I'm Back

Did I miss anything?

Mme Metro and I have sporadic internet access while we await possession of our house. I have some things on my mind. Let's start with this:

One of the benefits of living close to the US is the fact that I can listen to National Public Radio, the listener-supported voice of sane America (the bits that didn't vote for *) [I've decided he needs his own symbol, like that Artist dude, and since Pullitzer-winning Garry Trudeau gave him an asterisk, who am I to argue?]. Today I turned it on, hoping for A Prairie Home Companion or perhaps Car Talk.

Instead, there's T.R. Reid, obviously a "neocon intellectual" (a contradiction in terms if ever there was one) hawking a book.I must paraphrase his ideas, but the tone and most of the wording is his.

TRR: You see, Europe can afford these lavish welfare states because they don't want military power. They just take the money we spend on our military and pour it into these big government schemes. And they can afford to do this because we assume the military risk for them.

Pardon me?

Okay Dopey, let me set you straight here: Europe can afford to do these things because their rates of tax are phenomenally high, and because their electorate believes that these are important things to do.

And just what "risk" do you claim to be assuming, by the way? Nuclear? The Brits have nukes, so do the French. Are you referring to Russia? They're no longer a threat; and your own president is helping prop up the very-nasty Putin regime.

North Korea? Doesn't look like you're being very helpful there--partly due to your inability to pressure Russia. China? Hu Jintao went to the White House last week so * could ask him politely to stop holding more US dollar debt than anyone else. And if Iran threatening to leave it's Non-Proliferation-Treaty obligations in the dust is so disturbing, why'd * give India a pass?

Iran? Well I admit you haven't had much help from Europe. Um, any idea where they got their first atomic reactors? Here's a hint: 1978, a company whose initials are GE, and something called the US-Iran Nuclear Agreement.

Of course, you have definitely kept Iraq from invading Poland. Bravo.

For some idiotic reason, Europeans choose to supply their children with free college educations and their poor with health care, rather than buying more guns.

I see your point, Mr. Reid.

And this on National Public Radio. Thanks, *, for appointing a Czar to ensure compliance with the Party Diktat.

Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the CBC. And Cthulhu keep it safe from Stephen Harper.

Ooh! I want this for Cthulhumas! As twisted as Dick Cheney's mind and soul put together.