Andy McCarthy, over at the Corner:

One can always say a robust response to radical Islam’s atrocities helps Hamas, al Qaeda, etc., to recruit. But recruiting is aided at least as much by successful terrorist attacks to which the response is too meek. The people sitting on the fence — the ones who are sympathetic to jihadi aims but ambivalent about jihadi methods — are attracted most of all by the prospect of being with a winner. Sure, a robust response that communicates the resolve to keep fighting until the jihadists are crushed may bring in a lot of new recruits; but it also scares off a lot of prospective recruits while killing off the experienced ranks of a terrorist organization — making the organization, on the whole, a less dangerous killing machine. That’s why it remains the right thing to do.

Uh, no. If you’re weighing an incorrect political calculation against preserving your identity, the latter will win. The latter is how these strikes are viewed by Palestinians. I don’t understand why these people believe Israel can bomb the Palestinians into submission. I guess they feel they’re striking back against evil and feel the need to provide some sort of rational basis for it, but it’s not exactly convincing.

This post by Ezra Klein is about as good a statement about the Israel/Palestine issue and this current flare up as I’ve seen.

There’s a reason this conflict brings out so much vitriol on both sides. One side identifies with a legitimately threatened nation. The other side identifies with a legitimately oppressed people. It’s not really that neatly divided, but you almost always seen one of two response to flare ups:

• Palestinian terrorist group x is killing/attacking Israelis and they must respond with enough force to stop it
• Yes, Palestinian terrorist group x is killing/attacking Israelis, but the response is unjustly wreaking havoc on Palestinian society and making the problem worse.

There seems to be little variation from those two views. That’s not to criticize anyone, given that my last post fits into the second view. It’s hard to determine which view is actually “correct.” The history of this conflict is so tied up in arcane minutia of who did what first, who broke what agreement, was there a definite article in agreement x, etc. Most of it is arguable, even if I’ve made up my mind on a lot of it, and both sides have cause for moral indignation.

I don’t mean to equivocate. What Steve T terms “selective empathy” is a phenomenon that partisans on both sides suffer from, but it is more common on the Right. Regardless, we’re still talking past each other.

It comes down to this for me. Israel is attempting to control (or occupy) a region that is, ethnically and religiously, completely different. Suicide terrorism is the standard response to this situation and it works. Increasing control or increasing the harshness of the occupation does not make people give up. That’s not how human nature works. The fact remains that Palestinian terrorism is largely a response to Israel, which means Israel is holding the cards. They can’t end this by doubling down and Palestinians can’t simply roll over. We can talk about the moral abomination of suicide bombings all we want, but it doesn’t change the fundamental shape of the conflict.

Sure it will. If there were ever a time for this Internet tradition:

1. Bomb the fuck out of Gaza.
2. ???
3. Peace!

It seems pretty clear: Israel is bombing Gaza with no realistic chance of achieving any reasonable objective and is killing hundreds of Palestinians in the process. Yes, Hamas has been firing rockets into Israel. Eventually, isn’t one side going to figure out that this isn’t working? I suppose it’s naive of me to think so.

I will not be posting for remainder of the week, but before I go:

Very very interesting. The conspiracy is undeniable. Fact: there are no photos of the wreckage. Fact: Connell has been found alive in Saudi Arabia.

(That may have been in poor taste, but this is a blog.)

I think it would help Boise State if they actually played a couple of decent opponents during the regular season. At least then, the annual complaints about their snubbing would have some merit.

Eat Mor Chikin. And sheesh, who knew cheese was so bad? I guess we should start a “more potato chips, fewer cheeseburgers” campaign.

Hey, clean coal technology does exist. It’s flowing through Tennessee. Merry Christmas, Chattannooga.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. I’ll be driving to Wyoming tomorrow, hopefully not in a blizzard. I’m prepared for the worst, though…no visibility, cars in ditches, communities destroyed, roving bands of cannibals, etc.

I really prefer Sokar, but what the hell, I’ll be a Baal worshiper.

This post brought to you by a decade of geeky television.

EA is putting its games on Valve’s content platform, Steam, sans game specific DRM. This is, I think, the right way to go. As far as software goes, I’m not inexorable opposed to DRM. DRM on music is another matter, since it limits my ability to play what I paid for when and where I choose, with no benefit to me. Software is different, in that I’m already pretty limited. EA’s chosen DRM makes those limits worse - only allowing a few installs. On the other hand, with Steam, you get a DRM solution that’s less intrusive and gives you the ability to download and install the game anywhere as many times as you want. Plus, the game is integrated into Steam’s community features, which is nice. That’s really the bottom line: with Steam you trade some freedom for some nice benefits. With other solutions, you trade freedom for nothing. Steam isn’t perfect and you may not be willing to make that trade-off, but I am and I think it’s a reasonable compromise.

This is dumb. I can’t even remember the newer TLDs, let alone the gazillion new ones ICANN’s proposal will allow. In related news, I can buy speedkill.com for $2,788. Anyone want to start a fund?

I don’t know, I just don’t think PC culture, Dennis Kucinich, and Russian adventurism are going to be a windfall for Republicans in 2010.

I think this is a great idea.

Also, this is amusing. “If programming languages were cars” is still better, but this one’s good, too:

Lisp would be Zen Buddhism - There is no syntax, there is no centralization of dogma, there are no deities to worship. The entire universe is there at your reach - if only you are enlightened enough to grasp it. Some say that it’s not a language at all; others say that it’s the only language that makes sense.

…

Perl would be Voodoo - An incomprehensible series of arcane incantations that involve the blood of goats and permanently corrupt your soul. Often used when your boss requires you to do an urgent task at 21:00 on friday night.

…

Ruby would be Neo-Paganism - A mixture of different languages and ideas that was beaten together into something that might be identified as a language. Its adherents are growing fast, and although most people look at them suspiciously, they are mostly well-meaning people with no intention of harming anyone.

Python would be Humanism: It’s simple, unrestrictive, and all you need to follow it is common sense. Many of the followers claim to feel relieved from all the burden imposed by other languages, and that they have rediscovered the joy of programming. There are some who say that it is a form of pseudo-code.

Because you care, my favorite albums (except for the two EPs) of 2008:

1. Calexico - Carried To Dust

This is one of those albums I just don’t have much to say about. It’s just good. The kind of album I select on my iPod or my PC without thinking. My exposure to them is still pretty limited; I have their previous album and A Feast of Wire and that’s it. Best song: Victor Jara’s Hands.

2. God Is An Astronaut - S/T

These guys have always been close, but never quite there for me. Post-rock isn’t exactly a sparsely populated genre and I have a habit of listening to post-rock albums constantly for about a week and then discarding them. This one is different. They seem to have finally shown more than glimpses of promise. Best song: Shadows.

3. Agalloch - The White EP

Yeah yeah, this isn’t an album. I don’t care. It’s too good for me to leave it off here. The conspicuous absence of folky acoustic pieces was the only downside to their previous album, Ashes Against the Grain. This EP somewhat makes up for that. Best song: Birch White.

4. Opeth - Watershed

I was nervous about this one. Two new members and a previous album that showed some worrying problems (but was still pretty good). It didn’t look promising. In the end, however, they released an album that had some new elements (keyboard solos!) and better songwriting. There’s an over-reliance on abrupt soft LOUD dynamics and they’ve had better metal riffs in previous albums, but overall it’s an excellent album. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that they’re not going to make another MAYH or Still Life, but I’m interested to see where they’re going now.

5. The Decemberists - Always a Bridesmaid EP

Another EP that I think is too good to leave off the list. Less epic than The Crane Wife, but more of what makes The Decemberists so good: catchy songs. Valerie Plame has been stuck in my head for a good two weeks. There’s only one weak song in the bunch (I’m Sticking With You) and even it’s not too bad. Best song: Record Year.

Continue reading ‘Music of 2008′

Of all the days to not be able to find my stocking cap. Christ. -10 degrees makes for a long walk across campus.

Also, car seat warmers > you.

Go. Read.

We don’t torture people, though.

Also, curse you, overzealous defenders of copyright! I wanted to link to a video of Baltar denying the occupational government tortures people. But no…