Happy New Year to everyone on the Turley blog. This has been an extraordinary first year of the blog which is approaching two million hits annually. The success of the blog is due largely to our regulars who continue to make this one of the smartest and most fun blogs on the web. Even with the invasion by trolls and a few uncivil moments, the blog has remained a special forum for intelligent, civil, and often witty discourse. Our impressive monthly growth (and the obvious irritation of trolls) is a testament to the fact that there remains many people who want to engage in such dialogue. 2008 was our first full year in operation and I am very grateful for the contributions of all of the regulars on this blog.
Recently, I was described as playing the role of the bartender at Cheers in hosting this site for the regulars. I thought that was a pretty apt description. This blog is primarily designed for the discourse among our group and the stories are merely topics for general consideration. This may not be “where Everybody Knows Your Name” (or at least your real name), but it is your virtual bar (cyber cabs are supplied to anyone who overindulges) and I am merely the (largely) passive management. (However, I refuse to date Whoopi Goldberg).
Now, I am off to make our traditional “Bowl of the Wife of the Kit Carson” Soup and wasabi Bloody Marys for our New Year’s celebration. I hope that everyone has a relaxing New Year’s Day and here’s to an even greater 2009!
THIS IS A GREAT BEGINNING TO A NEW YEAR!
Strike Kills Hamas Leader
Thursday, January 01, 2009
An Israeli airstrike Thursday killed a senior Hamas leader at his home, Hamas said.
Nizar Rayyan is the highest-ranking Hamas leader to be killed by Israeli airstrikes in the last six days, and was an advocate of homicide bombings against Israel. Rayyan had close ties to the group’s military wing
Also on Thursday, Israel demanded international monitors as a key term of any future truce with Gaza Strip militants, as its warplanes bombed the parliament building in Gaza City and its ships attacked coastline positions of the territory’s Islamic Hamas rulers.
Keep pounding the civilian targeting terrorists Israel! Keep pounding them! Don’t let up. Don’t listen to those that whine for a truce, all Hamas will do is use the truce to arm up again.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
IAF Video: Attack on rocket mosque
On Wednesday, the IAF destroyed a mosque that was being used to store Kassams and Grad Katyusha rockets. Hamas used the mosque for storing rockets, because they figure the very moral and proper Israelis would never attack a mosque. And they wouldn’t have if they hadn’t known what was in it.
Channel 10 reported that the IAF had received high-level orders to hit the mosque after Hamas terror operatives had run there with several rockets and Grad-type missiles.
The strike set off numerous secondary explosions, caused by the munitions stockpiled in the mosque. In recent days joint IDF and ISA intelligence efforts produced information that terrorists were hoarding weapons in the mosque and carrying out rocket attacks against Israeli communities from its grounds, as well as using it as a place of hiding, the IDF said.
For those of you who have closely followed the American battles in Iraq, this should sound familiar from Fallujah. They rant and rave about their holy mosques and then they go ahead and use them for purposes that have nothing to do with the worship of God.
Wasabi Bloody Marys?! That’s the kind of creative thinking and bold ideas that keeps me coming back to your blog.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
THANK YOU PRESIDENT BUSH FOR FREEING 25 MILLION IRAQIS! THANKS FOR NOT LETTING THE DEMOCRATS GET AWAY WITH LOSING THE WAR FOR POLITICAL GAIN.
NO THANKS HARRY REID YOU IGNORANT PERSON, FOR STANDING IN FRONT OF THE MEDIA IN JULY OF 2007 TELLING THE WORLD THE WAR IS LOST. YOU COST MAN AMERICAN DEATHS WITH THAT STATEMENT.
NO THANKS TO KEITH OLBERMANN, RACHAEL MADDOW, CHRIS MATTHEWS, AND THE LIKES FOR DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO BLAME AMERICAN SOLDIERS FIRST AND THUG DICTATORS AND TERRORISTS SECOND.
Iraq Takes Over Control Of Green Zone From U.S.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki calls handover the most visible sign that his country has regained its sovereignty. Thanks President Bush for resolve in the face of opposition to winning.
Toymaker Assails Costs of New Law
Selecta, a German toymaker, carves whimsical cars and characters from native woods, colors them with vegetable dyes and coats them in silky beeswax. No lead, no toxic varnishes. Not even waste — the company heats its factory with leftover woodchips. Just the kind of toymaker in demand after scares about tainted playthings from China.
But now Selecta is pulling out of the U.S. market. Its problem, executives say, is consumer legislation and layers of attorneys that are adding crushing costs to selling toys in America.
The $22 billion toy industry says new requirements have created confusing bureaucratic layers and startling new costs that will decimate a business already struggling through a punishing recession.
For the first time, manufacturers will have to pay independent testing laboratories to verify that every component of a product meets new limits for lead and does not contain six chemicals that Congress has banned from plastic children’s products.
Learning Resources, an Illinois manufacturer of educational toys, says one lab wants $24,000 to test a certain model of children’s telescopes. Many companies say that the law does not spell out exactly what must be tested and that the uncertainty is creating havoc with business plans.
Manufacturers say the law will have unintended consequences: halting the sale of kids’ bicycles, requiring clothingmakers to discard millions of dollars in inventory, and banning products that pose little or no safety threat over fear of harassing lawsuits.
“This business is being ruined, and it has nothing to do with safety,” said Rick Woldenberg, chairman of Learning Resources. “It has to do with mania.”
Thanks JT for the very kind words. It was smart of you to get married on New Years Eve. Now you don’t have to use:
“Welcome to SaveMyAss.
SaveMyAss is a flower delivery service / relationship insurance policy. We send flowers to your girlfriend or wife on a regular basis.”
I just love this whole idea, it’s charmingly sleezy!!!
Charity,
You have a wicked sense of humor. Happy New Years!
I have a zoological question for the New Year. Does anyone know whether if you ignore a troll, will they go away or just keep incessantly repeating the same off point drivel that’s not original to them? I am specifically thinking of the species carole neoconus knownothingus bushapologius.
JT and other belly-uppers at our salo(o)n:
And happy New Year to you and yours as well! I am getting my screen warmed up for the high religious feast day in my offbeat but popular religion–Bowl Game Day. Let the festivities begin, and bring on the Wasabi-atinis!! Why ruin a good drink with tomato juice.
Happy New Year to all, even the trolls.
Mespo,I enjoyed your zoological question. The answer, unfortunately, is no. The general species, trollacon neoconus is well known for their lemming like qualities and their amazing inability to learn.
rafflaw:
Happy New Year to you too! But a follow up: if we wish hard enough will these lemmings march to the sea??
Happy News Year! Even you, Mespo
jonolan:
Right back at you!
Merry Christmas. May the love of Jesus Christ permeate your left wing hardened souls.
Mespo,
Personally I don’t think any course of action will have an effect. My theory is that most of our trolls are just the same spam-bot using different names. Someone probably has a list of popular “Left leaning” blogs (although I was under the impression that Turley was more of a libertarian) that they spam whenever they get a new talking point from whatever conservative think tank news letters they get. Since the whole thing’s automated both ignoring them and mocking them have the exact same impact.
Everyone,
Happy arbitrary point in the Earth’s orbit day!
Gyges,
You left wing hardened soul bastard. We don’t like science here. Be gone! Before you go, if you have a recommendation for some music (any kind) that you discovered this year, please pass it along.
a happy happy to everyone and geez, what’s the recipe for that soup???
Donald,
While I don’t generally discuss theology, I just thought I’d mention that there’s an interesting passage about what love does and does not do in First Corinthians. What is especially relevant is the fact that being rude is on the list of things that love does NOT do.
Gyges, good point. Please instruct the lefties to stop their rudeness immediately.
Trolls are the sign of a successful blog. All the bigger blogs have them. Professor Turley should be proud for having drawn so many in in such a short time. After all, like the old saying goes, you know you’re doing something right when they’re shooting at you.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
Trolls are a sign of having a nut blog that makes people want to come and shake the nuts.
I can think of some other things you can do with our nuts.
Mine in particular.
” You left wing hardened soul bastard. We don’t like science here. Be gone!”
That’s right! Why can’t you lefties be kind and soft-hearted like those war-loving, homosexual hating, women-in-their place righties?
Here’s a list of my new year’s resolutions:
1. Get homosexuals to stop sinning. Everything they do is a sin and they don’t deserve any rights at all.
2. Get children to stop sinning. Spare the rod and spoil the child. Watch out kids, this hurts my soft soul more than it hurts you.
3. Get women to stop sinning. My soul is too soft to want to pay taxes for programs that benefit you or your children. But $700 billion for God knows what makes a lot of sense as long as it benefits corporations.
4. Get democrats to stop sinning. All they ever want is money for social programs and things that benefit most of the people of the United States. Don’t these sinful democrats know that money is meant for the chosen few? It’s God’s plan that increasing numbers of people have to choose between paying for heat, medicine, and transportation. The gift of struggle warms my soft soul.
5. Change myself? Why tamper with perfection………?
Lindy Lou,
Finally, someone with a voice of reason for the season! A fine list (especially that last one)!! Happy New Year!
And Happy New Year to “all the ususal suspects” as Mike Spinell called everyone
I actually posted this in a different thread, but the infestation of trolls and the opportunity to recast the thought as a resolution makes it even more appropriate here.
My New Years Resolution:
As for trolls, I, for one, will NOT be lectured to by people who’ve endorsed the foreign, domestic and economic failures of the Bush regime. Conservatives have zero credibility on these issues and lack “standing” to offer any viable criticism of the incoming administration. Unless they’re willing to be contrite, apologize for their errors of judgement for the passed eight years and submit to two weeks of intense left wing indoctrination, they have as much to contribute to an intellectual or political discussion as a small ill-tempered dog yapping from another room.
God Bless President Bush & VP President Cheney!
Two world class heroes that a President Obama only can aspire to and his already falling flat on his face before he even takes office.
Well, God something them.
And they are two world class somethings, but it ain’t heroes.
rcampbell -
“As for trolls, I, for one, will NOT be lectured to by people who’ve endorsed the foreign, domestic and economic failures of the Bush regime.”
Yes.
Gyges -
“Someone probably has a list of popular “Left leaning” blogs (although I was under the impression that Turley was more of a libertarian)…”
I think those who worship at the alter of Bush/Cheney are under the impression that anyone who doesn’t is a left-wing liberal (when most of us are merely suffering from common sense). The neocons moved the goal posts so far right that anything just right of center is considered a commie!
To JT and all the regulars, Happy New Year and may this one be better than the last.
And now for the Rose Bowl …
Donald
Thanks for today’s Joke of the day. It would be even funnier if anyone actually believed it was true.
Mojo,
Well said. The erros and lies of the Bush administration have turned conservatives into anti-Bush advocates.
As to the Rose Bowl, USC just scored to take the lead again, but I am hoping Penn State can pull this one out.
sherry
that soup is chicken,chickpeas,chiles and rice
Gyges: Happy arbitrary point in the Earth’s orbit day!
nice, I think I’ll use that, credit to you of course
to everyone, I hope all of your arbitrary points in the Earth’s orbit are good ones*
*thanks to Gyges
Hook em Horns
To whom it may concern:
Are you attracted to fear? Unsure about this question? Try visualizing this, Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Co, wearing orange jump suits. Did your heart skip a beat, pulse quicken, and respiration became shallow? You’ll know if the shoe fits.
Do the honorable thing! Proceed here and vote this site number ONE:
http://abajournal.com/blawgs/blawg100_2008/professors
Time is running out…
I’m not in the habit of posting links here, and I hope Professor Turley doesn’t mind an indulgence, but I thought these were worth sharing. Some amazing images from the year that just passed:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/the_year_2008_in_photographs_p.html
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/2008_in_photographs_part_2_of.html
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/2008_the_year_in_photographs_p.html
If the links don’t work you may want to just check http://www.boston.com and it may point you to the images …
And to CEJ, nice Bob Dylan song.
Mojo
Thanks for the links. Incredible photos of triumphs and tragedies from all over the globe. It’s so important to know, or to at least be exposed to, what is happening in other parts of the world both the news worthy variety and of more local celebrations.
C.Everett Kook and Sherry:
No self-respecting Carson soup maker uses chicken. I cook a whole turkey and use the meat for the soup. Each version is a bit different. I use a variety of peppers including chipotle but I like it hot. This year I made enough for 80 people — it is better when made in vast quantities.
oh that sounds so good. i make turkey soup every year(in 2 or 3 big pots)but i usually make it with rice. thanks.
JT,
The Coneheads believe it is better to be eaten in mass quantities.
sherry,
Your night of the living dead rabbits crack was great!
Jill,
A bit late, but…
Dawn Landes is fantastic,
I recently discovered the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (I’m a little slow sometimes),
Duke Ellington’s album “Money Jungle” is a real eye opener,
and I finally got a hold of an album from a long defunct Boulder area Trad. Jazz group called “The Ophelia Swing Band”
Oh and whenever I bring up stuff people might not have heard, one of the best recordings I’ve ever heard is “Dinah Jams,” which features a VERY young Maynard Ferguson on a jaw dropping “Summertime.”
Thanks Gyges,
I’ll be looking them up.
Professor: I used to work with a fellow that made that soup with chicken but he also made gumbo with no okra and Texas chili with beans, so in retrospect it doesn’t appear as though he knew what he was talking about.He made some good soup though.
jonathanturley 1, January 2, 2009 at 1:55 pm
“C.Everett Kook and Sherry:
No self-respecting Carson soup maker uses chicken. I cook a whole turkey and use the meat for the soup. Each version is a bit different. I use a variety of peppers including chipotle but I like it hot. This year I made enough for 80 people — it is better when made in vast quantities”
Weapons of mass consumption?