09
I Enter Bizarro World
I had what I suppose amounts to an “out-of-Berkeley” experience today.
This semester I’m essentially working and taking a single class to fulfill my last breadth requirement and I’m taking the class at the university through concurrent enrollment. It means I’m not registered as a student, and so only have to pay for the actual 4 units that I’m taking, rather than the thousands of dollars of semesterly registration fees.
So it basically boils down to $125 per unit plus a small registration fee. Overall, quite a deal, eh?
Of course, since you’re not considered an official student, it means you get the leftover pick of whatever classes are still available after the registered kids have picked all their courses, and at the discretion of the instructor. Essentially, this means that any popular/impacted classes are streng verboten to the concurrently enrolled, either by decree or simply by the fact that the registered students always are chosen first.
Because of that, looking for a class that fulfills the “International Studies” breadth is a mind-numbing process of looking back and forth between the page that lists the few hundred appropriate courses and poring through the semesterly lists of which ones are actually being taught that semester. Going through them, most needed to be dismissed outright either because they’re already full or conflict with my work schedule. By the time I find a class that has a good amount of open spaces and is at a time I can make, I don’t care if it’s about underwater basket weaving, I’ll take the damn thing and say “Thank you sir, may I have another?”
The class that it ended up being: Political Science 137B: Marxism and Fascism in the Far East.
Yeah, fine. Whatever.
“Just give me my four months of indoctrination into how swell the Chinese revolutionary spirit was, and be done with it,” I thought. “Harangue me with one-sided claptrap arguments about how the supposedly altruistic aims of the ChiComs are what’s really important, and not the fact that they ended up killing millions upon millions and nearly turned what was once the center of civilization into a completely brokendown backwater.
“Furthermore, regale me with tales of how Sun Yat-Sen was really worse than Hitler (but not quite as bad as Bush), and tempt my blood pressure to rise by suggesting with a straight face that the Taiwanese would all be better off if they gave up their shallow, consumerist, prosperity-inducing ways and embraced the politics of meaning that they left on the mainland.
“I don’t care, I’ll sit here and listen to it all with a bemused smile on my face and a smug sense of self-superiority as I marvel that a tenured professor at a top university could be suckered in by this stuff while a 22-year old dumbass kid like myself sees it for the bunk that it is.”
All of that was running through my head as the several hundred students slowly filled up the auditorium and the normal confusion of the first day of a large lecture class dominated sex home dog wife.
I had an inkling something was amiss not long after I started reading the page labeled “Pedagogical Intent, Class Content, and General Deportment.”
No attempts at witty Lilekcisms here, folks. I’m just gonna reproduce the whole thing for you below, let you read it just as I did. It’s reproduced in full with all the original emphases retained. And as you’re reading it, keep in mind, this is a political science class in Berkeley:
The purposes of this course include the inculcation of a principled skepticism among students who have been trained to accept any claims whatsoever as long as such claims are communicated with conviction (the product of an epistomological relativism that has been characteristic of the academic community for at least thirty years).
The presentation of materials in the course of lectures will be predicated on the studied conviction (on the part of the instructor) that contemporary social science has been sadly remiss in teaching young people how to deal with the contemporary political, social, psychological and moral universe in which they live. In effect, the course will not be conducted in a politically correct manner - which means that some students may find the treatment offensive. If you are among those who cannot tolerate alternative opinion, who feel that any departure from the prevailing folk-wisdom of Ethnic Studies or left-wing posturing is objectionable - do not take this course.
This course is an elective. That means you are not required to enroll. It is a course predicated on the conviction that students have not been trained to think coherently, rationally and empirically about the modern world. It conveys non-standard opinions, which you are not required to accept, but with which you must deal.
The subjects chosen are Marxism and Fascism, two controversial subjects that have long been part of the fare of aspiring intellectuals. In our environment, there has been a tendency to consider Marxism a kind of errant humanism, a benevolent creed that sometimes goes astray. Fascism, on the other hand, has always been treated by academics as though it was a simple obscenity, devoid of intelligence and committed to genocidal violence.
I have chosen these subjects because they provide the opportunity to reflect on the nature of public opinion (even if that opinion is academic) dog knot sex. Such opinion could well involve us in conflict in which all of you might be swallowed.
This course will attempt to provide an alternative interpretation of the past century in terms of the contested concepts it will employ as explanatory devices. Hopefully, such treatment might be helpful in understanding the present and our immediate future. If you are a Marxist enthusiast and believe that all the evil in the world is the product of a :vast right-wing conspiracy” - do not take this course. While I am fully prepared to debate your opinions during office hours, acrimonious debate is not permitted during class time. Moreover, I do not want to create intrapsychic tensions among those who are irretrievably leftist.
If you cannot get to class on time - do not take this course. If you are disposed to be insolent in the effort to become large man on campus - do not take this course. If you must regularly classes early and disrupt the proceedings - do not take this course. If you require medication to remain civil - do not take this course.
Yeah, I know. Major jaw-on-floor territory here, folks.
The professor’s name is A. James Gregor, and a quick googling revealed that his main academic focus seems to be the twin evils of Marxism and Fascism, and that his main argument regarding the two says that they cannot be separated into the extreme left and right wings, but that they are both intertwined inextricably by many commonalities not only of means but also of ends. This isn’t a revolutionary theory in the real world, but I can tell you from personal experience that the notion is alien to the atmosphere at least on this college campus.
From a summary of Gregor’s book The Faces of Janus: Marxism and Fascism in the Twentieth Century:
The thesis of his book is that the theoretical and practical relationship between Fascism and Marxism is “curvilinear rather than rectilinear” (p beastiality toons. 128).
[…]
Gregor devotes the middle chapters of the book (Chapters 4, 5, & 6) to a detailed discussion of the regimes of the former Soviet Union and Maoist China. Here he argues that the practical applications of Marxist-Leninist theory took on an essentially Fascist appearance. Mao and Stalin both conceived of the world as divided between “less-developed nations and advanced industrial democracies” (p. 73). This gave rise to the nationalistic policies of each country which stressed revolutionary violence and submission to the charismatic leader (pp. 80-82). Since these are characteristics that are typically described as “right wing” it was “never made quite clear whether Maoism [or Stalinism] was a form of ‘right wing extremism’ or ‘left wing adventure,’ which suggests that the distinction was never really clear or convincing” (p. 75).
Did I mention that this guy is a political science professor at Berkeley?
The whole thing only got more surreal after he actually began talking. I was sitting in the back of Wheeler Auditorium so perhaps my vantage point wasn’t ideal, but the guy looks like Aristotle Onassis, complete with ’70’s era sunglasses. His voice sounded vaguely like it retains just the shades of a Brooklyn accent, and his casual cadence of speech seems to hint that he could at any moment say, “Fuggedaboutit.”
He started talking about the course material and subject matter, but essentially used that just as a springboard to launch into a very long rant (and it was most certainly a rant) about all the things wrong with Berkeley specifically and contemporary academia in general beastiality slavegirls.
He described how he heard people talk about Marxism’s glorious future, both internationally and in the US.
“I’ve had to listen to that stupidity my whole life!”
He went on, describing how “Berkeley dementia is pandemic,” and warned everyone that “You’re going to get irritated in thsi class. Just look on my office door to see how ticked off students get.”
He made it clear he’s something of a curmudgeon, and also perhaps a great big asshole. I mean, I’m as annoyed as the next guy when someone wanders into class 45 minutes late, but I still felt acutely sorry for the kids he tore apart today who did, and I was pretty put-off by it.
He did say we’d all get irritated, though, didn’t he? I’m not sure what to expect on Thursday, but at the very least I’m looking forward to the next lecture with more enthusiasm than I’ve had for any of my classes in a long time.
when you apply your own internal calculus of death and suffering and conclude that it isn't something that you needI don't know about you people, but I'm already stocking up on extra food, water, and electrons.
Whereas the Cold War doctrine of deterrence and containment rested on strength, the new idea of pre-emption insists on U.S.
use grown-up scissors), but nevertheless, even though he really didn't deserve it,
I have to admit I'm pretty curious just to see what he's going to do. The guy has shown himself to have an overpowering
why she thought there weren't more stories about protests going on in the news, "Well, because the media is corporately
For that reason and others, I didn't actually start reading the news coverage until this morning.
Containment and deterrence were responses to US weakness, you silly-headed dunderpate. It was obvious that using direct
superiority.
going to be monitored so closely that I'd be surprised if he were able to put in a phony name at a porn site and not have
again soon, didn't we?"
and eastern Europe, Australia and the middle east. Is that not multilateralism?
nuclear weapons. Containment was born out of a realization that we were effectively restrained by our lack of strategic
hacky-sack?"
some of their cohorts are actually being held accountable by the university for their disruptive, illegal actions at
needed now was healing, closure; in short, to "get over it" and "move on."
assures everyone that "Don't worry, the problem is being taking care of by the inspectors."
You try to make it seem as if the Joint Chiefs were lying around on a Sunday afternoon and said to themselves, "Yeah sure,
alternative economy." I suppose that's better PR than saying they want to impose a grab bag full of sociialistic silliness
so that he will be better equipped to fulfill point 1). Show me another nation that's like that today.
, "I don't believe the American people support this war. Everyone I've talked to is against it!"
anger that is so justifiable -no, demanded- by these despicable acts, but if that must be the case, then from on, I'll be
"The lethal combination is when you exploit both people and technology," Mr Mitnick told BBC News Online.
that continues to characterize the US as the Great Satan and preach jihad against all things Western? Oh I know, the Muslim
The fact that this is being published in the Chronicle is no small feat. Even more reason for you to go read it.
In theory, I was of course angry, but I had a vaguely detatched sense about the whole thing. A large part of that of
Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard at 12:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
which is all about the biggest threat to the security of all companies: their own employees.
needed now was healing, closure; in short, to "get over it" and "move on."
she can last 6 hours). I make this declaration keeping in mind that this does not imply a judgement on the Idiotarian
Either that, or I now have to admit the existence of clairvoyance.
Iranian cleric Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari, addressing weekly Friday prayers in the northwestern town of Tabriz, said
According to the president, "we cannot wait for the final proof" that Saddam Hussein's government is planning an imminent
What it does not mean however, is that this suddenly signals that we are going to be going after China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba
hunting dairy cows with a high-powered rifle and scope."
jerkwad I encounter, an order for them to be beheaded with extreme prejudice until the the point at which they are dead
"to prolonged indulgence in luxury and soft, effortless ease, or to the deification of a warped and twisted sentimentality"?
of a lack of imagination or basic humanity; the fact that it's difficult for me to feel deeply for people suffering unless
Watching Channel 7 news today (the Simpsons were in a commercial), they reported on a wad of dingbats who blocked access
"A bunch of people died from terrorism over the weekend? Sure, that's awful, but we all knew this was going to happen
Now at this point, most people would just say, "let it go, and move on."
And exactly how do you go from no "final proof" to there being no evidence of impending aggression? The very fact that
Those people are especially useful when they have access to the core computer systems that hackers would otherwise struggle
the world to stomach the imperial scent of our newly enunciated military doctrine that proposes pre- emption of any powerful
Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard at 09:37 AM | Comments (0)
Don't you people ever get tired of just pulling shit out of your asses?
An insightful, well-written and quite simply excellent column somehow found its way in the SF Chronicle's website today.
satisfy you. I'd be much more amendable to the idea however if you were willing to be a personal eye-witness to this
he revealed himself to be a seriously dishonest debater (that, or he was so stupid that it wouldn't be safe for him to
I urge anyone in the bay area who has the time on the 16th to come as well and lend credence with your example to the
Please. I can't swing around a dead Saddam on a rope without hitting this argument these days. At bottom, it's a slippery
the Feds know about it.
looks like a green light, no?
President Bush says he wants to avoid "a future of fear." It's an admirable goal, but one hardly served by this new doctrine.
In your face, Space Coyote!
By tossing out any reasonable standards of evidence as a prerequisite for military action, the White House puts us in a state
Russia and shit. Besides, it's just the Russians. Why don't we just contain them or something? Hey, who's up for some
Sure, it'd be nice to be a leader...
What it does not mean however, is that this suddenly signals that we are going to be going after China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba
To quote a boozed up, cynical and misanthropic individual whom I greatly admire: "Making fun of these people is like
But I am thankful that at least for now, I've been able to summon that deep-seated, personal wrath so appropriate to an
that off my list of things to do. Now, on to learning how to square-dance."
I figured that was the way to go. But then I read this.
to make the first world poor and make sure the third world stays that way.
the real fault of that government or its citizens, or the West in general, or capitalism, or any other ridiculous boogeyman
I see. Did you talk to this "everyone" at your International Socialist Organization direct action planning seminar or
Don't worry, I'll sit here with my rifle ready to take out any airborne porcines, should they come flying by.
Saddam is so hot to get his grubby hands on nukes is enough evidence of aggression. What's he going to do with them once
nuclear weapons. Containment was born out of a realization that we were effectively restrained by our lack of strategic
War, by three fellows that hail from Global Exchange. You know who I'm talking about. The folks that want to "build an
that has the temerity to look at us cock-eyed.
join the majority of the world's nations in distancing themselves from Washington in a fashion not seen since the Vietnam War.
I'm going to be checking the weather channel for reports of snowflakes in Hell, but meanwhile you should go read it now.
we despise no less the coward and the voluptuary. No man is worth calling a man who will not fight
Containment and deterrence were responses to US weakness, you silly-headed dunderpate. It was obvious that using direct
50 Ways to Leave Your Folly Common Dreams, that goldmine of general silliness, showcases this piece, The Folly of Pre-emptive
Why are you still here?!
course grew out of the experience of 9/11.
It seems the Muslim version of a slander suit is cutting off your head. Now when I read this I was shocked, just shocked
anger that is so justifiable -no, demanded- by these despicable acts, but if that must be the case, then from on, I'll be
"The lethal combination is when you exploit both people and technology," Mr Mitnick told BBC News Online.
that continues to characterize the US as the Great Satan and preach jihad against all things Western? Oh I know, the Muslim
just now. Admittedly they do face significant challenges in carrying out their duties due to their imaginary nature,
that has the temerity to look at us cock-eyed.
owned," she pontificated, in that snotty "52% of my clothes are made of hemp which therefore makes me morally superior
coming off them. It was really a terrible sight," she said. "You could just hear people crying up in the Bounty foyer -
let you know when there's a mushroom cloud over New York, because that's the only "final proof" that seems to be able to
Hesiod over at Counterspin Central is one such fellow. Not only with myself, but in his conversations with Den Beste,
I urge anyone in the bay area who has the time on the 16th to come as well and lend credence with your example to the
slope proposition, claiming that because we go after Saddam, we'll suddenly be all aggro-ed up to obliterate any country
the Feds know about it.
that I hadn't thought of it first!
for the life of me, cannot see it. The news showed a clip of a guy trying politely to walk around a woman so self-righteous
that extended anger and sadness bring, or maybe even from just the fact that my threshold of human suffering sufficient
If a good education is meant to produce independent thinkers, I've seen precious little evidence it does. Education is
over the heads of the world's nations as threat so that he can act willy-nilly in whatever new adventure captures his
going to be monitored so closely that I'd be surprised if he were able to put in a phony name at a porn site and not have
I simply love it when my case is made for me.
cause, but I,
and eastern Europe, Australia and the middle east. Is that not multilateralism?
the teacher trying to impress both of them.
them into a thin paste of protein on a cave wall, to wipe out every last vestige of the disgusting stain they have left
I have to admit I'm pretty curious just to see what he's going to do. The guy has shown himself to have an overpowering
that boiled up to the surface when I read things like this.
Now of course I'm sure that these open-toed folks have a flurry of perfectly well thought-out reasons as to why pissing
side of the political spectrum... what are they called?
In your face, Space Coyote!
assures everyone that "Don't worry, the problem is being taking care of by the inspectors."
Either that, or I now have to admit the existence of clairvoyance.
hacky-sack?"
Sure, it'd be nice to be a leader...
cause, but I,
But anyway, right there you've got yourself eight nations total in the coalition, hailing from North America, both western
In your face, Space Coyote!
Hey, didn't there used to be a city where this smoking crater is?
psychopathic fancy without fear of retribution.
Falwell was a "mercenary and must be killed," the Farsi-language daily Abrar reported Saturday.
Another Australian tourist, 18-year-old Rachel Hughes, said she and her boyfriend had just arrived in Kuta when the blast
for the life of me, cannot see it. The news showed a clip of a guy trying politely to walk around a woman so self-righteous
But anyway, right there you've got yourself eight nations total in the coalition, hailing from North America, both western
I finally went and did it.
on the civilized world. And when I resort again to that frame of mind, it will be because I realize, intellectually and
When they aired some actual interviews with the protesters, I started to honestly think they were part of some sort of
Meanwhile, the fact that we are able to use pre-emptive action when deemed necessary is a fact of our strength, not weakness
Such as this quote by Teddy Roosevelt concerning his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, posted now
lying in order to gain information that gave him access to restricted systems.
and eastern Europe, Australia and the middle east. Is that not multilateralism?
I'll get a chance to ask why they've been glorifying images of Hamas murderers on their flyers.
of constant uncertainty and increased insecurity where almost anything could lead to war.
lap dance.
"The death of that man is a religious duty, but his case should not be tied to the Christian community," Shabestari,
attack against the United States. Even though President Bush acknowledged in his speech that Iraq does not currently
you could see stink lines of self-satisfaction coming off her so that he could simply get to his job. She of course started
And perhaps because of the collective weight of all those accumulated exhortations, perhaps from the psychic weariness
and you'll get diversity in the speech by the politician, in the one by the principal who welcomes him and in the one by
By tossing out any reasonable standards of evidence as a prerequisite for military action, the White House puts us in a state
Meanwhile, the fact that we are able to use pre-emptive action when deemed necessary is a fact of our strength, not weakness
According to the president, "we cannot wait for the final proof" that Saddam Hussein's government is planning an imminent
lying in order to gain information that gave him access to restricted systems.
The experience made me think of the instructions from all corners of the media after 9/11 that what we, as Americans,
(or to have their genitalia eviscerated by a rabid Rosie O'Donnell
them into a thin paste of protein on a cave wall, to wipe out every last vestige of the disgusting stain they have left
"approach parody" is too mild. They sprinted towards parody, jumped on top of it and proceded to give parody a spirited
and the decisions to do so would based on (as in this case) measured calculations of the relative benefits and costs,
attack against the United States. Even though President Bush acknowledged in his speech that Iraq does not currently
side of the political spectrum... what are they called?
getting an education. When she tried to talk to one of the organizers after her test about how some people were just
who has been deprived of food for at least 6 hours - sounds like an unusually cruel thing to do, I know, but I'm sure
Saddam will use these nukes when he gets them, whether that use takes the form of vaporizing a city or merely being hung
I have to admit I'm pretty curious just to see what he's going to do. The guy has shown himself to have an overpowering
that boiled up to the surface when I read things like this.
by both Instapundit and Cold Fury (and probably by sundry others by now):
side of the political spectrum... what are they called?
and that it wasn't fair for these people to stop them, the girl started literally screaming at her about selfish she was.
and you'll get diversity in the speech by the politician, in the one by the principal who welcomes him and in the one by
Either that, or I now have to admit the existence of clairvoyance.
curiosity that trumps any sort of legal resriction placed on him, but it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that he's
Another Australian tourist, 18-year-old Rachel Hughes, said she and her boyfriend had just arrived in Kuta when the blast
has been built up around Mitnick, a basically curious guy who just as often used old face-to-face (or voice-to-voice)
Whereas the Cold War doctrine of deterrence and containment rested on strength, the new idea of pre-emption insists on U.S.
I'll get a chance to ask why they've been glorifying images of Hamas murderers on their flyers.
who has been deprived of food for at least 6 hours - sounds like an unusually cruel thing to do, I know, but I'm sure
psychopathic fancy without fear of retribution.
Falwell was a "mercenary and must be killed," the Farsi-language daily Abrar reported Saturday.
democratically decided laws - - not the capriciousness of individual rulers -- should govern human affairs.
you could see stink lines of self-satisfaction coming off her so that he could simply get to his job. She of course started
vulnerability.
I finally went and did it.
one of the most fad-driven enterprises imaginable. It produces a new catechism each decade, which everyone dutifully recites.
Bush also spoke of an "international coalition" that would disarm Hussein. Bush knows the American public is loathe to
Meanwhile, the fact that we are able to use pre-emptive action when deemed necessary is a fact of our strength, not weakness
According to the president, "we cannot wait for the final proof" that Saddam Hussein's government is planning an imminent
chanting in his face and moved in front of him every time he tried to get around her.
I suppose you mean that it's not "multilateralist" unless France says so?
the teacher trying to impress both of them.
Either that, or I now have to admit the existence of clairvoyance.
Meanwhile, the fact that we are able to use pre-emptive action when deemed necessary is a fact of our strength, not weakness
Another Australian tourist, 18-year-old Rachel Hughes, said she and her boyfriend had just arrived in Kuta when the blast
cause, but I,
However, several of the exchanges I have had have definately been with those you might describe as "challeneged" in
In your face, Space Coyote!
If a good education is meant to produce independent thinkers, I've seen precious little evidence it does. Education is
Bush also spoke of an "international coalition" that would disarm Hussein. Bush knows the American public is loathe to
Falwell was a "mercenary and must be killed," the Farsi-language daily Abrar reported Saturday.
So seeing as how we've got massive approval from the House of Representatives and similar support in the senate is likely,
for the life of me, cannot see it. The news showed a clip of a guy trying politely to walk around a woman so self-righteous
and eastern Europe, Australia and the middle east. Is that not multilateralism?
I finally went and did it.
By tossing out any reasonable standards of evidence as a prerequisite for military action, the White House puts us in a state
"approach parody" is too mild. They sprinted towards parody, jumped on top of it and proceded to give parody a spirited
Another Australian tourist, 18-year-old Rachel Hughes, said she and her boyfriend had just arrived in Kuta when the blast
off a bunch of secretaries and other office workers who probably agree with them on the war anyway will further their
side of the political spectrum... what are they called?
needed now was healing, closure; in short, to "get over it" and "move on."
If a good education is meant to produce independent thinkers, I've seen precious little evidence it does. Education is
Either that, or I now have to admit the existence of clairvoyance.
going to be monitored so closely that I'd be surprised if he were able to put in a phony name at a porn site and not have
occurred, smashing the window of their hotel room.
by both Instapundit and Cold Fury (and probably by sundry others by now):
side of the political spectrum... what are they called?
In your face, Space Coyote!
"I said it's being taken care of, dammit. Mind your own business."
over the heads of the world's nations as threat so that he can act willy-nilly in whatever new adventure captures his
Meanwhile, the fact that we are able to use pre-emptive action when deemed necessary is a fact of our strength, not weakness
attack against the United States. Even though President Bush acknowledged in his speech that Iraq does not currently
President Bush says he wants to avoid "a future of fear." It's an admirable goal, but one hardly served by this new doctrine.
I suppose you mean that it's not "multilateralist" unless France says so?
who has been deprived of food for at least 6 hours - sounds like an unusually cruel thing to do, I know, but I'm sure
over the heads of the world's nations as threat so that he can act willy-nilly in whatever new adventure captures his
"approach parody" is too mild. They sprinted towards parody, jumped on top of it and proceded to give parody a spirited
Replace "powerful" with "crazy and armed with nukes" and you'd be right. Otherwise, your statement is nonsense.
Now of course I'm sure that these open-toed folks have a flurry of perfectly well thought-out reasons as to why pissing
President Bush says he wants to avoid "a future of fear." It's an admirable goal, but one hardly served by this new doctrine.
Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard at 09:13 PM | Comments (4)
I figured that was the way to go. But then I read this.
Sorry folks, but slippery slope arguments don't hold water by themselves. We're going after Saddam because he 1) has shown
I mean come on, when you're arguing with someone who's just going to call you a Nazi when you spend 2,000 words making
satisfy you. I'd be much more amendable to the idea however if you were willing to be a personal eye-witness to this
Hesiod over at Counterspin Central is one such fellow. Not only with myself, but in his conversations with Den Beste,
I urge anyone in the bay area who has the time on the 16th to come as well and lend credence with your example to the
morally, that this is the right thing to do.
"approach parody" is too mild. They sprinted towards parody, jumped on top of it and proceded to give parody a spirited
looks like a green light, no?
for the life of me, cannot see it. The news showed a clip of a guy trying politely to walk around a woman so self-righteous
needed now was healing, closure; in short, to "get over it" and "move on."
Well I wouldn't be surprised if this Wednesday at Sproul there will be similar behavior, and I plan to be there. Maybe
them into a thin paste of protein on a cave wall, to wipe out every last vestige of the disgusting stain they have left
Heh. Didn't Nostradamus write something about "a bespeckled plague rising in the West..."?
Meanwhile, the fact that we are able to use pre-emptive action when deemed necessary is a fact of our strength, not weakness
Such as this quote by Teddy Roosevelt concerning his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, posted now
In fact, the idea of pre- emptive attack depends on fear. It presupposes insecurity and assumes we will always be threatened.
And perhaps because of the collective weight of all those accumulated exhortations, perhaps from the psychic weariness
who has been deprived of food for at least 6 hours - sounds like an unusually cruel thing to do, I know, but I'm sure
psychopathic fancy without fear of retribution.
Falwell was a "mercenary and must be killed," the Farsi-language daily Abrar reported Saturday.
According to the president, "we cannot wait for the final proof" that Saddam Hussein's government is planning an imminent
cause, but I,
and eastern Europe, Australia and the middle east. Is that not multilateralism?
Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard at 09:13 PM | Comments (4)
the efforts to find these people and eradicate them, to ferret them out from their cowardly hiding places and vaporize
Heh. Didn't Nostradamus write something about "a bespeckled plague rising in the West..."?
that boiled up to the surface when I read things like this.
I don't know about you people, but I'm already stocking up on extra food, water, and electrons.
side of the political spectrum... what are they called?
Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard at 09:13 PM | Comments (4)
support (in the small, mostly insignificant ways that are possible for one such as myself)
I strongly suspect TR had access to some sort of time machine and traveled into the furture about a hundred years.
Russia and shit. Besides, it's just the Russians. Why don't we just contain them or something? Hey, who's up for some
economic stupidity, especially when their ideas would do such a better job of it by themselves. Case in point:
has been built up around Mitnick, a basically curious guy who just as often used old face-to-face (or voice-to-voice)
information with your heads crammed so far up your asses, so I'll give you a pass.
find testimonials to diversity. Flip through any recent social sciences or humanities textbook and diversity pops up with
they're done, hang them on his wall next to the framed heads of Iraqi dissidents and say to himself, "Well, I can check
we could go and stop the Soviets and all their expansionist hijinks, but then we'd like, have to go all the way over to
But it's not really fair to denigrate someone's ideas just because they themselves come from an organization riddled with
If and when you find one, that means that I'll be perfectly willing to advocate an attack against them as well.
Wheeler Hall last spring.
Well I'm far far far too petty a person to do that.
And exactly how do you go from no "final proof" to there being no evidence of impending aggression? The very fact that
serves? As far as I can tell, all they did was take some people who were probably overwhelmingly against the war anyway,
of a lack of imagination or basic humanity; the fact that it's difficult for me to feel deeply for people suffering unless
to make the first world poor and make sure the third world stays that way.
At the very least, don't let me hear any of these things when you're standing in my presence, unless you want a faceful
information with your heads crammed so far up your asses, so I'll give you a pass.
jerkwad I encounter, an order for them to be beheaded with extreme prejudice until the the point at which they are dead
they're done, hang them on his wall next to the framed heads of Iraqi dissidents and say to himself, "Well, I can check
who like to chant slogans and can't come up with any better rhyme than something that has to do with the number "four" and "war."
rivals.
Watching Channel 7 news today (the Simpsons were in a commercial), they reported on a wad of dingbats who blocked access
What it does not mean however, is that this suddenly signals that we are going to be going after China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba
To quote a boozed up, cynical and misanthropic individual whom I greatly admire: "Making fun of these people is like
And at most, UN weapons inspectors have delayed conflict by a few years, not averted it. In actualyity, I think they have
to prolonged indulgence in luxury and soft, effortless ease, or to the deification of a warped and twisted sentimentality.
I figured that was the way to go. But then I read this.
I wish that I could just be told "Hundreds of people died in a terrorist bombing today," and instantly feel the kind of rage
to the San Francisco federal building to protest the passage of Bush's resolution for action against Iraq.
US: Italy, Australia, Poland, Spain, Qatar, Kuwait and, of course, Britain. I know it's hard to find out this kind of
Diversity. More than motherhood, it is the one unassailable concept these days. Open any teaching publication, and you will
really just put Saddam in a better situation than he was before because the presence of inspectors invites complacency and
to penetrate.
rivals.
But it's not really fair to denigrate someone's ideas just because they themselves come from an organization riddled with
the real fault of that government or its citizens, or the West in general, or capitalism, or any other ridiculous boogeyman
During that protest, my girlfriend had to take a midterm in Wheeler auditorium and had to step over the bodies lying in
jerkwad I encounter, an order for them to be beheaded with extreme prejudice until the the point at which they are dead
that off my list of things to do. Now, on to learning how to square-dance."
to penetrate.
it is shoved, in all its detailed horror, right into my face.
Kevin Mitnick will be able to use a computer again in approximately 3 months.
At the very least, don't let me hear any of these things when you're standing in my presence, unless you want a faceful
getting an education. When she tried to talk to one of the organizers after her test about how some people were just
But I am thankful that at least for now, I've been able to summon that deep-seated, personal wrath so appropriate to an
that off my list of things to do. Now, on to learning how to square-dance."
the world to stomach the imperial scent of our newly enunciated military doctrine that proposes pre- emption of any powerful
be harried by idiots who have full compliments of heads and genitals! With the ranks of my imaginary gnomes rallied,
the real fault of that government or its citizens, or the West in general, or capitalism, or any other ridiculous boogeyman
the All Men Are Rapists self defense workshop? Surely that must be a representative sample of the country!
making a point of reading in depth about any such future atrocity to ensure that I don't allow myself to be instantly "over it."
No nation deserves to exist if it permits itself to lose the stern and virile virtues; and this
I tried to present my ideas in an honest and truthful way, and not be seriously offensive, even when he acted in ways
about equal probability.
be harried by idiots who have full compliments of heads and genitals! With the ranks of my imaginary gnomes rallied,
to really concern yourself with, except in a somewhat general, theoretical way.
the All Men Are Rapists self defense workshop? Surely that must be a representative sample of the country!
have democratically elected rulers I'm sure doesn't throw any flies into your ointment.
to penetrate.
Heaven forfend them not being on board with us!
alternative economy." I suppose that's better PR than saying they want to impose a grab bag full of sociialistic silliness
the real fault of that government or its citizens, or the West in general, or capitalism, or any other ridiculous boogeyman
, "I don't believe the American people support this war. Everyone I've talked to is against it!"
making a point of reading in depth about any such future atrocity to ensure that I don't allow myself to be instantly "over it."
Saddam is so hot to get his grubby hands on nukes is enough evidence of aggression. What's he going to do with them once
nuclear weapons. Containment was born out of a realization that we were effectively restrained by our lack of strategic
War, by three fellows that hail from Global Exchange. You know who I'm talking about. The folks that want to "build an
Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard at 09:37 AM | Comments (0)
when you apply your own internal calculus of death and suffering and conclude that it isn't something that you need
Wheeler Hall last spring.
have democratically elected rulers I'm sure doesn't throw any flies into your ointment.
And exactly how do you go from no "final proof" to there being no evidence of impending aggression? The very fact that
I tried to present my ideas in an honest and truthful way, and not be seriously offensive, even when he acted in ways
last update : 8-9-2010
