Five attempts it took me to post the previous entry.
Why?
Because Yahoo 360 CANNOT post your comments without changing your HTML, seemingly at random.
The first time, it turned every sentence in the second half of the post into a link, by cloning the last link in the document approximately 25 times.
The second, it turned everything in the post italic.
The third, I actually pulled the HTML for the entire article out, put it in Notepad, erased all formatting - <center>, <em>, <strong>, <blockquote>... and all links, and put them back by hand. 360 immediately erased half of my line breaks and turned several <strong> tags on separate lines into one big long block of bold text, and also reinserted the bogus links.
The fourth attempt, I rewrote the entire article from scratch in Notepad, deleted the 360 blog entry again, and pasted directly into the HTML view. It worked! Until I noticed that I had forgotten to highlight the post, and went back to edit. As soon as I clicked "edit," the links, bad formatting, and general fuckery came right back.
Deleted it again. On the fifth try, I copied and pasted, remembered to higlight, and everything worked.
I was gonna highlight the Tucker post, too, but after this experience I don't think I will.
Monday, July 31, 2006
I'm Sick And Tired Of This.
And since I'm NEVER sick and tired of ANYTHING, I'm gonna tell you ALL ABOUT IT.
I am sick and tired of people attempting to legitimize terror organizations.
al Quaeda does not deserve Geneva Convention protection; they intentionally hide their operations amongst civilians for the purpose of inducing collateral damage. They wear civilian clothes. They attack indiscriminately, with weapons designed and targetted to kill civilians.
They violate the Geneva Convention in their every action. The Geneva Convention specifically limits the people who can be considered under its protection:
I guess what I'm getting at is that treating terrorists like they're legitimate combatants is retarded, and should be stopped . It is crippling and foolish for a military to conform to a standard to which its enemy does not adhere.
Which brings me to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah also hides among civilians, for the specific purpose of forcing Israel to attack civilians to get to them; they don't wear insignia, they hide themselves as much as they can, they attack indiscriminately, they target civilians specifically, and they parade the fact that Israel is hampered by its morality before the world.
Yet somehow, our media, and that of the world, gives them a pass; Hezbollah is not only not treated as the terrorist organization it is, but internationally isn't even named as such.
Israel, on the other hand, drops leaflets warning of incoming bombing raids; uses proportional force as much as possible; limits incursions in civilian areas as much as is possible; and is vilified the world over for their failures in that regard.
I'm sick of it .
These are Hezbollah terrorists hanging out in civilian areas of Lebanon. These photos were taken by an Australian reporter and smuggled out of Beirut.
With a convenient Antiaircraft gun. Notice the apartment building in the background.
Hezbollah "guarding" a no-go zone after an Israeli raid
Love that big gun. See the smiles?
The reporter was sufficiently horrified that he was more honest than any American reporter I've ever heard except on 9/11:
And yet, the international community continues to badger the Israelis.
The correct response to this kind of cowardly, underhanded fighting is simple: let Israel alone, so they can destroy these vermin utterly. The only way to prevent this kind of human-shield behavior is to prevent it from working. The only way to prevent it from working is to ignore the shields and kill the terrorists anyway .
Will the innocent suffer? Surely they will. But remember that they didn't suffer because of the actions of Israel; their suffering is squarely in the laps of the Hezbollah terrorists who refuse to come out from behind the skirts of their women and children and fight like soldiers.
I am sick and tired of people attempting to legitimize terror organizations.
al Quaeda does not deserve Geneva Convention protection; they intentionally hide their operations amongst civilians for the purpose of inducing collateral damage. They wear civilian clothes. They attack indiscriminately, with weapons designed and targetted to kill civilians.
They violate the Geneva Convention in their every action. The Geneva Convention specifically limits the people who can be considered under its protection:
Article 4Now, the emphasis is mine: al Quaeda operatives disregard these conditions as a matter of course. Because we're STUPID, we accord them legitimacy by allowing them to be treated as "prisoners of war," despite the fact that under the laws of the Geneva Convention, we are in fact entitled to SHOOT THEM OUT OF HAND . The Laws of Land Warfare state:A. Prisoners of war, in the sense of the present Convention, are persons belonging to one of the following categories, who have fallen into the power of the enemy:
1. Members of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict as well as members of militias or volunteer corps forming part of such armed forces.
2. Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps, including those of organized resistance movements, belonging to a Party to the conflict and operating in or outside their own territory, even if this territory is occupied, provided that such militias or volunteer corps, including such organized resistance movements, fulfil the following conditions:
(a) That of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates;
(b) That of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance;
(c) That of carrying arms openly;
(d) That of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.
3. Members of regular armed forces who profess allegiance to a government or an authority not recognized by the Detaining Power.
4. Persons who accompany the armed forces without actually being members thereof, such as civilian members of military aircraft crews, war correspondents, supply contractors, members of labour units or of services responsible for the welfare of the armed forces, provided that they have received authorization from the armed forces which they accompany, who shall provide them for that purpose with an identity card similar to the annexed model.
5. Members of crews, including masters, pilots and apprentices, of the merchant marine and the crews of civil aircraft of the Parties to the conflict, who do not benefit by more favourable treatment under any other provisions of international law.
6. Inhabitants of a non-occupied territory, who on the approach of the enemy spontaneously take up arms to resist the invading forces, without having had time to form themselves into regular armed units, provided they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war.
' As the struggle must be honourable (Article 4), '
Art. 8. It is forbidden:
(a) To make use of poison, in any form whatever;
(b) To make treacherous attempts upon the life of an enemy; as, for example, by keeping assassins in pay or by feigning to surrender;
(c) To attack an enemy while concealing the distinctive signs of an armed force;
(d) To make improper use of the national flag, military insignia or uniform of the enemy, of the flag of truce and of the protective signs prescribed by the ' Geneva Convention ' (Articles 17 and 40) .
I guess what I'm getting at is that treating terrorists like they're legitimate combatants is retarded, and should be stopped . It is crippling and foolish for a military to conform to a standard to which its enemy does not adhere.
Which brings me to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah also hides among civilians, for the specific purpose of forcing Israel to attack civilians to get to them; they don't wear insignia, they hide themselves as much as they can, they attack indiscriminately, they target civilians specifically, and they parade the fact that Israel is hampered by its morality before the world.
Yet somehow, our media, and that of the world, gives them a pass; Hezbollah is not only not treated as the terrorist organization it is, but internationally isn't even named as such.
Israel, on the other hand, drops leaflets warning of incoming bombing raids; uses proportional force as much as possible; limits incursions in civilian areas as much as is possible; and is vilified the world over for their failures in that regard.
I'm sick of it .
These are Hezbollah terrorists hanging out in civilian areas of Lebanon. These photos were taken by an Australian reporter and smuggled out of Beirut.
With a convenient Antiaircraft gun. Notice the apartment building in the background.
Hezbollah "guarding" a no-go zone after an Israeli raid
Love that big gun. See the smiles?
The reporter was sufficiently horrified that he was more honest than any American reporter I've ever heard except on 9/11:
"Hezbollah came in to launch their rockets, then within minutes the area was blasted by Israeli jets," he said.
"Until the Hezbollah fighters arrived, it had not been touched by the Israelis. Then it was totally devastated.
"It was carnage. Two innocent people died in that incident, but it was so lucky it was not more."
And yet, the international community continues to badger the Israelis.
The correct response to this kind of cowardly, underhanded fighting is simple: let Israel alone, so they can destroy these vermin utterly. The only way to prevent this kind of human-shield behavior is to prevent it from working. The only way to prevent it from working is to ignore the shields and kill the terrorists anyway .
Will the innocent suffer? Surely they will. But remember that they didn't suffer because of the actions of Israel; their suffering is squarely in the laps of the Hezbollah terrorists who refuse to come out from behind the skirts of their women and children and fight like soldiers.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Since "Who's Tucker?" Won...
Preston Tucker was an engineer and eventually automobile designer.
He was born in Capac, Michigan, September 21, 1906.
His first automotive experience was working on the production line at Ford Motor Company; he was demoted because he installed a heater in the dashboard of some of the cars he worked on, a feature that at that time Ford did not install.
After time selling cars, designing Indy 500 racers, and building armored cars for the Dutch government, (able to hit 80 MPH, in an armored car, in 1939? Unheard of.) Tucker spent time designing and building armored gun turrets for the U. S. Navy.
Finally, in the 1940's, Tucker began work on one of the world's all-time great "concept cars."
Named the Tucker Torpedo, it was the first American vehicle to incorporate such features as a rear-mounted engine, disc brakes, fuel injection, a padded dashboard, instrumentation in front of the steering wheel, and - last but not least - a center headlight that turned in the direction of the steering wheel, an innovation STILL not used today.
However, Tucker ran out of money, and tried to raise money in a way that raised eyebrows - by selling accessories for the Torpedo before the vehicle was even in production. This caused his indictment for fraud in 1949, and the trial and legal fees left Tucker Corporation bankrupt.
Only 50 Torpedoes were ever built, 37 from the production shop at Tucker Corporation, and 13 later finished from parts in stores. The major auto manufacturers at the time pushed heavily to have him indicted, and "helped" out the prosecution as much as they could, and as a result Tucker was put out of business before being able to become a serious threat to their business.
He was able to resurrect his reputation after the trial, but died from cancer in 1956 before his next automotive project, a sports car, was ever completed.
His innovative ideas - with the exception of the swivelling headlights, which you stil won't see on the road - are still used by auto manufacturers to this day.
Of the 51 (including the prototype) Tucker '48 sedans ever built, 47 still exist today.
The Tucker Torpedo featured:
To give you an idea, this vehicle has about the same weight to power ratio as a 2005 Lexus LX. And it was made in 1948.
Preston Tucker was one of America's automotive pioneers.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Driver's side.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Passenger side.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Rear.
1948 Tucker Sedan, dashboard detail.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Steering wheel detail.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Interior.
We're not worthy, dude.
He was born in Capac, Michigan, September 21, 1906.
His first automotive experience was working on the production line at Ford Motor Company; he was demoted because he installed a heater in the dashboard of some of the cars he worked on, a feature that at that time Ford did not install.
After time selling cars, designing Indy 500 racers, and building armored cars for the Dutch government, (able to hit 80 MPH, in an armored car, in 1939? Unheard of.) Tucker spent time designing and building armored gun turrets for the U. S. Navy.
Finally, in the 1940's, Tucker began work on one of the world's all-time great "concept cars."
Named the Tucker Torpedo, it was the first American vehicle to incorporate such features as a rear-mounted engine, disc brakes, fuel injection, a padded dashboard, instrumentation in front of the steering wheel, and - last but not least - a center headlight that turned in the direction of the steering wheel, an innovation STILL not used today.
However, Tucker ran out of money, and tried to raise money in a way that raised eyebrows - by selling accessories for the Torpedo before the vehicle was even in production. This caused his indictment for fraud in 1949, and the trial and legal fees left Tucker Corporation bankrupt.
Only 50 Torpedoes were ever built, 37 from the production shop at Tucker Corporation, and 13 later finished from parts in stores. The major auto manufacturers at the time pushed heavily to have him indicted, and "helped" out the prosecution as much as they could, and as a result Tucker was put out of business before being able to become a serious threat to their business.
He was able to resurrect his reputation after the trial, but died from cancer in 1956 before his next automotive project, a sports car, was ever completed.
His innovative ideas - with the exception of the swivelling headlights, which you stil won't see on the road - are still used by auto manufacturers to this day.
Of the 51 (including the prototype) Tucker '48 sedans ever built, 47 still exist today.
The Tucker Torpedo featured:
- 334.1 cubic inch flat-6 engine, adapted from a helicopter engine. 166 horsepower!
- First automobile to have a "safety cage."
- First automobile to mount the steering box behind the front axle to protect the driver from front-end collisions.
- First (and only!) automobile to use a swiveling headlight.
- First "hemi."
- First fuel-injected automotive engine.
- First "safety glass" pop-out windshield.
- Automatic transmission. (In the prototype. They were unable to work all the bugs out before production, and the existing Tucker '48's have manual transmissions.)
- 4-wheel independent suspension.
- Tubular shocks.
- First all-sealed water cooling system.
- A drag coefficient of only 0.27 - better than 90% of the cars on the road today, which average between 0.3 and 0.35. Equivalent would be the Infiniti G35, or the Mercedes-Benz W-203 C-class.
- Top speed of 109 MPH, and gets 24 MPG. I will note that this is better than the car I drive now.
- Oddly, the Torpedo did not have seat belts - Tucker had considered them, but rejected them because he was afraid they might give the impression his car was unsafe.
To give you an idea, this vehicle has about the same weight to power ratio as a 2005 Lexus LX. And it was made in 1948.
Preston Tucker was one of America's automotive pioneers.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Driver's side.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Passenger side.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Rear.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Steering wheel detail.
1948 Tucker Sedan, Interior.
We're not worthy, dude.
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