2007-07-16
Life imitates false prophecy
Most Europeans are becoming distrustful of the United States. They wonder why we had the Marshall Plan. WHY are we so beneficent? WHY are we sending them so much money? They can't understand altruism and generosity. They suspect ulterior motives. They are thinking more and more about the coming UNITED STATES OF EUROPE!
We Americans, with the British, gave them the idea. We've tried to organize the European nations together against Russia. They are going to unite against us! And now Europe is about ready for it! The stage is all set! All that's lacking now is the strong LEADER - the coming FUEHRER! The Germans are coming back from the destruction of World War II in breath-taking manner. Germany is the economic and military heart of Europe. Probably Germany will lead and dominate the coming United States of Europe.
- 1975 in prophecy, Herbert W. Armstrong, June 1956.
Public cycling
France, of course, is leading the way:
More than 10,000 unisex bicycles can now be rented for a nominal fee from 750 docking stations outside Metro stations and patisseries across the inner city.
By the end of the year, there will be 20,600 bikes at 1451 locations, meaning most people in central Paris will be no further than 300 metres from the nearest docking point.
The scheme is largely aimed at local commuters rather than the 16 million tourists who visit Paris each year, but any foreigner with a credit card will be able to borrow one of the sturdy three-speed bikes, which come with a large basket and lock.
The scheme — called "Velib", combining the French words for bicycle (vélo) and freedom (liberté) — is part of a longer-term push by the city to improve traffic flow, greenhouse emissions and people's health by promoting sustainable trans- port.
2007-07-15
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
For years the argument has been that these two bombings were necessary to end the war based upon the idea that the Japanese would not surrender in a conventional war.
This is an article that argues that Japan was probably going to surrender anyway, and that the bombings were not needed - thus putting forward the idea that these bombings were, in fact, a war crime.
I'm not certain either way, but anyone who bases argument on evidence (as these historians do) should be listened to.
This is an article that argues that Japan was probably going to surrender anyway, and that the bombings were not needed - thus putting forward the idea that these bombings were, in fact, a war crime.
I'm not certain either way, but anyone who bases argument on evidence (as these historians do) should be listened to.
Very interesting Pasha Bulker picture
This image is not photoshopped. It's probably the first image that showed how ginormous the thing was:
2007-07-14
Getting Blogspotted
It's always a nice thing when someone spots a blog post you've written and then begins a discussion about it at another blog. This has just happened at Angry Bear where some economics mavens are discussing my idea about discouragement taxes.
On the odd occasion my blog posts get picked up and posted by others simply because they visit the site like you are at the moment. Most of the time, however, it's a deliberate act on my part. Steve Gilliard, the much missed blogger who ran The News Blog, would oftentimes pick up on these emails and post what I'd sent.
It is really nice when this happens, but I realise that I need to have a positive attitude towards this when it occurs - ie I need to be happy when it happens but not annoyed when it doesn't.
The fact is that bloggers like Steve Gilliard or Craig Schwarze or Cactus at Angry Bear don't owe me anything. If they don't post about the things I email them or blog about then that's their prerogative and I am not offended. They own their blogs and choose to post whatever they darn well please and if they deign to make some remarks about something I've written then that is their own business too.
It's at this point that I'll quote Maddox, the 21st century's greatest philosopher and pirate:
I don't think I could have said it better myself.
On the odd occasion my blog posts get picked up and posted by others simply because they visit the site like you are at the moment. Most of the time, however, it's a deliberate act on my part. Steve Gilliard, the much missed blogger who ran The News Blog, would oftentimes pick up on these emails and post what I'd sent.
It is really nice when this happens, but I realise that I need to have a positive attitude towards this when it occurs - ie I need to be happy when it happens but not annoyed when it doesn't.
The fact is that bloggers like Steve Gilliard or Craig Schwarze or Cactus at Angry Bear don't owe me anything. If they don't post about the things I email them or blog about then that's their prerogative and I am not offended. They own their blogs and choose to post whatever they darn well please and if they deign to make some remarks about something I've written then that is their own business too.
It's at this point that I'll quote Maddox, the 21st century's greatest philosopher and pirate:
Blogger: Term used to describe anyone with enough time or narcissism to document every tedious bit of minutia filling their uneventful lives. Possibly the most annoying thing about bloggers is the sense of self-importance they get after even the most modest of publicity. Sometimes it takes as little as a referral on a more popular blogger's website to set the lesser blogger's ego into orbit.
Then God forbid a blogger gets mentioned on CNN. If you thought it was impossible for a certain blogger to get more pious than he was, wait until you see the shit storm of self-righteous save-the-world bullshit after a network plug. Suddenly the boring, mild-mannered blogger you once knew will turn into Mother Theresa, and will single handedly take it upon himself to end world hunger with his stupid links to band websites and other smug blogger dipshits.
I don't think I could have said it better myself.
Less than 1% of rapes result in conviction
That's the going rate in Victoria at the moment. I wouldn't expect it to be any better in NSW.
The statistics are [ (rapes convicted) / (rapes reported) ] x 100
Some reports are obviously erroneous. But even when you take that into account the rate is still very low.
Really sad. Really, really sad.
The statistics are [ (rapes convicted) / (rapes reported) ] x 100
Some reports are obviously erroneous. But even when you take that into account the rate is still very low.
Really sad. Really, really sad.
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