LifeoftheMind

It Was So Warm and It Is So Cold

2012-01-23T01:35:00.005-05:00

WTC 9-11 Memorial, South Pool

WTC 9-11 Memorial, North Pool

In Memoriam Rick Rescorla. From the Ia Drang to the WTC. America gets and deserves the best.

What cannot be forgotten or shared on the web was the smell of 9-11.

Comment on The PJ Tatler » Italian Cruise Ship “Runs Aground”

2012-01-15T21:07:00.001-05:00

The PJ Tatler » Italian Cruise Ship “Runs Aground”

If computed draft exceeds charted depth then you are most assuredly aground.

The story of the merchant plowing through the CVBG I have heard of before. One story is that the COLREGS (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea) were changed to require a "proper" (trained human) lookout after one Ship's Master defended himself by claiming that his dog was the lookout but that a window (porthole) blew shut so he never heard the beast bark.

Just remember the last line of Monty Python's Life of Brian, "Worse things happen at sea."

Same as it ever was: The Jewish Museum New York | Art Exhibition | The Radical Camera: New York's Photo League, 1936-1951

2011-12-18T00:08:00.003-05:00

The Jewish Museum New York | Art Exhibition | The Radical Camera: New York's Photo League, 1936-1951

The exhibit is very well curated and documents the story of those artists caught up by radical politics and the backlash after WW-II. The presentation is fair and, while sympathetic to the sincerity of the photographers and the reality of the conditions they believed they were struggling against, allowed an observer to note the changing sympathies of the Left towards the War depending on the interests of the USSR. The subsequent protests of the Photo League that they were never acting as a front organization come off as Clintonian. The slogans of the demonstrators in the 1930s, for wages without coerced labor or guaranteed government work to be payed for by "Capital", would have been right at home with Occupy Wall Street or many of the Congressional Democrats, or members of the Obama Administration.

Most notable to me was the New York Times front page from November 05, 1947. That was the day that the Democratic US Attorney General released a list of Communist Front organizations, including the Photo League. Except for that singular item, so unlike anything we would expect from any Democrat or Republican in the last 50 years, every headline displayed could have been in today's paper. The topics included Arab terror against the Jews, pressure to remove religion from the public schools, and financial or political stories that would not now seem out of place.

Comment on Facebook, Richard Miniter:"Vintage Hitchens, AFTERMATH"

2011-12-16T23:00:00.004-05:00

Vintage Hitchens...

Any fool can be ostentatiously correct until the world flees their presence and chooses error. Hitchens was a rare creature, a man who could be eloquently wrong so that those who disagreed with him felt that they were better off for having him as part of the conversation.

Never Forget

2011-12-07T07:27:00.003-05:00

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h50000/h50931.jpg

Out Of The Wreck

2011-11-21T15:43:00.003-05:00

While cleaning up, a task of biblical proportions, I happened upon this.

New York Botanical Garden: Holiday Train Show - 2011

2011-11-18T21:55:00.005-05:00

Today was Member's Day at the New York Botanical Garden to see one of the best bits about living in NY, the annual Holiday Train Show. The Garden was almost untouched by Hurricane Irene, as was most of the city, but it was badly damaged by the freak October snowstorm. The Magnolia trees were particularly hard hit. The Director I believe happened to be on hand when I visited and he noted that they had intended to redo that part of the Garden eventually so this just moved those plans up. Given the real financial hardship the Garden and all charitable institutions in NY face that was was putting a very brave face on things, so I congratulated him on earning the "Lemonade Award."

The loss of Lehman Brothers left a hole in the city's fabric that very few understand.

The NYBG Holiday Train Show - Old NY.

The Holiday Train Show - Never better.

A bright future with sleek technology awaits.

Pennsylvania Station - the lost glory of NY.

Toys for boys.

The ~~urban~~ urbane jungle.

Manhattan towers.

Yes with trains, passing the Guggenheim Museum.

Orson Welles on a movie set "the world's greatest set of electric trains."

A horrible derailment, #ohthetragedy.

Passing Grand Central Station.

I got the hat and the t-shirt.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T21:00:00.002-04:00

Comment on Mike McNally, Pajamas Media » Blow to UK Conservatives: Liam Fox Resigns

2011-10-19T09:24:00.002-04:00

Pajamas Media » Blow to UK Conservatives: Liam Fox Resigns

Close but no cigar. Edmund Burke was born in Dublin in Ireland, which strictly speaking was a separate kingdom under the Crown until 1801. However JeffP did not make the mistake of saying that Burke was born in the UK. He did not even really claim that Burke was born in Great Britain. So you are tilting at a straw dog. Burke was a very British politician and was born a British subject in the British Isles. Would you dismiss the comment if he had been born on the Island of Man or in the Channel Islands or in Scotland before the Act of Union? Certainly it is a sad day for the legacy of Edmund Burke. The wiki does note that Ptolemy referred to a "Little Britain" that meant the island of Hibernia or Ireland but the term Little Britain otherwise refers to the peninsula of Brittany in France.

Will Fox now abandon politics? Will he come out of the closet and become a darling of the Left? Will he become a pro-American version of Enoch Powell, an isolated curmudgeon beloved by his constituency?

The Real New York

2011-10-15T23:05:00.005-04:00

Today I walked through Central Park and saw people from all backgrounds enjoying themselves in perfect freedom under an American flag.
Also watching was a friendly and most unintimidating police officer of South Asian origin on a motor-scooter. As I said to him more people should see this because this here in Central Park is the real New York, not the alien mob in Zuccotti Park.

A beautiful Autumn day on The Mall. Locals and tourists all at their best.

Comment on Defense Tech: "Early Retirement for a Nimitz Carrier?"

2011-10-10T01:27:00.002-04:00

Early Retirement for a Nimitz Carrier? | Defense Tech

People who persist in claiming that we need fewer CVNs because the Cold War is over have no knowledge of what the US military does or the nature of the threats we face. The far messier world we live in now demands more US Navy presence and fast reactions in more places than we had to worry about 30 years ago. Under current conditions we need 12 to 15 Carrier Battle Groups (CVBGs) and 6 to 9 LHD/LHA based Amphibious Ready Groups (they keep changing the names). We also need guns, real guns bigger than 5", and the new amphibs have only a 30mm pop gun. The Marines deserve better. Remember that most people live within range of modern naval gunfire. Iraq and Afghanistan are aberrations in that regard.

We do need to strengthen our ties with Australia and India, as well as Japan Korea Taiwan Vietnam and The Philippines. Wonderful as the Nimitz class is it is the wrong ship for their needs. What they need are two things. First they need conventional submarines. We should build 3 dozen Air Independent Propulsion silent boats and sell half of them to those threatened by the rise of China. We should also help Israel to double her submarine fleet. The Dutch and Germans have good designs as do the Swedes.

Second we should help the Australians gain an Air Force that can patrol and control the vast ocean space that surrounds them and react to a possible thrust by China through the South China Sea. The best way to do that would be to give them the old B-52s that are being chopped up in conformance with the SALT Treaty, a treaty with a country that no longer exists. Those 50-55 year old planes if reengined would still be good for another 30 years. They are incredible aircraft and if teamed with AWACS and long range radars in lighter than air craft could dominate the region and prevent major conflicts for decades. Note, I know all but around a dozen of the B-52Gs are gone now but the principle applies.

The idea of transferring the old Nimitz class CVNs to the UK and/or France as the Fords come online is not completely without merit but is unlikely to happen. They are old, expensive to maintain, and European financial, labor and political interests would probably prefer spending almost the same money not building new ships of their own to buying ours.

Right now we are looking at a US Navy smaller than it has been since 1916. Even the best ships can only be in one place at a time, and the new LCS that ate the budget is nobody's idea of the best ship. The Royal Navy, like the other components of the UK MoD, is essentially out of business. They are now a Coast Guard. The Argentinians can have the Falklands any time they like. The combined firepower of the European Union proved unable to crush Libya.

Comment on Donald Douglas at Theo Spark: Topless Protesters at SlutWalk in New York City

2011-10-03T07:23:00.001-04:00

Theo Spark: Topless Protesters at SlutWalk in New York City

The Socialists and "gender equality advocates" are issue parasites, but there is an issue. Unfortunately for the Left it is counter to their desires. The problem is the coarsening of society under the influence of the Left and the importation of 3rd World misogyny into Western cities. The growth of Islamic enclaves has accompanied the increase of rapes in many cities. No one is harmed by Theo's totty.

To bad for the SlutWalk protestors that they got knocked off the news by the mass convergence of the dimwitted at Occupy Wall Street.

Comment on Tom Blumer, Pajamas Media » Two Bad Presidential Election Ideas Require Rejection

2011-09-30T02:24:00.001-04:00

Pajamas Media » Two Bad Presidential Election Ideas Require Rejection

While under the original Constitution the States could set property rules to vote and were only expected to offer a broad mandate for voters to the most numerous branch of their legislature the Courts have used the murky penumbras of the XIVth Amendment to enforce both universal sufferage under "one man, one vote" and to ensure the domination of urban politics by rendering state senates redundant and forbidding their apportionment on a geographical basis.

As part of a general plan of reform I support the repeal of the XVIIth Amendment. In addition voter ID verification is essential. Only citizens who do not derive the majority of their income from the federal public treasury, excepting enlisted members of the Armed Forces and officers called to extended active duty in time of conflict, should vote in any federal election. A similar bar should apply to any person who gets the majority of their income from the state treasury voting in any state or municipal election. Apportionment should be on the basis of the number of qualified and registered citizen voters as determined in each census.

The original Electoral College was a good idea. We should return to it. The idea was to have the leading citizens of each state meet and select their candidates. Either a national consensus would emerge or the business of politics would follow in Congress to select the winner. Right now the members of the EC are cyphers that no one would trust with a burnt out match. My suggestion is to empower and reinvigorate the Electoral College.

First make it a standing body with two classes of members. Ex officio members from each state would include the heads of each state's three branches of gov't, that is the Governor, the Chief Justice or senior judge of the highest Appeals Court, and the Speaker or equivalent of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature. For states granted more than 3 Electors others should be appointed for six year terms by the state legislature in staggering classes that mirror the method used by the US Senate. No appointed Elector could hold a position of profit or trust in the service of the United States or the state that appoints them, except for enlisted service in either the state or federal Armed Forces or service as an officer in the state militia.

The Electoral College as so constituted would convene quadrennially to select a candidate for POTUS, and would also serve to fill any vacancies that occur more than 120 days before the next scheduled regular election by meeting within 30 days of such a vacancy happening. The popular vote would be properly restored to its position as an opinion poll for the consideration of the state legislators. The focus of politics would return to the state level. The federal government would remain busy rooting out corruption in the states but the current system of ignoring state level venality and then transferring all politic and corruption to the federal level would end. The revived states would jealously investigate and expose corruption at the federal level.

Second I would use the EC as a national Court of Judicial Review to determine the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress. As a creature of the states the determination of the fidelity of the Congress to the Constitution should better be determined by the EC than the SCOTUS. I would propose that a law could be flagged for review by a petition of 20% or more of the states, or by the President or by the Supreme Court reviewing submissions from inferior courts that could hold disputed laws in abeyance for up to one year while under review.

Comments on: Stanley Kurtz, NRO - The Corner "Ill-Fated Solyndra Conference Call"

2011-09-27T11:26:00.002-04:00

Ill-Fated Solyndra Conference Call - By Stanley Kurtz - The Corner - National Review Online

We'll Make It Up On Volume

It is an old fallacy of the economically illiterate and the Democrats are rich in that tainted fertilizer. They really believed that a bad idea becomes better if it becomes bigger. Solyndra might have found a niche if it stayed in it's smaller factory and only attempted to expand after proving itself in the market. But no the Donks had to throw money at it so they could build a big factory, believing that would attract private capital the same way the Field of Dreams attracted dead baseball players. They honestly thought that "We'll Make It Up On Volume" could work. They never asked how many solar arrays people wanted to buy or if anyone else was supplying the market cheaper. People need to go to jail.

-----
Now we hear that what was really going on was an unprecedented and illegal scheme to shunt taxpayer money to favored Democratic Party operatives, including the California Democratic Party, by making their investments in Solyndra take precedence over the government loan in the predictable event of bankruptcy. For these people there are no rules. Remember impeached judge and Democratic Congressman Alcee Hastings "We make them up as we go along"? There is a bright line running from the theft of GM, through Nancy Pelosi's ramming through of Obamacare, to this latest deconstruction of the law that sustains a capitalist economy.

On the Repeal of DADT

2011-09-20T23:44:00.003-04:00

Donald Douglas said, "Well, we'll see how this works out."
H/T Theo Spark

The answer as to how it will work out is badly. Every homosexual already in the service has broken their oath and the law. Every officer, like the Navy LT who gleefully got married today, is known to his chain of command, including the enlisted members who are expected to follow orders even unto their own deaths, as being a liar.

This is not like the racial integration under President Truman. There was nothing in law preventing any citizen from serving because of their race and no one had to lie to get into uniform. When a black, back then they'd have said negro, officer gave an order there was no excuse that any southern white boy could use to justify disobedience. With these homosexuals who practiced subterfuge to get into their positions of authority it is very different.

Finally the people who shoved this thing onto the military have no idea as to the conditions that 18 and 19 year olds live under in the military. Placing an open homosexual in such a position will mean one of two things. First they can be the junior with no privacy displaying their sexuality as inappropriately as would a man placed in a woman's berthing area or a girl in the men's. Second they could be in a position of authority while displaying a sexual interest. For anyone already in the service that raises the credibility issues mentioned above.

Comment on Althouse: 18 seconds of raw class warfare.

2011-08-28T22:46:00.001-04:00

Althouse: 18 seconds of raw class warfare.

They have clearly communicated a threat of violence and done so with both imagery of a weapon and in a group. A reasonable person can feel threatened, that is a reasonable person can feel that they have been assaulted, and if these people appear and behave in a threatening and confrontational manner then a reasonable person would be justified in defending his or herself. If I was on a jury and a defendant who was arrested after responding with force to a visit by these people articulated that defense then I would probably refuse to convict.

These self proclaimed revolutionaries believe that they can rely on the benefits of a peaceful law abiding society even as they act to destroy it. If they meet people who treat them with the public contempt that they display then they are shocked and feel aggrieved.

They think it would be a victory if they provoke violence because they think that any violence by their victims would result in the forces of civilization dissolving into incoherence when charged with hypocrisy and then losing the support of the people that confers legitimacy.

That theory is simply untrue. The people are sovereign and defend their liberty when attacked. The government reaffirms its bond to the people when it acts to protect them from threats and violence and supports them when they defend themselves.

The Communists have a right to protest. They do not have a right to threaten assault or commit violence. If there is a confrontation then the people acting through a jury, which is formally a subset of the Militia, determine which is the guilty party.

The Big Wind

2011-08-28T10:15:00.002-04:00

In popular entertainment I'd be at an "End of The World Party" where, depending on the level of the effort, I'd engage in stimulating conversation or meet the love of my life, or find myself a bit player in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" In adolescent dreams I'd be holed up with a girl.

My expectation was that I'd spend the weekend helping with the Red Cross. To my shock they declined to use me. See why below.

So I am finding this disaster so far to be incredibly boring.

All organizations become corrupt. All bureaucracies become vehicles for increasing the security and authority of their staff at the expense of actual achievement. For example, for many years I have done Red Cross. Over the last few years though my participation has declined as the Chapter became focused on internal turbulence and adherence to increasingly complicated but in appearance sophisticated rituals. Yesterday evening I stopped by the Chapter to see what could be done to help for the impending hurricane. I was warned that once I reported I should expect to stay for 36 hours as the City was shutting down the subways starting at noon. The senior Area Director recognized me and called me a great guy and urged me to come in. So I told him that I would go home and change after buying some food just in case and return around midnight. When I got back with two days supplies in my bags there was nobody there who knew anything, they thought the senior officers were in the building when they were not, but in accordance with procedure cots were set up in empty rooms to shelter staff during an extended disaster. I was told to wait in the shelter area until the senior staff returned to begin preparation. So I undressed and lay down. Immediately after I passed out junior staff arrived and threw me out of the building. After trying to build a case to protect themselves, saying untrue things about what I had said or they had said or the Director had said (who they only began to call to cover themselves as I left the building) they adopted a psuedo-legal weaselly tone as to my “unauthorized presence” as I put on my shoes. I will not be back.

Implosion

2011-08-23T22:09:00.002-04:00

Rasmussen is the most accurate poll. My expectation is that 19-20% Strong Approval is Obama's floor of support. They will stick with him no matter what and he has already sunk that low. His Strong Disapproval rating could increase as high as 50%, until he reaches the Index spread of -30%. That would put him in the same range as George Bush (43) was in 2008. There are two differences between the cases.
1. George Bush was not running for reelection.
2. The MSM spent 8 years trying to destroy Bush and they've spent 4 years creating and propping up Obama.

After Obama spends a week at -25% or worse I expect a delegation of senior Democrats to visit him and inquire after his health. If they can discover an ingrown hangnail they'll try to get rid of him. He probably does suffer from cardiac problems brought on by years of smoking and earlier cocaine use.

Let us see:
1. this morning Rasmussen had Obama at minus 26% in the Daily Presidential Tracking Poll,
2. the trend lines of the Presidential Approval Index would have a Wall St Tech Analyst screaming "Sell",
3. an earthquake struck DC this afternoon and gov't employees took a 2 hour lunch across 1/3 of the US,
4. a hurricane is bearing down, possibly again aimed at Washington DC.

You do not have to be a religious fanatic to check if locusts or frogs are to be looked for next.

The only thing that could hold the Democrats back is the realization that without Obama on the ticket blacks will stay home. That would doom the chances of candidates in local races. They really are damned if they do or don't.

Evergreen or Obamanomics, the Results

2011-08-20T20:00:00.007-04:00

Today my Dry Cleaner went out of business after 23 years. The Chinese husband and wife were the nicest hardest working people you could ever meet. Their lovely recent college graduate daughter was there to tell customers the bad news the other day. In my Middle Class neighborhood there are shopping strips with multiple empty storefronts. Some have been that way for years.

This was a successful Mom and Pop business. This is the American Dream destroyed. The Democrats did this and they should pay. This is not evidence of a Recession. The Democrats have created a Depression and done so with malice of forethought.

How Israel Should Respond

2011-08-20T06:01:00.001-04:00

Every time there is an attack Israel should occupy a 100 meter deep section of Gaza from the Sea in starting at the Northeast corner. Dump the current inhabitants into Sinai. Never ever return any land that was taken to punish the Arabs for aggression. Surround the Strip with 500 artillery pieces and counter-battery radar. Instantly return fire at any attack. Make clear that being within the CEP (circular error probability) of the return fire will be fatal. Know that the Paleostinians will launch attacks from schools to draw return fire. Announce that the responsibility is the local inhabitants and they must reject and expel Hamas to survive. Threaten a naval blockade of Iran. Launch cruise missile attacks on Iranian oil shipping storage and refining centers and seaports. Hunt down and destroy the leadership of the Syrian regime.

Comment on Ann Althouse: Attack on Althouse at the Wisconsin Capitol singalong.

2011-08-13T05:05:00.001-04:00

Althouse: Attack on Althouse at the Wisconsin Capitol singalong.

It is my suspicion that lawyers are often reluctant to become participants or consumers, as opposed to practitioners, in the legal process. Aren't doctors exceptionally reluctant to become patients? It is unfortunate that Ms Althouse did not press charges but it need not be seen as a partisan decision.

It is best to engage as an observer as part of a team of three. Prior training on how to respond in various situations is needed. Left wing agitators and crowd Marshals often have such training. There are outreach efforts to minority groups and youth to provide similar training. We need organized efforts to teach all citizens what their Civil Rights are and how to act with hostile groups or authority. Ideally that training would be considered part of qualifying as a full citizen and would be part of a universal military training program.

It would have been nice if some friendly federal officer had been present and arrested the perps for violating Ms Althouse's Civil Rights.

On Kathryn Jean Lopez, NRO - The Corner: "What John Boehner Said to His Caucus Tonight"

2011-07-31T22:36:00.002-04:00

What John Boehner Said to His Caucus Tonight - By Kathryn Jean Lopez - The Corner - National Review Online

We need a bill ordering the POTUS in the event of no rise in the Debt Limit to follow a list of priorities.
1. Debt interest
2. Military pay
3. Contracted military operating expenses
4. Social Security
5. Military pensions
6. Civilian pay from DOD DOS Treas DHS & Justice
7. Military procurement contracts
8. All other Fed civilian pay
9. Medicaid reimbursement
10. Federal civilian pensions
11. Medicare reimbursement
12. Other domestic contracted expenditures
13. Other overseas contracted expenditures
14. Foreign Aid.

Failure to adhere to this schedule would be grounds for Impeachment and/or the prosecution of any officer found in violation.

Comment on "The Deal Framework" By Kathryn Jean Lopez, NRO - The Corner

2011-07-31T21:41:00.003-04:00

The Deal Framework - By Kathryn Jean Lopez - The Corner - National Review Online

A bad deal is a bad deal. A promised future vote means no BBA. If there is no BBA and no voted cuts then there will be a possible cosmetic cut to Medicare, not Medicaid though, and massive defense cut. Most Dems would vote for that today, knowing that the Medicare pork will get loaded back in anyway.

We need to double Defense spending over the next 4 years. We also need to cut Medicare and SSA by 5%/yr for 10 years, for all persons currently under 45 years old, followed by elimination of the programs at the end of 25 years for all persons not currently over 55.

We need it in the Constitution a 4% Rule.
1. Peacetime maintenance of the Armed Forces should not exceed 4% of GDP.
2. Debt Service should not exceed 4% of GDP.
3. Domestic spending, that is all expenditure other than National Defense and Debt Service should not exceed 4% of GDP.
4. No State should be allowed to disburse from the public treasury during peacetime more than 4% of that State's share of the GDP.
Combat expenditures above the 4% limit should need a 60% super majority, or a writ from the SCOTUS or other designated body in a Continuity of Operations chain if due to extraordinary circumstances Congress is unable to act.

We also need the following.
No person, except enlisted members of the Armed Forces and officers called to extended active duty in times of conflict, who derives over 50% of their income from funds disbursed from the Federal Treasury shall vote in any Federal election, that is for Congress. No person who derives over 50% of their income from any State or Local treasury shall vote in any election at the State or Local level in that jurisdiction. No person may contribute money to any campaign in an election for which they are not eligible to vote. No person however under this article shall be barred from voting or participating in any local board or body that does not have taxing or final contract approval power.

Note, due to the Electoral College no one would be prevented from voting for POTUS, since the Presidential Election is really just an opinion poll. This would however mean that school teachers would lose the right to vote in state and local races or to buy local politicians.

Comment on Mark Steyn, The Corner, National Review Online: "Tahrir Square Comes to Fleet Street"

2011-07-11T23:26:00.001-04:00

Tahrir Square Comes to Fleet Street - By Mark Steyn - The Corner - National Review Online

Pinch Sulzberger of the NY Times has good reason to fear and hate Murdoch. By closing the News of the World Murdoch proved that every prejudicial fantasy that the Left harbors about him is not just untrue but a projection of how the Left behaves when given the chance. Newscorp just shut down a successful business with a circulation the NY Times can only dream of, and did so over an ethical issue. They acted decisively, no split the difference theatrics or subterfuge. Given that the NYT is bleeding money while losing readers and lacks the credibility of the Murdoch tabloids, imagine what a real Publisher and Executive like Murdoch would do if had control over the Times? Perhaps he would send Donald Trump or Conrad Black over to say "You're fired."

Comment on Donald Douglas on Theo Spark: Melanie Phillips Explains 'Why I left the Spectator'

2011-06-28T18:01:00.001-04:00

Theo Spark: Melanie Phillips Explains 'Why I left the Spectator'

Years ago I had a subscription to the Specie and dropped it rather than support the pretentious and vile Taki Theodoracopulos. While I am now tempted to reorder just so that I could have the satisfaction of canceling, I think I will spare myself the time and energy. It surprises me that Ms Philips put up with them for as long as she has.

Comment Donald Douglas on Theo Spark: On Allison Benedikt's 'Life After Zionist Summer Camp'

2011-06-25T23:00:00.001-04:00

Theo Spark: On Allison Benedikt's 'Life After Zionist Summer Camp'

Jews and Christians share a belief that God sees and renders Justice. Nevertheless that does not absolve us of the obligation to act responsibly within the sphere of our own competence and the law. That means that unlike Muslims we do not kill people who simply disagree with us. We do however act to condemn challenge confront and ridicule those who promote ignorance and hate. When we see people aiding and abetting the enemy and enabling violence, giving material support to all enemies foreign and domestic, then we may be obligated to act to stop them. There should be no hesitation or holding back in the name of courtesy when dealing with these monsters. They should be relentlessly publicly exposed and socially and professionally destroyed.

Sea and Sound

2011-06-16T20:53:00.006-04:00

There is a new ferry service that is free until the end of June. So today I exercised my sea legs and boarded at 34th Street.
Headed South looking North on the East.
Home.

Later I went to the Metropolitan Museum and heard a concert by the Guitarist Carl Barry that was part of the Guitar Hero exhibition.

Later I went up to the Fairway Uptown, since the 74th Street one is not a reliable source of mini fruit tarts, and saw the new Columbia University Manhattanville campus under construction.

Comment on "Theo Spark: Censorship?"

2011-06-16T08:32:00.000-04:00

Theo Spark: Censorship?

This should be huge. This needs massive publicity. If government did this then in America a lawyer would destroy this under the 1st Amendment, in the UK I am not sure what protections you'd have. Google is a private business. This means the political prejudices of some clerk in California, possibly hired under some Diversity or other political feel good criteria, can be imposed on everyone. The market should protect us and punish Google for this but their size makes that hard to see happening.

Is there a lawyer in the house who can see if Theo has any rights?

Comment on: Weiner | gym | The Daily Caller

2011-06-13T00:19:00.001-04:00

Weiner | gym | The Daily Caller

Your tax dollars at work.

Misuse of government facilities and telecoms equipment should at least raise a flag for a criminal review. In addition there is that underage recipient issue.

Have the Press interviewed his present and most important former staffers to determine if there is any history of improper conduct? If not did he select his staff from those with their own aberrant behavioral issues in order to assure their sympathy and compliance in protecting him?

"The Path to 911" commercial

2011-06-09T21:44:00.002-04:00

H/T Theo Spark

Return to Governors Island

2011-06-05T22:52:00.009-04:00

While I missed the first weekend of the season I went this Saturday and Sunday to the best reason to be in Gotham over the Summer.

Governors Island

Saturday I arrived late but I had provided myself with a picnic from my favorite place, Chez l'Chef on Lex at 29th St. I asked Chef Fredric to put together a $20 basket for me and he excelled himself. I had an assortment of cakes and pastries, a great herb crusted ham and cheese wrap, eggs with sausage and more herbs and veggies and water. BTW, the sweater is by Calvin Klein.

Then I watched a cruise liner go through the Buttermilk Channel,

and head for the Verazzano Narrows.

Sunday the line to get to the Island stretched North from the old Municipal Ferry Building along the FDR Drive almost to the Brooklyn Bridge. It took almost an hour and frankly I felt the police did a poor job. Fortunately the decidedly middle class crowd was easy going but line jumping was rife and people were running in the street. There was a charity run of families with children with Autism who were also forced to use the street. It was lucky that no one was hurt.

I decided to find someone with horse sense.

In the shadows of the canyons of Manhattan.

The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic.

At first I was sitting at the South end and had a poor view. A young woman nearby thought she was being cute when she opined "This doesn't seem very athletic. I'd rather see them play basketball." I informed her that not only was it one of the most athletically demanding sports but also one of the most dangerous. People die playing polo. Then I moved to the North end and got a better view. The action got rough and close.

The event was well managed, the play was exciting and well commented on by the announcers, the crowd were there to look good and feel good.

A visit by one Rider to the well dressed crowd was an unexpected high point.

Last year the big news was that Prince Harry played, which was not a repeatable event. This year was just fun.

Comment on Pejman Yousefzadeh's Facebook: A public service announcement

2011-06-04T12:00:00.004-04:00

A public service...

Osama's Sea Burial Caught on Tape

Best bit from John Lehman's autobiography:
SECNAV: "What kind of fish are those Admiral?"
Sixth Fleet VADM: "What kind of fish are those Chief of Staff?"
Chief of Staff RADM: "What kind of fish are those Captain?"
Commanding Officer: "What kind of fish are those XO?"
Executive Officer: "What kind of fish are those?"
...
Seaman Apprentice: "I know what kind of fish they are. We call them Shiteaters Sir."

The Day After, Memorial Day

2011-05-31T20:19:00.000-04:00

A perfect day to go to the Battery and eat a sandwich prepared by a charming girl wearing a hat with the old Republic of Vietnam flag. Later I stopped by the Church of the Transfiguration, The Little Church Around the Corner, to hear a Bach interpretation of Vivaldi on the organ.

Comment on Daniel Hannan, Telegraph Blogs: Why we should welcome German patriotism

2011-05-23T23:36:00.006-04:00

Why we should welcome German patriotism – Telegraph Blogs

The wisdom of "Yes Minister" from "The Devil You Know"

Sir Humphrey: Why do you suppose we went into it (the EC)?
Jim: To strengthen the brotherhood of free western nations.
Sir Humphrey: Oh really, we went in to screw the French by splitting them
                          off from the Germans.
Jim: Why did the French go into it then?
Sir Humphrey: Well to protect their inefficient farmers from commercial
                          competition.
Jim: It certainly doesn't apply to the Germans.
Sir Humphrey: Well no, they went in to cleanse themselves of genocide
                          and apply for readmission to the human race.
Jim: I never heard such appalling cynicism.

The EU was created to subsume the tribes of Europe within some larger intentionally inefficient structure. Given the human cost of tribal battles over the past one to five hundred years the intent, even if futile or wrongheaded due to the cost to democracy and creativity, is understandable. The top down undemocratic nature of the EU is not a bug but a feature.

What this model and most European views of the strengths and weaknesses of Democracy fail to account for is the relative success of the United States. The US with one bloody exception has managed to harness very diverse regions and millions of immigrants from every culture on earth to form a country where the sense of community and nationalism is far stronger and less threatening to minorities than in the monoculture nations that the EU is attempting to dissolve. The welders together of the EU choose to reject the American model as to likely to unleash dangerous passions they sought to transcend. The founders of the American system more wisely crafted an engine to harness popular passions and use a sense of nationalism to unite diverse elements.

Comment on Hot Air: Strauss-Kahn allegedly told maid during attack, “Don’t you know who I am?”

2011-05-23T21:38:00.004-04:00

Strauss-Kahn allegedly told maid during attack, “Don’t you know who I am?” « Hot Air

“Don’t you know who I am?”

How did John Forbes Kerry get into this?

The world is not a neat place with good guys and bad guys. Sometimes there are the bad and the worse.

DSK has a history as a bad abusive guy. He may just be guilty as Sin, the easy answer could be correct. He may also be not guilty. He may have been entrapped or framed or some other complicated explanation may be true. For example he may have been targeted because of his prior conduct and his political associations and he may still be guilty of the crime he is charged with.

The maid may not be the simple religious saint heroic single mother we were first told about. She may be a terrible person and mixed up with bad people. That would not justify rape. DSK is probably guilty of many forms of abuse and should have been flagged in a security review as susceptible to blackmail but that does make him guilty of this crime. The questions are, whether he is being framed and how reliable is the evidence of the two principles involved?

There are five possible answers. The terms Guilt and Innocence are used in reference to their characters except when I consider that the accused may be guilty of the assault in question. Here they are in ascending probability.
1. Innocent Frenchman framed using innocent maid. Least likely.
2. Innocent Frenchman framed using guilty maid. Very Unlikely.
3. Guilty Frenchman framed using guilty maid. Unlikely.
4. Guilty Frenchman caught having assaulted innocent maid. Possible.
5. Guilty Frenchman caught having assaulted guilty maid. Probable.

#1 demands an Oliver Stone level of conspiracy by outside forces. #2 & #3 are scarcely better except that the maid would have been a knowing participant or selected for the role due to shady associations. Note that even in situations #4 & #5 the encounter may have been arranged to target DSK in order to remove him from the IMF or from the French Presidential campaign or even because of his stated support for Israel.

It was his responsibility to conduct himself with sufficient discretion so as to frustrate any such conspiracy. If he walked into it and gave his enemies ammunition then that was his fault. If he had given his enemies the ammunition in prior episodes but was not guilty this time then it is his job to make that, very hard to prove, case.

A wise man would conduct his affairs with care, and maintain cordial open and supportive relations with the staff and security services wherever he goes, so as to provide an extra layer of protection in case something goes wrong. It appears that he failed to do so.

Compare this case to that of Bill Clinton. The counter argument to the "just about sex" claim was always that sexual misconduct is properly consider in determining the fitness for office of anyone in a position of trust, such as a nonelective one that requires a security clearance, because of the possibility of being blackmailed or framed. Clinton due to his selfish misconduct seriously imperiled the operation of the government. That was his responsibility and not his accusers. To his credit he did differ from DSK in putting some effort into maintaining civil relations with subordinates whose opinions could prove important. In that Bill Clinton differs from his spouse, who is surrounded by people waiting for the day she falls.

Comment on Hot Air: Newt on immigration: What if we had local boards who could legalize certain illegals?

2011-05-20T07:25:00.001-04:00

Newt on immigration: What if we had local boards who could legalize certain illegals? « Hot Air

Newt Gingrich's proposal is either a meaningless duplication of existing bodies within the federal government or an unconstitutional delegation of power to bodies outside of the government. It is a surprise to hear a former Speaker of The House say this. The granting of citizenship is a Congressional power under Article I, Sect. 8, clause iv, "To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization." That is however subject to the poorly worded blanket statement regarding citizenship in the XIVth Amendment. While I can see Congress delegating to local boards and agencies, similar to Draft Boards that Gingrich mentions, an advisory function in determining eligibility under the rules that it establishes, a function that is really already done by local USCIS offices, the old INS, that are already enmeshed in a web of local lawyers advisory boards and interest groups, the actual granting of citizenship cannot be delegated to a local authority that was not established by and is not bound to operate under the authority of Congress. For example ever since the XIVth Amendment States no longer have the authority to deny or grant citizenship.

If the State of California cannot perform that function then how can some private body? If these Boards are to be part of the government then how will this differ from the present system of State Department offices for US Citizenship and Immigration Services? That agency clearly needs to be either massively expanded or to be restructured, and the present immigration and visa system needs to be rewritten with the Ted Kennedy family unification loopholes closed. Simply layering on another set of review boards is unlikely to help.

OBL Fish Food

2011-05-02T22:28:00.000-04:00

Comment on Lynn Chu, Facebook: Bear Stearns,...were operating by one measure at 40 to 1 capital ratios...

2011-04-23T10:03:00.001-04:00

Bear Stearns,...

Here is one Google Book Settlement related example of meretricious garbage taking the guise of Google consulting work posing as "scholarship": Greg Sidak and Jerry Hausman, Google and the Proper Antitrust Scrutiny of Orphan Books, 5 Journal of Competition Law & Economics 411 (2009, available as a download at www.criterioneconomics.com/publications.html, a paper which was distributed widely which tended to give the media and other economists and lawyers the impression that "sophisticated" "experts" thought the Google Book Settlement was a work of beauty and "innovation." I suspect that it was written in such gruesomely unreadable wooden academicized prose precisely and intentionally to deflect attention to its actual content, its utter and total lying meretricious charlatanism, rigged up to give a paying client what it wanted to hear. For consultants to do such "work" is a species of fraud imho. They know no one can definitively prove they spewed it out intentionally, just to cop some fees

They gambled big. They must lose big.
When we take back the government after 2012 we must extirpate root and branch every vestige of the corrupt Marxist/authoritarian/corporatist/totalitarian/elitist intrusion.

To be clear I believe that unlike Goldman, Merrill and other insiders Lehman was played and betrayed like a mark or willing victim.

Comment on Hot Air: Jan Brewer vetoes Arizona’s “Birther bill”

2011-04-19T10:09:00.000-04:00

Jan Brewer vetoes Arizona’s “Birther bill” « Hot Air

Agreed that the full faith and credit clause means that a state has to accept the validity of a document but does that mean that each state gets to decide what documents to share? If Hawaii has a "long form" then Arizona must respect it, on that we all agree. If Hawaii refuses to share the document that it has or declines to share the records available then why should Arizona have to accept an inferior substitute? If this was a murder trial and Arizona requested that a suspect be delivered by extradition for trial would it be sufficient for Hawaii to deliver a letter stating that they had examined the subject and determined the innocence of the party?

I am not a Birther and think that there are more likely grounds to challenge Obama's status as a natural born citizen based on his possibly having traveled on a foreign passport after his 18th birthday or having claimed foreign nationality on his school applications or financial aid forms.

We have now identified a serious hole in our constitutional system that will be exploited in the future even if Obama had not done anything wrong. My suggestion is that 120 days prior to the meeting of the Electoral College each state submit a list of 5 names for each office, President and Vice President, with supporting documentation as they deem sufficient, to the Supreme Court. If there are any questions the Chief Justice may request additional documentation. The Chief Justice should no later than 60 days before the Electoral College assembles send a certification to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate (the current VP) listing all qualified candidates and noting those who had been disqualified and the grounds for such action. The Congress should then promulgate that list, and may restore names to it if they so choose, in time for the State Legislatures to consult with the will of the people and then select the Electors.

Remember that the popular vote is only an opinion poll and all that is needed is to ensure that certified candidates names appear. The vote for the Electors happens within the State Legislatures.

The Long Goodbye

2011-04-11T10:09:00.002-04:00

Continuing meltdown. I never expected Obama to get below 20%. In the past he has had a Strong Disapproval of 48%. That means that we can expect his Total Index to reach -28%. I now expect the Democrats to jettison him and announce his departure for "health" reasons by September.

RasmussenPoll
Obama: Strongly Approve: 19% (new low) Strongly Disapprove 39%... Approval Index: -20.. Total Approval: 44%...

Comment on Theo Spark: Signs of a Bad Fitness Report

2011-04-04T19:42:00.001-04:00

Theo Spark

Entertaining in Wardroom = Obscene jokes

Calm under pressure = Clueless drunk

Informal demeanor = Slob

Trusted by troops off duty = They bailed him out

Finishing with the ever popular, "You will be lucky if you ever can get this man to work for you."

Comment on Kathryn Jean Lopez - The Corner - NRO: He Didn’t Start the Fire

2011-04-03T23:59:00.003-04:00

He Didn’t Start the Fire - By Kathryn Jean Lopez - The Corner - National Review Online

Really a follow-up to yesterday's comment on Mark Steyn.

It crossed my mind that Rev Jones in Florida transgressed against a powerful legal interest group when he burned the Koran, he emitted carbon and by spreading the Koran into the atmosphere maybe inflicted other forms of pollution on Providence's Nature. It is possible to destroy the Koran in a much more sensitive manner. Just go to http://quran.com or some similar place where the Ummah have helpfully made their screed available online and download it, then erase the file. There is no doubt that in doing so you will have destroyed a copy of the Koran. Some enterprising software engineer (hint hint) might want to design a bot that can automate this task and destroy thousands of Korans an hour. With a little bit of luck and everyone working together we might get this idea to go viral. It could even be announced that Islamic outrages will result in increased destruction of virtual Korans. Since it is their belief that the virtual is real, really the inversion of the core Islamic belief that the real is only a projection of Allah's virtual dream. they may be motivated to alter their conduct to limit the destruction of the Korans. With such a lever we might begin to move mountains.

Comment on Mark Steyn, The Corner - NRO: A Difference of Degree

2011-04-02T12:32:00.000-04:00

A Difference of Degree - By Mark Steyn - The Corner - National Review Online

It is the hypocrisy that stands out. Those who scream that their right not to be offended is being offended are the most offensive people around. The UN workers that got decapitated had a right not to be offended also. Maybe they found getting killed rather offensive. Terry Jones has a right not to be offended also. Maybe Mr Jones finds people screaming "Death to America" somewhat offensive.

We must deal with the Muslims with a standard of perfect reciprocity. Once they have internalized the costs of being offensive then they will begin to treat others with respect. That is essential before, not after, they can be trusted to learn and change and become part of society. Perhaps when the idea that Muslims have a special right to bully and threaten and lie and kill is extracted from Islam it will reform and become a useful part of the human experience. Perhaps once those things that are offensive are stopped there will be nothing left and it will disappear.

Personally I find anyone over the age of 12 on any day other than Halloween who covers their face offensive and threatening. Personally I am deeply offended by people who believe that they have a right to kill any American citizen or ally of America.

Comment on Robert Costa, The Corner, NRO: "Paul Rankles Reid on Libya"

2011-04-02T03:04:00.000-04:00

Paul Rankles Reid on Libya - By Robert Costa - The Corner - National Review Online

Senator Paul's father concerns me because of the anti-Semitic wing of the Libertarians who support him. Note that I do not claim that their beliefs are shared by the Congressman but he does need to be more forthright about this.

As an Ophthalmologist has Rand commented professionally on the leading Reformist, according to rumors passed on by Hillary, of Syria? The Senator has done well here. Popcorn is in order.

Reid really is out of his depth. FDR did not ignore Congress and LBJ may have talked like he owned the military but he knew better and took pains to get authorization. Both were Democrats working with Democrats in Congress. You have to go back to Woodrow Wilson in Mexico to find a POTUS this arrogant.

War Powers

2011-04-01T01:56:00.002-04:00

Ghaddafi of the Multiple Transliterations personally ordered the bombing of Pan Am 103. That is what is reported as the being the story told by the former Libyan Foreign Minister who is being debriefed by the British.

Given that the reported predicate for the deal struck between The Bush 43 administration and Kakadaffy was that the Libyans give up their WMD programs and rat out on known al-Qaeda in return for extended breathing privileges for the Qadhafi clan.. Despite some recent speechifying by the romantic Colonel he has largely kept his side of that bargain so some are questioning the propriety of our now seeking his ouster. Part of the fine print of the deal, as elaborated by the British after they arranged for the release of the Libyan operative convicted in the Lockerbie bombing in return for a trade deal, was that we accepted at face value two stories put out by the Libyans.
1. The Maximum Leader King of Kings was really a dupe whose intel services went rogue on him. This could be called the Pakistani ISI model or “boys will be boys.”
2. It was really the Iranians who did it and Quackydahfay is now helping us in ways that we really don’t want publicized.

Neither story was very credible but maintaining a veneer of plausibility was considered part of the agreement that protected the Libyan regime. The story attributed to the defecting Cabinet Minister tears that agreement apart. In fairness to the Despot of the Many Fetching Robes he has some reason to feel hard used if the agreement did not fail because of his own incompetence in preventing a rebellion, by being insufficiently ruthless, and the defection of his diplomatic staff but because of actions by the Americans in encouraging Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda backed unrest. Nevertheless we now have the story out and have to respond to it.

My belief is that the Congress of the United States should invite the British Ambassador to answer some questions regarding the evidence offered and their opinion regarding the destruction of an American flagged airliner and the deaths of American citizens. The head of the CIA should then be asked the same questions. The only difference being that while HM Ambassador would be on his word as a gentleman the Director of the CIA would be under oath as a civil servant.

Let us assume that the evidence is clear and damning that Muammar Ghaddafi did with malice of forethought order the murder of those civilian Americans. What should we do then? The proper legal and normal thing for a sovereign nation to do in such a circumstance is issue an ultimatum demanding a confession, apology, compensation, and the delivery of such persons as were responsible for the execution of justice. In this case such persons include Mumbles Gads-here’s-his-affray. When that ultimatum is not met with full satisfaction within a stated time, 12 hours should do, a State of War is declared to be in effect.

The astute reader might notice who I have not mentioned in this scenario, the President of the United States or Barack Obama depending on how you choose to address him. The power to declare war is vested under the US Constitution in the Congress. The President has traditionally gone to Congress and advised them on when such a declaration is needed. There is no requirement for that to originate with the Executive, who exists after all to execute the will of Congress, any more that there is for any Act of Congress to be submitted from outside the legislature. A Declaration of War, unlike a Bill seeking to become a Law, does not even need to be submitted for presidential signature and is not subject to a veto. In that it resemble a constitutional amendment but without the provision for a needed super majority.

There is also no necessity to submit the power to declare war to the United Nations or any other body for approval. It is an expression of the sovereign will of the people as expressed through their legislature. Given that the UN is not a government and does not derive its powers from the consent of the governed, an impossibility given that the majority of its members are despotisms, it cannot replace the role of the Congress. Given that the Congress appoints the US Ambassador to the UN who exercises the veto power on our behalf in the Security Council, the UN must be seen as the subordinate body.

That does not mean that the Congress should ignore the opinion of the President or the opinions of other members of the international community in reaching such a rare and momentous decision. It is the duty of the President to keep the Congress well informed regarding what threats are faced, the opinions of potential allies or enemies as well as their capabilities, and other competing interests that have to be balanced in setting policy. Congress sets the policy and must sometimes accept that some offenses against the United States go insufficiently punished for the greater good.

In this case if the facts are as reported and if the British and the US intelligence services confirm them, as I believe they must although they will do so reluctantly, then it would be appropriate to proceed to a Declaration of War. That would enable the US to eliminate the regime in Tripoli. We would not do so as a servant of some international consensus regarding a Responsibility to Protect (R2P) those who the Libyan government should protect. We would not do so at the behest of the Arab League or the EU oil cartels. We would do so because it was the right thing for the American government to do in response to injuries done to Americans.

We could provide some humanitarian assistance in the future. Ideally that would take the form of missionaries with further military activity only being called in as a response to further outrages against US citizens. If the locals need medicine, schooling and other assistance then I am confident that the Mormons and the Baptists can provide it. If they understand that they can decline the help but that if they do so violently the response will be disproportionate then the level of violence is likely to decrease faster than if we enter into an extended military occupation. It may be that we do have to offer the alternative of a real colonial occupation and transformation of the local society as an alternative that we could resort to if the locals respond to the removal of the current government by supporting a Taliban like replacement that becomes a threat.

What we should not do is half occupy the country and install a sharia regime under US military protection, as we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. What we should not do is support and enable Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda elements and undemocratic international governance advocates at the expense of American power, interests, and security. What we should not do is violate the Constitution of the United States and subordinate the US Congress to the opinions of illegitimate outside agents. What we should not do is anything like what Obama has done.

Comment on Jonah Goldberg, The Corner - NRO: We’re Here from the Government

2011-03-29T20:49:00.001-04:00

We’re Here from the Government - By Jonah Goldberg - The Corner - National Review Online

How will the Constabulary respond next when the residents encourage the neighbor at the entrance to the cul de sac who made the call that started this to move to someplace more welcoming? Good governments and good police departments when they get a request like this realize that they are being asked to pour gasoline on a local dispute and investigate first or seek to stay out.

The man has every right to stand on his property and say or yell anything he wants to. The rule should be that he can be ordered to stand far enough so as not to pose an immediate threat, that should be 12 feet. He should charge the woman who was out of uniform with violating his civil rights. If she was wearing anything that misrepresented her status then that should be an additional charge. She definitely lied to him, which a cop can do in many circumstances. In this case she promised not to allow the removal of the hoop if he stepped back and said he could request a review. That type of lie is not the same as saying falsely to a suspect that someone else has confessed, which is permissible.

On Jonah Goldberg, NRO: Re: Veena Malik: YouTube - Pakistani Actress Defies Mullah Accusing Her of Immoral Behavior

2011-03-28T11:37:00.003-04:00

YouTube - Pakistani Actress Defies Mullah Accusing Her of Immoral Behavior on an Indian Reality TV Show

Imagine if she had finished by calling out,
"Oh my True Brothers this false Imam has lied and claimed he was my brother and he has dishonored and slandered me. Protect me my Brothers and punish him."

Comment on Roger L Simon: The PJ Tatler » My suggestion to replace Couric

2011-03-26T00:41:00.002-04:00

The PJ Tatler » My suggestion to replace Couric

cthulhu 35, Beat me to it.

Mary Katherine Ham would be a brilliant choice. She is a real journalist. She grew up knowing the business as her father is a journalist and she can both write and do video. Pull in John Stossel for feature reporting and build a core of two dozen real reporters from two sources. Half from the despised local affiliates who actually knock on doors and follow stories and half from those with recent military service.

Next we need a program to rebuild the pipeline of qualified people who work in delivering the news. To many of the people working in the news industry have earned their credentials in Soros funded advocacy shops after a stint in grad school but have never held a real job or performed old fashioned news chasing. Getting a paycheck in the news business, as opposed to working in it, becomes a stop in a revolving door between foundations and government, with a little excitement and occasional danger thrown in. Given the shifts to New Media this has been tolerated as part of an fin de siècle indulgence. If people really believe in and want to save journalism then they need to break the cycle of self indulgence and cronyism. The reform to open up the industry to new voices would be to ensure that admission to the Gatekeeper J schools happen after 5 years in some real job, such as the military, teaching, banking, engineering etc. These would be no panacea, cronyism and ideological corruption are like rust in that they never sleep. Serious efforts to demonstrate a commitment to reforming the scandal stained image of Journalism could prove clever marketing.

Biblical Weather

2011-03-23T23:22:00.003-04:00

What new disasters does this portend? Does the snow and freezing rain mean that Al Gore sneeked into town to talk about Global Warming?

The People's Urban Transit Zystem, it's the PUTZ: Also Known As, The Electric Sewer

2011-03-17T18:45:00.001-04:00

Interesting episode on the subway, genuine full bore ranting racist lunatic, he screamed from 14th to 59th on the BMT. No cops showed.

Conductor said he called and was unhappy we were not met. My concern was that some amateur would do something and it would get physical. It got close but fortunately no cigar.

(On Facebook Judith Weiss reasonably replied "Video?")

Thought about it but given that I was sitting where I could respond if needed it seemed best to focus on not provoking a reaction. If it went that next step I would have wanted the evidence. One older Spanish guy as he exited at 49th punched the wall above the guy. Then just before the person of interest departed at Lex a very whitebread in his 20s kid babbled to the guy about Obama. Inside I groaned at the cliches coming to life and wondered where the cameras were as life imitated art. The ranter yelled that he had met Obama and left. People applauded like the kid was a hero and I was unhappy because if it had gone another way then I would have had to act and people including me could have got hurt. Icing on the cake, I chatted up the girl next to me about safety and cell phones and what I know about Obama. It wasn't a movie, she wasn't single.

The subject was a black male approximately late 40s to early 50s, lean, moderate complexion, about 5' 10" and 160 lbs, clean shaven except for a trimmed mustache and neatly dressed with a white short sleeve sports shirt, and an undershirt beneath that, and a yellow windbreaker, tan trousers. Perhaps describing him as a slightly taller and better looking but not as dark version of Spike Lee without the glasses would give the picture. Physically we were a close enough match that if I was a ranting insane black man he could have been me. He cursed explicitly saying "Suck my d*ck" and F*ck you all" at everyone. He included all white and asian people and black women as hate objects but he mentioned that Indians were OK because they had worn collars. No idea if he meant South Asians or Native Americans by that. He stated clearly "I don't give a sh*t" and "I have nothing to lose"and that he was "not some homeless bum" because he "had so many jobs that he was" something that I did not quite get, perhaps he said that he was an encyclopedia. He deliberately sat with his knees spread as wide apart as possible, if needed I know where I would have punched first, and his arms up with elbows out to the side so that no one could sit beside him. He was carrying a large envelope.

Given his behavior and the possibility that he was either under the influence of a drug like PCP or simply capable of rage he could have proven dangerous. Then again if properly dealt with by trained professionals such people sometimes deflate quickly. My hope was that a cop would have shown up and gotten him off the train and processed him through the database for warrants or a protection order. Frankly I think that his just getting up and leaving was a piece of luck but that I felt bad about watching him go to probably confront others without me or anyone else reliable around. It would certainly hurt if I read a report that someone got hurt later and he was involved.

Cubana Café

2011-03-17T16:15:00.002-04:00

Either because the Enchilada was so good or due to my being so hungry that I couldn't wait but about a third of this vanished before I stopped to take a photo.

For this the green Habanero sauce seemed right. Enough of that and you think that you could walk into a Japanese reactor and laugh. Maybe in a Japanese restaurant wasabi has the same effect.

YouTube - Argument to Beethoven's 5th

2011-03-17T13:42:00.001-04:00

YouTube - Argument to Beethoven's 5th

This may be the most brilliant bit of theater that I have ever seen.
H/T rhhardin

Comment on Andrew Stiles - The Corner - National Review Online: McConnell, McCain: Next CR Must Include Long-Term Defense Funding

2011-03-16T17:01:00.002-04:00

McConnell, McCain: Next CR Must Include Long-Term Defense Funding - By Andrew Stiles - The Corner - National Review Online

We need to hard wire in a 'Law of Fours' setting budget boundaries.

Defense, other than combat      - 4% GDP
Federal non-Defense spending - 4% GDP
State and local spending            - 4% GDP
Federal Deficit retirement         - 4% GDP

Set in stone that Medicare/Medicaid will be computed under 2008 standards but that allocations will decline by, wait I bet you guessed it, 4% from the preceding fiscal year. It took over 40 years for the monster to eat us and it will take 40 years to get out.

Rewards Tuesday

2011-03-15T23:43:00.006-04:00

Times are so bad that I went out and got work. We shall see how this turns out but as of now I shall write of other things.

Like any Hunter after the kill I wanted to reward myself with a feast, so I repaired to 32nd Street for Korean food. You start out with miso soup and a plethora of kimchee. The mushrooms were something new and a good idea.

Then comes the bulgogi beef bento box. The iceberg lettuce with french dressing always seems bizzare but the cool sweetness does balance the spicy meat and side dishes.

Altogether it is plenty of good food for for ten bucks plus tax and tip.

From there I went up to the Met to admire great works of man and nature.

But really I do not think that I am old enough to make a fool of myself over a girl that young, at least not until some country makes me Prime Minister.

Finally I stopped by Hebrew Union College down at Broadway and 4th Street to see presentation by Netally Schlosser, a charming Israeli artist on work she is doing with the immigrant community, often illegal, in her country. While I am clearly for secure borders and the rule of law it does strike me that there are benefits to treating people humanely until they are removed. Also the art struck me as a good thing in itself. There is no doubt however that Evelyn Waugh in his day would have made a scathingly witty description of it.

Rally At the Manhattan JCC

2011-03-13T15:24:00.002-04:00

There was a small but enthusiastic rally outside of the Manhattan Jewish Community Center at Amsterdam Ave and 76th Street. The JCC in its zeal to be progressive and inclusive has lent material support to groups that are promoting the movement for Boycott Disinvestment and Sanctions against Israel. This use of the facility for that purpose has been advanced by members of the Board of Directors including Ms Carol Zabar. This is a great pity as there are few places even in New York where you can get really good blintzes. Somewhat bizarrely the protesters point out that in San Francisco of all Left Wing bastions the local JCC came up with a Code of Conduct that prevented such a problem.

Comment on Althouse: "Democrat staff engineered mob’s unlawful invasion of Wisconsin Capitol Building."

2011-03-10T17:57:00.000-05:00

Althouse: "Democrat staff engineered mob’s unlawful invasion of Wisconsin Capitol Building."

In principle I do not believe in creating more laws or changing the US Constitution like it was some municipal code or the Charter of the Year in France. Still some improvement may be due.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment:

Section 1. No person may vote for on office that controls their income and no legislator may disburse the incomes of those nor executive pay the incomes of those that elect them.

All payments for labor or service over $500 shall be reported to the federal government noting if it represents monies drawn from any public treasury. All persons shall report their incomes annually, noting what portion shall be drawn from either the federal purse or that of any states or foreign government.

No person who derives the majority of their income from the federal treasury, excepting enlisted members of the armed forces and officers called to extended active duty in time of war, shall vote in any election for Congress. No person who derives the majority of their income from any state or states of the union shall vote in any election for Governor or their state legislature or any subsidiary unit or municipal office.

No person who derives the majority of their income from any foreign government or who is not a citizen shall vote in any election in these United States. However permission may be granted for persons to vote for representatives to advisory or administrative bodies that have no power to levy taxes or bind the government to a contract without legislative confirmation.

Section 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Then just repeal the XVIIth Amendment and we could get back to business.

Comment on Althouse: Chaos at the Wisconsin Capitol tonight.

2011-03-10T00:12:00.001-05:00

Althouse: Chaos at the Wisconsin Capitol tonight.

The lawful authority in Wisconsin is in a very difficult position with few tools available. Between the media coloring perceptions and the White House controlling federal assets the duly elected government is not garaunteed to survive.

The breach of discipline by the State Police is most serious. They are no longer a lawful police authority. They are now a partisan force with guns. That makes this an Insurrection.

Does the Governor still command the loyalty of the Wisconsin National Guard? Can he mobilize a Company of the Guard and have them clear the Capitol? If need be can he call on the Republican Governors of neighboring Michigan and Iowa for assistance?

Given the current occupant of the White House an appeal for help under the US Constitution Art. IV, Sect. 4, cl. 2 is unlikely to work. It is more likely that if the Governor did activate the Guard that Obama would federalize them and then make a speech about Little Rock and the school house door.

If all else fails the Governor could call out the unorganized Militia, that is almost all males, citizens or lawful permanent residents, between 17 and 45, or veterans up to age 64. The term militia has already been demonized in the popular imagination by its association with fringe groups during the 1990s. Most people probably believe that the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh was an act of militia violence.

Commenting Banned by al-Reuters: Gaddafi says fighting terrorism, raps lack of help | Reuters

2011-03-06T23:53:00.002-05:00

Gaddafi says fighting terrorism, raps lack of help | Reuters

The following was rejected at al-Reuters, where my account is now banned from commenting.

The answer to Quakadaffy is that one reason not to be a totally selfish narcissistic whackjob is that by doing so you generate noise and might provide cover for the more dangerous threats that are out there. One reason to want the Charlie Sheen of Libya out is that he should have created conditions that reduce the appeal of totalitarian religious cults like al-Qaeda. If they are showing up after 31 years of rule by the Great Leader of silk robes and gold braid and his all girl security team then who is to blame?

The Alumni Survey

2011-03-03T16:23:00.001-05:00

I just completed an alumni survey from The University of Chicago. Of course these are really just fundraising devices but I decided to tell them what I thought since they had asked. After the expected sequence of radio button Yes-No choices such as “Are you working in the field you studied?” and “Is your support important to the University?”, answers No since I am not working at all and Yes which is hard luck for them they ended with this;

6. Please let us know if you have any suggestions about how we can serve you better.

So I told them as follows:

The University has seriously damaged its image over the last few years by allowing its name to be used for political purposes. The engagement of members of the faculty in the greater world can be a good thing. Their rights to speak and advocate are not in question. The University as an institution should have been more careful. There is reason to believe, certainly reason for the public to feel, that the Trustees, especially Ms Pritzker, used their position to advance a political agenda. This is especially true when it comes to Barack and Michelle Obama and their unusual positions at the University.

This does not mean that the school is expected to operate in a bubble, to become an Ivory Tower. There is a long tradition of the school engaging in the life of the surrounding communities. The Levy brothers were the most practical of men. The never endorsed a politician in their official capacity. The use of the school's name to advocate for dubious and untested theories, such as Global Warming, is also a departure from the standards of the past. Again this is not a criticism of the role of the school in encouraging individual research, only of prejudging the results and advocating political consequences using the school's institutional authority.

The value of the diploma and of the alumni relationship to the graduates is proportional to the perceived objectivity of it as an institution. Once that respectability is lost it is very hard to retrieve. You can serve me and other alumni better by stressing to the senior officers of the University that they must restore the aura of independence from the corrupt politics of Chicago that the University once had.

Comment on Byron York, Washington Examiner: Wisconsin ethics board: Dems can use campaign funds to pay for life on lam

2011-03-02T10:13:00.003-05:00

Wisconsin ethics board: Dems can use campaign funds to pay for life on lam | Byron York | Beltway Confidential | Washington Examiner

Good article,
This decision is as jug-headed as Teapot Dome, where as Robert Heinlein pointed out, Oilman Doheny was found innocent of giving the bribe that Secretary Fall was convicted of receiving. Can the Wisconsin Legislature pass a law that no salaries or other public monies may be spent by or delivered to any member of the Legislature or their staff if said legislator is absent from the state while the legislature is in session, unless prior authorization is obtained from the Ethics Committee? Some provision should be made for a legislator having to depart in an emergency and get impounded funds released after the fact but departing without prior clearance should be grounds to stop the money and begin removal procedures on the grounds of abandonment.

Coment on The Gateway Pundit: Wisconsin GOP Senator Glenn Grothman Speaks Out After Capitol Mobbing (Video)

2011-03-02T08:51:00.002-05:00

Wisconsin GOP Senator Glenn Grothman Speaks Out After Capitol Mobbing (Video) | The Gateway Pundit

If he had called the crowd out as a bunch of thugs it would have given the media ammunition to use against him. What I wish is that Jim Hoft had asked about the conduct of the Capitol Police. This is very serious. If the sworn police force are not acting to protect the Republican members of the Legislature then this really is an Insurrection and the Governor needs to call out the Guard.

If there was a demonstration in DC and any Congressman or Senator, no matter how unpopular, was caught in a crowd they would be taken into the nearest safe place. The US Secret Service protect the President without regard to politics. Turning Mr Grothman away from the "Press Entrance" was worse than unprofessional.

Comment on Victor Davis Hanson, The Corner - National Review Online: Federal Nullification Is a Bad Idea

2011-02-25T15:00:00.002-05:00

Federal Nullification Is a Bad Idea - By Victor Davis Hanson - The Corner - National Review Online

Nullification is politically toxic because it is associated with secessionism and pre Civil War slavery. Fairness or even exactitude in legal theory have little to do with that.

Before the Civil War Nullification was wrong because it was unnecessary. The Constitution already had an adequate built in safeguard to prevent Congress from riding roughshod over state interests. Senators were appointed by the States and could act as their Ambassadors to DC. If over a third of the States agreed to block something, and their ability to influence the Senators they appointed was an internal problem for State politicians, then they could block Federal action. That was true even if it was action that was supported by the majority of the American people. Senatorial Nullification failed to prevent Secession and the Civil War because the Southern States could not get free citizens in the North to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act and they could not stop their slaves from running away.

During the Progressive Era the XVIIth Amendment was enacted establishing direct elections for US Senators. That destroyed the role of the Senate as a brake on the Federal government and agent of the States. The States were reduced from sovereign entities that provided a check on the Federal power to mere administrative cogs in a centralized apparatus.

We should repeal the XVII Amendment. Doing so we are told will return us to the bad old days of corrupt machines controlling the Senate and give power to the unsavory and corrupt incompetents who populate most State Houses. That is true. The current system has not eliminated the corruption and cronyism, if anything it has allowed machine based electoral fraud to penetrate more directly into Congress.

The proper roles of the Federal and State governments is to keep watchful eyes on each other, spotting and prosecuting corruption as they find it. I am confident that if they stood jealous and independent of each other each would spot many flaws in the other. The proper domestic role of the Federal government should be investigating and prosecuting state legislators. The proper role of the States in the central government is to have their agents the Senators investigating and blocking abuse by the central authority.

The Rat Cornered

2011-02-25T13:47:00.001-05:00

Found at Theo Spark

It's an Israeli Commando Mouse.

Like the Mossad Shark and the Zionist Bird it will infiltrate and strike fear in the hearts of Islamists everywhere.

Bwaaahaahaa

On Thomas Sowell, National Review Online: Voices of Moderation

2011-02-25T00:23:00.002-05:00

Voices of Moderation - Thomas Sowell - National Review Online

Moderation is important. Just listen to Butch explain the importance of fighting according to the Rules. Moderation can be useful, if it means demonstrating both decisiveness and judgment.

A moderate Leader displays an inner calm that inspires confidence and comes from convictions that are not threatened by a willingness to examine new evidence. A true moderate deals with issues as they arrive and plans ahead as time and resources permit. It is moderate to prioritize and not sacrifice essential assets in a slavish devotion to narrow goals. It is not moderate to allow your opponent to define the terms of a debate. That unfortunately is what the Democrats mean by Moderation. They want to restrict what the Republicans can talk about. Most political activity by the Left displays techniques learned in High School and never outgrown. All their complicated arguments can usually be reduced to just two words, "Shut up."

Comment on CDR Salamander, USNI Blog: Air & Space Museum, or National Aquarium?

2011-02-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

Air & Space Museum, or National Aquarium? | USNI Blog

(Cross posted at CDR Salamander: "Don't Know Much About History")

My concern is that under the present government the Europeanization of America will proceed to the point where we may end up with a museum and no Navy. Just as Left wing groups ensconced themselves in San Francisco's Presidio in a display of triumphalism reminiscent of the transformation of Hagia Sofia into a mosque or the Dahlem Ethnographic Musuem is based on the Nazi's intent to collect mementos of peoples they eliminated, there are people who want to see the military remembered as a quaint harmless historical relic.

Museums and ceremonial units may be tolerated by the intolerant but only if they are seen as non-threatening. That means the less functional they are the more they may be accepted. Effective communications are seen as very threatening. In NYC on the West Side of Manhattan the Intrepid Air-Sea & Space Museum is opposed by the local Community Board, because it does not meet their agenda.

The Navy is shrinking to be less than a Coast Guard while the world explodes. Right now the South coast of the Mediterranean is on fire from Morocco to Egypt and Americans are trapped in Libya. We knew, or should have known, this was coming for weeks. There is exactly one tin can available in the Med. The nearest CVBG's are off to deal with Somalia. There is nothing, neither a Battle Group nor a Marine afloat force closer than Virginia. The State Department has been tasking Laurel and Hardy to rent a ferry. Our EU Nato allies stare South at the possibility of millions of Islamist refugees heading their way with blind panic.

Comments on Doug Heye, The Corner, National Review Online: Democrats, Media Keep ‘Birther’ Story Alive

2011-02-24T00:09:00.005-05:00

Democrats, Media Keep ‘Birther’ Story Alive - By Doug Heye - The Corner - National Review Online

Abe Froman has this right. If asked I would reply "Are you a journalist or a procurer for Obama?" My guess is that the birther story was created by Axelrod and Clinton's people swallowed it. My question is what are they trying to hide by making all this noise? My guess on that is his college applications and financial aid forms might make interesting reading. Real journalists should keep digging because that is the job. Nixon's people sent Jack Anderson the schedule when they put the trash out on the curb.

-----
gullyborg,
(Who thinks that if Obama is forced out Biden must go too)
My reading is different. Let's explore this for fun.

Ever since the XIIth Amendment the POTUS and VPOTUS are elected on separate ballots, even if they campaign on a ticket. Remember the popular vote is really just an opinion poll and the Electoral College, which I want to see strengthened and not abolished, is what counts.

If Obama was ineligible then his EC ballots are void. In that case the largest number of valid ballots that were opened before the Congress would determine the President. Those ballots would then have had the name of John McCain on them. As I see it the status of Mr Biden is a separate issue. He is indisputably constitutionally qualified for his office and he did receive the largest number of valid votes for that office. So we could get a President McCain and a Vice President Biden.

If was proved that Mr Biden was aware before the election that Mr Obama was ineligible and he participated in a conspiracy then that could be grounds to remove him. Otherwise he could either be allowed to complete his term with some dignity as part of a political compromise or be induced to resign so that a replacement could be named under the terms of the XXVth Amendment.

Curiously the Impeachment of a Vice President would pose an interesting problem. This has never happened but if it did under the Constitution he would apparently preside over his own trial in the Senate.

Perhaps Mr Biden could be induced to recuse himself so that the President protempore could perform that duty. That position is currently held by Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. It may be possible for theatricality to get Strom Thurmond to perform the role with the assistance of a Medium.

Comment on Veronique de Rugy, The Corner - National Review Online: On Cutting Federal Funding for NPR

2011-02-23T14:48:00.002-05:00

On Cutting Federal Funding for NPR - By Veronique de Rugy - The Corner - National Review Online

American Disestablishmentarianism, unchain PBS.

There is some small legitimate government information distribution function. Some safety and legal notifications should be put out to the public and not simply left to Public Affairs contacting private publishers. TV networks all offer a channel for local government and I support that. In NYC you can turn on channel 25-2 and watch fascinating land use committee meetings. The federal role in this should be circumscribed. Elected politicians should advocate for positions but bureaucrats should not. We should draw a line between honest propaganda to support out foreign policy that is the role of Department of State and the freedom of citizens to form opinions. Tavis Smiley and Bill Moyers should be free to raise money and rent air time but they should not get to use the taxpayer's money.

Comment on Daniel Hannan, Telegraph Blogs: The EU was never meant to be a common market

2011-02-22T23:55:00.002-05:00

The EU was never meant to be a common market – Telegraph Blogs

My understanding was that the EU was a Common Market because it was so base. It is the market equivalent of a counterfeit coin, made of lead and painted to look like silver. Perhaps if the name was changed to the Vulgar Market. That would have a nice Medieval flavor to go with the bureaucracy. They speak a secret language, a Quango Latin, that must be translated for the mob into a common Vulgate tongue in the digital pulpits. Would Mr Cameron like to get into the spirit by changing the House of Commons to the House of Vulgars?

Comment on The Other McCain: The Blog Genie Is Out of the Bottle

2011-02-22T23:37:00.000-05:00

The Blog Genie Is Out of the Bottle : The Other McCain

"... every man is his own Pinch Sulzberger"
There is a cringe worthy line to regret.

Those who are just shock troops and hate mongers will read. correction pass over. a thoughtful essay like this and hunt for evidence that your blog is all mindless red meat drivel, because the NY Times want it that way. Really I suspect that Breitbart feeds them one liners out of a sense of kindness, like tossing biscuits to a puppy.

Once on "All In The Family" the resolutely left wing Carroll O'Connor playing Archie Bunker simply could not understand his Black, or at that time African-American, neighbor explaining that he was an engineering student. As soon as the neighbor shifted to jive talk Archie's hearing improved. Pinch Sulzberger cannot comprehend reasoned logical journalism that does not depend on his imprimatur.

On Andrew Malcom, Top of the Ticket, LA Times: CNN's Candy Crowley somewhat surprised by Donald Rumsfeld's ignorance of Obama's good global image

2011-02-21T23:35:00.003-05:00

CNN's Candy Crowley somewhat surprised by Donald Rumsfeld's ignorance of Obama's good global image | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times

Mr Malcom includes an extensive collection illustrating the respect and esteem that Mr Obama has generated around the world. A selection from the article illustrates the master demonstrating his skill at handling the pretentious that I for one miss.

Obama's "supporters," said Crowley, "say that in two years he has been able to return this country to a status of being liked across the world in a way that America was not liked during the Bush administration.

"That he has once again made America a beacon."

The trouble for Crowley Sunday was that she was interviewing Donald Rumsfeld.

Rumsfeld knows a little something about the world after being a military pilot, corporate executive, congressman, White House aide, Washington power-player and media adversary, as well as secretary of Defense during many of those Bush years.

"Do you agree with that?" she asked Rumsfeld with a straight face.

"Do you think that -- that the U.S. is now looked at much differently than it was and much more positively than it was during your tenure?"

Rumsfeld is promoting his memoirs, "Known and Unknown," and has been doing nonstop media appearances trying to sell as many copies as possible because he's donated all proceeds to benefit military families.

Referring to Obama, he told Crowley, "No. And I don't think there's data that support that.

"I think he has made a practice of trying to apologize for America. I personally am proud of America."

Crowley seemed surprised at Rumsfeld's ignorance about Obama's powerful positive public image abroad.

She stated: "Well, he seems to be quite popular overseas in a way that President Bush was not. The streets aren't full of people burning him in effigy."

She continued: "There does seem to be a new -- a chance to look at America in a different way than it did during the Bush administration. You don't think that's true?"

Rumsfeld replied: "I don't think that's true and I don't think that there's data that would support that."

Crowley didn't need any data. She persisted: "Even though the streets look differently?"

As you might expect from some stubborn Republican, Rumsfeld stuck to his guns: "I just don't think it's correct."

Now for my two cents worth. Mr Rumsfeld should have looked at Ms Crowley and asked her "You believe that be true, exactly why?" and then asked her, "Where have you traveled to outside of the United States and in what capacity?" The following is from her wiki;

Crowley was born in Michigan. She attended Principia College in Illinois and received her undergraduate degree from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, majoring in English. Crowley started her career with radio station WASH-FM in Washington, D.C. as a newsroom assistant. She moved from NBC to CNN in 1987. Crowley is known to be off-camera friends with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper.[citation needed] Crowley was featured twice on the 10th anniversary edition of the popular game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? in 2009 as the expert for the "Ask the Expert" lifeline.

Given what we know about Mr Anderson the statement she is his friend can be taken to mean what you wish. Her qualifications are unimpressive at best and indicate no knowledge of international affairs or of any other functional, as opposed to political, policy issue. She appears to be someone who has advanced solely based on her aggressiveness and grievance mongering and a skill in bureaucratic political intrigue. Given his experience in the Pentagon Mr Rumsfeld can probably appreciate that but he can also puncture it as an empty balloon.

Comment on Victor Davis Hanson, The Corner - NRO: Libya without Gaddafi: What to Expect, What to Watch For

2011-02-21T15:36:00.000-05:00

Libya without Gaddafi: What to Expect, What to Watch For - By Victor Davis Hanson - The Corner - National Review Online

Fine post Professor. You could consider working with PJ O'Rourke on an update to "Holidays In Hell." I have three, OK 4 or 5, questions, at least in the Monty Python "What have the Romans done for us?" sense.

1. Do we want to see Libya as another nasty spot where we just extract energy until technology advances and improved policy free us from the imported yoke? If so would we even want Wheelus back?

2. Is there a natural reversion of post-colonial artificial polities back into their tribal components? Is this a necessary if violent phase on the path to modernity?

3. Is Ghaddifi's ideology a colonial intrusion imposed by the Tripolitanian elites on the native Sanussi and Berber population? Are their links to Fascist and Futurist influences from the Italian occupation?

4. Will Ghaddafi devise an ingenious plot to survive by hiding among innumerable transliterations Khaddafy Qaddafi etc., as he vows "They'll never spot me." More seriously if millions flee, what will Europe do?

5. What will happen to the poor girls of the Praetorian Guard? Will Berlusconi offer them refuge to continue the Bunga-bunga parties they inspired?

Seriously, the people of the Maghreb have a Christian and Jewish heritage, after all Augustine of Hippo was a Berber, and enormous potential productivity. The agriculture has deteriorated both due to changing climate patterns over the last 2,000 years and infrastructure neglect under Muslim stewardship.

Are the recent intrusions of Salafism and Marxism and Anti-semitism (possibly more long standing) beyond our power to combat? If so we must default to my first position, extract at arms length. That may not work, Iran proves how hard it is to keep a viper caged.

Comment on Daniel Foster, NRO The Corner: Report: Qaddafi Fleeing Tripoli, En Route to Venezuela

2011-02-21T12:37:00.001-05:00

Report: Qaddafi Fleeing Tripoli, En Route to Venezuela - By Daniel Foster - The Corner - National Review Online

We can hope that the Berber tribes and the Senussi reject the Wahabbi-Salafist Totalitarians as another colonial imposition, just like the Marxist-fascist Green Book posturing of the Tripoli elites under Ghaddafi was. Libya had a pragmatic heritage before 1969, maybe they can retrieve it.

Has anyone researched to see if there are links between Ghaddafi's fantasy ideology and Fascist-Futurist concepts imported during the Italian colonial period?

Comments on Michael Yon's Facebook: Pakistani Journalists: Sitcom Writers

2011-02-21T01:08:00.002-05:00

Pakistani... (1)

Pakistanis live in a world where they are surrounded by super secret and super smart foes, Jews, Americans & Hindus who are everywhere and can perform miracles. Faced with such powers the desperate Islamists will do anything, except lead a nice quiet peaceful productive life and stay out of trouble.

-----
The arguments about Mr Davis carrying a gun or questioning what he was doing there are red herrings. He was accredited, he was on the diplomatic list, the Pakistani government had admitted and accepted him. If they found him objectionable then they could have declared him persona non grata or asked for his removal. He had immunity and is protected under the Vienna Treaty. Full Stop.. The United States and India are watching and evaluating Pakistan's ability to honor its obligations and retain the rule of law. The weaker our assurance on that the more the presence of nuclear weapons in Pakistan, the security of which cannot under these circumstances cannot be taken for granted, becomes a liability and a possible impetus for a preemptive act to secure them.

Comment on PJM, Ed Driscoll » Time to Party Like It’s 1995?

2011-02-20T20:51:00.001-05:00

Ed Driscoll » Time to Party Like It’s 1995?

"Dems Vow Not to Report to Work Monday, on Federal Holiday"

There is a Murdoch Press ready headline, someone tell him to hire me.

If the Dems parade around closed offices on Monday with signs decrying the Rethuglican shutdown and dream of the Legend of the Humiliation of Gingrich on their Tivo™ will the media report it with a straight face?

Some people have to learn how to handle a government functionary.
(My regrets that the video is colorized and acid on the wound that Warner's lawyers had Youtube disable embedding)

[as he goes to hand Renault a bribe]
Jan Brandel: Captain Renault... may I?
Captain Renault: Oh no! Not here please! Come to my office
tomorrow morning. We'll do everything businesslike.
Jan Brandel: We'll be there at six!
Captain Renault: I'll be there at ten.

The Madison Morningside Maghreb Messianic Axis

2011-02-20T10:35:00.004-05:00

Eli Lake tweeted a link to an old editorial in the NY SUN, "Columbia Partner in Gadhafi Parley has Grim History."

It being a very small world his noting that Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs has lent it's name to the Libyan tyrant reminded me over other links to the world's problems. Under the leadership of John Coatsworth SIPA has become a bastion for those advancing an organized revolutionary effort. Not only has he given a forum to Gadhafi, he whose name has a plenitude of transliterations, but also to the Iranian maniac Ahmadinejad. In addition a quick look at SIPA's web site and the Dean's introduction makes clear that they are heavily invested in pushing the Left wing's Energy Agenda.

Among the recent changes is a new specialization (or minor) in international conflict resolution, to be directed by Professor Jean-Marie Guéhenno, former head of global peacekeeping operations at the United Nations. Also, in response to students’ growing interest, SIPA's Energy and Environment Concentration has launched a new, third track in Sustainable Energy Policy, to be overseen by popular Adjunct Professor Ellen Morris.

We are delighted to begin the new academic year with four new full-time faculty and two new visiting professors:

* Political scientist Yuen Ang is expert in political development and economic decision-making in China.
* Political economist Olof Folke is an expert on the comparative politics of environmental policymaking.
* Economist Suresh Naidu focuses on the economic dimensions of human rights and social conflict.
* Anthropologist Ben Orlove is widely recognized as a pioneer in the study of environmental anthropology whose work focuses how societies respond to climate change.
* Visiting professor and former Portuguese economy minister Manuel Pinho was just credited by the New York Times for “largely masterminding Portugal’s transition to renewable energy.”
* And, Visiting Professor Akbar Zaidi is an internationally recognized expert on the political economy of development and democratization in Pakistan and other countries in South Asia.

An examination of where they recruit their students from

The previous employer of the largest number of entering students is the U.S. Peace Corps. Also represented are firms and organizations such as McKinsey and Company and the World Bank, Hewlett-Packard and the Clinton Foundation, the International Rescue Committee and Goldman Sachs, Dow Jones and the United Nations.

and where they get placed after graduation is also interesting.

It being a very very small world it just so happens to be that a few decades ago I knew Professor Coatsworth. He taught me Latin American Civilization at The University of Chicago. He was an excellent teacher, supportive scholarly and easy to talk to. He was open about his communism and never gave any indication that he allowed that, or any other irrelevant criteria such as religion, to affect his treatment of a student. This is important for me to remember as the instances of open anti-Semitism on the Columbia campus have become a cause of concern in recent years.

Some decades ago in Chicago there was a demonstration against Robert McNamara at the corner of 59th street and University Ave outside of Mitchell Tower and Mandel Hall where the Trustees were meeting to give him an award. Professor Coatsworth and I both inspected a draft card that a student burned and then we chatted amiably about our differing reasons for objecting to honoring the former Secretary of Defense. My concern was that Mcnamara's cost cutting Whiz Kid initiatives had resulted in wasteful and less than combat ready systems like the Navy's FFG. We departed at the same time and heard a noise behind us that later I learned was the moment when a member of the Spartacist Youth League (SYL) or children of Jewish accountants induced a member of the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade (RCYB) or children of Jewish school teachers to throw a rock at a Chicago cop. That induced the police to arrest a member of the New American Movement (NAM) or children of Protestant school teachers, who was sitting in the street.

There is a link between these ancient theatrics and current problems both in the Middle-East and Middle West. His bio states in part, "Dean Coatsworth received his BA in History from Wesleyan University, and his MA and PhD in Economic History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison." His confident assumption that there is an inevitability to achieving revolutionary goals, shared with the demonstrators, is something that Coatsworth brought with him from Wisconsin to his work on Latin America. He knew Chicago School economic theory but once said something to the effect that the important thing was to change the society so that goals and preferences, the Utilities that Classical Liberalism assumes as a priori, are changed so that what would not work can become possible. That is the revolutionary goal of worldly academic men like Coatsworth or Obama, and was the goal of Mao and Pol Pot. Gadhafi and Amadinjehad are murderous mountebanks in that pantheon.

More to the point are the expectations of the government unions in Madison, like those in Greece they simply want to keep their benefits and refuse to believe that the gravy train is now empty. Their tactics however also show their linkage to the movements in the Islamic regions.

The Palestinians have learned to expect that there is little cost to obstructionism, rejecting negotiations, violating agreements, or walking away from the table. Any concession agreed to by the Israelis, even if the Palestinians do not honor their part of a bargain, is seen as irretrievable. Any concession extracted by the Israelis, including even a statement by the Palestinians in English that the Israelis have a right to exist, is seen as temporary and can be withdrawn or dismissed in Arabic. Any potential offer by the Israelis is seen as a binding commitment, even if the negotiation fails because the Palestinians refuse to respond positively. For example at some time in the past an Israeli (Ehud Barak) offers the Palestinians over 90% of what they want in return for peace. The Palestinians reject that offer and their position weakens subsequently as more Jewish construction that they could have forestalled continues and other conditions change in the region such as the collapse of their patron Saddam Hussein. When new negotiations begin they assume the last position that they rejected will be a minimum offer and that they cannot receive less. They are supported in this irrational belief by outside supporters.

The government unions in the United States, and other Left wing unions in the US and abroad, operate with similar expectations. They simply refuse to believe that when conditions change their negotiating position should change. They believe that they can violate the process, process being sacred only when it is a means to incrementally extract concessions without reaching results as in the Middle-East "Peace Process," by having their legislators violate their oaths and the state constitution in fleeing the state and having supporters physically invade the State Capitol in Madison to prevent the operation of the democratically elected government. They believe that they can then return and without any consequences resume negotiations with the prior best offer of their opponents as a minimum they can improve on.

Comment on MacIver Institute: Fake Doctors’ Notes Being Handed Out at Wisconsin Gov. Union Rally

2011-02-19T18:50:00.005-05:00

Fake Doctors’ Notes Being Handed Out at Wisconsin Gov. Union Rally | MacIver Institute

The testimony of a physician in America has real legal power. People can be convicted or exonerated based on the professional word of a doctor. If any doctor who participated in this is identified, and that should be easy to do, then all their other judgments can be questioned. Imagine the liability for any hospital or insurance company or law enforcement agency that has acted on their word. Fraud is fraud, and is impossible to recover from. If you do not have your Word then you have nothing. It would be better for them if they were convicted of Theft or Assault.

As for the Teachers, as noted above they can no longer act in a position of authority evaluating children.

Comment on PJM, Michael Totten » If Qaddafi Isn’t Safe, No One Is Safe

2011-02-18T23:56:00.000-05:00

Michael Totten » If Qaddafi Isn’t Safe, No One Is Safe

My take is that Ghaddafi is the Arab version of Jesse Jackson now, only crazier and with guns. He is overage and an embarrassment, now easily lampooned for inspiring Berlusconi's Bunga Bunga parties. Liberals can quietly wish for a freer society. Anyone with an education knows that the relative wealth is merely a partial allotment from a largely misspent and inevitably declining oil revenue stream. Libya is ill positioned to face the future without oil and has no friends if real, as opposed to imagined Yankee, Imperialists press them. Conservatives can only be repelled by Ghaddafi with his all girl Praetorian Guard he cavorts with. At this point the differences between Ghaddafi and King Farouk are that the Egyptian King had a brilliant youth and a good education, and better taste in clothes during his decline. Those few old enough to remember might think well of the family of the deposed King Idris and his Senussi sect.

Comment on Fred Thompson's Facebook: President Obama said...

2011-02-18T22:38:00.002-05:00

President Obama said...

President Obama said "Abraham Lincoln helped to build the intercontinental railroad in the middle of the Civil War"

That must've been before the transcontinental railroad was finished in 1869.

Guess that was why they called him "the railsplitter" so it all makes sense now. Obama reads like the ignorant but wise talking kid who makes it up as he goes along. Teachers love to pass around those essays for laughs. Would not surprise me if he answered a question on Martin Luther and The Investiture Controversy with 3 pages on the Reverend Dr King's suit that got left at the Dry Cleaners.

Comment on Danger Room | Wired.com Latest Pentagon Brainstorm: Nuke-Powered War Bases

2011-02-18T09:28:00.002-05:00

Latest Pentagon Brainstorm: Nuke-Powered War Bases | Danger Room | Wired.com

No huge cooling towers, your imagery like your understanding of technology is antiquated. These plants are based on submarine propulsion designs which have been dramatically improved in recent years. The visionaries of the 1950s and '60s were simply ahead of their times. Soon we will be able to build a thousand small sealed modular reactors. Not only will military bases become more secure, with the costs and risks of logistical support dramatically reduced but other uses will have even greater military and economic effects. Merchant shipping costs will fall when ships are powered by these systems, that use a small crew. Enron and Russian style manipulation of energy commodities and resulting political instability, will become a thing of the past. These will even be able to generate heat for shale cracking and extracting operations that will result in a quantum increase in the supply of petrochemicals. The dependence on Islamic or Marxist (Chavez) controlled oil will end. Right now the cost is about $50 million per unit. When that comes down, and it will, to $10 million or less then prosperity and power will flow back to the wealth generating societies of the West. We have been suffering from Peak Totalitarianism and it has been a near thing but the tide is turning. If you are a betting man put your money on America.

A Timecapsule From PJM's Ed Driscoll

2011-02-15T19:02:00.002-05:00

Today's Ed Driscoll is a collection of topics that should be preserved as a record of the times.
Preview of “Ed Driscoll”

Comment on Rick Moore's Facebook: Dems Fight to Save Planned Parenthood

2011-02-15T16:57:00.002-05:00

Facebook

Dems Fight to Save Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood, PBS/NPR, Dept of Ed, etc. are institutional sources of organization and funding, both are critical, for the Democratic Party. That is reason enough to defund them. If they performed an essential task, and they don't, then it could be supported through other means. At a basic Constitutional level no function that is not needed to carry out an enumerated power should be funded by the federal government. If the States want it then they can pay for it. The Fed can support targeted education programs for the Military and targeted Health Care programs for Veterans, Indians, the Military and Merchant Seamen. There is a very limited Federal role in providing information to a domestic audience, providing that it is both apolitical and does not compete with any private business. The government should produce propaganda for distribution to foreigners. Public Affairs activity to support policy or assist citizens in using the government should be very carefully controlled.

Comment on PJM, Ed Driscoll » You’re So Vain, You Probably Think That Egypt’s About You

2011-02-14T22:25:00.001-05:00

Ed Driscoll » You’re So Vain, You Probably Think That Egypt’s About You

There is a Google representative in Egypt who is claiming credit for this putsch. If he were to have an equivalent in Iran or China or any place under the protection of the Shanghai Cooperative Organization and the helpful protection of experts from the People's Public Security Bureau and said Google employee were to offer an opinion or attempt to use his expertise in social networking to organize a demonstration then said person would likely get returned to Mountain View California, strained through a sieve into a glass jar.

-----
(In reponse to the following from Steve Skubinna)

We know there’s no equivalent to this heroic Googler in the PRC – since Google itself worked as an arm of the Chinese state, turning over dissidents to the goons in Beijing.

That's my point. They had strong incentives to cooperate and beat a hasty retreat when they realized that not only did they have to betray their customers to remain in the market and not only were the Chinese government fully intending to extract their engineering secrets and intellectual property as imperial tribute but that they were dealing with people who really were professional killers that viewed their pretensions with the same contempt that Harry Ellis elicited from Hans Gruber in "Die hard." It would not surprise me in the least if one of the wittier Chinese with familiarity with the West had a horse's head left in Eric Schmidt or Mark Zuckerberg's bed.

The reason the Mubarak regime could not crush their opposition as effectively as the Syrian, Iranian or Chinese can was due to local conditions. First it proves that the Egyptian regime was a relatively mild by Middle East standards Authoritarian and not a Totalitarian Dictatorship. They were adapted to coexisting with a strong presence of foreign observers and a tolerated minority. The military sees their future and that of their nation in association with Europe and not in isolation or submission to a foreign Caliphate. In this they may resemble the Turkish model. Second they did not have a core of despised alien barracks troops prepared to act as an occupying army in their own cities. Truly repressive regimes know that they are always potentially at war with their own nations. The Chinese brought in troops from Inner Mongolia to replace the Beijing garrison and crush the students in Tien An Men. The Iranian Mullahs rely on Arabs in the Revolutionary Guards to terrorize their people. Most Arab regimes, including the minority Alawite based Syrian, rely on long service military contingents that are kept isolated from the general population. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded using such a militia, the Ikhwan. Later it was itself transformed into the current KSA National Guard.

Comment on Daniel Hannan, Telegraph Blogs: MP selected through open primary turns down place on government payroll: the system works

2011-02-11T18:36:00.001-05:00

MP selected through open primary turns down place on government payroll: the system works – Telegraph Blogs

The American experience gives reason to be cautious of Primaries and very cautious of Caucuses. The selection of the candidates is the part of the process most vulnerable to fraud. This is especially true if participation is not restricted to designated members of the local party already registered. The Party should be treated as a private club. not as a public agent of the government.

Mubarak Falls

2011-02-11T12:19:00.001-05:00

The Shanghai Cooperative Organization now rules.
The are now only two only ways for any politician to survive in power.
1. Total surrender and hope for support as a functionary of the SCO.
2. Massive violence against all possible enemies and isolation.

Expect the total isolation of Israel and the US and streets to run with the blood of opposition groups and intellectuals everywhere. We hear much about the army in Egypt as a pro-US force for stability. Was anything different said about the army in Iran in 1979?

Thousands of rockets will be launched from Gaza. Tens of thousands of missiles will be launched from Lebanon. Jordan will fall and thousands of rockets and mortars will be fired against Israel from the West Bank. This will be a death struggle.

Expect allies of America from Columbia to Iraq to Afghanistan to make pilgimage to Beijing and beg for their lives. Expect blood.

Eats

2011-02-09T19:35:00.003-05:00

Lunch was at Prime Catch in Boynton Beach.
Sweet Potato Crusted Grouper
Tender Fillet, Sautéed and Served
with a Spiced Rum Butter

Comment on Urban Infidel: Exclusive Video Interview with Michael Scheuer

2011-02-08T18:12:00.000-05:00

Urban Infidel: Exclusive Video Interview with Michael Scheuer

Congratulations on the best interview with Scheuer that I have heard. For what it is worth I am very proud of you and hope that you get more opportunities in journalism.

My take is that he draws an artificial distinction between Jews and Christians because of his personal antipathy. This warps his otherwise reasonable analysis. Scheuer has a personal history that affects his agenda. He was demoted before the 9-11 attack.

He could under the logic of his exposition support Israel if Israel did act more aggressively to support threatened minority communities in the region, such as the native Christians of Bethlehem whose basilica was desecrated by the Palestinians.

The effort of Israel to assume that role reached its high water mark with the first invasion of Lebanon and the putative alliance with the Christians. The failure to respond to the Syrian regime's assassination of the Lebanese President at that time, a failure under American pressure, has lead to many problems.

Comment on David Webb's Facebook: Why does Fox & Friends...?

2011-02-07T09:59:00.002-05:00

Why does Fox &...

Why does Fox & Friends go to Dick Armey for tea party movement reaction? Which tea party did he actually found and runs?

Armey wears a funny hat so that makes him an expert on quirky and colorful political eccentrics. Most journalists covered a rally while in school or as an intern and they learned to head straight for the guy dressed as Uncle Sam or carrying a weird sign. They look for the midpoint between the really scary guy and the earnest but dull majority. Combine that with Insider bias and Armey has a lock on the populist Republican franchise. That is as opposed to the intellectual fringe slot that goes to Gingrich. Newt could lose that if he becomes a credible candidate and thus a threat. Armey benefits by having no expectation of a political future. If he is honest regarding why he is being used then he could do the job credibly, since he is a fairly bright guy. Huckabee would get the populist face job but he works for Fox, so most media won't touch him.

The Best We Can With What We Got

2011-02-07T09:15:00.003-05:00

TBWCWWWG was a motto in the US Navy going back to WW-II. Yesterday's lunch consisted of eggs. The chopped nova, mushrooms, chives, pepper, and onion were grilled in butter and olive oil, then added to the eggs along with ementhaler cheese for an omelet poured back into the seasoned oil to cook. After placing the eggs on the plate some spinach was heated until wilted and soaked up any remaining oil. The toasted challah with butter and honey on the side completed. My approach to cooking is to minimize the clean up. This needed only a bowl plate skillet fork and spatula to clean, and nothing was hard.

On Delray Beach: An Empire Built On Sand

2011-01-30T17:42:00.001-05:00

Comment on Reuters: Looters destroy mummies in Egyptian Museum: official

2011-01-29T14:17:00.001-05:00

Looters destroy mummies in Egyptian Museum: official | Reuters

Remember the Afghan Buddhas of Bamyan that the Taliban destroyed shortly before 9-11? This is what Islam does. It destroys the past. Anything that can give people a sense of connection or individuality or loyalty to anything other than submission to Allah, that is anything that makes us human, is scrubbed clean.

Comment on NewsReal Blog: Tucson Shooting Victim Arrested, Shouting Death Threats To Tea Partier

2011-01-16T08:04:00.000-05:00

Tucson Shooting Victim Arrested, Shouting Death Threats To Tea Partier | NewsReal Blog

It is a very short step for an ideologue like Fuller to decide to sacrifice one of his own "for the cause." Representative Giffords is lucky that this man didn't harm her himself. To some extent Fuller may now be motivated by jealousy that Loughner got there first. Anyone who has worked on a political campaign knows that volunteers can be a mixed lot. While that applies to all campaigns, Republican as well as Democrat, there has been a track record over the last dozen years of violence among the grassroots Left.

On The Telegraph Online: Russia launches arms race with new intercontinental ballistic missile

2011-01-15T08:59:00.000-05:00

Russia launches arms race with new intercontinental ballistic missile - Telegraph

Everyone connected with START in the United States deserves to be charged with Treason. The US and her allies, the UK FR GE JA etc. need to peg raising equipping and training the armed forces at 4% of GDP, with combat operations paid for separately. That same 4% of GDP should be the US ceiling for federal domestic spending, and again for state and local spending. Finally allocating 4% to debt reduction would mean that government should never consume more than 16% GDP, outside of combat.

Comment on Theo Spark, Donald Douglas: The Left Escalates Blame Game Over Arizona Shooting

2011-01-11T02:43:00.001-05:00

Theo Spark: The Left Escalates Blame Game Over Arizona Shooting

This is an active investigation of 6 murders and 14 other shootings that includes the murder of a US Judge and the attempted murder of a Member of the US Congress. Therefore it has both Federal and Local jurisdiction. It shocks me that The United States Attorney and the State Attorney General did not both have the Pima County Sheriff, who reportedly failed to follow up on reports that Loughner was dangerous because the assassins mother is a government employee, yanked off stage when he began shooting his mouth off. The loudmouth was issuing his opinions regarding the shooters motives with the Director of the FBI, who reportedly has never overseen a Crime Scene Investigation, sitting on stage behind him. It will be the duty of the Defense Counsel to move to get charges dismissed based on the misconduct of the presiding Sheriff over the investigation.

The Obama administration has already made a hash out of the terrorism trials. Now if they and their partisans lose control over an open and shut case we may see a truly lawless society begin to emerge.

The Old West was actually a generally peaceful and, being an armed society, polite place. Most weapons were used if at all for shooting snakes that threatened horses. That made sense given the high value placed on a trained horse and explains why one of the most serious crimes a person could be accused of was being a horse thief. The New West may stretch from one end of the country to another but it is looking to be divided lawless and dangerous place.

In two years the Democrats have engineered a government that fails to guard the border, announces its intent to disestablish the military in the face of aggression, refuses to prosecute voter fraud and intimidation, destroys hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth to no productive end, prevents States from responding to disasters and throws tens of thousands out of work, destroys businesses and work, foments hate and bigotry, is staffed by tax cheats, and fails to administer basic functions competently. When challenged or faced with failure their response repeatedly has been to double down and resort to character assassination against their opponents.

Here we have a simple if horrific case. A lunatic managed to kill a large number of people. All that needs to be done is to ensure a proper and competent processing of the evidence and dignified trial while assuring the nation that care will be taken to both protect individual rights and see how we can better detect and intervene to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Comment on Dr. Sanity: FASCIST PIGS, FANATICAL IDEOLOGUES, AND DELUSIONAL ILLNESS

2011-01-10T01:30:00.002-05:00

Dr. Sanity: FASCIST PIGS, FANATICAL IDEOLOGUES, AND DELUSIONAL ILLNESS

Dr could you offer to us a ballpark estimate as to what percent of the population in the United States is capable of acting with irrational violence such as we have seen in Arizona? My question is not how many are capable of violence, as I believe that almost all are capable under some circumstances. Nor am I asking how many are criminally violent, as there are undoubtedly large numbers of rational and functional criminals who choose to lie cheat steal and even kill without suffering from the progressive biological deterioration that you described. Also if I understand you and what most therapists are always at pains to express, most persons suffering from schizophrenia are not likely to be violent. Finally I take it that there is some environmental determination, whether physical or cultural or genetic, that produces different results in different societies. Given all that how many people are walking around in the United States who might explode into violence as the Arizona assassin did? Is it 1:25000 or 1:5000 or 1:1000 or 1:200?

jeff,
So you think it was okay for Sarah Palin and her cohorts to use gun imagery every chance they got?

I do not speak for the Dr or anyone else but my two cents say Yes it was a normal political expression such as healthy adults in a bloodless contest have used for over a hundred years. Ms Palin communicated no threat to anyone and issued no instruction to anyone to commit violence. Others, mostly on the Left cannot say that.

There is a need for a study as to whether the Left having isolated itself from the reality of traditional cultural mechanisms for understanding and controlling violence might be more likely than the Right to fantasize about violence and communicate wish fulfillment signals that the disturbed may act on. For the Right violence and the use of firearms are a reality that they are trained to respect and the consequences of which are understood as a grim reality. For the Left violence is a theatrical expression that affirms the value of revolutionaries is distant times and places. H. Rap Brown said, “Violence is as American as Cherry Pie." Some quote it as apple pie. In either case he was correct. That is why an American conservative is usually, I do not say always as there are occasional threats issued intentionally or not by persons from all sides, unlikely to advocate violence by strangers.

Hypocrites and Bigots

2011-01-09T22:56:00.002-05:00

I remember this day. Hypocrites and bigots.

Where is the greater concentration of hateful intolerant people who obsess over politics and belittle and degrade their opponents using racial bigotry, sexual smears and violent imagery, in the Upper West Side districts represented by Charles Rangel and Jerold Nadler or in any two districts in Arizona?

Comment on Moe Lane, Redstate: A day may come… (Clearing the Field)

2011-01-09T10:23:00.001-05:00

A day may come… | RedState

The majority of what is said by the Left in politics, and a minority of what is said on the Right, is not designed to win a debate in the formal sense. That is to say that they do not seek to make an argument as defined by establishing a series of logically connected points backed by relevant evidence in order to support a conclusion or ideally convince their interlocutor of a position. They seek to drive their opponent from the field. To do this they will resort to any tactic, including threats and abuse. If you become so disgusted that you depart then they have won. Once they have unchallenged control over the forum then they can establish as Truth anything that they want.

The tactic is used by children or passive-aggressive manipulators. It is functionally the same as that of a disturbed derelicts on the subway who cultivate an offensive body odor and disheveled appearance while muttering rude or vaguely threatening things to themselves. Even ostensibly functional people, of the fearless lower classes, will sometimes say rude comments to themselves or a companion that are not formally directed at another passenger who is clearly being referred to.

In all these cases the intent is the same. It is to get other people to simply go away.

Identifying and Dealing With the Insane

2011-01-09T09:29:00.004-05:00

Geraldo Rivera has much to answer for. Forty-three years ago Rivera went unannounced into Willowbrook and ended the states affirmatively identifying the mentally disabled and placing them in care. Now incompetent or dangerous people are left free to roam. They cannot be detained against their will except for short periods. What is needed is a safe method to identify the insane and remove them from the voting, jury and militia (2nd Amend) lists while protecting the rights of citizens.

In theory a court could declare a person incompetent but Civil Liberties groups and minorities fearful of being targeted, at one time homosexuals could be declared morally unfit, have combined to render the mechanism inoperable. Now we have political operatives signing up mental patients and drug addicted or deranged prisoners for absentee ballots. We just had a clearly deranged person shoot a US Congresswoman and kill 6 people including a Federal Judge and a 9 year old girl. Congresswoman Gifford herself is on record as a self described "Blue Dog" Democrat who supports the rights of gun owners. Radicals, usually on the left, want to restrict those rights of citizens and the Libertarians fear giving the government the power to make distinctions between aliens, citizens and the incompetent. Creating a process that can make those distinctions is the role of a government in a Democracy.

Comment on Henry Stern, The NY Sun: Astounding Admission of Reality Is Cuomo’s Opening Demarche as Governor

2011-01-09T07:03:00.000-05:00

Astounding Admission of Reality Is Cuomo’s Opening Demarche as Governor - January 6, 2011 - The New York Sun

Only Nixon could go to Peking.

Now I am not saying that was a bad thing. The results from that opening do include some unfortunate effects, including the wholesale corruption of the Democratic Party by Chinese agents and the plundering of military secrets and deindustrialization of America as China threatens to expand on a global scale.

Perhaps Cuomo will deliver, although I to am leery about him given his history in the Clinton Cabinet at HUD where he was present at the creation of the Community Reinvestment Act fraud that destroyed the economy. True reform would require changes so fundamental as to destroy the linchpins, both financial and social, relied upon by special interests. If Cuomo does attack those vested interests then we will need to spread nets beneath the NY Times to catch despairing pundits and executives.

Comment on Conrad Black, The NY Sun: Heroism of a King Captured on Film in the Movie of George VI (The King's Speech)

2011-01-09T06:29:00.002-05:00

Heroism of a King Captured on Film in the Movie of George VI - January 8, 2011 - The New York Sun

History is lived going forward. The participants do not know the outcome and just hope to muddle through day by day. Given that when the lives of others are at stake all that can be relied on is education and temperament. The education of the Royals a hundred years ago was shockingly poor. It consisted of Church and some Court ritual, with heavy reliance on experts to know what things actually meant, and some naval experience. There is no clear answer on what would work better but given the example of Edward behind them efforts have been made to do better with Charles and William, with varying results.

Edward's temperament was poor, even if as Lord Black holds it was better than feared. Certainly his weaknesses combined with his prejudices would have made him a disaster if he had held on. We can only speculate what such an alternate history might have produced. It was a very near thing.

On the Assassination of Gabrielle Giffords

2011-01-08T18:45:00.004-05:00

Perhaps it is best not to ask. If any of the qualified practitioners out there could comment I would like to know what percentage of the population are generally speaking potentially violent on the order of the suspected assassin? It is my working assumption that he is a delusional and dangerous person, the last indisputably. The term "paranoid schizophrenic" is being tossed around on Facebook and Twitter.

Without getting deep into the weeds of what real psychiatrists or psychologists mean, may we make a distinction between sane but highly motivated persons who may consider using violence for ideological or other reasons and those who are simply to use a term of art, nuts? The former may be deterred or combated by so normalizing activity and strengthening the system that few individual targets, who are replaceable, are worth the cost.

The true lunatic cannot be deterred. They can sometimes be detected and intercepted in advance but often can only be stopped at ruinous cost. This question does have some larger implications regarding how we deal with rogue states and persons like Lil Kim and Ahmamadjackass.

So how many truly dangerous lunatics are out there? Is it 1:1000 or 1:100 or 1:50? It makes a difference.