Thursday, November 02, 2006

Winds of War and War and Remembrance

Last night I picked up Vol. 1 of War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk - I read the Forward and I had to blogpost on my thoughts concerning a portion of it.

The forwards says:



"War and Remembrance is a historical romance. The subject is World War II, the viewpoint American.

...

...that war is an old habit of thought, an old frame of mind, an old political technique, that must now pass as human sacrifice and human slavery have passed. I have faith that the human spirit will prove equal to the long heavy task of ending war. Against the pessimistic mood of our time, I think that the human spirit - for all its dark side that I here portray - is in essence heroic. The adventures narrated in this romance aim to show that essence in action.

The beginning of the end of War lies in Remembrance."

Washington
23 March 18978
Purim, 5738 - Herman Wouk



"...that war is an old habit of thought, an old frame of mind, an old political technique, that must now pass as human sacrifice and human slavery have passed."

Have Human Sacrifice and Human Slavery passed?

Herman Wouk seemed to think so but:

Human Sacrifice

and

Human Slavery

are not over in this world.

~~~~ So we back up a bit in what Mr. Wouk said: ~~~~~

...that war is an old habit of thought, an old frame of mind, an old political technique...


I think by the word 'OLD' that Herman Wouk uses thrice might mean passe' - That is, "No longer current or in fashion; out-of-date." as the online dictionary says.

This is fine and a wonderful idea but would only work if the second part of his statement were true. His second part is shown to be untrue from the links above and throughout the pages of newspapers across the world. There are evil people in this world willing to kill and subjugate others. There are evil people on this planet that have burned their consciences perhaps to the point of no return. There are wicked people in this world.

As long as there are people willing to murder and subjugate there must be people to stand against them. Praise the Living God that in this world we have both people and nations willing to stand up and say, "Stop or we will stop you!". In armies around the world there are people willing to sacrifice their own lives to stand against tyranny. Those forces should not be belittled by anyone that hates murder and subjugation. The evil they fight against must not be attributed to them.

The U.S. military would prefer ALL NATIONS on earth to be as free as the people they protect through their service!

It is true that war is 'old' BUT we must realize that evil people will sometimes gain control over nations therefore war is also inevitable.

prying1 sez:

As far as Mr. Wouks statement that war is an "old political technique" I would say that in this election cycle "Peace" is an "old political technique".

It worked in the '70's and 80's, even into the 90's of the last millenium but at that point in time we did not know of the terrorists living among us. The borders were just as open then but the influx of evil was not as predominant as it has become in the intervening years.

We all have an advantage over Mr. Wouk. We have the true history and the enablement of good hindsite to guide us in our immediate future. We also have peaceniks from the '60's throwing dust in the air and mixing up the good guys and the bad guys. President Bush is not the bad guy. Terrorists ramming planes into buildings are the bad guys. The U.S. Military is not the bad guy. Terrorists strapping bombs to themselves and destroying people in pizza parlors are.

John Kerry has shown the voters in this country that the Democratic party is not serious about the war against terrorism. The Democrats would prefer to place social programs above the importance of ridding the world of fanatical extremists. These same social programs will end if the terrorists are allowed to continue to their stated goals.

Many Democratic leaders refuse to see or admit that evil is in this world. Many of them consider the U.S. military to be the problem instead of the solution.

I for one salute our military and urge you to not give up nor be disheartened. You are a positive force in this world!

The human spirit ... is in essence heroic. So is our military!!!

~~~~~


VOTE REPUBLICAN!!!


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I place here for posterity the Forward in it's entirety: - (footnote *'s are mine) -

"War and Remembrance is a historical romance. The subject is World War II, the viewpoint American.

A prologue, The Winds of War, published in 1971, set the historical frame for this work by picturing the events leading up to Pearl Harbor. This is a novel of America at war, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima.

It is the main tale I had to tell. While I naturally hope that some readers, even in this rushed age, will find the time for both novels, War and Remembrance is a story in itself, and can be read without the prologue.

The theme of both novels is single. The last words of Victor Henry's* commentary on the Battle of Leyte Gulf give it plainly enough:

"Either war is finished, or we are."

I have put this theme in the colors and motion of the fiction art, so that "he who runs may read,"** and remember what happened in the worst world catastrophe. As to the history in both tales, I trust that knowing readers will find it has been presented responsibly and with care.

These two linked novels tend to one conclusion: that war is an old habit of thought, an old frame of mind, an old political technique, that must now pass as human sacrifice and human slavery have passed. I have faith that the human spirit will prove equal to the long heavy task of ending war. Against the pessimistic mood of our time, I think that the human spirit - for all its dark side that I here portray - is in essence heroic. The adventures narrated in this romance aim to show that essence in action.

The beginning of the end of War lies in Remembrance."

Washington
23 March 18978
Purim, 5738 - Herman Wouk


* Lead character in the book
** Habakuk 2:2A


~~~~~

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Fun Break From the Elections

I'm not sure when the contest ends but I will suggest you go visit


Say No To Crack - Show off your toilet IQ and Win $20!


prying1 sez: This will give you an opportunity to show the world how smart you are and give those in the U.S. a break from the election news...


Update: I won! Whoo Hoo!

The contest involved matching toilets to countries. There were 9 toytoys and 12 countries to choose from. I guessed 7 out of nine. - I also chose the SUPER SECRET PRIZE. - I'll update again when it gets here.

Let's hear it! HOORAY FOR ME!!!


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Halp Us Jon Carry!

If part of the pic is under the sidebar you can click on it and select "View Image" to catch all of it.





Looks like people I hung around with when I was in... I'm not sure if this is sarcasm or not...

Update: How Devious Lefties in the MSM are handling this Kerry Kerfuffle:

From the Washington Post article - Peter Baker and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers said in an article entitled, Kerry Offers Apology To Troops

It has this bit: "Rejecting the explanation, Republicans quickly developed a Web ad demanding that he apologize and issued statement after statement attacking and mocking him. One released by House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) included a picture that appeared to show soldiers in the desert holding up a banner: "Halp Us Jon Carry -- We R Stuck Hear N Irak."

Please note the word APPEARED! This is intended to throw doubt on the veracity of the photo above. In fact this entire paragraph is intended to show Republicans an unreasoning and spiteful.

Who was it that claimed that the U.S. troops stationed in Vietnam were similar to the hordes of Ghengis Khan? Who claimed to have spent Christmas in Cambodia? Who is it that has a magic hat? Who is it that is still lying even in his excuses? Then ASK, "Who is it that protects the liars?"

Shame on Peter Baker and Jim VandeHei!!!


Anoother Update - New York Post Verifies the photo as REAL and not a hoax as Peter Baker and Jim VandeHei suggested in their biased reporting!

Hat tip to Kowabunga for the link to the NYpost story!
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Pic Borrowed from Drudge...
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John Kerry Is Not Fit To Be President!

The following statement was made at a rally for Phil Angelides who is running for governor of California. California voters should keep in mind the type of characters Angelides hangs out with.


- quote - "Education -- if you make the most of it and you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." - John Kerry (D-MA) 30 Oct 06 - end quote -


John Kerry could have simply said he mis-spoke during an off the cuff speech. That he meant to add, "Like our President" or some such line somewhere in the sentence. That would have pretty much ended the kerfuffle. Instead he goes on the attack at the same time playing the victim card. His only claim to fame is the ability to do both at the same time...


- Quote - "This is a textbook Republican campaign strategy: Try to change the topic; try to make someone else the issue; try to make something else said the issue, not the policy, not their responsibility," Kerry said. "Well, everybody knows it's not working this time, and I'm not going to stand around and let it work." - end quote -



prying1 sez: Change the topic??? All that is being done is quoting what you said!

Attention John Kerry.


Republicans have had enough with Democrats pointing their fingers in our faces and accusing us of being in the wrong... The only people that work their brains real hard to fall for that crap are Democrats who run around pretending stains on blue dresses are caused by not having sex. The same 'real smart' people that don't know what "IS" is. - Real simple. "IS" is what "ISN'T" isn't! -


Kerry released a statement: "If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they're crazy. I'm sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did."



To attack a Democrat simply repeat what they say!

prying1 sez: Listen up goofball! Your service in Vietnam was self centered and a means to advance your own agenda. You are still playing off your mediocre military service. You have shown that to be true by the lies you presented to the American people about U.S. troops in Vietnam being savages. Christmas in Cambodia!

This statement comes from someone who was drafted and himself served in a mediocre fashion. This attack comes from one who recognises a rectal aperture when he sees one because at times he has been one. Note that I said "at times". I will admit I do not know what it is like to be a full time rectal aperture. Perhaps Mr. John Kerry can tell us.

ATTENTION DEMOCRATS - Don't even think of allowing John Kerry to run for President. Write to or call his office and tell him to sit down and shut up. (Don't bother to accuse me of stifling free speech either!) The jerk is not fit to be Commander in Chief of our military forces. If you do let him run, trust me on this, Republicans will tear him a new rectal aperture.

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Tuesday, October 31, 2006

New Computer Interface - Sci-Fi Has Come To Life!

An Amazing Demonstration by Jeff Han of a new interface for computers that will astonish you and have you saying, "I want one!" 2 minutes into the demonstration. The apps for this will be limited only by one's imagination.

A screen that is totally touch sensitive. One part of the presentation Jeff has a couple dozen photos on the screen. With a touch and drag they can be put in any order wanted. Expand and rotate the photos with two fingers on the edges. Another part of the presentation shows a NASA map and it is able to be manipulated in ways that Captain James T. Kirk would be jealous of.

Check it out and come back to tell me how much you will put in my fund to purchase one.

P.S. I'll let you play with it if you donate.



You will need a high speed connection. If you don't have one run to your neighbors house who does. Or check out the DSL Extreme deal on my sidebar!

Jeff Han on WWW.TED.com




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Monday, October 30, 2006

Pagan Holiday Generates Big Bucks???

I love Snopes.com - Urban Legends - - Barbara and David P. Mikkelson have one of the best sites on the web. - Informative and humorous both. If you have never visited them I suggest you do so. In fact if you have visited them do so again. Lots of new stuff going up all the time. Chances are you will find something you heard years ago and always believed was true. Visiting them will tell you, as Paul Harvey says... "The Rest of the story."

This is especially true with those pesky emails that get forwarded to you all the time... - Check them out on Snopes before you forward them to your friends and include Snopes reference URL if they are true OR false.

~~~~~
I had heard a few years ago Halloween is the second-biggest U.S. holiday in terms of retail sales and thought the news a bit depressing. After all it is a pagan holiday and I am a Christian.

A new page Snopes.com has put up (dated 29 Oct 06) informs the world that Halloween is NOT the second biggest holiday in terms of U.S. retail sales. The Urban Legend is just that. An Urban Legend that is typically false.

We have seen an increase in Halloween decorations outside of homes. Sometimes entire blocks vie for the spookiest and scariest home in the neighborhood. This has given credence to the Urban Legend...

Well it seems the truth is that there are several Holidays that top Halloween in retail sales.



* Winter holidays (Christmas): $457.4 billion

* Mother's Day: $13.80 billion

* Valentine's Day: $13.70 billion

* Easter: $12.63 billion

* Father's Day: $9.01 billion


Then comes Halloween in 6th place with a paltry 5 Billion Dollars in retail sales...

Snopes.com gives the reason for the other holidays being on top is because the first five are holidays of giving.

- Quote - unless Halloween evolves into an occasion for giving on a scale considerably greater than handing out a bit of candy to bands of trick-or-treaters, it may not surpass occasions such as Mother's Day and Valentine's Day and approach the #2 slot in retail sales anytime soon. - end quote -

prying1 sez:
It heartens me that in America "giving" and not a pagan holiday is one of the main things that helps keep our economy strong. And it is something we can all do. I suggest doing it a lot in little ways.

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Sunday, October 29, 2006

Join Feedblitz To Get Updates From Friends

Over on the right side of my blog you can see the new "Subscribe Box" for Feedblitz. A friend/fellow blogger, Lee Warren of Little Nuances signed up and I recieved a notice from them that his posting update email was changing from another service to this one. Checking them out it looks like a pretty spiffy service so I figured to give it a whirl.

Now all I need are subscribers to really give it a test. Put your email address in the box and click on the Okie Dokie on the next page that comes up...

It is easy to unsubscribe later if you don't like the service. Each email has an unsubscribe link at the bottom.



You will only recieve one email a day (Sent out @ 1AM EST), spam free, and it can be truncated or complete for individual subscribers. As soon as you put in your email you will automatically get an account and a confirmation/password will be sent to you. You can change the password and set up on blog your own email updates for your friends and regular readers.

Free service with reasonably priced upgrades...

Is this a great country or what???

~~~~~

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