Advice Goddess Free Swim
Found myself a little under the weather on Wednesday (I should be fine by Thursday morning!) so I have to go to bed without any blog items. Put on your red wig and post what you want to talk about. One link per comment or your comment will be eaten by my spam filter. Want to post a second link? Post a second comment. I should be fine in the morning, and I will post more blog items then.
Tweet and Tweet.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:25 AM
Tweet and tweet.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:27 AM
Another, and this one is really great.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:30 AM
Enough for now? OK.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:34 AM
Please, no love songs while I'm hate fucking.
I'm gonna need that stitched on a sampler.
NumberSix at August 4, 2011 2:38 AM
Here's the "proof":
http://www.howtobearetronaut.com/2010/02/biblical-scenes-in-google-earth/
Ben David at August 4, 2011 3:01 AM
Thanks for those, Crid!
crella at August 4, 2011 3:07 AM
I hope you feel better soon, Amy.
crella at August 4, 2011 3:08 AM
Feel better soon! Since I am also redhead (yes it IS mine; I paid for it ;) ) though no need for a wig.
Crid... thank you. Those were great. They made my morning.
Sabrina at August 4, 2011 6:44 AM
$15 trillion...it was good while it lasted. Good bye, western world.
biff at August 4, 2011 8:15 AM
I was a redhead last week, but that was because I was at a Florida water park without a hat on.
I'm feeling better now.
Old RPM Daddy at August 4, 2011 8:26 AM
There are more (stolen) tweet-jokes in the comments of the Tweet-related post from a couple days ago.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:42 PM
Tweet and tweet.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:44 PM
Tweet and tweet.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:46 PM
Tweet and tweet.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:47 PM
Tweet and tweet.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:48 PM
Tweet and tweet.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:49 PM
Tweet and tweet.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:51 PM
And pow! Just like that, another pearl is hatched, not twenty minutes ago.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:55 PM
Observational humor.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 12:58 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/08/04/advice_goddess_26.html#comment-2398025">comment from Crid [CridComment at gmail]Thanks, Crid...I'm still under the weather today. Appreciate all the help I can get. On the bright side, I just finished a little section for a chapter for the next book. When you write as slowly as I do, every paragraph is a victory.
Amy Alkon at August 4, 2011 1:02 PM
Saw this video yesterday of a Blackwater sniper unit in Iraq:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V3H_dpd-r8
A question for the military guys out there: can these really be private contractors? Wouldn't that violate some sort of international law?
Eric at August 4, 2011 1:54 PM
(Before anyone answers: It wouldn't break my heart if it did. People seem to imagine for some reason that international law is the best kind, when actually it's just about the worst.)
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 2:33 PM
With mercenaries at the front lines and war-voting politicians safely ensconced in their money-padded offices, why, we're as stable as the Roman Empire!
More tax breaks and reality TV shows, plz. We're far too sophistimacated for bread and circuses.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at August 4, 2011 2:39 PM
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/08/a-fascinating-look-at-the-political-views-of-muslim-americans/242975/ -- Discuss.
franko at August 4, 2011 3:17 PM
Gog, two of those "mercenaries", are very close family members. So Fuck you.
ronc at August 4, 2011 3:29 PM
In honor of Shark Week, here are a bunch of my tweets from yesterday (@fsfmusic)
These two sharks walked into a bar. They ate it.
Overheard, Santa Monica Bay: "Does this remora make me look fat?"
These two sharks walked into a gay bar. They ate it.
Science Corner: Sharks, like many humans, cannot comprehend the success of the Black Eyed Peas
These two sharks walked into a biker bar, thought it was another gay bar. So they ate it.
These two sharks walked into the Democratic National Convention. They ate it.
Cooking Tip: Shark-Finn Soup is two parts shark to one part Finlander.
These two sharks walked into a dance club. The DJ sucked, so they left.
Just kidding. They ate it.
franko at August 4, 2011 3:35 PM
Offtopic: Some sanity and straight-talk.
http://urbangrounds.com/2011/07/rubio-speech-debt-ceiling/
I like him ahh-lahhht.
Feebie at August 4, 2011 3:48 PM
Proof of what BenDavid? They are openly admited fakes
“Technology now allows events which may or may not have happened to be visualized and made to appear dramatically real. As a method of representation satellite photography is so trusted, it has been interesting to mess with that trust.”
lujlp at August 4, 2011 4:16 PM
> -- Discuss.
Pencils down, bitch.
If you aren't alone, maybe you should be, Mr. Article Writer.
People who don't think about war except as it was presented to them in the B&W films from WII in their childhood schoolrooms have weird ideas about the power of the word "civilian".
Almost no one the United States is in conflict with, or perhaps will ever BE in direct conflict with again, is challenging us with a uniformed force. Nonetheless, enemies can be tremendously lethal, both to us and to their nearby populations.
To be a "civilian" doesn't necessarily mean to be an illiterate 19-year-old mother in some dessicated valley in a hinterland province, just trying to love her God and feed her baby as best she can.
It's this same misunderstanding people have about "international law"... As if —because it's named as if it came from a broader perspective— it must have more decency and refinement it its composition than would, say, American law, or Nebraska law, or Omaha law... Or even the strictures of the Omaha School District.
No. These "lesser" alliances do far better than do the lawmaking bodies of the world's many despotisms, dictatorships, and wild lands.
Don't let a love for underdogs confuse you about who's who and what's what.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 4:23 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/08/04/advice_goddess_26.html#comment-2398550">comment from Crid [CridComment at gmail]Real World 101.
Amy Alkon at August 4, 2011 4:29 PM
If I'd known you were gonna like it, I'd have done some proofreading and said it in English
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 4:37 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/08/04/advice_goddess_26.html#comment-2398592">comment from Crid [CridComment at gmail]I'm versed in both Crid and luj. I managed fine.
Amy Alkon at August 4, 2011 5:05 PM
ronc, I'd like to know - are there contractors with "shoot first" authority, and from where does that come?
I know about bodyguards, but offensive action?
Radwaste at August 4, 2011 5:27 PM
Totally fluff and normally I don't care, but after dealing with some truly awful stuff at work, I need silly...
So I read today that Kelly Osbourn criticized Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton-Windsor for wearing clothing more than once.
I find that quality of Kate's endearing and, given the current economic state, prudent.
Thoughts?
UW Girl at August 4, 2011 5:43 PM
A bit of brilliance, and a happy ending:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/remote-controlled-truck-soldier-afghanistan-saves-soldiers-lives/story?id=14225434&fb_ref=abc-fb-recs
Michelle at August 4, 2011 5:48 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/08/04/advice_goddess_26.html#comment-2398681">comment from UW GirlI met a French woman about 10 years ago (in Paris) who wore the same skirt every day. I think she didn't have any money, but it was beautiful and she looked fabulous. (She did change her top daily.) I learned from her -- or rather, unlearned -- to not buy into the notion that you need to always be in some new and different outfit.
Gregg bought me two formal eveningwear skirts when we went to his high school reunion a few years back. One of them is one of my favorite articles of clothing and I wear it about every other day.
Amy Alkon at August 4, 2011 5:53 PM
Compare and contrast the Michelle link above to another tale of high tech armament.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 5:59 PM
"“Requirements creep” can render a new weapon too complex and expensive for practical use."
Perhaps the gov't should post the problems on Instructables and similar sites, and see what solutions people invent.
Michelle at August 4, 2011 6:28 PM
It all depends, but if the government of whatever country they are in is paying them then no, there is no violation of the laws, because they are acting at the behest of the current government.
Now if they are being paid by the insurgents -- it could be a violation of that nation's laws. But that is dependent on the whether the insurgents win or lose.
There have been mercenaries since the Roman Empire. Also consider the reason that Switzerland is now neutral is caused by the treaties that limited the Swiss mercenaries to guard their country and the Pope. (Delving into the history of Switzerland and its mercenaries is a fascinating story.) In addition England hired the Hessians (Germans) to help prosecute their war against the rebellious colony.
The smart mercenaries always protect their back and expect to have to do the Bug-Out Boogie.
Jim P. at August 4, 2011 7:24 PM
Amy,
Hope you feel better soon.
On a side note: The lady in question asked me how the <event> went. I take that as a small interest.
Jim P. at August 4, 2011 7:27 PM
Amy,
You get alot of exposure on here, so I'm going to post this, because I think that its terrible. The pictures of the children made me cry. Maybe you can get people to help?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44021514/ns/world_news-africa/
Sorry to use your page like this, but nothing has struck me this hard in a very long time...
Renee at August 4, 2011 7:40 PM
Feel better Amy! I have a lot of catching up to do here.
Kristen at August 4, 2011 8:38 PM
Renee, I recommend the organization The Hunger Project.
http://www.thp.org/
"Discover the journey to self-reliance - The Hunger Project empowers people to meet their own basic needs and build better futures for their children."
I am not affiliated with the organization.
I learned about them in the late 1980s. They were the first entity to explain to me (via their book) that hunger can be eradicated, why it persists (the current situation in Somalia is a case in point) and also how some forms of aid create a bigger problem.
Michelle at August 4, 2011 8:40 PM
...more to the point, they advocate for and support people in implementing practical, long-term solutions. Something on that site will provide you with an avenue or inspiration for contribution, either through the organization's efforts or elsewhere.
Michelle at August 4, 2011 8:43 PM
Michelle— This is a favorite book about the monstrosities of procurement, because it's wrapped in a story about a profoundly masculine (nay, appallingly masculine) genius.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 9:11 PM
For those of you who'd rather watch the TV show, enjoy.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 9:12 PM
Michelle,
I will always question an organization that several chunks of the their page tagged as Partnering with Media to Enhance Women's Leadership
Why are women more equal than men?
What happens to the responsible father left with a child because the mother passed? Doesn't he deserve support?
I am not on a screed against women. It's asking the question, "Why are some pigs more equal than others?"
Jim P. at August 4, 2011 9:20 PM
Jim, the organization does not claim that women are "more equal than men," and is not operating within an Animal Farm scenario.
The organization does a lot of work in Africa, where females are believed to be and treated as less important and less worth listening to than males. Girls suffer uniquely under a nasty mix of hard-core, old school patriarchy and superstition.
For example, in Zimbabwe, men frequently rape female infants, toddlers, and pre-pubescent girls in an effort to rid themselves of HIV - which results in the rape of infant, toddler, and pre-pubescent girls, their contraction of HIV, and the consequences that flow from those events.
See the Girl Child Network
http://articles.cnn.com/2009-06-04/living/cnnheroes.betty.makoni_1_young-girls-raped-youngest-girl?_s=PM:LIVING
I've recently become involved in a fundraiser in to support their efforts.
What's happening in Zimbabwe is part of a larger picture in which females are treated as the property of men, to be bred and controlled. Promoting the education and leadership of women - perhaps even up to the level afforded to men - often leads to lower birth rates, lower infant mortality rates, and higher quality of life.
Michelle at August 4, 2011 9:54 PM
Comment got sucked into the spam filter, repeatedly, perhaps b/c of the link. I'm hoping Amy can fish it out. Short version:
Jim, it's not Animal Farm, it's a response to a patriarchal and superstitious system.
Crid, thanks for the book recommendation - looks fascinating.
Michelle at August 4, 2011 10:07 PM
Rescued, Michelle...posted directly above your comment just above.
Amy Alkon at August 4, 2011 10:43 PM
Consider also Zambia.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 11:04 PM
I read a book last year, can't remember the title. The Roads or the Story of Roads or something like that, about the impact of motor travel across teh world. (Been Googling but no luck.) There are stories in there of what it's like to be a trucker in (I think) Nigeria, with families on your route like clasps (or maybe pearls) on a necklace, knowing of each other but not particularly concerned.
In short, I suspect that in much of Africa, sexuality is all fucked up.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 11:09 PM
"Gog, two of those "mercenaries", are very close family members. So Fuck you."
Not sure why you're putting a quote around "mercenaries", but I'll assume it's because they're not working for Blackwater but are civilian contractors instead, perhaps serving food or maintaining the bases or driving trucks.
I'd hate to think they were bloodthirsty mercenaries killing people for money. I try to assume the best about the commenters on Amy's board.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at August 4, 2011 11:22 PM
Man, are you going to be disappointed...
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 4, 2011 11:25 PM
I'm trying to take the high road at least once today before I sign off!
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at August 5, 2011 12:05 AM
Stolen joke---
PS- Even the most pessimistic investors are having a bad week.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at August 5, 2011 12:08 AM
Thanks for the link to the post about Zambia. It paints quite a comprehensive picture.
Michelle at August 5, 2011 5:06 AM
Re Zimbabwe - evolution in action. Man kind surrendered every animal advantage; speed, stealth, armor, camoflogue, claws, etc when growing the brain.
Their failure to learn from their mistakes should serve as ample warning to the rest of us to avail ourselves of our one evolutionary advantage
lujlp at August 5, 2011 9:25 AM
So do you feel that the housing crisis is over?
Davis Realty at August 30, 2011 8:33 AM
I think it will be years before we really know the truth
Watson Realty at August 30, 2011 8:34 AM
I think it will be years before we really know the truth
First Realty at August 30, 2011 8:35 AM
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