From the Gazette’s Editorial Pages… letter number 1:

We can’t allow ‘useful idiots’ to dictate foreign policyDuring the Cold War, the term useful idiots” was used to describe leftists who excused or denied atrocities committed by communists. Today’s leftists grovel to a different drummer: Islamo-fascism. Here are some useful idiocies conjured up in the convoluted fantasy world of the political left for the benefit of Islamo-fascist terrorists:

Idiocy: Diplomacy is the only solution to terrorism.

Reality: Diplomacy is a negotiation between two rational parties in which each party has something of value to offer the other. When a free
nation negotiates with a terrorist nation all it gains is a liar’s promise that its citizens won’t be incinerated. This is extortion, not diplomacy.

Idiocy: There is no long-term military solution to terrorism.

Reality: Military victory is the only possible solution to terrorism. But victory requires total war against terrorist governments, not against their proxies.

Idiocy: Islamo-fascists hate us because we side with Israel.

Reality: Islamo-fascists hate us because we are not Muslims. We are at war with equal-opportunity murderers. They kill Jews, Christians, Hindus, pagans, atheists and other Muslims without regard to race, ethnicity or nationality.

The various idiocies currently in use to save Hezbollah from Israel are so inane as to defy explanation:

Israel must use a proportionate response to the murder of its citizens. Only one terrorist may be killed for each Israeli child murdered.

Hezbollah must not be destroyed since it is also a political party. Apparently murder can be justified in the name of democracy.

Israel is responsible for the deaths of innocent Lebanese. Idiots believe Israel should turn the other cheek to terrorists launching ball-bearing-laden rockets at civilian targets while hiding behind Lebanese children.

The greatest obstacle to victory against the Islamo-fascists is not the terrorists themselves but the useful idiots of the left who defend them.

Jerry Varner

Colorado Springs

At one time a succinct and comprehensive lesson on global politics.  Contrasting with that,

U.S. complicity in attacks makes reader ashamed

Like millions of Americans, I am appalled by the actions of the Israeli government in Lebanon. What is taking place in that country approaches criminal war conduct and should not be tolerated by the Western world, let alone by our country. To invade and destroy a whole nation in such a brutal fashion over the taking of two Israeli soldiers and the occasional firing of primitive rockets by Hezbollah into northern Israel cannot be justified and must be stopped immediately.

I am ashamed of our government for not stopping the killing and allowing this to happen. Is it a wonder hatred against Americans is at an all-time high in the rest of the world? I will be even more ashamed if Congress and our current administration in the White House approve a Lebanon reconstruction package in the near future on the backs of the taxpayers of this country in lieu of passing the bill to Israel.

Whatever happened to our American values that not long ago criticized the indiscriminate bombing of Guernica, Spain, by the Nazis during the Spanish civil war as a barbaric act, but now we see something a million times worse as a legitimate act of self defense? Shame on all of us for not speaking up vigorously and for continuing to support and subsidize Israel year after year.

Chuck Rivers

Colorado Springs

Hi Chuck, I’m going to whack you on the head with a very primitive club.  But since it’s not high tech, you’re not allowed to complain or fight back.  And I’m going to keep doing it for years.  Oh, and by the way, if you had enough intelligence left after smokin’ your weed there Chuck, and actually looked into exactly what was happening, you’d find out that Lebanon isn’t being carpet bombed indescriminately.  You’re either misinformed or deliberately lying. Very precise bombing and attacks are occuring.  Or are you so damn stupid that you think that a liberal westernized country like Israel truly wants to go around killing women and children, while barbarians with no regard for human life like Hezbollah is in the right here?

I know, been a few days, lots going on.  Let me see if I can summarize what I think:

Conneticut’s Democratic primary voters decided to go surrender monkey.  Or is that ostrich?  Stick their heads in the sand, because their just so sure that surrender to islamic jihad is the way to make their own precious lives safe.  Not that any of them actually know any soldiers or anything.

And the next day’s news should have been an enema to that kinda thinking. Thousands of people would have been killed in new airline attacks.  But I’m sure that in their warped little minds, they can somehow justify that if we just had a dialog with the terrorists…

Do you get news from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart?  Then you’re more than likely one those people who cry and complain that political parties ignore their petty little wants, but never participate when given the chance.

You won’t answer the phone when pollsters call, or make up stupid answers.  You’ll ignore politics by acting all indignant and say all politicians are crooks, and give a knowing sneer like you’re above such petty things.

You think its a crime that you feel ignored, almost like you’re just one out of 300 million people.   Wait a minute, you are just one out of 300 million people.  The point isn’t that your voice is heard above the rest.  The point is that you particpate in society, which through democracy learns to speak with one overall voice.

Political parties pay attention to those who pay attention to them.  And it is more than just voting.  You need to figure out just what party you agree with more.  No party will meet all your needs, you need to make a hard decision and choose.  Even if it is one of the third party candidates.  But then get involved.  Go to meetings.  Parties change over time.

That’s why the Democrats, a party of racists, slave owners, and KKK members now grovel before the minority voters.  And why the Republicans went from 40 acres and a mule to you’re an adult now, it’s time to make your own wealth, you’re on your own.  You can help change the planks in the platform.
But the worst is if you are one of those that act like Jon Stewart is the only honest guy in “news.”  You’re even more  deluded, thinking that Jon Stewart, who is a frickin’ entertainer, is actually presenting honest news.  We all know that’d be Geraldo.

Once again Monday is here, and so it’s time for Open Trackbacks. Come up with your masterpiece of blogging, and then track it here for more exposure. Especially if you’re low on the ecosystem. Every little bit helps you know!

I wish this would happen so very much.  I think the punishment, in this case, does fit the crime.

Those bastard chicken f*ckers decided to use one of my email addresses as the return address for a spamload over the weekend.  This is the second time this happened, first time was in like 1996 or something.  At least this time it was one of my less used email addresses that I could disable rather than catch the bounces.

And I still can’t believe people would respond to spam yelling at the poor unfortunate sucker whose email address was stolen.

 Cross-posted from “Jack of All Trades“… a new blog from an old friend with sage-like wisdom to share.

If you’ve been to the theaters lately, there’s a possibility that you’ve see the new film, “Pirates of the Caribbean:  Dead Man’s Chest“.  In that film, there is a scene where Will Turner plays Liar’s Dice against Davy Jones and Bootstrap Bill.  While viewing this scene, I noted that there were several people around me who were whispering to their neighbors and asking… “What are they playing?”

I saw this as an opportunity for a new article… plus, I’m sure that our affiliate site, Pirates! Man Your Women!, will enjoy seeing this posting as well.

Each player will need the same number of 6-sided dice and a cup.  The game can be played with anywhere from any number of dice (provided each player has the same number of dice), but I find that 3 to 5 dice per player works best.  Also, I find that the game is best when there is a minimum of 3 players.

The results of these dice will form “hands” (just like in Poker).  Just remember that you hand is not simply comprised of the collection of your own dice.  Your hand is made up by the cardinality of everyone’s collective hands, except that you do not know what everyone else is holding.

Basically, it’s a multi-leveled guessing game that you attempt to bluff your way through.  You’re trying to guess what dice results everyone else has to determine how high in the hand bidding you can go.  Also, you’re trying to guess when the right moment to challenge someone might be.  Savvy?

Hands in Liar’s Dice:

High Card:  Roll of a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6
One Pair:  Two of the same digit.  Ex.  2, 3, 3, 4, 5
Two Pair:  Two sets of two identical digits.  Ex.  2, 2, 4, 5, 5 
Three-of-a-Kind:  Three of the same digit.  Ex.  2, 3, 5, 5, 5
Full House:  A combination of a Pair and a Three-of-a-Kind.  Ex.  2, 2, 2, 4, 4
Four-of-a-Kind:  Four of the same digit.  Ex.  3, 4, 4, 4, 4
Five-of-a-Kind:  Five of the same digit.  Ex.  3, 3, 3, 3, 3
and so on…

Dice with a result of 1 are considered to be Wild.
There are NO straights in Liar’s Dice.

How to Play:

The hand’s bet is first decided upon by the players, and everyone ante’s up.  Then, the players give their dice a shake in their cups, and everyone turns their cups upside down on the table.  (Do not lift the cups… yet.)

At this point, everyone takes a peek under their respective cups to see what numbers they have.  Then, one of the players will start the bidding.  The player pick a number from 2 to 6, and guess at a number of cumulative dice that have that result beneath ALL of the cups (not just his own).

From this point, the game continues clockwise around the table with each consecutive player either increasing the bid or issuing challenge.  To raise the bid, this player either raises the guess of the number on the dice, the guess of the quantity of the digit guessed, and/or a combination of the two.  Bidding continues around and around until one player issues challenge against the previous bid.

Example of Play:

Player #1:  Two 3’s.
Player #2:  Three 3’s.
Player #3:  Four 5’s.
Player #1:  Five 2’s.
Player #2:  Five 3’s.
Player #3:  Five 5’s
Player #1:  Six 5’s.
Player #2:  Challenge!

A player issues a challenge by revealing his dice.  All the other players must then follow suit and reveal their dice.  At this point, the competition is no longer between all of the players.  Instead, it has now narrowed into a competition between the last bidder and the challenger.  All of the dice are tallied together into one large communal hand.

• If the last bidder’s guess is equal to or less than the equivalent number of digits in the communal hand, then the Last Bidder wins the hand.
• If the last bidder’s guess is greater than the equivalent number of digits in the communal hand, then the Challenger wins the hand.

If we continue the above-mentioned example to the conclusion of the hand, it may look something like this…

Player #2:  Challenge!
All players uncover their dice revealing the following.

Player #1 has… 2, 3, 3, 5, 5
Player #2 has… 1, 4, 4, 4, 5
Player #3 has… 1, 3, 5, 5, 6

Player #1 (as the Last Bidder) had bid Six 5’s, and has been challenged by Player #2.

The cardinality of the hand includes two 5’s from Player #1, one 5 from Player #2, and two 5’s from Player #3.  This is a total of only five 5’s.

HOWEVER… both Players #2 and #3 have each rolled a 1.  As I have previously mentioned, 1’s are wild.  Therefore, Player #1’s hand actually has Seven 5’s.

Player #1 wins the hand, and takes the pot.

Alternately, the hand could have gone like this…

Player #2:  Challenge!
All players uncover their dice revealing the following.

Player #1 has… 2, 3, 3, 5, 5
Player #2 has… 2, 4, 4, 4, 5
Player #3 has… 1, 3, 5, 6, 6

Player #1 (as the Last Bidder) had bid Six 5’s, and has been challenged by Player #2.

The cardinality of the hand includes two 5’s from Player #1, one 5 from Player #2, and both a 1 and a 5 from Player #3.  So this hand only has five 5’s.

Since Player #1 has guessed wrong, Player #2, as the challenger, wins the hand and collects the pot.

I used to have an addictive personality…

…Until I got bored with it.