Carmichael's Position

At Least Your Mother Named You Appropriately... Dick!

I would normally confess that I cannot believe I missed this when published on April 11th... but then again since when to I make a habit of reading the intellectually bankrupt opinion section of the New York Times?

In a piece of shit written by Dick Cavett (yes that Dick Cavett) he takes on the oratory skills of General Petraeus and Ambassador Cocker in their recent testimony before Congress on the progress in Iraq.  Now I too have been critical of public figures oft ignorance of proper oratory, our current sitting president leaps to mind.  However, even if I were to critique someone who's politics I disagreed with (Al Gore and his three step inflection cadence) I would try to focus on the technical aspects of the presentation.  I would not stoop to the insulting degree the "Oh So Perfect" DICK.... Cavett did in penning the following paragraph:

I can’t look at Petraeus — his uniform ornamented like a Christmas tree with honors, medals and ribbons — without  thinking of the great Mort Sahl at the peak of his brilliance. He talked about meeting General Westmoreland in the Vietnam days. Mort, in a virtuoso display of his uncanny detailed knowledge — and memory — of such things, recited the lengthy list (”Distinguished Service Medal, Croix de Guerre with Chevron, Bronze Star, Pacific Campaign” and on and on), naming each of the half-acre of decorations, medals, ornaments, campaign ribbons and other fripperies festooning the general’s sternum in gaudy display. Finishing the detailed list, Mort observed, “Very impressive!” Adding, “If you’re twelve.”

FRIPPERIES!  FRIPPERIES????  You SOB!  for those of you who do not want to waste your time looking it up, Fripperies are "Something trivial or nonessential".

What is it with Liberal Elitist Media Cretins of your ilk that cannot recognize that these Fripperies, are conferred, not handed out freely!  These ribbons, epaulettes, insignia all convey immediately to the KNOWLEDGABLE the service rendered by the one wearing them.  One does not have to know the details of the actions taken by the wearer, to recognize that the Bronze Star!  Is not given for a good one liner right before the commercial break!  You try earning one.. DICK!

And as for your reference to ... “Very impressive!” Adding, “If you’re twelve.” 

Or maybe... Just Maybe!!!...  If you were raised to respect sacrifice?  Dedication to Duty?  Honor? Courage? Commitment? Bravery? Selflessness?  All words of which you appear to be completely ignorant... DICK!

Here's some of what is on the General's Chest (an Oak Leaf signifies additional times the medal was awarded, and "V" device signifies "Valor" in Combat):

  Defense Distinguished Service Medal

  Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)

  Defense Superior Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)

  Legion of Merit (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)

  Bronze Star (with “V” Device)

  Defense Meritorious Service Medal

  Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)

You sanctimonious venal elitist... You sicken me!  I used to find you mildly amusing.  Now that you have unveiled your true colors in your contempt for men like General Petraeus and by proxy all men and women in uniform, I have no use for you or your opinion.  Go sip your Gin and Tonic at the local MoveOn cocktail party cracking malicious mean spirited grammatically accurate vocabulary rich jokes at the Military's expense.  But understand this... those who serve in the Armed Forces get paid to protect YOU and YOUR fellow liberal intellectual's FREEDOMS... All other Americans, they protect because they want to!

Nice... DICK!

Recognized for CUTTING DOWN the US FLAG?!!!

Damn Right!

Somewhere I missed this story when it happened back in October... Of course I could have been doing something else at the time... like "getting married."

But here's the poop for those others of you who missed the story.   Evidently an establishment in the Reno NV area was flying a Mexican flag OVER the US flag!  Supposedly the shop owner was flying the flags in this manner as a form of solidarity in the wake of raids on 11 area McDonald's restaurant leading to the arrest of more than 50 undocumented workers.

The flag flying garnered the attention of the local media and a news crew was dispatched to "get to the bottom" of things (and probably provide an excellent soapbox for the shop owner's protest).  Well what the News Crew captured that day was certainly unexpected... but in YHS view heart warming!  Here's the video: [link]

That's Army Veteran Jim Brossard taking ACTION!  That flag and what it represents deserves respect!  And men like Brossard recognize this, they've fought for our honor and still do!  There is NOTHING wrong with being an AMERICAN!  We do not have to apologize and constant Kowtow to every slap in the face we receive.  Yes the store owner has every right to mount a protest, but flying the American Flag in the United States in this fashion is Illegal!... for a reason! 

"If I hadn't done that, then I'm afraid it wouldn't have gotten done," he said. "I was ready and fully willing to accept any consequences, legally or any other, that might have come in my direction."

And I'm with Jim in that I think if you are willing to treat Old Glory without respect, you've lost your privilege to have her!

And it looks like the members of the USS Intrepid Association feel the same way... Because in a small ceremony Jim Brossard was presented with another US Flag, one that has flown proudly over the USS Intrepid.

GERALDA MILLER
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
Posted: 11/21/2007

Veterans who served on the U.S.S. Intrepid aircraft carrier presented Jim Brossard with a certificate and flag for cutting down a U.S. flag that was flying beneath a Mexican flag at a Reno bar.

"To fly the American flag underneath the Mexican flag, it just defies everything," said Wayne Erven, West Coast representative of the U.S.S. Intrepid Association Inc. "Our flag goes on top. That's the honor we give our flag."

Erven of Pleasanton, Calif., gave Brossard the appreciation Tuesday at the James D. Hoff Peace Officer Memorial in Idlewild Park.  (Photo Caption:  Wayne Erven, center, prepares to give a flag that flew over the U.S.S. Intrepid in New York earlier this year to Jim Brossard, left. Looking on at right is Daryl Saldausky of Reno. Erven and Saldausky are members of the U.S.S. Intrepid Association Inc. Photo Credit: David B. Parker/RGJ)

"To go and pull that down, you've got more guts than brains maybe," Erven told Brossard.

And I find it also disturbing that...

Bob Fulkerson, state director for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, said Brossard does not deserve to be rewarded for stealing property.

Uh... Try the word "Rescuing" or "Protecting the Honor of..." there Bob!

"I think what they're doing is rewarding criminal behavior, and they're rewarding violent behavior," Fulkerson said. "To me, that goes against our Constitution. That goes against the values of our country."

Uh... Yeah.... Well I guess I should consider the source...

Bravo Zulu Mr. Brossard!

Why I Love Ben Stein

Looks like I have a book to buy...

-Nuff Said...

The Instrument Has Yet to be Built That Can Measure My Disdain for People Like Brian De Palma

Evidently this knucklehead so hates American Troops in the Field that he will go to great lengths to associate an isolated vile incident perpetrated by a gang of dirtbags who just so happened to be in the US Army.

VENICE (Reuters) - A new film about the real-life rape and killing of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers who also murdered her family stunned the Venice festival, with shocking images that left some viewers in tears.

"Redacted", by U.S. director Brian De Palma, is one of at least eight American [?] films on the war in Iraq due for release in the next few months and the first of two movies on the conflict screening in Venice's main competition.

Inspired by one of the most serious crimes committed by American soldiers in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, it is a harrowing indictment of the conflict and spares the audience no brutality to get its message across.

De Palma, 66, whose "Casualties of War" in 1989 told a similar tale of abuse by American soldiers in Vietnam, makes no secret of the goal he is hoping to achieve with the film's images, all based on real material he found on the Internet. [so it must be true! ed.]

"The movie is an attempt to bring the reality [who's reality?]of what is happening in Iraq to the American people," he told reporters after a press screening.

"The pictures are what will stop the war. One only hopes that these images will get the public incensed enough to motivate their Congressmen to vote against this war," he said.

Abeer Qasim Hamza al-Janabi was gang raped, killed and burnt by American soldiers in Mahmudiya, south of Baghdad, in March 2006. Her parents and younger daughter were also killed.   Continued...

There is plenty of blame to be distributed in the particular case. That de Palma has chosen to leverage this tragic and vile incident in his campaign to demonize all things associated with the Iraq War and the US Military and as a representation of the behavior of "US Soldiers" is utterly contemptuous!

Remember the recruitment phrase leveraged by the US Army at the time?  "An Army of One!"  No marketing phrase could better represent these vermin who were and are still individuals, who still have free will.  They inconsiderately wear the uniform and are too STUPID to recognize the whole that they in turn represent!  In my mind, this is one of the most inexcusable and most extreme failings of the US Army, that of not instilling a more resilient sense of DUTY, HONOR, and COUNTRY in the minds of its recruits.  Morality is not a word we need to shy away from, it needs to be engrained.  Which I am quite sure a man of Mr. De Palma's philosophical leanings would have trouble blessing as well!

Where De Palma and his ilk are the most despicable are in their flagrant and willful disregard for Accurate Statistical Representation.  Yes atrocities occur in warfare, and the United States Military has gone to great lengths to reduce the occurrence of these incidents, eliminated? no, but greatly reduced? Absolutely!  But the "oh so sanctimoniously sensationalistic acrimony" piously pontificated by those who so hate the Martial Philosophy of Warriors is sickening and tiresome!  The "feeding frenzy for the surreal"  mentality of today's Hollywood producers and the leftist propagandists  "Reporters" in the Mainstream Media (yes that line has blurred tremendously) has become so paramount the result is to all but censor the overwhelmingly positive behavior, conduct and professionalism in today's United States Armed Forces.

De Palma openly states his vainglorious wish... "The pictures are what will stop the war. One only hopes that these images will get the public incensed enough to motivate their Congressmen to vote against this war"

Propagandist for the Militant Extremists is what this equates to.  It will receive more screenings and lauded support from peaceniks, Al Qaeda, and our (that'd be the United States') other sworn enemy than any other!  The vile vermin who perpetrated this act DO NOT in any way shape or form represent the other 99.999 percent of United States Army Soldiers!  But alas this is what movie makers the likes of De Palma would have you believe.  Which is the bigger lie?  In the illustrated case De Palma uses as his Metaphor for all things military, these scum were tried, and convicted and incarcerated for their crimes!  I would think most intelligent people could easily see why the US Army would not really want to publish commercials on Monday Night Football using these wretched repulsive dregs as spokesmen!

But De Palma chooses to use these individuals as Poster Children for the US Army.  You have to ask yourself,... better yet... go ask a returning veteran, or your serving brother, or father... "So how many innocents did you rape today?"... I'll wait............................... 

When you recover from the physical punctuation of the delivered answer... maybe, just maybe you'll begin to understand the degree of contempt that representative accusations, like Mr. De Palma's tripe, really deserve. 

Be weary of the enemy in our midst... The methods employed by these empowered few, who choose to view life through the narrowest of keyhole, are on the precipice of pernicious propaganda in Machiavellian proportions and cater to the addle mind.

"All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach."
    ---  Adolf Hitler

Opus Deleted?

I'd have to say I agree with Lex here... I really do not see the offensive ways of the following comic strip by one of my favorites... Berke Breathed.

...The rest of the strip is here [Link] copyright Berke Breathed Dist. the Washington Post Writers Group.

It is clearly a lampoon of our "fickle society, dedicated to chasing the latest greatest shiny object of spiritual enlightenment", Breathed points out our "willows in the winds" propensity in a quite current and topical... I might add humorous... way.

But noooo the ever politically correct and inoffensive Washington Post chose not to display this panel in their Sunday comics.  I guess out of fear of respect for the peace loving and oh so understanding Radical Islamic ways.

Seriously if this were a stab against Catholicism, Baptists, Evangelicals there would have been no second thoughts... Oh brave Sir Robin! 

Jesus in the Cupboard? -- Don't be too sure...

9News Denver is reporting this afternoon of a:

 "Manchester, Connecticut couple... convinced they have a very special piece of woodwork in their kitchen... Malynda and Eric Smith say they noticed last Friday that one of the cabinet doors has an image of Jesus Christ in it.

Malynda says "my daughter came and said mom look it's God.. and I looked.. and there it was a picture of Jesus Christ. Then my son noticed it and my husband came in and noticed it. I just can't believe we hadn't noticed it before."

And they say it may be hard to believe, but everyone who looks at it sees the image.

After studying the image... and running it through Photoshop a number of super-scientific-spectra-analytical tools... I'm not so sure.  After adjusting for ambient light and various "stupidity-variables" I managed to isolate the image... and adjusting for "misplaced faith"... found the following...  The New Messiah?  Oh I hope not!

Propaganda? What Propaganda? This is NEWS!!!!

Yeah but I've pictures to prove it! 

So tell me again why it is important to be educated in multiple disciplines?  We'll to be precise, so you can determine the difference between Brownies and Mule Muffins!!!

What's wrong with this picture and the associated caption? 

The Caption as it appeared:

" An elderly Iraqi woman shows two bullets which she says hit her house following an early coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City.

No joke folks this appeared as Hard News from AFP (Agence France-Presse)and here's a couple of links to prove... link to a screen shot - provided courtesy of the Autonomist  and to France 24 hour News Channel (or if they've been taken down I'm supplying a couple of screen captures).  The picture was taken by - Wissam al-Okaili © 2007 AFP.

Ok, for all you ANTI-GUN Pansies out there who have never made the attempt to understand cartridge fired projectiles... that's "BULLETS" to you macrame heads in Boulder!   Allow me to explain:

What she is holding in her hand are cartridges!  Which is comprised of a bullet and a Shell or Cartridge Casing. See Diagram on the right:

The way a bullet is delivered is via pressure! 

1. A pin aptly referred to as a "Firing Pin" strikes a mini-explosive cap located in the end of a cartridge called a Primer.
2. That primer then experiences a mini-explosion that rapidly ignites the Gun powder contained in the Casing.  Gun Powder when excited, explodes (burns real fast actually) the resulting release of energy = Heat and extreme pressure! 
3. The bullet in the business end of the cartridge is like a cork in a champagne bottle.  When the pressures in the bottle (cartridge) become to great to for the bullet to sustain it's friction grip on the sides of the casing... the bullet departs!... Rapidly!  Usually through a tube!  AKA Gun Barrel!  Assuming the instigator of this process want's accuracy in delivering said bullet.  Otherwise assuming you would like to have a Darwin award named in your honor, you can simply tape a small stone to said primer and simply drop the cartridge (Bullet and All) on a hard surface... good luck with that sparky!
4. The loud and oft annoying BANG is usually the tell tell sign someone has actioned a bullet.

So what she is so proudly displaying to the all too willing propagandist journalist are a pair of bullets that "Done never been fired!"  This is not to say that these two exhibits weren't... uh... thrown at her house!  Probably by the propagandist uh reporter!

Paris Hilton Going to Jail is a Great First Step to Rebuilding my Faith in Fairness

I had an intriguing conversation with a co-worker of mine last Friday.  Now understand that he and I do not oft see eye to eye, but that is not to say that we are not willing to listen to the ideas the other has on specific issues.

Our conversation that day ranged on a number of politically and sociologically charged topics (Guns, Crime, Drug Legalization, Race Relations, Government Suppression of Freedoms, Death Penalty...etc) yep pretty much every "third rail" you are always warned to avoid discussing in "social" situations.  Of course it has not been my nature to shy away from controversial subjects.  What I do not suffer is purposeless bickering  between ideologues with no hope of learning or educating.

I learned something this Friday.  After ranging on our subjects, I posed a question to him looking specifically for his perspective, as my coworker is of a different race than I and I am curious to learn of why the races unfortunately still have a lack of trust of each other.  Granted he does not (nor does he proclaim to) represent his race in his philosophic position -- no do I mine for that matter.  But I must recognize that he is probably more in tune to the focus of his race, in that I am sure he has heard more than I ever will about the root nature of the apparent distrust, of those who share his same skin color (once again, as I have mine). 

Please know that at no point was this conversation uncomfortable for either of us as far as I could tell.  We were both properly discussing challenging points of our society, and certainly not blaming each other for our society's ills.  Again this approach was very much appreciated.

So the bottom line here... and relating back to the title of this post...  I asked him what has to change in our society to affect real positive change for our respective races to continue our paths to better understanding each other, and putting aside our differences.

His reply... "A sense of FAIRNESS and RESPONSIBILITY!"

Fairness: Our government and our corporations have to really learn to be impartial, truly blind to race, creed, age, sex etc...  This applies to equal pay and opportunity for equally skilled individuals but more importantly in our government's (Local, City, State, Federal) enforcement of our country's laws!   We are a nation of LAWs not privilege.

Responsibility:  People have to stop being "Victims" or "Entitled" we need to be responsible for our actions no matter who we are, where we live, what color we are, what education we have, and how much money we make.  And understand that we are of our own making, we can make our lives better, we do not have to depend on others to hand it to us, nor do we deserve anything... we have to earn it, always!

I thought this perspective intriguing... I could see it... hell I've bitched about it too!  I think most of us have.  Every time we see a politician (regardless of party) not held accountable for the same laws they write.  Every time we watch a Charlatan, Hypocrite, Media  Narcissist the likes of Jessy and Al claim a cause that is truly not the case simply to intimidate and line their pockets... we all lose faith.  Every time those entrusted in our protection abuse that power and intimidate those in lesser social circles... we lose our faith.

And finally every time we watch a Professional Athlete, a Rock Star, Rap Star, or Movie Star get let off of a crime committed simply because of "Who They Are"... we lose faith... in the system we've collectively agreed to be governed by.  Fairness is paramount!  That is why JUSTICE is to be BLIND, it is to make no prejudice outside of the acute facts.

So when I see a judge make a ruling that Paris Hilton is not "Entitled" to softer treatment than that of a "Regular Joe - or Joanne" and she will serve time for her blatant disregard to following the laws of this land because she feels entitled, and above her responsibility... well... it just does my heart good! (although I would have liked to see her have to go immediately.)

It is events like these that cause me to look back on my challenging conversation that Friday, and recognize that yeah, it's minor in the grand scheme of things, but hell, its a start and if we continue down this path, we might stand a chance. 

Jus Say'n

Dangerous Directive Issued to Army Bloggers!

This is very disturbing...  From Blackfive, one of the best voices representing today's military interests in not just the blogosphere but the mass market.

The END of Military Blogging

5/2/2007 8:51:01 AM [blackfive@gmail.com (Pundit Review Radio)] 

The most excellent Noah Shachtman of Wired's Danger Room has a great article with lots of milblogger reaction to the new OPSEC regulations that will end military blogging as we know it.  Yes, that's right - the end of soldier blogging from the war zones. 

Army Squeezes Soldier Blogs, Maybe to Death
Noah Shachtman Email 05.02.07 | 2:00 AM 

The U.S. Army has ordered soldiers to stop posting to blogs or sending personal e-mail messages, without first clearing the content with a superior officer, Wired News has learned. The directive, issued April 19, is the sharpest restriction on troops' online activities since the start of the Iraq war. And it could mean the end of military blogs, observers say. 

Military officials have been wrestling for years with how to handle troops who publish blogs. Officers have weighed the need for wartime discretion against the opportunities for the public to personally connect with some of the most effective advocates for the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq -- the troops themselves. The secret-keepers have generally won the argument, and the once-permissive atmosphere has slowly grown more tightly regulated. Soldier-bloggers have dropped offline as a result... 

Read the whole piece.

What makes this OPSEC especially disturbing is that, good, factual first hand accounts are coming out of Iraq not via the Mainstream Media, rather from grunts in the field.  Their perspective is not sensationalistic bovine scatology, it is sincere commentary of the events they see happening all around them, put in the perspective not of some ideologue with an argument to make, but of a person who volunteered to serve our country in its best interest.  Often times it is made clear by these "milbloggers" that life is indeed difficult in theater.  Enforced more often than not by an air of sincere emotional editorial about the loss of... not a KIA statistic... but of a friend, a brother in arms, a poker buddy, the unit comedian.  Is this death leveraged for political purpose? No.  The loss is personal and conveys more power in its integrity than a New York Times embed could ever even fathom. 

This first person accounting of the War in Iraq and Afghanistan is not simply serving to titillate readers.  Not in the least.  It serves a much greater purpose, it informs the electorate in this Republic of information we need to make informed decisions, often times without the political axe to grind.   

I have said time and time again that I will more trust the unfettered words of a boot on the ground who may barely know the difference between a noun and a verb, but is willing to put his thoughts and observations out there for all of us to see through his eyes; the horrors, the glories, the humor, the sadness, and the compassion of war... Yep, I'll trust that perspective much more than a paid "J-school" trained "Journalist." God help us if we have to solely depend on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, the NYT, Reuters, AP or yes even Fox as our eyes and ears on the ground in these conflicts. 

So yes, the new OPSEC regulations are misguided, and dangerous to the United States Mission in Iraq and Afghanistan.  And I fully concur with the prophetic thoughts expressed by Matt of Blackfive at last year's MilBlog conference (video captured here and WELL WORTH THE VIEW!) 

"If the Army restricts bloggers, all you will have are pissed-off dissident bloggers who are willing to take a risk...every Article-15  schlep will be blogging and all of the guys in this room who are trying to get the stories out, will not.  That'll be the end."

NYT knows the power of ommitted adjectives

Alright, before this turns into a "John's just a bigot or racist!" spitting match!  I want you all to know, nothing can be further from the truth!  But I do think our attitude toward more kindly and gently-er  protecting our borders for Political Sensitivity Reasons is an extremely dangerous path.

What really bothers me is the way the press reports any news story relating to border incursions.  The press (or more likely Editors and Writers, calling them reporters would be too generous) obviously have an agenda.  Whether it be membership in the "One World Club" or the "I hate Bush" crowd, something in these writers' agendas stipulates that anything the US Government does to or against the desires of any other country in the protection of our best interests is Evil!  Ok... Duh, we've all seen it.

But here's a few nuances being used to subtlety sway the opinions of the unwashed masses.  In today's New York Times article about the killing of an Illegal Immigrant on the US Mexican border there are a few slants being taken in their "Reporting" of the news.

First the Headline: 

Border Agent Kills Immigrant; Mexican Government Protests

Um... Kills Immigrant?  Like what kind of Immigrant?  The  "Italian guy who came over in the 30's and after making a life for he and his family by opening a restaurant in Little Italy, becoming a US Citizen and sending 2 sons off to the Military and a Daughter to Law School" type of Immigrant?

Oh No!  What?  That's not it?  Oh... You mean ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSING NON-US CITIZEN! type of Immigrant.  Sorry, that wasn't made clear... wonder why that is???

The article continues:

A Mexican immigrant was shot and killed on Friday by a Border Patrol agent in Arizona, prompting an investigation by federal authorities and condemnation from President Felipe Calderón of Mexico.

Anyone notice the choice of Adjective before the word "Immigrant"?  And which one is missing?  But silly me, it might be in the next paragraph!  Don't count on it! The word "illegally" is only used as an afterthought adverb describing the word "crossed [the US sovereign border]" in the next paragraph.

The immigrant, Francisco Javier Domínguez Rivera, 22, was shot as he and six others were being taken into custody by a Border Patrol agent, shortly after they crossed illegally into Cochise County in southeastern Arizona, between Naco and Douglas.

Oddly enough, this is the only appearance of the word Illegally (or illegal or any other derivation) in the entire article.  Oh yeah, and another subtle point, "shortly after they crossed illegally into Cochise County" not, "The United States" that might be too... um.... what's the word... Accurate?

But alas the NYT is very good about providing a soap box for the Mexican President:

President Calderón, who took office in December, said at a news conference on Sunday, “I want to begin by extending my deepest condolences, and then my most energetic protest over the death of our countryman, a native of Puebla, who died in Arizona from a gunshot after having been detained by the U.S. Border Patrol.”

Some Countryman!  Er...Eh... Excuse me, He's Leaving your Country! Why is that again? I'm thinking the word Patriot obviously has no Spanish translation.  And as for the "after having been detained by the U.S. Border Patrol" part... Why do I doubt that.  "Ok we have him detained boys, what do we do with him now?  Hell Bubba, same thing we do with all of 'em, let's shoot him!"  Yeah right!  I'm sure there are many out there that would really like to believe that's how it happened, but that border is not a movie folks!

And here is the quote that really gets me.

The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Relations sent a formal note to the State Department expressing “its serious concern over the recurrence of this type of incident.”

Our reply needs to be: 

"We Agree! Can you please do something about your Countrymen who are so devoted to the Mexican way of life, that they flee your wonderful country heading so quickly to the "Evil Empire" like moths to the Bug Zapper!every chance they get! Thank you for you attention into this matter." -- Love, Condie

President Calderon, (wait weren't you a character in Miami Vice?)  Please stop this from happening.  Fix your Damn Country!!!!  It has a lot of potential!  Among that potential are your people they are a valuable asset!  We're proof!

Why would the NSA - Secret Service be Spying on Diana?

Someone asked me this very question this morning.  My reply,

"Isn't the answer obvious?  A newly available hottie looking for a man of power? And who had the tools to pursue and the high school libido to match?...  Things that make you go Hmmmmm!"

It's the Economy? Or is the Press Stupid?

How the hell are we expected to make heads or tails of the economy when on the same damn day these are the headlines?  Yep! I sure am glad there is no editorializing in the NEWS sections of the papers...

From the UK Telegraph:

US setbacks see dollar plunge to near 15-year low

"The dollar tumbled to a near 15-year low against sterling yesterday on fresh signs of economic trouble in the United States..."

...In a rare piece of good news that helped calm Wall Street after the equity rout on Monday, Mr Bernanke said inflation had been "somewhat better behaved of late".

And then from the AP:

Dow, Nasdaq Climb on Positive GDP Report

Dow, Nasdaq Post Gains on GDP Report Showing That Economy Is in Better Shape Than Expected

NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street rose for a second straight session Wednesday after the government's latest gross domestic product reading showed the economy was in better shape than expected, easing concerns that growth was moderating too sharply.

And again from AP:

Fed: Most of U.S. Sees Moderate Growth

Fed: Most Parts of the Country See Moderate Growth Despite Ailing Housing and Auto Sectors

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Most parts of the country managed to enjoy moderate economic growth in the late fall despite troubles in the housing market and the automotive industry. 

The New York and Richmond, Va., Federal Reserve districts reported that growth picked up, while the Atlanta region described activity as "mixed," the Fed said in a report released Wednesday. The Dallas district said that growth had ebbed from earlier, higher levels.

At the moment of this posting, all market indicators are up.

• Dow up 90.68
• Nasdaq up 18.90
• S&P up 12.80

Bums!  All of 'em!

Update:  Recognize 2010! HT Andrea! Nice Catch!

Can Anyone Tell Me Why This is a News Story?

Does anyone out there actually think for a minute that this might happen?

From the kids at Reuters...[link]

Ahmadinejad challenges Bush to TV debate

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced defiance on Tuesday as a deadline neared for Iran to halt work the West fears is a step toward building nuclear bombs, and challenged President Bush to a televised debate.

Yeah... I can see it now Jim Lehrer, or Charles Gibson, or Bob Schieffer firmly seated between Bush and Amadinejad, asking questions like,

"So Mr. Amadinejad what exactly did you mean when you said, you were 'for Uranium enrichment before you were against it... Before you were for it?'"

Katie Couric Won't Go To Iraq... But These Babes Will!

And... Seriously... I have the utmost respect for the Perrfect Angelz for being there entertaining our troops.  It is very nice to see that these young ladies are dedicated enough to spend time in a very dangerous environment to entertain our troops in the field.  Continuing a long tradition of USO Shows.

Here's the story from the NY Times about how this dance troop, as an Army Captain put it... “make us forget about our jobs for a little while.”

And a couple of videos (Both safe for work) of who they are and some of their experiences in Iraq:

• Video 1 Hotel Iraq
• Video 2 For the Troops

By the way... I do recognize the semi-sexist nature of these dance troops, and considering the composition of our troops today I do think the USO (and the DOD) need to look seriously at providing some more "Female-Troop" oriented entertainment.  You can't tell me Chippendales (guys click with care and don't say I didn't warn you!  Ladies... Click to your heart's content!) doesn't have a somewhat toned down act they can take on the road.

Now back to another tradition... that of News Anchors traveling to hazardous locations to read the news in an effort to at least represent the facade of placing themselves in harm's way covering the news from where the news is!  Ala Uncle Walter, Roger Mudd and dare I say it... even Dan Rather!  However... In a now disputed interview quote a few months ago, Katie Couric, CBS's soon to be crowned Grande Dame of nightly news, said that she would not go to Iraq due to the dangers it presented, and that she, as a single mom, needed to recognize her obligation to her children. 

Noble, to be sure... But!  It's the requirement of the JOB LADY!  How many "Single Mothers" are serving in our nation's armed forces in Iraq today?  Bet they wish they had the choice to say, "I don't think I'm going to do my job because it's dangerous and I'm a single mother!... Oh I know I signed up for this possibility but... Tough! I'll do what I want!"

From an Access Hollywood Story:

Katie Couric, who takes over CBS Evening News in September, told Access Hollywood on May 30th that she would not venture into Iraq, in response to an interview regarding injured CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier. At the time Couric was still a co-anchor of NBC's "Today" show.

"I think the situation there (Iraq) is so dangerous, and as a single parent with two children, that's something I won't be doing," Katie said.

Katie's publicist has obviously had a bit of a chat with the future of CBS News and Katie's quote (corrected by the powers that be at CBS no doubt!) has subsequently been altered somewhat:

...following growing tensions between Israel and Lebanon in recent weeks, and her stepping in as the sole anchor at CBS Evening News, she now says she would travel to the Middle East.

At the CBS TCAs on July 16th Katie said, "I think, yeah, of course I would want to be there. I think -- in terms of traveling, I think it will be done on a case-by-case basis. I think sometimes correspondents who have been covering beats for months and even years often have a great handle on what's going on in a certain global hot spot. But clearly if it's going to serve the story, advance the story, and be helpful to the story, I would like to be there. I think it really depends on the situation and what's happening."

Well, at least Katie can Tap Dance!  But then again CBS is getting good at that.  Spinning seems to be their forte after the Rathergate incident!

NYT is No Friend of the US... DUH!

The US Media!  No longer exists!  They are simply the Media!  US has nothing to do with it!

Many in the media are not just simply "Unpatriotic" they are quite frankly "Un-American!" Which to those I am implicating in that statement, is no insult! 

My ire is up on seeing these lines once again in the New York Times!

According to a classified briefing at the Pentagon this week by the commander, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the number of American combat brigades in Iraq is projected to decrease to 5 or 6 from the current level of 14 by December 2007.

General Casey's briefing has remained a closely held secret, and it was described by American officials who agreed to discuss the details only on condition of anonymity.

The phrase "According to a classified..." is a badge of honor in our media today!  Do they ever stop and think why these briefings, documents, or other official communications are "Classified - Secret"  It is so our enemy does not learn too much about our intentions!  It is NOT to withhold information from the American Public!  You Idiots!!!  There are BAD GUYS out there, being fought by GOOD GUYS! (Yes that is how I see the world!  Sue Me!) And divulgence of "Classified" information does the GOOD GUYS nothing but harm!  And I hope they HANG the SOB "American officials who agreed to discuss the details only on condition of anonymity..."

This great image from Delicious Ironing sums up my and I'm sure many other American's feelings toward the New York Times along with a number of other "We're not American" Newspapers.

I've been having a few conversations lately on the topic of Patriotism, ever since Natalie Maines made her wonderfully ankle deep philosophical statement regarding the subject over in Europe (where else?)  In an interview with the London Telegraph.

"The entire country may disagree with me," she said, "but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism. Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country ... I don't see why people care about patriotism."

Personally, I do not buy into her Philosophy, it has an air of a condescending elitist.  Meaning more than just saying... "I'm not Patriotic, nor do I care to be while Bush leads the country..." she had to imply that those who are patriotic are in some way... what?  Naive... Now know that I do not think for an instance all should be patriotic, far from it.  Patriotism comes from within, it is a dedication to something greater than yourself, something I'm sure Ms. Maines has a tough time with.  But, I do not feel it is proper to look down one's nose at anyone who is patriotic.

Here's a philosophy I do buy into, Neptunus Lex is a Navy Captain who has made his opinions known on his blog.  Often times public exposure can be a career limiting exercise in the Navy, but I certainly hope those "Powers that be" in the US Navy political police do not see it that way in Lex's case.  Because we civilians welcome the opportunity to realize that our service men and women have an opinion about the National issues they have to deal with... well at least this civilian does!

At the end of his post On Patriotism, he had a few paragraphs that really hit a note in me... I recommend reading the rest of the post, as is mostly usual, Lex possesses excellent insight on a number of issues.

From Lex...

"So it is such that while discussing with my wife the pleasant news of Zarqawi’s demise in the Mesopotamian desert, my 15-year old daughter can repeat something she had heard in school about an “eye for an eye” leaving the whole world blind. “But honey,” I replied, “He was a brutal thug who killed thousands of innocent people.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.”

And it’s probably my fault - I have served the flag so long that praising its virtues at home feels like unseemly personal boasting. And too, as a warrior who has seen much of the rest of the world, I have tried to protect her from the darkness I have seen there.

And no one told her at school.

As service members, sworn to support and defend the Constitution, we are taught not to take for granted past victories, nor past battlegrounds. We are taught that nothing worth having can long survive unmolested if undefended. We are aware that, with an enemy in the field dedicated to our submission or destruction, it’s a poor time to forget what it is we stand for, and why it’s worth defending.

We are reminded that this must still be taught.

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace–but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! – Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

Well said...  Hmmm I bet ol' Natalie wishes she could write like that!

One of the Dumber Headlines I've Read!

I couldn't restrain myself!  I read this and ALL I could think of was DUH! And no it has nothing to do with politics (with, I suspect, one minor exception of a phrase that I really think is a requirement in all AP stories).

Here's the Headline!

"Eclipse Tomorrow Will Blot Out the Sun"

Thank you soooo much!  I wasn't sure what this particular solar eclipse would do! 

The other component I was talking about that seems to be mandatory in all AP articles is a reference to the "...Poorest Lands" 

"Tourists and scientists were gathering at spots around the world for a solar show _ the first total eclipse in years, which will sweep northeast from Brazil to Mongolia, blotting out the sun across swathes of of the world's poorest lands."

As in "Damn this eclipse for picking on poor people!  It must be a Republican!"

Nuff Said...

Photo Courtesy - 2001 eclipse image © Wendy Carlos and Jay M. Pasachoff

Arianna Huffington's Blogging Ethics

Like shooting fish in a barrel!

This is too easy of an ethical study!  I will not go off on some categorical rant about how Liberals are so unethical they do not even follow the basics of publishing protocol!  Because I do not think that is necessarily true. 

BUT!

It appears to be true with Arianna Huffington!  Does she not realize that misrepresentation on a public forum destroys credibility for all other representations on her site?  Hell it's not like she has that much to lose!  Representing a blog post as being published by someone famous (or infamous) like George Clooney to gain publicity or notoriety is foolish, and an act of desperation. 

Here's what happened: (from Elizabeth Snead on her Styles and Scenes feed)

"...Arianna Huffington used some of his [George Clooney's] recent answers to political questions in a way that makes it look as if he wrote one for her Huffington Post blog site.

Brilliant!  What did she think?  That because he shares the same political views as she that she could easily represent his opinions in a way that is exceedingly deceptive, without accountability or recourse?  Apparently so...

But, Mr Clooney was none to happy about this.  And rightfully so.  To George Clooney, his greatest asset is his "Well Known Name!"  It brings gravity to a cause or statement, his name is valuable!  Whatever side of the political spectrum you land, one has to recognize that George Clooney gets attention when he states his opinion, right, wrong or indifferent, he has the "Star Power" to draw attention.  George and other Stars in Hollywood may be Dumb as a post when relating to world affairs, politics, geopolitical philosophy and proper governance... or not!  Same with 10's of millions of other Americans, but why does what George says matter in the least?  Because he is a known name! 

Arianna recognizes his popularity (especially as it relates to leaning left causes and issues) and wanted to leverage that.  But rather than simply quoting George, like the rest of us mere bourgeoisie bloggers do... She chose to pretend that George and she are so "well connected" that he would do her the honor of posting on her "Oh so contemporary, and cutting edge Blog" and post an article in his name!

George responded in a public statement:

"Miss Huffington's blog is purposefully misleading and I have asked her to clarify the facts. I stand by my statements but I did not write this blog. With my permission Miss Huffington compiled it from interviews with Larry King and The Guardian. What she most certainly did not get my permission to do is to combine only my answers in a blog that misleads the reader into thinking that I wrote this piece. These are not my writings — they are answers to questions and there is a huge difference."

Arianna Responded to George here:

...So we put together a sample blog from answers he had given on Larry King Live and an interview with the Guardian in London, and sent it to him to rework in any way he wanted.

A publicist who was working on the promotion of Good Night, and Good Luck, emailed back saying, "I will get it to him and get back to you as soon as I hear anything." Three days later, she emailed again, approving, without any changes, what we had sent: "Of course this is fine, Arianna!"

And once we had the approval, that's what we ran: George Clooney's words put into blog form.

This was an honest misunderstanding. But any misunderstanding that occurred, occurred between Clooney and the publicist. We based our decision to post on the unambiguous approval we received in writing. There was no room for misunderstanding in that.

And the response to the response from the Clooney Camp (again, thanks to "The Envelope":

Clooney rep Stan Rosenfield: "I read (Arianna's) response. This wasn't a misunderstanding. It was misrepresentation."

Clooney's camp insists they did not ask HuffPo to take down the item or to release a statement about lying and misrepresentation. They say they only asked for a posted qualifier explaining that the item was not written by Clooney but was a compilation of quotes from past interviews with Larry King and The Guardian.

Is this Arianna's idea of Freedom of speech?

Rupert Murdoch Gets "IT"

Can't teach an old dog new tricks huh?  Well there's an "Old Dog" out there teaching an industry "New Tricks."

As is often the case, Rupert Murdoch gets it!  In a presentation he recently made to the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, he stated, "Adapt to new technology or die!"

This was not directed at individuals in the room other than a Warning of the impending relegation to the modern day "Buggy Whip Factory" for the 4th estate, their industry!  Specifically the printed daily news.  Come on kids... you remember a Newspaper! It even outlasted:

• Vinyl Records
• Ticker Tape
• Reel to Reel
• 8 Tracks
• Don Johnson's Aftershave!
• William Shatner's Musical Career!
• Jessica and Nick!

Sorry, I digress!

What's important to realize now is that Rupert is on the right track once again.  In our instant gratification society we want our information YESTERDAY!  Not tomorrow morning.  It's not uncommon to hear conversations that start like:

"Hey did you catch this story in the paper this morning about.... something international"

"Yeah I caught it on CNN last night after my son heads up'd me about the story he read on a Blog on his cell phone! The Internet had a great story first hand from someone who was there and actually uploaded digital pictures of it."

The newspaper is outdated 6 hours after an event!  Editors will argue that a newspaper performs the service of researching and being more deliberate in ascertaining the facts of the story, thus delivering a higher quality product to the consumer!

BS!  It is not the Newspaper that does this.  It is the staff, the reporters, the photographers, the columnists!  The "Newspaper" is the wrapper!  These entities can still perform the same quality service of in-depth research and reporting, just get over the idea that the delivery has to be via ink and paper!  And the day is coming, if not upon us, where this delivery is certainly secondary to all other forms of media delivery.

Mr Murdoch goes on to state, "A new generation of media consumers has risen demanding content delivered when they want it, how they want it, and very much as they want it."

Hmm... Sounds like our old Tag Line... "Content, When you want it, where you want it, how you want it!

More from Rupert,

"There is only one way. That is by using our skills to create and distribute dynamic, exciting content," he said.

"But -- and this is a very big but -- newspapers will have to adapt as their readers demand news and sport on a variety of platforms: websites, iPods, mobile phones or laptops.

What is not expressed in this article is the known answer in certain circles.  The circles I travel in!

News Organizations need to learn 3 letters!  RSS!  This is how content can be distributed to literally Billions of people in minutes on the device of their choosing!  Web, Desktop, Laptop, Mobile Device, Television, you name it!  News and other information can be delivered and custom selected by the consumer!

It is not just publishing!  Is is providing users and customers with the right tools to easily access this information.  Companies like Newsgator are leading the way allowing a very easy to deploy customizable RSS reader and aggregator for media companies to provide to their customers.

Some in the "Newspaper" world are already proceeding down this path!  SFGate is an excellent example!  As well as the Denver Post. And others are not far behind!  Well known names in this space, will "not go gentle into that good night!"

T'was the Night Before... the Night Before Christmas

T’was the night before the night before Christmas while sitting in my house, I find most blogs boring as I re-click my mouse…

The mockings were dumb, in the political air, with accusations obtuse and generally unfair!

The Democrats all giddy, smug with our dread, while visions of impeachment danced in their heads!

Osama is missing, and Bush deep in crap… I called for a pizza, on a phone that is tapped!

When out of Sadam there arose such clatter… I’ll switch to CNN to see what’s the matter!

Away with my logic as I reached for the remote…  CNN’s not biased… now there’s a big joke.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear… But a hot “News Chick” with a smirk ear to ear!

While reading the prompter, so lively and quick, she started a story about our VP, Dick!

It seems he’s been flying with I-pod in hand, listening to Johnny and other weird bands.

The reporters were pissed as he played through his list, all the outlets onboard, went on the fritz.

Their laptops went dead, no cellular service, stories were late, editors nervous!

"It’s a conspiracy!" They whined, "Our rights are now hurt’n!  All caused by this tyrant... from Halliburton!"

Our VP Dick just smiled anew, as he sat there and listened…  to “A Boy Named Sue.”