The Off Topic Topic

[Razgovory]

I'll go out tomorrow and load up.  I love those.

[Ed Anger]

Just remember to stock up on Cadbury Creme Eggs, in violation of several arms limitations treaties.  They take them off the shelves next week.

The RAF guy I know says the British ones are better. My take: They are just as revolting as the American ones.

[Jaron]

I've reached a strange point in my life when I'm not happy unless I'm at work. When I'm not in the office I feel anxious...unproductive..unhappy. Sometimes I'll stay after my shift and just continue to work for free because I hate not being in my office. It's weird.

[garbon]

I've reached a strange point in my life when I'm not happy unless I'm at work. When I'm not in the office I feel anxious...unproductive..unhappy. Sometimes I'll stay after my shift and just continue to work for free because I hate not being in my office. It's weird.

What a loser...well that or a patsy.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Don't worry, I'm sure he's got the yard daisychained with bouncing betties for the easter egg hunt tomorrow.

It would be hilarious if you could figure out a way to rig a few easter eggs up with CO2 cartridges.

[CountDeMoney]

I've reached a strange point in my life when I'm not happy unless I'm at work. When I'm not in the office I feel anxious...unproductive..unhappy. Sometimes I'll stay after my shift and just continue to work for free because I hate not being in my office. It's weird.

My, my, our little Jaron is all grown up now.  Far cry from the fries basket at the JITB.

[Sheilbh]

Boat race ruined by some dickhead

And now one of the rowers has collapsed

[Sheilbh]

That was a farce.  Thank God the only sporting events in Britain are purely parochial or we'd look very silly.

[Ed Anger]

The Eggpocalypse was exhausting.

[CountDeMoney]

The Eggpocalypse was exhausting.

No kidding;  went to my nieces', and 5 through 7 year olds + chocolate + egg hunt + parents yelling = Christ, I'm fucking glad I have a cat.

And this just in:  little boys are stupid.  I mean, not stupid in your basic moron stupid way, but in a retard stupid way.
As my sister raises chickens, I got Baby Chick Display duty.

"Oooh, baby chicks!"
"That's right, they're chicks."
"What are they going to grow up to be?"
"They're going to be scorpions.  Go find you mother and tell her you're lost."

[Admiral Yi]

Conspiracy theorists keep sprouting up at my karaoke joint.  The latest one was tryiing to convince me last night that the US, desperate for oil during the Arab embargo, provided arms and lent military officers to coordinate Indonesia's invasion of East Timor, in exchange for East Timor's oil production.

[Sheilbh]

That's not all theory.   Though I don't buy the oil stuff or the Arab embargo - I think the invasion's later and I thought that oil was a relatively recent discovery.

But the US did tacitly support the invasion, the overwhelming majority of the weapons were from the US and the US did everything it could to stymie any UN actions against it.  No officers though and I think the motive was more that there was no advantage backing the Timorese, Indonesia was far more important, a friend and would win so it was in the US's interests not to destroy relations with Indonesia over East Timor.

[Admiral Yi]

Not sure what the source of arms has to do with support.  Surely no one would accuse the French of tacitly supporting Argentina in the Falklands War. Or the US for that matter, for selling A4's and WWII surplus naval ships to Argentina.

On a different note I read in an Economist article on US Indian tribe sovereignty that the Souix, Iroqouis and Ojibwe declared war on Germany in 1941.  (Wonder if they ever signed a peace treaty.)

[Sheilbh]

Not sure what the source of arms has to do with support.  Surely no one would accuse the French of tacitly supporting Argentina in the Falklands War. Or the US for that matter, for selling A4's and WWII surplus naval ships to Argentina.

I wasn't trying to use the source of arms to demonstrate tacit support.  There was tacit support by the Administration, a policy of wilful silence and help in the UN.  In addition the US had provided probably the overwhelming majority of the arms used in the invasion.  What's more the silence on the part of the Administration was, in part, to avoid Congress prohibiting supply of arms to Indonesia - they were, after all, an important ally.  Kissinger used the example of the arms embargo on Turkey of what he wanted to avoid, but noted that East Timor mattered a lot less than Cyprus.

Also there've been lots of accusations against the French and Americans over the Falklands.  The French provided the UK with all the help they could in beating their weapons systems though, which was very helpful.  The Americans were just prevaricating while the argument in the Administration finished, Cap Weinberger promised eventual support as soon as it happened.  State had a thing for juntas.

[Razgovory]

Not sure what the source of arms has to do with support.  Surely no one would accuse the French of tacitly supporting Argentina in the Falklands War. Or the US for that matter, for selling A4's and WWII surplus naval ships to Argentina.

On a different note I read in an Economist article on US Indian tribe sovereignty that the Souix, Iroqouis and Ojibwe declared war on Germany in 1941.  (Wonder if they ever signed a peace treaty.)

Really depends on when you sell the weapons to someone.  Also in some countries, the government doesn't always have final say on whether something can be sold to a foreign country.