Monday, September 9, 2013
Between Ba-rock and a Hard Place
The blustering threats and the likelihood of U.S. action
in Syria
is occupying hearts and minds of some at this year’s Toronto film festival. But when it comes to Hollywood's usual outspoken voices publicly weighing in on the debate over U.S. intervention in the territory, all we hear are crickets.
"The Hollywood Reporter tried to get comments about the war from Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, but were told they were "unavailable for comment."
Included in the "unavailable for comment" list were other predictably anti-war Hollywoodans such as Josh Brolin and Penn Jillette. To give you an idea just how strong the anti-war silence is in Hollywood, one TIFF attendee was apparently willing to speak with THR until his film's distributor cautioned him against doing so........" - NewsBusters
Who Better than Susan Rice to Argue for Force Against Syria?
"In an astonishing display of either ignorance or brazenness, the White House will mark the first anniversary of the Benghazi terrorist attack this Wednesday by sending National Security Adviser Susan Rice to Capitol Hill to argue the administration's case for military force in Syria......Sending Rice to Congress to brief members on Syria is like sending Typhoid Mary to lecture on public health. Her credibility is, to use a diplomatic term, limited." — John Fund, NRO
Pentagon Grumblings Over Syrian Operation Name
MFNS
Washington - With congress dragging it's feet on a vote to approve the president's wishes to pound some vacant Syrian military installations, Generals in the high command are worried about the upcoming Operational Name, historically give to such military endeavors.
Pentagon Officials have cautioned that further delays on Syrian intervention will seriously restrict the Pentagon's choice of military monikers. Unscrupulous patent trolls have already reserved the names and web addresses "Operation Syria Slap Down", "Operation Gettin some Ass-ad" and the Defense Dept's preferred name,"Operation Recover the Weapons We Sold em".
"We all know the problems associated with rushing to pick a name," explained a Pentagon spokesman. Any future use of "Operation North West" has already been taken by Kanye West and Kim Kardashian" Planned Parenthood has ambivalently objected to the use of the word "Operation", " Syria" is named after a place and Jay-Z has said ‘no’ to anything ‘with a hyphen”.
Congress faces legalized extortion from patent trolls if US forces are to avoid going into battle under the copyright-free names. Even the word "Operation" may already be owned by toy manufacturer Hasbro Inc.
"We've got to get rolling here" the Pentagon insist.
If precious time continuous to past, The Pentagon may be forced into employing mime artists to depict the conflict on news broadcast and in Pentagon press briefings. The only hope is that the Syrian campaign can somehow be effectively communicated by a man stuck in a box, drinking a cup of tea while grabbing a rope.
Washington - With congress dragging it's feet on a vote to approve the president's wishes to pound some vacant Syrian military installations, Generals in the high command are worried about the upcoming Operational Name, historically give to such military endeavors.
Pentagon Officials have cautioned that further delays on Syrian intervention will seriously restrict the Pentagon's choice of military monikers. Unscrupulous patent trolls have already reserved the names and web addresses "Operation Syria Slap Down", "Operation Gettin some Ass-ad" and the Defense Dept's preferred name,"Operation Recover the Weapons We Sold em".
"We all know the problems associated with rushing to pick a name," explained a Pentagon spokesman. Any future use of "Operation North West" has already been taken by Kanye West and Kim Kardashian" Planned Parenthood has ambivalently objected to the use of the word "Operation", " Syria" is named after a place and Jay-Z has said ‘no’ to anything ‘with a hyphen”.
Congress faces legalized extortion from patent trolls if US forces are to avoid going into battle under the copyright-free names. Even the word "Operation" may already be owned by toy manufacturer Hasbro Inc.
"We've got to get rolling here" the Pentagon insist.
If precious time continuous to past, The Pentagon may be forced into employing mime artists to depict the conflict on news broadcast and in Pentagon press briefings. The only hope is that the Syrian campaign can somehow be effectively communicated by a man stuck in a box, drinking a cup of tea while grabbing a rope.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Democrats Suddenly Realize What They Miscalculated About the World: Everything
"As we await Congress’s decision on authorizing the use of U.S. military force in Syria, Democrats are suddenly realizing that their foreign-policy brain-trust completely misjudged the world.
Being nicer to countries like Russia will not make them nicer to you. The United Nations is not an effective tool for resolving crises. Some foreign leaders are beyond persuasion and diplomacy. There is no “international community” ready to work together to solve problems, and there probably never will be.
You can pin this on Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Susan Rice, but most of all, the buck stops with the president. Those of us who scoffed a bit at a state senator ascending to the presidency within four years on a wave of media hype and adoration are not quite so shocked by this current mess. We never bought into this notion that getting greater cooperation from our allies, and less hostility from our enemies, was just a matter of giving this crew the wheel and letting them practice, as Hillary Clinton arrogantly declared it, “smart power.” (These people can’t even label a foreign-policy approach without reminding us of how highly they think of themselves.) They looked out at the world at the end of the Bush years, and didn’t see tough decisions, unsolvable problems, unstable institutions, restless populations, technology enabling the impulse to destabilize existing institutions, evil men hungry for more power, and difficult trade-offs. No, our problems and challengers were just a matter of the previous hands running U.S. foreign policy not being smart enough." - Jim Geraghty, NRO
No Time for the Children
Obama Giving Interviews To Every Major TV News Network
Monday EXCEPT MSNBC
Ahead of his address to the nation about Syria Tuesday the President will give interviews to the evening newscasts of ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, PBS, even Fox News on Monday.
Better still is the anger this will generate when liberals across the fruited plain find out that Obama believes it's far more important to make his case about Syria to Fox News watchers than the limited patrons of MSNBC.
Whatever the reason, it's absolutely spectacular seeing this industry laughing stock get snubbed by the man they all seem to work for.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Meanwhile, Back in DC......
In the next two months, the most unpopular institution in America will decide the fates of a president's power, a military strike, defense contracts, the budget, health-care implementation, the Federal Reserve chairmanship, illegal immigrants, and all of us who would be hit by a debt default.
"It will be bitter, ugly, extremely high stakes and in every case wildly unpredictable. 'In 33 years, we’ve never come back from summer break with the number of very critical, important issues that we’re going to confront over the next 90 to 120 days" - House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer
Case Notes: Patient 540463 - Obama, Barack H.
by The Laughing Conservative
From the notebook of S.H. Rink, MD.
9/5/13 - Patient still unstable after panic attack on Air Force One. We landed at St Petersburg this morning and I have been asked to join him and Susan Rice in The Beast which was flown here because Patient did not want to travel in the same Mercedes Benz limos as the other G20 attendees to the conference at the Constantine Palace. Patient was still showing signs of Vladiphobia as we began the journey."I don't trust that Putin" he said as he peered anxiously out of the window. He spoke to the Secret service driver. "When we get there, how will we know it's the correct destination?" "Don't worry Sir," said the agent "I have driven the route several times to scout for potential security problems." Patient took on a panicked appearance. "Security problems? Oh, God... I knew I should never have entered Pootin's lair."
Patient assumed a fetal position on the back seat and began sucking his thumb. Within only minutes we were outside the Constantine Palace. Patient whimpered: " Doctor, how do I know this isn't the KGB headquarters and they are waiting inside to grab me?" asked Patient. The Secret Service agent, obviously used to Patient's outbursts, said calmly: "Sir, the Lubyanka is in Moscow. The only person waiting inside here is President Putin waiting to greet you."
" Oh God, Dr Rink, give me a shot of your magic juice," patient said to me, and against my better judgment I gave him a small injection of Ativan. "What is your first name, Dr Rink? Patient asked. "Stephen," I replied. "Stephen, please come inside with me, I need your support." We proceeded inside where, waiting for my patient, was his nemesis, Vlad Putin. The Ativan had kicked in now and patient reacted with only a slight wince as Putin's muscled hand clamped around his and squeezed... I could hear Patient's knuckles crack. Patient's Secret Service agents closed in at his sides and I took up the rear. So far so good. ---Dictated by S.H. Rink, MD.
9/6/13 - Patient went to bed very late last night and was up early this morning. He was angry at the world for not buying his Syria attack plan. Vlad Putin asked for a brief meeting this morning. Patient was suspicious of Putin but agreed to a meeting after I had administered a modest dose of Ativan to patient to diminish his Vladiphobia. I was not allowed to attend the meeting but patient emerged trembling and looking scared. "Get me to Air Force One, ASAP," he told his Secret Service detail. "Dr. Rink please stay with me. Please!"
When we were safely installed in the rear seat of The Beast, patient lay down, put a thumb in his mouth and pulled a small, pink blanket out of a door pocket and began to rub the satin edge against his cheek. "Boo-Boo make things better" he said. "Boo-boo is a good blankie." I nodded my agreement, hoping to keep the moron together long enough to get him back on board AF1 and his private office where I could counsel him and get him to relax for the long flight to DC. I was very concerned about what had happened during his one-on-one meeting with Putin, so I decided to hypnotize him. In my medical kit I have a device with a row of LEDs that light-up from side to side and I ask patients to follow the movement with their eyes. A state of hypnosis is usually quickly induced.
"Imagine you are again entering that private room with Putin," I tell him. " Tell me what transpires." Patient begins to tremble again and suddenly gasps: "Wummff" and grabs his stomach. "Putin's has suddenly pivoted and punched me in the solar plexus. He's saying: " Ovitch, keep the hell out of Syria, you pathetic pantiewaist. I fled before he could punch me again."
I tell patient to sleep and to wake in a couple hours when I snap my fingers. --Dictated by Dr S.H. Rink
9/7/13 - Patient remained in a deeply hypnotic trance for several hours. As dawn's early light shone through the windows of Air Force One I snapped my fingers near patient's ear and he sat up sleepily. " It's dawn" I said, "so I guess we'll be landing in DC in a couple hours. I will leave you now so you can catch up on events and have breakfast in peace." I made my way to the general cabin and gratefully accepted an offer of coffee.
I turned on my miniature digital recorder and dictated the general observations that follow: I have previously noted patient's Narcissistic Personality Disorder which today manifests itself as an obsession with Syria, where Patient is childishly focused on immediate gratification and seems completely incapable of thinking in terms of logical steps and consequences. Obamacare-- in which I have a vested interest, as a psychiatrist-- is another obvious example. When I am back in DC I will have to consult with Valerie Jarrett and Joe Biden about how they wish to proceed.
Personally, I would put the moron out to pasture. But that's just me. [BJS]
From the notebook of S.H. Rink, MD.
9/5/13 - Patient still unstable after panic attack on Air Force One. We landed at St Petersburg this morning and I have been asked to join him and Susan Rice in The Beast which was flown here because Patient did not want to travel in the same Mercedes Benz limos as the other G20 attendees to the conference at the Constantine Palace. Patient was still showing signs of Vladiphobia as we began the journey."I don't trust that Putin" he said as he peered anxiously out of the window. He spoke to the Secret service driver. "When we get there, how will we know it's the correct destination?" "Don't worry Sir," said the agent "I have driven the route several times to scout for potential security problems." Patient took on a panicked appearance. "Security problems? Oh, God... I knew I should never have entered Pootin's lair."
Patient assumed a fetal position on the back seat and began sucking his thumb. Within only minutes we were outside the Constantine Palace. Patient whimpered: " Doctor, how do I know this isn't the KGB headquarters and they are waiting inside to grab me?" asked Patient. The Secret Service agent, obviously used to Patient's outbursts, said calmly: "Sir, the Lubyanka is in Moscow. The only person waiting inside here is President Putin waiting to greet you."
" Oh God, Dr Rink, give me a shot of your magic juice," patient said to me, and against my better judgment I gave him a small injection of Ativan. "What is your first name, Dr Rink? Patient asked. "Stephen," I replied. "Stephen, please come inside with me, I need your support." We proceeded inside where, waiting for my patient, was his nemesis, Vlad Putin. The Ativan had kicked in now and patient reacted with only a slight wince as Putin's muscled hand clamped around his and squeezed... I could hear Patient's knuckles crack. Patient's Secret Service agents closed in at his sides and I took up the rear. So far so good. ---Dictated by S.H. Rink, MD.
_______________________________________
9/6/13 - Patient went to bed very late last night and was up early this morning. He was angry at the world for not buying his Syria attack plan. Vlad Putin asked for a brief meeting this morning. Patient was suspicious of Putin but agreed to a meeting after I had administered a modest dose of Ativan to patient to diminish his Vladiphobia. I was not allowed to attend the meeting but patient emerged trembling and looking scared. "Get me to Air Force One, ASAP," he told his Secret Service detail. "Dr. Rink please stay with me. Please!"
When we were safely installed in the rear seat of The Beast, patient lay down, put a thumb in his mouth and pulled a small, pink blanket out of a door pocket and began to rub the satin edge against his cheek. "Boo-Boo make things better" he said. "Boo-boo is a good blankie." I nodded my agreement, hoping to keep the moron together long enough to get him back on board AF1 and his private office where I could counsel him and get him to relax for the long flight to DC. I was very concerned about what had happened during his one-on-one meeting with Putin, so I decided to hypnotize him. In my medical kit I have a device with a row of LEDs that light-up from side to side and I ask patients to follow the movement with their eyes. A state of hypnosis is usually quickly induced.
"Imagine you are again entering that private room with Putin," I tell him. " Tell me what transpires." Patient begins to tremble again and suddenly gasps: "Wummff" and grabs his stomach. "Putin's has suddenly pivoted and punched me in the solar plexus. He's saying: " Ovitch, keep the hell out of Syria, you pathetic pantiewaist. I fled before he could punch me again."
I tell patient to sleep and to wake in a couple hours when I snap my fingers. --Dictated by Dr S.H. Rink
______________________________________
9/7/13 - Patient remained in a deeply hypnotic trance for several hours. As dawn's early light shone through the windows of Air Force One I snapped my fingers near patient's ear and he sat up sleepily. " It's dawn" I said, "so I guess we'll be landing in DC in a couple hours. I will leave you now so you can catch up on events and have breakfast in peace." I made my way to the general cabin and gratefully accepted an offer of coffee.
I turned on my miniature digital recorder and dictated the general observations that follow: I have previously noted patient's Narcissistic Personality Disorder which today manifests itself as an obsession with Syria, where Patient is childishly focused on immediate gratification and seems completely incapable of thinking in terms of logical steps and consequences. Obamacare-- in which I have a vested interest, as a psychiatrist-- is another obvious example. When I am back in DC I will have to consult with Valerie Jarrett and Joe Biden about how they wish to proceed.
Personally, I would put the moron out to pasture. But that's just me. [BJS]
Western Activists Volunteer to Become Collateral Damage
Uh...that 72 virgins deal is only for the Muslims there people.
"Hundreds of western peace activists, including from Britain and from the US, have volunteered to become "human shields" in government-held parts of Syria.
The 'International Human Shields' movement, started by a group of activists in Britain and the US, plans to bring to Syria civilians from countries around the globe, who will try to deter US strikes on the country by staking out potential military targets.
Franklin Lamb, a lawyer recently appointed as the legal adviser for the group said he had been "inundated" with requests from activists including from Canada, France, Italy, the US, and Britain.
The Syrian regime has not yet indicated whether it will allow the group to enter the country, but it raises the prospect of hundreds of pacifists descending on Damascus, as happened in Baghdad before the 2003 Iraq invasion.
The 'human shield' strategy has also been taken up by some Damascenes. A group calling itself 'Over Our Dead Bodies' has established a sit-in at Qassioun, a mountain overlooking Damascus that is home to both a large military base and state television centre. Some demonstrators have brought along their children. Their cheeks painted in the colours of the Syrian flag, they waved posters of Bashar al-Assad and sang patriotic songs...."Keep Reading
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