Brian Coltrane

DOWN BOY!! Or you'll wind up back in the kennel. No doggie num-nums for you, either. I swear, once upon a time this was a quiet little community where the least thing didn't go flying out of control. What the hell happened?

Sure ya can! Not to pick a bone of contention, but you have a way of disrupting the place, MaryAnne.

I'm working on my story. The extension gives me plenty of time. Instead of posting flammable bait-o-grams on the forums, I'm going to concentrate on the task at hand, and get some writing done. And make MaryAnne's collar fit reaaaaaaal tight.

Wow, I haven't seen Doctor Who in ages. Looks like the BBC is trying to get young and sexy with this whole outer-space gig, eh? I used to catch the show on PBS once in awhile. I discovered it while channel-flipping some years ago. I remember seeing a crowd of people rush into a police box and then it vaporized. I recall thinking, "What the hell??" So I watched the rest of the show that night, and then watched it again the next week, and the next, all in trying to figure out..."What the hell??" With an ever-changing cast, cheesy special effects, and meandering script writing, this show breaks every rule of TV success in the book. Though the story concepts themselves are interesting, and the open-ended possibilities allow writers to literally take this program anywhere. The main character dies and comes back throughout the series in myriad ways. I mean, right there, that's a hard act to follow. And if one spends their entire life in time travel, how can you ever be sure of when "now" is? Talk about falling behind or getting ahead of yerself.

Thanks for sharing that article. I agree with it on a couple of points; democracy can't just be handed to a culture that isn't ready for it - and also, yes Saddam should have been taken care of by Bush Sr in Desert Storm, an opinion I've already declared. Yet I concur with Mufn that there is a long history of terrorist attacks against U.S. interests. 9/11 was the most damaging and it changed our nation forever. It changed the world. Nobody likes that change. In some crimes, the victim is oft blamed for somehow deserving their fate. For example, people may blame women who were raped, by speculating they attracted the crime by dressing inappropriately or baiting the man who raped them. A man gets shot in an altercation in a bad neighborhood in a big city. Well, what was he doing outside at 1 a.m, right? Must have been a drug deal, eh? I think this is what's happening to America today. We've went from having the world's sympathy after 9/11, to having the world's animosity for being "an aggressor." Do we belong in Iraq? Did we belong in Korea? Did we belong in Vietnam? Is it all about oil? Or do we, too, have a broader manifest destiny, and world vision of our own? Such as world democracy and free trade? America is the last damn hope for a world that would otherwise, in it's polite pacifism and graceful turn of the other cheek, fall under tyranny. After World War I, America and many European nations were weary of conflict and hoped that Hitler would somehow limit his damage to Germany and leave the rest of the world alone. After Pearl Harbor, the United States entered the conflict with everything it had. We were woken up from our pacifist stupor in the rudest way possible, and we responded with a roar. It was American blood, American technology, that gave the Allied nations a chance to defeat fascism. By wanting "peace", by ignoring the atrocities happening in Germany, by playing "friend" to a madman, some countries were rewarded by being among Germany's first victims. Today, are we such poor students of history, to forget such a lesson? What happens to you, O Pacifist Nations, should America fall ? Will Muslim extremists leave you alone? Hell no. If you have democracy, if you have another religion, you too will be targeted. We are simply the chess piece they need to remove first, before wiping out the rest of you. They know it....and we know it. Did we deserve our fate, bold country that we are? Will you deserve yours? Will silence and complacency buy your lives and preserve your culture? Are you willing to leave it to chance? Thus the difference.

Alex, you've got a new leash on life. Congrats. Since the floral bouquets I got for you can't be returned, I reckon I'll dump the whole truckload right on your front step. MaryAnne, maybe you should have at least required Alex to get rabies shots. I mean, with the way he drools all over ya....

I believe we entered the "war on terrorism" with flawed intelligence and an incomplete strategy. I have tremendous respect for all the brave men and women in the armed services, let me make that clear. But it's my opinion that our political leadership has fallen short under two different presidents. Bush Sr. in Desert Storm, stopped US tanks while they were 50 miles away from Bagdad. We declared a cease-fire and Saddam claimed victory because "Iraq rebuffed the Americans", in his view. I've oft speculated if 911 could have been prevented, if Bush Sr. would not have called off the dogs of war as early as he did, back then. We could have had a Walmart and a Home Depot in Bagdad by now, if this job would have been done thorougly the first time. All this aside, the scary thing is that Muslim extremists have a single purpose. Convert non-Muslims to Muslims, and kill any remaining infidels who refuse conversion. This means you. Muslim extremists have a "manifest destiny" of sorts, or world vision, where all nations become Muslim. To them, it is impossible to have freedom of religion as there is no other religion that can be tolerated. All other beliefs are an affront to God and they see it as thier duty to set the world straight or destroy it. This is the hardest thing for us, as Americans, to wrap our mind around. We can't just subdue a pocket of extremists and say it's over. This is a holy war, to our enemies, and there is no regard for life, no pity for the innocent. They are fighting for control of the souls of humanity, and for their glory in the afterlife. This is how they see their service to God. Every living, breathing infidel who is enjoying comfort and freedom is an abomination to them. The United States is their poster-child example of a hive of infidels. To weaken us, bring us down, and force us to accept their religion or die, is their purpose. Our only hope is in spreading capitalism rapidly, and getting Walmart Super-centers open in the Bagdad suburbs.

*bursting back into the fray after an absence of several days and two thousand miles....* Man, see what I miss when I halfta leave town?! Let me speechify for Alex here, and I hope I'm not too late. ( If I am, I'll give him a helluva floral arrangement. Alex always was fond of blossoms n' such.) When I first met Alex, he was a vicious son of a ---- who'd just as soon cut your throat as look at ya. I was determined right then that I'd kill 'em as soon as I could make the time. Busy as I am, tho', I nevah rightly got around to it. Alex hated my guts back then, and he'd vowed to wipe me out in turn, but somehow he didn't get around to my demise either. After a period of mutual animosity involving a lot of dirty looks and vague promises to destroy each other, we found true friendship in forming diabolical schemes against other local characters. Alas, there are several personalities missing from our fair group, because Alex and me nailed 'em right and left. Ah, the carnage! The intrigue! And after all this time...I'm sure looking back on it... Alex would do it all again in a heartbeat, given the chance. Nowadays, he tops it all off by annoying Ye Olde Towne Deputy, which may have sealed his fate at last. If so, I'll miss the rotten, low-down, son of a stale biscuit...

Well, it's leather with a little star concho on it, and some dangling delicate chain thingys, and --- you know, you're incorrigible, Alex. For somebody who has a rope collar coming, you sure ain't helping your case.

That's why Alex would have better chances with a vote. Then again, maybe he wouldn't. Alas, poor Alex! This is all because I was a smarty pants and teased MaryAnne about wearing a dog collar, and then Alex got all excited about the idea and couldn't behave himself. Ahhh, if I could only take it all back! But the dog collar I bought for MaryAnne is personalized and I can't return it.

She's giving it some thought, Alex. I mean, she likes you, but there's some things that can't go unanswered. So it's nothing personal. I'll miss ya tho'.

I shouldn't be tellin' you this. But ya know how you've been teasing and flirting with MaryAnne, and getting all fresh with her....well, there's one way she can put a stop to it for good, and save money on jailbird chow. It's not a pretty picture, but I have to give her credit for the efficiency of the solution she's got in mind.

I don't know how to tell ya this, but I ain't exactly talkin' parole.

Well ol' buddy...I don't think you're gonna be in there long enuff for it to matter. I'm trying to talk MaryAnne out of her dire scheme, though. Be brave.

Appreciate your Spam, Alex. I always got chipped beef on stale bread. Three days in a row of that, will bring a man down.

Anything does look good on you. As well as nothing! That reminds me...Doc, I take it you've forgiven me for my indiscretions with RL ? Or are you still looking for...uh...some sort of restitution?

GAAAAH!! You know, we've narrowly avoided the "B" word in this thread! Tho', per the American Kennel Club, it's perfectly fine to use the word *****. THERE! I said it! It's out there!! I couldn't hold it back anymore!! Of course, you could have been innocently discussing cereal. Then again, who are we kidding?

You're not the one who would usually wear the collar anyhow.

Heh! Yeah, I don't think any of us will claim that one. Meantime - here's yet more picking on Alex. For those tuning in late and wondering why MaryAnne threw him in the brig, this should explain everything. Bad dog, Alex. Bad.

That's fine. I think Alex has dibbs on the "Diva" one.

Found a few collars that work for this crowd.....

Completely untrue. Tom is touring with the "CHICAGO" musical and had contractual obligations with that, which prevented him from attending DukesFest. Boiled down to a schedule conflict. Tom did have a DUI charge last year, but it did not cause him to miss any scheduled performances. Brian

Wow...an official question! Just shows to go ya, anything can happen in this topic.

Wear a white flag and nothin' else under it? Great idea! 'Cept I don't look good in white. Hmm.....

Talk about performance pressure! Everybody's watchin'. GAAAAAH!!!! Last thang Doc said to me, is something about the terms of my surrender... how the hell do I respond to that and keep this within a family audience?! Ahhh, who cares. I'll think a' somethin'. I just need a little time to phrase this right. Ahem.