I've been sorting Republican mail for 9 hours. Some observations.

[X-Codes]

Blackwater creeps me out.  Thoroughly. 

They have their uses.  For example, the US military can't/won't deal with the Somali pirates, so Blackwater is putting together a merchant ship with an armed crew and a chopper to provide escort service through the Gulf of Aden.  Sounds fun, right?  Hell, they ought to sell tickets.  Wouldn't you pay for a cruise where you get to blast a bunch of pirates?  I certainly would.  Fuck Royal Caribbean and shuffleboard.  I'll take Blackwater and pirate skeet shooting for $1000, Alex.

A guy in my history class is formerly from the military.  Blackwater offered him a job offer after his time was up, he didn't say exactly, but he said the offered him "six figures" for two years with them.  Now, depending on what that first figure was (like say, 2 or higher), that's a lot of goddamned money.

I can't say I'd turn them down for that.

That's why Blackwater is so successful, really.  It's like the Military except you're not bound by about 90% of international law and you make WAY more money.  (even if that first digit was a 1 that's still ~2x-3x more than what military grunts make)

[Alyss]

Bigots, Part III: Afghanistan is not next to Quebec. So, no, the Taliban doesn't slip nightly between the mountainous borders of the two countries, and there are no further steps we can take to secure the open border. (Seriously, QUEBEC?)

I am reminded of:

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Hahaha, that's right, keep looking at your Sheeple globe while the Taliban invade from Canada. Everything is going to- goddamnit, what, Bill? They'll read this post and realize we've been operating right under their noses all along? Bill, that's the stupidest thing I've heard all week. I hope you only get sixty-nine virgins when you die. Whoa, I need to take my hand off the keyboard when I get distracted. I can't believe I typed all that out. Whatever, there's no sense in deleting it. Americans don't even read. Where was I now? Ah, it doesn't matter.

"Yeah, um, about those virgins."

tell ya what,

as a resident of one of the top three most racist states in the country... its alive and well...

Dude, I live in Northern California. Not exactly known for it's racism (eh... I'd love to amend that), but this is a convo I overheard while walking to the beach the other day.
Scene: Two guys, sitting on lawn chairs outside the house enjoying the sun and air.
MAN #1: So... I hear we're not supposed to ball them "black" anymore. Apparently it's derogatory.
MAN #2: No shit?
Man #1: Nope, seriously. Apparently, we're supposed to call them "African Americans" now, to be politically correct.
MAN #2: African Americans!? Shit, it took me twenty years to stop calling them n-ggers!

Wow, didn't realize until now just how stereotyped American this post looks....