From the Peanut gallery - 02/23/2005

Q:
Where is the Peanut Gallery?

A:
Well, I only like to post a Peanut Gallery when I get enough questions to make it worthwhile. Last week I didn't get any questions. The more questions you all ask the more often the PG will show up.

Q:
Don't you just loooooove your friends?

A:
Yep.


Q:
Hey, I Want to send you a book what kind of books do you like.

A:
Honestly, I don't care. Right now I'm on a religious history kick. But, I'll read anything economic theory, politics, fiction, non-fiction, romance, mystery it doesn't matter. If there is a book that you are fond of then let me know and I'll pick it up.


Q:
I can't believe T-Money is gone, when you get back are you going to Jersey with him?

A:
What? We are best friends, not dating. Naw the Hustleman doesn't fucks with the cool weather. I may move true enough but, you best believe it won't be anywhere cold.

Q:
Why don't you take a photo of all the people in your Rogue's gallery so we can put faces to everyone.

A:
That would be a nice idea but, I wouldn't do that for two reasons.

1. They don't know about the blog (or if they do they haven't let on) I would ask permission from them if I wanted to use their pictures. I have pictures of them but, I wouldn't send it out.


2. This is a war zone, I don't wan't people's faces floating around on the internet in a way that could be used against them, us, or their familes. Maybe one day when we all make it out of here but, not before then.

Q:
Tommie Hustle you say you are sexy. What are you slanging between your legs?

A:
O_O What?

Wow, just wow. The internet was created for situations just like these.

Q:
You just need to be more romantic and then you would like Valentine's Day.

A:
Ok.

*starts thinking in French*

Hey look at me everybody I'm romantic!

Conjecture Ce qui ? Le jour de Valentine suce toujours.

Q:
How tall are you?

A:
69 in/175cm


Q:
What does CB mean?

A:
CockBlocking, this one was funny, I got an email from a nice lady who told me this wholesome story about how she is Mom to three young boys. It took me a while to anwser that one. I didn't know how exactly to approach that one.


Q:
Do you know how many hits you get?

A:
Not really, one of the reasons I have the google ads and counter is so I can get a rough idea of how many hits I get a day. I've seen as many as 300 hits on a day but, I suspect that I get between 50 to 75 unique hits a day. I don't really keep track becasue the intent of this site was not to get hits. I never really thought of it getting as big as it has. I just sent the link out to a few friends, co-workers, and family. I never could have concieved that I would get email from all over the world.

Q:
What is one thing you have learned while out there.

A:
You, can't hide. People think that the internet provides anomynity. It doesn't. I have met people from the blog that I have never seen before in life and I find out that they know people from my past that I haven't talked to in over a decade. They just found the blog by happenstance its crazy.

Q:
Have you met anyone there?

A:
I get this one every now and again, and it kills me all the time. No, I haven't met anyone and I'm not looking. Here's the deal, I'm a professional and I'm at work all the time. At the very least, I should be able to maintain the standards the the Marines must maintain. I mean if I wanted to go around chasing skirt I surely could. Their is no law against it however to me doing that would undermine my credibility. My credibility is far more important than an hour or two with someone I probably won't speak to once I get out of here. Not saying that it is impossible to find someone out here and we fall in love and then we get married and have little half-Marine/half-Geek children but, it's not on my agenda. Besides I lived in Pheonix, I know how to go for long periods without sex.

Q:
Have you ever had dread-locks?

A:
No, I'll proabably get twists in the near future just to see how it looks.

Q: What is your fantasy?

A: Hmmmm, sexually or non-sexually.

Sexually, I don't have fantasies just needs.

Non-sexually, I would guess that would be for my family and friends to not have to worry about petty things like money.

Q:
What is Trillian

A:
Trillian chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC.
It provides capabilities not possible with original network clients, while
supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group
chats, chat rooms, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to
the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification,
direct connection (AIM), proxy support, encrypted messaging (AIM/ICQ),
SMS support, and privacy settings and without stealing your home page and
with no other included software, pop-ups, or spyware.

Quite honestly if you aren't using Trillian and Firefox as a web browser (Tabbed browsing 'nuff said) you might well put your SSN and CC numbers on a billboard then set fire to your hard drive once a week.


Here are some corrrections and extensions to my Ashura post-

I said -

This Iraqi on Iraqi violence goes beyond Saddam or control of Iraq. This cuts right to the heart of Islam. What we are witnessing is not a fight for control of Iraq but, for control of Islam. This is a battle for the ghosts of Hussein and Yazid.

Azih said - Not really.

Shias and Sunnis don't care about converting each other. There's no real struggle for Islam in the sense of doctrine as there's no disagreement between Sunnis and Shias on the core concepts of Islam. Shias just tack on the idea that the family of the Prophet (staring with Ali and going through Hussien and onwards) have special prominence. There are also some cosmetic differences (Shias break fasts 15 minues later, Shias pray with arms open not crossed across chest.. some other misc things).

The Sunni on Shia violence and animosity has different roots. In Iraq, Saddam had roots in the Sunni community, that was his power base and he ruthlessly put down anybody who wasn't a part of that base (Kurds, Shias, Marsh Arabs). So there's a ton of suspicion on both sides as Shias suffered terribly under Saddam, The crazies that long for Saddam back are really very unhappy with Shias flexing their muscles as the largest population in Iraq. The non crazy Sunnis are apprehensive because Shias might take revenge.

In other parts of the world Sunni on Shia violence is sparked by extremist Sunnis (read: Al-Qaeda/Taliban types) that are extremely fundamentalist and really hate anybody whose practice of Islam is different from theires. Shias are target #1 really. This happens most often in Pakistan where Shias are a significant minority (30% of population). This also explains why Bin Laden and the Iranian mullahs absolutely hate each other.

At the base of it these problems happen because Shias are a sepearate community, and any time there are differences people fight. In Iraq this led to political persecution, in Pakistan it's religious persecution.

What I meant was -

I wasn't saying that they were concerned about converting each other what I am trying to express is that at the end of the day the two sects are at the core still trying to say that their way is the "true" will of the Prophet Mohammed.

What I said was -

To Westeners we see the willful ending of our lives (suicide) as a one way ticket to hell. Muslims that subscribe to the concept of Martyrdom don't see it as suicide they see it as statement it is the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against injustice, oppression and tyranny. To them it is a noble act. But, with all belief systems when people are inspired by a demagoge corruption of the message is not far behind. Demagogery creates homocide bombers not martyrs.

Azih said - Not really

Suicide bombers started in the muslim world pretty much with Palestenians in the early 90s, Palestenians aren't Shias. Also you should note that in Iraq, the suicide bombing is most probably carried out by rebels in the Sunni triangle, not Shias. Sunni Muslims aren't inspired by the massarce of Hussien's followers at all. Shia extremism in Iraq takes the form of things like the Al-Mahdi army.

I stand corrected. Thanks to Azih for adding that bit of information.