Linda

Happy Bastard’s Day, Mr. Unitary President (pity unitary in this context has nothing whatsoever to do with those magnificent bastards, the Unitarians).

In reply, someone wrote that in the music industry the term is “ASSCAP”. It took me awhile, but then I realized that that must be a joke — play on “ASCAP” (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers).

A friend of mine uses “ignoranus” for, you guessed it, a “stupid asshole”.

A few years ago I coined (to myself, at least) “jackhole”, which would be a combination of a jackass and an asshole.

TC.

One wonders, as one sips one’s jinnyntonnyx (as one does), how much of an expression against globalisation (sorry, Coop, “globalization”) this outcry is. Seems like all the small businesses in greater Asia and other developing countries who’ve suffered from the same problems are now looking at the US and asking “…and your problem is?”. For all the weeping and gnashing of teeth about the security concerns, big business is big business.

I’m sure that one day, as my molecules are dispersed by a nukular bomb imported by jihaadis allowed into the country by the lax security afforded by the new port management system, I’ll regret my advocating this devil, but for now I’m just enjoying the irony (as opposed to my potential “ion-y” ha ha ha).

You are almost right. There are a couple of other U.S. flagged cruise lines operating small ships in Alaska, and one cruise line that operates large cruise ships in Hawaii using U.S. crews. In the freight world the only U.S. flagged ships left are those that operate strictly from U.S. port to U.S. port. Here in the Northwest that includes T.O.T.E. that runs liners from Tacoma to Alaska, Matson that runs container ships from various west coast ports to Hawaii, and the tankers that carry Alaska oil down to the lower 48. Not much left for U.S. merchant seaman which is why I am writing software for a living and not standing watch on a ship’s bridge. Deep sigh for a forlorn sailor.

Jay

Magnificent bastards really is high praise for flawed but loveable folk. Miserable bastards was a colleague’s (chem prof) favorite phrase for whoever were the point people for the Reagan administration’s horrible idea of the week.