Posted on 12/10/2015 1:17:32 PM PST by ArGee
Raqqa, Syria
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS, announced today that he would be disbanding all forces and returning all land to Syria and Iraq. The move was prompted by the ongoing Climate Conference in Paris.
"This is one thing we could not have anticipated," Mr. al-Baghdadi said in prepared remarks. "When we see the world coming together like this on such a dangerous subject as Global Climate Change, we realize that our Caliphate will never survive. It's only a matter of time before Climate Change is no more and the world's attention turns to us. At that point, we will have no chance. For the sake of the men, women, and children who have supported us, I can not continue a doomed campaign."
An emotional al-Baghdadi did not take any questions.
Sources close to al-Baghdadi who spoke on the condition of anonymity told us that it was becoming more and more difficult to recruit new fighters. "Even our existing people are extremely demoralized," one said. "The words of Donald Trump himself can not overcome our dispair."
According to their press release, surrender is total and immediate. Fighters are being paid and sent home by division. Any remaining money will be put into a fund to resettle Christians and Yazidis who have been displaced by the war.
"We thought the world was fragmented," one strategist was overheard saying to himself. "Who knew it could come together like this? This is a stinging rebuke."
So far there has been no comment from Damascus, Baghdad, Moscow, or Washington. One source inside the Kremlin said, "We are waiting to see if there will be any follow-up action. We want to make sure this is real before we decide on our next steps."
Wouldn’t the government take 1/2 no matter who wins it? Wait, you mean you would smoke if cigarettes were tax free? As usual, I’m confused.
No, I wouldn’t smoke if tobacco were not taxed. But it is yet another reason to not smoke.
I very much resent that the agricultural production of tobacco, which contributed so much to the growth of this country long ago, is now looked upon as just another way for tax-collecting pushers to make money.
And I deeply resent that the government collects dollars for doing nothing, while the farmer collects pennies as a reward for his efforts. (Hey, anybody else remember Al Gore’s bragging about how hard he worked bringing in the tobacco and readying it for market?)
We have learned of course that tobacco brings harm along with some relatively minimal benefits, but it is not entirely without benefits. Government, however ...
Well, let’s just say that even government benefits bring harm.
I would not smoke if it were tax-free. However, I might drink more if alcohol were cheaper!
I can afford to drink as much as I want.
But that’s only because I don’t want to drink much.
I can afford to drink as much as I want, too. Tradeoffs are made.
Currently, we’re prioritizing paying off the credit card bill.
Oh. My. Gosh!!!
Awesome!
I drink when I can afford to, which isn’t often.
And usually, it’s after I’ve made sure that I have everything else that I need.
As for steam here in the Colonies there are quite a few operating locomotives, most of which are West of the Mississippi. Union Pacific RR is the only US railroad that never completely retired all their steam, their #844 has been on their roster since it was placed in service in 1944 and is active in excursion service on the UP.
Here in the East, one of the latest bits of preservationist news concerns the Norfolk and Western 611. Norfolk & Western was one the last major railroads to dieselize. Being a cola-hauling railroad they had access to low cost fuel from the mines and it wasn't until 1957 or so that they finally dropped the fires in their steam fleet, long after most other railroads had gone totally diesel. One of their crack passenger train steamers, a 'Northern' type (4-8-4 - N&W called them class J) was in service until 1959 when its last act was pulling a 'farewell to steam' excursion in October of that year. It was then donated to the new Roanoke Transportation Museum (later the Virginia Museum of Transportation) for static display ('stuffed and mounted' in RR fan talk) where she sat rusting away.
Along about 1981 Robert Claytor became President of Norfolk & Western Railway and was instrumental in the merger of the N&W with the Southern RR to create Norfolk Southern where he was the first CEO. Claytor is best remembered by many railfans for reactivating Norfolk and Western's steam program, which rebuilt steam locomotives J-611 and A-1218 at the Roanoke Shops at Roanoke, Virginia, and operated excursion trips. Number 611 returned to the rails under this program in 1982 and over the next twelve years pulled many steam excursions ranging from Florida to New York and from the Atlantic coast to Chicago. Robert Claytor died of cancer in 1993...
...and in April 1994 NS abruptly ended the steam program. 611 was again stuffed and mounted in Roanoke, VA and left to rust. Her fate at that time was at least better than the other steamer that N&W had running, the 1218. That unit was in the shops getting her boiler tubes and other stuff rebuilt and was thus in pieces all over the shop. When the steam program ended, NS (which from that point forward became No Steam RR to railfans) basically swept up all the parts, tossed them in a basket, and shoved the 1218 out the door..
In 2011 the railfan community heard mumblings of something called '21st Century Steam' being tossed about in the lofty towers of No Steam Railroad. The early murmurings were dismissed by the railfan community because in general they did not believe that such a level of repentance could be achieved by NS management who as a class were deemed predestined to perdition. Speculation though increased when the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum restored Southern Railway 630 to operation and 'No Steam' allowed it to operate over a portion of their trackage. Then it was reported that the 611 was moved from where it was rusting away in Roanoke to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina, down Tax Chick's way (well, more her way than mine ;-) to be rebuilt and returned to service.
So after all that background, on May 9, 2015, during an event that was scheduled to be only a test firing, N&W 611 moved under her own power for the first time in 20 years and 153 days. Here is a video of that event...
Hmmm..
I think Norfolk and Western was a COAL-hauling railroad..
S’pose I can blame Otto the Co-Wrecker?
That’s a cute kitty!
Yup, the eyes and fluffiness..
Of course, it would probably biteyou.
I used to smoke, but when cigarettes got up to $3 a carton at the BX, I quit and so did my husband. That was in 1980.
Good morning. I’m working on putting decorations away.
Jeeze...three more killed on Boulder Highway, in car crashes. One last week (New Year’s Eve) and two this morning.
On my trip into Vegas on Friday, I was very watchful for other traffic and pedestrians. And I saw at least 10 people getting ready to cross BH or in the middle of crossing it on foot.
Must be Libtards. At the least their families should be proud that those people will eventually be given the Darwin Awards.
The lighting is just perfect to bring out the unique color patterns on that kitteh.
He’s a cute little guy, isn’t he?
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