Beyond Seven Seconds

Not Another Rush Job

2009-07-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

The President wants Congress to deliver a Health Care Bill by the August recess, a task marginally smaller than establishing world peace. Congressional leaders are telling the President that the health care bill will not happen on the President's time line. I'm sure this is going to upset the President. I'm not upset. The last thing we need right now is another rush job.

The stimulus bill was a rush job. The 1000+ pages of legislation signing us up for a $800 billion expenditure was rushed through at the President's urging despite promises to let the people review the bill for 5 days. Instead, the bill was signed two days after it landed on the President's desk. To make matters worse, there were provisions in the bill which would have financially hurt the States in the long run. These provisions could have been identified and stripped given the proper time to review a 1000+ page bill. I don't know about you, but I could not read 1000+ pages of pending legislation in less than two days.

So back to the health care bill. What makes the President think that rushing to a health care bill is the right answer? We already spend $1 out of every $6 of the GDP on health care in this nation. If we don't get this bill mostly right, the monumental mistake is going to crush the economy. I'm certainly not in a rush to make that mistake.

Measure twice, cut once, as my Dad used to say.

The Right Message After All of These Years

2009-07-17T09:40:00.001-07:00

President Obama gave a wonderful speach as the keynote speaker at the 100th anniversary celebration of the NAACP. The President's message was one of personal responsibility and motivation. He encouraged minorities to pursue higher education and achievement irregardless of their current situation or obstacles.

The President's outlook is refreshing and the message to the NAACP is clear. No more playing the victim card. Playing the victim card has not advanced the cause of any minority in this country. Unfortunately, past leaders of the NAACP were more keen on keeping their constituents 'needy' than giving them lofty goals, a vision, and a path forward.

I give the President a standing ovation for his speech last night. He displayed the courage to demand personal responsibility of his own people. Similar statemments by other Black leaders, such as the comedian Bill Cosby, have caused them to come under criticism by the Black community. Had work, education and success are powerful tools to combat discrimination. The power is there for any willing to grab those tools and make them work.

Swine Flu versus the Everday Flu

2009-05-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, the world was perched on the pandemic precipice with a crumbling ledge beneath our feet. Well, maybe not really. But the media sure portrayed the situation like it was.

The swine flu, excuse me, H1N1 virus, turned out to be a bust. Why? Maybe it busted because the WHO and CDC moved quickly to distribute antivirals and methods to test for the exact strain of H1N1. Those quick actions helped to isolate victims and curtail the spread of the flu.

Some are asking "what's the big deal?" Less than 300 people worldwide died from H1N1 and almost 500,000 people a year die from seasonal flu. Why do we care so much about H1N1?

Well, seasonal flu hurts elderly and young children the most. The majority of deaths from seasonal flu are occur with the elderly. (Trust me, I did the little "r" research and these facts are the god's honest truth) The flu is a gateway sickness that cascades into something worse like pneumonia, but the deaths are attributed to flu.

H1N1 was deadliest to people age 21-50 and NOT the elderly. H1N1 was most virulent against the working age people. Why? Doctors think because these people don't take the time to get fully better before working or try to work through the sickness. Remember the advice when pigs were making us sick, "If you're sick, don't go to work. Stay home and get better." That is advice that will save your life. You can find another job later, the idiot who doesn't follow this advice won't be coming back to his job anyway.

Bringing Down the (Speaker of the) House

2009-05-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

The battle has been joined.

Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, in an afternoon press conference today accused the CIA of intentional misleading Congress about the true nature of the "enhanced interrogation" techniques.

In previous statements, the Speaker claimed to have NOT received classified briefings by the CIA during 2002 and 2003 on the methods CIA operatives were using to gather intelligence from Al Qaeda operatives and Taliban militants. During this period, Nancy Pelosi was the minority chair of the House Intelligence Committee.

A few weeks ago, J. Porter Goss, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee during Nancy Pelosi's tenure on the same committee publicly commented on Rep. Pelosi's attendence at these same classified briefing. Mr. Goss clearly remembered Nancy's presence and her strong support for the CIA's activities.

Woops, I guess Mr. Goss filled in her "memory gaps."

So now the CIA has been unjustly accused of a dastardly deed, intentionally misleading members on Congress with untruthful briefings. By some accounts, Rep. Pelosi attended nearly 40 briefings by the CIA on the topic of interrogation techniques. (if her memory is so bad, maybe its time for her to step down and live in a retirement village???) I don't really understand how you forget about 40 or so briefings.

Today, Director Panetta released a soft statement in rebuttal to the Speaker's unfounded accusation. One way to interpret this soft statement is to leave her an out, a way for her to back away from her accusations and let the issue drop.

I don't think this is the last we'll hear of this issue. Everytime the Democrats leading Congress push to investigate Bush administration officials on the interrogation issue, the subject of these briefings is going to rise again.

I wonder who its easier to fire in Washington, the Speaker of the House (an elected official) or long-term CIA bureaucrats who successfully survive several generations of appointed officials at the CIA? My money is on the bureaucrats sticking around. Good luck, Madame Speaker.

The Esteemed Fourth Estate

2009-05-13T15:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the main stream media (MSM) grabbed a story in its jaws and ran like crazy until the Director of the EPA could get it under control. The headlines ran along the lines of "OMB Disagrees with EPA findings on Greenhouse Gases."

The truth, as the OMB later offered, was something different.

So why did the MSM run so hard and so fast with this story line? Isn't the MSM predominantly from the far left and shouldn't they be behind the Obama administration and not against it? The answer is, money.

The fourth estate is a business. That business seeks to exploit the truth for stories that highlight controversy, contradiction, conflict and conspiracy. When you read, listen or watch MSM news stories, think of those stories in the light of the four c's. It will blow your mind.

There is more spin in the MSM than in a child's top. The target of the story is irrelevant. The goal of a story is too hook the reader with controversy, contradiction, conflict or conspiracy and gain your viewer/reader/listenership.

The OMB Did Not Get the Memo

2009-05-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a 9 page report online that called into question the Environmental Protection Agency's analysis of the potential danger 6 greenhouse gases posed to people. In a bold statement, OMB reportedly called into question the science behind the EPA's judgments on the damages caused by greenhouse gases.

This document was pulled and a rebuttal from the Director of the OMB has been posted on the White House website. One can't find the original OMB document that caused the media stir today. That must be because the offending document has been pulled for "review" and will be re-issued with the offending statements removed.

I guess OMB did not get the memo that the discussion on global warming or climate change has been concluded. Here's a brief summary of the memo "the data on global warming is beyond refuting" (the President says as he waves his hand enacting the famous Jedi mind trick).

Sure, I'll believe that one. I wonder how many more days Rahm Emmanuel is going to have a job. Isn't he the one who should be controlling the 'message' and making sure that all of the government agencies are pushing a coordinated message?

GITMO Detainees May Be Held in the U.S.

2009-04-30T11:26:00.001-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/us/politics/01gitmo.html?hp

SecDef Robert Gates asked for $50 million to build a detention facility to hold the estimated 50-100 really, really bad people [we can't call them terrorists any more] that we won't turn over to another country.

Acutally, I'm all for releasing every single detainee. And I mean free to go. Escort them to the airline gate, give them a first class ticket and $100 and load them on the plane in their orange jump suits. Once they land in their home countries they are not our problem anymore. I don't think they will be readily able to join with their terrorist brothers because the "bad people" might suspect that we've put GPS tracking chips up their orifices. Essentially, these guys are ruined.

Just for fun, we should place each one of these guys under general anesthesia for a quick 'procedure' making them think that they've been bugged. I love mind-fucking with people!

And if we encounter these guys on the battlefield again, our boys should just put a $0.38 bullet between their ears and save us the trouble of feeding them in perpetuity.

Obama's Historic Election

2009-04-30T11:04:00.001-07:00

Last night, the President referred to his election over John McCain, the Republican Presidential candidate, as "historic." His election as the first black President wasn't historic, but the election of a Democrat over a Republican was historic?

I wonder why he considers that historic? Its only happened several times this decade, let alone since our country was founded.

The President went on the clarify that his election was historic because it was a "signal" that the Nation unaninmously endorses his entire political portfolio and value system. Maybe that's why we're not seeing the political debate that we used to. Apparently, the debate on all of the issues past, present and future occurred prior to November 4, 2008 and were decided that night.

I don't quite see it that way Mr. President. Each idea and issue is a new opportunity for discussion and decision. Each issue is a chance for us to see how you work. Abdicating our individual thought for four years will take us quite a long ways down the path to tyranny.

In hindsight, Sen. McCain's age and health was a big issue compared to President Obama's youth and vigor. In addition, McCain was guilty by association of political party. Its clear that the Bush administration was not well liked in its final years. Much of that disdain was stirred up by the liberal left who foamed at the mouth at the mention of Bush's name.

But I digress. Last night we got a look inside the President's mind and saw how he views his current position. He believes that we ALL agree with him. His values are yours and my values. Not so, Mr. President.

Getting Called Out in the Washington Post

2009-04-28T15:52:00.001-07:00

Does anyone else think the foolishness in Washington, DC is getting beyond what we normally expect? The spin from the White House and Congress is so intense that I'm worried it might effect the rotation of the planet.

Normally, former administration officials retire or resign and stay quiet on the sidelines. The self-generated uproar by leading Democrats and the administration over the 'torture techniques' was silly enough to bring a former CIA Director out of his seat. J. Porter Goss, former Director of Central Intelligence under Bush, wrote a damning editorial in the Washington Post. (click here to see it: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/24/AR2009042403339.html)

Essentially, Mr. Goss, says "you politicians who are so against 'torture' today sat through the classified briefing and said (1) we understand what you are doing with these terrorists, and,
(2) you have our wholehearted support."

For those who want to read it without going through the link, here it is:

"Security Before Politics

By Porter J. GossSaturday, April 25, 2009

Since leaving my post as CIA director almost three years ago, I have remained largely silent on the public stage. I am speaking out now because I feel our government has crossed the red line between properly protecting our national security and trying to gain partisan political advantage. We can't have a secret intelligence service if we keep giving away all the secrets. Americans have to decide now.

A disturbing epidemic of amnesia seems to be plaguing my former colleagues on Capitol Hill. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, members of the committees charged with overseeing our nation's intelligence services had no higher priority than stopping al-Qaeda. In the fall of 2002, while I was chairman of the House intelligence committee, senior members of Congress were briefed on the CIA's "High Value Terrorist Program," including the development of "enhanced interrogation techniques" and what those techniques were. This was not a one-time briefing but an ongoing subject with lots of back and forth between those members and the briefers.
Today, I am slack-jawed to read that members claim to have not understood that the techniques on which they were briefed were to actually be employed; or that specific techniques such as "waterboarding" were never mentioned. It must be hard for most Americans of common sense to imagine how a member of Congress can forget being told about the interrogations of Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed. In that case, though, perhaps it is not amnesia but political expedience.

Let me be clear. It is my recollection that:

-- The chairs and the ranking minority members of the House and Senate intelligence committees, known as the Gang of Four, were briefed that the CIA was holding and interrogating high-value terrorists.

-- We understood what the CIA was doing.

-- We gave the CIA our bipartisan support.

-- We gave the CIA funding to carry out its activities.

-- On a bipartisan basis, we asked if the CIA needed more support from Congress to carry out its mission against al-Qaeda.

I do not recall a single objection from my colleagues. They did not vote to stop authorizing CIA funding. And for those who now reveal filed "memorandums for the record" suggesting concern, real concern should have been expressed immediately -- to the committee chairs, the briefers, the House speaker or minority leader, the CIA director or the president's national security adviser -- and not quietly filed away in case the day came when the political winds shifted. And shifted they have.

Circuses are not new in Washington, and I can see preparations being made for tents from the Capitol straight down Pennsylvania Avenue. The CIA has been pulled into the center ring before. The result this time will be the same: a hollowed-out service of diminished capabilities. After Sept. 11, the general outcry was, "Why don't we have better overseas capabilities?" I fear that in the years to come this refrain will be heard again: once a threat -- or God forbid, another successful attack -- captures our attention and sends the pendulum swinging back. There is only one person who can shut down this dangerous show: President Obama.

Unfortunately, much of the damage to our capabilities has already been done. It is certainly not trust that is fostered when intelligence officers are told one day "I have your back" only to learn a day later that a knife is being held to it. After the events of this week, morale at the CIA has been shaken to its foundation.

We must not forget: Our intelligence allies overseas view our inability to maintain secrecy as a reason to question our worthiness as a partner. These allies have been vital in almost every capture of a terrorist.

The suggestion that we are safer now because information about interrogation techniques is in the public domain conjures up images of unicorns and fairy dust. We have given our enemy invaluable information about the rules by which we operate. The terrorists captured by the CIA perfected the act of beheading innocents using dull knives. Khalid Sheik Mohammed boasted of the tactic of placing explosives high enough in a building to ensure that innocents trapped above would die if they tried to escape through windows. There is simply no comparison between our professionalism and their brutality.

Our enemies do not subscribe to the rules of the Marquis of Queensbury. "Name, rank and serial number" does not apply to non-state actors but is, regrettably, the only question this administration wants us to ask. Instead of taking risks, our intelligence officers will soon resort to wordsmithing cables to headquarters while opportunities to neutralize brutal radicals are lost.

The days of fortress America are gone. We are the world's superpower. We can sit on our hands or we can become engaged to improve global human conditions. The bottom line is that we cannot succeed unless we have good intelligence. Trading security for partisan political popularity will ensure that our secrets are not secret and that our intelligence is destined to fail us.

The writer, a Republican, was director of the CIA from September 2004 to May 2006 and was chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence from 1997 to 2004. "

The Real Pirate Story

2009-04-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

The paragraphs below came from my good friend, Stitch. He received them from his personal network which includes folks from the Special Operations community. If you want to know how the White House tried to spin the pirate/hostage situation, read below. Essentially, the White House used Captain Phillips life to boost the President's approval ratings. Here it is, unedited...

-----

[Stitch's commentary]

Most have seen the 'Unauthorized" account, leaked by a Navy SEAL and subsequently posted for all the world to see.Then we saw the exculpatory 'corrected' version skillfully crafted by the Obama propaganda machine.Here is the final word, posted by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959, also well connected with the players, who (at last) gives us the name of Bainbridge's skipper.Final score: SEALs 2, Obama 0

-----

[by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959]

Most have seen the 'Unauthorized" account, leaked by a Navy SEAL and subsequently posted for all the world to see.Then we saw the exculpatory 'corrected' version skillfully crafted by the Obama propaganda machine.Here is the final word, posted by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959, also well connected with the players, who (at last) gives us the name of Bainbridge's skipper.

Final score: SEALs 2, Obama 0

Your "Real" story is not exactly the way I heard it, and probably has a few political twists thrown in to stir the pot. Rather than me trying to correct it, I'll just tell you what I found out from my contacts at NSWC Norfolk and at SOCOM Tampa.

First though, let me orient you to familiarize you with the "terrain."

In Africa from Djibouti at the southern end of the Red Sea eastward through the Gulf of Aden to round Cape Guardafui at the easternmost tip of Africa (also known as "The Horn of Africa") is about a 600 nm transit before you stand out into the Indian Ocean. That transit is comparable in distance to that from the mouth of the Mississippi at New Orleans to the tip of Florida at Key West-- except that 600 nm over there is infested with Somalia pirates.

Ships turning southward at the Horn of Africa transit the SLOC (Sea Lane of Commerce) along the east coast of Somalia because of the prevailing southerly currents there. It's about 1,500 nm on to Mombassa, which is just south of the equator in Kenya. Comparably, that's about the transit distance from Portland Maine down the east coast of the US to Miami Florida. In other words, the ocean area being patrolled by our naval forces off the coast of Somalia is comparable to that in the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River east to Miami then up the eastern seaboard to Maine.

Second, let me globally orient you from our Naval Operating Base in Norfolk, VA, east across the Atlantic to North Africa, thence across the Med to Suez in Egypt, thence southward down the Red Sea to Djibouti at the Gulf of Aden, thence eastward to round Cape Guardafui at the easternmost tip of Africa, and thence southerly some 300 miles down the east cost of Somali out into the high seas of the Indian Ocean to the position of MV ALABAMA is a little more than 7,000 nm, and plus-nine time-zones ahead of EST.

Hold that thought, in that, a C-17 transport averaging a little better than 400 kts (SOG) takes the best part of 18 hours to make that trip. In the evening darkness late Thursday night, a team of Navy SEALs from NSWC (Naval Surface Warfare Center) Norfolk parachuted from such a C-17 into the black waters (no refraction of light) of the Indian Ocean-- close-aboard to our 40,000 ton amphibious assault ship, USS BOXER (LHD 4), the flagship of our ESG (Expeditionary Strike Group) in the AOR (Area Of Responsibility, the Gulf of Aden). They not only parachuted in with all of their "equipment," they had their own inflatable boats, RHIB's (Rigid Hull, Inflatable Boats) with them for over-water transport. They went into BOXER's landing dock, debarked, and staged for the rescue-- Thursday night.

And, let me comment on time-late: In that the SEAL's quick response-- departing ready-alert in less than 4 hours from Norfolk-- supposedly surprised POTUS's staff, whereas President Obama was miffed not to get his "cops" there before the Navy. He reportedly questioned his staff, "Will 'my' FBI people get there before the Navy does?" It took the FBI almost 12 hours to put together a team and get them packed-up-- for an "at sea" rescue. The FBI was trying to tell him that they are not practiced to do this-- Navy SEALs are. But, BHO wanted the FBI there "to help," that is, carry out the Attorney General's (his) orders to negotiate the release of Captain Phillips peacefully-- because apparently he doesn't trust GW's military to carry out his "political guidance."

The flight of the FBI's passenger jet took a little less than 14 hours at 500-some knots to get to Djibouti. BOXER'S helos picked them up and transported them out to the ship. The Navy SEALs were already there, staged, and ready to act by the time POTUS's FBI arrived on board latter that evening. Notably, the first request by the OSC (On Scene Commander) that early Friday morning to take them out and save Captain Phillips was denied, to wit: "No, wait until 'my' FBI people get there."

Third, please consider a candid assessment of ability that finds that the FBI snipers had never practiced shooting from a rolling, pitching, yawing, surging, swaying, heaving platform-- and, target-- such as a ship and a lifeboat on the high seas. Navies have been doing since Admiral Nelson who had trained "Marines" to shoot muskets from the ship's rigging-- ironically, he was killed at sea in HMS VICTORY at the Battle of Trafalgar by a French Marine rifleman that shot him from the rigging of the French ship that they were grappling alongside.

Notably, when I was first training at USNA in 1955, the Navy was doing it with a SATU, Small Arms Training Unit, based at our Little Creek amphib base. Now, Navy SEAL's, in particular SEAL Team SIX (The "DevGru") based at NSWC (Naval Surface Warfare Center) at Little Creek do that training now, and hone their skills professionally-- daily. Shooting small arms from a ship is more of an accomplished "Art Form" than it is a practiced skill. When you are "in the bubble" and "in tune" with the harmonic motion you find, through practice, that you are "able to put three .308 slugs inside the head of a quarter at 100 meters, in day or night-- or, behind a camouflaged net or a thin enclosure, such as a superstructure bulkhead. Yes, we have the monocular scopes that can "see" heat-- and, draw a bead on it. SEALs are absolutely expert at it-- with the movie clips to prove it.

Okay, now try to imagine patrolling among the boats fishing everyday out on the Grand Banks off our New England coast, and then responding to a distress call from down around the waters between Florida and the Bahamas. Three points for you to consider here: (1) Time-Distance-Speed relationships for ships on the high seas, for instance, at a 25-knot SOA (Speed Of Advance) it takes 24 hours to make good 600 nm-- BAINBRIDGE did. (2) Fishermen work on the high seas, and (3) The best place to hide as a "fisherman" pirate is among other fishermen.

Early Wednesday morning, 4/8/2009, MV ALABAMA is at sea in the IO about 300 miles off the (east) coast of Somalia en route to Mombassa Kenya. Pirates in small boat start harassing her, and threatening her with weapons. MV ALABAMA's captain sent out the distress call by radio, and ordered his Engineer to shut down the engines as well as the ship-service electrical generators-- in our lingo, "Go dark and cold." He informed his crew by radio what was happening, and ordered them to go to an out-of-the-way compartment and lock themselves in it-- from the inside. He would stay in the pilot house to "negotiate" with the pirates.

The pirates boarded, captured the Captain, and ordered him to start the engines. He said he would order his Engineer to do so, and he called down to Engine Control on the internal communication system, but got no answer. The lead pirate ordered two of his four men to go down and find him and get the engines started.

Inside a ship without any lights is like the definition of dark. The advantage goes to the people who work and live there. They jumped the two pirates in a dark passageway. Both pirates lost their weapons, but one managed to scramble and get away. The other they tied up, put tape over his mouth and a knife at his throat.

Other members of the crew opened the drain cocks on the pirates boat and cast it adrift. It foundered and sunk. The scrambling pirate made it back to the pilot house and told of his demise. The pirates took the Captain at gun point, and told him to launch one of his rescue boats (not a life boat, per se). As he was lowering the boat for them, the crew appeared with the other pirate to negotiate a trade. The crew let their hostage go to soon, and the pirates kept the captain. But, he purposefully had lowered the boat so it would jam.

With the rescue boat jammed, the pirates jumped over to a lifeboat and released it as the captain jumped in the water. They fired at him, made him stop, and grabbed him out of the water. Now, as night falls in the vastness of the Indian Ocean, we have the classic "Mexican" standoff, to wit: A life-boat that is just that, a life-boat adrift without any means of propulsion except oars and paddles; and, a huge (by comparison) Motor Vessel Container Ship adrift with a crew that is not going to leave their captain behind. The pirates are enclosed under its shelter-covering, holding the captain as their hostage. The crew is hunkered down in their ship waiting for the "posse" to arrive.

After receiving MV ALABAMA'S distress call, USS BAINBRIDGE (DDG 96) was dispatched by the ESG commander to respond to ALABAMA's distress call. At best sustainable speed, she arrived on scene the day after-- that is, in the dark of that early Thursday morning. As BAINBRIDGE quietly and slowly, at darkened-ship without any lights to give her away, arrived on scene, please consider a recorded interview with the Chief Engineer of MV ALABAMA describing BAINBRIDGE's arrival. He said it was something else "... to see the Navy slide in there like a greyhound!" He then said as she slipped in closer he could see the "Stars and Stripes" flying from her masthead. He got choked up saying it was the "...proudest moment of my life."

Phew! Let that sink in.

Earlier in the day, one of the U.S. Navy's Maritime Patrol Aircraft, a fixed wing P3C, flew over to recon the scene. They dropped a buoy with a radio to the pirates so that the Navy's interpreter could talk with the pirates. When BAINBRIDGE arrived, the pirates thought the radio to be a beaconing device, and threw it overboard. They wanted a satellite telephone so that they could call home for help. Remember now, they are fishermen, not "Rocket Scientists," in that, they don't know that we can intercept the phone transmission also.

MV ALABAMA provided them with a satellite phone. They called home back to "somebody" in Eyl Somalia (so that we now know where you live) to come out and get them. The "somebody" in Eyl said they would be out right away with other hostages, like 54 of them from other countries, and that they would be coming out in two of their pirated ships. Right-- and, the tooth fairy will let you have sex with her. Yea, in paradise. The "somebody" in Eyl just chalked up four more expendables as overhead for "the cost of operation." Next page.

Anyway, ESG will continue to "watch" Eyl for any ships standing out.

The Navy SEAL team, SEAL TEAM SIX, from NSWC briefed the OSC (Commander Castellano, CO BAINBRIDGE) on how they could rescue the captain from the life boat with swimmers-- "Combat Swimmers," per se. That plan was denied by POTUS because it put the captain in danger-- and, involved killing the pirates.

The FBI negotiators arrived on scene, and talked the pirates into sending their wounded man over for treatment Saturday morning. Later that afternoon, the SEAL's sent over their RHIB with food and water to recon the life boat but the pirates shot at it. They could have taken them out then (from being fired upon) but were denied again being told that the captain was not in "imminent danger." The FBI negotiators calmed the situation by informing the pirates of threatening weather as they could see storm clouds closing from the horizon, and offered to tow the life boat. The pirates agreed, and BAINBRIDGE took them under tow in their wake at 30 meters-- exactly 30 meters, which is exactly the distance the SEALs practice their shooting skills.

With the lifeboat under tow, riding comfortably bow-down on BAINBRIDGE's wake-wave ("rooster tail"), had a 17-second period of harmonic motion, and at the end of every half-period (8.5 seconds) was steady on. The light-enhanced (infra-red heat) monocular scopes on the SEAL's .308 caliber Mark 11 Mod 0 H&K suppressor-fitted sniper rifles easily imaged their target very clearly. Pirates in a life boat at 30-meters could be compared to fish in a barrel. All that was necessary was to take out the plexiglass window so that it would not deflect the trajectory of the high velocity .308 round. So, a sniper (one of four) with a wad-cutter round (a flaxen sabot) would take out the window a split second before the kill-shot-- no change in sight-picture, just the window blowing out, clean.

Now, here's the part BHO's "whiz kids" knew as well as the Navy hierarchy, including CO BAINBRIDGE and CO SEAL TEAM SIX. It's the law in Article 19 of Appendix L in the "Convention of the High Seas" that the Commanding Officer of a US Ship on the high seas is obligated to respond to distress signals from any flagged ship (US or otherwise), and protect the life and property thereof when deemed to be in IMMINENT DANGER. So, in the final analysis, it would be Captain Castellano call as to "Imminent Danger," and that he alone was obligated (duty bound) to act accordingly.

Got the picture?

After medically attending to the wounded pirate, and feeding him, come first light (from the east) on Easter Sunday morning and the pirates saw they were being towed further out to sea (instead of westward toward land), the wounded pirate demanded to be returned to the lifeboat. There would BE NO more negotiations-- and, the four Navy SEAL snipers "in the bubble" went "Unlock." The pirate holding Captain Philips raised the gun to his head, and IMMINENT DANGER was so observed and noted in the Log as CO BAINBRIDGE gave the classic order: WEAPONS RELEASED! I can hear the echo in my earpiece now, "On my count (from 8.5 seconds), 3, 2, 1, !" POP, BANG! Out went the window, followed by three simultaneous shots. The scoreboard flashed: "GAME OVER, GAME OVER-- NAVY 3, PIRATES 0!"

I hope you found the above informative as best I know it-- and, please excuse me in that after more than 50 years the Navy is still in me. I submit that AMERICA is going to make a comeback, and more than likely it'll be on the back of our cherished youth serving with honor in Our military.

God Bless Our Troops, andGOD SAVE AMERICA!

Buddy Wellborn, USNA Class of 1959,
Dickinson, Texas.

The Whining Starts Now

2009-04-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I live in the greater Boston area and I only have one complaint. I can get over the horrible roads and the long winters, but there is one thing driving me nuts.

Red Sox fans.

I don't mind that they rabidly support their team and where baseball hats all year long. What is worse is the whining. Red Sox fans whine like no one else. Every down turn, hickup, bump in the road experienced by the Sox is some one else's fault and the worst event EVER! Waaa waaa waaa.

I happen to be a Yankees fan and wear my baseball hat with pride. I also wear it because I know that it pisses some people off. Occassionally, I catch someone's eye in public and they're smiling. The smile is a little secret between two Yankees fans who know that our existence will kick off so much crying you'd think you were in the baby ward at the hospital.

I offer my observations just hours before the first meeting between the Bronx Bombers and the Sox. Who knows what will happen and who will stay around to play ball in October. One thing is certain, I'll need some cotton balls in my ears to block out the whining.

Play ball!

Back Tracking on "Torture Policymakers"

2009-04-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

Today, President Obama executed some fancy footwork as he backed off a statement made by his Chief of Staff on the Sunday talk shows. Originally, Rahm Emmanuel said the President was not interested in prosecuting the former Justice Department lawyers who defined "torture" for the Bush administration. This morning, the President says "well, whether we prosecute these people is up to the Attorney General...yada yada yada."

I'm interested in what law says that it is illegal to draft a legal opinion for the President. Who wants to work on that white paper now? Anyone? Can we stretch this logic and prosecute idiot lawmakers for passing what becomes "bad legislation" in hind sight? Oooooh pah-lease! Can we prosecute the Congress and the President's economic advisors for larceny? They're stealing money from hard working Americans to blow it on earmarks and pet projects.

My position on the "torture" techniques used on Abu ZipDideeDoDaa and Khalid Sheik Bedhead (do you remember that great picture of him in his tighty-whities with his hands zipped tied behind his back?) remains, what is good enough for our troops is more than good enough for the terrorists. Several hundred military pilots and aircrewmen are waterboarded at SERE School(Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) after being denied sleep and placed in stress positions for hours or even days.

Psychologists say the conditions that our troops experience at SERE school are not the same as what terrorists face, that there is a way out of SERE school at the end. I find a different opinion. SERE school is a requirement for these pilots if they want to remain pilots. You can opt out, but you have to find another career in the military. Is that really a choice?

If you talk to guys who have been to SERE school, they will tell you how real it felt. They are so tired and hungry that its hard to remember what is real and what is training. My friend Scooter (name withheld to protect the guilty) described having strong hallucinations. This is serious training folks.

I would like to talk to a doubting psychologist who experience SERE school tell us what they think after going through it first hand. Because there is no experience like first hand experience.

Do I see a problem with waterboarding KSM 180 times? No. In fact, the high number illustrates how fanatical these terrorists are. I would talk a lot sooner than, maybe after the 10th waterboarding. At that point, why fight it. Everyone breaks eventually.

Smooth Talking

2009-04-21T16:44:00.000-07:00

Special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen recently returned from a diplomatic visit to Pakistan that was supposed to strengthen ties between the two countries. Well...it looks like their well-crafted visit and special Obama message didn't have the intended effect.

One Paksitan analyst said "This is probably the worst-ever visit by an American team to South Asia in history. ... It was a complete disaster. ... And if this is how you want to win friends, I just wonder how you want to create enemies."

Holbrooke and Mullen were front men for the $10 billion aid package being drafted in Congress. The bill is sponsored by Representative Howard Berman (D-CA) who is also chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Again, analysts say "the bill is loaded with conditions that even the most stable government would find difficult to fulfill." This looks like a wonderful piece of legislation designed to piss people off by trying to make the world into America. Nice job, ass clown.

At least President Bush gave our allies a chance to win in their own country. Now Pres. Obama is going to tell our friends "choose us or keep your own people happy." If I remember correctly, that was Bush's demand for our enemies.

Don't forget Chrysler

2009-04-18T05:22:00.000-07:00

We have been talking a lot about GM and what BOHO's Car Czar has been doing to sink another $70B - $80B into them and Chrysler has fell off the radar screen. However it is not like Steven Rattner (BOHO's auto czar) has given up on them. He has a plan to save Chrysler. Of course it comes with a price tag to tax payers and this time it also comes with a price tag to the banks who happen to hold Chrysler's notes. Rattner (under investigation for other activities) is asking banks to forgive $7B that Chrysler owes them. The banks were not real happy with this deal but it is critical in a deal with Fiat to take Chrysler over. If that deal fails the czar will "loan" Chrysler another $6B to stay in operation.

....and you wonder why people were upset when Bush and BOHO got involved in the car business.

I was lamenting to a liberal friend of mine about the possible demise of the Corvette and possibly the Camaro production lines in the upcoming GM restructuring. It was his position they should of course stop making them. When I asked why GM should stop making a successful model he said the company should only make 2 or 3 models and they should be fuel efficient and cars for the future. When I pointed out that those types of cars are not what consumers may want to buy he looked at me with one of those "what's your point" expressions.

Not that it mattered but I also pointed out that in the auto manufacturing world deciding what cars to make years in advance is one of the major headaches for the auto industry. Significant market research goes into trying to read the auto tea leaves and determine trends. Not to mention weaving in emissions standards and average mileage regulations. The practicality that a czar might be able to figure this out from his desk in Washington one has to laugh. Some people do not quite understand how the free market makes it possible for me to buy a Hummer or a Prius based on my wants or needs. They think it would be better if I had limited choices.

Once again it is clear that the hold the government now has on the auto industry will result in the cars being built that they want us to buy - not the cars we want to buy. When the dust settles we will buy those cars. Even if we don't like them they will lure us with enormous tax incentives. These tax incentives will of course be subsidized by taxpayers. So look forward to not only paying your neighbor's mortgage but also his "green" car.

Gene (Hangar Dogs)

Its Time to Arm the Merchant Sailors

2009-04-12T18:39:00.001-07:00

The dramatic story of the Maersk Alabama's ordeal off the east coast of Africa has led to a resurgence in the call to place arms aboard merchant ships. Many, if not most, countries have domestic regulations against bringing firearms into a the country while engaged in trade. Some also argue that weapons stored aboard a ship could be captured by terrorists and used against governments and militaries.

The International maritime Organization (IMO) could put its head together and develop a new construct that would protect ships who sail dangerous waters. Shortly after the attacks of 9-11, the IMO developed (with heavy pushing from the US) the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code establishing minimum security levels for port facilities. Ships coming from a non-compliant ISPS port would be subjected to extensive inspections prior to arriving in the US. Time is money for the shipping industry and unpredictable lengthy delays in port or at anchor waiting to enter port costs serious money, sometimes up to $10,000 an hour.

I say that it is time to take care of our own. Put arms back aboard US flagged ships and defend what is ours. Make it a requirement that ships carrying US government aid or materials be armed. Pirates are not going to pick on a ship that openly displays firearms. The pirates go after soft targets, unarmed targets.

Just like most cases, the US should take the lead on this issue through action. We should be the guinea pigs and let others see that it can be done. The ships of the old East India Company were armed and heavily manned to protect the valuable cargos. The EIC took care of their own, called at ports around the world and kept their cargos safe. Only a heavily armed pirate or privateer took on the ships of the East India Company.

Pirate Standoff Ends in Three Flashes

2009-04-12T15:06:00.001-07:00

photo: CDR Castellano and Captain Phillips aboard the USS Bainbridge after the rescue.

On this Easter day, Captain Phillips is coming home. His home journey will occur thanks to the U.S. Navy and more specifically to the Navy Seals. In the days following the capture of the Maersk Alabama by Somali Pirates, the Maersk Alabama's dramatic escape and the tense hostage standoff where four pirates held Phillips at gun-point in a small lifeboat there is much cause for celebration. The U.S. Navy successfully controlled the situation at sea, discouraged more pirates from joining the small group and took decisive action to protect one of our own and bring him home alive.

Situations like this one here that unfolded over the period of days are extremely difficult to resolve. The men and women of the U.S. Navy held on and won this tough battle. After the sun set on the protracted standoff, the pirates made threatening gestures with guns towards Captain Phillips. The Navy Seals on-scene were given the go ahead to take the shots and take out the pirates. Even though someone else made the decision, the Seals on scene were willing to accept the risk and attempt a difficult rescue. Shooting at sea is not an easy thing. Everything moves and even the easiest shot is still risky.

I bet that you won't see the men who made the hardest decisions of all, the Navy Seals. They won't ask for thanks other than to shake the hand of the man who is going home. You won't see their pictures in the papers or on TV. They won't go to the White House to meet with the President and First Lady. They quietly do their job and are referred to only as 'Navy Seals.' That is what they do.

You should all be thankful that this country has such humble and dedicated men and women defending our Nation and us. You might not be able to pick them out of a crowd, but if you should ever meet one, you certainly owe them a strong hand shake and a 'thank you.'

Hugo Welcomes US Detainees from GITMO

2009-04-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez laid a huge offer on the table, to accept any number of the 240 detainees currently being held as enemy combatants at the Guantanamo Bay facility.

"We wouldn't have anyproblem in taking in human beings," Mr. Chavez told Arabic TV channel al-Jazeera. So he says. Go ahead I say. He thinks he has problems now. Let a bunch of trained terrorists loose in his country and he'll be flying to a small African nation in exile.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7978135.stm

Obama said "These are not the words you are looking for."

2009-04-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

An internal memo from the White House to the Pentagon provided new guidance on appropriate vocabulary for the Global War on Terror. I'm sorry, I can't use GWOT any more. Obama is uber-sensitive about using Bush administration lingo. Here's a quick rundown of what's hot and what's not:

What's Hot ( and What's Not)
Overseas Contigency Operations (not ... Global War on Terror )
Terrorist Surveillance Program (not ... Patriot Act terrorist wire taps )
Man-Caused Disasters (not ... terrorist attacks )

Former Vice President Dick Cheney's counsel sees right through the name game. “They seem more interested in the war on the English language than in what might be thought of as more pressing national security matters...An Orwellian euphemism or two will not change the fact that bad people want to kill us and destroy us as a free people.” It appears that Obama and his team are more afraid of Bush-era language than they are of terrorists. This concerns me, especially when there are still quite a few terrorists plotting evil ways to kill Americans and our allies from their candle lit caves.

And coming next week from the Dept of Homeland Security...Green is the new Orange. I'm not impressed. A real leader would be able to lead the issue without resorting to a new language. I feel like we're watching a card shark deal from the bottom of the deck. Even better, I just heard the voice of Obama Wan Kenobi say "these aren't the droids you're looking for." The only problem is Obama hasn't mastered the force like good old Obi Wan.

For more on this story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/us/politics/02web-baker.html?hp

Government Managed For Sure

2009-03-31T03:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/opinion/31holstein.html?_r=1

Did the President ask Rick Wagonner to step down in a pre-emptive move to prevent AIG like backlash? William Holstein make sit sound like Mr. Wagonner's stepping down was a bad move. Especially in light of his named replacement, Mr. Henderson, who has more experience on Wall St. and not so much car building experience.

Even scarier is the perception of zealotry within the immediate Obama White House aides who have been quoted as saying "they are going to remake the entire G.M. board." This statement should be scarier than Freddy Kruegger on Elm St. This "we know better than you about everything" attitude is going to get us into trouble. The last things we need are political hacks messing up the economy further.

I think GM is about to get "Government Mis-managed."

GM (Government Managed)

2009-03-29T09:35:00.000-07:00

Obama says GM, Chrysler "not there yet"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that struggling U.S. automakers had not done enough yet to become "lean, mean and competitive" under federal oversight.

Lead by example? BO is not exactly running the most efficient ship on the financial waters these days.

"We're trying to let them know that we want to have a successful auto industry, U.S. auto industry. We think we can have a successful U.S. auto industry. But it's got to be one that's realistically designed to weather this storm and to emerge ... much more lean, mean and competitive than it currently is," Obama said.

Wonder what kind of cars we can expect from Detroit once the administration completes the takeover of the auto industry. Me thinks if you want an American car with more than 100 HP and most of the parts installed and working you better hurry.

Gene

The Website

2009-03-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

President Obama promised the Nation a website to track the Stimulus Bill money. Has anyone seen it? I sure hope they know where that money went especially after he criticized the Bush administration for not keeping track of the first TARP installment. Personally, I've never had good luck taunting or second guessing other's actions. I find that if I do taunt someone, I end up making a similar mistake in the future. I always have a moment of recognition like God flicking me in the back of the head and saying "did you just make the same dumbass mistake that Bozo did earlier?" Sure enough, it happens. If anyone finds this Stimulus website, send me the link please.

AJ

Chili Dogs and $10 Beers

2009-03-26T04:01:00.001-07:00

The new President is getting around town. Careful, you may bump into him or his Secret Service detail!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/fashion/26washington.html?hp

My first reaction was "shouldn't you be home working on the economy?" But, everyone needs a break once in a while to keep their edge. I think its good that he's out with his family. He will stay more human and real if they can keep up their public social activities and help with the public's expectation management. We may not expect him to perform miracles as often if we realize that he likes to drink a beer at the game just like us.

Mislaid Blame And The Cost

2009-03-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

The NY Times featured an op-ed contribution by Jake DeSantis, former VP of the AIG Financial Products division. Mr. DeSantis posted his resignation letter to AIG's CEO, Ed Liddy to the NYT. To read the full letter...http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/opinion/25desantis.html?_r=1. Its worth your time.

Based on this letter, there are a lot of wrongly maligned, hard working people at AIG. These people are owed very public apologies from Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Andrew Cuomo and Richard Blumenthal

Renewable Energy vs. Pristine Vistas

2009-03-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

We have been bombarded in the last two years with infomercial after infomercial about how nuclear power, coal and oil are evil and renewable energy from the wind and sun is the future. I agree that we need to be smarter about how we generate and utilize electricity.

Well now the evironmental groups are fighting each other. One group wants to cordon off a huge are of the Mojave Desert in order to preserve the pristine vistas. Other environmentalists are helping energy companies to place solar power plants in the same are because the sunlight is abundant.

I can not make this stuff up. Environmentalists are fighting each other. Senator Diane Feinstein is on the side of keeping the views pretty. She was quoted in today's NY Times as saying “I’m a strong supporter of renewable energy and clean technology, but it is critical that these projects are built on suitable lands.” In other words, find an uglier piece of land that no one wants and build your solar power plant there. Unbelievable.

The uglier half or the power plant is the high voltage power transmission lines that have to run from the desert to the coast to supply the energy demand.

I can't wait to see which "high-minded" issue wins out.

Searching For A Good Explanation...

2009-03-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

In 2003, Samantha Redding was strip-searched by two female school officials in search of a prescription strength, 400 mg, ibuprofen pill. Samantha was fingered by another student who was suspected of having prescription strength pain reliever, too. Samantha was 13 at the time and an honor student with a good track record at the school.

The assistant principal ordered a strip-search to be conducted after a cursory search (stop and frisk in law enforcement terms) of Samantha's outer clothes (black stretch pants and a pink t-shirt) revealed nothing.

A 1985 Supreme Court Case, New Jersey vs. T.L.O., ruled that school officials may conduct a strip search only if there is:
1) a suspected violation of a rule that places a student's health and safety at risk, and;
2) particularized suspicion that the contraband is hidden in the student's clothes.

'Particularized suspicion' seems to be lacking on the school's part. Not finding a pill in the outer garment does not mean that it is hidden in the girl's undergarments. Specific information is necessary to achieve 'particularized suspicion' to conduct a strip search.

The shear fact alone that school officials feel comfortable conducting strip searches worries me. Searching a person is tricky thing and best left to professionals who will conduct a proper search in accordance with the law. Illegal searches result in blown criminal cases all of the time. I would not be comfortable conducting a search of a student like. Better to call in the police or the school resource officer (policemen assigned to the schools for security and education reasons). School resource officers were instituted for this reason.

Samantha's case was upheld on appeal by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and will be heard by the Supreme Court on April 21. The Court of Appeals ruled that the assistant principal does not qualify for immunity from civil penalties since he acted outside the law. The courts are working in this particular case.

I hope Samantha wins next month and gets to take the School District and Principal to civil court and sue for damages. Strip-searching a 13 yor honor student with a clean record for two regular strength ibuprofen is beyond reasonable. I hope Samantha gets enough money to make her life comfortable and pay for a decent college education. I wish her good luck moving on with her personal trauma, too. I can only imagine the damage this search did to a normal 13 yor girl. What horror.

I'm chearing on the ACLU who is helping her case. Yes, I'm chearing on the ACLU. I believe in the right to be protected from unlawful searches. Go get 'em boys and girls.

As for the assistant principal and two female school officials, you guys are ass clowns.

This is the begining of the end

2009-03-24T03:57:00.000-07:00

Well, Harry and Nancy have done it. The country is ready to lynch the bonus fat executives at AIG. They stirred up enough malice that even op-ed columnists and President Obama were scared of the possible outcomes.

So now 15 of the 20 top bonuses at AIG have been voluntarily returned. The others are still considering their options. What's also happening at AIG is the top talent is leaving. Why stay and try to save the ship working 80-90 hours a week when you don't get adequate compensation? Screw it, I'd go find another job, too.

Granted some of these people who resigned from AIG are the ones that kicked off this mess (they aren't the only ones responsible though). But at the same time, these people leaving the market are the ones with the smarts and situational awareness to help fix the problem. By why stay when there is nothing in it for them? Why stay when your hard work won't be properly rewarded? I don't blame them a bit for resigning.

Harry and Nancy have done a good job at wrecking the capitalists economic model which rewards hard work with financial compensation. The threat of a punitive tax code was enough to send executives searching for other jobs at non-TARP firms. Way to go.

What Harry and Nancy don't understand is that leadership is about motivation and reward. What am I saying, Harry and Nancy know everything there already is to know about leadership. Silly me.

Well congratulations folks. You've successfully de-motivated the top tier of our economic system. Way to go. I'm sure we'll pull out of this recession(a.k.a. depression) in no time.

BTW, look at this video if you have any doubts as to the Democratic party's true path. This video should scare you if you earn a decent salary. Remember, mid-term elections are just around the corner!

The Pot Calls the Kettle Black

2009-03-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Or was he the kettle? I get confused sometimes.

President Obama is outraged that AIG is paying its executives $165 million in bonuses the company is contractually obligated to pay. The President called these payments outrageous and has directed Secretary Geithner to try to recoup the money for the taxpayers.

Let me try this one more time. The man who pushed for, and signed into law, one of the biggest pork bills ever to successfully cross the President's desk is incensed about loose spending of the taxpayer's dollar. Really?

Maybe the President should take care of his own house before cast aspersions at others. There is so much wastage in the Spendulus Bill (I borrowed this term from my friend Stitch...) that several concientious Governors refuse Spendulus money on the account that its wasteful.

I do understand the backlash there is against this company, but if we, as a government, agreed to bail it out to keep it from failing and hurting the economy worse, then AIG needs a mechanism to retain quality management staff. To default on its contractual bonuses would be bad and encourage these executives to walk and find other work. Some would argue that wouldn't be bad given the state we're in, but we did decide to save this company.

I can't argue that bad decisions put the country in this pickle. Life is about surviving bad decisions and moving on. How does the timeless adage go? "Judgment comes with experience and experience is gained from bad judgment."

A Spendocrat calling out the banks for wasteful spending still tickles me. Its even funnier that he doesn't see the joke himself.

Little “V” Victory in Iraq

2009-03-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

The troops are coming home from the sand box and less soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen are deploying to replace them. The streets of Baghdad are safer and the economy is starting to grow. President Maliki, a Shiite and leader of the coalition government, has called for reconciliation and forgiveness of those who were members of Saddam’s government, essentially Sunnis.

The surge worked despite what the rabid Democratic members of both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees said to General Petraeus when he sat before the committees and recommended a surge in troops to stem the violence in Iraq. But wait, the surge worked.

The Bush administration is gone and President Obama has not followed through with his campaign pledge to bring the troops home in sixteen months. In fact, he’s agreed to a plan to keep the troops in Iraq, up to 50,000 of them, “for several years to come.”

Obama’s change in heart led me to two conclusions. First, Obama figured out after detailed briefings on the factual situation in Iraq that Bush’s strategy was working. GASP. Second, in order for President Obama to keep the troops in Iraq and conduct an orderly turn over of the situation with the Iraqi government he must see victory in the future him. SAY IT ISN’T SO?

Who wants to take a bet that we won’t hear the words ‘victory’ and ‘Iraq’s spoken in the same sentence? Anyone? Come on, just $20. Please? Well, what did I expect? Who would ever bet that a Democrat would say that a Republican was right in the first place? What was I thinking?

I sure hope President Obama has the cojones to use the words victory and Iraq together. If he does, he will honor the men and women that call him Commander in Chief. He will honor the ultimate sacrifice made by great Americans who died defending this Nation and the world from horrible consequences. Those men and women deserve to hear the word victory spoken loud and proud and not mumbled quietly into the Presidential fist.

So here’s where we stand. It’s the bottom of the ninth inning, two outs and President Bush pitched a great game. President Obama steps onto the mound and has to deal with the last batter. Need some advice? Better throw hard and throw strikes, Mr. President. Win the game, fuck the cheerleader. Then and only then, come home.

Recent History Long Forgotten

2009-02-24T05:37:00.000-08:00

Every one has their theories on what caused the mortgage crisis. Fannie and Freddie, greedy Republicans, aggressive first-time homeowners, even Former President George W. Bush. President Obama repeatedly mentioned the failed policies of the past eight years that put us in the present economic hard times.

A good friend of mine circulated an old newspaper article from the NY Times. The Steven Holmes article from September 30, 1999 highlights economic decisions made in the White House and Capital building that shed much needed light on the current housing crisis.

Below is an excerpt from the Steven Holmes article:

“Fannie Mae, the nation’s biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.

…‘Fannie Mae expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990’s by reducing down payment requirements,’ said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae’s chairman and CEO. ‘Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called sub-prime market.’

…In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980’s.”

WOW. So this is not Bush’s fault??? I’m perplexed. President Obama thinks it is. I heard him say so at his first press conference. If he said it then his statement must be true right? I think not.

Coming in the near future…I take on golden parachutes paid for by taxpayers.

The Pragmatic Environmentalist

2009-02-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Clean coal fired energy. I don’t know if there is a truer oxymoron than clean coal energy. There are several technological proposals to clean up coal, but most of the technologies are unproven, work on a small scale and only remove a fraction of the carbon dioxide from a coal power plant’s exhaust. These drawing board technologies are incredibly expensive and cost around $100 million per power plant.

I laud the green weenie push to reduce green house gases. I want to live in a world where the air and water is clean. I like to swim in lakes and smell the fresh breeze. I also enjoy my air conditioning when its allergy season, fresh food in the refrigerator and the house lights in the dark of winter.

The demand for electricity is increasing and outpacing our generation capability. Wind generated power is great for some parts of the country where the winds blows all of the time like Colorado and Wyoming. Ranchers in Cheyenne, WY are making money hand over fist by leasing their land to windmill power companies. These ranchers are pragmatic people and don’t really care that the windmills dot the surrounding landscape. I wouldn’t care either if I was pulling in a quarter million dollars a year in lease income.

Not everyone feels the same way. The people of Vermont shot down a wind energy project in the Green Mountains because they did not want the pristine view of the mountains to include a string of windmills. The same private views also plague wind efforts off the coast of New Jersey and Cape Cod. In these cases, offshore windmill projects are half inch stick figure images on the far visual horizon. Fortunately, a federal judge ruled that Cape Wind can proceed with their windmill project. Great, because the wind howls offshore in the Northeast all winter long. I’m glad that there are some pragmatic judges out there.

Solar power is not the answer either. A cutting edge solar power plant is under construction in southern California on a ten square mile site. This plant occupies more space than a traditional power plant by a factor of one hundred and produces less than 25% of the power of a coal power plant. And it only works when the sun is out, which for the southwest is over 300 days a year. What about those two months when there is cloud cover? Solar power technology has a way to go before it can economically produce energy.

So what are the remaining options?

Power companies are trying to build more coal power plants despite extreme opposition from local and national environmental groups. So far, only two additional plants are going forward. So what do we do when electrical demand outstrips supply? Roving blackouts? Remember when California suffered rolling blackouts in the heat of the summer? Can you live without electrical power for a few hours in the middle of the day? Think about it.

What about nuclear energy? Environmentalists also block the power companies from building nuclear power plants because, you know, nuclear waste is bad stuff. Nuclear power is one of the cleanest power sources. Who knows, there may be technology in the near future that can reuse spent nuclear fuel.

I completely agree that we need to find cleaner energy sources. I also don’t want to sit in the dark when I’m home at night. I like candle light, but it does get tiresome to live by candle light and candles are expensive. Maybe I need to invest in candle futures. We need energy solutions now and we need a plan to get us to a cleaner future without bankrupting us now. I just hope the idealistic green weenies don’t paint us into a corner with no way out.

Who’s up for the pragmatic approach?

Take The Check Book Away

2009-02-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

President Obama is poised to sign landmark legislation on the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birthday. The Economic Stimulus Bill finally cleared the House and Senate and passed conference to iron out the differences. The grand total is $787 billion and change. The entire bill encompasses 1100 fun-filled pages.

By the way, has anyone read the entire 1100 pages front to back? In the immortal words of my freshman English teacher, will the first, last and only people to read this bill be its authors? Does that scare anyone else but me? President Obama pledges transparency in how this bill is spent, but I don't feel 1100 pages really define transparent. A lot of trickery can be hidden within 1100 pages. Are Pelosi and Reid going for an "A" on this bill by shear weight alone? Whatever happened to "explain your position in 500 words or less?"

Can you imagine the money we could save if Congress had not just term limits, but word limits? The average citizen might be tempted to read Congressional legislation if the bills were just a few pages front to back. We wouldn't need Congressional watchdogs. You could review the Congress' work after dinner and before you put the kids to bed.

I don't question the urgency President Obama laid out to the American people in his press conference. Actually, I'm impressed that Congress was able to do something in the first 30 days of President Obama's administration. 30 days is a split second when it comes to Congressional action which usually makes molasses look like quicksilver.

I wonder if our revered Speaker (hold your chuckles, please) likes the taste of crow. Did you catch the news bit wherein she swears repeatedly there is no pork in this bill? Did she really make such an outrageous statement?

By best estimates (my source is CRS), the Iraq war cost the taxpayers $>600 billion since March 2003. The war cost an enormous amount of money. Tomorrow, President Obama will spend more than the entire war effort to date in the time it takes to sign his name. Ouch.

A very smart lady once told us in college "just because you have checks in the check book, does not mean you have money." Good advice. Maybe Harriet should give money management lessons to the folks in DC. Either that or take the check book away.

You Tell 'Em Mr. President!

2009-01-27T05:25:00.000-08:00

In one of his first foreign policy moves, President Obama told the Islamic world, specifically the bad guys, “the Americans are not your enemy.” Thank you, Mr. President, for clearing that up. I'm glad we got that straight. Do you think any one was listening?

I have a question for the President, "What are you going to do when its clear that the Islamic world isn't listening, tell them again?"

An what will you do when the next wave of attacks occurrs on American soil or against American interests? Will you keep the pressure up until the terrorists want to talk or will you give them time to regain strength while we talk and they catch their breath?

I think asking the terrorists to talk is a noble idea, but do you think its effective against an enemy who's belief system doesn't allow bargaining with their faith? Negotiating takes two active participants, otherwise its called a monologue. If you're interested in giving a monologue I'd rather listen to Jerry Seinfeld.

Open Letter to the Leaders of Congress

2009-01-26T03:58:00.000-08:00

To the Speaker of the House and he Senate Majority Leader:

You lead this country at an historic time. We face a deep depression, fight two wars far from our borders, and are unpopular with many abroad. How do you repair the "American" brand? President Obama is open to addressing problems in new ways and has promised the change we need. How are you going to work with him to solve the challenges facing this country?

Yes. You're going to have to work with the President. Last time I checked, the President was the acknowledged leader of the country.

I hope you're going to look forward and address the problems of the future rather than what you interpret as the problems of the last eight years. This talk of investigation the Bush Presidency to see if he broke the law is foolish. You will never uncover the evidence necessary to do what you want. You have bigger problems to tackle. Put aside your petty personal grievances and get today's job done.

And you have little time to accomplish this monumental list of work. History shows (I hope you're a student of history) Presidencies that start with a legislative majority soon lose that convenience at the mid term election. I think it has to do with the normal dissatisfaction we feel with the Presidency (why would anyone ever want that job?). So get to work. I'm surprised you haven't finalized the Economic Stimulus Bill, yet. What are you waiting for?

Sincerely,

AJ

P.S. Don't you think its a little greedy to take an automatic pay raise this year when economic times are so tough? Why don't you repeal that one and save us some money.

What do you see?

2009-01-19T05:42:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Hamas agreed to a one-week cease fire in the latest battle of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle. I was reading several articles about the conflict and wondering at the Israeli's restraint.

What do I mean? Imagine yourself in a country surrounded on three sides by enemies. Israel is surrounded by Hezbollah in south Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, the Fatah controled West Bank, Gaza (controlled by Hamas) and Egypt. Hezbollah is backed financially and militarily by Iran. Iran on its own wants Israel to be a smoking hole in the ground, but finds it more convenient to pay Hezbollah to fight its battle. Hamas gets military and financial help too from the Sunni branch of the Arab world. The only truely friendly neighbor is the Mediteranean Sea.

So imagine yourself sitting in the middle of this snake pit and one of your neighbors considers it their 'right' to indiscriminately lob rockets into your country. Please note, these rockets aren't aimed at military targets. The target is Israel, so like a good jihadist all you need to do it aim in an easterly direction and fire.

Israel is willing to negotiate with Hamas. Hamas was negotiating with Israel via Egypt. At the same time, Hamas sanctioned continued rocket attacks. Hamas is both the government of Gaza and a terrorist group.

So what do you do?

There is no way Israel can stop the rocket attacks directly. Israel already tried to negotiate and that just wasn't working. Israel's only real hope if to make the situation in Gaza so dire that the Palestinian people sue for peace. They made a good start of it, but I don't think they've gone far enough. The Hamas leadership does not have the self restraint to stop the rocket attacks. Only when the Palestinian people living in Gaza decry 'Enough!' will Hamas find the capacity to stop. And if they don't stop they may just find themselves alone in the street where the people used to welcome them indoors.

I don't believe that the indiscriminate killing of civilians is right however, Israel has shown restraint and was taken advantage of by Hamas. The law of war, yes, the law of war, says that both sides must comply. If one commits a barbarous act, then his enemy is allowed to retaliate.

Hamas is pushing the conflict towards total war. I think Israel is better equiped to wage a total war. Hamas may just die for their beliefs. I hope it doesn't come to that. I hope there is some sense in Hamas. We shall see.

The Big Tuesday

2008-11-03T15:58:00.001-08:00

Its been a while since my last rant.

So here's what I'm thinking on the night before Super Tuesday.

I really hope my income taxes don't go up tomorrow. I think the $250,000 ceiling is about to get a lot lower in Obama's tax cut. As it stands now, the top 40% of the tax brackets generate 95% of the income tax revenue. Isn't that enough? Can't the other 60% of the U.S. bring in the remaining 5% of the revenue?

I hope we don't get to see the Obama/Biden response to a terrorist attack on the U.S. When Joe Biden warns us that the response from the White House would shock most Americans we should get ready to start learning how to speak other languages. I don't want the White House to be associated with white flags.

McCain's age and his "poor" health concern many. He's been healthy enough to campaign for 2 years and still be a contender despite all of the biased reporting against him. I have complete confidence in Sarah Palin to get the job done. A woman who can raise 5 kids and still find time to run a State government has her act together. I think her lack of experience in DC is a benefit and not a hindrance. Albert Einstein is famous for saying, "you can't fix a problem the same mind that created it." Sarah isn't burdened with a mind stuck in the "DC Paradigm."

Obama doesn't talk about winning the war in Iraq, he talks about ending it. That's pretty defeatist to me. Hey, didn't we hand over a big portion of the security situation in Iraq to the Iraqi government? I don't remember hearing about a big implosion in the Middle East. Sure smells like we're closing on a victory to me.

Obama already has the billions of dollars that we spend in Iraq promised to the American taxpayers for projects in this country. Don't forget that he's going to lower your tax rate and spend A LOT MORE OF YOUR MONEY. Sounds like some funny accounting practices there.

I work for the government and know firsthand how cumbersome the government can be when they get involved. The government always does things slowly, expensively and never well because they can't always get the best and brightest workers (I work for the government remember?). I don't want more government in my life.

Where has Joe Biden been in the last few weeks? Oh, he's been banished into obscurity because his famous mouth ran away with the real truth about the Obama platform. Kind of scary when they sideline the guy who got Obama this far because he gave us a candid look behind the curtain.

Tomorrow is a big day America. Don't blow it.

A Defining Moment

2008-09-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

October 1 will be a defining moment for the Iraqi government. Oct 1 marks the day when control of the Sunni Awakening Councils pass from United States control to the government of Iraq. The Awakening Councils, former Sunni insurgents who decided to cooperate with the U.S. and fight Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQIM), have been a valuable member in the fight to save Iraq from chaos. After the sectarian fighting erupted, the Sunni's were getting soundly drubbed by the Shiite militias. Realizing that their survival was at stake, the Sunni's decided to become part of the solution and seek sanction with the U.S. The U.S. recognized the importance of this Sunni gesture and put the Awakening Councils onthe U.S. payroll.

So why is Oct 1 such a big deal? If the Iraqi government, which is dominated by Shiites, disbands the Sunni councils then the Sunnis may not have any other choice other than to become insurgents again. One of the most important steps in a counterinsurgency is reconciliation, bringing together opposing sides of the fighting and peacefully resolving the differences. If the Iraqi government maintains the Awakening Councils and absorbs them as part of the Iraqi forces then there is an enormous chance that Iraq can defeat AQIM and survive as a country. The wild card is whether the Iraqi government will make a decision to give their country a chance at peace and prosperity or descend into more sectarian violence. I can't honestly say what will happen. We'll just have to watch it happen this fall. I've got my fingers crossed, how about you?

Life is Hard When You Are Stupid

2008-09-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

John Wayne was once quoted as saying "Life is hard. Life is even harder when you are stupid." Those words ring true for the people of Galveston Island, TX who made a concious decision to stay home during hurricane Ike despite a very bold warning by the National Weather Service and a mandatory evacuation order.

The National Weather Service made headlines by warning residents that to stay on the Texas coast was to court death. Ike was no joke and was bringing the power of Mother Nature was bringing a Texas-sized hurricane. Despite the warnings, thousands, even tens of thousands of people chose to stay in the barrier island communities to ride out the hurricane.

Barrier islands are made of sand. Sand does not stand fast in the face of water. Just ask the Israelis what water did to their big sand berm in the 1973 war. Wood frame buildings don't stand a chance against 10-20 foot waves. If you've ever been to the beach and played in the surf think back to the power that a 4-5 foot wave brings as it crashes on the beach. Those are 'gentle' waves. Waves that come ashore during a hurricane, driven by over 100 mph winds is one of the most powerful forces on the planet. By one account, a house on 16 ft pilings (yes, 16 ft above the ground) was lifted from its pilings by the waves of hurricane Ike.

Today we are seeing the 'survival' stories of the stupid who chose to stay behind despite all of the warnings. These people are being rescued at considerable expense (you are paying for their stupidity) and they are putting rescuers at risk to the hazards of Galveston Island. You'll also see stories of the hazardous slurry of chemicals and waste that are polluting GI. Rescuers have to repeatedly brave these dangerous conditions to bring out the 'victims.'

There really is no excuse not to evacuate. The State of Texas provided transportation out of the danger area and shelters for those who had no other place to go.

So when you read those stories about the horrors faced by the ass clowns who stayed behind remember that you are paying for their stupidity and the rescuers are putting their lives on the line for their stupidity. In hindsight, staying to ride out the storm is a selfish decision.

True Colors Shine Through

2008-09-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

So Oprah refuses to have Gov Palin as a guest on her show. Oprah's reasoning is that she decided not to use her show to support political candidates since she declared her support for Obama. So if you have one of the largest daytime talk shows with an enormous viewing audience and you choose not to invite a political candidate on to discuss all sides of the issues, isn't that the same as using your show to support a candidate? Isn't a lie of ommision still a lie? I'd like to see Oprah invite Gov Palin on and discuss the issues. Maybe Oprah doesn't want her viewing audience to see her true colors. Is Oprah afraid that the public won't like what they hear and see? This may be the first crack in the 'O' empire. I find this position very interesting given that Oprah has quite a history of showcasing powerful women. Why, I wonder, would she not want to showcase 'this' powerful woman?

To me, the real statement is that Gov Palin represents a real and dangerous threat to the Democratic candidates. Opportunities for Gov Palin to speak in big venues with media coverage will only benefit the the McCain-Palin ticket. Her wholesome, down-home values rings true with most of America.

Its easy to forget that all of the country is not NY or LA. This is a hug country with most of the folks living in middle America. I think the thin veneer on Obama's message of change has rubbed off and the country is seeing a VP candidate who is is 14K solid gold . Stay tuned. This is going to be a good show.

Predicting the future

2008-09-01T07:25:00.000-07:00

As Hurricane Gustav roars ashore on the Gulf Coast, I ponder what the headlines will be in the near future. Does Louisiana manage the crisis effectively? Does Mayor Nagin get a do-over and did he really "learn" his lessons? Does the Bush administration get credit for 3 years of hard work with the States and Governors pushing a cajoling them to develop capacity to handle their own disasters? How does the media cast FEMA's performance?

First a refresher for this nation of lawyers...The Stafford Act (yes, a law) governs how the federal government responds to disasters. First and foremost, disaster response is a local responsibility. That means that counties, cities, and States are responsible to prepare for and handle domestic emergencies of all types. The Federal government can and will, assist the States upon the direct request of the Governor. Any expectation that George W and his boys will come galloping into town to save the day at a moments notice is foolhardy. First, its counter to the law, and second, the Federal government does nothing fast. If you want to sit on the roof of your flooded house and wait for the Federal government to save you, better pack a few lunches. Watch out for Obama and McCain telling you that they will provide the perfect government response every time. You can't afford that type of response.

Where was the huge Federal response in Iowa this summer? Oh, wait, the Iowans hitched up their drawers and handled it themselves. They shed some tears, but the shouldered the burden and rebuilt their lives in a matter of months. Where is the prolonged federal response? It wasn't needed because they got it done themselves.

So enough ranting. Hear are my predictions:
1. Bush will get none of the credit, only the blame. Its what comes with being the President. He can handle it.
2. The media, in all of its forms, will do its best to highlight the downside of Gustav. it will be all about portraying controversy, contradiction and conflict. Only when all of these stories have panned out will you see the puff pieces glossing over the successes. Remember, media is BIG business and if it bleeds it leads. Sorry George, sorry FEMA.
3. Mayor Nagin did learn his lesson and he will make the right calls and work effectively with Gov Jindal to deal with this crisis.
4. FEMA won't get any credit despite the hard work of the last three years. FEMA isn't the same organization it was pre-Katrina. The new organization is filled with the same patriots who shoulder a pack and carry a rifle in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are working hard in the most complex environment possible and they do a damn fine job.

Who wants to give me odds on these predictions? Only time will tell what really happens.

AJ

The Maverick

2008-08-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

John McCain did it again. His well known reputation as a maverick came to the fore again when he chose Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. Top notch. The Democrats and the media have been critical of McCain's choice mostly citing Gov Palin's lack of experience. What I think really has the Democrats scared is that Gov Palin is a straight-talking 'doer' who believes in transparency.

What do I mean that she's a 'doer?' Well, Gov Palin served as an elected city councilwoman, mayor, lieutenant governor and governor in the state of Alaska. She's held four executive positions in government and in several of them she beat the 'good ole boys' convincingly.

So what's the big difference between being in the executive vice the legislative branch of government. In the legislature they develop and pass bills which, when signed as laws, are turned over to the executive branch for execution. The governor is responsible for running the state and taking care of the day-to-day business like fixing the roads, paying the bills, and making decisions.

So why is it harder to be a governor than a legislator? Legislators only have to come up with an idea and generate support for an idea to become a law. It doesn't have to be a good idea or one that will work best for the majority of the people. What do they care, they don't have to make their idea work, that's the governor's job. And if the governor fails to make a bad idea work, it wasn't the legislator's fault, the governor must've botched it right?

Now we get to the heart of what scares the Democrats. Gov Sarah Palin gets the job done and done right. It may not be pretty (it hardly ever is), but the everyday Joe wants someone to do the dirty jobs. This is where Obama and Biden (and even McCain) don't measure up.

In my book, Gov Palin beats the pants off Obama when it comes to having the right experience. I'll take a hockey mom with honest dirty under her finger nails over a smooth talker who's ideas are about an inch deep any day.

Stay tuned because this election is going to be interesting.

The candidate for change, really?

2008-08-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

So Obama picks Biden to be his Veep running mate.

I thought Obama was about change? Change in the sense that he's a new man bringing new ideas to the table to change the country and make it a better place. he's going to fix global warming and solve the energy issue. And he chose an old white guy, part of the Democratic establishment having spent over 40 years in the Senate. Change, huh?

I thought Obama's campaign was pinging McCain for being an "old white guy." And now the Democrats lassoed an old white guy from the Democratic collar and put a Vice Presidential saddle on him.

I think this election is going to be won by the guy who can blow it the least. Did McCain forget to take his ginseng this week? What do you mean he doesn't know how many houses he owns? At least give a non-answer rather than admit senility. Any grizzled political veteran like McCain should be able to give a non-answer in his sleep.

By the way, did you get the text? Me neither. I guess the gimick fizzled. I think the candidate for change may fizzle, too. I guess the oldest trick in the book (the insider leak) beat the newest technology to the punch. The only way to keep a secret is to NOT tell anyone.

Does Obama really know how to send a text message?

2008-08-22T11:52:00.001-07:00

The big question before the Democrat and Republican National Conventions is who will Senators McCain and Obama pick as their VP candidates. Yesterday Sen. Obama announced that he will declare his running mate in a text message to Obama supporters.

What's up with this? Is he trying to portray that he's hip and in touch? By using text messages, is he trying to show that McCain is old and not in touch with most of America? I wonder how many additional hits Obama's web page got today just from people signing up to receive text messages. Being registered to receive Obama's text messages are the the last thing I need. Its one more way for the fund raisers to reach out and bug me. I thought that political advertisements made by autonomous phone services to my house phone were rude enough. Why do I need to receive political solicitations over the phone. If I wanted to give, I'd give to your campaign.

The real question I want to know is "if I handed Obama my cell phone, would he really know how to send a text message or would one of his aides have to show him?"

AJ

What does 'Beyond Seven Seconds' mean?

2008-08-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Everywhere we turn, we're bombarded by seven second sound bytes. More times than not, these sound bytes are intentionally inaccurate, shallow and intended to hook your emotions rather than your brain. Here, I want to have a discussion that goes beyond seven seconds and takes place between discerning individuals who pride themselves on not getting 'hooked' by mainstream media. Welcome to the place where smarter Americans can talk.

AJ