Foreign Object Damage

2011-11-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

Math is Hard

There's a lot of news about how worried we are that the supercommittee can't find $1.2 trillion in federal budget cuts over the next ten years.

I am surprised that the press reports don't mention the math...

Over ten years, $1.2 trillion is $120 billion each year.

The 2012 federal budget proposed by President Obama was $3.7 trillion. For one year.

So to meet the goal - the supercommittee needs to make a cut of $120,000,000,000 out of $3,700,000,000,000.

Go ahead and try 120/3700 on your calculator. The result I get is .0324.

That a 3.24% budget cut across the entire government. Could you cut 3.24% of your household budget? I could... It would hurt a little, but it's doable. But it's apparently too hard for our elected officials.

I know that things are exempt from the supercommittee's review. COLA for social security and federal retirees will add 3% or so this year to those payments. Also that the President's budget didn't pass. In fact no budget has passed. We're on continuing resolutions and mini-bus excursions. But those are details.

The fact is that Washington finds it too hard to do something most any of us could do without yelling and screaming.

Cut 3.24%. Everywhere. That they can't do it should be pointed out. Clearly. With the math.

As the Professor says... "At the very least they should be mercilessly mocked."

2011-10-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

Progressive Taxes are Unfair

Listening to the various discussions on the flat taxes and the national sales taxes I keep hearing how flat taxes are unfair to lower wage earners because they "impact" lower wage earners more. I used to get that... but now I'm not so sure. Here's how I see it...

Work is work. Say I'm working hard for an hour, doing the best I can with the tools at my disposal to complete the task at hand. That task may be digging a ditch, waiting tables, fixing a pipe, or analyzing some numbers. Someone places a dollar value on an hour of work, and if I agree, I'll give them the outputs of my labor for that dollar value. Some work I'll get $10 an hour for, other work I'll get $50 an hour for. Most of us strive to enhance and apply our talents and tools to do something that will make us $50 an hour. This will allow us to better provide for our families. We don't all have the tools and talent to get there, but it's a goal.

I also agree to let the government take part of that money I just worked for.

Let's say we have a 10% flat tax.
If I earn $10 an hour, they take $1, or 6 minutes of my labor.
If I earn $20 an hour, they take $2, or 6 minutes of my labor.
If I earn $50 an hour, they take $5, or 6 minutes of my labor.

That's fine. I earn more, so I can pay more in dollars, but it still "costs" me the same amount of effort to generate those dollars. Assuming I am creating value equal to those dollars, that is adding to the economic output of the nation. The more I earn per hour, the more I earn keep. It's linear. Sounds fair to me.

But a "progressive" tax is different. Say we have tax rates of 10%, 20% and 30%.
If I earn $10 an hour, they take $1, or 6 minutes of my labor.
If I earn $20 an hour, they take $4, or 12 minutes of my labor.
If I earn $50 an hour, they take $15, or 18 minutes of my labor.

This progressive tax rate is acceptable to some. I think it is based on the premise of what I have left over after the government taxes me. "Hey, if you earn $50 an hour, at a %10 tax rate, you still have $45. That's too much. We think you should be good with having $35."

This line of thinking devalues my work. It means that the government must make a value judgement about my labor. It removes the incentive of striving to produce more value and to make more for myself. It takes away the fruits of my work in the name of fairness. But it is not fair.

2011-10-21T21:53:00.000-07:00

Diversity

Don't judge a book by its cover. Ya never know what someone's childhood was like...

see more

2011-08-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

Navy Ranks, Rates, Ratings, and Paygrades
In the enlisted branch of the Navy, a field of work or an occupation is called a rating. The ratings are abbreviated with two, sometime three letters. For example the Boatswain's Mate rating is abbreviated BM. The Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) is abbreviated CTI.
Levels within the rating are called rates. The rate abbreviation is always added right after the rating abbreviation.
3 - Petty Officer Third Class
2 - Petty Officer Second Class
1 - Petty Officer First Class
C - Chief Petty Officer
CS - Senior Chief Petty Officer
CM - Master Chief Petty Officer
So a Boatswain’s Mate second class is written BM2. Boatswain’s Mate is the rating and second class is the rate. The BM2 is also a PO2 or Petty Officer Second Class. In speaking, we don't mix the two - you're either a Boastswain's Mate second class or a Petty Officer Second Class. Never Boatswain's Mate Petty Officer Second Class. So remember, rating is the job or occupation, while rate corresponds to the grade of the person.
While it's relatively easy to remember that a BM2 is a "Boatswain’s Mate second class," it can be confusing when someone becomes a Chief Petty Officer. It's written BMC, but a BMC is formally referred to as a Chief Boatswain's Mate or generally, Chief Petty Officer. Informally, one can say Chief, CPO, "a Boatswain's Mate Chief" or even BMC, but never Boatswain's Mate Chief Petty Officer.

This holds for Senior and Master Chiefs too. Even though it's written BMCS or BMCM, if you need to use the rating, they should be referred to as (among other things) Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate or Master Chief Boatswain's Mate. Not Boatswain's Mate Master Chief or Boatswain's Mate Master Chief Petty Officer, or, horribly wrong, Boatswain's Mate Chief, Master.
We should get it right.

2011-08-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

Navy Cryptologist Killed in Action

Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia, Pa. was killed in action on August 6, 2011 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down. Twenty-nine other US men were killed.

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the top commander in Afghanistan, told Pentagon reporters the mission was to stop Taliban fighters from fleeing in the Wardak province’s Tangi Valley. “As this mission unfolded, we saw some significant success occurring on the objective itself, but there were elements that were escaping,” Gen. Allen said. “And in the course of their [the enemy element] attempt to depart the objective, we committed a force to contain that element from getting out....in the process of that, the aircraft was struck by an RPG and crashed.”

Rest in Peace CTR1(EXW) Strange...

From reports

http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=14728
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/aug/10/fatal-seal-mission-was-not-a-rescue/

2011-07-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

Civil Rights in Atlanta

I was riding MARTA (the subway) in Atlanta yesterday when a new-looking sign showing prohibited items and activities caught my eye

Take a closer look at the "No Weapons" sign - it shows a handgun and a knife with the red prohibited slash through it...

The message is that it is prohibited to Carry Weapons, but underneath in parentheses, in English and Spanish it says "(except firearms when carrying a valid permit)."

People with Georgia carry permits should know this, but it's nice to see it on the sign.

A small victory for civil rights in Georgia.

2011-06-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Global Warming or Cooling?

Professor Reynolds notes the story about the impending ace age says he'd prefer global warming.I think I know why...

As a professor might say... contrast and compare.

Ice Age...

Global Warming

2011-06-07T15:55:00.001-07:00

He Made it Worse

2011-05-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

On Memorial Day We Remember

On Monday, April 14, 1969 at 5:00 PM EST (1544Z), a Navy EC-121M reconnaissance aircraft (PR-21/BuNo 135749) of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) with a crew of 31, took off from Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan on a routine Beggar Shadow SIGINT collection mission over the Sea of Japan. The EC-121M had been directed to proceed to a point off the Musu Peninsula, where the aircraft was to orbit for several hours along a 120-mile long track, then land at Osan Air Base in South Korea.

This route had been flown by VQ-1 EC-121Ms for two years without incident, and the mission had been graded as being "minimal risk." Six hours after takeoff, the crew of the EC-121M transmitted a routine radio-teletype activity report at 11:00 PM EST, then disappeared off USAF radar screens at 11:50 PM EST, 90 miles southeast of the North Korean port of Chongjin. Air Force radars and USAFSS COMINT intercept operators in Korea had detected two NKAF MiGs flying towards the unarmed EC-121 prior the plane's disappearance. The USAFSS listening post at Osan attempted to warn the aircraft's commander by transmitting a mission abort signal at 11:46 PM EST. But the MiGs caught up with the slow flying aircraft as it turned for home 90 miles southeast of the North Korean port city of Chongjin.

The MiGs shot the EC-121 down at 11:47 PM EST. All 31 crewmembers were killed, including nine NAVSECGRU cryptologists. They were

CT3 Gary R. Ducharme, USN
CT3 John A. Miller, USN
CTI John H. Potts, USN
CTC Frederick A. Randall, USN
CTC Richard E. Smith, USN
CT3 Philip D. Sundby, USN
LT Robert F. Taylor, USN
CT2 Stephen J. Tesmer, USN
SSgt Hugh M. Lynch, USMC

For a full list of Naval Cryptologists lost in action since the end of World War II, see my Memorial Day post from 2009.

2011-02-16T20:40:00.000-08:00

Gunny Hitler

H/T OPFOR...

2011-02-05T07:47:00.000-08:00

Just Sayin'

I clicked on Instapundit's Amazon St. Valentine's Day sale link this morning.

This knife holder guy, "The EX" caught my eye.

Here's a closer view.

I'm not offended. It's artsy and kinda cool. I could see how someone might like it, but it's a bit too ghoulish for my kitchen. I don't have an ex anyway.

But do you think they would market this if the figure were a woman?

Just sayin'

2011-01-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

More Violent Images in the Media

The January 2011 issue of the American Society for Quality journal, Quality Progress shows their usual character, Mr. Pareto head, during the annual performance planning cycle. In the cartoon, managers have targets on their backs.

So next time some nut assaults his manager, we can blame it on the violent imagery in the Deming, Baldrige, six sigma, and total quality media. You know what scoundrels those industrial engineer and metrics types are.

2011-01-10T15:19:00.000-08:00

Media Ignorance in Tucson

A CBS News report headlined "Erica Hill talks to 61-year-old Patricia Maisch, who grabbed the ammunition cartridge from the alleged gunman in the Tucson, Ariz. shooting rampage."

Erica Hill, does the intro to the interview, "...about how she stepped in on Saturday, and grabbed the ammunition cartridge the alledged gunman could have reloaded. And it all happened of course in the middle of the chaos.

The 61-year-old Patricia Maisch describes not running, dropping to the ground, the woman next to her being shot, then the gunman on the ground, next to her and people saying "get the gun!"

She continues "...he also pulled out another magazine out of his left pocket, which he dropped on the pavement and I was able to get before he did. At the same time another gentleman had picked up the gun, so he (Loughner) was secured."

Hill, "So you got that ammunition? and We've heard accounts that he had up to 90 rounds of ammunition with him."

Maisch, "I don't know..."

Later in the interview Maisch remarks being on his (the gunman's legs), "...after I got the clip, he was struggling an kicking his legs, so I knelt on his leg..."

So this elderly civilian knows it was a magazine, (or a clip - which is a common term ), but the person's who issupposed to informed us creates something called "an ammunition cartridge?"

Ammunition cartridge means nothing. That's bad enough, couple it with her description of it as something the "gunman could have reloaded," reveals a lack of basic familiarity with firearms.

Hill doesn't know how to properly describe what has happened, and for some reason, chooses not to use the (correct) words her interview subject has given her.

With such a gap in knowledge, can she effectively report this story? I doubt it.

The video is here.

2011-01-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

Humorless Prigs

That's my reaction to the story that Captain Honors is in trouble for his XO Movie Night videos.

The Virginian-Pilot has an edited version.

The videos were made by Sailors at war. Sailors far from home doing dangerous work for long hours.

The videos are funny and directed towards men and women who could use a laugh. (Yeah, the rectal probe was probably over the top, but I see it as the equivalent of when a comic gets an "oooh" for crossing the line in the middle of an otherwise hilarious routine.)

Anyway, Lighten the fuck up.

UPDATE: I posted that on Sunday morning. Little did I know that the humorless prigs would turn join forces with the spineless leadership of today's Navy. By Tuesday morning, Captain Honor had been relieved. Disgusting.

More over at Phib's, Lex, USNI, and Ace of Spades.

UPDATE II: Admiral Harvey made the call. Tough decision. I don't agree with it. I think the second and third order effects will be bad for the Navy. But it was his decision to make, if I were I CMC still I would support it. It's done. Aye, aye.

One comment in the discussion stood out. I agree with it and it captures one of the reasons that so many folks came out to support the Captain.
"My experience is that teams are built through emotional events; two of the strongest being pain and laughter. People coalesce around those with whom they bleed and those with whom they laugh. ... As Sailors, it is the laughter in pubs, engine rooms, berthing compartments, and even on the bridge, that make us feel part of something special. I care most about those with whom I've shared laughs and tears. Take that away and you've created a climate of cold professionalism which discourages the very relationships that build high performing teams.
...Humor has often been the subject of attack and yet humor is the vehicle which often drives the greatest change. Parody highlights the ridiculousness of situations that could not be addressed as readily or as effectively in normal conversation. ..." These are true statements. There can be legitimate discussion about whether the senior leader should have a role in the parody, That commenter had it right.

2010-10-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

Miscalculated that, huh?

According to the Washington Post, Clarence Thomas' wife called Anita Hill, who had accused Justice Thomas of sexual harrassment at his confirmation hearings in 1991. The Post says Virginia Thomas has rekindled the controversy.

"Good morning Anita Hill, it's Ginni Thomas," said the message left earlier this month, according to a transcript provided by ABC News. "I just want to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometimes and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband."

Hill, a Brandeis professor, told reporters that she held onto the message for nearly a week as she weighed whether it was legitimate. Eventually, she turned it over to campus police with a request that it be sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI's Boston field office declined comment.

So here are the facts. Mrs. Thomas leaves a voicemail. Professor Hill turned the voicemail over to campus police for the FBI then called ABC news. The Post declares that Mrs. Thomas has rekindled the controversy.

A-fricking-mazing.

Just to be clear. Professor Hill has rekindled the controversy. She could have kept the matter private. Her actions tell us a little more about her character. Does she have a book coming out soon? (The article does mention that Lillian McEwen, lawyer who said she dated Clarence Thomas from 1979 through the mid-1980 is working on a memoir. Why is that in the article and what is her relationship to Hill?)

Also notice the smear of Mrs Thomas.

The message Virginia Thomas left for Hill again revealed the emotional toll that the Hill hearings took on Virginia Thomas. In the past, she has made unsolicited phone calls to voice support for people whose reputations have been shaken by what she sees as false accusations.

She's unstable I tell you!

Pardon me, your bias is showing.

UPDATE: Asked to elaborate on that voicemail, [Virginia Thomas] called it “a private matter,” but said: “It was probably a mistake on my part.”

2010-10-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

The Race Card

A friend linked an article about how a local Republican Party chair in South Florida has accused Democrats of racism because they are supporting Governor Crist (independent, a white guy) over Meek (Democrat, a black guy) in the US Senate race against Rubio (Republican, a Hispanic guy). Democrats are crying foul and saying they support Crist because he can win.

Bogus claims of racism look just as stoopid coming from Republicans as they do from Democrats. Assuming the Democrats nominated a candidate who represented the ideals of their party, wouldn't it be better to point out the absolute lack of principle or conviction on the part of Democrats supporting an independent because they "simply believe the governor can beat (the) GOP candidate." No, instead the chairman has devolved into slurs and name calling. This is petty and demeaning and betrays the higher principle we should expect from leaders. It is amateurish.

The race card is like the joker. It's still in the deck, but serious players don't have any use for it.

2010-10-03T07:41:00.001-07:00

Increased Threat of Terror Attack (Just Before Elections)

The Federal government issued a terrorist threat alert today

"Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks. ....Terrorists may elect to use a variety of means and weapons and target both official and private interests. U.S. citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure. Terrorists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services.

...the warning was based on credible reports suggesting al Qaeda was plotting an attack, including intelligence gleaned from recent arrests

...Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., attended (the) briefing but came away unimpressed with the new intelligence, which she described as mostly a rehashing of previous threat information.

"This is nothing new," Boxer said. "We have been aware for some time that al Qaeda wanted to disrupt our country before the election... I would say with rare exceptions, it was fairly generalized (information.)"

The first paragraph is from a report today, the rest of the clips come from a 2004 article reporting on complaints the administration was raising terrorism fears just before the election.

The complaint was that the administration in power would want to remind people about the threat so that they would elect the candidate who would be "tough on terrorism" and keep us safe. There were dozens of articles making this charge (which, according to Tom Ridge's book marketing, may have been true), but today we don't see this administration being criticized for issuing terror alerts just before an election.

So I guess I'll make the charge, "The Obama administration is issuing terror alerts just before the November election because they want you to vote for the candidates who are serious about national security."

There. I said it.

Vote.

Oh, and if you intend to be traveling in Europe a in few weeks... don't forget to send in your absentee ballot.

2010-10-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

How the Left Really Views Diversity

The left, the AGW crowd, enviro-fascists, commies...

In Russian the word "наш" (nash) literally means "ours." But they use it to mean "one of us." The opposite, "не наш," (ne nash) or "not one of us" has much much more meaning than it does in English. To say, 'He is not one of us' (он не наш) not only indicates an "other," it implies a degree of animosity not present in English, closer to the concept of "friend or foe."

This mindset was perfected by the Stalinists, shared by the fascists, and has been broadly adopted by the modern left and the AGW crowd in particular. It seems so normal to them, that when they embarked on their latest campaign to bring people along, they explicitly and graphically showed how they view "others."

When confornted with someone different, they ask the question, "What shall we do with him?" The answer is a shrug of the shoulders and the reply, 'He is not one of us.' Oн не наш. That is all the thugs and murderers need to know. 'He is not one of us.' Oн не наш.

They are not really about peace, Gaia, or save the seals. It's about conformity and control. Get with the program.

No pressure.

2010-09-23T12:07:00.000-07:00

Naval Cryptologist Killed in Afghanistan

Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collection) David B. McLendon died September 21, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom.

CTRCS(SW/FMF) McLendon, 30, of Thomasville, Ga.; assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit; died Sept. 21 in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash during combat operations in the Zabul province, Afghanistan.

Also killed in the crash were: Army Maj. Robert F. Baldwin, Army Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr., Lt. (SEAL) Brendan J. Looney, Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonah D. McClellan, Navy Special Warfare Operator 3rd Class (SEAL) Denis C. Miranda, Army Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class (SEAL) Adam O. Smith, and Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew G. Wagstaff.

http://militarytimes.com

Rest in Peace.

2010-08-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

NY Times Offers Herring For Dinner

NY Times caught my eye with a article headline about Marco Rubio

"...a Candidate who Veers from the Tea Party Script."

Curious, I had to take a look to see what the NY Times found
A wiser course for Republicans, he said, is offering an alternative, not simply being the angry opposition. “The solution isn’t just to paralyze government,”

Um, Tea Partiers are angry and in opposition, but our solution was never to "just paralyze government." Is that Marco's read or the Times?

"(He is) increasingly trying to turn his contest into one built more on ideas than outrage." Yep, it's the Times. The Times thinks Tea Partiers are just angry, no idea why or what they want done about it.

"Mr. Rubio has defied the Democratic-driven caricature of a Tea Party phenomenon." The same caricature you're communicating?

"...he did not agree with flashpoints Republican candidates elsewhere have seized on. Does he support changing the 14th Amendment, ... Mr. Rubio said. “I don’t think that’s where the problem is.”

Mr. Rubio is being entirely consistent with Tea Partiers on this issue. It is not a Tea Party issue. Frankly, Republicans who see it as an issue should be put in the "don't get it, still pandering" category.

"Is the Arizona immigration law a good idea...“I don’t want Arizona to serve as a model for other states,” said Mr. Rubio..."

Again, Mr. Rubio's position is wholly consistent with Tea Partier's. Immigration is a secondary issue to us.

If the Times intends to write a story about a popular GOP candidate breaking with Tea Pary, they really should figure out what the Tea Party is about in the first place. A good place to start might be the Contract from America. Take a look - no immigration position, no 14th amendment position, no gay marriage position, no ground zero mosque position. Those are red herrings. Not Tea Partiers. Get a clue.

2010-08-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Cologne Tank Battle

There is a must see post on Castle Argghhh!

Battle For Koln

Here is some partial video below, but go to the link above for the good stuff.

A German researcher has put together the footage of the famous tank battle into a coherent blow-by-blow story. If you've ever seen a WWII documentary on the battle for Germany you'll recognize it. After the video, I went to the researcher's site where he has posted still shots, information on the photographers, the names and fates of the tank crews, even a walking tour in modern Cologne where many of the buildings still stand.

"Read the whole thing."

I agree with the Donovan, I've been to Koln several times, the next time I go, it will feel different.

2010-08-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

Всё по плану (According to plan)

It has just occurred to me that some of the things that seem to characterize this administration remind me of the nomenklatura that ruled the old Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

They had a belief in the "center." Now, we see the conviction Washington knows best how to manage the economy.

The nomenklatura developed detailed economic plans for government investment, industry, social services, and full employment. We have the unprecedented dollars amounts involved in the stimulus, the GM and Chrysler bailouts, TARP, and the Health care law.

When things didn't work out, they either ignored it and made happy talk about how everything was going according to plan (vse po planu), or blamed it on others, the saboteurs and wreckers.

So, while I'm not saying that the President is a socialist, his administration just reminded me of what life was like under socialism.

2010-08-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Diversity Bullies Will Tarnish Your Achievement

The Navy Captain posted a quote from a CNO speech, "We now have 30 minority flag officers and 32 female flag officers, or admirals, for a 49% increase since 2006...For those of you who are in the information world, this year it’s been my great personal pleasure for me as I welcomed into the ranks of our Navy admirals, a former shipmate, a great African American officer by the name of [Rear Admiral] Will Metts."

What is the purpose of mentioning RADM Metts' race? Why is it important?
Compare how this sounds, He's a great naval officer. He's a great African-American officer.

Now add the CNO's metric. A 49% increase in minority and female flags in the last four years. Why have the numbers gone up so rapidly so recently? Does this reflect a huge year group bubble of minority officers hitting the flag boards? Or maybe Captains who can check the special group box have just been outperforming their peers recently. Either explanation is acceptable, but it is doubtful that that's what is really going on.

Sadly, that doubt about why they were selected diminishes the achievement of true performers.
Great officers are great performers. Sailors will work for great officers. We can slice down to cryptologists, surface warfare, avaitors, etc. But don't slice it by how people look. It's demeaning.

2010-08-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

This is Funny

Last week I wrote a post on how the Republicans can lose in November if they pursue distractions like changing the 14th Amendment, Gay Marriage, and the Ground Zero Mosque. I argued that lower taxes and less of the federal government are what really motivate me this year.

I was pleased to see Gene Healy write something similar about the GOP mosque discussion over at the Washington Examiner today. He called it a red herring, where I had assumed mere cluelessness.

So I went back to my post, and had a surprise in the Google ad box on my page. I write a post that mentions gay marriage, now I get Key West ads on my site. Wow. Google has that word search thing down don't they?

2010-08-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Miss Me Yet?

Today we see CNN article on President Obama's "incoherence",

"There is no question they are having messaging problems at the White House," Morey said. "They've lost control of the dialogue, and they've gotten pulled down by the extremes on the left and right. They've just not had a coherent set of themes."

And we find this gem,

While many poked fun at former President George W. Bush for mispronouncing words and stumbling through sentences, observers note that he rarely had to backtrack on his answers because he employed a simple and direct messaging approach.

CNN making a positive reference to President Bush's communications approach. Wow. Just wow.

2010-08-15T04:37:00.000-07:00

Racist
In the NY Times this morning, in an article on the President's backing off of his support for the ground Zero mosque, we find this line:

But his “new beginning” has aroused nervousness in some, especially those who disagree with his counterterrorism policies, or those more comfortable with a vision of America as a white and largely Christian nation, and not the pluralistic melting pot Mr. Obama represents.

What? Who are they talking about? Who disagrees with the President's counterterror policies? According to the Times in a lengthy article today, there is no disagreement from "Republican lawmakers (who) have been unwilling to take Mr. Obama to task for aggressively hunting terrorists."

There is some disagreement from the President Saleh of Yemen, who is privately furious at our policies. There is some apparent disagreement from Abdul Ghani al-Eryani, a Yemeni political analyst, who says "I think the strikes over all have been counterproductive.” And there is clearly disagreement from "Qaeda members (who) seized on video of dead children and joined a protest rally a few days later" Yes, I know they don't share a vision of America as a pluralistic melting pot.

Citing "those who disagree" with the president is a throwaway line. Serious people know the President has greatly expanded counter terror operations. Serious people also have reasonable disagreement on this administration's policy of targeting American citizens. So maybe the writer is referring to the lawsuit against the counterterror policies filed jointly by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights. Somehow I doubt it.

It's clear that the Times writers don't read the Times.

What is even more disturbing thought is "...those more comfortable with a vision of America as a white and largely Christian nation, and not the pluralistic melting pot Mr. Obama represents."

This is a serious charge that should be backed up by some detailed reporting. But that is not the argument that any of the President's critics, whom she quoted in a single paragragh, appear to have been making. (If they were making it, she should have given us the quotes.)

Mr. Gingrich accused the president of “pandering to radical Islam.” Mr. Boehner said the decision to build a mosque so close to ground zero was “deeply troubling, as is the president’s decision to endorse it.” And Mr. King flatly said the president “is wrong,” adding that Mr. Obama had “caved in to political correctness.”

Does this writer really believe that opposition to the Cordoba mosque is based on a vision of white or Christian America? Really? It has nothing to do with the 2,700 murdered men and women, not nearly all of whom were white or Christian. It has nothing to do with not wanting to give Islamists cause for another victory dance at the expense of New Yorkers?

No, none of that matters. What matters to the NY Times, and Sheryl Gay Stolberg, is that if you disagree with the President, you are a racist. Such a view is either dishonest or simply ignorant. Neither of which are desirable qualities for a serious newspaper.

2010-08-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

How Can Republicans Lose in November?

Like millions of other Americans, I've been to the Tea Party rallies. I want what they want - a smaller federal government, less federal regulation of our lives. Along with less government intrusion, should come fewer services, "entitlements," and lower taxes. We want a federal government that is limited by the words of the US Constitution. The Tenth Amendment means something. The people we send to Washington should understand what it means.

For many, we see the Republican Party as having the principles closest to those ideals. But we also clearly remember how the Republicans betrayed those ideals when they were last in power. They bellied up to the trough like the rest. Nonetheless, I, like many Americans I assume, plan to hold my nose and in November, give them a crack at getting this country on track...

That is, if they can show that they "get it." They get it if they can show a way to balance the budget, not just reduce deficits. They get it if they can show a way to reduce federal regulations, not impose Washington's standards. They get it if they can stop the bailouts, and return risk to the markets. They get it if they can keep Washington's hands off the money we work hard to earn.

Unfortunately, the Republicans don't get it yet. And they are dampening my enthusiasm by talking about things that I really either disagree with or don't care about. If people like me don't show up to vote, they can lose. How do they make me a no show?

This is one way...

House Minority Leader John Boehner on Sunday said he's open to talks on changing the U.S. Constitution -- or at least the way it's interpreted -- so that U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants are not automatically U.S. citizens.

Really? You want to open up a conversation about changing the Constitution? About giving Congress more power? Do you know the history of the 14th Amendment? And you want to talk about that now? GMAFB. How about get on the Executive Branch to secure the border, and let's try doing what's written in the Constitution now before we go changing it.

This is another...

We join our voices with the clear decisions rendered by large margins in the vast majority of the states, and in every state where a popular vote has been held over the past two decades. It is time for the American people to stand up in support of their right to protect marriage. Judicial tyranny on the question of marriage must not be allowed to succeed.

I believe that marriage is a holy sacrament. It is a bond between a man and a woman, sanctified by God. That is my religion. Others believe other things. I disagree, but in matters of faith, defer to the faithful. We should NOT have government enforcing one religious standard over others. As I said here in 2008 when they passed it, and Ed Morrisey said just this week, the state should have no say in what is marriage and what is not.

This is another...

"There should be no mosque near Ground Zero in New York so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia. The time for double standards that allow Islamists to behave aggressively toward us while they demand our weakness and submission is over," Gingrich, a potential 2012 presidential candidate writes in a post on his web site Thursday.

Yes, I think it's outrageous too. But again, I don't think religion is a federal issue. Let New Yorkers fix this. If it actually goes to construction, it's going to be built by union workers. Patriotic bunch those union construction workers. Also imaginative.

Sooo... if Republicans can remember that we want less federal intrusion, confiscation, and redistribution, they can win. If they forget that, they can lose in November. If they lose in November - they are finished. We will find another party.

2010-08-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Fail

Today the good Ed Morrisey fell into the trap of equating the stimulus to only the highly visible infrastructure projects, "Well, building bridges and roads hasn’t exactly started a boom economy more than 16 months after passing Porkulus."

That's true, but we should remember that roads and bridges was $27.5 billion, that is 3.5% of the $787 billion dollars. The whole transportation and infrastructure package was "$64.1 billion of infrastructure investment to enhance the safety, security, and efficiency of our highway, transit, rail, aviation, environmental, flood control, inland waterways, public buildings, and maritime transportation infrastructure."

Last week in Washington, James Oberstar, (D-Minn), Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee spoke at the National Fraud Conference on on Transportation Infrastructure Programs During his speech, he gave what I thought was a powerful statistic on the Stimulus,

"Transportation and Infrastructure was 8% of the funding, but accounted for 50% of the jobs."

Wait a second! If that's true, why didn't we just let Transportation spend 16% of the money? Then we could have gotten 100% of the jobs, and saved $661 billion.

When the money went to roads and bridges, we could see that. What we should be asking is where did the rest of the money go?

2010-07-23T15:32:00.001-07:00

A Little Perspective On the Deficit

According NPR today, the federal government will run a deficit of $1.47 trillion this year. That is a lot of money.

Let's put that in terms that may mean something. The feds will spend $1,470,000,000,000.00 more than they have. That's putting $4,027,397,260.27 on the nation's credit card every day.

Now for some perspective, let's compare it to something else that is worth a lot of money... how 'bout something else in the news? Tourism in Florida. According to the State of Florida, the annual GDP of the leisure and hospitality industry was $42,321,000,000 in 2008. (I assume this number excludes GDP from transportation, since that's a separate listing.)

Florida tourism is worth $42 billion a year.

It means that every week and a half, that is every 10.48 days, the federal goverment will put the value of an entire year of Florida tourism on the credit card; three years worth about every month.

That's a lot of vacations our kids are going to miss.

2010-06-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

Obama the New Manager

(I'll get this post out before the President's address to the nation tonight, because maybe he will change course and this thought will become OBE).

I briefly saw the President at a press conference with Admiral Allen on TV the other day. It struck me that something was wrong. I thought it was he seemed to be so engaged in the details. Too engaged in the details frankly. I thought the President should be providing the vision and bringing people together to find solutions. Not worrying about "whose ass to kick."

Then today I following a HotAir link to the Tina Brown article in The Daily Beast. She nails it

"Obama can’t change his cool disposition though it would be nice if he lost the vaguely grudging air he gives off that problems of management get in the way of ideas."

She goes on to describe how Bill Clinton would have brought the people, the key players, together to make things happen.

By now Clinton would have reached out to every one on the planet (even James Cameron) who knew anything about deep sea drilling, BP, big oil, and wetland wildlife and absorbed those competing opinions into the radar of his responses. He would have convened all those Republican Gulf State governors at the White House right away, and in doing so won political points for showing the true meaning of bipartisanship. He would have summoned not just this new BP character, the faceless chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, but the familiar, juicy target, Tony Hayward—if only so the public could see the delinquent CEO ordered like a chastened schoolboy to the principal’s office. He would have convened not just BP but all the other oil companies to force out the best ideas in a fanfared Oval Office meeting. And for sure he would have called James Carville personally and got his yelling fetus-face off CNN.

She provides a great illustration of the problem. Having never been an executive, or even a manager, the President has run into the well-known tension between great ideas about management and actually getting things done. He's experiencing what happens when great ideas come up against the hard work of bringing people along to turn those ideas and visions into reality. It's the difference between being a visionary leader or a merely a visionary.

There's an old saying that comes to mind, experienced managers know its truth. "Management would be easy if it weren't for all the people."

2010-06-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

Taliban Hang Seven Year Old for Spying

Via HotAir, we hear the most awful story of the day, the Times Online reports

"A seven-year-old boy was executed by the Taleban in a brutal act of retribution this week, after his grandfather dared to resist the insurgency’s iron rule."

But there is a strange line in the report.

The killing of children to punish their parents has chilling echoes of western mafia-style violence. Under Pashtunwali, the complex and ancient honour code of the Pashtuns, it is likely to spawn generations of vendettas and blood letting.

Why is that there? Some weird East/West moral equivalence? Another way to frame the Taliban as criminal gangs?

Is it even true? Is that a typical Mafia tactic? A dogpile search on "mafia killing children" and "mafia murder children" came up with two specific stories. One report of a failed 2009 plot in Sicily also mentioned the 1995 murder of an informants 13 year old child. A second hit gives us a Wiki page on the Black Mafia (Nation of Islam) murder of a family, including five children, the Hanafi murders. There were a few general references, but those were the only specifics.

For something to be a "chilling echo" it should remind you of something. The only thing the line reminded me of was that I had never heard of the Mafia killing the children of informers. Mafia killing the children of informers just doesn't seem like common practice.

So the Taliban horrors are "chilling echoes of western mafia?" I don't think so. Weird, just weird.

2010-06-07T19:50:00.001-07:00

Angry President Looking to Kick Ass

The latest pronouncement from our angry president comes via Hotair, on Chuck Todd's twitter feed.

POTUS to Matt Lauer: said he isn't talking with experts as an academic exercise but to find out info so he knows "whose ass to kick."

First off, that this language from any president diminishes the office. That said, profanity and tough talk can serve to communicate some things. So how is this different from when our last President declared that "we're kicking ass" in Iraq? Well, President Bush made the call from a position of strength. He was vastly unpopular, but the surge was working. His "kicking ass" was his assessment of the positive results brought above by his policy. Positive results paid for in real blood and sweat. Although the comment was directed to the Australian prime minister, it was heard and motivating to the troops.

Compare that to President Obama's statement. He too is vastly unpopular, but this is a situation that he has not yet gotten under control. He's not trying to inspire others to action or recognize their results, he's calling attention to his actions. To what he is gonna do. A problem is he hasn't done it yet. He's telling us that he want to kick some ass.

Of course, he could just be channeling Hank Hill.

UPDATE: Instalanche! Thanks Professor. Welcome folks, stay awhile and take a look around. BTW, the full Hank Hill quote was "Who is calling me a liar, you or the machine? 'Cause I need to know whose ass to kick."

2010-05-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post Gets it Wrong on Memorial Day

(UPDATE: Correction made, see below)

With their layers of fact checkers and editors, the Washington Post can't tell the difference between a Sailor, a Soldier, and a Marine.

Sailors and Marines are not Soldiers.

This matters to many who have served. Please get it right.

This picture is from the front page. It is captioned "Soldiers salute during a ceremony in Kabul..." But the person in the picture is a Sailor not a Soldier. You can tell by her insignia, her rate or "crow" as we call it. She is a Petty Officer First Class, United States Navy. Show her some respect by recognizing that.

In the slideshow for today, this picture is captioned "US soldiers and civilians working in Afghanistan pay their Memorial Day tribute..." The person on the right in the picture is a Marine, not a Soldier. You can tell by the shape of his hat, the color of his uniform, his rank insignia, the globe on the pocket, and also the words US Marines over the pocket. I can't be sure with the resolution of the photo, he looks to be a Corporal, but may be a Lance Corporal or a Sergeant. Show him some respect by recognizing that.

I could rant on about how this exemplifies the lack of connection between most journalists and those who sacrifice to defend their freedoms. But I won't.

I'm just disappointed.

UPDATE: An email to "corrections" at the Post and a few hours later the captions have changed. Thanks Post for caring enough to make the correction. It is noticed and appreciated. I've posted screen shots of the new captions. Note they've changed to the generic "service members." Probably an 80% solution, but at least it's not wrong. Thanks again!

The front page image is now captioned "US forces serving overseas remember...."

The slideshow image is now captioned "US service members and civilians working in Afghanistan pay their Memorial Day tribute...

2010-05-31T05:38:00.000-07:00

On Memorial Day Remember The Fallen

Last night we had our usual Sunday dinner. We raised our glasses in honor and remembrance of CTI2 Craig Rudolph and CTI3 Patrick Price. They were the last CT's lost during the Cold War. As told in VP Navy

EA-3B was attempting to land on the USS Nimitz CVN-68 at night during blue water operations off of Lebanon. Aircraft attempted to catch the arresting gear wire 5 times to no avail. During one of the bolters the EA-3B drop out of view below the flight deck almost impacting the water. After regaining altitude the aircraft was running low on fuel with less than 800lbs left, the aircraft then meet up with the A-7 tanker which would not work because the buddy store was spewing fuel every where (No Joy). Due to the low fuel state the EA-3B was unable to make it to a shore base and it was decided to launch the KA-6B tanker. It was then determined that the A-6 couldn't be launched due to it was blocked in on the bow by other aircraft from the last recovery. After a discussion between the aircraft, CAG and VQ-2 CO, It was ruled out for the crew to bail out or ditch into the cold Mediterranean water. The barricade was rigged, then it was discovered that a big wrench used to tighten up the barricade was missing, so the barricade was sagging 8 foot. The EA-3B made a really nice approach to the carrier descending toward the barricade at a high angle, once near the barricade the LSO told the pilot to "Cut, Cut" meaning kill the engines, the pilot failed to do so flying into the barricade really high hitting the nose landing gear on the sagging barricade ripping it back and slamming the A-3 into the deck then skidding down the flight deck and off the angle into the sea. The rescue Helo hovered above the A-3 not noting any movement inside; the helo SAR swimmers did not enter the A-3. After 13 minutes of floating the EA-3B sank with its 7 men crew to the bottom of the sea.

Seven men were killed: LT Alan A. Levine, Pilot; LCDR. Ronald R. Callander, Navigattor; LT Stephen H. Batchelder, Evaluator; LT James D. Richards, Evaluator; AT2 Richard A. Herzing, ESM Operator; CTI3 Craig R. Rudolf, Cryptologic Direct Support Operator; CTI3 Patrick R. Price, Cryptologic Direct Support Operator.

For a full list of Naval Cryptologists lost in action since the end of World War II, see my Memorial Day post from 2009.

We didn't think too much about it at the time, it was the job. In retrospect it was a dangerous business.

2010-05-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

Childhood in the Age of Obama

Overheard at the neighborhood pool today, two ten year old boys talking about something...

Boy 1: You couldn't do that, you don't have enough money.

Boy 2: I could if I had a trillion dollars.

Boy 1: Nobody can get a trillion dollars.

Boy 2: If I got a bailout I could.

Remember folks, the children are listening.

2010-05-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Godspeed LT Finn

Chief Petty Office John W. Finn was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941.

Both CDR Salamander and the NY Times profiled him Most memorable...

When Chief Finn arrived at the hangars, many of the planes had already been hit. He recalled that he grabbed a .30-caliber machine gun on a makeshift tripod, carried it to an exposed area near a runway and began firing. For the next two and a half hours, he blazed away, although peppered by shrapnel as the Japanese planes strafed the runways with cannon fire.
As he remembered it: “I got shot in the left arm and shot in the left foot, broke the bone. I had shrapnel blows in my chest and belly and right elbow and right thumb. Some were just scratches. My scalp got cut, and everybody thought I was dying: Oh, Christ, the old chief had the top of his head knocked off! I had 28, 29 holes in me that were bleeding. I was walking around on one heel. I was barefooted on that coral dust. My left arm didn’t work. It was just a big ball hanging down.”

After attending to the premier of the Hollywood movie Pearl Harbor in 1999, he said, “I liked it especially because I got to kiss all those pretty little movie actresses.”

Once a Chief always a Chief. God Speed LT Finn.

2010-05-27T21:34:00.001-07:00

Angry Obama Executes White House Jester

Sweet. When the Onion picks it up, you know you've nailed it.
White House Jester Beheaded for Making Fun of Soaring Deficit

(update: edited to fix link)

2010-05-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

The President Says He is Angry

According to the NY Times, at the press conference today, President Obama said he is “angry and frustrated” over the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Heck, I told you that almost two weeks ago... also last year.

I got blasted by some when I first called him "our angry president" last year.

He is still our angry President. He says so himself. It's still not comforting. When there is an emergency, do you want the guy who stays cool, or do you want a screamer? "Plug the damn hole!" Screamers get action, that's for sure. But it's not always the best action.

What happens if Korea, Iran, or, God forbid, Russia or China make the President angry? What hole will he demand be plugged then?

But we love him. Right?

UPDATE: Instalanche! Thanks Professor! Folks, while you're here, take a look around, I'd especially appreciate it if you looked at the roll of the fallen Navy cryptologists in my Memorial Day post and took a minute minute to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

2010-05-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

The President Owns It

At the press conference today, President Obama, referring to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, said,

From the moment this disaster began, the federal government has been in charge of the response effort, BP is operating at our direction.

In the same press conference he reportedly "...claimed his administration inherited the problems at MMS, but said "I take responsibility" for problems that persisted since he took office."

Let's be fair. The President's appointee has only been in place one year. (Whoops, she's gone) The federal government is just too big for the president to be expected to run the whole thing...maybe that's part of the problem.

2010-05-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

The New York Times wants to Know How Service Has Changed You

The New York Times again invites members of the military who are serving, or have served, in Afghanistan to help us document the daily life of this war in photographs, video and writing. Take us on a tour of the FOB, introduce us to your friends, describe the hardships of deployment and the humor that helps you pass the time.

Loved ones of those serving in Afghanistan are also invited to participate. Show us what life at home is like without your husband or wife, mother or father, daughter or son.

Scan or take close-up photographs of letters you have sent or received and send us copies of e-mails and digital photos you have used to keep in touch during the deployment.

We will select from the submissions we receive and post them in a gallery of experiences from the field.

Why do I get the feeling this will not turn out well. I hope to be pleasantly surprised with an honorable treatment of those who have served.

2010-05-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

It's a Win-Win (Unless you get caught)

In today's Washington post, Kathleen Parker ponders over the case of the US Senate Democratic candidate, "...Richard Blumenthal, the Connecticut attorney general recently infamous for exaggerating his role as a Marine reservist during the Vietnam era. At various times, he has accurately said that he wore the uniform during that period; other times, he has said that he wore the uniform in Vietnam. In fact, he received several draft deferments while a student at Harvard and Cambridge and enlisted in the Marines only when those deferments were running out. "

"And, he did falsely and knowingly imply that he was a combat veteran. The question is: Why? ..."

My answer is so he can play the victim to Democrats, the combat vetern to Republicans, and both to independents. In the clips I've seen, such as the one below (H/T CDR Salamander) he was clearly playing the victim... he's the suffering veteran, sent by his nation to fight an unpopular misbegotten war then mistreated and discarded once he got home. Now he's promising government care for all those other poor tormented souls who have been lied to and sent to fight another unpopular misbegotten war, and would be discarded too (like the ~~victims~~ veterans of WWII and Korea) were it not for those honorable people who want to care for them, "regardless of what you think about the war." New England liberals eat that stuff up because the love victims and combat veterans with all their experience and bottled up pain make great ones in their eyes. "Look at how he's suffered, he has the experience to empathize and help others."

Then there is the added bonus for liberals of showing their patriotism (helping war veterans, see I love America) while simultaneously maligning the nation (America went men to war then failed it's veteran, America is bad)

On the other side, being a Vietnam veteran, means you did your duty, served honorably when the country called. Republicans like this. Southern Republicans anyway.

Being a Democrat in liberal Connecticut, I would give more weight to the reason up top. This guy is not stealing valor, he actually served and he is not claiming to be a war hero. He doesn't seem care about that. He is stealing victim status. That's what plays to his base.

Ms. Parker finally asks "Who knows what motivated Blumenthal to stretch his truth? Perhaps it was survivor's guilt."

Guilt assumes some sense of right and wrong. Survivor's guilt implies that he went through a harrowing experience where others died. He didn't.

Perhaps it was his desire to get votes.

2010-05-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Sources and Methods...

Here we go again...

An article in todays LA Times said that evidence "...cited growing evidence Saturday that a Pakistani army major had been in cellphone contact with a man who allegedly attempted to bomb Times Square in New York, including the possibility that they spoke shortly before the failed bombing."

Like my last post about revealing sources and methods, this is a bad thing. When you let the bad guys know how you get information about their activities, they are likely to try to cut off those sources of information.

I think the ongoing disclosure of intelligence sources and methods in the Times square bombing case illustrates one of the difficulties and the difference between treating terrorism as warfare and treating it as criminal actitivity. Warfare is ongoing, therefore you protect your intelligence sources until the fight is over. Criminal activity is made up of "cases." Revealing the source may strengthen a case by lending credibility to the evidence. The investigators and prosecutors are not as concerned about protecting sources as they are about "solving a crime" or winning a case.

The problem from a military perspective is that once a source is lost, because the target avoids it or makes it more secure, it takes time to develop and test new sources. If the target gets their operations going again before you can do that, they have the advantage.

Bottom line, is that that treating terrorism as crime rather than warfare makes everything more dangerous. Our government has made this policy calculation and decided to accept that risk.

2010-05-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Draw Muhammad - May 20, 2010

Allahu Akbar

2010-05-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

The Reagan Diaries 5/18/1981

Monday, May 18
We may have a chance in Lebanon of heading off a war. The Saudis sent an emissary to Syria. Our problem now is 2 pol. leaders Assad Begin finding a way that saves both their faces doesn't look like the u.S. managed this.
Met with Volcker of the Fed. Reserve. Int. prime rates went to 20 today. This is "chicken little" stuff in the money mkt. based on pessimism that Congo won't give us what we're asking so inflation will go up.
Bill Smith came in with a task force report on immigration. Our 1st problem is what to do with 1000's of Cubans-criminals, the insane that Castro loaded on refugee boats and sent here.
Finally an interview with Teddy White. Yes now I'll be in a book called "The Making of the Pres."
Tonite we went to the Lisner Auditorium for the benefit performance by the Joffrey Ballet. Ron is featured in much of it-the old show biz story. One of the principles strained a muscle & Ron replaced him. He was darn good. He has a grace that is remindful of Fred Astaire-a little extra flair that makes it all look easy.

2010-05-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

Somalia Parliament Attacked

According to AP, Islamic insurgents attacked a building in the Somali capital where parliament was meeting Sunday for the first time this year, pounding the area with mortars. At least 16 civilians were killed in the fighting that ensued...

My first reaction on reading this was, "Somalia has a parliment?"

2010-05-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

Our Angry President, Part II

I first wrote about our angry president back in December. It is now May, 2010 and President Obama is still angry.

He's angry about different things now. Most recently "...about the oil spill, its magnitude, and BP’s stalling,” but also, since December he has been reported angry about the failure to prevent the Christmas terror attack, and he was really angry at Israel after Vice President Biden's visit. There are reports of angry exchanges between the US and Afghan President Karzai, but most only refer to "the administration" generally, so I'll give the president a pass on that one.

Some might wonder if it's just political theater. The president being clear on what's important. I don't think so. The reason I think not is because of all the coverage of the president talking about how the public is angry. Without debating the causes, or how angry people really are, let's just accept that he understands it, because he's an angry guy.

Have you ever worked for an "angry boss?" The one who is constantly pissed about something. It has a tendency to get personal. It is not a pleasant place to work. People begin to withhold information or not have frank discussions needed because they don't want to become the next target. Now take that angry boss and put him (or her) in the most powerful office in the world. Would you want to be in a White House meeting where the boss is angry? Not I.

Anger is not a healthy emotion in an individual. It is especially unhealthy when that individual leads an organization. It wears over time. On everyone. It weakens communication. It clouds the judgment and impairs decision making.

It is still worrisome to have an angry president.

2010-05-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

Required Reading for Local Schools

I was in a Border Books store in Georgia today. I noticed two racks with signs that said "Required Reading for Local Schools" Worrying about what kind of leftist pap I would find, I took a look. I was pleasantly surprised. While there are certainly some books there that I don't know (I should) there are many that I do. The list included two Ayn Rand titles, as well as the important classics 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. Huck Finn, Gatsby, and All Quiet on the Western Front are still there. While I may be disappointed once I read the books that have been added over the last 30 years, this is an American Reading List. If kids are reading, Atlas Shrugged, 1984, and Fahrenheit 451, there is hope for us yet.

What books are the kids in your part of the country getting?

Here are the photos and the almost complete lists... some I couldn't remember the titles or read them on the photos.

Confederacy of Dunces
Of Mice and Men
Life of Pi
Brave New World
The Crucible
Catcher in the Rye
1984
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Poisonwood Bible
Streetcar Named Desire
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Their Eyes Were Watching God
A Clockwork Orange
Watership Down
Tom Sawyer
The Joy Luck Club
Slaughterhouse Five
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Pride and Prejudice
The Awakening
?
Ender's Game
The Hobbit
The Count of Monte Crist
The Great Gatsby
The House on Mango Street
The Bridge at San Luis Rey
Catch-22
Fahrenheit 451
Time Machine

Princess Bride
As I Lay Dying
The Color Purple
A Lesson Before Dying
Invisible Man (Ellison)
Foucault's Pendulum
The Fountainhead
Atlas Shrugged
The Bell Jar
Lolita
?
Flowers for Algernon
Ishmael
The Bluest Eys
Beloved
Moby Dick
?
How to Read Literature Like a Professor
Grapes of Wrath?
The Jungle
All Quiet on the Western Front
?
?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Hamlet
MacBeth
Julius Caesar
Romeo and Juliet

(Disclaimer: The book racks were too tall to capture them in one shot, so I have merged two photos to show the full rack)

2010-05-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Holy Sources and Methods Batman!

So... NSA has a technique to analyze disposable cell phone usage that can quickly identify a bad guy.

The number from a disposable cellphone led FBI agents to the suspect arrested Monday night for allegedly driving a car bomb into Times Square on Saturday evening, according to a senior official.

“They were able to basically get one phone number and by running it through a number of databases, figure out who they thought the guy was,” the official said

Nice to know.

Another source and method that people probably worked long and hard to develop... blown. Some stuff should stay classified. This is surely an example where the public's need to know specific sources and methods does not outweigh the need to keep using those sources and methods to protect the public. Revealing sources and methods usually results in degradation or loss of the source. It is usually criminal, irresponsible, self-serving, or just plain stupid. Sometimes all of those. Rarely, rarely none.

Check out the last paragraphs:

At 11:30 p.m., Holder was called about the arrest. He was rushed back to DOJ, complete with flashing lights. He didn't go to his office but straight to the National Security Division's 7th-floor SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) for real-time updates.

Officials worked until 1:10 to nail everything down. Assured it was the guy, DOJ issued a news advisory. Holder walked in front of the camera at 1:30 a.m.

I don't think I've ever seen the SCIF referred to in an article like this. It sounds like they read the traffic in the SCIF then someone came out and gave anonymous background to the press?

Great job catching the bad guy so quickly. That was professional. Revealing how you did it, that was amateurish.

H/T Instapundit

2010-05-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

Your Papers Please - the "Arizona Immigration" Debate

The issue of the week(apart from oil spills and terrorist attacks in New York City) is the new Arizona immigration law. I've heard a lot of misinformation and disinformation over the last several days. For example, these discriptions of the law are just a bit coy

From the Washington Post "Under Arizona's new law, to take effect in 90 days, it will be a state crime to be in the country illegally, and legal immigrants will be required to carry paperwork proving their status. Arizona police will generally be required to question anyone they "reasonably suspect" of being undocumented -- a provision that critics argue will lead to widespread racial profiling, but that supporters insist will give authorities the flexibility to enforce existing immigration laws."

From the New York Times "The law, which proponents and critics alike said was the broadest and strictest immigration measure in generations, would make the failure to carry immigration documents a crime and give the police broad power to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. Opponents have called it an open invitation for harassment and discrimination against Hispanics regardless of their citizenship status.

NPR says "Protests were held throughout the weekend after Governor Jan Brewer signed a measure that makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. without proper authorization."

The Post and NPR mention, without elaboration, that this is a state crime. The Times doesn't.

I think that the important point is the federal statute. First, the law requires that aliens must register.

(a) Willful failure to register. Any alien required to apply for registration and to be fingerprinted in the United States who willfully fails or refuses to make such application or to be fingerprinted, and any parent or legal guardian required to apply for the registration of any alien who willfully fails or refuses to file application for the registration of such alien shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

Also the law requires that aliens must carry proof of that registration

(e) Personal possession of registration or receipt card; penalties. Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d) of this section. Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

But this isn't how the opponents are framing the debate, the requirement to register and carry that proof. Remember, the law quoted above is federal law, not the Arizona state law. But this federal law is important because this is the US Code that the Arizona law refers to. The state law makes it a state crime to be in violation of federal law. The Arizona law is simply authorizing and requirement their law enforcement officers to enforce the law.

It is federal law that requires aliens to register and carry papers. If this is so horrible, so terrifying, so reminiscent of a Nazi police state, so inconsistent with our values, then it must be changed.

So Mr. President, Madam Speaker, Mr. Majority Leader, if you are serious about this issue, change the federal law. Mr. President, if you really believe that the people of Arizona are "misguided," and that Americans "deserve common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability" then change the federal law. Madam Speaker, if you really believe that the people of Arizona have shown the "need for urgent, bipartisan action at the federal level," then change the federal law. Mr. Reid, if you really believe that his is an "important example of why we need to fix our broken system," Then change the federal law.

If the federal law is changed, Arizona will have nothing to enforce. If you don't at least attempt this, then you are intellectually dishonest, hypocrites, demogogues, or maybe just crybabies.

2010-04-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

Chavez and Airborne Reconnaissance

Chavez claims to have intercepted or detected US recon aircraft in or near his airspace twice now. The tone of his claims is aggressive, but framed to sound as if we are the aggressors. Electronic warfare is what it is, but to the average person, it sounds nasty. Not something you want being done to your country.

Flying reconnaissance missions is a passive operation. You fly off the coast, stay out of their airspace, and monitor what's going on. Nothing to get excited about. But Chavez is getting excited. The fact that our aircraft are being noticed is worrisome. Is he laying the groundwork for a more serious "incident?"

Remember this guys and gals - When you are flying near hostile airspace, where you actually are is not as important as where they think you are.

Keep flying, but let's be careful out there.

2010-04-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

Do Our Goals in Afghanistan Doom Us to Fail

In the Washington Post today there is an interesting article on the "controversial" approach of training villagers as basic militias. The idea is to let them secure their neighborhoods and provide a counterbalance to the Taliban. What caught my eye was this quote,

"At the end of the day, how sustainable would a program like this be?" said a State Department official based in Kabul, who like other officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal disputes. "It runs counter to the goal of giving the state a monopoly of force."

Our goal is to give the state a monopoly on force? My understanding is that Afghanistan, by and large, is tribal, with a tough terrain and almost infinitely complex communications (transportation) problems. I understand that the Afghans who are willing to pick up a gun are a tough independent sort. Are we really thinking that centralizing power, or as they put it, giving the state a monopoly of force, will work well here? Has AFG ever been a country with a strong central government? It just doesn't sound like a very smart goal.

2010-04-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

PBUH and Support South Park in the Draw Mohammad Day - May 20

I've been a fan of South Park for years. It's the best social political satire out there. I watched both of this season's super best friends episodes. (In South Park they depict Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, John Smith, Lao Tzu, Moses and Sea Man as Segway riding super heroes) The joke in this episode was that since they couldn't depict Mohammad, they put him in a U haul, then in a bear suit. The easily-offended went nuts, "predicting" that the South Park creators would wind up dead in the street like Dutch film maker Theo Van Gogh. Comedy Central caved, at in the second episode, they censored both the bear suit and the commentary on censorship. Yes, you heard that right, they censored the kids' commentary on censorship. (I had both episodes on DVR, but deleted them, thinking if I wanted to watch them again, I could see them On-Demand. Bad decision.)

So.... in support of the First Amendment, and as a finger in the eye of the censors,
I announce that I will participate in Draw Mohammad Day on May 20.

My other regular reads that are supporting this effort are (of course)
Instapundit
Hot Air
Commander Salamander

Update: Jon Stewart gets it....

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

South Park Death Threats

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

Testing mobile blogging with blogpost lite

2010-04-20T18:12:00.001-07:00

Hmm. Can I post straight from my iPhone?

2010-04-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

Honor

The difference between the good guys and the bad guys is whether they use human shields or make themselves human shields. H/T OPFOR

Reminded me is this classic shot below. I didn't have it, but found a copy on Carols Blog where she had apparently pulled it from Flopping Aces.

If you want to know more, read about the difference between wolves, sheep, and sheepdogs.

2010-04-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

"Collateral Murder" NOT

I've read the various descriptions of the gun camera video that was published today on the Wikileaks site. I won't link to the site, because their slander doesn't deserve the traffic. I did go to the site to read the Wikileaks post, but I probably won't watch the video. War is ugly, people died, viewing it would probably not add much to my understanding. Several respectable and respected bloggers have commented, including Ed Morrisey, Rusty Shackleford, Phib, Roggio, and Uber Pig.

Here is what I gather from their descriptions: There was an armed group of men in Iraq. Under the ROE at the time, they could be engaged. They were engaged and destroyed. A vehicle came on the scene to assist the targets. It too was engaged.

That's not murder. It's combat.

The following thought occured to me while reading something by Mike Yon the other day. (I can't find the exact post, otherwise I would link it directly.)

People, both military and civilian, must understand once a target is identified it can be engaged immediately. Sleeping, hiding, running away, even wounded. (If you think wounded fighters on the field of battle are somehow out of the fight, take a look at a few Medal of Honor citations.) While warfighters have an obligation to accept surrender, they are under no obligation to ask for it.

UPDATE: Here's something that would answer a lot of questions. The photographs from the dead photographer's camera. Assuming they weren't destroyed is reasonable. We know who he was. It seems highly likely that someone from his family would save "his last pictures." So how 'bout it Reuters? What were his final photos that day?

UPDATE II: Rusty at mypetjawa has the photos. They were included as items in the Army's investigation of the engagement. I watched the video and listened to the audio. You could hear the tension in the pilots voices when they had saw the guy with the RPG peaking around the corner down the alley from where the US patrol was passing. They didn't have a clean shot yet and thought the enemy was going to engage before they got one. Anyone who can't hear that must be willfully ignorant or just ignorant. It sucks that that was the guy with the camera. ... but the group was armed. As for the van... I don't know the ROE on that. But the pilots did, and the investigation (also at the jawa site) cleared them. No cover up. Clear statements of fact. War sucks, but do not condemn warriors because they take you somewhere you would rather not be.

2010-04-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Христос Воскрес!
Да, истенно воскрес!

(He is Risen!
Yes, He is truly Risen!)

Lk 24:1-12

At daybreak on the first day of the week
the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus
took the spices they had prepared
and went to the tomb.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb;
but when they entered,
they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, behold,
two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.
They said to them,
“Why do you seek the living one among the dead?
He is not here, but he has been raised.
Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee,
that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners
and be crucified, and rise on the third day.”
And they remembered his words.
Then they returned from the tomb
and announced all these things to the eleven
and to all the others.
The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James;
the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles,
but their story seemed like nonsense
and they did not believe them.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb,
bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone;
then he went home amazed at what had happened.

Happy Easter to All!

2010-04-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Stuff White People Like and Tea Parties

I'm a fan of the social commentary blog "Stuff White People Like" written by Christian Lander. (I support it by owning a copy of his book.) The author's style nails so many of the artifacts of "white culture" in an understated way that I find enjoyable to read. I think it's the same voice that many successful stand-up comics use. The ones who don't tell jokes, but who point out some of the silliness of modern life.

Although he hasn't made the entry yet, something that white people definitely like are protests and marches. Just look at the stuff white people like an you see the logical connection. The list includes Political Prisoners, Being Offended, Bumper Stickers, The Ivy League, Scarves, San Francisco, Having Gay Friends, Hating Corporations, Threatening to Move to Canada, Recycling, Knowing What’s Best for Poor People, Lawyers, Arts Degrees, The Sunday New York Times, Public Radio, Marijuana, Vegan/Vegetarianism, Non-Profit Organizations, and more. This stuff is either a topic of protests or marches, supports the protests or marches, or could be found at a protest or march (along with message T-shirts).

So if white people like protests and marches, why then is much of "white culture" (the people who like the things above) dismissive of the Tea Party movement? It's got speaking truth to power, outdoors, Diversity, lawyers, bumper stickers, sticking up for the little guy, signs, being offended, even some weed and good t-shirts. The answer is that these protests are attended by the wrong kind of white people.

The wrong kind of white person is the one that "right kind" white people want to avoid when camping (the one in the RV); the one that watches Leno; the one who doesn't like hummus or find Sarah Silverman funny. It's the one who, when he goes to San Francisco, makes the Rocket Boat the highlight of the trip. It's the white person who drives a truck, not to reject the political statement of driving a Prius, but because he needs it for work. Sarah Palin, even though she's a strong woman, in a Native American, union household with a disabled child, and an ~~unwed mother~~ single mother daughter is the wrong kind of white person.

This is why a protest against big corporations that has dozens of the right kind people attending will get national news coverage, and a protest against big ~~corporations~~ government with thousands of the wrong kind of white people gets ignored, minimized, or dismissed.

The challenge is to frame the issues in terms that white people can understand and join in. Tea Partiers are a diverse bunch. There is room for everyone. The only thing we ask when you join is a commitment to get the federal government out of our pocketbooks and now our doctors' offices. (I don't think they belong in our bedrooms either, but that's a separate issue.) While we have many of the wrong kind of white people, we also have much of the stuff white people like.

UPDATE: Instalanche! Thanks Professor Reynolds!

2010-03-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

Pro-Choice? Under the Bus with You.

Wow. The pro-choice community has been a solid, solid, Obama backer since day one.

They too are expedient. The President has released a draft Executive Order laying out strict prohibitions on Federal support of abortion. He will sign as part of a health care "deal."

I went to check his position from the 2008... Looks like there is no promise there... looks pretty loose. REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE - Supports a Woman's Right to Choose: Barack Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case.

Not specific enough? In a speech on July 17, 2007 to planned parenthood he did promise to make "reproductive services" a part of his public health plan (Video here 1:48). "...it'll be a plan that will provide ALL essential services, including reproductive services..." Everyone knows that's code for abortion services.

The restrictions in this EO are just the thing that NARAL has warned against.
Unable to make all abortion illegal, anti‐choice legislators have tried to make abortion services nearly impossible for women to obtain by imposing multiple restrictions on the right to choose. They have used the appropriations process to impose bans on the use of federal funds for abortion care in most situations. In other circumstances, they have imposed broad restrictions on how these funds may be used. For example, the federal Hyde amendment prohibits the use of public funds for abortion services unless the procedure is necessary to save the woman’s life or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.
Lawmakers have also singled out abortion services for exclusion from federal health‐care plans that cover other pregnancy‐related care, jeopardizing womenʹs health and discriminating against low‐income women and women in public service. These restrictions impose significant, and in some cases insurmountable, obstacles to a womanʹs ability to exercise her constitutionally protected right to choose.

By that definition, the executive order looks pretty anti-choice to me.

Under the bus with you.

Who are the Rubes?

2010-03-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

A Painful Loss

Via CDR Salamander, we are reminded of the personal, crushing cost of war. Marine Corporal Jonathan Daniel Porto was killed in Afghanistan. He was the husband of Mrs P, who blogs at "A Little Pink in a World of Camo."

Those good women, who faithfully maintain the home front while their men are out flying, riding, walking, or sailing into harm's way, are to be respected and cherished. Their loss is our shared loss.

This young widow wrote that she couldn't find the words to describe it. Then she went on to write them. What strength and courage. Her husband was blessed to have her as a wife and her daughter is blessed to have her as a mother.

My heart goes out to you Mrs. P. May God keep and protect you.

2010-03-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

The President Gets it Right

Via Hotair, Obama said. “What I can tell you is that the vote that’s taken in the House will be a vote for health care reform. And if people vote yes, whatever form that takes, that is going to be a vote for health care reform. And I don’t think we should pretend otherwise. And if they don’t, if they vote against it, then they’re going to be voting against health care reform and they’re going to be voting in favor of the status quo.

Yes, yes, yes. I like the sound of that Mr. President -

I am pro status quo.

How 'bout a chant.

Vote No, Keep the Status Quo!
Vote No, Keep the Status Quo!
Vote No, Keep the Status Quo!

2010-03-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

Will the Health Insurance Industry be the Next Subprime Mortgage Crisis?

I heard the news report on NPR this morning about the President's final push in Ohio where he blasts insurance companies for not giving coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and for raising rates. I can't find an NPR link, but here's a March 8 excerpt from the LA Times that quotes what is probably the same speech

“Every year, insurance companies deny more people coverage because they have a pre-existing condition....Every year, they raise premiums higher and higher,” Obama says.

Wait a second. Does that mean he's asking that the insurance companies include people with preexisting conditions and keep premiums low? But if insurance companies bring people with pre-existing conditions into their risk pool, don't they have to raise premiums?

You can't have it both ways. Either exclude some people who will cost more and keep premiums low, or take them into the pool and increase premiums to cover it.

It sounds like the president is asking insurance companies to take on more known high risks but not plan their finances to cover it... Isn't that the same kind of market distortion that got the banking industry into the subprime mess?

Would the President have us set up the insurance companies for the same fall?

On another angle, what if I wanted to start an insurance company and cover, say, healthy non-smoking 25 year olds who want catastrophic coverage only? Could I do that, or would the government tell me I couldn't?

If we want to create a government social safety net for "uninsurables" I don't have a problem with that. But we don't need to take over everything.

(Full disclosure: The line I cut out in my quote above was "...Every year, they drop more people’s coverage when they’re sick and need it most..." Frankly, I think it's a fear-mongering, throwaway. If that's really a problem, it can be addressed with some regulation and oversight, not a takeover.)

2010-03-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ouch. That Didn't Go So Well

Let's take a brief trip to Russia where Pravda is reporting that last night Georgian television did a mock news broadcast of what could happen if the ~~Soviets~~ Russians invaded again, killed the president, panic strikes the capital, etc. etc. As reported, it appears that on Friday, the news channel even seeded web stories about Russian exercises near the border.

Only problem, apparently, was that some people missed the disclaimer at the beginning of the broadcast and thought the country really was under attack. The president's press secretary even had to go to the TV station to reassure people.

Guess they don't read media history too much. Orson Welles found out the hard way in his 1938 radio braodcast of an alien invasion. Mock news reports have a strange way getting people upset.

I take Pravda's reporting with a grain of salt. They have their own agenda. One line in the report especially stinks. In describing the panic, "Viewers in horror called each other and the television studio to learn about what was happening. The number of visits to doctors dramatically increased. There was a panic ...

The number of visits to doctors dramatically increased? I don't know much about Georgian culture, but the idea that a panicked population, on a Saturday night, would turn to the medical community in "dramatic" numbers, and that the press could capture that data point on Sunday morning... Well, sounds like Pravda is doing a little bit of hysterical reporting of their own.

2010-03-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

On Human Rights

Hotair linked to an article by Professor Williams that contains one of the most succinct and accurate descriptions of natural rights in recent memory

"True rights, such as those in our Constitution, or those considered to be natural or human rights, exist simultaneously among people. That means exercise of a right by one person does not diminish those held by another. In other words, my rights to speech or travel impose no obligations on another except those of non-interference."

Adding to the idea that exercising my right must cause no harm to another, this idea of others being free from obligation is another critical component.

My son stumbled across the stormfront site yesterday through a Google search result on "Why are." He was shocked, and sent me the link saying "Look at theses racist f*cks, is this legal?" I didn't follow the link. I know who they are, and frankly don't care to give them the traffic. I told him that freedom of speech doesn't mean that anyone has to listen. That's it. No obligation on my part. Except non-interference. They are free to say what they wish, and associate with others who feel the same way. It wasn't too long ago that racism was accepted in polite society. We as a society have moved on because people could freely share new ideas about what should be. The government didn't like those new ideas at first. So while I find the ideas of those "racist f*cks" anachronistic and repugnant, more repugnant would be to give government the power to decide what ideas cannot be shared.

2010-03-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

Dana Carvey Does Obama Impression on Leno

Impression begins at the 2:26 countdown timer. Check out the crowd response. Carvey goes after the professorial tendencies of the President, nice contrast with Reagan and Bush. (Warning that the volume is set high and a commercial will play before the clip starts... but I guess NBC makes that the price of providing an easily embedded clip.)

Notice how he zings the President for being ineffectual. Check out the set up, then the punch line...all in good humor...but the message is there. Masterful.

This reminds me that Bill Maher used do political humor too. Then he just got mean. Dana Carvey shows how it's done.

UPDATE: Welcome visitors! I have achieved hobby blogger Nirvana... linked by Instapundit and Hotair in the same day. Awesome. This is my second link from the good professor, the first was my post on our "Angry President"

2010-02-21T10:49:00.000-08:00

Announcing the Sport

A few years ago, watching soccer on ESPN, I commented on the tendency of some sportscasters to provide commentary on things other than what was happening on the field. I found it distracting to my main purpose for tuning in, to enjoy the game.

I noticed the same thing today watching the ski cross event of the Vancouver Olympics. Guys are speeding down through the course and the announcers are all over the place. A little about what's happening, a little history, some comments on the course.

As Tom Ernst said about the World Cup broadcasters back in 2006

The main announcer should be like a good ref: keeping things going unobtrusively, helping out, and keeping order, but otherwise mostly unnoticed. These guys ... say things that the color man has to correct, repeatedly come back to minor themes like the weather or a player’s torturous path to MLS or where so-and-so used to play -– stuff we might like to hear once, but not 3-4 times, when there are so many things to say about the game (or just shut up and let us watch).

If the announcers must say something, they should do it the way they do baseball on the radio.

If the announcers can't comment on what's going on, like Ernst said, just shut up and let us watch.

2010-02-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

Wow. Just wow.

I saw this CS Monitor image over on a post at Redstate. I am stunned.

So much about leadership is optics. That is, people can't follow unless they see who you are, what you are doing, and provide a vision of where you want them to go. It's fundamental. It's the basis for ethics guidelines for avoiding not only actually improprieties but the appearance of improprieties. Presidents, for better or worse, are usually masters of optics. (And when their attempts go bad, they usually get jumped on by the same group that regularly and happily marches in the same parade - see Clinton's pebbles on the beach of Normandy or Bush's "mission accomplished" banner on the USS Abraham Lincoln.)

It doesn't really matter what the story is around this photograph. There are some facts:
The Dalai Lama visited the White House.
The Dalai Lama walked by a pile of trash.
A photographer captured an image of the moment.
The image was published.

Now how does that appear? What are the Presidential optics, the message being sent?

2010-02-18T19:09:00.003-08:00

Okay, I've changed the settings which should enable comments for future posts

2010-02-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

Well that sucks...

It looks like all my comments have disappeared. So long haloscan.

I guess it's my fault. I knew haloscan free support was gone, I guess I shouldn't have expected it to be around forever.

To those of you whose comments were lost. I apologize.

2010-02-15T08:04:00.000-08:00

A Green Police Counterattack

A story on NPR today caught my ear. We learn that a sacred island is shrinking, displacing and worrying the locals.

The perimeter of the giant scattering of islands, mudflats and swampy jungle that make up the Sunderbans have been shifting around for centuries, partly because of silt and subsidence.

But scientists and locals say the rise in water levels began accelerating a few years ago.

"Since 2000, the trend is actually steeper, upwards, steeper," said Pranabes Sanyal of India's Coastal Zone Management Authority. "Day by day, the deterioration is going on. Day by day, more salinization is going on."

Sagar Island is less than 20 miles long. Sanyal estimates that in the past 40 years, its size has shrunk by nearly 10 square miles. Thousands of people have been displaced.

Oceanography professor Sugata Hazra agrees: "For the last 20 to 30 years, we are getting more cyclones and we are losing land to the sea. This is the reality."

Good reporting so far. Straightforward, factual, two sources: one (assuming the Coastal Zone Management Authority is) governmental, and a confirmation by an oceanography professor. But now the professor continues,

Hazra is worried by a recent surge in skepticism about climate change, fueled by widely publicized mistakes made by the U.N.'s climate change panel, including the prediction that the Himalayan glaciers could be gone in 25 years.

Hazra concedes that climate change scientists make mistakes and should correct them.

But he adds: "If they lose the battle to this lobby who are trying to discredit the science of climate change, who are trying to defame the scientists, the world loses the battle."

Hazra says sea levels in the Sundarbans are rising at a rate well above the global average. Several small inhabited islands have been completely submerged in the past few decades.

He stresses that the causes are many and complex. But he has no doubt that human beings are playing a part.

"Look, it is definitely a factor. It is not that it is just a possibility. One of the most important factors is man-made climate change."

Professor Hazra is worried about sceptics? Aren't scientists supposed to be sceptics? Isn't the peer review approach (supposed to be a form of) institutional scepticism? He admits that some scientists got it wrong, but then reframes the discussion as a battle between some "lobby who are trying to discredit the science of climate change...trying to defame the scientists" and finishes by declaring that if this lobby of sceptics wins, "...the world loses the battle."

It would appear the good professor Hazra is engaged in a little lobbying himself. Who is he?

It looks like the same "Professor Sugata Hazra who led an initiative to "arrest the rate of coastal erosion due to Global warming on these endangered islands," as reported in this Greenpeace article from October, 2007.

It looks like the same Professor Sugata Hazra listed as the Director of the School of Oceanographic Studies at Jadavapur University. Now look who's listed as an "external advisor" to the school. The very same Pranabes Sanyal of the National Coastal Zone Management Authority.

So the government authority in the news report is an advisor to the independent scientist? How else are they connected?

Well a quick search shows that the two collaborated and edited an "A trainer's manual for integrated coastal management capacity development" in 2002. Sanyal and Hazra are both quoted in a 2006 article on the vanishing islands, and they presented at the same conference in 2007.

I'm not implying anything sinister here. The Sunderbans have been in trouble apparently for many years. This is obviously their life's work. It is very important to them. What I'm saying is simply that NPR should not have presented these two as disinterested parties, "worried by a recent surge in skepticism about climate change."

I have concerns with the timing of the article. Nothing new has happened recently regarding the islands, but the story provides a convenient vehicle for a counter punch against those concerned by the recent stories about bad science in the climate change community.

The sources clearly are not disinterested parties, the timing and content of the article serve to discredit sceptics rather than inform on an issue.

This is why we are sceptics.

2010-02-13T07:29:00.000-08:00

The case of Captain Bjork

According to this report, some Iraqi thugs and murderers have accused a US Army officers of murder.

I don't know the details. But it just doesn't pass the sniff test. If big Army is going after this guy, he needs all the help he can get just to get a fair trial.

I just send a donation his way. Do the same.

2010-01-31T20:33:00.000-08:00

They Are Not Forgotten

Each time it happens, it touches me.
Today it was the names "richard mckown wilford john house roger alex".
Put into a search engine. They found my Memorial Day remembrance.
Who puts the names in? An old friend? A family member who knew them? A family member who never knew them?
It doesn't matter.
What matters is that these people are remembered.
They were Naval Cryptologists.
They died in the line of duty.
They are not forgotten.

Two Sailors and a Marine, forever young. And You.
You remembered them. Were you young with them?
You thought about them.
You wanted to see if anyone else knew.

I know. I remembered too. Because of you.

Today it was the Kami Seya fire on September 24, 1965

2010-01-26T19:27:00.000-08:00

Zero Tolerance is Dead

CDR Salamander has a post about a football star at the Naval Academy who popped positive and has been allowed to stay in the Navy.

This makes me sick.

I remember a DRB for one young Sailor who popped positive when I was a CMC back in the 1990's. The guy was almost in tears, knew the consequences, and said, "Master Chief, I'm sorry, all I want is a second chance."

You know what I had to tell him? "You can have a second chance, just not in the Navy."

That sucked. Many in the 70's and pre-USS Nimitz 80's got that second chance and went on to become fine Sailors and leaders of men.

But the rules changed to zero tolerance. And we followed them.

Compare the young enlisted Sailor in my story and the future officer in Phib's. One admits guilt, accepts responsibility, and asks to give it another try. The other lies and gets others to lie to cover up his error.

Who would you rather have on watch?

2010-01-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

Hotts and Aircraft

Not my usual type of post, but...

Click here for some more images of Aviation hotts. The images are only risque, not pron but the host is a NSFW Russian website.

2010-01-23T10:09:00.000-08:00

A Blinding Flash of the Obvious

The Washington Post editorial today excoriates the Obama administration for bungling the interrogation of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. (Via HotAir) The money phrase

This was myopic, irresponsible and potentially dangerous.

The editorial goes on,

We originally supported the administration’s decision in the Abdulmutallab case, assuming that it had been made after due consideration. But the decision to try Mr. Abdulmutallab turns out to have resulted not from a deliberative process but as a knee-jerk default to a crime-and-punishment model.

Assuming the decision had been made after due consideration? In other words, we think they're good guys, so we gave them a pass and didn't ask to explain how they considered the decision. Nice work there, big, rich newspaper in Washington DC.

It looks like it is worse than I thought back when he was charged. This was not a thought out policy, agreed at the highest levels. They were basically winging it.

And the press wasn't interested in asking why.

Good grief.

2010-01-22T20:38:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on Corporate Influence

On Thursday, in response to the US Supreme Court decision on McCain-Feingold, the President said,

With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans. This ruling gives the special interests and their lobbyists even more power in Washington

There has been a lot of commentary agreeing with the President. But I haven't heard an honest discussion of what I consider to be some fundamental truths in the matter...

These arguments are based on the assumption that the Federal government must continue to grow and exert growing influence over the country, its markets, and its people. Special interests and lobbyists only pay Washington because it gets them something. As the Federal government grows in scope and control over society, so does its ability to determine winners and losers in the marketplace. That's why special interests and lobbyists want a seat at the table - so that the government doesn't decide that they lose.

If the Federal government were smaller... much, much smaller, then power and influence in Washington wouldn't matter so much. People could succeed or fail in the marketplace based on the value of what they had to offer consumers, not "the power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans."

2010-01-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

The Tactical President

The Supreme Court did the right thing today. It upheld the First Amendment and struck a blow for free speech by striking down the odious political speech restricting provisions of McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform. Below is the response from the White House

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 21, 2010
Statement from the President on Today's Supreme Court Decision

With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans. This ruling gives the special interests and their lobbyists even more power in Washington--while undermining the influence of average Americans who make small contributions to support their preferred candidates. That's why I am instructing my Administration to get to work immediately with Congress on this issue. We are going to talk with bipartisan Congressional leaders to develop a forceful response to this decision. The public interest requires nothing less.

Someone* said recently that while Clinton had the policy people at the center, with the political people at the edges, Obama has the political people at the center, with the policy people at the edges. This statement looks like something straight from a campaign trial. Populist pandering.

What's the policy?
To try to reduce the influence of big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies? In Washington? Yeah, right.

Are we now to believe that the President is concerned about that special interests and their lobbyists will have even more power in Washington? Or is it that's he's concerned that the special interests and lobbyists not aligned with him will have more power. Based on what we've seen the last year, color me cynical.

After what we just saw in Massachusetts, I've got renewed faith the power of average Americans who make small contributions to have a real impact on the process. Especially if that contribution is increased involvement and voting.

As far as the President's call for a forceful response... why is he so combative on everything? This sounds like he's angry again, looking to pick a fight where the law has just been settled. Is he really ready to get another big thing on his plate? This First Amendment stuff is a big thing for many Americans. Does he really not get that?

This just doesn't play to the big picture, strategic change many of us thought this President would bring to Washington. It smacks of pettiness. Maybe we should just start calling him the tactical President.

*I read that this week, but can't find it. If you know the article, please tell me where it is so I can link

2010-01-20T05:19:00.000-08:00

A single data point

From the NY Times Election map of the contest between Brown and Coakley, this shows that the elite of Cambridge still, overwhelmingly, support their party.

Looks like the Democrats haven't lost their base.

2010-01-18T09:50:00.001-08:00

Who is this Military Imposter?

Phibian Salamander has posted an image of General Douchey McChinpubes that was reportedly taken at one of the events celebrating the inauguration of Houston's new mayor.

Who is this imposter Douche?

UPDATE: XBrad TC also has a post up with a larger image

UPDATEII: We have an ident! The imposter is Michael Patrick MacManus. Bouhammer has the details. Oh, yeah, just watch, the only part of his military bio that will turn out to be true - that he went to DLI. A linguist. Great, just fuckin' great.
Fuck me.

2010-01-17T11:58:00.000-08:00

Bad Logo Choice of the Day

Lots of mothers would support this I'm sure...

Ouch... it's really for the Massachusetts Literacy Foundation

Here's the full banner from their site

2010-01-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

Funny, but true

Frank J. has a post over at Pajamas media with a list of funnies to follow up on the book Game Change. His book will be called "Bad Stuff about Politicians"

My favorite

When it started to look like Sarah Palin wasn’t fully vetted, the press immediately took up the slack, analyzing everything about her — a process that continues to this day. When they get done, the press swears they’ll then take a look at Obama.

2010-01-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

A Terrible Choice

US search and rescue teams from Virginia, California, and Florida arrived in an earthquake-devastated Haiti this week. News reports showed many major buildings in Port Au Prince were destroyed - killing thousands (some say more) and trapping hundreds, maybe thousand of people alive in the rubble. For those trapped, time is of the essence, within days many will die of dehydration or from their untreated injuries.

So how do emergency rescue team select what buildings to go to first? With so many people in need, this is a terrible choice.

To learn about this, I did some searching this morning and found "NFPA 1670, Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents," "UNDAC 2006 H. Urban Search and Rescue" and finally, from the UNITED NATION OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS Field Coordination Support Section (INSARAG Secretariat), the INSARAG GUIDELINES AND METHODOLOGY, or more simply, the INSARAG Guidelines.

In the Guidelines it tells us

WORK-SITE TRIAGE is the process of prioritising work-sites in order to save as many lives as possible. In some cases the order of priority is obvious from the number of people missing in each building. When the order of priority is not obvious a systematic procedure of categorizing work-sites based on an estimation of voids, an evaluation of stability and available information on missing persons can be applied to facilitate the decision-making process.

That's pretty straightforward. Go to the buildings where you can save as many lives as possible. It then gives guidance on prioritization and the factors to consider.

F11.4 Operations
1. A work-site triage is based on the following five steps:
1) ZONE: Determine the zone that the triage should cover. Mobility of the assessment team performing the triage is a determining factor;
2) COLLAPSE: Identify as potential work-sites all totally and partially collapsed structures within the designated zone;
3) INFORMATION: Collect information from locals that may eliminate potential work-sites or affect the work-site triage in some way, such as available information on missing persons, structural information (use, layout, size, material, construction type, etc.) and prior search and rescue attempts.
4) CATEGORIZE: Determine the category of each potential work-site. Triage Categories and Triage Factors are listed below
5) PRIORITIZE: Based on the missing-persons information, triage category and access to priority voids determine the order of priority for the work-sites.

2. Many other factors may eventually affect the final order of priority, such as:
2.1. Lack of necessary transport or access to site;
2.2. Lack of specialised equipment to mitigate hazards;
2.3. Security and cultural factors;
2.4. Age of victims (for example a school vs. an old people’s home);
2.5. Priorities set by LEMA;
2.6. Aftershocks.

It gives the triage categories with the highest priority going to live victims where the collapsed building are not in extreme instability. I get that. Rescue people, leave the bodies for later. But my question is still -"How do rescue teams prioritize among the living victims?" Everything in the literature seems to indicate that resuce team should go to where the number of trapped victims is highest. Rescue the most living people.

So quantity, number of lives, is one priority.

Item 2.4 above, in case you missed it, gives another priority: Young people should be rescued before old people. (Wow...only in a UN document)
Item 2.5 above, tells us to look for the priorities set by the local emergency management authority. I'm not sure how much help that is here, becuase I read several reports stating that local authorities disappeared (or just as likely, were dead).

Watching a rescue on Thursday, live on CNN, showed the reality of where international rescuers go first. The collapsed UN building.

This shows us the reality of the priority of rescue.
Number of lives (save more)
Age of living victims (save younger)
United Nations employees (save government workers)

As I said, a terrible choice.

2010-01-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

They Still Don't Get It

Lots of chatter across the blogosphere about the special US Senate race in Massachusetts between Coakley (D) and Brown (R). Talk about how if Brown wins, then (1) the Republicans could stop the President's agenda dead in its tracks, and (2) it would be the bellweather of significant Democratic losses in November.

That's all fine and good. But something in the Boston Herald's endorsement of Brown caught my eye,

And while Brown is a solid fiscal conservative, he is a compassionate conservative, voting to override gubernatorial vetoes and restore funding for breast cancer screening, suicide prevention programs and the METCO program.

“My record speaks for itself,” he added. “If it helps people and creates jobs, I’m for it.”

"If it helps people and creates jobs, I’m for it." That statement tells me that he doesn't get why many people are so upset with the spendthift ways of the Democrats and Republicans of the last nine years. The problem with the Republican party has been that kind of thinking.

Based on the GOP fundraising letters I read before shredding, I see a Republican party that is still more interested in winning and being in power than advancing a policy of limited government. They still don't get it.

If you want to see a Republican who "gets it," take a look at this quote, from Paul Broun in Georgia (I heard him speak at a Tea Party event in 2009)

I am committed to protecting the constitutional rights and pocketbooks of every American. I will apply the following four-way test to every piece of legislation that comes before the House for a vote:
1) Is it Right/Moral?
2) Is it Constitutional?
3) Is it Necessary?
4) Is it Affordable?

That's the kind of thinking we need more of. Not "If it helps people and creates jobs, I’m for it."

2010-01-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

Tea Party Pizza Party Republican Party

In an article in National Review, Jonah Goldberg describes the political fortunes of the Republican Party by comparing their potential for turnaround with Domino's Pizza.

"..the GOP’s troubles over the last decade have a lot to do with the fact that Americans didn’t stop liking what the Republican party is supposed to deliver. They stopped liking what the GOP actually delivered."

It has been the source of constant frustration for me reading the fund-raising letters sent from the GOP. My reaction is, "They don't get it." I'm not as concerned about stopping the Democrats or winning back the house as I am about being able to support something that shares my values.

The Republicans aren't my team. I am not "a Republican." I am a libertarian who would like less government interference in the day to day lives of Americans. The party talking about doing that is the one that will get my support.

2010-01-05T22:36:00.001-08:00

Somali Pirates and their Captives

On NPR Monday morning I heard a report of a second ship taken by pirates off the Somali coast. Nothing very unusual until the end of the report when the announcer noted that "Both crews are safe."

I immediately took that to mean that the crews were not being held, but had my doubts. When I looked up some more reports, I saw that the crews were still being held captive.

Who in their right mind would say that people being held captive by pirates are "safe." They've been kidnapped by pirates! They are being held for ransom by pirates! They are not safe.

Good grief. I hope those men can rejoin their families soon. Safely.

2010-01-03T13:35:00.000-08:00

Washington Post Editorial on Al Quaeda in Yemen

Sudarsan Raghavan has an article in today's Washington Post titled "Al-Qaeda benefits from a decade of missteps to become a threat in Yemen."

While it appears accurate, I thought it lacked some balance, (some might say it was bias) in the report. Here's the opening

SANAA, YEMEN -- Nearly a decade after the bombing of the USS Cole, a combination of U.S. and Yemeni missteps, deep mistrust and a lack of political will have allowed al-Qaeda militants here to regroup and pose a major threat to the United States, according to Yemeni and U.S. officials, diplomats and analysts.

This would lead us to believe that Yemeni and U.S. officials, diplomats and analysts are going to be quoted in the story. Good. Now let's look exactly at who says what...

The U.S. failures have included a lack of focus on al-Qaeda's growing stature, insufficient funding to and cooperation with Yemen, and a misunderstanding of the Middle Eastern country's complex political terrain, Yemeni officials and analysts said. U.S. policies in the region, they said, often alienated top Yemeni officials and did little to address the root causes of militancy.

Frustrated American officials say Yemen never made fighting al-Qaeda a top priority, which has stalled large-scale U.S. support.

The (Yemeni?)government said it struck an al-Qaeda training camp, killing at least 23 militants. But tribal leaders and residents say mostly civilians were killed.

"I saw parts of bodies, mostly women and children," said Mukhbil Mohammed Ali, a tribal leader. "America says it supports Yemen to eradicate terrorists. But America is only supporting Yemen to kill the innocent."

Assistance will more than double this year, Gen. David H. Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, said Friday

But many say the war could arrive too late to change the trajectory in Yemen. Since the Cole attack, the nation has been on a path toward dissolution.

"The attack on the USS Cole should have been the loudest wake-up call against al-Qaeda," said Abdul Karim al-Iriyani, a former prime minister of Yemen. "But I don't think, even when I was in government, every attention was given to fighting al-Qaeda. Now, it is much more difficult than 2000."

That decision eroded Yemeni trust in the United States and damaged efforts to combat terrorism, Yemeni officials said.

"I was so angry," Iriyani recalled.

U.S. intelligence officials acknowledge that the strike posed a political liability for Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh. But they also contend that Yemen's government wavered in its commitment to fighting al-Qaeda even before that attack.

By 2003, the United States was focused on the Iraq war and appeared more intent on fighting corruption and promoting democracy in Yemen than on tackling al-Qaeda, experts said.

U.S. officials say the aid was cut largely because of corruption concerns.

"When you look back and see how little attention Yemen was getting several years ago, it's shocking," said Christopher Boucek, a Yemen analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "None of these problems with Yemen's stability are new, and we've known what was coming down the road."

Yemeni and U.S. officials say the militants were helped by Yemeni security officials sympathetic to al-Qaeda.

Yemeni officials say their constitution bars the extradition of Yemeni nationals.

U.S. officials said their counterterrorism efforts have also been hampered by a Yemeni government that has frequently been unpredictable and fickle in its support.

In southern Yemen, opposition politicians and newspapers have accused the government of killing civilians in order to appease the United States. Yemeni officials have acknowledged that women and children were killed, but say they were the relatives of the militants.

Mukhbil Mohammed Ali, the tribal leader, said his tribesmen are angry. They have even more sympathy for al-Qaeda, he said, as well as a growing animosity toward the Yemeni government and its benefactor, America.

"We all want revenge," he said.

Here's the tally I got:

Yemeni Officials 6
US Officials 6
Tribal Leaders 3
Carnegie Analyst 1
Experts 1
Many 1
Opposition/newspapers 1

Looks pretty balanced. Why doesn't it read that way? The only named US Official was General Petraeus, and his quote looks like it was taken from a different context.

Bonus Round.

"U.S. development aid to combat Yemen's soaring poverty rates and high unemployment -- key factors in enticing new recruits to militancy -- was minuscule. It declined from $56.5 million in 2000 to $25.5 million in 2008, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development."

Wow... between $25 to $56 million is miniscule. That's pretty perverted.

2010-01-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

In Praise of the Otter Box

Early in December my son and I got 3G iPhones for Christmas. While I was at the store buying them, another customer introduced us to the Otter box by drop kicking his Otter Box Defender-encased $500 iPhone against the wall. Having seen the punishment a phone takes under normal teen use, I was sold. The things are expensive, retail $50 each, but AT&T had a 2 for 1 offer, so we got Otter Box Defender cases for both phones.

I am impressed. These boxes are tough. I even used my phone in the rain the other day. Haven't dropped it yet, but when it happens, I know my machine will be well protected. After a month of daily use, there is not a single scratch on the new phones. (My son takes them out of the case for cleaning every few days). ATT doesn't insure the iPhones, so if you have one - an Otter Box is one of the best ways to protect your hard earned money.

BTW, it took me a while to make the linguistic connection between Otter Box and Outer Box. My son saw it. My wife saw it right off, and English is not even her first language. Some days I'm a little slow I guess.

2010-01-01T10:05:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

Wishing you and yours a safe, health, happy, and prosperous New Year!

To the cop on the beat - thanks for your service to the community. Duty on holidays sucks, but hats off to the people who do it. To the neighbor who calls the cops to report fireworks on New Years eve... I feel sorry for you. Your life must be truly difficult.

2009-12-31T12:38:00.000-08:00

It Just Keeps Getting Better

This tidbit at the end of a CNN World report

A U.S. government official said that between August and October, extremists in Yemen were discussing operations and mentioned a person called "the Nigerian." The source said that U.S. intelligence officials also had a partial name for the person: Umar Farouk.

To clarify, here are the pieces that the intel community had, but was unable to put together.

In August and October, extremists in Yemen were discussing operations and mentioned a person called "the Nigerian;
a partial name for the person: Umar Farouk;
November, a Nigerian man reports that his son, Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, had "become radicalized," and had gone to Yemen to participate in "some kind of jihad."

It should have been easy.
Yemen shop calls the Nigeria shop and says, "Hey, I keep getting hits on a Nigerian involved in an upcoming op. Partial name is Umar Farouk. Got anything on him?"
Nigeria shop says, "No, but I'll let you know if something comes up."

Apparently that didn't happen. Neither did this:

Nigeria shop calls the Yemen shop and says, "Hey, I've got a tip that a Nigerian named Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab has travelled to Yemen to join the jihad. Got anything on him?"
Yemen shop says, "ZUJ1, let me check."

Someone still inside the community might say that with all the databases, classified wiki pages and so on, that's not the way it we do it anymore. Maybe it should be. The Soviets were no less challenging and we had em.

I would bet that with enough time, the connections might have been made. But that illustrates another problem - there is probably not a high pressure, do it now, urgent, where-the-fuck-is-this-guy-going mentality to the analysis going on. If so, we are not making our own luck. It will run out.

UPDATE: Touche'. I just came across this CBS News report wherein a senior intelligence official commented on "no sense of urgency" within the intelligence community. The article then gets a quote from Joseph Cuellar, a former CIA and military intelligence officer, "You know they had information that an analyst could have quickly put together and said 'something's wrong here' and it didn't get done."

2009-12-31T07:52:00.000-08:00

US Trades Terrorists in Hostage Swap

According Long War Journal
Qais Qazali, the leader of the Asaib al Haq or the League of the Righteous, was set free by the US military and transferred to Iraqi custody in exchange for the release of British hostage Peter Moore, US military officers and intelligence officials told The Long War Journal. The US military directly implicated Qais in the kidnapping and murder of five US soldiers in Karbala in January 2007...

The League of the Righteous was directly implicated by General David Petraeus as being behind the January 2007 attack on the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Karbala as well as other high-profile terror attacks in Iraq. Five US soldiers were killed during the Karbala attack and subsequent kidnapping attempt. The US soldiers were executed after US and Iraqi security forces closed in on the assault team.

If this is true, it is disgusting. It is shameful.

I know this administration wants to wash their hands of Iraq. But if this is true, they have washed them in American blood. Throughout our history, we have sought reconciliation after a conflict was over. Last I checked, people were still dying in Iraq. These guys cohorts are doing the killing.

Just like the court martial of the Navy SEALS for allegedly slapping a captured HVT and the perception that terrorists captured in Afghanistan have the rights of a criminal suspect, this another decision that will surely mitigate against live capture. After considering intelligence value and risk to our own forces... will the equation now include "will we want to let him go after a while?"

People will be put in the difficult position of choosing between upholding their honor and duty to uphold the law and upolding their honor and duty to their fallen comrades. This is not a good place to be and will take some serious leadership to get it right. This is a quandary more suited to police work than military operations.

2009-12-30T09:35:00.001-08:00

Religion of Peace

I read Ralph Peters opinion piece in the NY Post via Rantburg and Jihad Watch. Mr Peters said,

"We proclaim that the terrorists "don't represent Islam." OK, whom do they represent? The Franciscans? We don't get to decide what's Islam and what isn't. Muslims do. And far too many of them approve of violent jihad.

Elegant.

2009-12-30T08:44:00.000-08:00

Cryptlogic Purple Heart Winners

Over at I Like The Cut Of His Jib !!, the Captain has an important post on Cryptologic Technicians who have been awarded the Purple Heart over the last ten years. These men are a part of NAVSECGRU, whoops, Naval Cryptologic history, and their sacrifices must be remembered.

I have several memorial posts on my site. I am touched by how often people visit those posts because they have put someone's name into a search engine. Sometimes the name of someone killed in the Kami Seya fire, on the Liberty, or the WV shootdown.

These men died four decades ago. It is good to know that someone remembers.

Link to I Like The Cut Of His Jib !!: We have a duty to remember their sacrifice - Cryptologic Technicians Earn Purple Hearts#links

2009-12-30T07:55:00.000-08:00

Airport Security

Lots has been written in the last few days about tightening airport security, so I figured that I would add my thoughts.

Airport screening serves two goals.

(1) It is the last line of defense. It is meant to detect and prevent terrorists from bringing the tools of their trade onto aircraft.

(2) It is a deterrent. It is meant to make it more complicated or difficult to bring those tools on the aircraft, thereby influencing terrorist to seek softer targets.

Neither of these goals can realistically ever be achieved with 100% effectiveness. (Well, maybe number one if we fly naked after full body scans. Gross, and I'm critical of people who fly in shorts. I don't see how they're good with bare skin where hundreds of people sit each day - in the airports and on the planes. Do you want to sit naked where the last stranger sat naked? I don't. But I digress.)

The perceived effectiveness of goal one directly influences the real effectiveness of goal two. That is, the better they think we are at screening, the higher deterrent value it has.

So how can we increase the percieved effectiveness of the screening? We must be more targeted in our approach. 100% scans are fine where feasible, but let's face it - the most recent terrorists have several things in common: they are young, ages 20-40. They have a history of international travel - often to Yemen or Pakistan. They've also spent time in London. (If they haven't traveled there, they've got contacts.) They come from middle class or even wealthy families. Oh yeah, they're hold the view that Islam is at war with America and they are soldiers in that war.

This works because of how sampling and probability work. Let's say 5000 people a day pass through my checkpoint. I have resources to thoroughly screen 50 passengers a day. If I randomly select those 50 from all 5000, a terrorist has a 1% chance of being selected for follow on screening. He knows that and it looks like that's an acceptable level of detection risk. If I select my 50 from the 100 or so men who match the profile, assuming it remains stable, I've increased my chance of detection to 50%. Is that risk of detection still acceptable? The terrorists will then have to start looking for people who don't fit the profile, women, children, and old men, but that in itself contributes to the deterrent effect, acheiving goal number two. For them to change the profile is harder than for us. Martyrdom doesn't appear to be as attractive to women and old men.

I keep hearing that in running security for El Al, the Israelis don't look for the bomb as much as they look for the terrorist. We should do the same.

2009-12-29T06:22:00.000-08:00

Targeting Americans

This part of the story concerns me.

"Awlaki twice made headlines last week. Along with several other al Qaeda operatives, the preacher was the target of a U.S. airstrike in Yemen on Dec. 24."

That Awlaki was there at the meeting that was targeted is one thing. But this report says that he personally was one of the targets. If true, here is another example of the difficulties of this war and this administration's confused approach to it.

Awlaki is an American. Apparently we don't have "enough" on him to issue an arrest warrant - but we have enough to target him for killing.

Frankly, I'm don't know what the answer is... but we should be discussing the question. If an American outside the US is involved with terrorist groups, can you kill him? What if he comes back to the US to continue planning? Can you still kill him or do you have to arrest him? When and how do you make the transition from military target to suspect?

2009-12-28T21:36:00.000-08:00

Lost in Translation

I was looking for a transcript of the President's remarks on the terror attacks and the violence in Iran.

Here's what I found

Speeches and Remarks
December 28, 2009
DECLARACIONES DEL PRESIDENTE SOBRE EL ATAQUE FRUSTRADO EL DIA DE NAVIDAD Y LA VIOLENCIA RECIENTE EN IRAN

It appears that on Christmas eve the President stopped delivering his remarks in English. Good thing I speak Spanish.

Here's a link to a bigger shot and here's the link to the White House site itself

UPDATE: I found the English remarks... They're on the "Statements and Releases" page. I couldn't find them last night, but I'll give whoever's working Christmas - New Years week the benefit of the doubt, maybe I just missed them. So this isn't a fail... but it is kind of confusing - Why not just a Spanish language page or a link from these to a Spanish text.

2009-12-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

Are Terrorist Criminals or Combatants?

Once again we go back to the fundamental question of the government's treatment of terrorism and terrorists. Are they Criminals or Combatants?

To see how this is playing out, we could look at policy statements, but I prefer the approach that I learned in a government class long ago "The policy is what you do."

So what has this administration done?

On one hand, with intelligence about imminent Al-Qaeda attacks on the US from Yemen, the President ordered missile strikes against camps in that country. This is clearly the "terrorist as combatant" approach. A military operation to hit enemy bases. Clear

On the other hand, "On Saturday, a day after the failed attack on Northwest 253, federal prosecutors charged Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, a native of Nigeria, with trying to destroy the airliner with a device containing a high explosive attached to his body."

So what is the policy?

(1) Terrorists planning an attack at an overseas location are military targets. As such, the targets may be engaged and destroyed with US or foreign assets.

(2) Terrorist engaged in attacks inside the United States are criminals. As such, the criminal are afforded the Constitutional protections and privileges as US citizens.

So it would seem that, as Dahlia Lithwick wrote in Slate, "This president likes to have it both ways: tending to treat terror suspects as soldiers or criminals as suits his purposes." Of course she wrote that about President Bush. We know the problems his administration had trying to answer this fundamental question. The answers they came to were condemned politically and rebuffed by the courts. Didn't the Obama administration come to power promising to fix it?

Doesn't look like they've figured it out yet.

UPDATE: Dan Riehl is looking at the same issue

UPDATE II: A US News report on the president's comment on the attempt gives another example of the confused language,

"A full investigation has been launched into this attempted act of terrorism," Obama told reporters. He added: "Had the suspect succeeded in bringing down that plane, it could have killed nearly 300 passengers and crew—innocent civilians preparing to celebrate the holidays with their family and friends."

Investigations are something you do after a mishap or a crime. Suspects are accused criminals. Both uses are fine in a law enforcement context. But innocent civilians is terminology normally used in a military context; military or civilian as contrasted with law enforcement, criminal or victim.

2009-12-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

Holy Security Breach Batman!

"On Saturday morning, Mr. Abdulmutallab appeared to be sleeping when a reporter approached his corner room in the burn center at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor."

So the WSJ reporter got close enough to see the Al Qaeda bomber? The reporter got close enough to see the Al Qaeda bomber? The reporter got close enough to see the Al Qaeda bomber!

You've got to be frickin' kidding me. This is wrong on so many levels. What if the "reporter" had been an armed AQ terr or had a bomb strapped to himself? He could have martyred himself, his buddy, and taken out a few law enforcement guys in the process. Don't tell me Ann Arbor doesn't have a few sleeper cells. I'd put money on that bet.

When are we going to take these threats seriously? This is not a crime. It was a terrorist attack. Terrorists are not criminals. They are enemy combatants, militants if you will...soldiers in their eyes. When soldiers go up against law enforcement - who do you want to bet on?

Beg to differ with the Secretary, but the system is not working.

Exit question: Will they ship AbulMutallab to Gitmo?

2009-12-27T08:55:00.001-08:00

Cartoon of The Year

Winner is Rick McKee of the Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle, published on August 19, 2009.

This image perfectly captures how "some people" have characterized the popular opposition to the Healthcare bill as well as this administration's profligate spending policies.

For a solid example of that characterization, below is an excerpt from a document reported on in the Breitbart.com report on the Kenneth Gladney beating in St. Louis by thugs wearing union (SEIU) t-shirts. The article showed how common folks, in many cases the same common folks who voted for change, were described in Health Care Action Now (HCAN = SEIU) internal documents.

Who are these people?
The people who show up are far right-wing ideologues recruited by paid organizers. Much of this recruitment and organizing is funded by industry lobbyists and public relations firms to engage radical right-wing groups. Many of these groups are motivated by far right ideology in general - not by health care as an issue. They are held together by a common vision of the world that centers on defeating Obama and his agenda. We can expect to see anti-abortion groups, pro-gun groups, insurance company employees (mandated by employers to come out), militia groups, and anti-immigration groups.

Funnier now that we see it was really the Senate looking out for corporate interests.

2009-12-24T16:50:00.000-08:00

The Year of the Tiger (SSFW)

I just found out that 2010 is the year of the tiger.

Ummm, prolly not so much.

Although this cartoon found on the Russian site Jokesland are certainly appropriate (Link is NSFW)

(It says, my Tiger cub, I'm waiting for you. Your Tigress...(as if that needed translation)

Heh.

UPDATE: Added NSFW warning to link

2009-12-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

European American Heritage Month

The good Phibian Salamander in his weekly Diversity Thursday post points out a poster on the site DiversityStore.com

For those folks who've said, "When will they have a European History Month?"

Here it is.

European American Heritage Month Poster

I had to comment.

Don't celebrate yet.

I went to the Diversity store to look at the other posters. I clicked through them all.

I found that (except the Greek poster) EVERY other diversity month poster has people on it. On every other one we see men, women, children, the famous, the common. On every one. Europeans are just flags, old places, and some funny (empty) shoes.

Images have meaning - Especially in Diversity Bully world where all is propaganda, all must send a "message". This image purports to celebrate Europeans, but can't depict them as people. It can only show old places, ruins, and outmoded traditions. I'm not too comfortable with that message.

On the other hand. Maybe it's not so sinister. Maybe they just couldn't figure out how to be inclusive with so diverse a group as Europeans. Then became fearful that if they took that thinking too far it would expose the lie of their work. Can't have that now can we?

2009-12-21T11:14:00.001-08:00

Here's some Government Health Care Efficiency for Ya

Years of aircraft noise and wearing headsets caught up with my ears some time ago. The hearing loss is not severe, but the tinnitus can be excruciating. It can make it hard to get to sleep and is especially annoying when it wakes you up at night. It's a sound you can't turn off.

One of the treatments is sound-masking, usually with white noise. Luckily for me, the Veterans Administration provided me with a prescription and sent me a special sound generator that provides a choice of masking sounds, from white noise to babbling brooks.

So far so good. Well, almost. The treatment I got from the VA was great, but I noticed a little inefficiency, that if it exemplifies the system, adds up to some of that "waste" that the new government healthcare plan counts on eliminating.

When I got my sound masking device in the mail, I noticed that it was in the manufacturer's shipping box, but the box had been opened. The box was postmarked locally, with the local VA hospital as the return address. This means that the supplier shipped the box to the VA, where someone opened it (maybe to verify the contents?), then taped it closed, and paid to ship it to me.

There are two kinds of waste here, the obvious one of the VA paying twice for shipping, and the other waste of the extra transit time while I was without my treatment. (Maybe the inspection is necessary, but that's only because they haven't put other controls in place. Any six sigma white belt or first year industrial engineer can tell you that inspection is not a value adding step.) A small thing for me, yes, another 6 bucks for shipping and a two weeks extra time waiting for treatment. But it adds up. When all healthcare is run like the VA, it will add up big.

And we'll be paying for it.