30 September, 2004

Good News for Third World Missouri

A bit of good local news to report. According to the Dunklin Democrat, the town of Hayti might get a Pepsi distribution plant... Certainly a welcome thought in this rapidly decaying area of Missouri!

Not many people realize that logistically speaking, we are in a great location with access to interstates 55 and 155, as well as quick access to interstates 57 and 40. Here's to Pepsi, I wish you success in our little corner of the world.

Thanks

Special thanks to the New American Revolutionist, for adding my puny little blog to his blogroll... Check him out, the link is in the right sidebar.

29 September, 2004

Yemen and My Domino Theory

I see that the animals who perpetrated the USS Cole bombing were sentenced to death by a Yemeni judge today. This is the best news I've heard all week. The response from one of the convicts:

"This verdict is an American one and unjust," al-Badawi yelled from behind the bars of a courtroom cell after the judge sentenced him to death. "There are no human rights in the world, except for the Americans. All the Muslims in the world are being used to serve American interests."

No, amigo, it's YOU who is being used for all of humanity to personally demonstrate that even in Yemen, heinous crimes can actually be accounted for. I will have a big smile on my face when I hear of your execution. According to the AP article, the death sentence in Yemen is the firing squad. It's a shame that the families of the Cole victims won't be the ones firing the guns...

So my domino theory is this: Now that the Muslim world has seen that we are willing to do what it takes to destroy the terrorists, it seems the Muslim countries are jumping at the opportunity to publicly demonstrate their goodwill by making positive gestures to the world- some substantive, some token. The dominoes started falling with Afghanistan, then Libya. We all know what happened there, and it seems that Libya is serious about rejoining the civilized world in trade and peace. Fantastic. Next, Syria made a token gesture of loosening internet restrictions on its people... Sorry, but that won't cut it. Now, we have Yemen demonstrating true justice with the Cole terrorists. Chalk another one up for the good guys. Once we knock over the Iraqi domino once and for all, my view is that the Muslim world will have ample evidence that Bush wasn't kidding... It's time for Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Iran to start seriously thinking about their respective futures. I would much rather see the remaining dominoes fall on their own, instead of having to knock them over. We'll see more substantive gestures soon, just wait. Maybe some respected Islamic Clerics will start to advocate an Islamic reformation, which is exactly what the world needs at this point.


28 September, 2004

New Policy

I'm instituting a new policy here at Dennis' Ramblings. When I notice it, I will express my appreciation to those who see fit to add my little blog to their blogroll... Of course, I will continue to include worthwhile blogs in my blogroll, whether or not they link back to me. The latest:

Soundoff and Jackington Viego (both links in the sidebar). These guys are well-informed, interesting to read, and seem to have a good tilt towards individual liberty. Take a look at their work!


25 September, 2004

Stolen Missouri Logo?

I've only been a Caruthersville resident for about a year now. When I moved here, I immediately recognized the local high school athletic logo as the University of Missouri logo, with only some color change. This -
is what is on Caruthersville School District's web page. THIS is an official Missouri web page. Note the similarity...

I'm surprised that the University allowed a high school to copy the logo. If Mizzou did allow it, good for Caruthersville. They have a decent team again this year, and a good logo to match!


24 September, 2004

A Little Southern Culture

For those of you who have never seen one, this -

is a cotton field, almost ready for harvest.

23 September, 2004

End of the Debate

THIS PHOTO should end any lingering doubts on the blonde / brunette debate...

Scuba Question of the Month

I don't know if any of you regular readers are scuba divers or not, but I'd like to talk to divers who have experience with any of the following:

  • SpareAir
  • Dive Alert
  • BioFilter (Apollo)

Post a comment, or email me. Thanks!

22 September, 2004

Rollover Alert


Is that CBS, or the United Nations?

Company Converts Buses Into Rolling Labs

Yahoo! News - Co. Converts Buses Into Rolling Labs

The crystal meth types around Southeast Missouri have tried this 'mobile lab' concept as well, with much less success!


21 September, 2004

The Journalists are Circling the Wagons

Howard Witt of the Chicago Tribune wrote an article blasting bloggers because we're anonymous and we don't have any journalistic integrity... Sounds to me like Mr. Witt is a little mad about the Dan Blather debacle as well. Not that it happened, but that Dan got caught.

TOO BAD! We bloggers have no lock on the truth, and we don't have people to fact-check for us, but apparently neither does CBS! I can't speak for everyone, but I write my opinions and what I believe to be true, and if I'm wrong, then post a comment and prove it. As for anonymity, it doesn't matter who is writing a blog if what they've written turns out to be true...

I think Dan Blather, Mr. Witt, and their fellow 'real' journalists are upset that we everyday Neanderthals are generally skeptical of what they tell us, and can do an end-run around the major media anytime we wish. This is the promise of the internet, a more transparent society. Big-time journalists had better change, and quick! It's time to start asking EVERYONE the hard questions, and live up to the journalistic ideals that you wear so conspicuously on your sleeves...

Madonna's Wisdom

Read THIS. He's 100% correct...

19 September, 2004

Make Room for the Baby

Today, I had to remove my weights/workout/martial arts equipment from our spare room. Assuming all goes well, the spare room will be my newborn baby daughter's room in Mid-November! So my workout moves to the shop...

I am excited about her arrival, even though it will be three women to one man in this house... Can't wait for the upcoming sleepless nights!

Sudan faces threat of sanctions

Well, they've done it. The United Nations has shown their continued relevance and ability to handle world problems by passing a resolution to 'consider' sanctions against Sudan for the ongoing genocide... I don't know about you, but I'm quaking in my boots already! Of course, the government in Khartoum will react the same, and this problem will be wrapped up by next weekend...

GET REAL! The Sudanese government is perfectly content with the Janjaweed, the Muslim militia they created that continues the genocide in Darfur. If the U.N. were serious about stopping the genocide, the resolution would state that beginning tomorrow, a 500 pound bomb will land in Khartoum every hour, on the hour until the killing in Darfur stops. The genocide would immediately stop.

Of course, no one has the balls to suggest a solution like that. So the killing of innocent Africans will continue, and the U.N. and all those who believe that the U.N. is the savior of the world can feel good that they threatened sanctions...

16 September, 2004

A Word About Soros if I May

George Soros needs to get a much thicker skin. He spends all this time, money, and energy becoming a publicity hound, then cries foul when someone makes comments about him? COME ON!

Who cares where his money comes from? I thought that it came from financial investments and currency speculation, like when he nearly broke the Bank of England short-selling the pound sterling back in the day...(A great move, by the way. It made him millions...)

The point is this: if you want to be a big-shot billionaire philanthropist who makes high profile associations with groups like moveon.org and the like, you should expect to be ' in the public discourse, ' and you should expect some fire from the folks who are aligned against you, whether their words are true or not.

I would think that a man who endured what he did during his youth and accomplished so much in the financial world would have skin thicker than leather. But then I would have never guessed that such a brilliant capitalist would become a socialist!

14 September, 2004

Reduce the Terrorist Threat by Opening the Border

A more open border might actually be a way to reduce the terrorist threat that might come through Mexico. Let's face it- we need Mexican workers in this country - they do any number of jobs that Americans are just unwilling to do.

Let them present their credentials as a citizen of Mexico at the border, and issue an I.D. and a work visa. Of course, some issues such as emergency room visits and driver's insurance would have to be worked out, but bringing them in 'above the radar' would do a few things for us:

  1. Tax revenues from their then legitimate work would go into our government's coffers.
  2. No person would have to risk their life or the lives of their children to get here.
  3. Any person then trying to sneak in through the Mexican border would most definitely be up to no good (terrorists), and could be dealt with effectively by a border patrol much less bogged down with the work load that currently overwhelms them.

Food for thought. Mexicans are generally hard-working people, and if they want to come work (legally), more power to them. Viva Mexico!


13 September, 2004

Hack Attack

According to my firewall, someone from Morocco tried to attack my computer this weekend. HA! You failed... Bring it on, pal

Autism Charity

An autism charity:

Brent Woodall Foundation For Exceptional Children, which offers care and education to autistic children and their parents.
The Foundation was created by Tracy Woodall, who lost her husband, Brent, in the South Tower on September 11th, 2001. Tracy was 5 weeks pregnant at the time, and she created the foundation as a way of dealing with her grief and extending his legacy.

12 September, 2004

Dan Blather and the Bush Documents Debate

Seems I've been getting a bit more traffic lately to this blog as a result of having 'Dan Blather' in a few posts... Well, here's one more: Dan, you got duped. The Bush National Guard Documents that you so gleefully waved about on 60 Minutes are likely fakes. It's also hilarious that bloggers busted this story wide open!

It's time to admit it, apologize for reporting about it, and then give us some rational reason to continue watching CBS Evening News and/or 60 Minutes (which might well include your stepping down to 'pursue other interests'). 60 Minutes has unknowingly(?) gone the way of the New York Times with its fact-checking, and I'm sure you and your CBS big-wigs still wonder why network news is enduring a continuing ratings decline...

11 September, 2004

Happy Anniversary, America

Maybe I should say, 'Happy Birthday'... Three years ago our nation was reborn with a single sense of purpose not seen since Pearl Harbor or maybe even the Revolutionary War. It's a shame that it took such a gruesome event to wake us up to the threat of terrorism. It's an even greater shame that in just three short years, so much of our population seems to have forgotten that day.

World War III began on that day, and no matter who becomes President, this fight can not be abandoned until we eliminate the radical Islamists. We have a long way to go to get it done.

Then, we can go back to arguing about the Republicans' token tax cuts that mean nothing and the Democrats' constant whining about the need for new social programs!

09 September, 2004

Russia finally understands...

Yahoo! News - Russia Threatens to Strike Terror Bases

Well, well, well. It's sad that it took this school terror business to wake up the former Saddam Hussein appeasers in the Russian leadership, but apparently they are not going to take it any more... You can only be punched in the nose so many times before you finally wake up, say "no more," and strike back!

Folks, our radical Islamic neighbors are building a figurative cannon (including, but not limited to nukes and chemical weapons) that's pointed at our (and every other civilized country's) house. Do we wait until it fires, or do we zealously defend ourselves and take action?

It's time that Russia gets into the game, takes the gloves off, and gets seriously Machiavellian on the Chechens. In light of what they did to those school children, I recommend carpet bombing. After that, maybe they can work with us to clean the rest of this problem up, and all our kids can go to school without worrying that they will die for Allah...


08 September, 2004

MODOT's Job Security


The effect of trucks mentioned in the previous post... Don't pull over here without an SUV! (it's hard to see in this photo, but the shoulder drops about 12 inches)

07 September, 2004

To the Missouri State Highway Patrol

This photo was taken Sept. 2, 2004, 07:33 am, exit 4, Interstate 155 in Southeast Missouri...

This guy is not pulled over on this on-ramp to make a phone call, he's sleeping. How about giving tickets to truckers who are easy to catch (I see a few of these every morning) and who are destroying the shoulder, instead of harassing innocent Mexicans passing through for potential drug busts? Of course, MODOT probably appreciates all the job security with the constant on-ramp shoulder repair...

03 September, 2004

El Presidente is coming

On Monday, El Presidente Bush is coming to Poplar Bluff, one of the small towns here in third-world Missouri. Since not a lot of big news goes down here, everyone seems to be excited. I won't be going to see the Pres, but I am glad that the spotlight is on our often ignored little corner of Missouri.

I'm sure that our local CBS station, KFVS12 (Cape Girardeau), will be on this like white on rice... I bet that one of the local anchors gets pulled off the desk to go cover this event, like when Dan Blather goes to Iraq or some other hot spot. Channel 12 seems to focus the local news coverage on Cape and Southern Illinois, their largest markets, so it will be nice to see a little reporting elsewhere in the region for a change. I am happy for them, maybe the big media hotshots that travel with the Pres will give them a little elbow room to cover this rare news story for our sleepy little region!

Wake up, journalists!

The New American Revolutionist gets it right again- click on the following excerpt to go to his post:

'Particularly in press releases from Reuters, journalists seem to avoid labeling them for what they are: Muslim Fundamentalists. Islamic Terrorists. Jihadists.'

You nailed it, man. I dislike several of Bush's socialist policies, but terrorism and how to deal with it is one topic that he is absolutely right about...

02 September, 2004

Mother Nature is a Mad Scientist

It's interesting that one of the most destructive forces in nature can be so beautiful. Here's the link: Yahoo! News - Top Stories Photos - Reuters

01 September, 2004

Now that's just weird, part 2

THIS speaks for itself.