Sucks to be him

In Taiwan, they don't mess around with drug users. Mark Emery, take note.

The Sooner the Better

Saddam says his soul to be 'sacrificed'

As soon as possible. Preferably yesterday.

Imprisoned former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein wrote in a letter published Sunday that he is prepared to sacrifice himself for the Arab cause, and called on other Arabs to follow his example.

What Arab cause would that be, Saddam? The cause of you running your country like a thug? The cause of your sick, twisted, pathetic sons torturing, raping and killing anyone? The cause of ostracizing half your population and treating them lower than dogs? Or was it the cause of gassing the Kurds or walking all over the Shiites? Well, I'd have been thankful if you had sacrificed yourself decades ago, you snivelling, pathetic, feckless loon.

"In our glorious nation, my soul, and what I have been born on, is to be sacrificed to it," the letter said, in what the context suggested was an apparent reference to all Arabs.

Your "glorious nation", which is only now taking its rightful place among the free and civilized nations of the world. And what a glorious nation they will continue to become, no thanks to you.

Saddam has been in custody since December 2003, when he was captured by U.S. troops. The letter appeared to include thoughts about his incarceration.

S'funny... I didn't know that sacks of monkey piss could think? So, thoughts about your incarceration, eh? This oughta be good.

"Where is life without faith and love and the harmony which is inherited in our nation?" he wrote in Arabic.

Those sleep deprivation techniques used by the US military must've really worked. He's a complete raving lunatic! How else could he possibly imply that there was love and harmony in his "glorious nation".

"It is not too much for a man to answer the call of his nation with all that he possesses, and with his soul, yet it is what the nation deserves," the letter said, an apparent call for others to follow his lead.

While you are all out answering the call of the nation, I'll be hiding in a spider hole with hundreds of thousands of dollars, thanks. But do as I say, and not as I do, people!

"My brother, love your people, love Palestine, long live Palestine, love your nation," he wrote.

Blah Blah Blah.

He appeared before an Iraqi tribunal in July 2004 to hear a list of preliminary charges against him.

The charges include the 1990 invasion of Kuwait; the 1986-88 Anfal campaign against the Kurdish minority in northern Iraq; the 1988 chemical attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja during that campaign; and the suppression of the 1991 revolts by Iraq's Kurdish and Shiite populations.

Oh, and tack on the charge of "being a complete asshat and a filthy terrorist-loving shitheel" of which he is obviously guilty.

Shiites and Kurds were repressed by Saddam's regime.

That's putting it mildly. Leave it to CNN, your trusted name in news.

But Sunnis largely boycotted January's election for a transitional government, with Shiites and Kurds faring best in the vote.

Disagreement among the three groups on the role of federalism is among the key sticking points that has caused a delay in the adoption of a draft constitution.

But when that constitution is drafted, and finally accepted, it truly will be a glorious thing. And all Iraqi's who want a say in how the government will run will have their chance to voice their thoughts. A far cry from the despotic police state that was Saddam's Iraq.

Now can we please show Saddam the door? You know, that wooden door underneath the nicely wound piece of rope hanging there.

Cha-Ching

The price of gas in Smithers is $1.09 (.9) per litre. I spend thirty bucks today, and got half a tank out of the deal. Thirty Bucks. Half a fekkin' tank.

Extraordinarily painful.

I thought this whole thing about invading middle east countries and stealing their oil was gonna increase the supply, hence reduce the price. Something is wrong here!

I'd curse Jean Chretien for not supporting the war, but the price of gas in the US ain't that much better.

Half a fekkin' tank. Thirty bucks.
Wonder what it is in Vancouver.

Apologies

Many apologies for the light blogging over the past week or so. Time flies when you are liberating Karkand and securing the Fu She Pass. Not to mention, work pretty much sucks the life right out of me, and when I come home I desire nothing more than to play B2 and read blogs.

Not much to see here, but things will improve shortly.

How about those Canucks? So Dave Nonis is not as asleep at the wheel as I thought he was.

That's about all for now. If you are ever playing Battlefied 2, look for me, I'm WestCoastChaos. And I'm all about the c4 explodey pack.

Jewish Flip Flop

Kateland's asking a good question over at the Last Amazon.

Many regard the Gaza withdrawl as long overdue. I suppose if you think of the Jews in Gaza as occupiers, then it is easy to conclude that they need to go. However, if you think of the Jews living there as the rightful owners of land they won after a war they did not start, the pull-out seems ludicrous.

I can't help but wonder how much better life in Gaza will be, now that these fine folks will be in charge.

*sigh*

Update August 16, 5:28pm - And as far as his Imperial Rottieness is concerned, Dubya has failed Eretz Yisrael every bit as much as Sharon has.

True in Every Aspect of Life

"People who surrender, they're cowards." - Smokey Smith

I needed to be reminded of that. Thanks, Andrew, and well done!.

Update 1:10pm August 11 - I find Smokey Smith's comments offensive and dangerous. He is, and was, a beast who should've been muzzled over sixty years ago. Obviously he was nothing but a testosterone-filled soldier. He is far removed from our heritage: one hundred years of Canadian peace-keeping.
A little satire there... just so's ya know.

But dang what a great way to go...

I can think of a lot worse ways to kick the bucket,

Man dies after marathon video game session

That reminds me, I haven't played Battlefield 2 since this morning. Stupid job is always getting in the way.

He's Ba-aaaaaaack!

Bertuzzi has been reinstated!

Gary Bettman, you have just gained much respect and honour in the eyes of this blogger.

Great news.

The Aviators

A lot of interesting aviation stories coming out of the Bulkley Valley lately, including this one:

BLACKHAWK DOWN
Bad weather in the Telkwa Pass on July 20 finally forced a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter to land on the shoulder of Hwy 16 after running out of fuel.
The giant UH-60L Black Hawk belonging to the Alaska Army National Guard was en route from California to Alaska when it met with heavy headwinds resulting in the chopper consuming more fuel than anticipated, said Major Mike Haller of the Alaska Army National Guard.
Severe head winds developed and the crew decided to divert to Prince Rupert. The weather worsened preventing the helicopter from making it through the Telkwa Pass and the crew opted to head for the Terrace airport, Maj. Haller says. With the helicopter running dangerously low on fuel, the pilot landed the helicopter astride the busy highway about 30 kilometres east of Terrace near the tiny community of Usk.

Earlier on in that article, the NT Air plane that crashed outside of Squamish is mentioned. From what my sources tell me, the plane did not have its Cockpit Voice Recorder, so investigators are pretty much stumped as to what really happened in the last moments of the flight. In those types of planes, the CVR is removed once a year for monitoring and refurbishing. Unfortunately, it was taken out the day the flight took off from Vancouver, on its way to Smithers. It was scheduled to be put back in upon its return. We may never know what caused the crash.
Pilot Michael Black's funeral was yesterday in Kelowna. A large crowd came out to remember him.

He was a good guy and had lots of friends. He will be missed.

Evil!

No, that is NOT what is going on here.

Not that there is anything wrong with that. What two grown men do in the privacy of their own bedroom is nobodies business.

BUT STILL! HOW DARE YOU EVEN THINK IT!

Heh.

Dween Rancher Honda Blog

"Dween Rancher Honda Blog"

Details to follow...

(I know, I know, I've been saying that a lot lately....)

Smokey.

Canada should mourn and honour this man.

May we all live such an honourable life.

Wish I had written this

AP, it just keeps getting better:

He's so far beneath you,
And not what I expect,
From someone pure and true,
Where's your self-respect?
***
Like so many women
I don't know what you think,
I wonder again and again,
How can all this sync?

This would've rung a lot truer for me if he had written it a week ago. Nonetheless, another fine piece by the Anonymous Poet.

Boo-urns

So Niedermayer is a Duck, that's too bad.

What is Vancouver's defence going to look like in two months? Ohlund, Jovanovski, Salo, Allen, Baumgartner, Bergevin?

Jovo will make 4 million bucks this season. He'd better earn it.

Good.

One less sackofmonkeycrap in the Western Conference.

Good. Bloody. Riddance.

Continuing to hope

It is my sincere desire that this decision:

Naslund elects to re-sign with Vancouver

is somehow related to this one.

For those of you who like to assume... no, I'm not talking about Forsberg...

Those Darned Easterners...

As a response to this...

Heh, those easterners cannot be allowed to have all the fun. I am going to beg, plead, borrow, and steal whatever time I can possibly get off towards the end of August/beginning of September. I am hoping for Sept 1 - 4th off, during which time I will fly to the Lower mainland and enjoy a brew or two with some of the finest people in Western Canada (and whomever else wants to join... hint, hint)

Naturally, this is subject to change, depending upon my oh-so-benevolent overlords at work. What say you all? Let's figure out a time and a place and a date, and show those Ontario weenies that the Western Chapter of the Red Ensign Brigade can organize a round-up just as well as they can. Does anyone have a favorite watering hole/whatever to meet at? Having lived there for two years, I know the Abbotsford area quite well, but I am also familiar with the downtown of Vancouver, and a bit of Chilliwack. Let's get 'er done!

I have yet to ask for any time off, but I am 80-85% sure I can get time off if I give ample notice. Let's make this a reality.

PS: Curt and Rebecca, I promise a response to our discussion is forthcoming.... bear with me, this weekend has been most trying, and the week itself doesn't seem much better!

My first, and quite possibly only, attempt at Cat-blogging.

"Little Whitey"