Re: Patton (no, not that one)
 

Crack was around. It's just that back then, it was called "freebasing" so as to make it clear this wasn't like the trash that was all addicted to it and shit.

This made my day.
 

http://nypost.com/2010/08/05/rudy-gi...ng-at-sephora/

I missed that this happened 5 years ago. But it still made my day.

TM

Re: Patton (no, not that one)
 

I will try to find a Terry Pratchett quote that makes your point. I'm sure there is one.

Re: Patton (no, not that one)
 

More on the topic of edge-of-the-line language and the resulting punishment (although, in this case Clarkson was punished for punching a producer--it was the last straw for the many borderline quips he likes to make).

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/op...773522000&_r=0

TM

Re: Patton (no, not that one)
 

He's an ass, but as that writer noted, it's partially schtick and it would be a shame to lose the show over it.

Re: This made my day.
 

I feel for the kid. He strikes me as a serious asshole of a father.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

ISIS problem solved.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/...ource=facebook

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/...nce-in-arabic/

this is stooopid- at an art show I saw a painting where the artist had painted an American flag then printed the pledge in arabic over it- it was powerful and the most not-un-american thing I could imagine. I suppose there is little leeway anymore for thoughtful expression?

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Not to be Mr. Obvious, but anyone who has a problem with that is intolerant.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Well, I assume the person reading the pledge in arabic is arab? Hard to have a problem with that, even if one believes the islamic world in general is a challenge to peace. the reader is saying I'm American before I'm muslim.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Stupid indeed. On so many levels, from not appreciating what America is to not realizing how much we, militarily and strategically, need Arabic speakers. Why do these people hate America?

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

If that's a way of setting up a UN mandate for intervention, it might help.

At some point, we'll need boots on the ground that aren't either Kurdish, Iraqi, or a pro-Iranian non-state force like Hezbollah. I'm not sure I like an outcome, for example, that gives a big chunk of Syria to Hezbollah after Isis is defeated, but by withholding boots that is what we're going to get.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

This is a very intelligent interview with Petraeus on Iraq, even though my conclusions on what we need to do are very different than his. I think the whole situation underlines the need to deal with Iran diplomatically, and to accept that Iraq will end up breaking up in some way.

For 5000 years, Persia and Iran have mostly been the home of a series of big, unified, long-lived states with enormous sway in the larger area, while the area that is now Iraq has been a fragmented borderland that could only be unified for relatively brief periods. There are reasons. We have to deal with it.

More broadly, we're witnessing the demise of Sykes Picot, one of the worst exercises in colonial geography ever. It is going to be very painful.

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

Given how small-minded and simple people in this country are, how do you lead off with Arabic? Start with French, ease into Spanish, then jump to Arabic.

TM

Re: Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.
 

And putting boots there will meaningfully change that outcome? For how long?