Once Over Lightly. Very Lightly...

Can one billion Chinese—or at least those with ‘net connections—see your blog? Go to the Great Firewall of China and find out. EIP is visible, I’m happy to say. God Only Knows the Chinese are just chomping at the bit to hear what an ol’ geezer in New Mexico thinks about motorcycles, hockey, and the weather. But, strangely enough…a few do. Not a day goes by that I don’t have a visitor or three from Beijing, Guangzhou, or Shanghai. Strange, that.

Hat tip to Mr. Crittenden, who has this to say:

I’m happy to report that for the moment this site can be viewed in the PRC. Therefore, I would like to state that I consider the ruling class of Chinese communists to be a pack of hypocritical, corrupt, murderous pigs who should by strung up by their ankles. Excuse me, I should say “faux communists,” because all they’ve been for a long time are thieves without even the wretched fig leaf of that perverted ideology. The sooner we have our war with them, the better, as they are doing everything they can to arm up, and they are up to no good. Also, they engage in predatory trade and labor practices, and as much as I like buying cheap stuff at Wal-Mart, I don’t need it that bad.

I don’t think he’ll be visible all that long…

What he said:

I had intended to write something about the British / Iranian situation, but like so many other things today there’s really nothing to say, because the simple statement of facts contains the essence of the problem, and elaboration is just whittling the wind.

“Whittling the wind.” The man can turn a phrase, can’t he? But…I’m much more than gratified to find a kindred spirit blogger with thoughts similar to mine about news items today. And yesterday. And the day before…

Of course the foregoing doesn’t mean I’ve stopped reading “the news.” I’ve cut back, to be sure, but I still read. And while we’re on about the Brits, VDH put this up at The Corner today:

We were all waiting for the final shoe to fall: It is America's fault. And sure enough the Independent headline blaming us came in on schedule. The story line was predictable: We apparently tried to detain those masterminding the Iranian efforts to kill Americans in Iraq, then "botched" this illegal effort at getting "legitimate" diplomats, and thus left the poor British to sweep up the mess. So Bush — not lax officers, insane rules of engagement, or Iranian perfidy and aggression —did it after all.

Anyone who’s spent any amount of time, say 30 seconds or so, reading The Independent won’t be too, too terribly surprised. After all, a paper who employs the (I can’t think of an adjective that’s both descriptive and suitably vile, insert your own) Robert Fisk as its Middle East correspondent shouldn’t be taken all that seriously. And what do I have against Fisk? Oh, just things like this:

"I can't help wondering today how many of the innocents slaughtered in Haditha took the opportunity to vote in the Iraqi elections -- before their "liberators" murdered them."

What a freakin’ twit.

Today’s Pic: The ugliest bird I’ve ever seen. Sometimes you see things you just don’t quite believe, and such was the case with this bird. He/she/it simply fascinated me.

In a park somewhere in Houston. April, 2000.