The Lady is Free

I keep watching the clip from the Beeb of the first moment she appeared to the crowd. The reporter sounded like he was about to cry.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11749838

Sad to say, but those people need to rise up and hang those ‘generals’ from a bridge. To arms!

Hey Stinquers, I’m over in Beijing, visiting our money. They block FB — but not Stinque!! [cue devilish laughter]

@Dodgerblue: And now that you pointed that out, mojo and I will be visited by the Red Guard should we travel overseas … Thanks!

@Mistress Cynica: That was my first choice of clip – I was crying too – but I couldn’t get the clip to embed properly. And as you can see, I’m having some formatting issues on the post already.

@Dodgerblue: Kal 7 – Ducks 0 in the 1st quarter, in case you can’t get ESPN over there.

@Dodgerblue: Careful of the expectorating taxi drivers! But do try and take in the Peking Opera, totally worth it.

@Dodgerblue:
Sport Update (I would hope the Chinese government would know better than to block ESPN’s website):

Uklah didn’t lose this week. (Didn’t play this week, for those non-Sport folk who don’t get the joke)

Ducks 15 – Kal 7, 3rd quarter.

Tree 10 – Az State 13, 3rd quarter.

Okie State 23 – Texas Cows 3, 2nd quarter

U$C 21, AZ 14, 2nd quarter

RML’s Lobos were shellacked by the Air Force Academy.

@SanFranLefty: Make that Nojo Ducks 15, Kal 13. Kal denied on their 2 point conversion. The Duck in my house is full of vexation about this game. Good thing we didn’t go over to Bezerkeley to watch it in person, he’d be stroking out by now.

@SanFranLefty: I’m surprised the Loblows scored 23 on the Zoomies. Still, that was nothing compared to the absolute 45-7 pounding Mrs RML’s Texas Tech took at the hands of The Favorite Team of Dudes Facing the Death Penalty. I dumped that game in favor of an afternoon of watching some cats climb Everest on this cool channel we get. Snoozed out under a Peruvian throw, still coming back from The Crud.

I didn’t see the Dux on the TV schedule today. Son of RML has the TV tied up with a Harry Potter movie, anyway.

ADD: got it on Versus – WTF with the Cal unis? They look like Wolverine’s suit from the 70s X-Men comics.

WIDE!

@SanFranLefty: Cool. Just woke up from a nap (where am I? who am I?) and checked the scores on the netski. Go Bruins!

BTW thanks for posting the link re San Suu Kyi. She is inspirational.

@redmanlaw: Y’know, over in Israel there are 18 year olds with automatic weapons everywhere, and yet their rate of gun crime is lower than Switzerland’s. What do you take from that?

@Dodgerblue: Everybody is armed in Switzerland, as well, so maybe that isn’t the best comparison. I’d guess it has something to do with mandatory military service and living in the middle of a Permanent War zone; why go gang banging when the bus you ride every day could just as easily go up due to a guy wearing a vest full of C4?

What is the overall crime rate like? And most importantly, did you run into any of RML’s IDF honeys in real life?

@Dodgerblue: Tree and Ducks won, but I’m afraid that the about-to-be-criminally-indicted Auburn Tigers are going to take #1 away from Oregon. Fucking sports writers are all from ass-fuck Pennsyl-tucky and/or Georgia. I can’t believe Stanford is #6 in the country – QB Luck is off the charts amazing.

@Dodgerblue: Fucking death to Wen Jiabao and his tyrannical commie scum!

@Dodgerblue: I’m with Beesko on that one. Responsible people in a war zone are a whole different ball game from over here.

BTW – I have packed exactly once since I got my concealed carry permit a month ago, although I did take the tactical flashlight, tear gas and folding knife when I accompanied Mrs RML to Target after dark

Thoughts from Israel:

No Veterans Day in Israel

Here in Israel, all Jewish citizens are required to serve in the IDF. Currently Men serve a minimum of 3 years. Women serve 2. After that all are required to serve in the IDF reserve until deactivation.

On any given day, as you walk down the street in Israel, you can see IDF Servicemen and IDF Women in uniform, many carrying rifles. Some are regular troops. Others are reservists. In Israel, all serve. All are veterans.

http://doubletapper.blogspot.com/2010/11/no-veterans-day-in-israel.html

Women of the IDF? Right here:

http://doubletapper.blogspot.com/2010/11/idf-women_12.html

Seeing Aung San Suu Kyi is the open, talking freely, is a great start to this week.

SFL, JNOV and all other Adherents of Tree know what would be the perfect end.

Yes. The great time has arrived. BEAT CAL!

@Nabisco: Overall crime rate is very low, setting aside shopkeepers ripping off touristas. And yes, hot women of the IDF every day, many carrying automatic weapons.

@Dodgerblue:
i have asked that same question here. there is no fear in israel of being shot by another israeli. they have a common enemy…everyone else is trying to kill them. and everyone, everyone! is fucking armed to the teeth! not just the IDF! every teacher, from kindergarten! on up is armed! my gorgeous cappuccino man wore the cutest unconcealed shoulder holster with an automatic in it. having grown up in USA!, this amazed me. you get shot in the face in philly for taking someones parking place. though buses gave me pause, i can say i never felt any fear whatsoever over there. i can’t say that about philly/nyc, where i never leave the house without a blade in my pocket. you didn’t feel any fear, did you dodge? these are old thoughts we’ve talked about before. a new one: the israeli’s are tough, joyous, and yes, inexplicably beautiful BUT, there is a steeliness, a sadness in the eyes. there is a buzz of high alert in the air. not unpleasant, relaxing even. it makes you feel calm. there is someone in charge and on the case….everyone.

@redmanlaw: when the rat and i were going through the “aliyah” process, we wondered if we would have to serve. i would have gladly…but it turned out they didn’t want our old asses! (over 35)

@SanFranLefty:
“It is not power that corrupts, but fear,” Aung San Suu Kyi once wrote. “Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it, and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.” But even under the “most crushing state machinery, courage rises up again and again. For fear is not the natural state of man.”

words that goosebumps are made of….FEAR is our enemy.
and since everything is explained in musical theater:
“the impossible dream–to march into hell for a heavenly cause”

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause

And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man (or woman!), scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

for you, Aung San Suu Kyi

@baked: Once I got the vibe, I was not afraid of walking around anywhere we went in Israel. Caveat: the only PA-controlled area we went into was Bethlehem, which was totally overrun by Western tourists, so I can’t really speak to that.

@Dodgerblue:
we and a bunch of israeli friends tried to go to bethlehem for christmas. entry was denied to anyone with an israeli passport. we were shocked, as was jesus, and so we never went back. it ain’t just dubai, folks.

@Dodgerblue:
hey dodge…did you happen to explore the ancient neighboorhood where i lived? N’O’loet? near the Shouk? we had tour groups on our street every day. who were more interested in Sergio!
and i wanted your thoughts on yad veshem, particularly the childrens holocaust memorial…it left a burning brand on my brain–like the viet nam memorial in DC.