Orange Ducks is an ex Moonbat central poster who arrived after my time. In the earliest days of Moonbat Central the commenters were Redbeard, Mr Beamish, Myself and an eccentric fellow with a blog caled rant farm. I started to spend more time on Bad Eagle and then on this blog.
Orange Ducks has graduated from the ranks of poster to contributor. His posts will run on the Autonomist alongside Prof Plaut, Rocco Dipippio and another graduate Jeff Bargholz. I have graduated and have a few spots planned for the new and improved Bad Eagle.
Orange Ducks is in Iraq as a civilian contractor. This interview promises to be interesting but it may take time for Orange Ducks to respond.
Moonbat Central Memories
1 Do you miss the old Moonbat Central ? I like the Autonomist but I miss the wisdom and brilliance of Richard Poe ?
2 Who were some of the more interesting posters ? Did you encounter Red Beard who was a true class act ?
3 How does it feel to graduate from poster to Columnist ? I felt honored when it happened to me. Posting on a thread you have written is a different experience ?
Iraq
4 My brother in Kuwait complains about huge bugs and bad weather. Are there comprable conditions in your area ?
5 Have you met any of the beleagured Assyrian Christians of Iraq ?
6 Have you been to the Kurdish sector ? What are the Kurds like ?
7 Is there an eutrepeneurial spirit among the Iraqi people ? I have spoken to servicemen and they describe a series of new start up companies.
8 Is it easier to work with Iraqi labor then to deal with union labor back home
9 I am a mere 400 miles from home and feel homesick. What do you miss about home other then friends and family ?
10 Have you found the local food and products interesting ? Are there any notable ones Ameicans would love back home ?
Odds and ends
11 I am constantly frustrated in my limited dealings with the State Department. They seem to be from a culture of excuses and have a detached no can do attitude ? What are your thoughts on this subject ?
12 Journalist are annoying and mostly obnoxious and I had plenty of eperiences with them in NYC. Most are professional but they gravitate towards screeching voices that make good copy ? What observations do you have about the press in Iraq ?
( I almost got into a fist fight with a free lance French journalist in NYC after the election of President Bush. The interviewer did not like my answers )
13 Have you met any of the " Peace Activists " ? The ones I encountered in NYC are Commies and Anarchists. They are not peaceful and mostly incoherent in my experiences. Are these people as incoherent in Iraq ?
14 Iraq has a rich history , have you found anything interesting on the construction sites ? I often spend hours looking at Summerian and Assyrian artifacts in NYC.
15 Have you looked at the local newspapers ? Do they have comics like Garfield or Blondie in them ?
16 Has any politican visited your work area ? What were your thoughts on their visit.
Domestic Mayhem
17 What are your thoughts on the Second Amendment ?
18 Are you opposed to hunting ?
19 Are beer , alcohol and cigarette taxes too high ?
Personal Fun
20 Do you watch sports ? Are you a fan of any particular team ?
21 What are your thoughts on Armed Forces Radio Programing ? I heard they air one hour of Rush Limbaugh .
22 If you had to pick one Moonbat Central Poster to be in a foxhole with who would you choose ?
23 Pick one Tex Mex or Iraqi cuisine
24 Who would you like to see run for President ?
25 Are people who talk to their cars quirky or certified ?
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30 comments:
I would pick JBargholz for question #22. Not because he is nice or anything, but because he can be one tough SOB and I would rather have him on my side.
If he was in the foxhole opposite me I would do the Spanish retreat...
hmmm...WHAT AM I, FERN, CHOPPED LIVER?
of course, i'd pick j.bargholz also, because i'd already be there.
Hey!! So this is where everyone went! Great to see your posts again nanc! Loved them over at MBC! Ran into Beaker at Badeagle and got his site, so good to see some familiar names! And no nanc YOU are NOT chopped liver!
the merry widow
themerrywidow??? has my fan arrived?
Tis I, in the flesh(and extra insulation!) I have been making do with Dr. Y. and His Imperial Rottiness. I've missed ya'll so much, it's like having to move then find out your friends are gathering on the end of town you hadn't been to yet! Yippee!!
I'll tell ya'll the weather has been very warm here in sunny ole Fla. Air conditioner had to be on the last 2 weeks, I neede this meeting.
Love to all, hope all has been well1
the merry widow
And nanc, if anyone dares call you chopped liver, I need the practice with my bo staff!
tmw
um, beak - am i being punked? dr. y is rotten?
yeah, tmw - like that time when i was eleven and my parents moved to northern california and i found them when i was fourteen. it's tough.
No nanc, Misha I, His Imperial Rottieness of the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler. Dr.Y. is still his gentlemanly self. Unless KPS is trolling about BushHitler or the evil Jooooooooos. I think he has 'superglue syndrome' everything is about the evil Jooooooooos... Ask Beaker
tmw
okay.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK?
Sorry guys but I probably didn't get most of your exchange.
:-)
Missing link it is Bad Eagle and Moonbat Central Talk. Orange Ducks is a contracter in Iraq so when he arrives it will be interesting.
The Merry Widow is correct and KPS has become a problem. I have been restrained until today. Dr Yeagley has his hands full.
I invited KPS to give his WTC Jooos blew up building BS. I will eviscerate him if he shows up.
I'll bring my bo staff and borrow my sons Paul Chin katana!!!
tmw
P.S. nanc, who do you know who doesn't mind mopping up? If you could unleash your flensing knives, I'd, love to see you in action again!
tmw
this is a very bad episode of "it's your life" - redbeard or republican? who likes pie?
could be, but i don't know if i can say your name out loud as you've gone and broken my heart and didn't come when i cried out for you...and you'd better have a damned good excuse for punishing me this way or turn around and walk away...my heart can't take it...
dayam - i'm a good actress!
sorry, my broom is in the shop for a oil change and a tune up...
p.s. I HATE SHOPPING!!! if you knew me, you'd know that already.
You and me both sister!!! My worst day is taking my 15 yr. old daughter to 'THE MALL' to shop. Aaaarrrggghhhh! I try to keep it down to only 2 times a yr. Now the bookstore, or the Christian Bookstore... thats not shopping, that is refreshment! Very soothing.
tmw
i order books through three book clubs and on line. i like shopping about as much as i would like to have a root canal without the benefit of anesthesia.
you are a little hyper merry - have you ever thought of adderall?
as far as dr. yeagley goes - he's really not my cup of tea - no offense intended, but i'm an "earl grey" and i imagine him to be a "chamomile" - the two do not mix well. now, if we could come together over a nice "green", well...
i'm off to my weekend - you have yourself a wondy time here and go post on another thread as this one belongs to orangeducks. and i have enough sisters, living and dead.
my apologies, merry - i thought you were jerking my chain, but i guess you're for real. wow. that's mom spelled upside down. stay away from malls even if you have to move 35 miles from one. bookstores make me nervous - too many books to choose from. keep looking up ^ - nanc
Sorry I haven't responded sooner - been up to my ears in it!
1 Do you miss the old Moonbat Central ? I like the Autonomist but I miss the wisdom and brilliance of Richard Poe
Everyone misses the old MBC. But the path forward is the path of life, and I'm just happy to have found a site like the Autonomist where friends (new and old) can be found and vehemently argues with.
2 Who were some of the more interesting posters ? Did you encounter Red Beard who was a true class act?
I think Red Beard was maybe the first person I ever sparred back and forth with on a blog - class act is right. Bargholz, Tazzmax, FreedonNow, Rightminded, Nanc, MadZionist - too many to recall - all great and genuine folks.
3 How does it feel to graduate from poster to Columnist ? I felt honored when it happened to me. Posting on a thread you have written is a different experience?
It's great, and really a big honor for me - I was excited when Mr. DiPippo contacted me. I've only posted one "column" so we'll see how it goes...?
4 My brother in Kuwait complains about huge bugs and bad weather. Are there comprable conditions in your area?
Bugs haven't been a big deal. I've been in urban areas, so mice have been a bigger problem. Weather is horrible. Seasons go from cold to blazing hot, with only about a week of nice temps in between it seems. Weather here sucks out loud.
5 Have you met any of the beleagured Assyrian Christians of Iraq?
Yes, an engineer we had in Kirkuk was an Assyrian Christian. He thinks Muslims, particularly Arab Muslims, are nuts. Good kid - quite smart, and like many, speaks multiple languages.
6 Have you been to the Kurdish sector ? What are the Kurds like?
I moved from Baghdad to Erbil a couple months ago. Erbil is the largest city in "Kurdistan". I could go on for days about the Kurds. In some ways they are no different from Arab Iraqis - poor, horrible work ethic, can't build something right to save their lives, will throw BS at a mile a minute to screw you out of some money. But, they are pro-American, their territories are well policed and (relatively) orderly, and THEY DON'T WANT TO SAW OFF AMERICAN HEADS. This places Kurds squarely in my Cool Book.
7 Is there an eutrepeneurial spirit among the Iraqi people ? I have spoken to servicemen and they describe a series of new start up companies.
Not like you would know entrepreneurialism. You can find a million guys who say they are a construction contractor with tons of engineers, heavy equipment, laborers, etc. But what they really are is a tribal leader with a big family of goat herders and watermelon pickers that has no clue how to build anything.
Often these guys will get a westernized, English-speaking guy to be their frontman so that they look legit. After all, it's not like we can just go over to their offices and check them out, right? There is a huge "scam artist" spirit in Iraq. Real companies exist and are growing, and they are getting more and more exposure to Western standards and methods, which is good and they really appreciate. But it's really hard to separate the wheat from the chaffe most of the time.
8 Is it easier to work with Iraqi labor then to deal with union labor back home?
No friggin way. Iraqi crews all have the same drawbacks as US union labor, but then you must add: 1) total inability to finish anything; 2) total inability to check their own work; 3) total inability to tell the truth; 4) the only skill they have is brick laying; 4) contracts are TOTALLY without meaning; 5) disappear for days without explanation; 6) some are enemy insurgents/terrorists; 7) more BS holidays than you could possibly imagine; 8) can't pick up a shovel without engaging in an elaborate debate for 20 minutes first; 8) tea breaks - hundreds of them.
And I'm just talking about the company owners, managers and supervisors - I haven't even gotten to the laborers yet!
9 I am a mere 400 miles from home and feel homesick. What do you miss about home other then friends and family?
Having no need for a personal security detail (PSD); living in a place without all my co-workers as roomates; Chinese take-out; quiet.
10 Have you found the local food and products interesting ? Are there any notable ones Ameicans would love back home?
They do great things with stuffed vegetables - tomatoes, eggplant, onions, zuccini, okra. A freshly slaughtered sheep on a huge platter over a big bed of rice that is sprinkiled with nuts, raisins, and french fries of all things is quite tasty too.
As far as products go, this place is hell. Anything that has moving parts is total junk. It is clear that Iraq is where China sends all their manufactured goods that no one else in the world will accept.
11 I am constantly frustrated in my limited dealings with the State Department. They seem to be from a culture of excuses and have a detached no can do attitude ? What are your thoughts on this subject?
Total agreement. Since they took over the "Palace" in the IZ, the place has gone cuckoo with stupid rules - especially badging requirements and the like. It is supposed to be the place where everything gets decided and done, yet you often can't even get into areas or buildings to meet people because of some DoS security rule made by some DoS badge Nazi that is firmly nested in a little cubicle behind about 6 blast doors and 9 checkpoints.
They are THE example of zero risk = zero gain.
12 Journalist are annoying and mostly obnoxious and I had plenty of eperiences with them in NYC. Most are professional but they gravitate towards screeching voices that make good copy ? What observations do you have about the press in Iraq ?
( I almost got into a fist fight with a free lance French journalist in NYC after the election of President Bush. The interviewer did not like my answers)
The most disgraceful thing about Iraq is not Abu Graib or terrorist beheadings (after all, we knew there were some jackasses in the military, and we knew that terrorists are evil). The worst story in Iraq is the reporting by an MSM that profess to be in the know and objective, when they so clearly are not.
They are lazy: Anyone can sit at the security command center in the IZ and regurgitate the latest IED, VBIED, and kidnapping reports.
They are bias: Hardly any reports of Iraqis who are happy we are here? I've met hundreds! Hardly any stories about how brutal Saddam was? I've heard hundreds! Virtually no reports about the construction we've completed, the violence we've STOPPED, or the lives we've saved. None of this is hard to find, unless you are trying your best to avoid it.
They are inaccurate - of the few reports I've read of incidents or occassions that I have direct knowledge of, it is staggering how much of the reporting was flat out wrong. And it was wrong about things that were not that hard to determine.
If you focus strictly on the cost of ANYTHING, without ever considering the benefits of it, of course you will regret having bought into it, and will convince others of the same.
13 Have you met any of the " Peace Activists " ? The ones I encountered in NYC are Commies and Anarchists. They are not peaceful and mostly incoherent in my experiences. Are these people as incoherent in Iraq?
Such people keep a pretty low profile here - as you can imagine.
I've seen a few odd looking groups catching flights at the airport. Despite how much they may crow at home or in communications home, they are pretty quiet here. After all, the terrorists will kill them too, and they haven't exactly befriended the rest of us.
Their goal is to make themselves feel better about, well, themselves. I think they see no need to go beyond - you know - themselves.
14 Iraq has a rich history , have you found anything interesting on the construction sites ? I often spend hours looking at Summerian and Assyrian artifacts in NYC.
I've driven by the tomb of Jonah (as in swallowed by the whale in the Bible). The Eternal Flame is in Kirkuk and i intend to visit it. I've touched the great wall of Nineva, also in the Bible (I'm told). Many I know have gone to the Tower of Babel in the south.
Iraq is, I think, the best country in the Middle East BY FAR in terms of natural and other resources. Oil yes, but great agricultural potential and HUGE religious tourism potential are also here. This place would be one of the most successful places on earth, if it wasn't in the hands of completely corrupt, backwards lunatics.
15 Have you looked at the local newspapers ? Do they have comics like Garfield or Blondie in them?
Can't read Arabic script, plus it just bothers me to look at it now.
16 Has any politican visited your work area ? What were your thoughts on their visit.
We had a site at Tadji, where the VP visited in December or so. When bigshots come, the base is usually totally shut down and they are closely separated and guarded from, well, reality. I haven't seen or talked to any big pols. And since I work in our management office in "Red Zone," and not on one of our jobsites on a base, those folks don't get out to see me much - haha.
17 What are your thoughts on the Second Amendment?
As long as there are tons of guns in circulation, good folks should have them too. Under the "well regulated" language, I support rigid, but LEGITIMATE, background checks and screening. Once that is passed, you should be able to defend yourself against criminals and tyranny as needed.
I own a SigSaur P220 and an M1 carbine back home.
18 Are you opposed to hunting?
I eat meat. Hunting is just a more noble way of acquiring it. I've personally never iced a furry, cute, fuzzy woodland creature, but I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with doing so.
I think some animals are really cool. If they also happen to be really rare (defined in rational terms, not nutter eco-activist terms), then I think we should not kill them so that future people can see how cool they are as well. But if there are plenty of them, then I consider them to be a fast-moving crop.
19 Are beer , alcohol and cigarette taxes too high?
In Iraq, cigarettes are $4 - a CARTON! (and they aren't bad)
Asking me if any tax is too high is like asking me if the North Pole is too cold.
20 Do you watch sports ? Are you a fan of any particular team?
Raised in a beach town in SoCal, so sports are not part of my culture (except surfing, dude).
However, I was born in Denver, so the Broncos are in my blood. And I lived in Boston for two years - long enough to fall in love with the Red Sox. Ask me their current players or stats (especially since I've been overseas for years) and I'll be pretty lost. I just love it when they win!
21 What are your thoughts on Armed Forces Radio Programing ? I heard they air one hour of Rush Limbaugh.
I don't have time to listen or watch much AFN - only if I'm at a base and getting chow and there's a TV. I like Rush - a true pioneer - but haven't heard him really in years. However, it makes me sick to be eating among our men and women in uniform and have to listen to vile MSNBC pundits or slimy Dem Senators drag our kids through the cess pool right there in front of us.
Our military shouldn't be shielded from the morons on TV, though. They should be energized by the declined mental state in our country, and hopefully take it back home with them to continue the war of ideas.
22 If you had to pick one Moonbat Central Poster to be in a foxhole with who would you choose?
MadZionist. When one gets into a "spot", it's best to be with someone who has a high degree of clarity about who the enemy is, and a singular motivation to kill them all.
23 Pick one Tex Mex or Iraqi cuisine
Mmm...Guacamole.
24 Who would you like to see run for President?
Me. If you are talking about the real universe, however, then Rudy. He's a true manager, highly disciplined, ballzy, and recognizes that the culture war is fought best at the fringe first. Concerns many social conservatives have over his stance on the big issues (abortion, etc.), can be addressed in Congress - as it should be.
Senators should be idealogues. Presidents should be EXECUTIVES. Rudy is an excellent one.
25 Are people who talk to their cars quirky or certified?
I have a 1968 Camaro convertible that my parents bought brand new in Denver, the year I was born. I consider it to be my Big Sister. It's sitting in my mom's garage, ready to be restored by me (someday). I think that should answer your question.
Cheers,
orangeducks
EXCELLENT - as i presumed - thanks orange...er..uh, mr. ducks!
Really! Thanks a lot!
All the best.
This was worth the wait. Maybe Orange Ducks can get his Assyrian engineer to visit. I always wanted to interview a member of that community.
Excellent Interview.
come to think of it - madze would be a great pick to have in the foxhole as long as i got to be there also! of course, beamish would be a comfort...fern would definitely keep the place in order...and beak could assess the situation...too many to choose from...drmiltown because of his wisdom...oh, redbeard...and i'd like to thank The Boss, my family and the academy for this opportunity to...oops, sorry, wrong program!
Can I use your interview in our blog?
With all kudos due to you and OD of course?
Felis you can post the entire segment you are like family to us.
Great interview, OD. I'm ready for that Foxhole.
I think my local government has hired Iraqi workers to complete the contruction of our highway system.
How do you say the following in Arabic, "work or I will beat you to death with the heel of my shoe"?
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