Category Archives: America

Flying Free

America, Government, Individualism Vs. Collectivism, Liberty, Private Property

As travel by air becomes more tormenting, charter planes are going to become a viable option. In fact, I’d be investing in these companies now. As charter planes are used with greater frequency, more suppliers will enter the market to take care of demand. Eventually, prices will become more feasible.

Charter companies, I am sure, are putting together good packages as we speak, for business people who have to fly frequently. Or for people like me who tolerated the odd pat down, but refuse to let the Transportation Security Administration thieves steal my Rene Guinot toner and my powder compact.

I can’t afford a charter flight, but longtime reader Robert Rupard might change that. Other than his splendid reading habits, Robert is president of the charter “Wings Air“—it offers great rates. His motto: “On Wings Air, You’re Already There.” Fly with Robert, and you can avoid the mandatory molestations in the state-occupied airports. No lost Baggage either.

If you’re going to any of the destinations Robert frequents, be sure to make your reservations. Also check out my weekly column tonight, which deals with government goons gone wild in the airports. And while you’re at it, why not read a golden oldie, “Whose Property is it Anyway?”.

The Hebraic Bond

America, Israel, The West

“If lily-livered Europeans want to understand the ties between the US and Israel, they’d be better off reading Russell Kirk than the Economist. In The Roots of American Order, Kirk traced the profound influence the Hebraic faith and traditions had on the New England Puritans, who drew for sustenance and guidance on Exodus, just as they did on Kings and Romans…”
“In the prophets, in particular—from Amos to the second Isaiah—John Adams saw exemplars for American order, political and private. ‘The great prophets restrained the kings’ ambitions and constantly rebuked the king and the people for their transgressions (at great personal risk)…”

Read the complete column, “The Hebraic Bond,” here.

“Yo, Blair, How Are Ya Doin’?”

America, Britain, Bush, Middle East

By now everybody has seen the footage of a masticating Bush, at the G8 summit in St Petersburg, who, mouth agape, barked at Blair:

“You see, the thing is what they [Russia] need to do is to get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it’s over.” And, “I felt like telling Kofi to get on the phone to Assad and make something happen.”

Magnus Linklater of Times Online “rather warmed to Mr Bush’s gangsta rap summary of the crisis in Lebanon.” I must echo Linklater, this time, even though I’ve consistently opposed Bush over the years, describing him as “a bulldog with more bite than brains.” He can amuse, though. And to be fair, Dubya has a point this time.

Linklater’s is, however, a qualified amusement, with which I too concur:

“…the picture that emerges of the Bush-Blair relationship, revealed by that brief snatch of overheard conversation, is a depressing one. Even allowing for the verbal shorthand in which they talk, there is something shallow and simplistic about their world view. Neither gives any indication that they are pursuing a dynamic or creative approach to solving the current crisis, and policy seems to consist of a few half-formed ideas spun out at random. An approach to the hellish bombardment of Beirut that reduces negotiations to a quick image-building trip to the Middle East, and refers laughingly to a key player in Syria, does nothing to suggest a firm grasp of the situation.”

I would venture, furthermore, that the base (and basic) Bush-Blair banter does a lot to dispel conspiracy theories about what Our Leaders get up to when they think the microphones are off. Tinfoil-hat types often bang on about hidden agendas (and wars for Israel and oil). But, as is rather obvious, what you see is what you get.

"Yo, Blair, How Are Ya Doin'?"

America, Britain, Bush, Middle East

By now everybody has seen the footage of a masticating Bush, at the G8 summit in St Petersburg, who, mouth agape, barked at Blair:

“You see, the thing is what they [Russia] need to do is to get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it’s over.” And, “I felt like telling Kofi to get on the phone to Assad and make something happen.”

Magnus Linklater of Times Online “rather warmed to Mr Bush’s gangsta rap summary of the crisis in Lebanon.” I must echo Linklater, this time, even though I’ve consistently opposed Bush over the years, describing him as “a bulldog with more bite than brains.” He can amuse, though. And to be fair, Dubya has a point this time.

Linklater’s is, however, a qualified amusement, with which I too concur:

“…the picture that emerges of the Bush-Blair relationship, revealed by that brief snatch of overheard conversation, is a depressing one. Even allowing for the verbal shorthand in which they talk, there is something shallow and simplistic about their world view. Neither gives any indication that they are pursuing a dynamic or creative approach to solving the current crisis, and policy seems to consist of a few half-formed ideas spun out at random. An approach to the hellish bombardment of Beirut that reduces negotiations to a quick image-building trip to the Middle East, and refers laughingly to a key player in Syria, does nothing to suggest a firm grasp of the situation.”

I would venture, furthermore, that the base (and basic) Bush-Blair banter does a lot to dispel conspiracy theories about what Our Leaders get up to when they think the microphones are off. Tinfoil-hat types often bang on about hidden agendas (and wars for Israel and oil). But, as is rather obvious, what you see is what you get.