Badger's Den

Made Me Smile
1:05 p.m. - 2007-09-14

You know you're an engineer if you have no life & can prove it mathematically.

We have enough youth. How about a fountain of SMART?

Time flies when you are sick and psychotic.

The ozone layer or cheese in a spray can. Dont make me choose.

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Press any key... no, no, no, not that one!

I dont know what your problem is, but I'll bet its hard to pronounce.

Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense.

ERROR: Keyboard not attached. Press F-1 to continue.

Enter any 11-digit prime number to continue...

Department of Redundancy Department.

Deja Moo: The feeling you've heard this bullshit before.

Chaos! Panic! Disaster! (My work here is done)

Blessed are the Geeks, for they shall internet the earth.

Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Never drink & derive.

Just because you're necessary doesn't mean you're important...

A Few Harmless Flakes Working Together Can Unleash An Avalanche Of Destruction.

It Could Be that the Purpose of Your Life Is Only to Serve as a Warning to Others.

None Of Us Is As Dumb As All Of Us.

When You Earnestly Believe You Can Compensate For A Lack Of Skill By Doubling Your Efforts, There's No End To What You Can't Do.

If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Be Made In Prolonging The Problem.

You Can Do Anything You Set Your Mind To When You Have Vision, Determination, And An Endless Supply Of Cheap Labor.

Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration, which is why Engineers sometimes smell really bad.

When you wish upon a falling star, Your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the earth which will destroy all life.

Thanks to thinkgeek.com

Over There
11:06 a.m. - 2007-09-14

"We have to fight terrorists in Iraq so that they don't come here."

I've heard this comment made many times recently, mostly from pro-war hawks, of course. But at an AIDS fundraising dinner someone made that statement. I countered that terrorists can come from places other than Iraq and are most likely already in the country, just as they were in the UK.

There are just so many things wrong with this type of thinking beginning with how a country fights terrorists. I don't believe that huge armies invading countries is a way to stop terrorists. It may be necessary for other problems, but not this one. I believe our best weapons against terrorists are maintaining good relationships with other countries with strong emphasis on intelligence and infiltration. The State Department and the CIA are the "forces" on the front lines fighting terrorists. The fact that we haven't had an attack on American soil in 6 years seems more a testimory to these people than to the military machine.

But also by their odd logic, we should be invading countries where al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations are strong such as Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and many more. Or maybe these folks really believe that all terrorists come from Iraq.

Are Indonesian al-Qaida fighters heading to Iraq to engage us?

Of course the other assumption from their argument is that the US is unable to protect it's borders. Now while there is some truth to this, I don't see how spending so many people and so much money in Iraq enables us to leave the front door wide open. I'd much rather spend money and resources in strengthening our "homeland security" though I use this term generically.

It's interesting how quickly 30,000 troops coming home evaporated into a tiny fraction of that, and I'm not conviced what Bush proposes is a net and long term reduction. And since when is 9 months "short term" as Gen. Petraeus stated?

I really do wish I knew what Bush and his advisors are thinking. Do they really think that any minute now Iraq's government will get it's act together, that the Iraqi tribes will suddenly begin working together, that peace is just around the corner? Are we there to protect Iraqis or American contractors making money there? Are we there to take de facto ownership of Iraq's oil? Do they really believe all the terrorists are there? Do they think our presence stabilizes the Middle East from the influences of Iran? Do they think about the lives their policies affect? Do their hearts break when they hear about sons and daughters, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers whose lives are horribly changed, sometimes ended by their policy? So they really believe what they say or are there ulterior motives?

I just wish I knew the real reasons.

Now I definitely believe that our 130,000 plus troops there are doing good things. I believe they are doing what they can to make Iraq more secure and to destroy the bad guys. But are these things that lead us toward anything? It seems we haven't gone very far in the past few years. Maintaining the status quo seems a misuse of so many dedicated people.

I respect people I disagree with who treat me with respect. Don't hold me in contempt though. That's when I get my dander up.

I myself do feel safe these days, with the knowledge that we are never 100% safe. I believe that because I think the people who are at the bottom of the power chain are doing everything they can, from police and soldiers to CIA agents and ATF to imigration to airline and dock workers to FBI agents and many more everyday Joes including your truly are trying their damnedest to be vigilant and to improve the growth of compassion, diversity and acceptance.

While I firmly believe that being in Iraq isn't really making us if anybody safer, I will also confess that I don't know the best course of action. I think Pres. Bush has proven that the course he has been on since the beginning isn't the answer. Right now I tend to think doing anything else is worth the try.

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