http://tspwiki.com/index.php?title=1995
As always, Alex Shrugged's opinions are his own. Other people's work are their own. I include them here for the sake of completeness and to provide a second method of access to the material for the TSP history segment.
* Our Man in Yugoslavia... or What is Left of Yugoslavia -- Contributed by Alex Shrugged
* xxx -- Contributed by Southpaw Ben
* The Gingrich Revolution and the Contract with America -- Contributed by Alex Shrugged
* Notable Births -- See below.
* This Year in Film -- See below.
* This Year in Music -- See below.
* In Other News -- See below.
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Our Man in Yugoslavia... or What is Left of Yugoslavia
Contributed by Alex ShruggedYugoslavia was created after World War 1, cramming together the Serbs, Croats, Albanians and Slovenes who normally do not get along. Well, after all these years they still don't get along, and with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia has split up into warring states. (The resale value on your Yugo-Fiat just hit rock bottom.) The phrase "ethnic cleansing" is a nice turn of phrase for what is actually rape and mass murder. It's not exactly Hitler's genocide, but it's bad. The Europeans seem willing to let these people fight it out amongst themselves, but the American public is outraged. NATO is already enforcing a no-fly-zone, so the USA pushes for NATO to bomb the Bosnian Serbs who seem to be the cause of all the trouble. President Clinton says that this will be a short war. (Uh... sure, Bill.) Officially, it is called Operation Deliberate Force. Unofficially, it is called, "The War from 10,000 feet." Shortly before the bombing begins, Captain Scott O'Grady is shot down by a Bosnian surface-to-air missile (SA-6). He ejects, and lays low for 4 days eating grass, and bugs and drinking rainwater. The American public is sitting on pins and needles wondering if he has survived. Then he calls in on his radio. Unaccountably, this fact is released to the public. No doubt this is good news to his parents, but the bad guys know it too. After verifying that it really is him, Marine helicopters pick him up. They fly low and fast. Two surface-to-air missiles are shot at them on the way back. They miss. Captain Scott O'Grady is a hero. Maybe he should run for President. [1] [2] [3]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
America is a country looking for heroes. That is a good thing. At that time our troops had just pulled out of Somalia. It had started out OK. We were getting food and medical supplies to the people who needed it with a minimum of hassle by the war lords thanks to General Zinni. (He seems to work well with psychos. It's a gift.) Then Bill Clinton and the UN took over, and the whole thing went into the toilet. (Blackhawk Down and the rest of it.) Then President Clinton felt compelled to do something in Bosnia. OK. I felt his pain. I felt THEIR pain. As I recall, he said he could resolve it in 10 days... apparently by the force of his personality. I laughed because I couldn't cry. I knew he was LYING either to himself or to the public. Then came the bombing campaign. He said the troops would be home by Christmas. Another ridiculous lie. The Dayton Agreement was signed in December of that year. Peace in our time, but the troops didn't come back because the Dayton Peace Agreement had to be enforced. You see? It is always easy to start a war, but it is difficult to finish one. [4]
America is a country looking for heroes. That is a good thing. At that time our troops had just pulled out of Somalia. It had started out OK. We were getting food and medical supplies to the people who needed it with a minimum of hassle by the war lords thanks to General Zinni. (He seems to work well with psychos. It's a gift.) Then Bill Clinton and the UN took over, and the whole thing went into the toilet. (Blackhawk Down and the rest of it.) Then President Clinton felt compelled to do something in Bosnia. OK. I felt his pain. I felt THEIR pain. As I recall, he said he could resolve it in 10 days... apparently by the force of his personality. I laughed because I couldn't cry. I knew he was LYING either to himself or to the public. Then came the bombing campaign. He said the troops would be home by Christmas. Another ridiculous lie. The Dayton Agreement was signed in December of that year. Peace in our time, but the troops didn't come back because the Dayton Peace Agreement had to be enforced. You see? It is always easy to start a war, but it is difficult to finish one. [4]
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Contributed by Southpaw BenText
My Take by Southpaw Ben
The Gingrich Revolution and the Contract with America
Contributed by Alex ShruggedNewt Gingrich is now Speaker of the House. His has led the Republicans in a landslide to break 4 decades of Democrat domination over Congress. Now he wants to change everything. The Contract with America is the key. At first, it seemed like a stunt as Republicans signed a pledge to vote on various government reforms in the first 100 days. Little reforms, like... The laws that apply to the people should also apply to Congress. Radical reform. Crazy thinking. The Democrats ridiculed the Contract, but in that ridicule, they brought the issues before the public, and the public bought it. Now Speaker Gingrich has to deliver and it is a good effort. The line-item veto passes, a major accomplishment considering that President Clinton is a Democrat. (It will later be ruled unconstitutional.) Welfare reform prohibits teenagers under 18 from collecting welfare, no additional benefits for children born while on welfare, and it places a two year limit on benefits. They eliminate the marriage tax penalty. They also pass a "Loser Pays" provision for tort reform, so if someone sues you and loses, they pay your legal bills. President Clinton vetoes that one because it means fewer lawsuits. Can't have that. And there is more. All a good effort. Unfortunately, as with all governments, the reforms slowly erode away. Without steady maintenance all systems break down in time. [5] [6] [7]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
While the welfare reforms might seem tough, many people were on welfare simply because they could. By placing a time limit on how long a person could be on welfare, many discovered that they could get by without welfare, saving it for when things really got bad. By the way, some Democrats became Republicans after the Gingrich Revolution. One was Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell from Colorado. He said he hadn't changed his principles, but he was deeply disappointed when the Balanced Budget Amendment failed by one vote. He was amazed that after all those years being a Democrat, and being praised for his insight and compassion, suddenly he had become the spawn of Satan. It is strange how people think... or NOT THINK. I get this reaction myself. I'm a Mexican-American, but not really because I'm a Republican. Therefore whatever I think no longer counts... or something like that. I just know that when I mention that I'm a Republican, my white liberal friends get this faraway look as if they just BSD'd (blue screen of death). Time to reboot. [8]
While the welfare reforms might seem tough, many people were on welfare simply because they could. By placing a time limit on how long a person could be on welfare, many discovered that they could get by without welfare, saving it for when things really got bad. By the way, some Democrats became Republicans after the Gingrich Revolution. One was Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell from Colorado. He said he hadn't changed his principles, but he was deeply disappointed when the Balanced Budget Amendment failed by one vote. He was amazed that after all those years being a Democrat, and being praised for his insight and compassion, suddenly he had become the spawn of Satan. It is strange how people think... or NOT THINK. I get this reaction myself. I'm a Mexican-American, but not really because I'm a Republican. Therefore whatever I think no longer counts... or something like that. I just know that when I mention that I'm a Republican, my white liberal friends get this faraway look as if they just BSD'd (blue screen of death). Time to reboot. [8]
Notable Births
- Jacob Kogan: Played young Spock in the Star Trek reboot movie. [9]
- Kendall Jenner: Keeping Up with the Kardashians and fashion model who recently starred in the controversial Pepsi commercial where she hands a Pepsi to a police officer. (Oh, the humanity!--alexshrugged) [9] [10]
This Year in Film
- Toy Story: (Pixar nails it.--alexshrugged) [11]
- Apollo 13: (The phrase "Failure is not an option" was never said by Gene Krantz, but he embraced it after the movie.--alexshrugged) [11]
- And...: Jumanji, The American President, and Braveheart. [11]
This Year in TV
- Star Trek: Voyager: Captain Janeway and her crew are thrown into the Delta Quadrant. Will they ever get home? (Yes, but they will never get a movie.--alexshrugged) [12]
- The Drew Carey Show: Situation comedy and the 1st TV show to be simulcast on the Internet. [12]
- Xena: Warrior Princess: The show will develop a cult following. [12]
- Goosebumps: A children's horror show based on the books. (A later movie starring Jack Black is not bad.--alexshrugged) [12]
This Year in Music
- One Sweet Day: Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. [13]
- Gangsta's Paradise: Coolio. (Frankly, I like Weird Al Yankovic's "Amish Paradise" better.--alexshrugged) [13]
- (I Think This is How Love Goes...) Check Yes or No: George Strait. [13]
- You Ain't Much Fun (since I quit drinkin'): Toby Keith. [13]
This Year in Video Games
- Star Wars: Dark Forces: First in the series from LucasArts. [14]
- Tekken 2 is released to the arcades: It comes to the PlayStation next year. 3 million copies will be sold. [14]
- I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream: "An ethical obstacle course" with great graphics. (After the Harlin Ellison story which is a great read if somewhat twisted... actually... a lot twisted.--alexshrugged) [14]
In Other News
- A budget standoff between Democrats and Republicans forces a government shutdown: The shutdown is more superficial than real. All essential services continue. [15]
- The DVD media format launches:. [15]
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