We’ve been under a high wind advisory or a high wind watch/warning since Monday morning. The light breezes that exist much of the time have been replaced by Force 7 to Force 10 gusts on the Beaufort scale with sustained winds at the Force 5 to Force 6 level. That equates to the 25-63 MPH range. These winds carry quite a lot of force.
These winds are also very noisy and can cause some discomfort. I’ve written before about listening to the wind roll over the ridge crest then pour down valley. Because of the nature of this air mass and the intensity of this low-pressure cell there are no intervals between one pour-over and the following ones. There is a change in velocity with a corresponding change in the pitch and volume of each gust; but the underlying wind velocity is great enough to provide a constant rumble and low moaning.
We can, and do, look at local temperature data from other weather stations. This morning the cluster of 10° + temperatures in the mountain valleys and foothills demonstrated the effect of downslope compression and heating on airflow through mountainous terrain. It’s fun to see something studied play out in real time.
The storm has made it difficult to maintain our internet connection. Comcast acknowledges that they have a hardware problem between our home and the down valley node. Lately, whenever it rains we lose service for an indeterminate length of time. We, then, have to call Comcast, listen to the advertising bullshit that is stacked ahead of any hope of talking to a live person in order to report our loss of service. Then we have to call the business office at another number to secure an offset for non-service on our bill. Our down-stream neighbor succumbed to the hype and changed from a landline to Comcast VOIP service. Now, when he loses service he also can’t call to report the loss of service. We still retain our landline for exactly that reason. We refuse to use the Comcast VOIP or cell service. Our Verizon cell service requires a booster linked to our router and cable modem in order to connect at home. So losing internet service also means we lose cell service. The Comcast tech will come out tomorrow and find nothing wrong with our modem or connection, barring rain. We’ll continue to call when we lose service and demand refunds. And no one can understand why we are dissatisfied with our cable/internet providers.
On Tuesday and Thursday, I have a long gap between classes. Normally at 1400, the lecture hall that I listen to art-history lectures in is empty and I can sit there and study or work at writing. It’s quiet and I enjoy the quiet. As my hearing loss grows worse background noise becomes more problematic. Crowd noises are particularly annoying.
Today, a mob from some unknown class flooded in and split into groups. There were in excess of 100 of them and they all began talking loudly. Someone behind me even cranked up some sort of music player, volume maxed out, of course. They’ve been jabbering and babbling for nearly an hour now. The silence is gone. Even the roar of the wind would be preferable, highly preferable! It is time for me to sit here and whistle loudly.
I spoke about Vietnam and my part in it for Dr. Baxter today. The only question any of the students asked was about people spitting on returning veterans. I hope I allayed that myth for a few people. At the end of my presentation, I read my poem “Hey Doc!” The class was polite, there was some applause when I finished. Dr. Baxter said he enjoyed the poem so I gave him the copy I read from in gratitude for a well-taught class. That piece is hard to read silently. It had never been read before a live audience.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
29 November 2010 GOP opposes food safety
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/opinion/29schlosser.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a212
A Stale Food Fight
By MICHAEL POLLAN and ERIC SCHLOSSER
Published: November 28, 2010
“Theodore Roosevelt ran up against the same sort of resistance when he fought for the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. “Unfortunately,” he said, “the misdeeds of those who are responsible for the abuses we design to cure will bring discredit and damage not only upon them, but upon the innocent stock growers, the ranchmen and farmers of this country.” That is one reason the federal government decided to guarantee food safety during the last century — and why it must continue to do so in this one. “
Cassi Creek:
As usual, the GOP has come down firmly on the side of letting corporations endanger the public.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 5,000 Americans annually die from a food-borne illness”
After working in clinical labs for over 30 years, I can assure you that the CDC figures are low. Not lowered intentionally, but lower because of poor reporting to CDC. This is not due to any conspiracy or other effort to lower such rates of infection, thus making things look better than they are in an effort to negate the need for CDC and the FDA. Rather, this is the result of poor record keeping and handling, poor diagnostic skills, poor use of diagnostic studies and other factors.
Patients will provide poor histories, obscuring the source of such infections. Some patients may recover without sequelae, may be infected but display minimal or no symptoms, patients may self-medicate. Physicians working with poor patient histories may miss symptoms or see the patient after the patient has recovered. Financial (insurance) constraints may prevent adequate diagnostic workup, missing some infections. Even if all other factors are applied correctly, patient sampling for lab studies may be inadequate, incorrectly done, or not done at all.
Medical facilities may neglect to file reports of such infections in appropriate and timely manner. Such reports are not high priority items for under-paid, over-worked office staff who usually are tasked with such reports that should be generated, instead, at the point of isolation and identification. Politics becomes a factor when such automatic reporting is raised. Many providers don’t want the hassle of filling out infectious disease report forms but also don’t want a lab issuing such reports about their patients.
Suffice it to say that the reported instances of food-borne infectious diseases are severely under-reported. This plays well for the GOP in their continuing effort to strip such agencies as CDC and FDA from existence. The public, which must rely on the FDA for assurances of food safety, is being poorly served, placed at risk of serious illness by a political party that values corporate bribes far more than the “general welfare.’
With the influx of teavangelists into the House and Senate, it’s beginning to look as if the only thing that may save the public from losing what protection the current FDA and CDC provide is, perhaps, a nice late D.C. spring picnic featuring lots of imported Mexican lettuce, tomatoes, and peppers, (the Salmonella sources) and some hurriedly grilled fast food burgers (the E. coli contribution).
Bon Appetite
A Stale Food Fight
By MICHAEL POLLAN and ERIC SCHLOSSER
Published: November 28, 2010
“Theodore Roosevelt ran up against the same sort of resistance when he fought for the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. “Unfortunately,” he said, “the misdeeds of those who are responsible for the abuses we design to cure will bring discredit and damage not only upon them, but upon the innocent stock growers, the ranchmen and farmers of this country.” That is one reason the federal government decided to guarantee food safety during the last century — and why it must continue to do so in this one. “
Cassi Creek:
As usual, the GOP has come down firmly on the side of letting corporations endanger the public.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 5,000 Americans annually die from a food-borne illness”
After working in clinical labs for over 30 years, I can assure you that the CDC figures are low. Not lowered intentionally, but lower because of poor reporting to CDC. This is not due to any conspiracy or other effort to lower such rates of infection, thus making things look better than they are in an effort to negate the need for CDC and the FDA. Rather, this is the result of poor record keeping and handling, poor diagnostic skills, poor use of diagnostic studies and other factors.
Patients will provide poor histories, obscuring the source of such infections. Some patients may recover without sequelae, may be infected but display minimal or no symptoms, patients may self-medicate. Physicians working with poor patient histories may miss symptoms or see the patient after the patient has recovered. Financial (insurance) constraints may prevent adequate diagnostic workup, missing some infections. Even if all other factors are applied correctly, patient sampling for lab studies may be inadequate, incorrectly done, or not done at all.
Medical facilities may neglect to file reports of such infections in appropriate and timely manner. Such reports are not high priority items for under-paid, over-worked office staff who usually are tasked with such reports that should be generated, instead, at the point of isolation and identification. Politics becomes a factor when such automatic reporting is raised. Many providers don’t want the hassle of filling out infectious disease report forms but also don’t want a lab issuing such reports about their patients.
Suffice it to say that the reported instances of food-borne infectious diseases are severely under-reported. This plays well for the GOP in their continuing effort to strip such agencies as CDC and FDA from existence. The public, which must rely on the FDA for assurances of food safety, is being poorly served, placed at risk of serious illness by a political party that values corporate bribes far more than the “general welfare.’
With the influx of teavangelists into the House and Senate, it’s beginning to look as if the only thing that may save the public from losing what protection the current FDA and CDC provide is, perhaps, a nice late D.C. spring picnic featuring lots of imported Mexican lettuce, tomatoes, and peppers, (the Salmonella sources) and some hurriedly grilled fast food burgers (the E. coli contribution).
Bon Appetite
Sunday, November 28, 2010
28 November 2010 Hard and heavy frost
This morning, the first heavy, hard frost of our season covered the ground, decks, and cars. I suppose this means that hay-fever season is ending. Since we’ve already received our influenza immunizations we may get to skip a scheduled reason for runny noses and stopped up sinuses. One can hope. Nevertheless, with the passing of one reason for allergic rhinitis comes a reason for those reasons related to wood-burning stoves, uneven heating, and low humidity indoors. There is no perfect season.
Still, if forced to choose only one season to live in, climate-wise, I’d pick autumn every time. The pollen counts are diminished, the biting and otherwise annoying insects are gone, and there’s enough temperature variation to make it possible to work outdoors part of the time and to sleep comfortably indoors.
Today is a beautiful, bright day, one to enjoy, one to remember. Nothing much requires being said today.
Still, if forced to choose only one season to live in, climate-wise, I’d pick autumn every time. The pollen counts are diminished, the biting and otherwise annoying insects are gone, and there’s enough temperature variation to make it possible to work outdoors part of the time and to sleep comfortably indoors.
Today is a beautiful, bright day, one to enjoy, one to remember. Nothing much requires being said today.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
27 November 2010 Mass Murder, Treason, or both
CNN:
“Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia, was seized in connection with a plan to detonate what he believed to be a vehicle bomb at the ceremony on Friday night, the Justice Department announced.
Mohamud was whisked away by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau after he attempted to detonate what he believed was an explosives-laden van parked near the tree-lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Justice Department said in a written statement.
But the bomb turned out to be fake, thanks to an undercover operation designed to undermine the plotter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said "the materials were not explosive," and officials said the public was never in danger from the mock device.
A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, and a student at Oregon State University, Mohamud -- who now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine -- was arrested on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI said. He will make his initial appearance in federal court in Portland on Monday, the Justice Department said.”
Cassi Creek:
The nature of the intended crime is heinous. Detonating a car bomb at a public event with the expressed intent of maiming and murdering as many people as possible is in no way that I can understand going to win one a place in anyone’s version of Paradise. A pattern of radicalization among Somali immigrants and those from other nations to the U.S seems to be emerging. Naturalized U.S, citizens are being convinced by external Islamic sources to carry out Jihad against the nation that allowed them to immigrate, to obtain a modern education, and to acquire the full rights of citizenship.
I have some concern about the possibility of FBI agents being charged with entrapment as they are actually participating in the planning and preparation of some of the attempts at detonating bombs. Yet no one is forcing any of these would-be terrorists to contact the radical Islamic sources or to engage in any activity that might lead to mass murder.
I have yet to see any of these naturalized citizens, or for that matter, native citizens indicted for treason. In the case of domestic terrorists such as Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh, I would think that any attack centering upon a federal building or facility might rightfully demand the consideration of “Treason” as a possible charge.
Using http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/treason as a source of definition and explanation it becomes clear why there were no treason charges against Rudolph and McVeigh
However, as a result of these prominent domestic terror attacks, the U.S. government passed legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. From 1995 to 2005, over 60 domestic terrorism plots were foiled due to preventive measures taken in response to the bombing – source (^ a b Blejwas, Andrew; Anthony Griggs and Mark Potok (Summer 2005). "Almost 60 Terrorist Plots Uncovered in the U.S.: Terror From the Right". Southern Poverty Law Center. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/summer/terror-from-the-right-0. Retrieved June 17, 2009)
Treason is defined as “The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
“Under Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, any person who levies war against the United States or adheres to its enemies by giving them Aid and Comfort has committed treason within the meaning of the Constitution. The term aid and comfort refers to any act that manifests a betrayal of allegiance to the United States, such as furnishing enemies with arms, troops, transportation, shelter, or classified information. If a subversive act has any tendency to weaken the power of the United States to attack or resist its enemies, aid and comfort has been given.
“The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution”
This still leaves a hazy zone, in my perception, around foreign terrorists and around domestic terrorists engaged, trained, and deployed by foreign sources/agents such as these radicalized Muslim who are naturalized or even native U.S, citizens.
In the case of foreign-directed terrorists who are working with intent to damage or demolish our government; or to destroy the integrity of our borders, or harm members of our armed forces at home or abroad, the decision hinges around the purposeful involvement of a foreign government. The repeated attempts by China to acquire information from people involved in our nuclear weapons programs are clearly directing our citizens to carry out a treasonous acts but they can’t be charged with treason, as we are not at war with China. Espionage alone is not treason. Thus, the Rosenbergs were not guilty of treason, only espionage.
In situations, which emanate from the willful recruitment, radicalization, training, and deployment of our citizens by a non-governmental source, the difficulty grows. We understand that there is a faction of Islam, radicalized and funded by one or more governments, which is increasingly hostile to the United States for many reasons. The 9-11 hijackers are the spawn of such fundamentalist Muslims. While they were not Afghani in citizenship or residence they were directed from Afghanistan and their actions were possibly funded by various Arab governments.
Because of the use of non-Western methods of money transfer the sources of money used to recruit and fund attempts such as the Oregon incident, or the failed Times Square car bombing, pinning any action on foreign governments is extremely difficult. If such connections are taking place, the source governments are using great care to avoid our acquisition of such definitive information. Without it, we can’t justify a declaration of war against a Muslim nation. The intent by government-backed but not-governmental sources such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or Al Queda, or by individuals such as bin Laden or Al Awlaki to fund, plan, and initiate acts of war against the United States also precludes the use of treason as a valid charge. While we recognize that some religious sects wish to destroy our government, despite the insistence of our poorly educated right wing theocrats, we can’t declare war against a religious group. Ideologies are not governments, cannot be defeated with force of arms.
The Ft Hood attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan can’t be called treason. Though acting under the influence of a religious extremist who openly proclaims that all Islam should attack the U.S., he was not acting as the agent of a foreign power. While his intentions may well have been treasonous, his crime was not and cannot be.
In one aspect, treason may be even more despicable. It may be about the exchange rate in many instances. Indeed, the etymology of the word traitor originates with Judas' handing over of Jesus to the Roman authorities: the word is derived from the Latin traditorem which means "one who delivers."
That is probably more than most want to know about the origin and etymology.
The number of Somali males who return to Somali for radicalization and then become either fighters there or return to the U.S, as a potential sleeper is growing worrisome. So is the number of other foreign-borne citizens from South Asia. I have little concern for how they live in other nations. I am concerned that they not become an open source of political and civil danger in this nation. Most of all, I want them to follow our laws so that our reactionary theocrats don’t have the ammunition to take us back to the days of red scares and McCarthyism.
When it comes down to which group is the greater danger, I’d have to say the American brand of Taliban worry me more.
Friday, November 26, 2010
26 November 2010 Odds, ins, and outs
Among other annoyances, I’d like to take issue with the misuse of the word,”issue,” when the appropriate word should be, “problem.” Yes, I do have a problem with you if you have fallen into the trap of using “issue” do describe every malfunction, machine, technical, or human related that you encounter.
When your car has a flat you don’t have a “tire issue;” you have a problem. At issue is how you will manage to pay for having the problem resolved. You don’t have an issue with someone else you have a problem. “Issue” is what flows from your mouth, perhaps creating the problem to begin with. “Issue” has become miserably over-used, in part due to the rampant spread of pop-psychology and its unholy merger with corporate motivational speakers hired to convince over-worked and underpaid employees that magical thinking will make them happy while working in a bad job for bad employers.
“Pop” is another word I no longer need to hear. “Pop” is a mildly explosive sound, not an action taken by some color, taste, or sound to convince the masses that they should buy it. If a color pops, the fabric or material involved is likely being over-heated.
The combination of “biz-speak,” “pop-psych/motivational-speak, and the growing use of texting abbreviations as words, English as a language is under a multi-directional assault that may result in English losing ground to a patois of grammatical errors, misspelled words, and misused words that render the language of Shakespeare and other great writers no longer intelligible to the youngest generation of U.S, residents.
We’ll come back to this again. Almost certainly, Palin will utter some gibberish while reminding us that she studied journalism and knows how to communicate. She may well be able to reach her fans on an emotional and religious level. However, her acquaintance with English as a language of skilled communications is non-existent.
Time to light the fire.
When your car has a flat you don’t have a “tire issue;” you have a problem. At issue is how you will manage to pay for having the problem resolved. You don’t have an issue with someone else you have a problem. “Issue” is what flows from your mouth, perhaps creating the problem to begin with. “Issue” has become miserably over-used, in part due to the rampant spread of pop-psychology and its unholy merger with corporate motivational speakers hired to convince over-worked and underpaid employees that magical thinking will make them happy while working in a bad job for bad employers.
“Pop” is another word I no longer need to hear. “Pop” is a mildly explosive sound, not an action taken by some color, taste, or sound to convince the masses that they should buy it. If a color pops, the fabric or material involved is likely being over-heated.
The combination of “biz-speak,” “pop-psych/motivational-speak, and the growing use of texting abbreviations as words, English as a language is under a multi-directional assault that may result in English losing ground to a patois of grammatical errors, misspelled words, and misused words that render the language of Shakespeare and other great writers no longer intelligible to the youngest generation of U.S, residents.
We’ll come back to this again. Almost certainly, Palin will utter some gibberish while reminding us that she studied journalism and knows how to communicate. She may well be able to reach her fans on an emotional and religious level. However, her acquaintance with English as a language of skilled communications is non-existent.
Time to light the fire.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
25 November 2010 Who needs an educated elite?
After all, the internet, facebook, twitter, and private jets have already been invented.
Tom Toles writes about Palin(s) in the Washington Post. What he has to say about the future of this nation is frightening at best:
“No, actually, they DO care about qualifications. Qualifications are now disqualifying. Mother and child are popular PRECISELY BECAUSE they are underqualified. Because the new culture war is no longer against the rich, but against "elites" and knowledge and reality. Expect the next wave in education reform to be saving money by doing away with schools altogether. You don't need a fancy education to be on TV! --Tom Toles”
Roland Martin comments on CNN:
“It's clear that we can't go 24 hours without Sarah Palin saying something so stupid that it defies logic, but leave it to the Kim Kardashian of politics to find something wrong with first lady Michelle Obama's effort to curb obesity in America's kids.”
Cassi Creek: It is Thanksgiving; 25 November 2010.Our local weather is excellent. Temperature at 1418 is 74°F. We may see falling temperatures and rain tonight but I really don’t care. Today is fine. Much to be grateful for.
The sides, roasted vegetables with chestnuts and lemon-(no fennel) dressing are in the oven. The duck is currently on the grill over nice smoky coals that will burn out too soon to completely cook it. There’s room in the oven to finish it off. As long as it doesn’t burn we’ll have a very enjoyable dinner. The duck will be served with a cranberry-orange-lemon-ginger-cinnamon-nutmeg-pistachio compote to complement the richness that is Long Island duck.
So, in the midst of all the festive nature of the day why did I mention Palin at all? Despite the danger to the nation she represents she does benefit at least two groups of Americans, perhaps three after the N.Korea idiocy and the attack aimed at Barbara Bush. The real media, composed of Journalists who do read and who can recall what they read, are going to have a field day as she alienates more and more of them by her petty and unfounded attacks on a profession that she can ill afford to insult and anger. The GOP professionals are going to be dragged into the effort to squash and expel her from any chance of national role or office as she demonstrates daily why she should be expelled. But the group, which will benefit most, is the comedy writers and comedians who are going to be picking up on every single error the woman commits. It may be a whole lot too early for another campaign, but it appears to be the right time for Tina Fey and friends to pick up where they left off.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tom Toles writes about Palin(s) in the Washington Post. What he has to say about the future of this nation is frightening at best:
“No, actually, they DO care about qualifications. Qualifications are now disqualifying. Mother and child are popular PRECISELY BECAUSE they are underqualified. Because the new culture war is no longer against the rich, but against "elites" and knowledge and reality. Expect the next wave in education reform to be saving money by doing away with schools altogether. You don't need a fancy education to be on TV! --Tom Toles”
Roland Martin comments on CNN:
“It's clear that we can't go 24 hours without Sarah Palin saying something so stupid that it defies logic, but leave it to the Kim Kardashian of politics to find something wrong with first lady Michelle Obama's effort to curb obesity in America's kids.”
Cassi Creek: It is Thanksgiving; 25 November 2010.Our local weather is excellent. Temperature at 1418 is 74°F. We may see falling temperatures and rain tonight but I really don’t care. Today is fine. Much to be grateful for.
The sides, roasted vegetables with chestnuts and lemon-(no fennel) dressing are in the oven. The duck is currently on the grill over nice smoky coals that will burn out too soon to completely cook it. There’s room in the oven to finish it off. As long as it doesn’t burn we’ll have a very enjoyable dinner. The duck will be served with a cranberry-orange-lemon-ginger-cinnamon-nutmeg-pistachio compote to complement the richness that is Long Island duck.
So, in the midst of all the festive nature of the day why did I mention Palin at all? Despite the danger to the nation she represents she does benefit at least two groups of Americans, perhaps three after the N.Korea idiocy and the attack aimed at Barbara Bush. The real media, composed of Journalists who do read and who can recall what they read, are going to have a field day as she alienates more and more of them by her petty and unfounded attacks on a profession that she can ill afford to insult and anger. The GOP professionals are going to be dragged into the effort to squash and expel her from any chance of national role or office as she demonstrates daily why she should be expelled. But the group, which will benefit most, is the comedy writers and comedians who are going to be picking up on every single error the woman commits. It may be a whole lot too early for another campaign, but it appears to be the right time for Tina Fey and friends to pick up where they left off.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
24 November 2010 Viaduct
Vy not a chicken? Old vaudeville joke, old laughs, limited audience and dwindling understanding of why it is funny.
Why a duck? Because we like duck and rarely have it. Because the two of us don’t need a turkey. There’s no room in our refrigerator to thaw a turkey. A duck will just fit.
I found a great-sounding recipe this morning for a roast fennel-lemon dressing/stuffing. We had almost everthing needed on the shelf except two bulbs of fennel. I went grocery shopping this morning. We still have no fennel. There’s no good substitute for fennel. Perhaps we’ll have it next year.
For those of you who like pancetta, here’s something that I think will be tasty.
Caramelized Onion with Pancetta & Rosemary Stuffing
Ingredients
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 large sweet onions, diced (about
• 3 cups)
• 1 package (4 ounces) cubed pancetta (about 1 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 cups Swanson Chicken broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1 package (14 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned stuffing
Preparation
1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes or until well browned, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir the pancetta, garlic, celery and rosemary in the saucepan and cook until the pancetta is well browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in the broth and sherry and heat to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the stuffing and mix lightly. Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 3-quart casserole. Cover the casserole.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the stuffing mixture is hot.
Preparation Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Bake Time
30 minutes
Serves
Makes 12 servings (about 3/4 cup each)
And also interesting, if you have some fennel:
Roasted Fennel with Lemon Stuffing
Ingredients
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and diced (about 3 cups)
• 2 medium sweet onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 3 cups Swanson Chicken broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)
• 1 package (14 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned stuffing
Preparation
1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the fennel, onions and garlic into a large bowl. Add the oil and toss to coat. Spoon the fennel mixture onto 2 rimmed baking sheets.
2. Roast for 30 minutes or until the fennel mixture is lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Stir the fennel mixture, lemon zest, parsley, pine nuts and broth in a large bowl. Add the stuffing and mix lightly. Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 3-quart casserole. Cover the casserole.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the stuffing mixture is hot.
Preparation Time
25 minutes
Roast Time
30 minutes
Bake Time
30 minutes
Serves
Makes 12 servings (about 3/4 cup each)
Safe travel and happy thanksgiving!
Why a duck? Because we like duck and rarely have it. Because the two of us don’t need a turkey. There’s no room in our refrigerator to thaw a turkey. A duck will just fit.
I found a great-sounding recipe this morning for a roast fennel-lemon dressing/stuffing. We had almost everthing needed on the shelf except two bulbs of fennel. I went grocery shopping this morning. We still have no fennel. There’s no good substitute for fennel. Perhaps we’ll have it next year.
For those of you who like pancetta, here’s something that I think will be tasty.
Caramelized Onion with Pancetta & Rosemary Stuffing
Ingredients
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 large sweet onions, diced (about
• 3 cups)
• 1 package (4 ounces) cubed pancetta (about 1 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 cups Swanson Chicken broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1 package (14 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned stuffing
Preparation
1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes or until well browned, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir the pancetta, garlic, celery and rosemary in the saucepan and cook until the pancetta is well browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in the broth and sherry and heat to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the stuffing and mix lightly. Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 3-quart casserole. Cover the casserole.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the stuffing mixture is hot.
Preparation Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Bake Time
30 minutes
Serves
Makes 12 servings (about 3/4 cup each)
And also interesting, if you have some fennel:
Roasted Fennel with Lemon Stuffing
Ingredients
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and diced (about 3 cups)
• 2 medium sweet onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 3 cups Swanson Chicken broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)
• 1 package (14 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned stuffing
Preparation
1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the fennel, onions and garlic into a large bowl. Add the oil and toss to coat. Spoon the fennel mixture onto 2 rimmed baking sheets.
2. Roast for 30 minutes or until the fennel mixture is lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Stir the fennel mixture, lemon zest, parsley, pine nuts and broth in a large bowl. Add the stuffing and mix lightly. Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 3-quart casserole. Cover the casserole.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the stuffing mixture is hot.
Preparation Time
25 minutes
Roast Time
30 minutes
Bake Time
30 minutes
Serves
Makes 12 servings (about 3/4 cup each)
Safe travel and happy thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
23 November 2010 Who’s afraid of the big bad anchor
Palin, in her house of straw and hypocrisy
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
“Speaking to Fox New's Sean Hannity in an interview to air Monday, Palin said she wants nothing to do with Katie Couric, the CBS Evening News anchor who's line of questioning facilitated one of the most memorable political foibles of the 2008 presidential campaign.
"As for doing an interview, though, with a reporter who already has such a bias against whatever it is that I would come out and say? Why waste my time? No," Palin told Hannity of Couric, according to excerpts obtained by Time's Mark Halperin.
"I want to help clean up the state that is so sorry today of journalism. And I have a communications degree. I studied journalism, who, what, where, when, and why of reporting," Palin continued. "I will speak to reporters who still understand that cornerstone of our democracy, that expectation that the public has for truth to be reported. And then we get to decide our own opinion based on the facts reported to us."
“"So a journalist, a reporter who is so biased and will, no doubt, spin and gin up whatever it is that I have to say to create controversy, I swear to you, I will not my waste my time with her. Or him," she told Hannity in the interview Monday
Attack on Michelle Obama shows Palin's ignorance of history
By Richard Cohen
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112204388.html
Worth the time to read this. Cohen exactly on target!
Cassi Creek: Once again the entry I had intended to write is sidelined by another utterly mindless pronouncement by Palin. (note that I afford her no honorific- there is nothing honorable about her) She has surfaced on the Fox News network to hurl invective and lies from the safety of the un-news programming that carries no truth and nothing derogatory with regard to the slaughterer of wolves and the English language.
In the act of pretending that she is not campaigning for POTUS, she has launched another attack aimed at Katie Kouric of CBS for daring to ask her what she reads. Somehow this question must remind her of how poorly prepared she is for any public office. She refers to it as a trick or “gotcha” question whenever the interview is brought up by any of her antagonists. I’ve never encountered a potential candidate for high office who couldn’t rattle off a list of newspapers, magazines, and books with no effort at all when asked about what they read. The only logical conclusion stemming from Palin’s miserable failure is that she didn’t, doesn’t, and most likely never will read.
Tied to here reminder that she studied journalism and communications is another glaring reminder of how alien English must be to her brain. If I were trumpeting my ability to communicate, I believe I would be able to voice it in better grammatical form than the garbled mess that spills from her mouth. She simultaneously proclaims that she will not submit to questioning by any correspondent, reporter, or journalist who will not allow Palin to form the questions, the answers to those questions, and then to spin them to cover her inability to read and speak English.
This smacks of totalitarian methods of propaganda distribution. Palin wants absolute control over what she wants to become the party line, the truth, the glorification of Palin by the media and the mob. The Tea Party mobs seem to be willing to accept her manipulation of the truth. Of course, the truth according to Fox, Beck, Limbaugh, Huckabee, and Palin need have no acquaintance with the truth recognized by the rest of the world. This is the King James truth, a false morality laid down by people all too familiar with ignoring that morality when it is applied to them.
This is Palin for the mob. When she attacks the intellectual elite for people who have no familiarity with the inside of a library or with news that isn’t pre-chewed, packaged, and spoon-fed them by various demagogues spewing lies and hatred on a closed loop; she’ addressing the lowest common denominator. She’s talking to the people who ghosted through middle school and high school because they could throw a ball or jump around in sequins while screaming some mindless mob chant. She’s talking to people who hate science because they can’t do the math involved, read the big words, or memorize a list of things and recall it a week later.
She’s inserted herself in the GOP/teavangelist hierarchy for eventual elevation to Empress, although Czarina might better describe her combined intellectual and emotional capacity. If we put her in the Julian line-up as she desires, she must either fill the role of Caligula or Nero. The others require too much sanity.
Someday now, Palin will wind up in a real interview and/or debate; one which does not allow her to pick and choose safe questions or refuse to cooperate with a moderator of someone else’s choosing. I want to see that happen. It will make the Katie Couric interview look like a love letter. Who’s afraid of the big, bad, journalist?
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
“Speaking to Fox New's Sean Hannity in an interview to air Monday, Palin said she wants nothing to do with Katie Couric, the CBS Evening News anchor who's line of questioning facilitated one of the most memorable political foibles of the 2008 presidential campaign.
"As for doing an interview, though, with a reporter who already has such a bias against whatever it is that I would come out and say? Why waste my time? No," Palin told Hannity of Couric, according to excerpts obtained by Time's Mark Halperin.
"I want to help clean up the state that is so sorry today of journalism. And I have a communications degree. I studied journalism, who, what, where, when, and why of reporting," Palin continued. "I will speak to reporters who still understand that cornerstone of our democracy, that expectation that the public has for truth to be reported. And then we get to decide our own opinion based on the facts reported to us."
“"So a journalist, a reporter who is so biased and will, no doubt, spin and gin up whatever it is that I have to say to create controversy, I swear to you, I will not my waste my time with her. Or him," she told Hannity in the interview Monday
Attack on Michelle Obama shows Palin's ignorance of history
By Richard Cohen
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112204388.html
Worth the time to read this. Cohen exactly on target!
Cassi Creek: Once again the entry I had intended to write is sidelined by another utterly mindless pronouncement by Palin. (note that I afford her no honorific- there is nothing honorable about her) She has surfaced on the Fox News network to hurl invective and lies from the safety of the un-news programming that carries no truth and nothing derogatory with regard to the slaughterer of wolves and the English language.
In the act of pretending that she is not campaigning for POTUS, she has launched another attack aimed at Katie Kouric of CBS for daring to ask her what she reads. Somehow this question must remind her of how poorly prepared she is for any public office. She refers to it as a trick or “gotcha” question whenever the interview is brought up by any of her antagonists. I’ve never encountered a potential candidate for high office who couldn’t rattle off a list of newspapers, magazines, and books with no effort at all when asked about what they read. The only logical conclusion stemming from Palin’s miserable failure is that she didn’t, doesn’t, and most likely never will read.
Tied to here reminder that she studied journalism and communications is another glaring reminder of how alien English must be to her brain. If I were trumpeting my ability to communicate, I believe I would be able to voice it in better grammatical form than the garbled mess that spills from her mouth. She simultaneously proclaims that she will not submit to questioning by any correspondent, reporter, or journalist who will not allow Palin to form the questions, the answers to those questions, and then to spin them to cover her inability to read and speak English.
This smacks of totalitarian methods of propaganda distribution. Palin wants absolute control over what she wants to become the party line, the truth, the glorification of Palin by the media and the mob. The Tea Party mobs seem to be willing to accept her manipulation of the truth. Of course, the truth according to Fox, Beck, Limbaugh, Huckabee, and Palin need have no acquaintance with the truth recognized by the rest of the world. This is the King James truth, a false morality laid down by people all too familiar with ignoring that morality when it is applied to them.
This is Palin for the mob. When she attacks the intellectual elite for people who have no familiarity with the inside of a library or with news that isn’t pre-chewed, packaged, and spoon-fed them by various demagogues spewing lies and hatred on a closed loop; she’ addressing the lowest common denominator. She’s talking to the people who ghosted through middle school and high school because they could throw a ball or jump around in sequins while screaming some mindless mob chant. She’s talking to people who hate science because they can’t do the math involved, read the big words, or memorize a list of things and recall it a week later.
She’s inserted herself in the GOP/teavangelist hierarchy for eventual elevation to Empress, although Czarina might better describe her combined intellectual and emotional capacity. If we put her in the Julian line-up as she desires, she must either fill the role of Caligula or Nero. The others require too much sanity.
Someday now, Palin will wind up in a real interview and/or debate; one which does not allow her to pick and choose safe questions or refuse to cooperate with a moderator of someone else’s choosing. I want to see that happen. It will make the Katie Couric interview look like a love letter. Who’s afraid of the big, bad, journalist?
Monday, November 22, 2010
22 November 2010 And may you stay forever young
Casi Creek:
Cold wind of late Autumn burning through our souls,
Warns of painful changes, questioning our roles,
Warns of coming struggles, warns us of the odds.
Storm foretells the winter, twilight of the gods.
See the caisson rolling, hear the sharp reports of guns,
And the black horse, riderless, dancing to the drums.
Huge, the things he started, Bright the words he spoke
Ringing in the changes with a youthful, brilliant stroke,
John, he gave us music, and John, he gave us hope.
Changed our ways of seeing with a crashing single note.
Now the troops are all in dress blues, crepe, and muffled drums,
And the black horse, skittish, riderless, flinches from the guns.
On this date in 1963, President John F Kennedy was assassinated. He was struck by rifle bullets ostensibly fired by Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald was captured and subsequently killed by Jack Ruby in the Dallas Police Station. The murder and the subsequent investigation by the Warren Commission spawned an entanglement of conspiracy theories as impenetrable as the wire between the trenches that bisected France in WWI. We will likely never know the full truth behind JFK’s untimely death.
There are points in history that link generations. My parent’s generation, survivors of the Great Depression, soldiers, sailors, liberators, volunteers who fought WWII will always remember where they were when Pearl Harbor was attacked and where they were when FDR died.
For Boomers, those of us who retain sufficient working brain tissue will recall where we were when the first moon landing was broadcast round the world; and where we were when we heard the JFK had been assassinated. I’ll leave those recollections unposted. Fill in your own, as you should.
Kennedy was the first President born in the 20th century. He came to office while still young and virile in nature. He was a war hero, the first Catholic to win the Presidency, and a proponent of change in many things. He, along with his brothers and the aid of LBJ, were instrumental in picking up and extending the federal efforts toward ending racial discrimination that Harry Truman had begun. He was a proponent of special warfare, anti-communist but not rabid. He had the courage and the wise choice of advisors that allowed him to face down Nikita Khrushchev in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
As for other changes, he most likely would have pulled our troops out of South Vietnam although that will never be proven. He was both a WWII and Cold Warrior. And upon his promise, we reached for and made it to the moon. It is hard to plot where he might have taken this nation had he lived. As with any fallen leader, the legacy is not clear.
I initially headed this entry “Johnny we hardly knew ye.” It seemed appropriate for a military hero and fallen leader. But we didn’t really know him as well as we thought we did. As JFK held office folk songs were being pushed off the airways by folk-rock. Change was beginning to redefine what and who we listened to on our radios. So a bit of thought brought a better header to mind. As military heroes are wont to do, he died too young, life and plans incomplete. We’ll always see him at that age. His fame and his misfortune are to be “forever young.”
“May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
“May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
“May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young”
Copyright © 1973 by Ram's Horn Music; renewed 2001 by Ram’s Horn Music
Cold wind of late Autumn burning through our souls,
Warns of painful changes, questioning our roles,
Warns of coming struggles, warns us of the odds.
Storm foretells the winter, twilight of the gods.
See the caisson rolling, hear the sharp reports of guns,
And the black horse, riderless, dancing to the drums.
Huge, the things he started, Bright the words he spoke
Ringing in the changes with a youthful, brilliant stroke,
John, he gave us music, and John, he gave us hope.
Changed our ways of seeing with a crashing single note.
Now the troops are all in dress blues, crepe, and muffled drums,
And the black horse, skittish, riderless, flinches from the guns.
On this date in 1963, President John F Kennedy was assassinated. He was struck by rifle bullets ostensibly fired by Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald was captured and subsequently killed by Jack Ruby in the Dallas Police Station. The murder and the subsequent investigation by the Warren Commission spawned an entanglement of conspiracy theories as impenetrable as the wire between the trenches that bisected France in WWI. We will likely never know the full truth behind JFK’s untimely death.
There are points in history that link generations. My parent’s generation, survivors of the Great Depression, soldiers, sailors, liberators, volunteers who fought WWII will always remember where they were when Pearl Harbor was attacked and where they were when FDR died.
For Boomers, those of us who retain sufficient working brain tissue will recall where we were when the first moon landing was broadcast round the world; and where we were when we heard the JFK had been assassinated. I’ll leave those recollections unposted. Fill in your own, as you should.
Kennedy was the first President born in the 20th century. He came to office while still young and virile in nature. He was a war hero, the first Catholic to win the Presidency, and a proponent of change in many things. He, along with his brothers and the aid of LBJ, were instrumental in picking up and extending the federal efforts toward ending racial discrimination that Harry Truman had begun. He was a proponent of special warfare, anti-communist but not rabid. He had the courage and the wise choice of advisors that allowed him to face down Nikita Khrushchev in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
As for other changes, he most likely would have pulled our troops out of South Vietnam although that will never be proven. He was both a WWII and Cold Warrior. And upon his promise, we reached for and made it to the moon. It is hard to plot where he might have taken this nation had he lived. As with any fallen leader, the legacy is not clear.
I initially headed this entry “Johnny we hardly knew ye.” It seemed appropriate for a military hero and fallen leader. But we didn’t really know him as well as we thought we did. As JFK held office folk songs were being pushed off the airways by folk-rock. Change was beginning to redefine what and who we listened to on our radios. So a bit of thought brought a better header to mind. As military heroes are wont to do, he died too young, life and plans incomplete. We’ll always see him at that age. His fame and his misfortune are to be “forever young.”
“May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
“May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
“May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young”
Copyright © 1973 by Ram's Horn Music; renewed 2001 by Ram’s Horn Music
Sunday, November 21, 2010
21 November 2010 Cultural sensitivity begins where the culture exists
Afghans want their country back - and Americans should listen
By David Ignatius
Sunday, November 21, 2010
America's first problem in Afghanistan is that the Afghan people in the key battleground don't understand why we're there: When pollsters read a simple summary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack and its aftermath to a sample of 1,000 young men in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, only 8 percent said they knew about this event.
The poll results convey a stark reality about this war: People in the Pashtun region of southern Afghanistan resent foreign fighters. Most don't comprehend why they have come or how they might offer a better future than would the Taliban. They feel that America and its allies don't respect their traditions…
“The numbers show that Afghans remain wary, even as U.S. troops pound the Taliban: 50 percent of those polled in October think recent military operations are bad for the Afghan people; 58 percent think it's wrong to work with foreign forces; 55 percent oppose military operations against the Taliban in their area; 72 percent say that foreigners disrespect their religion…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/19/AR2010111904376.html
Cassi Creek:
One of the many things the GOP and its minions have found to dislike about President Obama is his program to increase the U.S. government’s apparent sensitivity to the world’s Muslims. They have objected to his Cairo speech, his administration’s policy shift toward Israel, his visits to Muslim nations, and his command to NASA to promote the contributions of Arab/Muslim culture to manned space flight.
Personally, I find the charge to NASA to be poorly founded and of little or no merit. The nature of human discovery is such that if the proto-Arabs had not developed a decimal-based mathematics to use in trade, another culture would have. The proto-Arabs may have put pen and zeros to papyrus or clay. The early Greeks developed higher mathematics, calculated the circumference of the globe, laid the groundwork for ballistics, and many other uses for ten separate numbers. It makes more sense to thank Greece for manned space flight than the current Muslim states.
We’ve seen political correctness run rampant for decades now. We have college courses designed to assuage the anger and angst of nearly every political and ethnic group. We go overboard in what we are told is essential concern for other cultures. Somehow, we’ve failed to figure out that we have failed utterly to demonstrate concern and understanding for the Afghanis and Iraqis.
We invaded and occupied Iraq, deposed an existing government, destroyed what working infrastructure existed, plunged their nation into political and religious turmoil, directly and indirectly caused the deaths of unknown thousands of Iraqis.
We invaded and partially occupied Afghanistan, extending their current period of warfare by at least another two decades, and have wasted time, money, and countless lives supporting another corrupt government, trying to depose a self-appointed theocracy, and pushing them toward a western culture that they have no desire to establish or live in.
And we failed utterly to ask either nation if they wanted our help.
Yes, the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 is partially justified by the WTC and Pentagon attacks, planned and launched from Afghanistan by a terrorist who was then sheltered by a government of religious fundamentalists who espouse a 7th century lifestyle for most of the Afghan nation. I supported the hunt for bin Laden, which might have been successful except for the intervention of command authority at Tora-Bora. Our civilian leaders essentially ordered our troops to stand down and to let Afghani forces have the opportunity to capture or kill bin Laden. Their religious affiliation meant more to them than their nationality. Our leadership should have known that but failed to do their groundwork there or in Iraq.
Our plans to modernize and re-equip an Afghan army that has no loyalty to the state or the army are not going to work. In that region of the world, Islam over-rides nearly everything else today. Perhaps we might be able to buy a palace guard in Kabul but we have no hope of leaving a modern and working Afghani army in our wake. We claim we want to provide a culture in Afghanistan that protects children and women from abuse, from cultural and social customs and codes that prevent education for females, that allow treatment of women we consider barbaric. We claim we want to overthrow and replace the Taliban with a western style government.
It is simply not going to happen. Every army that has tried to modernize Afghanistan has failed. The Afghans may want a different political system or they may not. But they do not want anything shoved down their throats; not by Alexander, not by Victoria’s army, not by the Soviets, and not by the U.S. We are all infidel foreigners and they want nothing from us but our departure.
Our current government, which was elected promising to end the Afghan war, has become confused. We have no current justification for our troops to be in combat or in any other role in Afghanistan. In our zeal to reform a backward, hostile, failing state, we’ve allowed our supposed sympathy and concern for our Islamic co-inhabitants on this globe to be forgotten. Of course, the Bush admin had no real awareness of how Afghanistan or any Islamic nation really functions. The Obama admin, if it knew before it was elected, has obviously forgotten.
Therefore, it is time to look at the facts. The Afghanis don’t really know why we are there, don’t want out help in replacing the Taliban, don’t dislike bin Laden or want him captured. They do want us to leave them alone and quit expecting them to change the way their tribal society has operated for centuries.
President Obama, you promised to end this war. The time to bring our troops home is now. If you don’t believe me, ask the Afghanis in Helmand and Kandahar provinces. Then don’t bother to apologize to them, just order our troops home.
If you feel the need to apologize to anyone in this matter, apologize to our troops on behalf of the previous U.S, administration and the Congress that sent them into the hellhole that is Afghanistan today.
By David Ignatius
Sunday, November 21, 2010
America's first problem in Afghanistan is that the Afghan people in the key battleground don't understand why we're there: When pollsters read a simple summary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack and its aftermath to a sample of 1,000 young men in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, only 8 percent said they knew about this event.
The poll results convey a stark reality about this war: People in the Pashtun region of southern Afghanistan resent foreign fighters. Most don't comprehend why they have come or how they might offer a better future than would the Taliban. They feel that America and its allies don't respect their traditions…
“The numbers show that Afghans remain wary, even as U.S. troops pound the Taliban: 50 percent of those polled in October think recent military operations are bad for the Afghan people; 58 percent think it's wrong to work with foreign forces; 55 percent oppose military operations against the Taliban in their area; 72 percent say that foreigners disrespect their religion…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/19/AR2010111904376.html
Cassi Creek:
One of the many things the GOP and its minions have found to dislike about President Obama is his program to increase the U.S. government’s apparent sensitivity to the world’s Muslims. They have objected to his Cairo speech, his administration’s policy shift toward Israel, his visits to Muslim nations, and his command to NASA to promote the contributions of Arab/Muslim culture to manned space flight.
Personally, I find the charge to NASA to be poorly founded and of little or no merit. The nature of human discovery is such that if the proto-Arabs had not developed a decimal-based mathematics to use in trade, another culture would have. The proto-Arabs may have put pen and zeros to papyrus or clay. The early Greeks developed higher mathematics, calculated the circumference of the globe, laid the groundwork for ballistics, and many other uses for ten separate numbers. It makes more sense to thank Greece for manned space flight than the current Muslim states.
We’ve seen political correctness run rampant for decades now. We have college courses designed to assuage the anger and angst of nearly every political and ethnic group. We go overboard in what we are told is essential concern for other cultures. Somehow, we’ve failed to figure out that we have failed utterly to demonstrate concern and understanding for the Afghanis and Iraqis.
We invaded and occupied Iraq, deposed an existing government, destroyed what working infrastructure existed, plunged their nation into political and religious turmoil, directly and indirectly caused the deaths of unknown thousands of Iraqis.
We invaded and partially occupied Afghanistan, extending their current period of warfare by at least another two decades, and have wasted time, money, and countless lives supporting another corrupt government, trying to depose a self-appointed theocracy, and pushing them toward a western culture that they have no desire to establish or live in.
And we failed utterly to ask either nation if they wanted our help.
Yes, the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 is partially justified by the WTC and Pentagon attacks, planned and launched from Afghanistan by a terrorist who was then sheltered by a government of religious fundamentalists who espouse a 7th century lifestyle for most of the Afghan nation. I supported the hunt for bin Laden, which might have been successful except for the intervention of command authority at Tora-Bora. Our civilian leaders essentially ordered our troops to stand down and to let Afghani forces have the opportunity to capture or kill bin Laden. Their religious affiliation meant more to them than their nationality. Our leadership should have known that but failed to do their groundwork there or in Iraq.
Our plans to modernize and re-equip an Afghan army that has no loyalty to the state or the army are not going to work. In that region of the world, Islam over-rides nearly everything else today. Perhaps we might be able to buy a palace guard in Kabul but we have no hope of leaving a modern and working Afghani army in our wake. We claim we want to provide a culture in Afghanistan that protects children and women from abuse, from cultural and social customs and codes that prevent education for females, that allow treatment of women we consider barbaric. We claim we want to overthrow and replace the Taliban with a western style government.
It is simply not going to happen. Every army that has tried to modernize Afghanistan has failed. The Afghans may want a different political system or they may not. But they do not want anything shoved down their throats; not by Alexander, not by Victoria’s army, not by the Soviets, and not by the U.S. We are all infidel foreigners and they want nothing from us but our departure.
Our current government, which was elected promising to end the Afghan war, has become confused. We have no current justification for our troops to be in combat or in any other role in Afghanistan. In our zeal to reform a backward, hostile, failing state, we’ve allowed our supposed sympathy and concern for our Islamic co-inhabitants on this globe to be forgotten. Of course, the Bush admin had no real awareness of how Afghanistan or any Islamic nation really functions. The Obama admin, if it knew before it was elected, has obviously forgotten.
Therefore, it is time to look at the facts. The Afghanis don’t really know why we are there, don’t want out help in replacing the Taliban, don’t dislike bin Laden or want him captured. They do want us to leave them alone and quit expecting them to change the way their tribal society has operated for centuries.
President Obama, you promised to end this war. The time to bring our troops home is now. If you don’t believe me, ask the Afghanis in Helmand and Kandahar provinces. Then don’t bother to apologize to them, just order our troops home.
If you feel the need to apologize to anyone in this matter, apologize to our troops on behalf of the previous U.S, administration and the Congress that sent them into the hellhole that is Afghanistan today.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
20 November 2010 Mutualy Assured Destruction requires sanity
No wonder the GOP and the Teavangelists want to block the New START
“Conservatives split with U.S. military leaders over U.S.-Russia nuke treaty
By Mary Beth Sheridan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 19, 2010; 11:01 PM
An unusual split has opened between conservative Republicans and the American military leadership over the U.S.-Russia nuclear treaty, with current and former generals urging swift passage but politicians expressing far more skepticism.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has called the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) "essential to our future security." Retired generals have been so concerned about getting it ratified that some have traveled around the country promoting it.
Seven of eight former commanders of U.S. nuclear forces have urged the Senate to approve the treaty.
But five Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in a recent report that New START was "a bad deal." They added that U.S. military leaders had made assumptions about the pact - including that Russia will honor it - that are "optimistic in the extreme…
Jameson is part of a group of retired military officers who have been traveling the country and meeting with senators, civic groups and journalists to promote the treaty. The general, who retired in 1996, said it was the first time he had taken on such a mission.
"In the past, I was on active duty when those sorts of things were negotiated," he told reporters. "In the past, I think there was this sense this was a bipartisan effort, there was no concern about ratification."
Today, he added, "there is chagrin that not enough people . . . even remember the Cold War."
McConnell makes it official: Obama is Public Enemy No. 1
7:52 am November 4, 2010, by Jay Bookman
“I’ve been hesitant to make too much of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s statement a few days ago that “the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” It seemed over the top, like something McConnell said off the cuff, in the heat of battle, and probably regretted.
Surely it was more important to McConnell as a public servant to get millions of Americans working again, or to restore the nation’s financial health, or to stop Iran from getting the bomb. Surely working toward those and other national goals took priority over trying to defeat Obama, especially in difficult times such as these.
Silly, silly me.
http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2010/11/04/mcconnell-makes-it-official-obama-is-public-enemy-no-1/
Republicans in a post-post-9/11 era
By Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Suppose that during the previous administration the Democrats had opposed President Bush's efforts to protect airplanes from would-be bombers and had blocked his strategy to keep nuclear weapons out of terrorists' hands.
It's a safe bet Bush would charge, as he did more than once during his presidency, that Democrats are "not interested in the security of the American people." Other Republicans would no doubt be running ads juxtaposing Democrats with Osama bin Laden, or alleging, as they did then, that Democrats are giving "comfort to America's enemies."
Yet right now, Republicans are providing the comfort. They are objecting loudly to new airport security measures designed to detect bombs hidden under clothing. And they are blocking a Senate vote on a treaty with Russia that is that is critical to securing loose nukes and keeping Iran from gaining the bomb…
danamilbank@washpost.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/19/AR2010111902596.html
Cassi Creek:
The word “new” in the term “New START” is sufficient cause for the GOP and its right wings to wish to block its ratification. “New Deal,” “New Frontier,” scary words that might mean someone is getting something “they didn’t pay for.” Anything newer than the 19th century, anything progressive in nature, anything that might mean we have to recognize the existence of other nations, other cultures, and other political systems scares the crap out of the party of old white people and the terminally deluded voters who keep returning them to office.
The Teavangelists, the latest manifestation of the Christian fanatics that make up America’s brand of Taliban and grand inquisitors, can’t wait to ally with the aging GOP in hopes of scrapping those parts of the Constitution that prevent the nation being demolished and recast as a theocracy. The two mobs along with an alarming number of other citizens have grabbed onto the dogma of “American exceptionalism.” They claim to believe, and probably do, that the U.S. is “ordained by God” to be the exemplar for all other nations to emulate. This doctrine has roots in the New England Puritan colonies – founded by people so religiously intolerant that they were essentially ejected from England
Excerpted and linked above are recent articles concerning the New START ratification process. The Obama administration wants this ratified now. From my vantage point, I see no reason for any resistance to a treaty that reduces the threat of nuclear weapons deployed against this nation and its citizens. We are no longer in a global power structure with the Soviet Union. China is unlikely to use nuclear weapons against us as they can crush our economy without firing a single round of small arms if they should choose. No other nation with known nuclear capability poses a threat to us currently.
Our goal of isolating Iran and blocking their access to nuclear weaponry depends upon maintaining good relations with other nations, particularly Russia. Allowing political and religious fanatics who have no background knowledge of the START to use it as a political football in hopes of overturning the results of the last Presidential election indicates utter stupidity on the part of our citizenry. Our military leaders favor ratification of this treaty. They are the people who have to maintain national security. As such, they have a collective historical and professional knowledge base that must be respected.
The published goal of putting party politics ahead of national security and the welfare of our citizens is frankly criminal. We make our military subservient to the civil government for historically sound reasons. We send them out to defend us, they have consistently placed their own safety, and well-being behind that of the nation, following orders as required. In turn, they should be able to expect that their lives not be wasted and their knowledge not discarded in political games that benefit no one but politicians.
The nuclear threat today is greatest from people who believe that they can buy a spot in eternal paradise by killing non-believers for their deity. Not surprisingly, the greatest internal threat to our nation comes from a similar group of religious fanatics who think they are charged by their deity to convert the world to fanatical evangelical Christianity. Historically they have been willing to kill others in the process and I doubt that pattern will change. A populace that thinks they will immediately be reborn if they die a martyr has little interest in preventing nuclear war between nations and equally little interest in cooperating with other nations to prevent terrorism using nuclear weapons.
The greatest chance of terrorist gaining access to nuclear weapons today is not Russia, China, India, or even Pakistan; but a group of GOP and Teavangelist members of Congress who want to put party politics ahead of national security. The danger is quite real and is growing with each day these idiots pretend to acting as national leaders.
Perhaps they don’t trust out military leaders to know their profession. I trust these generals and admirals to do what our military has always done, protect the United States regardless of the idiot demands and displays of stupidity that come from Congress. I trust the Russians to act in their best interests as they did during the Cold War. MAD works because people have taken the time and trouble to find out what failure means. Sanity in Russia equates to sanity here, to sanity in Israel, in Britain, etc. But because of an entirely different cultural map, placing religious fanaticism ahead of national and civil interests and security, it does not equate to sanity in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other Mid East nations. Nor, it now seems does sanity of the Cold War MAD defense apply to the U.S, Congress and the Teavangelists any longer. A faction of our elected leaders has chosen to emulate the Taliban and the Inquisition. The nuclear clock is counting down once more because the GOP consistently puts party above nation.
“Conservatives split with U.S. military leaders over U.S.-Russia nuke treaty
By Mary Beth Sheridan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 19, 2010; 11:01 PM
An unusual split has opened between conservative Republicans and the American military leadership over the U.S.-Russia nuclear treaty, with current and former generals urging swift passage but politicians expressing far more skepticism.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has called the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) "essential to our future security." Retired generals have been so concerned about getting it ratified that some have traveled around the country promoting it.
Seven of eight former commanders of U.S. nuclear forces have urged the Senate to approve the treaty.
But five Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in a recent report that New START was "a bad deal." They added that U.S. military leaders had made assumptions about the pact - including that Russia will honor it - that are "optimistic in the extreme…
Jameson is part of a group of retired military officers who have been traveling the country and meeting with senators, civic groups and journalists to promote the treaty. The general, who retired in 1996, said it was the first time he had taken on such a mission.
"In the past, I was on active duty when those sorts of things were negotiated," he told reporters. "In the past, I think there was this sense this was a bipartisan effort, there was no concern about ratification."
Today, he added, "there is chagrin that not enough people . . . even remember the Cold War."
McConnell makes it official: Obama is Public Enemy No. 1
7:52 am November 4, 2010, by Jay Bookman
“I’ve been hesitant to make too much of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s statement a few days ago that “the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” It seemed over the top, like something McConnell said off the cuff, in the heat of battle, and probably regretted.
Surely it was more important to McConnell as a public servant to get millions of Americans working again, or to restore the nation’s financial health, or to stop Iran from getting the bomb. Surely working toward those and other national goals took priority over trying to defeat Obama, especially in difficult times such as these.
Silly, silly me.
http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2010/11/04/mcconnell-makes-it-official-obama-is-public-enemy-no-1/
Republicans in a post-post-9/11 era
By Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Suppose that during the previous administration the Democrats had opposed President Bush's efforts to protect airplanes from would-be bombers and had blocked his strategy to keep nuclear weapons out of terrorists' hands.
It's a safe bet Bush would charge, as he did more than once during his presidency, that Democrats are "not interested in the security of the American people." Other Republicans would no doubt be running ads juxtaposing Democrats with Osama bin Laden, or alleging, as they did then, that Democrats are giving "comfort to America's enemies."
Yet right now, Republicans are providing the comfort. They are objecting loudly to new airport security measures designed to detect bombs hidden under clothing. And they are blocking a Senate vote on a treaty with Russia that is that is critical to securing loose nukes and keeping Iran from gaining the bomb…
danamilbank@washpost.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/19/AR2010111902596.html
Cassi Creek:
The word “new” in the term “New START” is sufficient cause for the GOP and its right wings to wish to block its ratification. “New Deal,” “New Frontier,” scary words that might mean someone is getting something “they didn’t pay for.” Anything newer than the 19th century, anything progressive in nature, anything that might mean we have to recognize the existence of other nations, other cultures, and other political systems scares the crap out of the party of old white people and the terminally deluded voters who keep returning them to office.
The Teavangelists, the latest manifestation of the Christian fanatics that make up America’s brand of Taliban and grand inquisitors, can’t wait to ally with the aging GOP in hopes of scrapping those parts of the Constitution that prevent the nation being demolished and recast as a theocracy. The two mobs along with an alarming number of other citizens have grabbed onto the dogma of “American exceptionalism.” They claim to believe, and probably do, that the U.S. is “ordained by God” to be the exemplar for all other nations to emulate. This doctrine has roots in the New England Puritan colonies – founded by people so religiously intolerant that they were essentially ejected from England
Excerpted and linked above are recent articles concerning the New START ratification process. The Obama administration wants this ratified now. From my vantage point, I see no reason for any resistance to a treaty that reduces the threat of nuclear weapons deployed against this nation and its citizens. We are no longer in a global power structure with the Soviet Union. China is unlikely to use nuclear weapons against us as they can crush our economy without firing a single round of small arms if they should choose. No other nation with known nuclear capability poses a threat to us currently.
Our goal of isolating Iran and blocking their access to nuclear weaponry depends upon maintaining good relations with other nations, particularly Russia. Allowing political and religious fanatics who have no background knowledge of the START to use it as a political football in hopes of overturning the results of the last Presidential election indicates utter stupidity on the part of our citizenry. Our military leaders favor ratification of this treaty. They are the people who have to maintain national security. As such, they have a collective historical and professional knowledge base that must be respected.
The published goal of putting party politics ahead of national security and the welfare of our citizens is frankly criminal. We make our military subservient to the civil government for historically sound reasons. We send them out to defend us, they have consistently placed their own safety, and well-being behind that of the nation, following orders as required. In turn, they should be able to expect that their lives not be wasted and their knowledge not discarded in political games that benefit no one but politicians.
The nuclear threat today is greatest from people who believe that they can buy a spot in eternal paradise by killing non-believers for their deity. Not surprisingly, the greatest internal threat to our nation comes from a similar group of religious fanatics who think they are charged by their deity to convert the world to fanatical evangelical Christianity. Historically they have been willing to kill others in the process and I doubt that pattern will change. A populace that thinks they will immediately be reborn if they die a martyr has little interest in preventing nuclear war between nations and equally little interest in cooperating with other nations to prevent terrorism using nuclear weapons.
The greatest chance of terrorist gaining access to nuclear weapons today is not Russia, China, India, or even Pakistan; but a group of GOP and Teavangelist members of Congress who want to put party politics ahead of national security. The danger is quite real and is growing with each day these idiots pretend to acting as national leaders.
Perhaps they don’t trust out military leaders to know their profession. I trust these generals and admirals to do what our military has always done, protect the United States regardless of the idiot demands and displays of stupidity that come from Congress. I trust the Russians to act in their best interests as they did during the Cold War. MAD works because people have taken the time and trouble to find out what failure means. Sanity in Russia equates to sanity here, to sanity in Israel, in Britain, etc. But because of an entirely different cultural map, placing religious fanaticism ahead of national and civil interests and security, it does not equate to sanity in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other Mid East nations. Nor, it now seems does sanity of the Cold War MAD defense apply to the U.S, Congress and the Teavangelists any longer. A faction of our elected leaders has chosen to emulate the Taliban and the Inquisition. The nuclear clock is counting down once more because the GOP consistently puts party above nation.
Friday, November 19, 2010
19 November 2010 Lowest bid security worked so well in 2001
“A Republican lawmaker, who is faulting big government spending, is suggesting that airports dump the Transportation Security Administration altogether, and opt instead to privatize security.
And some airports, fed up with poor service in a climate where travelers are outraged about the prospect of full-body scanners, are listening.
The consideration comes after Florida Republican Rep. John Mica – a longtime critic of the TSA -- wrote letters to the country’s 100 busiest airports earlier this month asking them to switch to private security.
"I think we could use half the personnel and streamline the system," said the Congressman, who's likely to become the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee when the new Congress assembles in January.
Some of the companies who might take the TSA's place are among the lawmaker's campaign contributors, the Associated Press reported. But Mica's spokesman Justin Harclerod insisted the donations never influenced his proposal.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/11/19/2010-11-19_tsa_comes_under_scrutiny_some_airports_consider_gop_rep_john_micas_proposal_to_d.html#ixzz15kBYFkOi
The GOP, wanting us to believe they care about the safety of our citizens and the security of our nation, can’t wait to privatize every aspect of government and award the contracts to whichever of their corporate sponsors can pretend to provide the same service for the lowest bid. The dust hasn’t settled from the 2010 elections yet, the teavangelists and other kooks elected on the GOP ticket are not yet functional members of Congress; but they’re already lining up to repay their corporate backers by privatizing everything in sight.
Privatizing government services and functions will mean low bid contracts, or no-bid contracts if a company has contributed enough to the GOP propaganda fund. The low bid contracts will supposedly shave the cost of services. Actually, they will shave the salaries or hourly insult paid to the front line people while the corporate owners get to pocket most of the money meant to provide some form of police or screening protection to the public.
Rep Mica is calling for privatizing the TSA functions. He claims that private screeners are as effective as TSA employees. That must be why private security firms on duty 11 September 2001 caught the hijackers and prevented the attacks using aircraft.
The private screening companies, according to Mica can be more cost effective and more efficient. Read that as paid minimum wage with no benefits, working more hours with less staffing. We already have a public angry about screening delays. Cutting the number of screeners and paying them less to do more will not decrease the security delays; unless the poorly paid screeners just wave people through without actually screening them.
This low-bid mentality that the GOP harbors is might work for legislators hiring house hold staff but it has no place in things that impact or effect national security or citizen safety in any manner. The “party of homeland security” would do well to review recent history. They are all upset by the possibility that a mosque might be part of a building constructed two or three blocks from a hole in the ground created by security screening failures. But they seem less bothered by the fact that private contractors presided over that failure. In fact, they seem quite willing to ignore the potential for more holes in the ground, more mass funerals, if their cronies pocket big bonuses while providing the same levels of inadequate private screening that existed in 2001.
When President Carter launched a low-bid rescue mission that failed miserably, the GOP all but crucified him. When George Bush’s administration sent troops into combat with inadequate body armor and under-armored vehicles, the GOP leaders offered platitudes to the soldiers at risk, and hung another pointless yellow ribbon magnet on their cars. When Halliburton’s no-bid contracts resulted in soldiers being electrocuted in poorly built, sub-contracted to lowest bidder showers, more platitudes were uttered and nothing changed. In the world of the GOP, other people exist to labor and die. Anything that delays or evades labor and death is “un-American,” socialist,” and in need of privatizing so that the upper 1% can milk pennies from the people who serve the guns and protect the big corporate assets in hostile lands.
There is no justification for privatizing any aspect of government. Yet the GOP can’t wait to help their big money backers get even richer. What they can’t privatize because of professional ethics fields such as medicine and other sciences, they plan to abolish. Those things include the FDA, the Education Dept, Health and Human Services, and of course, the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our honorable GOP and Teavangelist legislators intend to do away with the Department of Veterans affairs. They intend to discard injured veterans onto the streets, promising them “privatized” care at any medical facility. That is just another GOP lie. Veterans are not intended to recover or even maintain their existing level of health. They’ve labored and now the GOP would prefer they die, quickly.
Mica, and doubtless other legislators will deny any personal benefit from the hoped-for privatization.
Quite frankly, if a GOP legislator tells me the sun is shining, I will look out doors before agreeing. They may fool the people who voted for them. That seems to be easier and easier for them to do these days. I will not believe that any GOP elected official has any concern for the security of this nation or the safety and well-being of its citizens. They’ve all sold out to the highest bidders. No low-bid services for the GOP legislators. You won’t see them standing in line for security screening at Washington National. And if they succeed in privatizing airport security screening, you won’t see them flying commercial at all.
And some airports, fed up with poor service in a climate where travelers are outraged about the prospect of full-body scanners, are listening.
The consideration comes after Florida Republican Rep. John Mica – a longtime critic of the TSA -- wrote letters to the country’s 100 busiest airports earlier this month asking them to switch to private security.
"I think we could use half the personnel and streamline the system," said the Congressman, who's likely to become the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee when the new Congress assembles in January.
Some of the companies who might take the TSA's place are among the lawmaker's campaign contributors, the Associated Press reported. But Mica's spokesman Justin Harclerod insisted the donations never influenced his proposal.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/11/19/2010-11-19_tsa_comes_under_scrutiny_some_airports_consider_gop_rep_john_micas_proposal_to_d.html#ixzz15kBYFkOi
The GOP, wanting us to believe they care about the safety of our citizens and the security of our nation, can’t wait to privatize every aspect of government and award the contracts to whichever of their corporate sponsors can pretend to provide the same service for the lowest bid. The dust hasn’t settled from the 2010 elections yet, the teavangelists and other kooks elected on the GOP ticket are not yet functional members of Congress; but they’re already lining up to repay their corporate backers by privatizing everything in sight.
Privatizing government services and functions will mean low bid contracts, or no-bid contracts if a company has contributed enough to the GOP propaganda fund. The low bid contracts will supposedly shave the cost of services. Actually, they will shave the salaries or hourly insult paid to the front line people while the corporate owners get to pocket most of the money meant to provide some form of police or screening protection to the public.
Rep Mica is calling for privatizing the TSA functions. He claims that private screeners are as effective as TSA employees. That must be why private security firms on duty 11 September 2001 caught the hijackers and prevented the attacks using aircraft.
The private screening companies, according to Mica can be more cost effective and more efficient. Read that as paid minimum wage with no benefits, working more hours with less staffing. We already have a public angry about screening delays. Cutting the number of screeners and paying them less to do more will not decrease the security delays; unless the poorly paid screeners just wave people through without actually screening them.
This low-bid mentality that the GOP harbors is might work for legislators hiring house hold staff but it has no place in things that impact or effect national security or citizen safety in any manner. The “party of homeland security” would do well to review recent history. They are all upset by the possibility that a mosque might be part of a building constructed two or three blocks from a hole in the ground created by security screening failures. But they seem less bothered by the fact that private contractors presided over that failure. In fact, they seem quite willing to ignore the potential for more holes in the ground, more mass funerals, if their cronies pocket big bonuses while providing the same levels of inadequate private screening that existed in 2001.
When President Carter launched a low-bid rescue mission that failed miserably, the GOP all but crucified him. When George Bush’s administration sent troops into combat with inadequate body armor and under-armored vehicles, the GOP leaders offered platitudes to the soldiers at risk, and hung another pointless yellow ribbon magnet on their cars. When Halliburton’s no-bid contracts resulted in soldiers being electrocuted in poorly built, sub-contracted to lowest bidder showers, more platitudes were uttered and nothing changed. In the world of the GOP, other people exist to labor and die. Anything that delays or evades labor and death is “un-American,” socialist,” and in need of privatizing so that the upper 1% can milk pennies from the people who serve the guns and protect the big corporate assets in hostile lands.
There is no justification for privatizing any aspect of government. Yet the GOP can’t wait to help their big money backers get even richer. What they can’t privatize because of professional ethics fields such as medicine and other sciences, they plan to abolish. Those things include the FDA, the Education Dept, Health and Human Services, and of course, the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our honorable GOP and Teavangelist legislators intend to do away with the Department of Veterans affairs. They intend to discard injured veterans onto the streets, promising them “privatized” care at any medical facility. That is just another GOP lie. Veterans are not intended to recover or even maintain their existing level of health. They’ve labored and now the GOP would prefer they die, quickly.
Mica, and doubtless other legislators will deny any personal benefit from the hoped-for privatization.
Quite frankly, if a GOP legislator tells me the sun is shining, I will look out doors before agreeing. They may fool the people who voted for them. That seems to be easier and easier for them to do these days. I will not believe that any GOP elected official has any concern for the security of this nation or the safety and well-being of its citizens. They’ve all sold out to the highest bidders. No low-bid services for the GOP legislators. You won’t see them standing in line for security screening at Washington National. And if they succeed in privatizing airport security screening, you won’t see them flying commercial at all.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
18 November 2010 They can’t be that stupid again, can they?
The Party of National Security?
Published: November 17, 2010
“The world’s nuclear wannabes, starting with Iran, should send a thank you note to Senator Jon Kyl. After months of negotiations with the White House, he has decided to try to block the lame-duck Senate from ratifying the New Start arms control treaty.
The treaty is so central to this country’s national security, and the objections from Mr. Kyl — and apparently the whole Republican leadership — are so absurd that the only explanation is their limitless desire to deny President Obama any legislative success.
The Republicans like to claim that they are the party of national security. We can only hope that other senators in the party will decide that the nation’s security interests must trump political maneuvering…”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/opinion/18thu1.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a211
In a word, Yes! They could be that stupid again. The people who voted for George W. Bush the first time were stupid. Certainly, no one thought that they’d vote for him a second time. No one could be that stupid. They were and they did. The nation wound up with two undeclared and unfunded wars, a destroyed economy; not quite a worldwide depression only because no one in a position of real authority named it one.
Fast forward to 2008 and look at the idiot rumors concerning Barak Obama’s place of birth, religion, and political stance. Somehow, a large portion of our population not only listened to these rumors and lies but came to believe them. The Idiot winds that gave motion to these rumors are highly paid demagogues who call their selves entertainers. They are not. Rather, they are lineal descendents of Goebbels and the Nazi propaganda machine that came into being in the 1930s. They are tied into the hatred and bigotry spread by Father Coughlin, by the Klan, and by McCarthy, dealing in blatant lies that somehow are seized upon as true by people who lack the capacity and the interest in discovering the truth for their selves.
Listen to the screeching lies and innuendo that issue from the mouth of Sarah Palin, part demagogue, part, homecoming queen candidate, and full-time harpy. Look at the faces of her supporters as she calls for violence and then denies doing so. Look at her supporters when she blames her problems on Katie Couric and a biased press/media out to torpedo her campaign. Listen to her supporters as she reads ghostwritten speeches with cores of hatred, of removing economic safety nets, of paying off businesses that will never produce jobs.
Look at the faces of the unemployed, finding no work in our factories, they still support tax breaks for the ultra-rich, still imagine that they will somehow be rewarded with jobs that aren’t shipped off-shore as soon as they are created.
We’ve been dealing with one economic disaster after another since the Reagan administrations. Jobs have been off-shored, out-sourced, and simply lost while corporations are handed a series of rewards by the congresses they fund with under the table cash. We’ve been voting against the best interests of everyone but the top 1% of our citizens. We been handed one lie after another by the GOP and its various wings. Things have only gone from bad to worse.
Now the stupid among us have handed the House of Representatives back to the very people who have, for once, been honest enough to admit that they plan to dismantle every social program created since Roosevelt’s New Deal. That’s right, they plan to demolish Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, civil rights laws that ended segregation, affordable college loans for students, They plan to take the nation back to the 1930s or beyond; to the days of child labor, sweat shops, no public health services, no Food and Drug Agency to assure safe foods and medicines. They’ll probably hand education over to churches so that we fall behind that part of the world, which has purged religion from government and education.
There’s a very real possibility that the harpy from Alaska will run for POTUS. She’s been handed enough money to start a campaign and is, unfortunately, supported by a large percentage of the terminally stupid. It doesn’t seem possible that any person capable of feeding their self would find it possible to believe her lies and to vote for her. However, we are breeding more and more people who can’t understand the issues that trouble this nation. At the same time, the intelligent are paying attention to the dangers of overpopulation in today’s world and are de-breeding. It is time for everyone who is unwilling to live with Sarah Palin in high office to actively work to prove her to be the liar, quitter, and incompetent that we know her to be. She must be stopped, because, yes, they really are that stupid!
If any example is needed, the article about a planned delay or refusal to confirm a nuclear weapons treaty with Russia should be sufficient. Any Senator willing to delay or derail such a treaty have no memory of the Cold War, no memory of how utterly dangerous nuclear weapons are. Then, anyone too stupid to delay this treaty is also unlikely to believe in global either warming or nuclear winter. Yes, they really are that stupid.
As H.L. Mencken reminded us,” No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." They most assuredly can, and most likely will, be that stupid yet again.
Published: November 17, 2010
“The world’s nuclear wannabes, starting with Iran, should send a thank you note to Senator Jon Kyl. After months of negotiations with the White House, he has decided to try to block the lame-duck Senate from ratifying the New Start arms control treaty.
The treaty is so central to this country’s national security, and the objections from Mr. Kyl — and apparently the whole Republican leadership — are so absurd that the only explanation is their limitless desire to deny President Obama any legislative success.
The Republicans like to claim that they are the party of national security. We can only hope that other senators in the party will decide that the nation’s security interests must trump political maneuvering…”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/opinion/18thu1.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a211
In a word, Yes! They could be that stupid again. The people who voted for George W. Bush the first time were stupid. Certainly, no one thought that they’d vote for him a second time. No one could be that stupid. They were and they did. The nation wound up with two undeclared and unfunded wars, a destroyed economy; not quite a worldwide depression only because no one in a position of real authority named it one.
Fast forward to 2008 and look at the idiot rumors concerning Barak Obama’s place of birth, religion, and political stance. Somehow, a large portion of our population not only listened to these rumors and lies but came to believe them. The Idiot winds that gave motion to these rumors are highly paid demagogues who call their selves entertainers. They are not. Rather, they are lineal descendents of Goebbels and the Nazi propaganda machine that came into being in the 1930s. They are tied into the hatred and bigotry spread by Father Coughlin, by the Klan, and by McCarthy, dealing in blatant lies that somehow are seized upon as true by people who lack the capacity and the interest in discovering the truth for their selves.
Listen to the screeching lies and innuendo that issue from the mouth of Sarah Palin, part demagogue, part, homecoming queen candidate, and full-time harpy. Look at the faces of her supporters as she calls for violence and then denies doing so. Look at her supporters when she blames her problems on Katie Couric and a biased press/media out to torpedo her campaign. Listen to her supporters as she reads ghostwritten speeches with cores of hatred, of removing economic safety nets, of paying off businesses that will never produce jobs.
Look at the faces of the unemployed, finding no work in our factories, they still support tax breaks for the ultra-rich, still imagine that they will somehow be rewarded with jobs that aren’t shipped off-shore as soon as they are created.
We’ve been dealing with one economic disaster after another since the Reagan administrations. Jobs have been off-shored, out-sourced, and simply lost while corporations are handed a series of rewards by the congresses they fund with under the table cash. We’ve been voting against the best interests of everyone but the top 1% of our citizens. We been handed one lie after another by the GOP and its various wings. Things have only gone from bad to worse.
Now the stupid among us have handed the House of Representatives back to the very people who have, for once, been honest enough to admit that they plan to dismantle every social program created since Roosevelt’s New Deal. That’s right, they plan to demolish Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, civil rights laws that ended segregation, affordable college loans for students, They plan to take the nation back to the 1930s or beyond; to the days of child labor, sweat shops, no public health services, no Food and Drug Agency to assure safe foods and medicines. They’ll probably hand education over to churches so that we fall behind that part of the world, which has purged religion from government and education.
There’s a very real possibility that the harpy from Alaska will run for POTUS. She’s been handed enough money to start a campaign and is, unfortunately, supported by a large percentage of the terminally stupid. It doesn’t seem possible that any person capable of feeding their self would find it possible to believe her lies and to vote for her. However, we are breeding more and more people who can’t understand the issues that trouble this nation. At the same time, the intelligent are paying attention to the dangers of overpopulation in today’s world and are de-breeding. It is time for everyone who is unwilling to live with Sarah Palin in high office to actively work to prove her to be the liar, quitter, and incompetent that we know her to be. She must be stopped, because, yes, they really are that stupid!
If any example is needed, the article about a planned delay or refusal to confirm a nuclear weapons treaty with Russia should be sufficient. Any Senator willing to delay or derail such a treaty have no memory of the Cold War, no memory of how utterly dangerous nuclear weapons are. Then, anyone too stupid to delay this treaty is also unlikely to believe in global either warming or nuclear winter. Yes, they really are that stupid.
As H.L. Mencken reminded us,” No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." They most assuredly can, and most likely will, be that stupid yet again.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
17 November 2010 Bits of trivia not pursued
Cassi Creek: Yesterday’ 60’s temperatures and wind-driven rain have departed. We logged no gusts higher than 20mph but that was sufficient to fell a small tree in the upper section of our land, and to deposit small branches all over. Both of us had class yesterday. Both of us had dry, gusty weather for the drive in and heavy rain with moderate gusts for the drive home. At least the section of Cherokee Rd (TN-67) that is so dangerous due to the sun blasting over a ridgeline and obliterating all forward vision wasn’t as dangerous last night. There were some ponded areas to watch for. There always are when it rains here.
Pulling graphics for prep on the Vietnam segment Dr. Collins asked me to do makes it plain that nearly everyone who had a camera took the same shots. They vary in “whom,” but the nature of the endeavor is limiting unless one is a combat photographer. Scary enough being a medic. I can’t imagine trying to frame and compose a photograph while someone is shooting at me. I’ve been able to find some photographs of various locations taken by people I didn’t know then and don’t know now. I didn’t take many photos of other people and I doubt that more than three or four of me exist. I took the standard hardware photos, a few of various Michelin plantation buildings, and very little else. If the color of the dirt matches the location, it becomes of no consequence who pushed the button; but the color of the dirt is important. I still have a few things stained with the red laterite dust from Quon Loi.
On Veteran’s Day, Gloria wore her father’s Eisenhower Jacket to class. It fit her quite nicely. The Eisenhower jackets were in use by our armed forces until the 1960’s. For parade duty the “all-purpose service coat in “Army Green” is the standard. The M-43 field jacket with a pile liner is used in the field. The Eisenhower jacket was suggested by Eisenhower during the search for a better WWII era combat jacket. It evolved as a short-waisted, 18-ounce wool serge jacket to be worn as an insulative or outer layer in combination with uniform sweaters and field jackets.
I had one of these jackets as a child. What I recall of it was that it was horribly scratchy and difficult to fasten. I no longer have the physique to wear an Eisenhower jacket and don’t want to wear an antique that I might damage. I also had an M-43 field jacket as a young adult. I got more use of it after my time in service than I did during it. I was never issued the pile liner. For such uses as an M-43 might fill, I now have an excellent Gore-tex jacket with a down vest that fits inside it.
I also had a Pea Coat as a young child. I recall that coat as being so incredibly stiff that I couldn’t bend my arms while wearing it. My decreasing tolerance of cold and damp has kindled my interest in a Pea Coat. Along with its insulative function, it appears to meet cultural levels of appearance better than my pile and Gore-tex arsenal. I’m waiting on one to arrive this evening. To avoid the problems I had as a child I called the manufacturer and consulted on size and model. The next three nights are forecast to be at freezing or below. I’m eager to try what is my Chanukah present – I already have socks and a cardigan.
Hotdogs and beans will feed us tonight. Class tomorrow and I need to read about 100 pages. Gloria brought home her latest stained-glass piece, a Star of David done in iridescent glass. It is quite nicely made, a great piece to hang in a sunny window. It’s available at her on-line shop – www.hemlockhollow.etsy.com
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Pulling graphics for prep on the Vietnam segment Dr. Collins asked me to do makes it plain that nearly everyone who had a camera took the same shots. They vary in “whom,” but the nature of the endeavor is limiting unless one is a combat photographer. Scary enough being a medic. I can’t imagine trying to frame and compose a photograph while someone is shooting at me. I’ve been able to find some photographs of various locations taken by people I didn’t know then and don’t know now. I didn’t take many photos of other people and I doubt that more than three or four of me exist. I took the standard hardware photos, a few of various Michelin plantation buildings, and very little else. If the color of the dirt matches the location, it becomes of no consequence who pushed the button; but the color of the dirt is important. I still have a few things stained with the red laterite dust from Quon Loi.
On Veteran’s Day, Gloria wore her father’s Eisenhower Jacket to class. It fit her quite nicely. The Eisenhower jackets were in use by our armed forces until the 1960’s. For parade duty the “all-purpose service coat in “Army Green” is the standard. The M-43 field jacket with a pile liner is used in the field. The Eisenhower jacket was suggested by Eisenhower during the search for a better WWII era combat jacket. It evolved as a short-waisted, 18-ounce wool serge jacket to be worn as an insulative or outer layer in combination with uniform sweaters and field jackets.
I had one of these jackets as a child. What I recall of it was that it was horribly scratchy and difficult to fasten. I no longer have the physique to wear an Eisenhower jacket and don’t want to wear an antique that I might damage. I also had an M-43 field jacket as a young adult. I got more use of it after my time in service than I did during it. I was never issued the pile liner. For such uses as an M-43 might fill, I now have an excellent Gore-tex jacket with a down vest that fits inside it.
I also had a Pea Coat as a young child. I recall that coat as being so incredibly stiff that I couldn’t bend my arms while wearing it. My decreasing tolerance of cold and damp has kindled my interest in a Pea Coat. Along with its insulative function, it appears to meet cultural levels of appearance better than my pile and Gore-tex arsenal. I’m waiting on one to arrive this evening. To avoid the problems I had as a child I called the manufacturer and consulted on size and model. The next three nights are forecast to be at freezing or below. I’m eager to try what is my Chanukah present – I already have socks and a cardigan.
Hotdogs and beans will feed us tonight. Class tomorrow and I need to read about 100 pages. Gloria brought home her latest stained-glass piece, a Star of David done in iridescent glass. It is quite nicely made, a great piece to hang in a sunny window. It’s available at her on-line shop – www.hemlockhollow.etsy.com
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