Links and Minifeatures 08 28 Sunday

Did some Meta-work when I got back from the hospital. Checking my referral logs, I'm noting some of the unusual search engine referrals "U.S. Marines research agency" (Google), "border patrol check point" (MSN - I did do a series on the illegal alien border patrol agent who was caught smuggling other aliens - and I wish I was making that up if you missed it), and weirdest of all, "cat fisking" (MSN). Just for the surreality of it all, did a Yahoo search on "Pleasingly Random Serial Killings" hoping to find a really out there site, but this comes up as number one. I've seen the movie; it's worth watching. I guess my cognitive disjuntions need work.



Based upon data comparisons between my Powerblogs' bandwidth Reports function and Sitemeter's statistics, I'm pretty certain SiteMeter stats are FUBAR, but at least they are likely to be screwed up in a consistent manner between sites, and thus to be worthwhile data for comparison between sites. My ecosystem ranking has gone to 622 (and 535 This morning), which I would be very happy with indeed if I thought it were true. 623 (536 this morning) was Michael Barone of US News, one of my "Heavy Lifter" category sites, which is both a reason I don't believe it and a reason to be ecstatic if I thought it were true.



UPDATE: Getting ready to post, I checked email and found I am by no means the only person to have noticed how fouled up the ecosystem is.

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Argghhh! has a post on Gunfight Rules. He missed the one about three useless things: Weapons not in your possession, ammunition you left behind, and friends who aren't there. I could add a couple more, but his are funny.



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I consider this at aTypical Joe to be an encouraging sign. It is easy to demonize one's opposition; harder and more rewarding to actually try to convert them. Since the only dog I have in this fight is a desire to live in one United States, I see this as an encouraging sign.



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Boxing Alcibiades has a modest proposal for Mexico. I'm not sure if I agree, but he's got a definite point. I've always said that were it not for the fact that the Mexican government is No Damned Good (and by the evidence, unfixably so), they'd be roughly where we are. I'd consider conquest for purposes of assimilation to be on the table, and certainly Mexico's southern border is a lot shorter than ours. The only alternative I see is massive revolution, a la Russia 1917, and those have a horrible record of installing good governments. Merger is only an option if we can permanently bar every last Mexican offical from governmental participation, right down to the corrupt cops on the beat.



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We are the Knuts who say "Nay". George W. Bush and the Holy Grail at The Right Place. It's missing a John Kerry and his minstrels scene, though:





Bravely ran John Kerry, ran John Kerry, ran away

When danger reared it's ugly head

He faked some Purple Hearts and fled



...Except that Sir Robin was one of Arthur's men.



LATER: Re-reading just prior to posting, this does seem harsh. But the parallels with Robin and his minstrels are perfect. Kerry's whole political career has been built upon a self-generated legend that he was some kind of war hero, which falls apart upon investigation. I have no reason to believe he was anything worse than one not particularly competent officer while he was actually in the theater, but that's the most that can really be said for him.



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High Energy Lasers. Cool. HT to Techography



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So much for the pullout helping the Israelis or leading to peace. Israel endures suicide attack. Abbas denounces it as wrong to world press while no doubt praising them domestically and arranging payments to the family. It's fish or cut bait time, Mr. Abbas. Israel anted up more of a contribution to the peace process than anyone should ever have expected them to. Now control your people, or step down in favor of someone who can!



Captain's Quarters has more.



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Combs Spouts Off has a post up on favorite quotations and invites trackbacks, and our favorites in email. Two of my favorites:



He either fears his fate too much,

Or his deserts are small,

That dares not put it to the touch

To gain or lose it all

-James Graham, Marquess of Montrose



and this one I've actually carried in my wallet for a long time now, not as my favorite quote, but as something to inspire me not to be lazy:



"Let George do it" is not just the slogan of a lazy man. It's the credo of the slave. If you want to be taken care of and not have to worry, that's fine; you can join the rest of the cattle. Cattle are comfortable - that's how you recognize them. Just don't complain when they ship you off to the packing plant. They bought and paid for the privelege - and you sold it to them.

-David Gerrold



A lot of my posts here deal with how not to be cattle.



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Just when I didn't think my opinion of Fred Phelps could sink any lower: I found this on Blackfive, alleging that his objective is to be able to draw violence and file lawsuits for damages. I have no idea if the families have any civilly actionable basis against these twerps, but if any lawyers reading think there is, you could do a lot to redeem your profession in my eyes by contacting the families of those fallen he has hurt with his "protests", and offering your services pro bono. This is one group that cries out for as much special treatment as they can get in that vein.



Dean's World has more.



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Captain's Quarters has a truly damning post on Able Danger, as well as this previous post worth reading. The earlier post is bad enough. The latter is a smoking gun. It's been pretty obvious for quite some time that the State Department and CIA have a bureaucratic "Whatever happens, don't rock the boat" culture. This furnishes the smoking gun. It's past time both organizations were cleaned out.



Kausfiles has more.



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LGF directs us to this story about a real hero who deserves to be lionized.



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Christopher Hitchens has an article you should read.



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Below The Beltway emailed with an article on whether the government should have the power to issue a mandatory evacuation order.



My response is only for those not competent to make their own choices (Children and other legal infants), and I think they should physically evacuate those in that category. Competent adults should be told something like "If you stay, you absolve us of all responsibility for your well-being in this matter." Not that the government should normally have a high level of said responsibility, but warnings of this nature are a basic part of the reasons to have a government - so that somebody has the power to get your attention and inform you of threats to your well being. You want to be ignore them, that's your problem. But we're going to take your kids to high ground, right now.