Fred Phelps and his clan are in town to protest at the funeral of a bridge collapse victim today.
Come on God. Just one lightning bolt on the asshole. Please?
(Some people wonder why I'm an atheist.)
_
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Thought for the Day
Even if Hillary is beaten in 2008 I don't believe for a second that we will see the last of her. If history has taught us anything it is that those who see power over others as the central value of their lives (Lenin, Hitler, Castro, Chavez, et al.) will continue to work toward that goal until they have achieved it.
That means if we are lucky Hillary will become the Harold Stassen of the Democratic Party, doomed to perpetually run for the office of President. If we're not lucky, she'll win the office of President.
(Yes, I know it wasn't nice to compare her to Harold Stassen. But then I'd dig him up vote for him before I'd vote for Hillary.)
We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality,
_
That means if we are lucky Hillary will become the Harold Stassen of the Democratic Party, doomed to perpetually run for the office of President. If we're not lucky, she'll win the office of President.
(Yes, I know it wasn't nice to compare her to Harold Stassen. But then I'd dig him up vote for him before I'd vote for Hillary.)
We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality,
_
Still At It
Some leftie asshole put up a banner within view of the former Interstate 35W bridge that reads "REBUILD AMERICA (Not Iraq)".
I assumed it was a leftie asshole because it was in a leftie neighborhood.
_
I assumed it was a leftie asshole because it was in a leftie neighborhood.
_
Monday, August 06, 2007
The Continuation of Life
Mr. Lileks has linked to a moral moron who has suggested that the Interstate 35W Bridge not be rebuilt.
This reject from the character list of Atlas Shrugged said:
And what if something, like this bridge, is a value to a human being? In the view of the mentally inverted it is evil and must be destroyed. And if it is destroyed by accident then it must not be rebuilt.
There has to be a cure for mental inversion. Unfortunately, the only one that immediately comes to mind involves the use of thirty feet of rope and a convenient bri... um... other bridge.
So anyway. In my experimentation with alternate routes today I stumbled on to the local headquarters of the Libertarian Party on Raymond Avenue in St. Paul, with a big shop window sized Ron Paul for President banner. It was about a block away from the Mike Ciresi (tobacco litigation looter) for U.S. Senate headquarters on University Avenue.
The funny thing is that Paul Wellstone used to have his usual campaign headquarters on the same city block. It's now a New Age/Wicca bookstore.
_
This reject from the character list of Atlas Shrugged said:
Successful highway reclamation projects have occurred after earthquake disasters along the West Coast where highway culture as born. These have rejuvenated their downtowns by re-structuring transportation solutions made half a century ago when trucks and SUVs were impossible to have. The added real estate and benefits outweigh the new highway bridge that will "outlast the test of time" that would be built in its place. What if Minneapolis wants its land back? What if this City refuses to become a drive-through?
And what if something, like this bridge, is a value to a human being? In the view of the mentally inverted it is evil and must be destroyed. And if it is destroyed by accident then it must not be rebuilt.
There has to be a cure for mental inversion. Unfortunately, the only one that immediately comes to mind involves the use of thirty feet of rope and a convenient bri... um... other bridge.
So anyway. In my experimentation with alternate routes today I stumbled on to the local headquarters of the Libertarian Party on Raymond Avenue in St. Paul, with a big shop window sized Ron Paul for President banner. It was about a block away from the Mike Ciresi (tobacco litigation looter) for U.S. Senate headquarters on University Avenue.
The funny thing is that Paul Wellstone used to have his usual campaign headquarters on the same city block. It's now a New Age/Wicca bookstore.
_
A Message From Rob Devenport
Hello,
Yes, the TML and all of TravellerCentral.com are down. I'm using an
old subscriber list to notify everyone, so if you've unsubscribed in
the last several months, I apologize for sending this to you. And if
I've missed anyone that you know of, please let them know the status.
A couple days ago, a cracker penetrated the TravellerCentral.com
server and deleted all files, possibly in retaliation for Tod stopping
an attack a month ago where someone tried to usurp the server and set
up their own rogue mail server. The recent backups are lost (and Tod
had been within a week of putting a new backup system online too).
He's going to go back to an older backup and rebuild the system (with
tightened security measures).
Since he doesn't believe the attacker overwrote files but just mucked
up the inodes, he's hopeful that much of the user data can be
recovered - it will just take a good deal of time.
The plan is to get the server and basic services (mail server) back up
as soon as practical, I think maybe within a few days, then get user's
data back if possible, which may take a few weeks.
I'll send more details as they become available, or if you have
questions, let me know. With luck you won't hear from me, but from the
list when it's up again.
And as for that cracker miscreant, I just hope they get within range
of my FGMP...
Rob Davenport
TML listmom2
_
Yes, the TML and all of TravellerCentral.com are down. I'm using an
old subscriber list to notify everyone, so if you've unsubscribed in
the last several months, I apologize for sending this to you. And if
I've missed anyone that you know of, please let them know the status.
A couple days ago, a cracker penetrated the TravellerCentral.com
server and deleted all files, possibly in retaliation for Tod stopping
an attack a month ago where someone tried to usurp the server and set
up their own rogue mail server. The recent backups are lost (and Tod
had been within a week of putting a new backup system online too).
He's going to go back to an older backup and rebuild the system (with
tightened security measures).
Since he doesn't believe the attacker overwrote files but just mucked
up the inodes, he's hopeful that much of the user data can be
recovered - it will just take a good deal of time.
The plan is to get the server and basic services (mail server) back up
as soon as practical, I think maybe within a few days, then get user's
data back if possible, which may take a few weeks.
I'll send more details as they become available, or if you have
questions, let me know. With luck you won't hear from me, but from the
list when it's up again.
And as for that cracker miscreant, I just hope they get within range
of my FGMP...
Rob Davenport
TML listmom2
_
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Life Goes On, Sort of, Continued.
Mn-Dot is dismantling the traffic signals and putting up jersey barriers at the intersections on the upper part of Minnesota Highway 280 today. This bottlenecked the traffic on the I-35W detour route down to one lane.
After I checked my P.O. box in at the Downtown Post Office I found a place to park, grabbed the set of binoculars that I keep in my car, and walked down to the old Stone Arch Bridge. There was a crowd on that bridge. I couldn't see the whole of the wreckage of the 35W bridge but I could see huge patches of rust on some the structural pieces that were visible.
Why do I have the odd feeling that I'm living in a chapter of Atlas Shrugged?
_
After I checked my P.O. box in at the Downtown Post Office I found a place to park, grabbed the set of binoculars that I keep in my car, and walked down to the old Stone Arch Bridge. There was a crowd on that bridge. I couldn't see the whole of the wreckage of the 35W bridge but I could see huge patches of rust on some the structural pieces that were visible.
Why do I have the odd feeling that I'm living in a chapter of Atlas Shrugged?
_
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Life Goes On, Sort of.
There is a big box strip mall, The Quarry Center, just off of the closed section of I 35W where I do a lot of grocery shopping. The grocery store didn't appear to be effected by the closure but parking lots in front of the other stores were very close to being empty.
Seriously.
Before Wednesday I would drive around the perimeter of the main parking lot in order to avoid the clogged lane right in front of the retail buildings to get to the Rainbow Foods grocery store. On Thursday I just followed the lane in front. It was that dead there.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality.
_
Seriously.
Before Wednesday I would drive around the perimeter of the main parking lot in order to avoid the clogged lane right in front of the retail buildings to get to the Rainbow Foods grocery store. On Thursday I just followed the lane in front. It was that dead there.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality.
_
Friday, August 03, 2007
I just posted this comment over at the Rott:
_
There has been for the last three decades an effort by the local members of the DFL (Donk) Party to build a rail-based mass-transit system. Part of this effort involved the practice of deliberately underfunding the construction of maintenance of local highways to give the appearance of legitimate necessity to their rail scheme.
This simply reaffirms in my mind my belief that the word “democrat” is now a synonym for murderer.
_
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Bad News
The bridge that carries Interstate Highway 35-W over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis has collapsed into the river.
Until Mn-DOT had started work to refurbish the bridge it was part of the route that I took to and from the Pizza Hut where I work.
_
Update on Thursday Morning:
L.A. Sunsett has something to say on this.
_
Until Mn-DOT had started work to refurbish the bridge it was part of the route that I took to and from the Pizza Hut where I work.
_
Update on Thursday Morning:
L.A. Sunsett has something to say on this.
_
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Quotes of the Day
But people say, no, Che Guevara was actually a Trotskyite. But what's the difference? The only difference between a Trotskyite and a Stalinist is that Trotsky wanted to spread Stalinism all over the world. Big deal. Okay, Castro wanted to keep Stalinism in Cuba while Che Guevara wanted to spread that curse all over the world.
-- Humberto Fontova
And...
For now, I find being an independent more fun ... The partisanship in this place is out of control. As an independent I’ve got the opportunity to speak out against that.
-- Senator Joe Lieberman
We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality.
_
Monday, July 30, 2007
Arrrgh!
For some reason my Traveller blog has been mistakenly identified as a spam blog by some robot.
Yes, I'm whining about it.
So for now I'm going to post the article that I wanted to post on the Traveller blog here:
UMCS VALLEY FORGE
Although the Poor Richard class escort carrier could do a fairly good job of supporting their big sisters, the Victorious class light fleet carriers, they still had the tactical disadvantage of being two-gee ships in an otherwise four-gee fleet. The Navy Department decided to replace the Poor Richard with a vessel that could carry the same fighter-group and accelerate at four gees in a thousand displacement-ton hull. Thus was born the Valley Forge class support carrier.
A dispute arose within the Navy Department and the Confederation Senate over the number of Valley Forge support carriers (which some wags referred to as an ultra-light carrier) that were to be built. Four or six? A compromise was eventually reached where the navy would build eight support carriers.
Part of the reason for building eight support carriers was the reorganization of the Main Force or Battle fleets.
The Main Force of the Ursa Major Confederation Navy was originally divided into three battle fleets: The Coreward Fleet based at Eos; The Central Fleet based at Galtswelt; And the Rimward Fleet based at Freya. Each battle fleet was originally centered on a Victorious class light fleet carrier and its group of escorts.
Under the reorganization, the Rimward Fleet at Freya which was closest to the most likely potential belligerent, the Auroran Empire, would have two Victorious class and two Valley Forge class carriers. The Coreward Fleet at Eos, facing the potentially hostile Republic of New Texas, would get one Victorious class and two Valley Forge class carriers. The Central Fleet at Galtswelt would receive the four remaining Valley Forge class carriers. The old Poor Richard class escort carriers would be independently based, one at Freya, two at Galtswelt, and one at Eos, in support of convoy escort or Marine landing forces as required.
Valley Forge-Class Support Carrier
Ship: Valley Forge
Class: Valley Forge
Type: Support Carrier
Architect: UMCN Bureau of Ships
Tech Level: 11
USP
CVS-A7244E2-050000-30000-0 MCr 717.593 1 KTons
Bat Bear 4 2 Crew: 60
Bat 4 2 TL: 11
Cargo: 28, Fuel: 270, EP: 40, Agility: 3
Craft: 1 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T Fuel Module, 8 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 12 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 6.856 Cost in Quantity: MCr 580.474
Detailed Description
HULL: 1,000 tons standard, 14,000 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 8 Engineers, Medic, 6 Gunners, 29 Flight Crew, 14 Other Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-2, 4G Manuever, Power plant-4, 40 EP, Agility 3
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/5fib Computer
ARMAMENT: 2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-3)
DEFENCES: 8 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 4 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: 50 ton Modular Cutter (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton Fuel Module (Cost of MCr 2), 8 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 12 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 270 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 30 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 30 Staterooms, 28 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 692.448 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 6.856), MCr 548.474 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Support Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Valley Forge class support carrier (sometimes called an ultra-light carrier) was constructed to replace the Poor Richard class escort carrier in the role of supporting main fleet operations. There is additional accomodation for a task force commander and 13 support staff
A total of eight units were constructed. Valley Forge, Ticonderoga, Cowpens, and Bunker Hill were built at Galtswelt. Waterloo, Blenheim, Salamanca, and Agincourt were built at Freya.
_
_
Yes, I'm whining about it.
So for now I'm going to post the article that I wanted to post on the Traveller blog here:
UMCS VALLEY FORGE
Yes, I've seen the film SILENT RUNNING... No, we don't allow lunatic greenies aboard our ships.
-- Commodore John Weymouth, Commander of Valley Forge Task Force.
Although the Poor Richard class escort carrier could do a fairly good job of supporting their big sisters, the Victorious class light fleet carriers, they still had the tactical disadvantage of being two-gee ships in an otherwise four-gee fleet. The Navy Department decided to replace the Poor Richard with a vessel that could carry the same fighter-group and accelerate at four gees in a thousand displacement-ton hull. Thus was born the Valley Forge class support carrier.
A dispute arose within the Navy Department and the Confederation Senate over the number of Valley Forge support carriers (which some wags referred to as an ultra-light carrier) that were to be built. Four or six? A compromise was eventually reached where the navy would build eight support carriers.
Part of the reason for building eight support carriers was the reorganization of the Main Force or Battle fleets.
The Main Force of the Ursa Major Confederation Navy was originally divided into three battle fleets: The Coreward Fleet based at Eos; The Central Fleet based at Galtswelt; And the Rimward Fleet based at Freya. Each battle fleet was originally centered on a Victorious class light fleet carrier and its group of escorts.
Under the reorganization, the Rimward Fleet at Freya which was closest to the most likely potential belligerent, the Auroran Empire, would have two Victorious class and two Valley Forge class carriers. The Coreward Fleet at Eos, facing the potentially hostile Republic of New Texas, would get one Victorious class and two Valley Forge class carriers. The Central Fleet at Galtswelt would receive the four remaining Valley Forge class carriers. The old Poor Richard class escort carriers would be independently based, one at Freya, two at Galtswelt, and one at Eos, in support of convoy escort or Marine landing forces as required.
Valley Forge-Class Support Carrier
Ship: Valley Forge
Class: Valley Forge
Type: Support Carrier
Architect: UMCN Bureau of Ships
Tech Level: 11
USP
CVS-A7244E2-050000-30000-0 MCr 717.593 1 KTons
Bat Bear 4 2 Crew: 60
Bat 4 2 TL: 11
Cargo: 28, Fuel: 270, EP: 40, Agility: 3
Craft: 1 x 50T Modular Cutter, 1 x 30T Fuel Module, 8 x 15T Kurnass Fighter-Interceptor, 12 x 6T Dagger Attack Fighter
Fuel Treatment: On Board Fuel Purification
Architects Fee: MCr 6.856 Cost in Quantity: MCr 580.474
Detailed Description
HULL: 1,000 tons standard, 14,000 cubic meters, Dispersed Structure Configuration
CREW: Pilot, Navigator, 8 Engineers, Medic, 6 Gunners, 29 Flight Crew, 14 Other Crew
ENGINEERING: Jump-2, 4G Manuever, Power plant-4, 40 EP, Agility 3
AVIONICS: Bridge, Model/5fib Computer
ARMAMENT: 2 Triple Beam Laser Turrets organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-3)
DEFENCES: 8 Triple Sandcaster Turrets organised into 4 Batteries (Factor-5)
CRAFT: 50 ton Modular Cutter (Crew of 1, Cost of MCr 30), 30 ton Fuel Module (Cost of MCr 2), 8 x 15 ton Kurnass Fighter-Interceptors (Crew of 2, Sold Separately), 12 x 6 ton Dagger Attack Fighters (Crew of 1, Sold Separately)
FUEL: 270 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance, plus 30 tons of additional fuel), No Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant
MISCELLANEOUS: 30 Staterooms, 28 Tons Cargo
COST: MCr 692.448 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 6.856), MCr 548.474 in Quantity, plus MCr 32.000 of Carried Support Craft
CONSTRUCTION TIME: 120 Weeks Singly, 96 Weeks in Quantity
COMMENTS: The Valley Forge class support carrier (sometimes called an ultra-light carrier) was constructed to replace the Poor Richard class escort carrier in the role of supporting main fleet operations. There is additional accomodation for a task force commander and 13 support staff
A total of eight units were constructed. Valley Forge, Ticonderoga, Cowpens, and Bunker Hill were built at Galtswelt. Waterloo, Blenheim, Salamanca, and Agincourt were built at Freya.
_
_
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Thought for the Day
I really don't have a problem with older women and cleavage, I just have a problem with self-appointed political deities like Hillary. And no, I won't show that photo of Hillary.
I'll show someone else instead.
And I'm still waiting for the bright and shiny future.
_
I'll show someone else instead.
And I'm still waiting for the bright and shiny future.
_
Think Of It As Idiocy In Action
Some politicians are being stupid:
Or to put it another way, it never pays to piss off the people who pay your bills.
HT to Tim Blair
_
A backlash quickly emerged after the Telluride Town Council adopted a resolution last week calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
"It’s huge, unbelievable,” said Telluride Mayor John Pryor. “Ski groups are canceling for the winter. Hundreds of people are bailing. The (town) Web site is flooded with people saying they’re canceling their vacations here.”
Or to put it another way, it never pays to piss off the people who pay your bills.
HT to Tim Blair
_
Quote of the Day
There’s nothing like living under actual socialism to drive up support for capitalism.
-- Carroll Andrew Morse
_
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
You Okay With That?
We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality.
_
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Thought for the Day
Most Lefties couldn't identify the broad side of a barn even if they were standing in plain view of it.
Not yet... right?
Many years ago when I was working in contract security a woman asked me where the main post office was in downtown Minneapolis. I pointed directly to the immense limestone building with the words UNITED STATES POST OFFICE in enormous letters chiseled in stone about a block away at the end of the street.
She said she couldn't see it.
I'm not kidding.
_
Not yet... right?
Many years ago when I was working in contract security a woman asked me where the main post office was in downtown Minneapolis. I pointed directly to the immense limestone building with the words UNITED STATES POST OFFICE in enormous letters chiseled in stone about a block away at the end of the street.
She said she couldn't see it.
I'm not kidding.
_
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
So Anyway...
Some people wonder why I'm an atheist.
Really.
There's this fellow who maintains an archive of bad album covers.
Go there at your own risk.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality.
_
Thursday, July 12, 2007
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