freedom and the bravery to fight to maintain it. As you well know, freedom isn’t free. I honor you, and your choice to put your life on the line for all of us. Thank you from my heart, and Godspeed.
Any comments about Huntsman being named the Chief China envoy?
– LW/HB
I don’t know but what I read about Huntsman. From what I know about my friends from Utah, he is a patriot first and a Republican second. Like the rest of us who have been on a mission (religious or military), we hate to leave something undone or in the hands of someone who wants the job just to “get their ticket punched. He is uniquely qualified for this job and understands that China is critical to the US future.
I think he must have great courage to go to a on a Christian mission to a country that arrests Christians or others for distributing Bibles. I would think he believes that his appointment is not from the president, but from God himself.
All of the qualities that would have made him a good candidate for president will make him a good ambassador. Also, the relationship he develops with China can not help but be his relationship rather than a country to country relationship. This administration is not likely to fully support his recommendations, Later, if he decides to run for higher office, those relationships he developed during this assignment will be helpful in his advancing a conservative although likely moderate agenda.
@Curt:
Thanks, Curt.
@ bbartlog
I fail to see what Conservatives and the “free market” and “prices” has to do with answering my question about why more conservatives don’t speak out in favor for conservation.
Conservation means not wasting your resources. As we have learned from gas prices during the last decade, simply raising prices is an incentive to using less fuel, but it also has serious repercussions on the economy. It creates hardships for people on low wages, small businessmen, and people on fixed incomes. Penalizing people in order to force them to use less energy is mean-spirited in my opinion. It also raises the prices on ALL goods and services, without adding to the GNP. Sure, people who are better off can afford to buy newer more fuel efficient vehicles, but these same people may not because they can also afford to pay the increase.
(1) Of course there is a lot of recycling going on, and yes, some materials are not so economical to recycle. The point of recycling is not cost effectiveness, but in the reduction of waste and reusing of materials. You know as well as I do that the Republican party has not been a big promoter of recycling, however I also know many conservatives who detest seeing so much material wasted, and who are not fond of the growing landfills. Our society has moved away from the “waste not, want not” into creating even more waste per person with today’s throw away economy. Remember when we used to repair our appliances? The “free market” is partially responsible for this change in attitudes.
(2) Energy and fuel does not need to be scarce nor cost more. Unlike Obama and limousine liberals, I don’t think we need to force conservation through higher energy prices. All that type of “whatever the market will bear” energy policy does is serve to enrich a few at the expense of others, most of whom are stretched already to their financial limits. Renewable energy is not just environmentalist talking points, but a real and viable option that can result in lowered energy costs, and result in extending finite fuel resources. Nor is there anything wrong or anti-capitalist in trying to develop more fuel efficient vehicles as our technology advances. I’m not a CO2 emissions standards fanatic, but I can attest that living in areas with heavy smog sucks.
(3) I’m not sure what it is you have against farmers, but if you knew more about how difficult and expensive it is to make a living farming, you might reconsider your position. Few farmers are the “welfare deadbeats” that those who protest farm subsidies seem to think they are. Hell, most of them are Conservatives by upbringing and nature, devout and with high morals, but have learned to distrust big business types. Typically, only one of their fields will lie fallow while they work others. Such programs as this make it possible for them to survive to keep supplying America with food, even though “free trade” competition with Central and South America forces them to keep their prices low. “They don’t have the luxury of charging us “whatever the Market will bear” for their harvests. Frankly, I have never met the “lazy farmers” that politicians, Wall Street and Hollywood describe. They gamble every year that their knowledge of agriculture and due diligence will enable them to deal with blights, infestations and the ravages of nature. Yet they still have to pay their operating expenses, property taxes, and gear-up for the next planting season. One year of bad luck can break the financial back of the best of farmers.
http://farmfacts.today.com/2008/11/07/how-much-do-farmers-really-make/
@Randy Fritz
My sister-in-law lived five blocks away, but had been uptown when the attacks came. We had already planned a trip to New York for a visit a few months prior.
We walked to Ground-Zero in December of 2001 to pay our respects. The snow that was falling caused what remained of the towers to stand out in stark contrast. The city was still in shock. In every eye the tears were of hearts breaking. It was the one time I visited that city, when you could look at a complete stranger and in one glance connect in real unabashed, personal way. And in doing so, each gave support to a fellow soul. I remember one woman that was so overcome, she joined us the three of us in a brief comforting hug. Another man touched my shoulder as we left. It was neither inappropriate or unwelcome. We were brothers and sisters. Americans.