What’s it all about Alfie ?

Let me tell ya….

Alfie ???

In the quest of guest authors I thought a name other than the blog title was in line. Alfie is also a homage to the poet Tennyson who wrote “Charge of the Light Brigade.” the official poem of the blog In2thefray.

Dhimmi ? Dummy ? Thinker !

This was a title of a series I had. The premise was having a one sided view of the myriad issues that is Islam v West was unproductive at best. Anyway here is an excellent story about a program that is well coined Anti Jihad U. This version is being used by the US military in Iraq and I highly recommend the read. The following excerpt captures some of the spirit of the article.

A major tipping point in the program, say officers, was when detainees began volunteering for the classes being offered. Although al-Qaida detainees and the Takfiris (another group of religious extremists) pressured fellow Iraqis against participating in the very popular religious discussions, over 3,000 detainees have done so. “After Iraqis here learn how to read and write, they can read the Koran themselves for the first time,” says Sheikh Ali, a Sunni who counsels detainees and who, like most of the Iraqis working in the program, declined to have his surname used and must live in an American-guarded compound to avoid reprisals. “I’ve seen detainees break down and cry when they realize that the conduct they thought was sanctioned by God is actually a sin.” CJ

Netflix tips from Alfie

Hot Fuzz and Bee Movie are my current Netflix recommendations. They are both very funny. Hot Fuzz is an absolute riot so if you missed it in the theaters or the first DVD run go get it. Bee Movie is also excellent and is family friendly.On the in theaters now front I’ll hat tip Ironman for a visual diversion with guy humor leanings.(the tiny wrist missile at the tank and casual walk away as it explodes or bullet ricochet of head into human) Safe for pre teens imo also if that’s important to you.

Book Recommendation…

Shelby Steele’s latest is A Bound Man. It looks at Barack Obama and race relations. The book in my opinion only touches on it’s subtitles of Why we are excited about Obama and why he can’t win. That’s all well and good since it gives a great insight on corners of race relations many can’t see,won’t look for or won’t admit too. At 134 pages it’s a fast read and worth the trip to the store or library.The BN link shows critics reviews as well as pro Obama ranting. They too are a window in what is missing in race relation discussions in America.

Not about Obama but…

Obama was indeed only eight in early 1970. I was only nine then, the year Ayers’s Weathermen tried to murder me.

People chatted up the relation between Ayers, the radical professor and former domestic terrorist and, Barack Obama. I don’t think Obama is so tight with this guy although I do believe BO is an ally to Ayers socio-ed teachings. I for one have decided that Obama needs not be attacked via Ayers. Ayers deserves to be attacked though. I don’t think he is so full of redemption as he and his supporters want you to believe. He has profitted from his misdeeds.He is also in a position to poison generations of college students and worse infect the public ed system in America with more of the garbage that already ails it. Anyway here is a great article about Ayers from a victim of his past misspent youth.

City Journal

Mad China in the Economist

Interesting article in the Economist. The comments are going over 900 and I highly recommend looking at some of the ones allegedly from Chinese nationals.

CHINA is in a frightening mood. The sight of thousands of Chinese people waving xenophobic fists suggests that a country on its way to becoming a superpower may turn out to be a more dangerous force than optimists had hoped. But it isn’t just foreigners who should be worried by these scenes: the Chinese government, which has encouraged this outburst of nationalism, should also be afraid.

For three decades, having shed communism in all but the name of its ruling party, China’s government has justified its monopolistic hold on power through economic advance. Many Chinese enjoy a prosperity undreamt of by their forefathers. For them, though, it is no longer enough to be reminded of the grim austerity of their parents’ childhoods. They need new aspirations.

The government’s solution is to promise them that China will be restored to its rightful place at the centre of world affairs. Hence the pride at winning the Olympics, and the fury at the embarrassing protests during the torch relay. But the appeal to nationalism is a double-edged sword: while it provides a useful outlet for domestic discontents (see article), it could easily turn on the government itself.

If I emailed such things…

Here is an article on organic food myths. I don’t email such things I just, err, ahh , weeellll, put them on my blog,yeah that’s different.

Headlines from around the World…

Hungary & Taxes

I saw this interesting piece about how Hungarian taxpayers have the right to declare 2% to non profits and churches.From the Budapest Sun

April 30, 2008 08:00 am | With the approaching deadline for the submission of tax declarations, some 25,000 foundations and non-profit organizations competing for the “one percents.” (According to the Hungarian regulations, any taxpayer can offer 1% of his or her income tax to a nonprofit organization, and a further 1% to a church or a religious organization, at no cost to him or herself.)

I found this a neat idea. It seemed to me that the 1% allotments were like directed charity. I like that idea and if I’m forced to accept taxes period well I’d rather know some of it was going somewhere I liked. The flip side in Hungary though is high taxes…yuck !!!

Hungarian employers must pay 16% income tax and 29% social security on payroll, while employees pay between 18% and 36% income tax plus a host of social and other contributions.

South Africa reports…

Per a South African newspaper China has a ship wandering around trying to get to Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. The ship is carrying weapons that undoubtedly would help keep the Mug in illegal power.

For a massive ship that carries tons of ammunition and has its own cranes on board, the controversial Chinese ship carrying arms for Zimbabwe is about as easy to pin down as a cockroach in a dark, damp cellar.

The An Yue Jiang is carrying three million rounds of ammunition for AK-47s, 1 500 rocket-propelled grenades and several thousand mortar rounds. The cargo was destined for Zimbabwe, where the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says violence is at its worst since the country became independent.

Maritime and arms-control experts could only speculate on the whereabouts of the Chinese Ocean Shipping Company (Cosco) cargo ship this week, which was meant to be heading back to China. It has managed to stay under the radar after leaving South African waters, but was spotted near the Angolan coast on April 25.

On Wednesday the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said the An Yue Jiang was still outside the port of Luanda but had neither docked nor shown signs of returning to China.

source

Citizen McCain…

And from America a story of perhaps the only bipartisan action seen on Capitol Hill in a long while. John McCain born in the Panama Canal Zone has been declared a full citizen in a non binding resolution. I’ll be saddened if the Dems feel the need to review this in say October but for now it’s cool. NYT

My Fellow Bloggers…

The blogger Wickle is a good enough guy. He seems to write from an honest core which lends credence to his blogs name. 1truebeliever. He had a post about the VA and DoD shafting wounded vets on disability ratings. One of the sources and the one that seemed to me to move him was from NPR. Of all the things NPR can stand for No Partisan Rhetoric isn’t one of them imo. I left a link from the Army Times in his comment section. It was a far deeper reaching article and contrary to the assumed position is very critical of the government entities involved.

The subject of the wounded being discharged as disabled is one we should all care about. It is a very deep subject with many parts to it. In the following links there are stories about the care and disposition of amputees. It may be a surprise to many that there are amputees that are staying in the service. All in all the problems with the system are being addressed and one of the most important points is giving the service members the info they need.

The mentioned Army Times article here

Amputees returning to duty here

An interesting piece from the past summer about reforms being put into action here

A piece about the improvements specifically targeting the subject of mental health here

WPBA

I’m regretting my recent departure from the WordPress Political Blogs tag. The tag is now tilting way right and losing some diversity. Coming from me that’s saying something. Blog more people and get engaged !

The other blog…

homegrowntheorist Thinking through images. It was just sitting there wanting and waiting for life or deletion. I decided to explore the inner wonderer and posted it up.

It uses pictures to illicit opinion. Not about the photographic quality but the emotions, thoughts etc. one has looking at an image. There is some text that is pretty random. It’s a more personal blog which if you knew me in the real world would come as a surprise it even exists.

My three current faves there are Solitude Silence and Respect and america dreams past