Whew, I have to lump a bunch of countries into one welcome post to keep up.
Welcome to our visitors from Ecuador, Spain, Malaysia, Singapore, India and Phillipines!
Ecuador raise your hand, please. Ecuador is the home of the Galapagos Islands where Charles Darwin did a lot of important work. Guinea pig ("cuy") is a popular dish in some regions there. Maybe you can bring some to share with the class on Show & Tell day.
Everyone here already knows Spain. Spain is a constitutional monarchy whose head of state is King Juan Carlos I, which is a pretty good gig if you can get it. No, class, not everyone can grow up to be the King of Spain. I bet he has a cool business card.
Malaysia is one of three countries that controls the Strait of Malacca. That's big-time strategic significance when you consider that about one-quarter of the world's traded goods (including oil) passes through the Strait (another source says 40%). Here's another fact: Piracy is a big problem there. Arrr, me hearties! Is that you snickering, Ecuador? Fine, you can write a two-page essay on piracy in the Strait of Malacca by Friday.
Singapore, don't think I don't see you hiding in the back. Stand up please. Class, did you know that Singapore is the 17th wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita? Singapore, if someone tries to take your lunch money at recess, report it to the nearest teacher.
India is home to over a billion people (making it the most populous democracy in the world) and some of the worst movies ever made. Trust me. Oh, and India also has the third largest military in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook. So don't try to take India's lunch money.
Ah, the Philipines. Class, pay attention to the Phillipines in Home Ec, because Filipinos know how to cook. I even had dinuguan, an alarming stew made out of pig's blood, and darned if it wasn't tasty. If you can make a tasty dish out of blood, I say that you know how to cook. Upon reflection, however, Yuengling Lager may have played a role there.
We're still missing two continents. I'm looking at you, Africa and Antarctica.
Maybe we need more penguin coverage to get Antarctica.
UPDATE: All six of these countries have monkeys. That means we are 6 for 6 today and all six countries meet our minimum standard for being cool (i.e., they have monkeys).
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Welcome, new international readers!
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5 comments:
Pictures of naked ladies, Jay.
That's what would take this post into the stratosphere of international hitdom.
Something like a third of the internet traffic is sex-based:
A huge number of web visitors are looking for nakedness.
Amazing, no?
I love that our country can get so caught up in a scandal with a somewhat minor elected official, yet utterly fail to concentrate on the huge issues facing us:
An administration that ---ON RECORD!---LIED to take our country to an illegal war and occupation of another nation which has resulted in the killing of hundreds of thousands of people, an extraordinary expenditure of money (3 trillion USD, estimated), and the escalation of arms buildups throughout the world --especially the MidEast-- while at the same time destabilizing further relationships between (Mid)Eastern and Western nations.
This is impeachment-worthy, all the way.
High crimes and misdemeanors.
Meanwhile, the price of oil has quadrupled under an administration with huge ties to the oil industry ---which continues to rape and pillage its own people with the full blessing of the adminisration, and an economy that is dependent on liquid fossil fuel is in a downward toilet spiral and things are getting darker, as they say.
Amazing, yes?
Even the Republican members of Congress are admitting that this administration has been the most secretive and unwilling to disclose what they have been doing and have repeatedly been in non-compliance with Congressional mandates to hand over documents and minutes of meetings essential to factfinding committees.
Without oversight, no one--even those in Congress--knows what this administration has at times been up to.
But we're concerned with sex . . .?
I don't remember Gary really faulting the Bush administration in an honest way----he says he does, but he doesn't.
And honesty demands that we all hold our officials accountable for their actions---especially when their actions have been criminal, such as lying to take us to war.
How about it, Gary?
Where's the Mainstreet on this?
Or do you actually believe the lies or pretend they don't exist?
You certainly ignore them.
You certainly don't cite them.
Your silence on this is not just acquiescence, but accessory in a crime.
Amazing.
jACQUE,
Calm down. Complicit in a crime. Sorry, I'm not buying your usual accusatory hyperbole. I have critiqued the president and the war, but to me there has NOT been lying. I believe the president has honestly if not always efficiently conducted the war. I support him in his efforts. I do not think he has consciously tried to lie to us about this war or the overall war on terror. That is my point of view. Sorry to disappoint. GS
By the way, "secretive and unwilling to disclose what they have been doing" is one of your statements. We do have a war on terror and a war in Iraq. I do not believe that the idea of giving away secrets or strategy is the way to fight a war. I don't remember when I was a coach ever giving out the strategy for a game, though this is far more sobering and serious than a game. By the way, "On record" when it comes to lying? What are the specific "on record" lying statements the president has made? Have there been mistakes? Yes! Has there been lying in making such mistakes? No! There is NOTHING in this president's conduct that is worthy of impeachment. You should be ashamed of yourself for even suggesting it Jacque, though I don't suspect we will see an apology for that ridiculous charge any time soon. You are not one to really consider anyone else's opnion valid. That is your right. It is my right to call you on it and have my own position. You are not a sage whose opinion is unapproachable. GS
Let's not lose sight of what's important here. Monkeys and pirates.
Sure, you're laughing now, but will it be so funny when the Pirate Robot Monkey Apocalypse is upon us?
Well, maybe some, Gary for instance, believe the President when he said "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and the evidence was cooked to the point of burnt.
Or when the President told Blair the invasion was on for March, and the same day told the press that everything was being done to avoid having to resort to military action (the Downing Street Memo).
Or when the inspectors were told they better get out of Iraq and the press was told the UN inspectors were doing their job.
Or when the CIA said it had no credible evidence linking S Hussein to WMDs or al Queada, and then the story was given by Colin Powell and Cheney and Bush and Rice that the links were clear.
Or when it was so obvious that nothing was in Iraq that constituted a threat to the US that it was changed to "Weapons of Mass Destruction Related Activities."
Or when it has been noted that on no less than 535 occasions ranking members of the administration told outright lies which lead this nation to war.
Link HERE.
Or just the fact that Saudis---the good friends of the Bush family ---were the identified attackers of the 9/11 attack, yet the decision was never to implicate in any way any of the Saudis.
You're either a fool, or you're just not listening or looking with any clarity here, Gary.
You remind me of the parent who says about their kid "He says he'd never do drugs, and he's my child so I believe him" while his nose is rimmed with cocaine.
"He's my President and he says it, so I have to believe him."
Truthfully, either your head is so far up your butt you aren't seeing this, or you're just plain stupid.
And you're not stupid.
But you are mislead.
We all have been.
I imagine in 1938 Germany when the leaders said that the Poles were plotting against the German nation, most Germans believed their leader.
Why would he lie to them?
He's their leader.
Remember?
If we continue to ignore the obvious, we are no different than the German people back then------an unethical and bloodthirsty administration is NEVER to be tolerated by sane citizens.
Dismiss me all you want.
I know in my heart and in my gut this Bush administration has been lying from the start about Iraq.
You don't know.
But you say you do.
That makes you even more fooled.
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