27 March 2007

Anthropogenic Global Warming: The Crazed American has a solution!

(AGW = human caused global warming)

Al Gore! Al Gore!

A solution is at hand. Halleluja!

Just Google “Atmospheric Effects of Limited Nuclear Exchange” – What a wealth of info!

All we have to do is just piss off one of the smaller “runt” nuclear nations (Nuke North Korea! For the Polar Bears!), and lob a few Minuteman III W80’s in there. I’ll be skiing again in no time!

I mean seriously, if the problem is as bad as you say it is – we’re all going to die anyway…

Allow me to reiterate – I do not believe in the Inconvenient Truth, especially when Inconvenient facts didn’t make it into the PowerPoint. I for one am much more interested in fact.

A quick primer for all the proponents and evangelists of the Anthropogenic Global Warming religion:

Science = search for fact
Philosophy / religion / ideology = search for truth
Philosophy / religion / ideology = based on consensus
Science = not based on consensus, based on verifiable experimentation and peer review (99.9999 of the scientists in the world could say that something was true and one could say that they were wrong, and that one would be right, if he could back up arguments with demonstrable evidence)

Also – just a real quick one: why is there evidence of ice cap melting on Mars? Secret bases set up by Halliburton at the behest of our evil commander in chief to choke out the peace loving, communally living, socialist Martians? Or is the sun putting out maybe just a little more energy. Or is it something else all together?

I don’t claim to know, and I doubt there is anyone out there that can claim that they do and be able to prove (beyond doubt) it.

I think pollution is bad. The Crazed American drives a certified "low emission vehicle". So does Mrs. Crazed American. I recycle aluminum, glass and plastic. I am the guy who will pick up litter in a park, or while hiking in the woods. I am all for trying to live in harmony with nature. I am a conservationist. Hell, I have literally hugged trees before. I love the outdoors and get really mad when I see people messing with Mother Nature.

The Global Warming / Climate Change issue is not going to be decided by a symposium, or a conference or by a collection of scientists and politicians. I really doubt that there is going to be any real change in human behavior, if - and it is a BIG if, human behavior is affecting the global climate. The descision is going to be made by scientists who can prove to other scientists and the rest of the population that there is an issue...

Al Gore, what if it is the sun putting out more energy than it used to? Stars funtion in cycles, especially main sequence G-Types like the one we spend out time spinning around. What if the sun's going through a hot flash? Global carbon taxes, and other nanny state, socialist efforts seem pretty silly when it comes to the power of a star.

How little we know and how fu—ing arrogant we can be.

Rant over, out.

14 March 2007

300 - the Crazed American's take...

300
Movie review

The Crazed American is a nut for movies (less of a nut now, ever since I stopped working for a video store chain that rhymes with Mocktuster)

300 is excellent, escapist fantasy, grounded in reality. Well acted. Gerard Butler and Lena Hadley were excellent. The relationship between King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo was the foundation of the film.

I’m sure historians with no sense of wonder will bitch and moan about the accuracy of the film.

As others have said, and I will reiterate –

THIS FILM IS BASED ON A GRAPHIC NOVEL (really long comic book) BASED ON A 1962 MOVIE, THE 300 SPARTANS.

The film took liberty with history, true – but in the end, the heroic and savage Spartans were just as dead as they were at the end of the battle of the Hot Gates. The Persians were just as “victorious”, and the Greek states had time to raise an effective ground army and Navy to drive the Persians out of Greece.

Attention snooty historians: You couldn’t get your students to remember a place called Thermopylae. Now people understand what (for the most part – minus the naval wizardry of the Athenian Thmistocles) happened on the ground there. “Few stood against many.”

I dug the flick greatly. Kudos to the cast and crew.

This is not a movie for children. 15-16 year olds that are thinking about a military career – yes. They should see it.

Younger than that – parents who take kids that young should be slapped in the head.

Overall, politically, I think it says interesting things about the American Public.
I have drawn interesting conclusions. I think Americans still like to win, and still like to see nobility in the face of adversity. So there…

13 March 2007

Finally… Well almost

Fred Thompson – Actor, Senator, Lawyer (the Crazed American won’t belabor that point…)

Presidential Candidate. He has not decided – but hasn’t shut the door.

I think this could be a darn good thing. At this point, Fred has the Crazed American’s vote.

In my humble opinion, America needs something right now – something we haven’t had in a while. Since Bill Clinton, at least – and he had his own problems…

America needs inspiring leadership. “An honest to G-d, no bullshit assessment”, of things, big and small. I mean this dude has told Clint Eastwood and Bruce Willis to f—k off. (In the Line of Fire and Die Hard 2: Die Harder). In the Crazed American’s opinion he would only be cooler if somehow he had told The Duke (PBUH) or The King (PBUH) to take a flying leap.

Having heard two recent presidents speak in person, I can honestly say both of them put me to sleep (President Bush the Elder in 1992 and President Clinton in 1993). President Clinton is actually a fine orator, but the day I saw him, a) I had to be there; b) my leave had been revoked and I was looking forward to a few weeks extra calculus whilst my classmates frittered away the time with booze and bikini clad females; and c) it was a really pleasant summer day along the Hudson, tailor made for a nap.

Fred Thompson is riveting. Don’t believe me – watch any of the 200,000 Law and Order shows and tell me that he isn’t a commanding figure. Watch Hunt for Red October and tell me that he isn’t commanding as an Admiral.

He has political experience – 2 term senator from Tennessee. Damn good Senator by all accounts – I can’t find a single website that says anything negative about him (although if he officially throws in his hat – they’ll probably come right on out of the woodwork). Decided not to run for another term – he got sick of politics… Good for him.

Mr. Thompson – give it some thought. There are those of us out here who’d like someone of your gravitas in the job. I’d also like to hear a president give a speech without me cringing at what might come out of his (or her – the Crazed American has no problem with the idea of a female chief executive). I, along with a number of people I know, long for inspiring, no- bullshit leadership, and all that entails. I know it’s a nasty thing to do to your family – but – your country needs a leader like you.

***UNRELATED TOPIC***
Tonight (1910 local) the Crazed American will attend a showing of 300. I long for a film that unabashedly depicts superiority of Western Civilization. The Crazed American is also an unrepentant stickler for historical accuracy. The Crazed American understands that this film is an ADAPTATION OF A GRAPHIC NOVEL. I have studied the battle, and I know that any movie could not possibly replicate any battle. I have also read the Graphic Novel. I like Gerard Butler, the actor who plays King Leonidas of Sparta. I understand that King Xerxes of Persia was probably not a 8 foot tall multi- sexual garbed only in body piercings. Although that the time I’m sure the Persian populace thought of him as 8 foot tall. I am interested to see the depiction of the elite Persian Heavy Infantry, known as the immortals.

If I am right this movie could have been made by both Spartan and Persian propogandists
Soon I shall find out…

Out.

05 March 2007

Musings at Angels 3

Written: 03 March 2007 AD 30,000 feet agl, somewhere over Eastern Washington...

Greetings, dear readers!

I write to you from the passenger compartment of a Canadair CRJ900. I am a paragon of the consumer driven technological age. I am uncomfortably wedges in the aisle seat next to a man who is very overweight. As I write this, listen via a pair of snappy Brookstone $20 ear buds, to the glorious tunes of the Wicked Tinkers (Loud). If you do not know of the ‘Tinkers, your loss. They have three CD’s of which I have two – the aforementioned Loud and Banger for Breakfast.

If you do not know, the Crazed American loves all things Scottish. Scotch, ‘pipes, kilts, ridiculously huge swords, certain movies by Mel Gibson, Sir Sean Connery and all of his works. An interesting thing, the Crazed American’s Lineage… I am a mutt of the British Iles. Family’s been in the US for frikkin’ ever. Mother’s and Father’s side of the family fought on both sides of the Revolutionary War. Mom’s side apparently was a Red Coat Officer, nonetheless. But I digress – ‘tis along way back to the mountain redoubt… The Crazed American is partially Scot, partially English, and a whole load o’ Irish (both Grandmothers). Strangely enough, I’m not a huge fan of the Irish Pipes. What I am a fan of is the sound of Scot Pipes and the sound of the Bronze Age Irish Horn. If you have never heard of such a thing – get either of the aforementioned CD’s.

Please, o loyal readers of the Crazed American, do not settle for copies, go see them live too! An experience. They get all gussied up – blue paint and all, then they play like banshees. Glorious.

The Crazed American has to report on a curious experience that befell him this day. My day was to start at “o’ dark thirty” with a trip to the local international airport. All was well. I did board my flight, was ready to go. The plane taxied out to the appointed spot on the runway. The pilot brought the aircraft to full take off power. Immediately the engines powered down, the pilot quickly took the plane off of the runway and told us that he needed to “reboot the aircraft.”

Apparently the CRJ700 we were on was running XP SP1 – the “reboot” didn’t’t work. We went back to the gate, a technician came on board, looked at the gauges in the cokpit for a minute and then deplaned everyone. Within minutes, the flight was cancelled. Took another flight to get to my business meeting, three hours late – could only spend an hour at the meeting before I had to run back to the aiport to cath the flight that I am on currently.

The Captain has announced that the Crazed American shall arrive home early. The Crazed American is not an angry American. For today the Crazed American is 33 years of age. I am not quite sure of the whole celebration of the day of birth. For me it was truly the first day as an independent American (as in breathing on my own), but the Crazed American feels that birthdays should be a celebration of the people that brought us here. Today, the Crazed American thanks his Parents, the two people that made all of this possible, even this blog. Thank them o loyal readers! (All three of you – you know who you are)

Not to mention being 33 is giving me a weird kind of feeling. Two important historical figures stand out in my worldview. Both Alexander T Great and Mr. Jesus H. Christ both shuffled off their mortal coil whence they were 33… Here’s hoping that I do not follow in those footsteps. Not to mention, the Crazed American has no wsh to be in charge of the world, Current or Ever-after, regardless….

Speaking of Alexander T Great – could someone, please, make a good movie about his conquest of the whole frikkin’ world? It really was not a big deal, back then if the Manly Commanding General had boyfriends and girlfriends… it was fairly crucial that he got the fu—in’ job done.

That brings the Crazed American onto his next topic – Gays in the military. Having had a little military experience myself, and keeping myself at least knowledgable of all things green (Go Army! Beat the Hell out of Navy!) The Crazed American goes on the record stating that I would not give a da-n what the sexual preference of the individual next to me in the foxhole was. I have served in coed units. An old adage, “After nine days in the field it is impossible to smell any worse.” When you get to that point you recognize the human form in a very utilitarian way Thats not to say that there aren’t a few over-sexed types who think about nothing else. If sexual advances, male or female become an issue, it is the soldier’s responsibility to report it to the chain of command, and let the tortured wheels of bureaucracy do their thing. Homosexuality obviously didn’t adversely affect the unit cohesion and discipline of the Macedonian, Greek or Roman Armies. Get over it and grow up. I have known individuals in the US Army who set off the “Gaydar” in a big way – you know what? They were hard working, dedicated, patriotic and (Crazed American’s highest praise coming up next:) COMPETENT SOLDIERS WHO WERE TACTICALLY AND TECHNICALLY PROFICIENT. With who they achieve corporal bliss with is their own fu—in’ business – pun intended!

COMPLETELY UNRELATED TOPIC:
Congratulations, SNAKE SHIT (Ancient Serpent 6). Well done!
You and TOO TALL deserved it The fact that neither of you felt you deserved it means that you should get an Oak Leaf Cluster for that Itty Bitty Star Spangled Ribbon. (What’s it like to have Generals and Admirals salute you?)
When I met your old boss in 1992 at the Southeastern Hudson Institute of Technology (when does he get his?) – he spoke very highly of you and your men. Tried to instill into us future Infantry Officers the need to work as a team – and when your team is comprised completely of hereoes, your command can become a thing of legend.
America will live for a thousand years thanks to men like Abe Freemen and Bruce Crandall.
READERS: If you do not understand what the hell I am typing, get your lazy, uneducated, sheltered twinkle toed asses to the book store and buy We Were Soldiers Once, And Young…, by LTG Harold G. Moore and Joseph Galloway. The Crazed American when he was a larval solder in the US Army, was blessed to be able to have lunch with those two fine men..
The Crazed American displays what few in Hollywood can accurately replicate, an accurately performed Hand Salute.

POLITICAL RANT:
Democrats are, for the most part, corrupt di—heads. Republicans are, for the most part corrupt “sh-t for brains”.
The Crazed American is going to now launch into a political platform statement for when he eventually get fed up with the bullsh-t and runs for office (Please read and try to read between the lines – as with much in life, it’s not a contradiction if both sides are right):
· I am pro life – but understand that in some cases it is justified and should be safe and legal.
· I am pro choice – but vehemently against “partial birth”
· I am independent.
· I believe that “Globalism” is a really bad thing. National Sovereignty is crucial to the successful continuance of American, Russian, British, Chinese, Japanese, Kenyan, etc. culture. Multiculturalism takes away all the special- ness of people and reduces us all to a lower, lesser level. If I go to Ireland to visit the Proto-Crazed Americans, I want to experience the culture of the motherland, not visit with a bunch of “global citizens:
· Good Fences make good neighbors.
· I do not believe that a North American Union would be successful, nor should it be tried. I do not believe that the whole would be nearly as strong as the constituent parts. Let Mexico be Mexico, friends in defense of our shared continent, but not to the detriment of the US and / or Canada.
· I am Pro Immigrant, but in favor of a militarized border with Canada and Mexico
· I am for sensible Immigration policy – a Guest worker program would suit me, but automatic citizenship sounds problematic at best.
· I am against open borders – hundreds of thousands of drugs get smuggled into this country every year – what if someone included a NBC weapon ( that’s not Must-See TV)
· I am for limited government
· I am against the Nanny State
· I am for responsible gun ownership – no new laws are needed – the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is critical to the functioning of a free and independent state
· I am against onerous taxation
· I am for the summary execution of political officials or appointees who have been convicted of: defrauding the American Taxpayer, embezzlement, or any other form of corruption
· I am for debt reduction.
· I am against wasteful spending.
· I am for keeping the US Armed forces the most powerful force on the planet.
· I am an adherent of the Powell Doctrine
· I believe that Empires, from time to time have to “Act Imperial” i.e. getting Roman on their asses.
· I am for exploration of the oceans, and the heavens
· I do not believe in the “Inconvenient Truth”
· I am against pollution and for getting rid of petrochemicals as the primary method fo powering our world.
· I am for a responsible, independent press. A press that informs and does not make opinions of editorial staff into the news.
· I call for a return of the “Editorial Commentary” banner to newscasts
· I am against a press controlled merely by ratings
· Polling should be abolished. For if polls are the arbiter of decisions, then the pollsters and pundits are the most powerful people on the planet.