Farce Goes On

I've pretty much become inured to the bleatings out of Congress, particularly from the left side of the aisle. I'm over 55 and can both read and write, so I had no trouble learning that Paul Ryan's Medicare proposal won't effect me in the slightest and at the very least provides a start for discussion of a solution that will save some semblance of the retiree healthcare system beyond the current meltdown dates. It ain't rocket science. And neither Grandma nor I will be rolled off a cliff.

I also have paid bills and managed my own money for a bit more than fifty years now. I know when my credit cards get maxed that the thing to do is stop spending (see example of holes and digging for similar rationale.) I've got the basic concept of finance down. Raising the debt limit without clear, significant, committed cuts to spending is foolishness of the highest order. Of course that would mean a tightening of the strings on the Nanny State purse and possible limits to the range of handouts available to sustain the pandering class in their elective office.

That's why this piece is funny. It is serious business, but because, frankly Scarlett..., I can laugh about it.

We Demand a Vote Unless You Want a Vote Too

That is a classic hoisting on their own petard manipulated by Speaker Boehner. The Dems scream about demanding a vote to put the obstructionist super-majority of Republicans on record. Boehner fires up a group of 100 Republican Congress-critters who agree to that record tabulation. Now the sleaze-bags call it "cheap theatrics"!

There is simply no satisfying some folks.

So What?

Here's a Chicken Little item for your consideration:

Internet & TV Endanger Biodiversity

Remember you've been warned! By the United Nations! Take cover!

Some questions to ask:

Why does the UN have a United Nations executive secretary on biological diversity???

Why is there a relationship between children knowing where their groceries come from and the future of the planet?

Why is TV and the free access to information through the Internet the cause and not a crappy educational system and a lack of parental involvement?

How did "biodiveristy" manage without the UN for the first several million years of the planet's existence? 

Answers: 

They already control education and they've succeeded pretty well in the dissolution of the nuclear family as a sociological concept. They now need to control information, so that is the focus. 

The biodiversity meme is a doorway into environmental activism. Bring the kiddies concern for the rain forest, the spotted owl and the exotic insects of the underbelly of the globe and you've got them on the path to global economic equalization and abandonment of modern technology and expectations. 

More on Collapse

Demonstrating what I said yesterday about the breakdown of our society we've got these holiday after action reports:

Myrtle Beach

Long Island

Nashville

Boston

What's going on here? I'm no sociologist, but there are some things jump out at me which can't be denied.

Modern media is a huge factor. Many of these are "flash mob" actions in which the intent is to disrupt and create a reaction. Many are modeling of behavior seen in movies and TV dramas that make the behavior look common, exciting, and edgy. Many are going to show up on YouTube for a moment of viral fame. Many are gang related and a result of our growth of permissiveness, family break-down, and government dependence for security. The linkage to education is in the mix.

And, it would be hard to overlook that there is a heavy racial component in these violent incidents. That is an incredibly sad aspect of this.

Societal Collapse

Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, and now Miami Beach...

Shootings Rage In Holiday Celebration

Imagine if you had to live there? This is the Crockett and Tubbs neighborhood of South Beach, made famous years ago in Miami Vice. It's beautiful people and pastel buildings; white sand beaches and azure blue waters; leggy blondes in bikinis and cigarette boats; Ferraris and high-rollers. Not any more apparently.

Gay Activist Writes Serious Letter to The Citizens

He's right of course. We should have a reasonable expectation of security in our homes, our neighborhoods, our towns and our businesses. We shouldn't exist in the equivalent of a third world ghetto with trash in the streets and lawlessness threatening our lives.

Apartment Video Captures Mayhem

This is roughly 4:00 AM! Listen to the racing engine of the motorcycle, the noise in the street and then watch the apparent "termination with extreme prejudice" of one of the instigators. Details aren't clear, but it is obvious that this is not civilization or stability.

Is It Stereotyping?

Lawlessness is developing as a culture in America. It's becoming a jungle and the only conclusion is that Hobbes was right. It's going to be "nasty, brutish and short."

Think it is just Florida? Not so fast:

DNC Convention Host City Disrupted

Whoda Thunk It?

Is this a surprise to anyone?

Military Both Active and Past Lack Crush on Obama

Might that be because those who serve tend to view the nation more positively? Might it relate to those who sacrifice on behalf of their country tend to be a bit more independent than those who seek a bit more bite on the public teat?

Gotta shift that demographic then:

Military Service Rare Among the Young, Highly Prevalent Among Seniors

The basic pattern of military service among Americans is remarkably -- albeit not surprisingly -- differentiated by age and gender. Across all age groups, most active-duty military personnel and veterans are men. For American men under age 60, the percentage who have served or currently serve in the military ranges from 8% in the youngest age group to 21% of those aged 50 to 59. The percentage of military veterans is much greater among those 60 and older, reaching a peak of 75% among men aged 80 to 99.

As soon as we eliminate the warrior class from the political process we'll be able to make a lot more social progress, I guess.

Conversion

When someone is a playwright, living and working in New York City or Los Angeles, they would be considered worldly and wise. Sort of like Sean Penn or Whoopie Goldberg, you know. But it is apparently possible for someone to be successful in that venue and able to see a forest as a gestalt of all of those trees.

Formerly Brain-Dead Liberal Speaks

There are some great comments there. Like these:

Diversity is a "commodity." College is nothing more than "Socialist Camp." Liberalism is like roulette addiction. Toyota's Prius, he tells me, is an "anti-chick magnet" and "ugly as a dogcatcher's butt." Hollywood liberals—his former crowd—once embraced Communism "because they hadn't invented Pilates yet."

That is what is referred to as telling it like it is. Now, if you want to understand the very core of liberal theology, I would concede that this is the clearest, most succinct view I've ever encountered:

"So it wasn't a great shift to adopt the tragic view, and it's much healthier," he says. "Rather than saying, as the liberals do, 'Everything's always wrong, there's nothing that's not wrong, there's something bad bad bad—there's a bad thing in the world and it's probably called the Jews,'" he says sardonically. "And if it's not called the Jews for the moment, it's their fiendish slave second-hand smoke. Or transfats. Or global warming. Or the Y2K. Or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. And something must be done!'" 

That's the key. "Something" must be done to fix this and certainly the only people wise enough to know what that something should be are their fellow-travelers. Can't let the proles make those sorts of choices for themselves. Golly, they might even have to suffer consequences for their bad choices then.

This is a man worth paying attention to. His new book on political thoughts is releasing this week, and I've already got it pre-ordered for my Kindle.

Blue Angels Report

Those who pay attention to military aviation news reports know that last weekend at Lynchburg VA the Blue Angels had a problem during the Sunday show. The fallout was first a grounding of the team for a procedural review and safety stand-down. When things go wrong that is not uncommon. The role of aerial demonstration teams is strictly to demonstrate skill, performance, training and the ability to operate safely. Accidents occasionally happen, but they are blessedly rare as a result of very strict standards.

A few days later, the leader of the Blues announced voluntary resignation from the position although there was no description in his statement regarding what precisely was the issue.

Here is a video which shows what happened. The shows were done on Saturday and Sunday last weekend. The first half of the video is from the Saturday show. The second half is the Sunday show. Notice that the narration is exactly the same. The outcome, however, is different:



The minimum altitude for the recovery is 500 feet AGL. On Sunday you see the wingmen realize they have breached the minimum and breaking off of the formation. The slot man may or may not be aware of the altitude since his formation references are largely above his head and not level with the HUD display of altitude or sink rate. He maintains position and best estimates are that he bottoms out around 120 feet. Responsibility for that minimum altitude rests entirely with the formation leader.

Those who have been around for awhile will inevitably flash back to a Thunderbirds accident in 1982 during team transition at Thunderbird Lake north of Nellis. They were flying the T-38 at that time and the new leader, Maj. Norm Lowry, was a friend of mine from my days at Torrejon in the 401st TFW. Misjudging the altitude down the back side of a loop resulted in an accident in which all four aircraft in the diamond were lost.

We've come a long way since then.

Remember

Less Than Subliminal

The headline is never the true story at the New York Times. What sounds like an out-of-character off-agenda piece of news is really nothing more than the shell for the propaganda machine. Take a look at this example:

Texas Oil Find Creates Potential Economic Boom

Did you get that? It isn't really about the oil find, the jobs, the energy and the growth potential. No, that's not their mission.

hydraulic fracturing, a method that uses a high-pressure mix of water, sand and hazardous chemicals to blast through the rocks to release the oil inside.

"Hazardous chemicals" are the buzzwords. "Blast through the rocks" are the emotion-laden phrases. Are you frightened yet?

As evidence mounts that fracking poses risks to water supplies, the federal government and regulators in various states are considering tighter regulations on it. 

You see it was just three days ago that EPA Director Lisa Browner testified that there hasn't been a single study linking fracking to ground water contaminations. There hasn't been a single issue of the current regulations issued by the effected states rather than the feds being less than effective. There is no rational justification for the feds getting involved or the states tightening up.

And it was two days ago that leading executives and scientists in the industry offered similar testimony under oath before Congress.

So, the NYT is building the propaganda base of terror to get the unwashed to look past the facts and go with that reliable old gut feeling about chemical hazards and blasting of rocks destroying life as we know it.

Feel the Thunder

Memo to Rudy

This morning, I fall to my knees in fervent prayer: "Dear Lord, please spare us this. Make him stop. Tell him you don't support him. Please!"

Rudy Doesn't Fill Void

Mr. Mayor, please take an hour or two to go back and review the tapes from the 2008 debacle. You were four years younger then and still riding on the popularity swell from Ground Zero. No one voted for you then and you bungled the operation badly. The heartland isn't seeking a faux-Conservative from the tax/spend capital of the world. Chardonnay and brie won't make it. We need some chicken fried steak and Shiner, please.

Perry Eases Door a Bit Further Open

Seriously folks, we've done pretty well with Presidents from Texas. Boots over Birkenstocks works for me.

Saturday Morning Rocker

The sort of thing that might be encountered in a Texas honky-tonk bar:

Sad News

Sad news online today as we learn that Amanda Franklin has been transferred to Comfort Care and apparently is in the line for that final flight West soon. She'll be missed:



UPDATE: Amanda Franklin passed away at 11:10 EDT on Friday evening, May 27, 2011.

Crunching Some Numbers

We repeatedly hear the Democrats pontificate about the wealthy paying their "fair share" toward the nurturing of the nanny state. How can they give bread and circuses to the mouth-breathing masses that vote them into office without lots of money. I mean, really, there is a limit to how much you can borrow from China and the bearings on the printing presses for scrip are over-heating. You've got to get real money from someone. Just as Willy Sutton said he robbed banks because, "that's where the money is," you have to tax the rich because they've got something.

How much do you want to tax them? Well according to this Wall Street Journal item:

Can We Get to Two-Thirds?

So even the Left has got to recognize at some point when you pull that much out of the pockets of the successful that there isn't much left for research, capital investment and job creation. But, that probably doesn't outweigh the need for re-election pandering.

Memorial Day Weekend

Before you get too caught up in the holiday weekend, take a few moments to ponder the reason:

Verdun

Normandy

Arlington

Golden Gate

Maybe It Isn't...

Seriously, I'm getting absolutely fed up with the continual appeals to the past while ignoring so much of the recent present. Try this, for example:

Racism Is the Cause

No, Rep. Clyburn, it isn't! It is about competence, leadership, agenda, and integrity. It is about a nation's expectations for the leader of the free world and the administration of a noble land with a remarkable history. It is about being up to the job with a sense of what the Republic stands for in the world. When an individual of any skin color demonstrates a continual aversion to recognition of American exceptionalism it tends to get negative reaction. When the Constitution is being dismantled, the economy is suffering from over-regulated chaos and the world is becoming more dangerous each day, people tend to notice whatever the race of the incumbent.

Clyburn described a recent racist image of Obama that received widespread news coverage.

"When he sees his face being put on a chimpanzee's body; do you think he didn't see that?" Clyburn said. "And I suspect they send the same faxes to his office they send to mine."

Do you recall when President George W. Bush was depicted in exactly the same manner by your party? Was it racism then? I remember.  I guess that was good humor.

Clyburn suggested that the "birther" movement of Americans who say Obama wasn't born in the United States is fueled by racism.

"I don't know why anybody didn't ask for John McCain's" birth certificate, Clyburn said. "He wasn't even born in this country."

The Republican senator from Arizona, whom Obama defeated in the 2008 presidential election, was born at the Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, where his father served as an officer who'd later become an admiral and commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

Maybe if you had spent some time in the uniform of your country, Congressman, you would know what the rules are about that. Could it be that such denial of the citizenship rights of the military serving overseas would be your form of racism? 

Nah, it isn't racism in your instance, Mr. Clyburn, it's just plain ignorance and applicable to anyone regardless of race. 

Beware of Dog

Who Do They Hit

It is axiomatic in the current state of American politics that the potential candidate who offers the most concern becomes the focus of the true-believers trash machine. If you fear their potential you muster all of your minions to denigrate them, build a campaign of innuendo, and reinforce a stereotype of incompetence or unsuitability.

Prime example of the practice has been the almost manic attacks on Sarah Palin. I honestly don't pine for a Palin run for President. I think her contribution is strictly on the red meat front. She commands an audience of conservatives. She speaks in language and with an intensity that the common man can understand. She activates the base and when she endorses a candidate they generally win the election. But, I don't think she's got the chops for the Big One. Sort of like Obama in that regard, isn't she?

But, here's one that fascinates me:

Perry Ponders Prez Potential

He's just won his third full term as governor. The state of Texas has done demonstrably better than the rest of the nation during the current economic hard times with lower unemployment, a number one ranked business environment and a rapidly growing population. We just gained four more Congressional seats. The state has a per capita state/local tax burden that puts us consistently in the 43-46th position among the fifty states. We've got a balanced budget amendment and although we are currently grappling with shortfalls for the next biennial budget, we are nowhere near the collapse and bankruptcy of the blue states of the union. And, Perry is unabashedly conservative both fiscally and socially.

Among the milquetoast and re-hashed candidate field of the GOP so far, I honestly think Perry could have some appeal. So apparently do the libs who have fired up the Letters to Editors machine already:

Re: "Perry for president? The governor says he's not interested in a run, but it's something he needs to consider, says Mark Davis," Wednesday Viewpoints.
Seeing the headline "Perry for president," I didn't know whether to laugh or curse.
After reading the column, I did both. How ironic it would be to have someone run for the highest office in the land who has in the past voiced the possibility of his state's secession from the U.S. Yes, I know that utterance was mainly tongue-in-cheek, and the guv was clearly playing to the tea party crazies, but it was still shameful.
As a 58-year-old native Texan, I have voted in the past for both Republicans and Democrats for state office, but never for Rick Perry. He is simply an opportunist, a scoundrel and, most of all, an embarrassment to this great state. 

See how that works? Obviously the writer is unaware of Texas history in which the original agreement to join the Union provided for Texas secession. (That would undoubtedly be held unconstitutional, but still was there.) The writer says he is unaffiliated, but that seem seems unlikely based on the "tea party crazies" comment as well as an unawareness of the essential ideological difference between the parties.

But, most importantly, the attack says nothing concrete and is purely ad hominem.

If past history is any indicator, that means to me that the DNC talking points to all activists has placed Guv Rick on the threat list.

Told Ya So

Remember, you heard it here first on April 28th:

The Winner Is...

Needing a Spanking

The EPA Administrator apparently strayed off the Obama reservation when this happened:

No Contamination From Fracking

The issue is a huge one for natural gas drilling. The admission that there are no instances of known contamination from the process of hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" by Ms Jackson disarms a host of enviro-whackos who have been aggressively obstructing exploitation of America's huge resources in this area.

What does this lead to?

1. Increased drilling and capture of natural gas
2. Job creation
3. Free enterprise profits
4. Lower energy costs
5. Strong argument for continued STATE regulation
6. Reduction of federal bureaucratic meddling
7. Less wasted time on windmills and solar collection arrays

None of those things are part of the core Bamster agenda. 

Procrastination

I guess I just learned what happens when you put things off for too long. I really meant to do it, but then I thought I could wait till tomorrow or maybe next week. And now it looks like I missed my chance.

I'll never see a first-run Oprah show.

Without the Prompter

The President of the United States as usually had a protocol officer. The job is to brief the First Family on the customs of the various nations and dignitaries with which they will interact . They need to learn things such as the essential that the Chief of State of the USA does not bow to monarchs or give them iPods of your best speeches. They need to get a detailed briefing on the essentials of toasting as well:

To Her Majesty, the Queen...But I Digress...

The protocol czar should have explained that the phrase, "To Her Majesty, the Queen..." triggers the music even if you are oratorically pausing for the rereading your cue cards.

The PC should have helped the Bamster with the simple task of memorizing a short quote rather than reading it. Toasts are so much more dignified when they seem to come from the heart rather than the speech-writer.

The czar should brief the Messiah that even if you screw up, you never give a toast and then set your glass down without drinking. It is an insult.

And as a follow up, someone needs to tell him that the year is 2011, not 2008. I know time flies when you are busy, but that's really being out of touch.

Sympathy for the Devil

"Pleased to meet you. Hope you guess my name..

"But what's puzzlin' you is just the nature of my game.."

What It Really Sounds Like...

...when a statesman and patriot speaks.



And he doesn't use a teleprompter. I guess that means he really believes what he is saying.

How Do You Like Me Now?

The saying goes, "Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me." So, what to make of this:

This Time I Mean It!

That's right, fans. He missed in 1994 and he missed last week end, but on October 21st it really will happen.

So, what you need to do is send all of your money to me and I will consolidate it into one huge symbolic check to Harold Camping so that he can get the word out. Trust me on this. I'll be your steward.

Of course, if the Rapture really takes the truly saved and leaves the rest of us to burn then why would anybody need to be told the date and time? And, if God is really all-powerful, why doesn't he just do the whole mess in one fell swoop rather than moving around the globe from time zone to time zone?

But probably the most vexing question of all, is can people really be this gullible?...Again?

Gun Free Zone in Action

It's a trend nation-wide. Teen-age thugs enter a business and then proceed to violently trash it. 


Donuts Drive Dem Daffy

Did you watch the Fox News video? That's New York City where some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation are in effect. It would seem that calling the police is what you are expected to do when something like that happens. And it would appear from the interviewee that response time is about ten minutes. So, how long did the rampage last?

Now, consider for a moment if any of those miscreants had been shooting or wielding a baseball bat against the store staff. How dead would you be, five minutes before the SWAT team arrived?

Explain to me again how concealed carry wouldn't be a good thing?

Shoppers of Wal-Mart

Warning: Do Not View After Eating...or Immediately Before

Unintentional Laugh-Line

Why should anyone be surprised by this:

Bamster Minions Seek Dirt on Joisey Guv

Did you get the laugh line? It's at the end of the blurb.

"Any responsible campaign would at the very least start asking around about potential challengers.  In fact, this is exactly the kind of thing that the media should be doing right now," the insider said. "Never has a field of presidential contenders gotten so little real scrutiny from the press corps." 

It takes real chutzpah to say something like that with a straight face when you work for the Bamster.

The Rest of the Story...

The contrasting pictures of Bibi and Barack generated a lot of commentary and some of it was productive and informative. Now I've got this tidbit to add to the background info on the Prime Minister:

Bibi knows a little about warfare. He was in the Unit, Sayeret Ha Ramat Kal, The Chief of Staff's Boys. This is the  one in which  Ehud, his younger brother Avinoam Brog,  Jonathan Netanyahu (Bibi's older brother) and possibly Arik Sharon were in  Unit. Ehud was a chief of it at one time and so was Sharon.  It is similar to our Delta Force or SEALS. Bibi was never one of the chiefs but he was part of it.

Jonathan was killed leading the Entebbe Raid to rescue the hostages from Idi Amin.

The source is from an old friend, River Rat and Wild Weasel, who is also cousin to Ehud Barak and definitely on the inside of issues with the IDF. Frankly, I'm impressed.

Sorry, No Sympathy

Nope, not a bit of compassion going out from North Texas this morning. What do you think about this tale of woe?

Prom Refund Denied for Boyfriend Burial

Are you as skeptical about this as I am?

Some points to ponder:

• Where does a 17-year old girl get $1200 for a prom dress in the first place? 
• If she has that much, then she's from a well-to-do family.
• If she doesn't have that much, then the outraged mother does.
• Where are the young man's parents and family?
• Since when does a girlfriend have to fund the funeral?
• Who is monitoring the contributions made through that Facebook page? 
• What are the details of the unfortunate accident? Single car? Time of day? Causative factor?

Sorry, but this sensational story stinks up the joint on an otherwise nice Sunday morn. 

Maybe More Money?

The Doomsday countdown clock on Harold Camping's web site was at zero. I clicked the link to the radio feed and Google Chrome couldn't connect to the streaming audio. Maybe they had all been taken up already. Someone tipped me that it was going to happen at 6:00 PM and roll around the time zones of the world. I wondered if it would be Daylight Savings Time?

Now this sad tale emerges from those areas where the Rapture has passed:

Anybody Home? Anybody?

Could it be that nobody qualified? Maybe only Camping will be leaving us? Might it be that he just needs a few million bucks more in contributions from the faithful before he's ready to experience the joys?

Where's my checkbook?

Every Picture Tells a Story

The young Bibi and the young Barack:

Saturday Morning Classic

From the master:

Reality Intrudes

I just watched an experienced statesman take his position directly to the American people as the President of the United States saw his ludicrous proposal from yesterday dismantled with hard truths.



The political campaign posturing of Obama was well-overshadowed by a man bearing the responsibility of preserving the very existence of his nation when surrounded by terrorist governments who freely deny his right to exist. Netanyahu was not speaking to his electorate pandering for votes. He was looking directly at Americans who may not understand the situation and going right past the Bamster.

Yes, Hamas is very much like al-Qaeda. Yes, the 1967 borders are indefensible. Yes, the sacrifice of forfeiting hundreds of West Bank settlements as a first gesture in the flawed process is totally out of the realm of possibility. And yes, Mr. Obama, you've just been soundly bitch-slapped.

The body language tells the story.

Injustice

I was shocked last night when Haley Reinhart was sent home. Over the season she has shown a wide range of styles from Janis Joplin to Robert Plant to Elton John to Stevie Nicks and pulled them all of with style and a growl. That in contrast to sweet, thunder-thighed Lauren who simply does country ballads consistently well. Good voice, but no style. I don't get it.

Biting the Hand

The Bamster has done it again and the timing has got to be intentional. On the eve of a visit from the Prime Minister of Israel, in a very clear insult to the long-time ally, he announces the ludicrous demand to revert to indefensible borders from more than 40 years ago. Essentially the Messiah has endorsed the concept of unprovoked surprise attack against a nation under the proviso that if you get your butt whipped and lose significant territory for your hutzpah, all will eventually be forgiven and you can get the mis-adventure wiped away. In the process you will also achieve your goal of the demise of the Jewish state.

Messiah Meets Bibi With Slap

The President has been in office for 28 months now. He has traveled extensively and kow-towed to every djellaba and kefiya clad leader in the Arab world. He's embraced every dictator and socialist thug he could find. But he hasn't found time to drop in socially to our staunchest ally in the region for tea and matzos. No Presidential visit to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.

On the contrary, he has gone out of his way to insult, demean and undercut the State of Israel. When PM Netanyahu previously visited Washington, Obama was less than welcoming. This time he has laid out a position of unreasonable demands even before consultation. One has to question where he is going with this and who is advising him on foreign policy. What is the goal?

The real bottom line question, however, is how can the notoriously liberal American Jewish community continue to justify their support of the man? What is wrong with them?

Speaking Truth to Power

Some things are so obvious that they go unsaid, yet the fact that they are unsaid leaves many unaware of the truths. This item tells it exactly as it is and it should be required reading for anybody who even considers uttering the sacred word:

Martini!

Got that? A martini is a drink made with gin. Period! If you are going to want something else then call it something else. Hell, even the new James Bond knows it isn't a martini anymore.



I remember when I was still in college and we used to hang out at a high school friend's bar and roadhouse on Mannheim Road near O'Hare Airport. We decided one day that it was time to learn how to drink martinis so we headed out to John's place, the Cottage Hill Bar & Grill.

We discussed the issue with John and he recommended a progression. Start easy and move later to the ultimate classic. Drink it on the rocks with a twist of lemon.

Once you got used to the bite of the gin tempered by the lemon, you could omit the lemon and go with an olive, but still on the rocks. Then transition to the classic "up" in the stemmed glass, but return to lemon twist. Finally, graduation to up with olive and you've completed the curriculum.

We took the crash course in one afternoon and fortunately made it home without mishap, but since then I've known that a martini is done properly only one way and then it is among the finest creations of man.

Got Plans For Saturday?

I hadn't figured on doing anything special until I caught wind of this story in the Dallas Morning Fishwrapper:

Retired Civil Engineer and Radio Host Has a Secret

I'll confess that the first inkling came to me from Doonesbury on the comics page and not from a news item. There is a certain irony in that I suppose. Seriously though, what is the probability that God would disclose to this guy the coming event? Was the surprise too tough for Him to keep under His hat?

I suppose this means that if I buy anything online today I should pay the extra for Fedex over-night shipping.

Here's the link to the latest info as well as streaming audio so you can stay updated:

Family Radio Countdown 

If He Had Done This...

Scotty McCreery would have put the nail in the coffin last night if he done this one:

OMG! Mayday, Mayday, Mayday

When is "news" not newsworthy?

How about this?

Missed Approach Reported

YGBSM!

UPDATE: It gets worse in this video under the headline "Near Mid-Air for AF One"!!!

Think Before Speak

If one wishes to be a presidential candidate, the most important lesson you can internalize is that every single word out of your mouth will be dissected, examined, twisted and re-interpreted. Newt Gingrich learned that on day two of his campaign this year when he indicated support for an individual mandate on healthcare insurance and a trashing of Paul Ryan's proposal as "right-wing social engineering." Regardless of what the nuances of his statement were, the headline was that Newt was a big fan of Obamacare. That's not a winning strategy.

Now we've got Rick Santorum saying this:

McCain Doesn't Understand Enhanced Interrogation

Let's examine that. Everyone is well aware that John McCain was a guest of the North Vietnamese for five and a half years. Unless you are also a Holocaust denier you also accept that the NVN were brutal torturers of our POWs. McCain understands harsh interrogation very well. It is ridiculous to propose that he doesn't.

McCain has spoken out against water-boarding and torture of detainees. It is important to note at this point that I just used two words to describe actions. Torture is one and water-boarding is the other. They are not necessarily synonymous. In fact we should also be aware that since the Cold War days of the 1950s our aircrews and other military personnel have been trained in interrogation resistance techniques that include most of the menu of approved "enhanced" methodologies. We do it to our guys!

So, McCain says torture is going to be ineffective in terms of real information with any degree of reliability. He may be correct in that assumption.

Santorum said that McCain doesn't understand the enhanced interrogation methods used on Khalid Sheik Mohammed and the intelligence trail that eventually led us to UBL. That may also be correct and not quite as outrageous as the news item would make it.

KSM didn't get water-boarded and simply say, "pick up Abdul bin-Peoria and he will tell you where UBL lives." It was a long and arduous trail constructed piece-by-piece. Information gathered by detainees under duress was compiled and eventually led us somewhere.

McCain's experience is not with sophisticated and trained interrogators but with brutal and sadistic questioners. He abhors torture because he knows how debasing it is and he seeks to portray America as better than that. He is correct in that regard. The position, however, can not be viewed as a simple one. It isn't at all.

Santorum sought to make a contrast and in the process looks like a buffoon in saying that he knows more about torture than McCain. Santorum's position isn't that simple either.

Famous Trio at NMUSAF

A famous trio was encountered at the National Museum of the USAF on Saturday Night:

Endarkenment

Once there was the Enlightenment. It was the emergence from the Dark Ages and largely a product of man dissociating himself from religion as an explanation for everything good and bad. Science, art and literature could prevail over blind faith and superstition. Now we face an Endarkenment and nowhere does the term apply more precisely than here:

The Mandatory $50.00 Light Bulb

When I was growing up in Chicago the good folks at Commonwealth Edison supplied electricity and if you had a recent utility bill you could take your light bulbs to a local department store and get new ones whenever you needed them. No charge at all. Tell them how many of what size and they filled up a bag for you.

Light bulbs got more exotic with three-way and various color spectra for various uses. They come in hundreds of shapes, sizes and wattages for specialized applications. But the commonality is they are relatively cheap. They fit the socket and the lamp-shade. They turn on and off instantly. With the three way versions and response to a wall rheostat they offer flexible and reliable lighting for your home and business. What's not to like?

Obviously that is too easy a target for government!

There is nothing at all wrong with trying to reduce energy consumption, minimize waste and improve the environment. What is wrong here is that the legislation quite obviously precedes the science necessary to support it. You don't outlaw a product until you have a superior replacement in hand. That means one that does the same job, at least as well, for a similar cost and without requiring a Haz-Mat Team to respond if you drop one and break it.

How long must you use a $50 100-watt bulb to reap a savings benefit on your electric bill compared to an incandescent?

Working For a Living

You've got a job. Maybe you've got a family. You work hard and you make some money. You try to save a bit and you try to keep to your budget.

But expenses aren't as linear as your income. Emergencies crop up, opportunities present themselves, and even planned costs will vary through the year like your heating bill or gasoline costs. You've managed well so you take out a credit card. Maybe you've got more than one.

Because you've reliably made your payments, your credit limit reflects your excellent record. You've got a high credit limit. It tempts you to overspend and you succumb to the temptations. Now you've got your credit limit maxed out and you are at the point where your income barely allows you to make the minimum monthly payments. You've got no flexibility left for emergencies.

You know what the options are, don't you? You can work harder or take a second job to increase your income. Or, you can examine your expenses and make some tough decisions. Maybe the bass boat will have to go. Maybe you won't go on the Bahamas cruise this year. The new car might have to wait. Home cooking might be more common than dining out. Possibly no more HBO and pay-per-view but limit to basic cable. Start drinking eight-year-old blended Scotch instead of single-malts.

There is the other option of asking the bank to increase your credit limit, isn't there? If you are spending like a drunken sailor on shore leave in Olangapo and all of your credit cards are maxed, you know that isn't going to work. But, then you aren't the US government. The bank sets your limit not you.

Debt Ceiling Reached Geithner Flustered

What a concept, they are going to borrow from the pension funds to keep the party going!

Here's the funniest line in the whole piece:

Geithner, who has already suspended a program that helps state and local government manage their finances, will begin to borrow from retirement funds for federal workers. The measure won’t have an impact on retirees because the Treasury is legally required to reimburse the program.

That's a prize winner! "A program that helps state and local government manage their finances..."!!! The pusher is running a rehab!

The paragraph even includes the runner up for Whip of the Week: "won't have an impact because the Treasury is legally required to reimburse the program."  Where does the Treasury, which has reached the debt ceiling and is tapping the pensions get the money to reimburse the program?

They probably don't even see the contradictions in that.

Just Remember

Going Irish in Dayton

The ladies represent Emerald Parlor, a group the recreates Victorian Era costumes 

More on Emerald Parlor and their hobby here: Living Life in the Golden Age

The location was the Dublin Pub

Saturday Rocker

Rats!

Not an expletive, but the group. They are here in Dayton and I survived last night. The years fly by and while we look a bit older, the stories and spirit never seem to change. The conversations pick up where we left off last year in Orlando and not a breath is taken before continuing to spin the tales.

I survived last night, despite falling under the evil influences of  a host of disreputable tactical aviators. Today it will be out to NM USAF for a visit with some more old friends of the mechanical kind.

Maybe some pictures soon.

River Rats aka Red River Valley Fighter Pilot Assoc. in Dayton OH today.

Common Sense on Carry

Looks like it is a go! The parliamentary hurdles have been leaped and the Texas State Senate has approved a bill with an amendment that allows CHL (Concealed Handgun License) holders to carry their legal weapons on college and university campuses in the state system. The governor has long expressed approval of such a law and will undoubtedly sign it. The provision had already passed the Republican super-majority in the House. Looks like a done deal.

Senate In Party Line Vote Acts Sensibly

Naturally the academic nambies are all in a twist by the very idea that there MIGHT be a gun in their presence with such a law. It was incredible to watch PhDs with massive intellects argue against the proposal with such lame propositions:

• I'll feel uncomfortable knowing there might be a gun around. 
• Somehow you don't feel uncomfortable at the mall, the grocery store, the movies and Mickie D's surrounded by half a million CHL holding Texans? 
• Somehow you don't understand that there are guns around you even in gun-free zones because criminals don't follow the rules? 
• We won't be any safer with trained/armed/background-checked CHL holders among us.
• But you're OK with untrained/armed/bad-guys among you? 
• You're confident that campus police will be there to bail you out? 
• You don't remember that the community college campus doesn't have any campus police?
• You know that crawling under a desk with your butt in the air will make you invisible and the deranged shooter will pass you by? 
• Police won't be able to distinguish the bad-guy shooter from good-guys trying to help.
• But they can distinguish at the bank, the mall, the grocery store, the movies, etc.?
• You believe you can survive for several minutes of undefended shooting by a nut-job until the police arrive, set up a perimeter and don their SWAT gear? 

I've been in the community college teaching business for about 14 years now. I've got it very clear in my mind that some of these kids are already well off the tracks. Their realities are badly skewed and one takes their word only if extremely naive. They do what they want, they have an expectation of getting away with things and their view of how to correct situations is badly shaped by video games, movies and hip-hop music. I've spent class sessions talking about "what-if" scenarios for my classes and encouraged them to think in Condition Yellow (I don't use that term though as it is politically incorrect, Col. Cooper.)

It will be good to carry legally on campus in the future. 

Camelot?

Remember Camelot? The Kennedy renaissance where culture reigned once again in the White House after the dark years of that crude military man. It was said that the only time there was more intellect in the dining room than at a Kennedy dinner was when Jefferson dined alone. Symphony, opera, literature, art, it all was on glorious display.

How's your Camelot these days?

Common Be Rappin Fo Yo Mama

Use your mind and nine-power, get the government touch

Them boys chat-chat on how him pop gun

I got the black strap to make the cops run

They watching me, I’m watching them

Them dick boys got a lock of cock in them

Jefferson, Madison, Washington, Lincoln, Wilson, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Reagan and now Common comes to court. How far we have evolved.

1984 Redux

Remember Big Brother? Remember the New-Speak? Remember the cameras and microphones and loud-speakers invading everything with the message of BB?

I saw something similar in 1977 when I drove through Portugal. It wasn't throughout the nation, but in Porto to the north, the streets of town were fitted with speakers on every street corner and the message of the administration was broadcast 24/7. That government collapsed shortly thereafter, but it is a chilling experience to have such power displayed.

So, what to make of this?

Alerts Pushed to Phones by Prez

There is so much to scream about there that it is hard to know where to start. Is warning folks a good idea? Well, it might be in some circumstances. I kind of like the tornado sirens in town, but they only go off for a good and pressing reason. I'm sort of on board with Amber Alerts breaking into a TV crawl or a radio broadcast or a freeway overpass sign.

I'll opt out of the phone alerts. It's my bloody phone and I'll accept inbound only from those with whom I wish to communicate. (Hint: sending advertising scam emails because I bought a product from you once is a good way to deter this repeat customer.)

But, apparently the system being proposed lets you opt out of all but the Messiah Messages! The defense is going to be that it will only apply to terrorism threats. But that is today. If the Bamster and subsequent leaders hold the link, what keeps them from using it for propagandizing in the future? "Don't forget to vote for Blessed Leader!"

Then there is the mandate that all cell phones will have the chip starting next year. But, what if I don't need a new phone? Is government going to issue new phones to those who can't afford them?

So, they told us that the healthcare insurance purchase mandate was a building block to enable the healthcare reform. Now, apparently the cell phone update to receive the propaganda dumps is mandatory to protect us from terrorists.

Scream! Open your window and stick your head out and yell at the top of your lungs, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

Absurdity Compounded

Well, this week I'll be off to the annual River Rats Reunion. That's the place where a bunch of fat old guys gather wearing name tags of people I know are neither fat nor old. They tell stories about those people I know, so their preparation is excellent for their impersonation. Then these old imposters try to act like folks who are much younger, in much better physical condition and are much less mature than people of their obvious age. In large part we pull it off pretty well. This year's masquerade is at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, so the the stories will be embellished with full sized scenery and props setting the stage.

In preparation I am rehearsing the Kabuki dance of TSA for the airport. I've already abandoned the idea of wearing my usual cowboy boots, even though I've got a neat little portable traveling boot-jack. It would be much more fun to do one of those British lord and butler routines in which I ask the TSA agent to help me with my boots and I get to kick them in the butt to help. Nahh, they might hold a grudge and turn up the radiation on the scanner.

I'll doff my shoes, my belt, my jacket, take my laptop out of the case, put everything in a train of separate bins and then try to keep on eye on all my worldly goods as some mouth-breathing Neanderthal probes my nether regions and makes snide remarks about my equipage. Then I'll reassemble my disheveled self and try to restore my dignity. Scotch usually works.

That's why this little goodie is so scary:

Amtrak No-Ride List Slippery Slope Pt I

Yes, authorize funds immediately for the black money pit of Amtrak to expand security. Combine the incredible passenger rail track efforts of government with the security enhancements of TSA. It will create JOBS! Ptui!!!

No-Ride lists mean screening, mean ID checks, mean delays and congestion and bureaucrats. Shakedowns of suitcases and carry-ons...wait, everything is a carry-on usually isn't it?

But, has Sen. Shumer not noted that you don't have to blow up a train to destroy it? You don't even have to get on it. You don't have to be there at all. You simply disrupt the track! Think IED in roadside, Chuckie!

Of course when we saved the trains, we'll have to move quickly to the buses and trucks won't we. And then the cars. Yes, we'll have to have a TSA squad in every parking lot in the nation to check against terrorists strapping themselves into gasoline tanks with engines that propel themselves into people and other vehicles.

Joy, oh joy! We can have some really big security then and we'll makes sure that wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share to support it. Way to go, Chuck!

Training Required

Just a hint and it my be considered technique only and not mandatory: If you are going to jump out of your truck to pop a couple of caps at the cops, be sure to put the truck in park. You can leave it running if you want.

Making Up The Law

There is a huge body of Constitutional law regarding the death penalty. The 8th Amendment has made the imposition of capital punishment an issue for adjudication. The result after more than 220 years is that under our federal system, the states can establish capital crimes and execute prisoners found guilty by a court of law. They are tried, their sentences meet specific conditions, there are multiple appeals and the procedural protocols are intensely detailed.

It's the law and it is clear.

So, does that upset the agenda of the President and the top law enforcement official in the land? Apparently not.

Take Their Drugs Away!

What purpose does this action serve? It certainly is not to "protect the general welfare"! The condemned has been afforded due process. The state has the authority. The drug is designed to KILL someone, so there can be no justification for seizure to protect anyone!

Why is this looking more and more like a totalitarian state in which they do whatever they want?

Future Fighter Kiddie Porn

One must train before one can fight, Grasshopper. Even in the tactical aviation business:



What's going on here? Well, lets notice that the T-38 Talon is going to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary in operations next year! That's one very old jet, even with some remarkable upgrades in the C version.

It's pretty much a done deal that aircraft are built by consortia these days. So be aware that this jet is developed between KAI and Lockheed-Martin. Whether the screaming heads can get past that more easily than an EADS/Northrop tanker proposal remains to be seen.

A plus for the jet is that it shares commonality for a lot of parts with the F-16 Viper and very clearly as seen in the video it brings the synergy of a pretty good menu of tactical weapons capabilities as well.

At this point, I guess I should note that after sixteen years of driving a luxury Japanese car, I've shifted and am now quite satisfied with a luxury Korean car at a considerably lower price. And no, luxury Korean car is NOT an oxymoron.

Historic Fighter Porn

Like a Playground Kid's Fight

Gitmo is good. Is not! Is! Isn't!

Waterboarding works! Does not! Does too!

It's a crime! No it isn't! Should have been! Wasn't!

Results Count When Keeping Score

What bothers me most about the debate is that the weak sisters and one-worlders don't seem to realize that war is not a game of taunts, but real people risking their lives for a very real purpose against very dangerous forces. It is very literally a pass/fail test and failure is not an option.

And what part of "ex post facto" and "bill of attainder" needs explaining to the administration?

Saturday Morning Rocker

So you think you can dance? Maybe later we'll see Walken telling about the POW watch...

Weapon of Choice

Ahh, why wait:

Pulp Fiction Watch Scene

Call the International Sheriff

I suspect that they've got too much time on their hands over at the United Nations. It looks as though they sit around all day thinking up cool sounding titles for each other and then they play out fantasy games where they imagine what life in their vision of utopia would be like.

We Need a Report On the Facts

Don't you really love those important sounding designations?

U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions

Is that impressive enough to get you a table at Le Cirq? How about this one:

special rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism 

Do you suppose either of those guys have any actual experience in "countering terrorism"? Like have they gotten mud on their boots somewhere stopping a jihadi or two?

"However, the norm should be that terrorists be dealt with as criminals, through legal processes of arrest, trial and judicially-decided punishment,"  

Who established that "norm" and when? Have they been talking to Eric Holder? Frankly, I think that terrorists who freely admit they are at war against the civilized world are far worse than criminals. I think these fine gentlemen's "norms" are a bit abnormal.

The Dark Horse

Don't ascribe racism to that subject line. I've been made aware of this gentleman and I'm becoming more impressed on a daily basis.

Cain Has the Cards to Trump Donald, et. al

It will be flat impossible to use the race card if Cain were to be a serious contender or the nominee. The uniqueness of the Bamster in that regard will be totally deflated. Cain forces Black Americans to consider the alternatives and he gathers up an incredible number of white liberal independent voters who want to "do the right thing" regarding a minority candidate. Cain would be bad news for the Messiah.

There is huge dissatisfaction in the electorate at large, not merely conservatives, with regard to incumbent politicians. The noun itself is pejorative rather than descriptive. Call someone a politician and you immediately are expressing low regard for their profession. Lots of folks display a broom on correspondence or bumper stickers with the demand for a "Clean Sweep", the ouster of all incumbents. The corollary to voting against incumbents is to vote for non-politicians.

We make much of the Bamster's lack of executive experience. He never held a managerial position. He surrounded himself with people similarly lacking in business background. Cain brings credentials to the table that overshadow the Donald. He has no bankruptcies, no reality shows, no trail of trophy wives and no funny hairdo. He's a successful manager. I'm not that crazy about the pizza, but the business is a success.

He is a financial wizard. He's been chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He's got a clue about what stimulates business, creates jobs, controls inflation and balances budgets. We might be able to use that, don't you think.

And he is certainly a communicator. The cliche about the power of the Presidency being the power to persuade is true. The "Bully Pulpit" is the venue of a successful President and if you watch Mr. Cain handle himself in interviews, speeches and last night's debate you see someone who speaks clearly and with conviction. He is an exceptional spokesman for his principles. He articulates his message so that people understand it.

He came out of relative obscurity in terms of presidential politics. But in a time like this, he is certainly an individual who bears serious consideration.

On the Job Training Continues

It should be well understood that in our digital information age where every single bit of flatulence is Tweeted, Facebooked, Blogged and Conspiracy Disclaimed, that you can only get the straight word directly from the highest levels. The movers and shakers of the nation are the go-to guys for the absolute last word on events. Everything about a governmental action except that which is sourced from the actual game players is to be considered as generated by a creative computer nerd.

So, when you've got an historical event such as the raid on Usama bin Laden, there are going to be a lot of false stories circulating. That's when it is necessary to go right to the top and get....what?

Why Is This So Tough?

When there is that much disagreement between the supposed participants, it is only reasonable to have some doubts about their competence, their veracity, their ability to distinguish reality from fantasy.

Was there a "firefight"? Did UBL have a gun? Was the wife a shield or an accidental cross-fire victim? Was he shot in action or assassinated? Was he really there? Was he really killed? Was he buried at sea? Why aren't the pictures available? Who actually gave the orders? Who is in charge? Who determines what is releasable by whom and when?

Where is the common thread of the narrative?

Why is this so tough to get the story straight?

Clueless?

Could you have lived the last ten years in America and not know who Usama bin Laden was?



What do they do with all those hours in school?

I know the graduating tots don't know about what happened twenty years ago and even less about time before that. But is there some sort of Maxwell Smart "Cone of Silence" that they wear?

Simply Cruel

From Lagniappe's Lair a link to The Drawn Cutlass gets us this tidbit of animal cruelty:



I could have exactly that conversation with Teeker, but he would be a little louder with his complaints.

The Office of Disinformation

Remember Tony Snow? Remember Dana Perino?

The White House Press Secretary position is a very difficult job. It is a focus on probing questions by people who are very good at asking them. The don't settle for generalities and when your task is to clearly articulate the facts on the issue directly from whichever end of the horse those fact emanate, you've got to be sharp.

It helps to be intelligent. It is an asset beyond measure to have a sense of humor and a pleasant personality. Some gravitas is beneficial and being well-versed on the issues along with the administration position is absolutely essential.

Have you watched the press briefings for the last couple of weeks? I don't mean just the current round of shifting positions on the bin Laden mission, I mean the whole sequence. Tune in any time and be amazed.

Carney Blathers and Bumbles. Brits Notice

You feel sympathetic and a bit embarrassed for the guy who is very obviously in way over his head. It's like they throw him out to see if the sharks are really hungry this morning. If he is accurately portraying what is occurring inside the West Wing then we are in deep trouble.

Remember Freedom?

From inside the beltway, when you live in a government provided house and your office is just down the hall and you've got a fleet of very luxurious executive jets up to B-747 size and your groceries are delivered, it is easy to forget that this is a huge country and a couple of hundred million people actually have to own and drive their own vehicles to make a living.

It also may be difficult to understand that, being Americans, we've got this warped concept of going where we want, when we want and without government recording our movements. I'm just saying.

GPS Device Tells Mileage For Taxes

Despite the fawning about his fantastic intellect and his magnificent ability to deal with issues in creative manners while harboring a magical vision of an America in which all the people have everything they want and need while government tissues their collective butts, I've got to say this is the stupidest thing anyone could seriously propose.

Imagine the impact of this proposal on the economy. Contemplate the implications on your life.

Is this the First of April?

Delay Does No Good

Now the debate rages on release of the UBL photos. The longer it goes on the more the conspiracy whackos will have to fuel their discrediting engines as being an eventual PhotoShop job.

What reason is given for not showing the photos?

Many Sets of Photos

"Sensitivities" of the Arab Street! Excuse me?

They are the ones who need to see it. They are the ones who need a clear image of what happens when you tug on Superman's cape. They are the ones who already detest us and seek to destroy our society.

How are they going to get more inflamed by the pictures? They should rejoice that their leader has died his martyr's death. They should thank us for helping him reach his reward.

And they should look over their shoulder wondering who among them is going to be next.

Respect me and fear me. You can learn to love me later.

Background Info Only

This is making the rounds and if you haven't seen it yet, you will shortly at most of the blogs. I'm not taking a position on it beyond a simple notation on the dog-earred upper left corner, "Noted."

Panetta Acted, Bamster Fumbled, Jarrett Opposed

Make up your own mind, but nothing in that description conflicts with the profiles of the actors involved.

Neighbor Notices and Votes

Last week the predictions for the election at our neighbor to the north were a bit scary. The polls seemed to indicate a dissatisfaction with the conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a very conspicuous drift further to the left. Most Americans don't pay much attention to Canada. Their focus is clearly on the other border and the problems associated with that nation. But, we did have occasion to look at Canada during our national healthcare debate (or whatever that was last year). Canada was touted on one hand as being the glorious socialized medicine future and on the other as the nice place which doesn't allow guns and sends you to the US for doctors if you don't like your place in line.

The polls were apparently off a bit.

Canada Goes Conservative Big!

Some interesting lessons there. The minority government which Harper was leading is now replaced by a flat conservative majority. Now the PM can get an agenda moving with less need to compromise to maintain a parliamentary coalition. Maybe they see the result of liberal policies more clearly than we do.

The Bloc Quebecois takes a huge hit. Wow, you mean breaking away from a stable respected nation to skulk off into your own language and customs as some sort of snubbing of practicality and tradition isn't a good idea? Maybe this diversity and multi-culturalism thing isn't quite as effective as homogeneity in a nation? Maybe assimilation is more efficient than isolation and divergent traditionalism.

And the pro-labor forces lost a lot of seats. Could free-markets and actual supply/demand pricing of labor and commodities be better than union strong-arm tactics and political pandering for votes?

Too bad we Americans don't educate our kids in the systems of government our neighbors use. The parliamentary, multi-party, fusion of power, governmental model is a lot more common than our Madisonian presidential format. I wouldn't advocate shifting for a minute, but if we saw what was playing out in Canada we might have a much better understanding of our own future. When people learn lessons and change behavior we might want to watch how that works.

The "I" Word

I've been listening for the Bamster's use of his favorite word as he discusses the bin Laden mission. It is found largely between the lines. It isn't as prominent as usual in Messiah messages. He needs to be very cautious because the evidence of responsibility for this victory does not point to him very strongly as a "person of interest." One could almost give more credit to Pervez Musharaff. And quite clearly, Pakistan deserves no credit at all.

How did we get the big dog? We got it through diligent intel work by a framework set up by the previous administration. We found out things from interrogation. The interrogations were done at Gitmo. They employed "enhanced techniques." They were conducted on unlawful enemy combatants, the sort of folks the administration considers unlawfully detained criminals with Constitutional rights to trials in the US.

How did the Bamster support this business? His first official act was to sign an executive order closing Gitmo by January 2010! He pursued charges against former interrogators and Justice Department officers for following approved methodologies for interrogations. He aggressively sought release of detainees. He set up firm date pull-outs from Iraq and now Afghanistan. He diplomatically kowtowed to Muslim leadership around the world seeking rapprochement with Hamas, Fatah and even elements of the Taliban. He sympathizes with PFC Manning and downplays Wikileaks.

Now he is being touted as taking a "courageous" stand and authorizing the raid when the Special Ops community had the red dot on UBL's forehead. What was courageous about being backed into a corner in which failure to act would have resulted in a total collapse of credibility? What other choice was open to him?

Even now he is waffling into his favorite position of submissiveness, rolling onto his back with his paws in the air. He shapes the message about "asked to surrender" and "Islamic burial rituals" and "respect for the deceased and his religion."

Will we see the "I" word coming to the fore as the situation doesn't generate the huge leap in poll popularity that he clearly thinks he deserves for blundering along in the string of circumstances established by those who have gone before and those who train to do this sort of thing extremely well?