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1 year ago
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
BLACKFIVE: DoD Press Release Reports What MSM Won't
BLACKFIVE: DoD Press Release Reports What MSM Won't
On Blackfive, there is a great article on yet another major setback for AQI. Yet, we really haven't heard that much about it from the MSM. In the comments section, the discussion heats up. Usually, I don't comment on very much. But, here, I couldn't resist.
Go and read the article and the comments. Here is the comment I left:
A good way to evaluate this would be to consider, "What if the opposite was true?" Consider if, instead, the headline was, "AQI captures critical US intelligence; 53 American commanders, generals and colonels, captured or killed."
What kind of reaction would this get? What sort of reporting?
1. It would be on EVERY network's primetime coverage.
2. It would be on EVERY newspaper's front page.
3. EVERY congressman would demand immediate investigation.
4. Massive protests and demonstrations in EVERY city.
Now, let's ask the question, "Is the MSM's level of coverage appropriate?" Hmm.
On Blackfive, there is a great article on yet another major setback for AQI. Yet, we really haven't heard that much about it from the MSM. In the comments section, the discussion heats up. Usually, I don't comment on very much. But, here, I couldn't resist.
Go and read the article and the comments. Here is the comment I left:
A good way to evaluate this would be to consider, "What if the opposite was true?" Consider if, instead, the headline was, "AQI captures critical US intelligence; 53 American commanders, generals and colonels, captured or killed."
What kind of reaction would this get? What sort of reporting?
1. It would be on EVERY network's primetime coverage.
2. It would be on EVERY newspaper's front page.
3. EVERY congressman would demand immediate investigation.
4. Massive protests and demonstrations in EVERY city.
Now, let's ask the question, "Is the MSM's level of coverage appropriate?" Hmm.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Maxed Out
This is a great documentary on the bad effects of credit cards and borrowing in general. I think most people would be able to watch this and immediately identify with a lot of the people interviewed.
One critique I do have is that the film seems to suggest that the solution is for government to step in and protect people from corporations. But, as you can see, the government can't even fix it's own credit problem. The solution is individual responsibility. The government can't fix the problem. So you will need to fix the problem.
One critique I do have is that the film seems to suggest that the solution is for government to step in and protect people from corporations. But, as you can see, the government can't even fix it's own credit problem. The solution is individual responsibility. The government can't fix the problem. So you will need to fix the problem.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Good Advice from Lincoln
NPS Source Book: Abraham Lincoln: "As his station in life slowly improved over that of his poor relatives, Lincoln was frequently called upon for assistance. He always displayed a keen interest in the welfare of those who had been close to him in his youth, especially his stepmother, and gave liberally to their aid from his limited means. The following letter to his step brother, however, shows that he was not to be imposed upon in this respect. It also bespeaks a regard for the dignity and value of labor that is in the best American tradition."
"Dear Johnston: Your request for eighty dollars I do not think it best to comply with now. At the various times when I have helped you a little you have said to me, "We can get along very well now"; but in a very short time I find you in the same difficulty again. Now, this can only happen by some defect in your conduct. What that defect is, I think I know. You are not lazy, and still you are an idler. I doubt whether, since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work in any one day. You do not very much dislike to work, and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it. This habit of uselessly wasting time is the whole difficulty; it is vastly important to you, and still more so to your children, that you should break the habit. It is more important to them, because they have longer to live, and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it, easier than they can get out after they are in.
"You are now in need of some money; and what I propose is, that you shall go to work, "tooth and nail," for somebody who will give you money for it. Let father and your boys take charge of your things at home, prepare for a crop, and make the crop, and you go to work for the best money wages, or in discharge of any debt you owe, that you can get; and, to secure you a fair reward for your labor, I now promise you, that for every dollar you will, between this and the first of May, get for your own labor, either in money or as your own indebtedness, I will then give you one other dollar. By this, if you hire yourself at ten dollars a month, from me you will get ten more, making twenty dollars a month for your work. In this I do not mean you shall go off to St. Louis, or the lead mines, or the gold mines in California, but I mean for you to go at it for the best wages you can get close to home in Coles County. Now, if you will do this, you will be soon out of debt, and, what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again. But, if I should now clear you out of debt, next year you would be just as deep in as ever. You say you would almost give your place in heaven for seventy or eighty dollars. Then you value your place in heaven very cheap, for I am sure you can, with the offer I make, get the seventy or eighty dollars for four or five months' work. You say if I will furnish you the money you will deed me the land, and, if you don't pay the money back, you will deliver possession. Nonsense! If you can't now live with the land, how will you then live without it? You have always been kind to me, and I do not mean to be unkind to you. On the contrary, if you will but follow my advice, you will find it worth more than eighty times eighty dollars to you."
LINCOLN TO JOHN D. JOHNSTON, JANUARY 2, 1851.
"Dear Johnston: Your request for eighty dollars I do not think it best to comply with now. At the various times when I have helped you a little you have said to me, "We can get along very well now"; but in a very short time I find you in the same difficulty again. Now, this can only happen by some defect in your conduct. What that defect is, I think I know. You are not lazy, and still you are an idler. I doubt whether, since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work in any one day. You do not very much dislike to work, and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it. This habit of uselessly wasting time is the whole difficulty; it is vastly important to you, and still more so to your children, that you should break the habit. It is more important to them, because they have longer to live, and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it, easier than they can get out after they are in.
"You are now in need of some money; and what I propose is, that you shall go to work, "tooth and nail," for somebody who will give you money for it. Let father and your boys take charge of your things at home, prepare for a crop, and make the crop, and you go to work for the best money wages, or in discharge of any debt you owe, that you can get; and, to secure you a fair reward for your labor, I now promise you, that for every dollar you will, between this and the first of May, get for your own labor, either in money or as your own indebtedness, I will then give you one other dollar. By this, if you hire yourself at ten dollars a month, from me you will get ten more, making twenty dollars a month for your work. In this I do not mean you shall go off to St. Louis, or the lead mines, or the gold mines in California, but I mean for you to go at it for the best wages you can get close to home in Coles County. Now, if you will do this, you will be soon out of debt, and, what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again. But, if I should now clear you out of debt, next year you would be just as deep in as ever. You say you would almost give your place in heaven for seventy or eighty dollars. Then you value your place in heaven very cheap, for I am sure you can, with the offer I make, get the seventy or eighty dollars for four or five months' work. You say if I will furnish you the money you will deed me the land, and, if you don't pay the money back, you will deliver possession. Nonsense! If you can't now live with the land, how will you then live without it? You have always been kind to me, and I do not mean to be unkind to you. On the contrary, if you will but follow my advice, you will find it worth more than eighty times eighty dollars to you."
LINCOLN TO JOHN D. JOHNSTON, JANUARY 2, 1851.
April 15th
I did my taxes. I managed to keep some of my own money. I took me 27 pages to do it though. Does that seem reasonable? I don't think so. Can anyone say, "reform"?
P.S. I highly recommend using Intuit's DeluxeTurboTax online. It's quick (5 hrs.), cheap ($29.95), and did a great job (I'm getting a refund).
P.S. I highly recommend using Intuit's DeluxeTurboTax online. It's quick (5 hrs.), cheap ($29.95), and did a great job (I'm getting a refund).
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Politics and Nonprofits
In case you haven't noticed lately, I haven't been blogging very much lately. There is a reason for this.
I work for two separate nonprofit organizations. I'm paid by one; seconded to the other. Well, I got an e-mail from the first that was sent to the entire organization warning us that we could endanger our IRS tax-status if we use the organization's name or resources to endorse political canidates.
So let me set the record strait:
I work for two separate nonprofit organizations. I'm paid by one; seconded to the other. Well, I got an e-mail from the first that was sent to the entire organization warning us that we could endanger our IRS tax-status if we use the organization's name or resources to endorse political canidates.
So let me set the record strait:
- My personal views do not come from my work with either of the organizations I work for.
- The two nonprofits have not asked me to do any political work on their behalf.
- The two nonprofits are strictly apolitical.
- From this time on, none of their resources will be used for political commentary on this blog. That includes time, computers, and e-mail.
- Any political contents on this blog will be a result of my own time and efforts without endorsement of either nonprofit.
I should be a lawyer.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The Point?
Recently, if you haven't been under a rock, you know that protesters are trying to drive out Marine recruiters from Berkeley, CA and now Washington, DC. The general method is to show up, deface property, and in general try to prevent anyone from communicating with the recruiters about the Marine Corps. The idea is that the protesters can intimidate the Marines and scare them away.
Does that make any sense to you? Think about what the Marines are trained to do. Their primary mission is to storm hostile shores defended by vicious enemies under heavy and deadly fire. The Marines took island by island the Pacific away from the Japanese. The fought long, bloody, hand-to-hand battles in Korea. The engaged stealthy enemies in the dense jungles of Vietnam. The directly engaged Saddam's army in Kuwait.
Names like Guadalcanal, Chosin, Fallujah, Inchon, and Iwo Jima will forever be a part of the Marine Corps ethos.
Many of the Marines serving as recruiters have personally been in close-quarters combat against people willing to die just to take a single American with them to death.
Do the protesters really think that the Marines will be intimidated by a bunch of ladies in pink dresses? I mean, has CODEPINK thought about that.
I think they have. I will be willing to give them the benefit of doubt and say that they are intelligent people capable of reason. They know they can't intimidate the Marines. Therefore, all of the "direct action" protesting is for publicity, recruiting for their own organization, and is little more than a political statement.
The Marines aren't going anywhere.
But I don't think CODEPINK has truly thought it through. And, by this, I mean they haven't analyzed the consequences if they were to be successful. CODEPINK doesn't think the Marine Corps shares their values. They believe the Marine Corps is out of touch with America. Therefore, they want to drive the Marine Corps recruiters out of their neighborhoods. But this means displacing the recruiters to locations more in line with the values and beliefs of the Marines. This would have the effect of driving the Marines further away from the values and beliefs of CODEPINK. If CODEPINK has really thought of the consequences, I think that they would want Marine recruiters in their area.
But again, this is hypothetical. Remember, does anyone truly believe that the Marine Corps will be intimidated by pink dresses and megaphones?
Does that make any sense to you? Think about what the Marines are trained to do. Their primary mission is to storm hostile shores defended by vicious enemies under heavy and deadly fire. The Marines took island by island the Pacific away from the Japanese. The fought long, bloody, hand-to-hand battles in Korea. The engaged stealthy enemies in the dense jungles of Vietnam. The directly engaged Saddam's army in Kuwait.
Names like Guadalcanal, Chosin, Fallujah, Inchon, and Iwo Jima will forever be a part of the Marine Corps ethos.
Many of the Marines serving as recruiters have personally been in close-quarters combat against people willing to die just to take a single American with them to death.
Do the protesters really think that the Marines will be intimidated by a bunch of ladies in pink dresses? I mean, has CODEPINK thought about that.
I think they have. I will be willing to give them the benefit of doubt and say that they are intelligent people capable of reason. They know they can't intimidate the Marines. Therefore, all of the "direct action" protesting is for publicity, recruiting for their own organization, and is little more than a political statement.
The Marines aren't going anywhere.
But I don't think CODEPINK has truly thought it through. And, by this, I mean they haven't analyzed the consequences if they were to be successful. CODEPINK doesn't think the Marine Corps shares their values. They believe the Marine Corps is out of touch with America. Therefore, they want to drive the Marine Corps recruiters out of their neighborhoods. But this means displacing the recruiters to locations more in line with the values and beliefs of the Marines. This would have the effect of driving the Marines further away from the values and beliefs of CODEPINK. If CODEPINK has really thought of the consequences, I think that they would want Marine recruiters in their area.
But again, this is hypothetical. Remember, does anyone truly believe that the Marine Corps will be intimidated by pink dresses and megaphones?
Monday, February 18, 2008
Homeless: Can you build a life from $25? | csmonitor.com
Can you use nothing but determination and work-ethic to get yourself out of poverty? Appartently so. One writer did. He started in a homeless shelter with $25 and within 10 months was "making it". Hmm.
Homeless: Can you build a life from $25? csmonitor.com
Homeless: Can you build a life from $25? csmonitor.com
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Adnan G. El Shukrijumah
Do you remember 9/11? Want to stop another day just like it? Help find this man:
FBI Seeking Information - Adnan G. El Shukrijumah
He is considered the most dangerous man inside America. He's already made it in.
FBI Seeking Information - Adnan G. El Shukrijumah
He is considered the most dangerous man inside America. He's already made it in.
More Good News: Attacks in Baghdad fall 80 percent: Iraq military
Go and read the article but I think the title alone says a lot.
Attacks in Baghdad fall 80 percent: Iraq military International Reuters
Attacks in Baghdad fall 80 percent: Iraq military International Reuters
Friday, February 15, 2008
More Good News
Iraqis have recently passed an important law that sets up the future of provinvial elections. I didn't really hear that much about it but this article seems to summarize the information well.
The Associated Press: Lawmakers Pass Provincial Election Law
The Associated Press: Lawmakers Pass Provincial Election Law
Friday, February 8, 2008
My Favorite Picture
This is my favorite picture of my wife and me. It was taken on 1 May 2004, the day that Hungary officially entered the EU. We're standing on what is called the Chain Bridge. The center span is lit up behind us. If you look closely in the background, you can see spotlights shining up into the sky. I love my wife.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Good News!
I just finished reading one of the daily intelligent summary from the US military in Iraq for 30 January.
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/media/pdf/Intsum/Intsum_31_Jan_08.pdf
Though the list of incidents seems, at first glance, long. It is worth the time to fully read each description and its comments. When you read the comments, the only conclusion is that things in Iraq are improving. Al Qaedi in Iraq (AQI) is in retreat. The Iraqi army is chasing them. Supplies lines to the enemy have been cut. More IEDs are being found than detonated.
Also, as I have mentioned before, the use of more and more of what would normally never be considered military worthy individuals is a sign of desperation. If AQI was winning and its ranks swelling with recruits, why wouldn't one of the new recruits eagerly volunteered to be matyred as soon as possible. The recent use of Down's Syndrome women bombers clearly indicates this.
Another couple of things. First, the phrase "hearts and minds" has been used many times the last few years to make the point that we need to convince the Iraqi people to support our efforts against AQI. While that is true to some extent, AQI may be doing a lot of the winning on our behalf. Read the news articles of how AQI treat the people of Iraq: intimidation, threats, beheadings, torture, harassment, murder, subjugation, and using civilians as human shields.
Second, we cannot loose in Iraq if we are willing to finish the job. Think about it. We have bases, big and small, all over Iraq. From time to time, the come under attack, but these attacks are mortars or sniper rounds. Not the kinds of attacks designed to over-run the base. We're not in danger of having to engage in a fighting retreat. We're not going to be pushed back to the see. We won't be loading up all of our guys onto ships in Kuwait. AQI simply cannot match our military might and the excellence of our men and women. The only way will we loose in Iraq (or Afghanistan) for that matter, will be if we lack the political will. This is what the terrorist are trying to do. And, as the recent debates indicate, some of our politicians are willing to give them that victory.
Let's finish the job. I want to win.
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/media/pdf/Intsum/Intsum_31_Jan_08.pdf
Though the list of incidents seems, at first glance, long. It is worth the time to fully read each description and its comments. When you read the comments, the only conclusion is that things in Iraq are improving. Al Qaedi in Iraq (AQI) is in retreat. The Iraqi army is chasing them. Supplies lines to the enemy have been cut. More IEDs are being found than detonated.
Also, as I have mentioned before, the use of more and more of what would normally never be considered military worthy individuals is a sign of desperation. If AQI was winning and its ranks swelling with recruits, why wouldn't one of the new recruits eagerly volunteered to be matyred as soon as possible. The recent use of Down's Syndrome women bombers clearly indicates this.
Another couple of things. First, the phrase "hearts and minds" has been used many times the last few years to make the point that we need to convince the Iraqi people to support our efforts against AQI. While that is true to some extent, AQI may be doing a lot of the winning on our behalf. Read the news articles of how AQI treat the people of Iraq: intimidation, threats, beheadings, torture, harassment, murder, subjugation, and using civilians as human shields.
Second, we cannot loose in Iraq if we are willing to finish the job. Think about it. We have bases, big and small, all over Iraq. From time to time, the come under attack, but these attacks are mortars or sniper rounds. Not the kinds of attacks designed to over-run the base. We're not in danger of having to engage in a fighting retreat. We're not going to be pushed back to the see. We won't be loading up all of our guys onto ships in Kuwait. AQI simply cannot match our military might and the excellence of our men and women. The only way will we loose in Iraq (or Afghanistan) for that matter, will be if we lack the political will. This is what the terrorist are trying to do. And, as the recent debates indicate, some of our politicians are willing to give them that victory.
Let's finish the job. I want to win.
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