Ali over at Free Iraq voted this morning, then came back and wrote this passage:
"Last night I couldn't sleep well. I was so excited and I wanted to be at the voting center before it even opens its door. I was afraid that I was going to be among a minority who are going to vote, but I was still very happy for rather a different reason. It's that just as I care about the outcome of this election and that democracy would work in Iraq, I cared no less about voting on a personal level. This was my way to stand against those who humiliated me, my family and my friends. It was my way of saying," You're history and you don't scare me anymore". It was my way to scream in the face of all tyrants, not just Saddam and his Ba'athists and tell them, "I don't want to be your, or anyone's slave. You have kept me in your jail all my life but you never owned my soul". It was my way of finally facing my fears and finding my courage and my humanity again."
Go read his whole posting.
I’m humbled...
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Media Snubbed by IECI
I was wondering why there are not more pictures on TV this morning showing the reported crowds outside the polling places in Iraq. Almost all you see is occasional footage of some VIP or unidentified person folding the giant ballot in half so that it will fit in the big plastic Rubbermaid “ballot box.”
I though about the situation a little bit and here is what I have decided.
The main reason for the limited coverage is that most of the reporters and news crews are too chicken shit scared to stand around outside the polling places because of the obvious threat of attack. They are content to sit in the Baghdad Hilton and report second hand news from their “trusted sources.”
With rare exception, this is the way that the news talking heads have reported most of the news to date anyway. You know the script…a) wait for a nearby bombing…b) dash out from your hotel room with a microphone and camera…c) deliver a hand wringing commentary with the rising plume of smoke in the background over your left or right shoulder...d) you get extra credit if there is a school or mosque in the footage. Oh the humanity!!
I am SO tired of those type reports!
The guys over at The Friends of Democracy give us all some additional insight. It seems that the Independent Election Comission of Iraq changed the rules at the last minute regarding the credentials required of reporters to gain access INSIDE the polling places.
“The IECI in Al Samawa reaffirmed its interdiction to allow newsmen to enter voting centers except by a special permit form the IECI in Baghdad. The IECI had asked newsmen last week to present special documents with photos and introduction letters from their organism."
"However it changed its decision one day before elections and admitted only those who had permits from Baghdad. The IECI in Al Samawa has had problems in its work because of non cooperation by the media institutions.”
Hummmhh…NON COOPERATION BY THE MEDIA INSTITUTIONS?
Well, I wonder what that means?
Could it be that the Iraqis are on to the tactics of the leftist American and World media?
Could it be that the Iraqis are tired of the endless negative reporting about the conditions in Iraq in general and the situation surrounding the elections?
Could it be that the Iraqis do not want the media filming detailed video of voters that could be used tomorrow or next week by Al Qaeda to target people that voted?
You're damn right that it COULD BE….
Good job IECI...and...
Good luck Iraq!!
Update: January 30, 2005 at 7:00 am
After further thought, there is one more "Could it be that"...
Could it be that the IECI saw the way our domestic media handled their so-called "exit polling" here in the US last November?
Is there any wonder that they wouldn't want all but a select few reporters to stay miles away from their first democratic voting process to be held in the last 50 years?
Two hours until the polls close...Good Luck Iraq
I though about the situation a little bit and here is what I have decided.
The main reason for the limited coverage is that most of the reporters and news crews are too chicken shit scared to stand around outside the polling places because of the obvious threat of attack. They are content to sit in the Baghdad Hilton and report second hand news from their “trusted sources.”
With rare exception, this is the way that the news talking heads have reported most of the news to date anyway. You know the script…a) wait for a nearby bombing…b) dash out from your hotel room with a microphone and camera…c) deliver a hand wringing commentary with the rising plume of smoke in the background over your left or right shoulder...d) you get extra credit if there is a school or mosque in the footage. Oh the humanity!!
I am SO tired of those type reports!
The guys over at The Friends of Democracy give us all some additional insight. It seems that the Independent Election Comission of Iraq changed the rules at the last minute regarding the credentials required of reporters to gain access INSIDE the polling places.
“The IECI in Al Samawa reaffirmed its interdiction to allow newsmen to enter voting centers except by a special permit form the IECI in Baghdad. The IECI had asked newsmen last week to present special documents with photos and introduction letters from their organism."
"However it changed its decision one day before elections and admitted only those who had permits from Baghdad. The IECI in Al Samawa has had problems in its work because of non cooperation by the media institutions.”
Hummmhh…NON COOPERATION BY THE MEDIA INSTITUTIONS?
Well, I wonder what that means?
Could it be that the Iraqis are on to the tactics of the leftist American and World media?
Could it be that the Iraqis are tired of the endless negative reporting about the conditions in Iraq in general and the situation surrounding the elections?
Could it be that the Iraqis do not want the media filming detailed video of voters that could be used tomorrow or next week by Al Qaeda to target people that voted?
You're damn right that it COULD BE….
Good job IECI...and...
Good luck Iraq!!
Update: January 30, 2005 at 7:00 am
After further thought, there is one more "Could it be that"...
Could it be that the IECI saw the way our domestic media handled their so-called "exit polling" here in the US last November?
Is there any wonder that they wouldn't want all but a select few reporters to stay miles away from their first democratic voting process to be held in the last 50 years?
Two hours until the polls close...Good Luck Iraq
Ali Makes Me Jealous
Check out Ali over at Free Iraq who has hopefully cast his vote and safely returned home by now.
Ali makes me jealous because his two month old blog has already had over 91,000 total readers, 13,479 readers this week, and over 1,000 readers today.
Meanwhile, CNN is running flashback news footage of a March 4, 2004 roadside bombing that killed hundreds in Kabala. Lots of dead bodies and whailing relatives...
What I want to know is, what is the %$#@* point, CNN? What does old bombing footage have to do with today's vote? I guess that since there hasn't been a major assault today they have to resort to reruns...
I've got to get busy doing a better job writing so I can catch up with Ali…
Ali makes me jealous because his two month old blog has already had over 91,000 total readers, 13,479 readers this week, and over 1,000 readers today.
Meanwhile, CNN is running flashback news footage of a March 4, 2004 roadside bombing that killed hundreds in Kabala. Lots of dead bodies and whailing relatives...
What I want to know is, what is the %$#@* point, CNN? What does old bombing footage have to do with today's vote? I guess that since there hasn't been a major assault today they have to resort to reruns...
I've got to get busy doing a better job writing so I can catch up with Ali…
BBC Reporters (B)log Iraqi Elections
The BBC has an article on their web site written in blog style, although they seem to have an aversion to writing the word BLOG so they use the word LOG in their headline.
Their latest posting (4:28 AM EST, 9:28 GMT) mentions a suicide bomber killing himself (blowing off his own head and arms) while killing only one other civilian outside a polling place. Of course the reporter had gone back to his military base to eat when the explosion occurred and belatedly filed his report after he returned to his post.
Not to appear crass or insensitive but, actually, I like these odds. If a terrorist walks in with an SKS rifle he can in theory kill a dozen or more people and escape the scene to kill another day. At least these wild eyed “insurgents” are ending their killing career upon the initiation of their first assault.
I'm sure that there is a special place in eternity for the innocent Iraqis who give their lives in the name of freedom. By providing a target for these terrorists, they are most definitely saving the lives of others, just as a Marine might save the lives of his fellow Marines by falling on a hand grenade in a fox hole.
I just hope that there isn’t some spectacular “Big Bang” planned for later today
Good Luck Iraq…
Their latest posting (4:28 AM EST, 9:28 GMT) mentions a suicide bomber killing himself (blowing off his own head and arms) while killing only one other civilian outside a polling place. Of course the reporter had gone back to his military base to eat when the explosion occurred and belatedly filed his report after he returned to his post.
Not to appear crass or insensitive but, actually, I like these odds. If a terrorist walks in with an SKS rifle he can in theory kill a dozen or more people and escape the scene to kill another day. At least these wild eyed “insurgents” are ending their killing career upon the initiation of their first assault.
I'm sure that there is a special place in eternity for the innocent Iraqis who give their lives in the name of freedom. By providing a target for these terrorists, they are most definitely saving the lives of others, just as a Marine might save the lives of his fellow Marines by falling on a hand grenade in a fox hole.
I just hope that there isn’t some spectacular “Big Bang” planned for later today
Good Luck Iraq…
Walking To Freedom
It looks like I will be up all night tonight watching and bloging the Iraqi election coverage on TV. What is most interesting, but not in the least surprising, is that there appears to be two elections going on in Iraq, depending on whether you are watching CNN or FOX News.
I tend to believe the events reported on FOX News.
The polls opened at 11:00 PM EST and what started out as a trickle is quickly turning into a torrent. In spite of three or four suicide bombers and a few mortar attacks, no US troops have been killed and in spite of the handful of Iraqi casualties, the people are still standing in line.
And we bitch and complain when we have to wait a hour to vote here in the US? It sort of puts a new twist on the right to vote, doesn’t it?
FOX just reported that because of security concerns the voting place near Abu Gharib was relocated at the last minute to a building 13 miles away from local villagers. To make matters worse, vehicles are restricted on the roads in that area and most locals are too poor to even own a car.
But guess what? One of our unmanned aerial drones has taken pictures of HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS WALKING DOWN THE ROAD—13 MILES--TO GET TO THE VOTING PLACE. Apparently the numbers are growing by the minute.
What is really sad is that many slack ass Americans wouldn’t have the physical stamina to walk 13 miles to pick up a lottery prize, let alone make the journey to vote in a presidential election.
Every legal voter here in the US should be ashamed of themselves if they ever miss another election again.
I tend to believe the events reported on FOX News.
The polls opened at 11:00 PM EST and what started out as a trickle is quickly turning into a torrent. In spite of three or four suicide bombers and a few mortar attacks, no US troops have been killed and in spite of the handful of Iraqi casualties, the people are still standing in line.
And we bitch and complain when we have to wait a hour to vote here in the US? It sort of puts a new twist on the right to vote, doesn’t it?
FOX just reported that because of security concerns the voting place near Abu Gharib was relocated at the last minute to a building 13 miles away from local villagers. To make matters worse, vehicles are restricted on the roads in that area and most locals are too poor to even own a car.
But guess what? One of our unmanned aerial drones has taken pictures of HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS WALKING DOWN THE ROAD—13 MILES--TO GET TO THE VOTING PLACE. Apparently the numbers are growing by the minute.
What is really sad is that many slack ass Americans wouldn’t have the physical stamina to walk 13 miles to pick up a lottery prize, let alone make the journey to vote in a presidential election.
Every legal voter here in the US should be ashamed of themselves if they ever miss another election again.
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Killing People and Breaking Things
You know, I am really sick and tired of the media and the left’s bitching about events in Iraq. No matter what happens, no matter what we do, there is always someone with a TV camera or a pen and paper willing to produce some shrill complaint and some hysterical analysis. Hannibal and Napoleon would be reduced to mere footnotes in history if they had been forced to prosecute their military campaigns under today’s rules.
Unfortunately, President Bush and our military leaders have allowed outside opinions to dictate the way the war is fought—all half-assed and touchy-feely. In the end, in many respects, the results should have been predicted. Can you say impotent and ineffective?
What kills me is that after screwing around with the process, these same forces and individuals (see Kennedy, Ted) have the audacity to sit back and complain about the results and not accept any responsibility for the outcome.
I think that it has been well proven that we cannot fight and win a war based on how the strategy and intimate details of the battles are PERCEIVED by civilians and the idiot media/politicians back home. What the hell do civilians and politicians know about war? Maybe it is genetic or a contagious disease, but even war hero/POW John McCain has let thirty odd years of politics dull his judgment when it comes to addressing military action.
Because of political correctness, they hardly teach civilians anything about past wars in history class any more. Most high school seniors can’t tell you whether General Cornwallis fought in the Revolutionary War or marched with Sherman through Atlanta in 1864.
Right or wrong, we chose to go to war in Iraq. Fifty years ago, before the days of CNN and the involvement of legions of “imbedded” reporters, before the two terms of the Bill Clinton Presidency and the resulting 40% reduction in active duty troop levels, we would have fought this war quite differently.
The war would have been prosecuted via a massive ground invasion, supported by an equally massive level of air support. Thousands of Americans would have probably been killed in the first week. Hundreds of thousands of civilians would have been displaced and tens of thousands of innocents would have been killed and wounded in the process. Remember the scenes from Paris in 1942 and 1943?
The Coalition forces would have ground their way through all of Iraq. They would have cut off the borders and relentlessly pursued the Iraqi Army and Saddam’s vaulted elite Republican Guard and security forces and we would have not stopped shooting until they were all dead or captured.
Next would have been Iran and Syria. They would have surrendered or faced the same fate.
But Nooooooo, not in 2003-2004. Can’t do it like that. We started out correctly, allowing our high tech Air Force to eliminate the Iraqi command and communications infrastructure. After “softening up” the battle field, everything else was done wrong.
We should have never allowed the Iraqi military to toss off their uniforms and meld into the civilian population. We should have made it extremely expensive for the civilian population to hide the military and later the so-called “insurgents.”
By controlling the borders, we should have made it impossible for the non-Iraqi “insurgents” to enter the country in the first place. But we didn’t.
So now we have to “dance with the one what brought us.” There is an election scheduled for tomorrow. The Iraqis seem to want to vote.
Ted Kennedy, his beloved Democratic Party, and the main stream media are apparently afraid that they will.
For that reason alone, I believe the election is a good idea.
Good Luck Iraq.
Unfortunately, President Bush and our military leaders have allowed outside opinions to dictate the way the war is fought—all half-assed and touchy-feely. In the end, in many respects, the results should have been predicted. Can you say impotent and ineffective?
What kills me is that after screwing around with the process, these same forces and individuals (see Kennedy, Ted) have the audacity to sit back and complain about the results and not accept any responsibility for the outcome.
I think that it has been well proven that we cannot fight and win a war based on how the strategy and intimate details of the battles are PERCEIVED by civilians and the idiot media/politicians back home. What the hell do civilians and politicians know about war? Maybe it is genetic or a contagious disease, but even war hero/POW John McCain has let thirty odd years of politics dull his judgment when it comes to addressing military action.
Because of political correctness, they hardly teach civilians anything about past wars in history class any more. Most high school seniors can’t tell you whether General Cornwallis fought in the Revolutionary War or marched with Sherman through Atlanta in 1864.
Right or wrong, we chose to go to war in Iraq. Fifty years ago, before the days of CNN and the involvement of legions of “imbedded” reporters, before the two terms of the Bill Clinton Presidency and the resulting 40% reduction in active duty troop levels, we would have fought this war quite differently.
The war would have been prosecuted via a massive ground invasion, supported by an equally massive level of air support. Thousands of Americans would have probably been killed in the first week. Hundreds of thousands of civilians would have been displaced and tens of thousands of innocents would have been killed and wounded in the process. Remember the scenes from Paris in 1942 and 1943?
The Coalition forces would have ground their way through all of Iraq. They would have cut off the borders and relentlessly pursued the Iraqi Army and Saddam’s vaulted elite Republican Guard and security forces and we would have not stopped shooting until they were all dead or captured.
Next would have been Iran and Syria. They would have surrendered or faced the same fate.
But Nooooooo, not in 2003-2004. Can’t do it like that. We started out correctly, allowing our high tech Air Force to eliminate the Iraqi command and communications infrastructure. After “softening up” the battle field, everything else was done wrong.
We should have never allowed the Iraqi military to toss off their uniforms and meld into the civilian population. We should have made it extremely expensive for the civilian population to hide the military and later the so-called “insurgents.”
By controlling the borders, we should have made it impossible for the non-Iraqi “insurgents” to enter the country in the first place. But we didn’t.
So now we have to “dance with the one what brought us.” There is an election scheduled for tomorrow. The Iraqis seem to want to vote.
Ted Kennedy, his beloved Democratic Party, and the main stream media are apparently afraid that they will.
For that reason alone, I believe the election is a good idea.
Good Luck Iraq.
Friday, January 28, 2005
T-Minus Three Days...and Counting
Imagine being fifty years old and never every having had the opportunity to vote in a political election. Unfortunately, there are entire herds of adults here in the US whom have had the chance to vote and routinely find the time to ignore the opportunity when it is available to them. Many times they are also the most vocal protestors in any given crowd.
Not me. I couldn’t vote against the dictator-butt-kisser-in chief, socialist loving Reverend Jimmy Carter in 1976 because I was too young, but I was there standing in line in 1980 when Ronald “The Gipper” Reagan was on the ballot. I’ve voted in every single presidential election since then and most of the mid term elections.
I am constantly amazed at the ignorance (and stupidity) exhibited by so-called voters who cannot even name the name of their US Senators. They have no clue whom their representative is at the state house level, but they will beat you to death verbally at every opportunity with the liberal/conservative Democrat/Republican talking points they learn in the headlines of the newspapers and by watching a few minutes of the TV evening network news.
So much for the state of American politics…Iraq is another matter.
In less than three days the registered voters in Iraq are going to have the opportunity to exercise a privilege that many here in the US routinely choose to ignore. Fourteen point five million Iraqi voters are going to VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER FIFTY YEARS.
The Friends of Democracy Blog has some interesting insights into the street level goings on in Iraq. Instead of Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, and H. Ross Perot’s, they have hundreds of “lists” representing individual political groups.
Here is an interesting example of a party platform. Along with providing a listing of their platform, I’m going to offer few select comments and some fairly important historical references for their education and use…
"The Coalition of the Independent Sons of Missan announced its list No.336. The Coalition is an independent professional group running for the Missan governorate council. The main points of its program:"
"1-Serving the people of the governorate in cities and rural areas with total honesty, integrity and sincerity, without any discrimination based on class, tribe or confession."
Sounds good to me…For reference, see The US Constitution. It’s got over two hundred years of experience and (ab)use. Caution, your mileage may vary.
"2-Improving deteriorating public services in the governorate, finding efficient solutions to the unemployment problem by encouraging investment in new projects and creating new jobs."
Again, a no brainer…but I suggest that you have to be careful with respect to government funding of jobs. Let the new jobs be created by private enterprise rather than the new government. See Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal
"3-Eradicating administrative and fiscal corruption in most government departments by naming competent, honest and experienced people to positions of responsibility and supervising works and projects in the governorate."
Amen, brother. Also, employing a digital camera phone for evidence gathering and the liberal use of a firing squad does wonders when it comes to encouraging fiscal responsibility.
"4-Eliminating the deleterious effects left by the previous regime in all fields of life, especially since they are reappearing under new forms and faces (corruption, dictatorship, nepotism)."
Do I have another Amen from the audience? How about a loud Hallelujah?
"5-Giving women a greater role at all levels to improve their actual state of inferiority"
Poor choice of wording here guys…let’s try eliminating the inferiority rather than improving it…
"6-Promoting the private sector in order to increase investments."
See the dictionary under the heading Reaganomics.
"7-Improving health services, working toward health insurance for all citizens."
Careful boys and girls, this is an extremely slippery slope. Suggest looking up Hillarycare in the dictionary. Health insurance = good. Universal healthcare = Canada
"8-Promoting and developing tourism, especially in the Ahwar areas."
I’m afraid that this one is going to take a few decades to develop…sorry guys.
"9-Protecting the environment."
Please, just don’t jump on the Global Warming and the United Nations Kyoto Protocol bandwagon. You guys just need to stop dumping zillions of gallons of raw crude out onto the sand and into the Euphrates river and everyone in the ‘global community” will be quite happy. And by the way, can you say $1.25 gas???
"10-Compensating martyrs families and victims of the former regime."
Again, careful here…where is the “compensation” money going to come from? Taxing the achievers in your society? Bad idea...
See September 11 fund. Why should someone that lost a loved one in the US in NYC on 9/11 get a million dollars and a poor woman whose husband was killed on the same day in a Florida construction accident or kid whose mom died in an Alabama car wreck get nothing?
Isn't it amazing how familiar the "planks" of this political "platform" are to all of us here in the US? It's not perfect but it is definitely a STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
GOOD LUCK IRAQ...
Not me. I couldn’t vote against the dictator-butt-kisser-in chief, socialist loving Reverend Jimmy Carter in 1976 because I was too young, but I was there standing in line in 1980 when Ronald “The Gipper” Reagan was on the ballot. I’ve voted in every single presidential election since then and most of the mid term elections.
I am constantly amazed at the ignorance (and stupidity) exhibited by so-called voters who cannot even name the name of their US Senators. They have no clue whom their representative is at the state house level, but they will beat you to death verbally at every opportunity with the liberal/conservative Democrat/Republican talking points they learn in the headlines of the newspapers and by watching a few minutes of the TV evening network news.
So much for the state of American politics…Iraq is another matter.
In less than three days the registered voters in Iraq are going to have the opportunity to exercise a privilege that many here in the US routinely choose to ignore. Fourteen point five million Iraqi voters are going to VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER FIFTY YEARS.
The Friends of Democracy Blog has some interesting insights into the street level goings on in Iraq. Instead of Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, and H. Ross Perot’s, they have hundreds of “lists” representing individual political groups.
Here is an interesting example of a party platform. Along with providing a listing of their platform, I’m going to offer few select comments and some fairly important historical references for their education and use…
"The Coalition of the Independent Sons of Missan announced its list No.336. The Coalition is an independent professional group running for the Missan governorate council. The main points of its program:"
"1-Serving the people of the governorate in cities and rural areas with total honesty, integrity and sincerity, without any discrimination based on class, tribe or confession."
Sounds good to me…For reference, see The US Constitution. It’s got over two hundred years of experience and (ab)use. Caution, your mileage may vary.
"2-Improving deteriorating public services in the governorate, finding efficient solutions to the unemployment problem by encouraging investment in new projects and creating new jobs."
Again, a no brainer…but I suggest that you have to be careful with respect to government funding of jobs. Let the new jobs be created by private enterprise rather than the new government. See Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal
"3-Eradicating administrative and fiscal corruption in most government departments by naming competent, honest and experienced people to positions of responsibility and supervising works and projects in the governorate."
Amen, brother. Also, employing a digital camera phone for evidence gathering and the liberal use of a firing squad does wonders when it comes to encouraging fiscal responsibility.
"4-Eliminating the deleterious effects left by the previous regime in all fields of life, especially since they are reappearing under new forms and faces (corruption, dictatorship, nepotism)."
Do I have another Amen from the audience? How about a loud Hallelujah?
"5-Giving women a greater role at all levels to improve their actual state of inferiority"
Poor choice of wording here guys…let’s try eliminating the inferiority rather than improving it…
"6-Promoting the private sector in order to increase investments."
See the dictionary under the heading Reaganomics.
"7-Improving health services, working toward health insurance for all citizens."
Careful boys and girls, this is an extremely slippery slope. Suggest looking up Hillarycare in the dictionary. Health insurance = good. Universal healthcare = Canada
"8-Promoting and developing tourism, especially in the Ahwar areas."
I’m afraid that this one is going to take a few decades to develop…sorry guys.
"9-Protecting the environment."
Please, just don’t jump on the Global Warming and the United Nations Kyoto Protocol bandwagon. You guys just need to stop dumping zillions of gallons of raw crude out onto the sand and into the Euphrates river and everyone in the ‘global community” will be quite happy. And by the way, can you say $1.25 gas???
"10-Compensating martyrs families and victims of the former regime."
Again, careful here…where is the “compensation” money going to come from? Taxing the achievers in your society? Bad idea...
See September 11 fund. Why should someone that lost a loved one in the US in NYC on 9/11 get a million dollars and a poor woman whose husband was killed on the same day in a Florida construction accident or kid whose mom died in an Alabama car wreck get nothing?
Isn't it amazing how familiar the "planks" of this political "platform" are to all of us here in the US? It's not perfect but it is definitely a STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
GOOD LUCK IRAQ...
Ego Blogging
I have to brag just a bit. Thanks to my Blogger friends in The Alliance (along with a good measure of hard work of my own) I am one of many that have scooped Fox news and most if not all of the main stream media on two popular news items this past week.
First, I sent out an E-mail last Saturday to a few friends and family members showing the fake VW Polo auto ad. Thanks to my friend Romeocat over at Cathouse Chat Blog for the tip and the link. Everybody has seen it by now.
The second item I found on my own. It was the Iraqi TV Election Ad compilation available on the MEMRI Site that I posted about on Sunday. FOX News has been running excerpts from the video on Wednesday and Thursday.
I found the ads to be very moving and produced in a surprisingly “western style.” I guess people are people no matter where they live and die.
Any way, I had FOX by three days on the mention…Hah!
(more new stuff on Iraq to come later tonight (or this morning)...
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Greetings From Baghdad
Well, not really. Actually, I’m here feeling a bit useless on the Georgia Coast. My heart just hasn’t been in Blogging this week as you can see from the lack of new postings. I had to spend part of a day working at the theater tearing down (what they call “striking the set”) from “The Mousetrap” that just finished a three-week run last Sunday. It’s sad that something that took two months to build can be torn down in only five hours.
And of course I’m still mourning Johnny Carson's death this week. Late night TV just hasn't been the same since his retirement, even with Leno's and Letterman's best efforts.
I've got the travel itch really bad. If I were fifteen or twenty years younger, I would do my best to go to Iraq or at least volunteer to go to Asia to help out with the Tsunami relief efforts. My age and health just won’t support my heart’s and mind’s wishes these days, however. It’s a bitch getting older…
As I posted last weekend, I’ve been following the situation in Iraq through the Internet, trying to get an independent feel for what is going on. I’ve actually turned FOX News and the TV Networks off for half of the day (I’m usually a 12 to16 hour/day news junkie) and I’ve been reading internet Blog sites and I’m a bit surprised at what I am finding.
There is River Bend Blog’s “Baghdad Burning” written by an articulate Iraqi woman that gives some interesting day to day insights into life in country. She’s definitely not 100% pro USA but she still has some interesting things to say. Healing Iraq, written by Zeyad, an Iraqi Dentist, has some interesting maps available that give a good picture of the ethnic and religious variations in the Iraqi population.
Iraq Net has a good assortment of English language news stories written with a slightly different slant from those found here in the NY Times or USA Today.
The Iraqi Schools site is currently managed by Major Nate Hines and is coordinating the collection and distribution of school supplies here in the US for delivery to students in Iraq. They’ve delivered over one million pounds of materials to date. Check them out and help if you can.
Finally, I’ll be following the brand new Friends of Democracy site that was just launched yesterday. It will be interesting to see what kind of news “scoops” I can get from this site. You can be there as the news develops too.
I say that we tell Dan Rather to kiss it…and gather our own news…
And of course I’m still mourning Johnny Carson's death this week. Late night TV just hasn't been the same since his retirement, even with Leno's and Letterman's best efforts.
I've got the travel itch really bad. If I were fifteen or twenty years younger, I would do my best to go to Iraq or at least volunteer to go to Asia to help out with the Tsunami relief efforts. My age and health just won’t support my heart’s and mind’s wishes these days, however. It’s a bitch getting older…
As I posted last weekend, I’ve been following the situation in Iraq through the Internet, trying to get an independent feel for what is going on. I’ve actually turned FOX News and the TV Networks off for half of the day (I’m usually a 12 to16 hour/day news junkie) and I’ve been reading internet Blog sites and I’m a bit surprised at what I am finding.
There is River Bend Blog’s “Baghdad Burning” written by an articulate Iraqi woman that gives some interesting day to day insights into life in country. She’s definitely not 100% pro USA but she still has some interesting things to say. Healing Iraq, written by Zeyad, an Iraqi Dentist, has some interesting maps available that give a good picture of the ethnic and religious variations in the Iraqi population.
Iraq Net has a good assortment of English language news stories written with a slightly different slant from those found here in the NY Times or USA Today.
The Iraqi Schools site is currently managed by Major Nate Hines and is coordinating the collection and distribution of school supplies here in the US for delivery to students in Iraq. They’ve delivered over one million pounds of materials to date. Check them out and help if you can.
Finally, I’ll be following the brand new Friends of Democracy site that was just launched yesterday. It will be interesting to see what kind of news “scoops” I can get from this site. You can be there as the news develops too.
I say that we tell Dan Rather to kiss it…and gather our own news…
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Why I Live On St. Simons
Everyone down here on the Georgia coast is going to wake up this morning complaining because our 70 degree weather has moved out in favor of 41 degree temperatures and 24 MPH wind gusts.
Then there is John Kerry’s lovely Boston, Massachusetts, which is enjoying a winter hurricane, as seen on this offshore NOAA buoy web site showing 53 MPH wind gusts and 20 foot waves at 4:00 AM 13 miles offshore near Boston.
Where is my fishing rod and tackle?
Then there is John Kerry’s lovely Boston, Massachusetts, which is enjoying a winter hurricane, as seen on this offshore NOAA buoy web site showing 53 MPH wind gusts and 20 foot waves at 4:00 AM 13 miles offshore near Boston.
Where is my fishing rod and tackle?
Iraqi TV Election Ads
You absolutely have to check out this compilation of TV ads I found on the MEMRI site I mentioned earlier, promoting the upcoming Iraqi election.
If you don’t have a cable modem or DSL, go to a friend’s house or the library and watch it.
Forget images of death, destruction, camels, and machine guns—modern, savvy advertising does exist today in Iraq.
I had no idea...
If you don’t have a cable modem or DSL, go to a friend’s house or the library and watch it.
Forget images of death, destruction, camels, and machine guns—modern, savvy advertising does exist today in Iraq.
I had no idea...
The Proof's In The Pudding
In the next week I expect everything relating to the Iraqi elections to really ramp up. By “things ramping up,” I mean that we will unfortunately see an increase in the number and frequency of attacks by the so called “insurgents” (most of us call them terrorists.)
We will also see an increased frenzy of negative news coverage in the Main Stream Media, dutifully addressing the gory details of each and every single blast, lamenting the “perceived” deterioration of social and political conditions, along with a generous portion of endless hand-wringing as the self-appointed pundits and TV talking heads lament the impossibility of holding meaningful elections.
In the mean time, what will I be doing? I addition to being grateful for living here in the US (in a Red state) and having our latest national election cycle behind us, I’ll be closely following the Iraqi election through several Iraqi Web sites and Iraqi Blogs.
If you are interested in doing the same, here is what you need to do to keep up with the election events without relying on Dan Rather and Peter Jennings.
First, I don't endorse or otherwise believe everything I read on any blog or website and suggest that you use the same skepticism in kind. There is this site, The Middle East Research Institute, which has some interesting, sometimes biased, insights into the local goings on in Iraq.
Then there are apparently a good number of English speaking bloggers in Iraq that can be linked to through Iraqi Bloggers Central. One of the more controversial sources found in their links is this blog, Iraq the Model, which is supposed to be written by two Iraqi dentist brothers, Mohammed and Omar, that currently live in Iraq.
They must be doing something right because Shara Boxer (no relation to Barbara Boxer?) recently took a shot at these guys in a complete hatchet job NY Times story published in, of all sections, The Arts.
Domestic and International Bloggers are now fair game for the media and I expect them to do everything they can to deliver a big old “see we told you so” at every opportunity. In the words of President Bush...Bring It On!
No matter, we know who we are and we know what we are doing….This is going to be VERY INTERESTING.
Just Watch…
We will also see an increased frenzy of negative news coverage in the Main Stream Media, dutifully addressing the gory details of each and every single blast, lamenting the “perceived” deterioration of social and political conditions, along with a generous portion of endless hand-wringing as the self-appointed pundits and TV talking heads lament the impossibility of holding meaningful elections.
In the mean time, what will I be doing? I addition to being grateful for living here in the US (in a Red state) and having our latest national election cycle behind us, I’ll be closely following the Iraqi election through several Iraqi Web sites and Iraqi Blogs.
If you are interested in doing the same, here is what you need to do to keep up with the election events without relying on Dan Rather and Peter Jennings.
First, I don't endorse or otherwise believe everything I read on any blog or website and suggest that you use the same skepticism in kind. There is this site, The Middle East Research Institute, which has some interesting, sometimes biased, insights into the local goings on in Iraq.
Then there are apparently a good number of English speaking bloggers in Iraq that can be linked to through Iraqi Bloggers Central. One of the more controversial sources found in their links is this blog, Iraq the Model, which is supposed to be written by two Iraqi dentist brothers, Mohammed and Omar, that currently live in Iraq.
They must be doing something right because Shara Boxer (no relation to Barbara Boxer?) recently took a shot at these guys in a complete hatchet job NY Times story published in, of all sections, The Arts.
Domestic and International Bloggers are now fair game for the media and I expect them to do everything they can to deliver a big old “see we told you so” at every opportunity. In the words of President Bush...Bring It On!
No matter, we know who we are and we know what we are doing….This is going to be VERY INTERESTING.
Just Watch…
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Having Your Cake And Eatin' it Too
It seems that an aspiring rocket scientist in Wisconsin has a problem with being assigned homework over summer break.
“MILWAUKEE — A student whose vacation plans were spoiled has sued to end summer homework in Wisconsin, claiming it creates an unfair workload and unnecessary stress”.
“Peer Larson, 17, had lined up a dream camp counselor job last June, but honors pre-calculus homework turned his summer into a headache.”
"It didn't completely ruin my summer, but it did give me a lot of undue stress both at home and at work," the high school junior said Thursday. "I just didn't have the energy or the time for it."
So help me see if I have this story straight.
This guy has attained the ripe old of age of 17. He’s going to a watered down, politically correct, metal detector equipped government school to get a so-called “education.” He is apparently smart enough to be allowed to enroll in “honors pre-calculus.”
After Mr. Larson is forced to burn the midnight oil solving a few math problems in between summer camp panty raids and singing “Kumbaya” by the campfire, he decides to file a lawsuit to change the curriculum so that future students won’t be forced to endure the mental anguish of choosing between studying Calculus and playing video games or running around spending their hard earned summer job cash.
Is that the way you see the situation?
Well then, let me ask you this…
Why the heck does Peer (I bet that being tagged with the name “Peer” represents a ticket to a lifetime of rhyming taunts in school) think that the administration might have chosen to include the word “HONORS” in the course title. Might not it involve an effort to identify a class that includes advanced subject matter and extra coursework?
If “Peer” didn’t want to do homework over his beloved summer break, why didn’t he elect to take “CALCULUS FOR DUMBASSES,” Abacus 101, or maybe “counting past ten with your shoes on?” Unless the “honors pre-calculus” class has just been added to the curriculum, I’m sure that the teenaged rumor mill had previously documented the requirement for summer homework.
And the most damning thing about this story is that Peer’s father is helping him pursue the lawsuit and is acting as the attorney.
It would seem that stupidity runs deep in the Larson family tree.
“MILWAUKEE — A student whose vacation plans were spoiled has sued to end summer homework in Wisconsin, claiming it creates an unfair workload and unnecessary stress”.
“Peer Larson, 17, had lined up a dream camp counselor job last June, but honors pre-calculus homework turned his summer into a headache.”
"It didn't completely ruin my summer, but it did give me a lot of undue stress both at home and at work," the high school junior said Thursday. "I just didn't have the energy or the time for it."
So help me see if I have this story straight.
This guy has attained the ripe old of age of 17. He’s going to a watered down, politically correct, metal detector equipped government school to get a so-called “education.” He is apparently smart enough to be allowed to enroll in “honors pre-calculus.”
After Mr. Larson is forced to burn the midnight oil solving a few math problems in between summer camp panty raids and singing “Kumbaya” by the campfire, he decides to file a lawsuit to change the curriculum so that future students won’t be forced to endure the mental anguish of choosing between studying Calculus and playing video games or running around spending their hard earned summer job cash.
Is that the way you see the situation?
Well then, let me ask you this…
Why the heck does Peer (I bet that being tagged with the name “Peer” represents a ticket to a lifetime of rhyming taunts in school) think that the administration might have chosen to include the word “HONORS” in the course title. Might not it involve an effort to identify a class that includes advanced subject matter and extra coursework?
If “Peer” didn’t want to do homework over his beloved summer break, why didn’t he elect to take “CALCULUS FOR DUMBASSES,” Abacus 101, or maybe “counting past ten with your shoes on?” Unless the “honors pre-calculus” class has just been added to the curriculum, I’m sure that the teenaged rumor mill had previously documented the requirement for summer homework.
And the most damning thing about this story is that Peer’s father is helping him pursue the lawsuit and is acting as the attorney.
It would seem that stupidity runs deep in the Larson family tree.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Feckless--Part II
Last month I published my post entitled Feckless addressing, of all things, the United Nations. In that writing I mentioned that the dictionary gave this definition for the word Feckless:
Feckless (adj.) 1. Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.
2. Careless and irresponsible
Well, not to appear to be flogging the proverbial dead horse, but I have yet another problem with the UN this evening. I seems that the UN has decided that it cannot be responsible for observing the Iraqi elections this month.
Further, they waited until 10 days before the election to make the announcement. Where is my passport and shotgun, looks like I’ve got to make a trip next week…
Listen to this lame crap:
“United Nations diplomats are warning that Iraq's first democratic election will be held without wide-scale international monitoring.
The UN says it cannot observe the January 30 poll because it played a role in setting up the elections, and no other international organisation has stepped in to offer assistance.”
My response to these two sentences is: a) so what and b) since when?
So what if wide scale international monitoring isn’t available? I suggest that if the Iraqi people and the interim governing council are happy with the outcome, it’s none of the UN’s damn business how the election was handled. Remember that the UN was on Saddam’s payroll for 8 or 10 years and they didn’t seem to have a problem with him being an un-elected leader?
Since when has the UN excluded themselves from being the official international busybodies in every other countries’ business including elections over the past 60 years? And what do they mean when they say that they can't monitor the elections because they set them up? Are the elections rigged and they can't monitor them because they know where to look for evidence of hanky-panky or what.
They are only now making this belated “announcement” because they are pissed off that the US wouldn’t delay the election and they can’t control the process to their satisfaction.
What other international organization would they like to step in in their absence? The NBA, the FAA, NASA, the EU, or perhaps the NCAA? Maybe they would rather have a soccer game or a cricket match rather than an election.
“The absence of international monitoring could undermine confidence in the results of elections that are already threatened by widespread voter intimidation and the boycott of Sunni Arab parties.
But one UN official said there would be sufficient scrutiny by local party observers and domestic non-governmental organisations. “It's not essential to have international election observers,” said Carlos Valenzuela, the UN's Iraq election expert. A Canada-based umbrella group of electoral experts, the International Mission for Iraqi Elections, was established in December to help assess the process, but insists it is not a monitoring mission.
“Monitoring is a big problem. There won't be any international observation mechanism,” said one UN diplomat. “The UN is not willing. No one is willing. No one wants to send their people there.”
Even the number of Iraqis expected to oversee the process was “less than expected or needed”.
The diplomat described IMIE as a “last-minute” initiative, which will send experts to Jordan and Baghdad's green zone “to provide a kind of out-of-country monitoring mission”.
Another claimed it would provide helpful scrutiny of “organisational points of the process”, but added: “You can't expect international monitors to be located across the country.”
IMIE refuses to answer press enquiries about its job. Jean-Pierre Kingsley, its head, refuses interview requests, and journalists are referred to the body's website.
This Canada based International Mission for Iraqi Elections has the distinct odor of smelly socks and sweaty feet, in my opinion. It is so appropriate that their leader is named Jean-Pierre. Can you say France West?
The IMIE (as in Imie, Meemie , Mimie, Moe?), has spent all of their time running around outside of Iraq, avoiding car bombs, looking for so-called Iraqi nationals to vote. What I want to know is, how do you tell an Iraqi from a Saudi? Do they have a class ring, a driver’s license, or a fraternity jersey, or maybe a tattoo that gives them away on a positive ID basis? What are the odds that the Iraqi nationals that the IMIE does find and positively identify are actually displaced Saddam supporters who had enough money to get the hell out to avoid the fighting and are just itching for the opportunity to move back in country and pick up where they left off two years ago?
Again, all that the UN has proven here is how absolutely useless they are in achieving a basic mission that they claim to be experts at. This election has been scheduled for over six months and the UN can’t recruit and train enough indigenous personnel to accomplish what they claim is a vital mission.
Other than bitching and complaining and fund raising, what the heck can the UN actually be counted on to accomplish?
Just wondering….
Feckless (adj.) 1. Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.
2. Careless and irresponsible
Well, not to appear to be flogging the proverbial dead horse, but I have yet another problem with the UN this evening. I seems that the UN has decided that it cannot be responsible for observing the Iraqi elections this month.
Further, they waited until 10 days before the election to make the announcement. Where is my passport and shotgun, looks like I’ve got to make a trip next week…
Listen to this lame crap:
“United Nations diplomats are warning that Iraq's first democratic election will be held without wide-scale international monitoring.
The UN says it cannot observe the January 30 poll because it played a role in setting up the elections, and no other international organisation has stepped in to offer assistance.”
My response to these two sentences is: a) so what and b) since when?
So what if wide scale international monitoring isn’t available? I suggest that if the Iraqi people and the interim governing council are happy with the outcome, it’s none of the UN’s damn business how the election was handled. Remember that the UN was on Saddam’s payroll for 8 or 10 years and they didn’t seem to have a problem with him being an un-elected leader?
Since when has the UN excluded themselves from being the official international busybodies in every other countries’ business including elections over the past 60 years? And what do they mean when they say that they can't monitor the elections because they set them up? Are the elections rigged and they can't monitor them because they know where to look for evidence of hanky-panky or what.
They are only now making this belated “announcement” because they are pissed off that the US wouldn’t delay the election and they can’t control the process to their satisfaction.
What other international organization would they like to step in in their absence? The NBA, the FAA, NASA, the EU, or perhaps the NCAA? Maybe they would rather have a soccer game or a cricket match rather than an election.
“The absence of international monitoring could undermine confidence in the results of elections that are already threatened by widespread voter intimidation and the boycott of Sunni Arab parties.
But one UN official said there would be sufficient scrutiny by local party observers and domestic non-governmental organisations. “It's not essential to have international election observers,” said Carlos Valenzuela, the UN's Iraq election expert. A Canada-based umbrella group of electoral experts, the International Mission for Iraqi Elections, was established in December to help assess the process, but insists it is not a monitoring mission.
“Monitoring is a big problem. There won't be any international observation mechanism,” said one UN diplomat. “The UN is not willing. No one is willing. No one wants to send their people there.”
Even the number of Iraqis expected to oversee the process was “less than expected or needed”.
The diplomat described IMIE as a “last-minute” initiative, which will send experts to Jordan and Baghdad's green zone “to provide a kind of out-of-country monitoring mission”.
Another claimed it would provide helpful scrutiny of “organisational points of the process”, but added: “You can't expect international monitors to be located across the country.”
IMIE refuses to answer press enquiries about its job. Jean-Pierre Kingsley, its head, refuses interview requests, and journalists are referred to the body's website.
This Canada based International Mission for Iraqi Elections has the distinct odor of smelly socks and sweaty feet, in my opinion. It is so appropriate that their leader is named Jean-Pierre. Can you say France West?
The IMIE (as in Imie, Meemie , Mimie, Moe?), has spent all of their time running around outside of Iraq, avoiding car bombs, looking for so-called Iraqi nationals to vote. What I want to know is, how do you tell an Iraqi from a Saudi? Do they have a class ring, a driver’s license, or a fraternity jersey, or maybe a tattoo that gives them away on a positive ID basis? What are the odds that the Iraqi nationals that the IMIE does find and positively identify are actually displaced Saddam supporters who had enough money to get the hell out to avoid the fighting and are just itching for the opportunity to move back in country and pick up where they left off two years ago?
Again, all that the UN has proven here is how absolutely useless they are in achieving a basic mission that they claim to be experts at. This election has been scheduled for over six months and the UN can’t recruit and train enough indigenous personnel to accomplish what they claim is a vital mission.
Other than bitching and complaining and fund raising, what the heck can the UN actually be counted on to accomplish?
Just wondering….
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Don't Drink The Water
(More insanity at the EPA)
I’m having a hard time understanding this issue and to date I’ve avoided publicly commenting, but after reading the latest hysterical news story, thinking about it for a while this afternoon thereby getting up a good head of steam, I believe it is time to cut loose and see what happens. Here goes…
It seems that the EPA still has a problem with the quality of the drinking water stored in the holding tanks of some airliners. This story has already made the rounds once last fall on the local and national TV news shows and in the newspapers. Everybody…quick… wrinkle up your noses and make a face like your smelling cat poo and yell a collective “yuck!”
“About one in six airliners in the latest round of tests conducted in November and December had drinking water that failed to meet federal safety standards, EPA said. Similar tests in August and September showed the water in one in eight aircraft testing positive for coliform bacteria.
The latest round of testing produced positive results for presence of the bacteria in 29 of 169 randomly selected passenger aircraft carrying domestic and international passengers. The tests were done on water from galley water taps and lavatory faucets on planes at 14 airports throughout the United States.
The coliform bacteria — usually harmless itself but an indicator of the possible presence of other harmful organisms — was found in the planes ranging from small commuter aircraft to jumbo jets. None had E. coli bacteria (news - web sites ), which can cause gastrointestinal illness.
"It's an issue that's of concern," said Thomas V. Skinner, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "It's not an indication that anyone needs to panic."
Despite the increased rate of aircraft testing positive over a previous round of testing, Skinner said he "would still maintain that the vast majority of planes do not come up positive."
He said the government does not plan a third round of tests.”
First things first. Finding coliform bacteria in 1/8th of the airliners in one test and 1/6th of the airliners in another is not a trend.
Why?
They only looked at 169 airplanes, that's why!
There are over 13,000 McDonald Douglas, Boeing, and Airbus airliners in service today worldwide. There are also a bunch of other smaller "regional jets" flying around not included in that number.
I suspect that at least half of them are operating domestically or arrive in the US occasionally on international flights. How in the world can the EPA honestly tell us anything about the quality of water on airliners by looking at only 169 airplanes twice? Did they look at the same planes each time or choose different ones?
And why would anyone actually care? Don’t we all usually drink bottled water served off of the little cart that comes rolling down the isle, served by the frowning flight attendant, five minutes before the airplane begins it’s “initial descent into the airport area” thereby forcing you to relinquish you much awaited cup of ice and water into the trash after you’ve “returned your tray table and seatback into the upright and locked position?” It’s not like I’m running into the urine-spattered restroom and lapping up handfuls of water out of the sink, you know?
I suspect that if they did two more tests involving the same number of airplanes they’d get two different sets of results, again. And the most damming thing about this story is this. If we are really supposed to be concerned about water quality issues on airliners, why isn’t the EPA going to do another set of follow up tests?
BECAUSE THE EPA IS GOVERNMENT, THAT’S WHY.
Based on my past experience with “water quality” issues on recreational vehicles (motor homes and cabin cruisers,) the best that you can do is keep the water looking relatively clear and not smelling like Okefenokee Swamp water. All you can do is basically change the water every now and then and dump a few caps of Clorox in for good measure and that’s about it. Bathing in the holding tank water and washing some pots and pans is OK, but bottled water is the way to go in your Winnebago or Sea Ray. Why should it be any different on a Delta Flight?
And really, if the airlines wanted to and could actually afford to worry about and ensure that they have surgically steralized water meeting the vaulted "EPA standards" on an airliner, I would hope that they could do it. Otherwise, how can we expect them to ensure that the fuel tanks aren't also contaminated with rat turds and that the freaking General Electric gas turbines will actually reliably operate for three and one-half hours between Atlanta and LA, turning at 30,000 RPM and flying at 40,000 feet in minus 20 degrees Celsius air?
Once again people, what we have here is a bored reporter and a slow news day and the end result is…
Much Ado About Nothing! Now find something that actually matters to worry about...
Update...January 19, 2005, 6:45 PM, after some more thought.....
If I were the EPA or the FAA, I would start checking the TANKER TRUCKS that are delivering the water to the offending airliners rather than pontificating about the water quality of the airplanes themselves. Do they think that somehow the airplanes are catching raindrops in flight or have really long wicks or siphon hoses that pick up water in route from the Rio Grande or Loche Ness or what.???
I can just hear the announcement over the intercom now..."Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen... Please remain calm, but do we have Jesus on board the aircraft ...we're a bit short on our wine inventory and the water looks a little bit tepid???"
Can't we just change my headline to "DON'T DRINK THE WATER (from the tanker trucks in the parking lot)??
Damn, I'm really stupid for not thinking of this angle from the outset when I first posted my ranting and raving. Come on People...HELP ME THINK for a CHANGE...Plueaseee ...Don't make me work so hard!
I’m having a hard time understanding this issue and to date I’ve avoided publicly commenting, but after reading the latest hysterical news story, thinking about it for a while this afternoon thereby getting up a good head of steam, I believe it is time to cut loose and see what happens. Here goes…
It seems that the EPA still has a problem with the quality of the drinking water stored in the holding tanks of some airliners. This story has already made the rounds once last fall on the local and national TV news shows and in the newspapers. Everybody…quick… wrinkle up your noses and make a face like your smelling cat poo and yell a collective “yuck!”
“About one in six airliners in the latest round of tests conducted in November and December had drinking water that failed to meet federal safety standards, EPA said. Similar tests in August and September showed the water in one in eight aircraft testing positive for coliform bacteria.
The latest round of testing produced positive results for presence of the bacteria in 29 of 169 randomly selected passenger aircraft carrying domestic and international passengers. The tests were done on water from galley water taps and lavatory faucets on planes at 14 airports throughout the United States.
The coliform bacteria — usually harmless itself but an indicator of the possible presence of other harmful organisms — was found in the planes ranging from small commuter aircraft to jumbo jets. None had E. coli bacteria (news - web sites ), which can cause gastrointestinal illness.
"It's an issue that's of concern," said Thomas V. Skinner, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "It's not an indication that anyone needs to panic."
Despite the increased rate of aircraft testing positive over a previous round of testing, Skinner said he "would still maintain that the vast majority of planes do not come up positive."
He said the government does not plan a third round of tests.”
First things first. Finding coliform bacteria in 1/8th of the airliners in one test and 1/6th of the airliners in another is not a trend.
Why?
They only looked at 169 airplanes, that's why!
There are over 13,000 McDonald Douglas, Boeing, and Airbus airliners in service today worldwide. There are also a bunch of other smaller "regional jets" flying around not included in that number.
I suspect that at least half of them are operating domestically or arrive in the US occasionally on international flights. How in the world can the EPA honestly tell us anything about the quality of water on airliners by looking at only 169 airplanes twice? Did they look at the same planes each time or choose different ones?
And why would anyone actually care? Don’t we all usually drink bottled water served off of the little cart that comes rolling down the isle, served by the frowning flight attendant, five minutes before the airplane begins it’s “initial descent into the airport area” thereby forcing you to relinquish you much awaited cup of ice and water into the trash after you’ve “returned your tray table and seatback into the upright and locked position?” It’s not like I’m running into the urine-spattered restroom and lapping up handfuls of water out of the sink, you know?
I suspect that if they did two more tests involving the same number of airplanes they’d get two different sets of results, again. And the most damming thing about this story is this. If we are really supposed to be concerned about water quality issues on airliners, why isn’t the EPA going to do another set of follow up tests?
BECAUSE THE EPA IS GOVERNMENT, THAT’S WHY.
Based on my past experience with “water quality” issues on recreational vehicles (motor homes and cabin cruisers,) the best that you can do is keep the water looking relatively clear and not smelling like Okefenokee Swamp water. All you can do is basically change the water every now and then and dump a few caps of Clorox in for good measure and that’s about it. Bathing in the holding tank water and washing some pots and pans is OK, but bottled water is the way to go in your Winnebago or Sea Ray. Why should it be any different on a Delta Flight?
And really, if the airlines wanted to and could actually afford to worry about and ensure that they have surgically steralized water meeting the vaulted "EPA standards" on an airliner, I would hope that they could do it. Otherwise, how can we expect them to ensure that the fuel tanks aren't also contaminated with rat turds and that the freaking General Electric gas turbines will actually reliably operate for three and one-half hours between Atlanta and LA, turning at 30,000 RPM and flying at 40,000 feet in minus 20 degrees Celsius air?
Once again people, what we have here is a bored reporter and a slow news day and the end result is…
Much Ado About Nothing! Now find something that actually matters to worry about...
Update...January 19, 2005, 6:45 PM, after some more thought.....
If I were the EPA or the FAA, I would start checking the TANKER TRUCKS that are delivering the water to the offending airliners rather than pontificating about the water quality of the airplanes themselves. Do they think that somehow the airplanes are catching raindrops in flight or have really long wicks or siphon hoses that pick up water in route from the Rio Grande or Loche Ness or what.???
I can just hear the announcement over the intercom now..."Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen... Please remain calm, but do we have Jesus on board the aircraft ...we're a bit short on our wine inventory and the water looks a little bit tepid???"
Can't we just change my headline to "DON'T DRINK THE WATER (from the tanker trucks in the parking lot)??
Damn, I'm really stupid for not thinking of this angle from the outset when I first posted my ranting and raving. Come on People...HELP ME THINK for a CHANGE...Plueaseee ...Don't make me work so hard!
The Boxer Rebellion
I’m an Alabama boy. I haven’t lived there for over 28 years, but I still consider myself an Alabamian. Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice is also from Alabama. Although she and I are from opposite sides of the state and 1960’s political landscape, we have evolved separately into the same side of the political spectrum—Miss Rice vastly exceeding my educational and professional accomplishments in the ensuing years. I'd vote for her for president right now if I had the opportunity.
I watched an hour of Barbara Boxer questioning Miss Rice on CSPAN last evening. Then I went into the kitchen and got a large spoon out of the utensil drawer, went into the bathroom, and gagged myself.
How in the world can anyone watch this crap and take Senorita Boxer seriously. Just like the congressional hearings on 9/11, every time Miss Rice would answer a question, Barbara Boxer would ignore the answer and drone on endlessly with a rhetorical list of complete crap aimed at the “congressional record” and the TV cameras.Condi is a tough cookie, however, not asking Mrs. Boxer to perform any sexual acts on herself or suggesting her to place her head in an anatomically impossible location.
At one point Mrs. Boxer actually asked that her point be read procedurally into the record. And this is the democratic party that panders to African Americans and every other downtrodden minority group, “feeling their pain” and promising to raise taxes on all of the darned old, mean old, rich achievers that have “won life’s lottery” through education and hard work.
I would like to see California congress ladies Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi compete on their own special episode of “Fear Factor.” The test would involve a 100 feet of water, a great big burlap bag, some rope, three cinder blocks, along with a single scuba tank and regulator.
May the best woman win...
I watched an hour of Barbara Boxer questioning Miss Rice on CSPAN last evening. Then I went into the kitchen and got a large spoon out of the utensil drawer, went into the bathroom, and gagged myself.
How in the world can anyone watch this crap and take Senorita Boxer seriously. Just like the congressional hearings on 9/11, every time Miss Rice would answer a question, Barbara Boxer would ignore the answer and drone on endlessly with a rhetorical list of complete crap aimed at the “congressional record” and the TV cameras.Condi is a tough cookie, however, not asking Mrs. Boxer to perform any sexual acts on herself or suggesting her to place her head in an anatomically impossible location.
At one point Mrs. Boxer actually asked that her point be read procedurally into the record. And this is the democratic party that panders to African Americans and every other downtrodden minority group, “feeling their pain” and promising to raise taxes on all of the darned old, mean old, rich achievers that have “won life’s lottery” through education and hard work.
I would like to see California congress ladies Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi compete on their own special episode of “Fear Factor.” The test would involve a 100 feet of water, a great big burlap bag, some rope, three cinder blocks, along with a single scuba tank and regulator.
May the best woman win...
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
If If's And But's Were Candy And Nuts...
Every Day'd Be Christmas
I'm a bit short on time here, but I'm so excited that I just have to tell you the good news just announced by the UN.
Here's the intro quotation from the UN press release...
"UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - More than 500 million people can escape abject poverty, 250 million people will no longer go to bed hungry and 30 million children can be saved if rich countries double development aid over the next 10 years to $195 billion, a new U.N.-sponsored report said on Monday."
Now here is the punch line...
"Government aid from rich countries should amount to $135 billion in 2003, rising to $195 billion in 2015 or about 0.54 percent of these nations' GNP, about twice the current level to reach the Millennium goals, the report said. World leaders have agreed on 0.7 percent of GNP for development aid for the Millennium goals and other projects.
UNITED STATES LAGGING
But the United States with its $12 trillion economy would have to raise its contributions considerably.
Although the United States is the largest donor in the world, it contributes the smallest proportion of its GNP to development aid among 22 industrial nations.
Washington spends some 0.16 percent or $25 billion and to reach a target of 0.7 percent of its GNP, it would have to spend $80 billion.
Japan, the world's second largest economy, is also low at 0.20 percent as is Italy at 0.17 percent, and Germany at 0.27.
Among industrial nations, only Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have spent more than the world target of 0.7 percent of their gross national product. Britain, Belgium, France, Finland and Ireland have made promised to reach the target before 2015. "
Who the hell gets to decide how much "Government Aid" should come from "Rich Countries?"
They actually have the audacity to suggest that we should more than TRIPLE our spending on the UN? ($25 billion versus $80 billion.) Well let me get my wallet out...huummmhhh...I seem to be a little short, Kofi.
Isn't this sort of like an eight year old kid going to their parents and announcing that they don't get enough allowance? All the while the parents are providing a roof over their head (in NY City in the case of the UN), clothing, food, etc.
All of these statistics quoted only account for official government giving to the UN. They don't count the value of things like military support in the form of the Carrier Abraham Lincoln and all of the aircraft currently in the Tsunami ravaged areas. And what about the US presence in Afgahnistan and Iraq?
Adding insult to injury, the figures also don't count the value of private donations by US citizens.
And regarding Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, (and Belgium, France, and Finland for that matter) isn't it easy to pony up a wad of cash when you can huddle in the safety of the massive US military presence and the flight paths of a few hundred ICBM's bought and paid for by our tax dollars? Only Britain is even remotely capable of defending themselves without substantial support from the US.
Now, if you have the time, feel free to jump to my previous post, Nearly 15 Billion Down A Rat Hole, and find out how I really feel about the United Nations.
Any Questions??
I'm a bit short on time here, but I'm so excited that I just have to tell you the good news just announced by the UN.
Here's the intro quotation from the UN press release...
"UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - More than 500 million people can escape abject poverty, 250 million people will no longer go to bed hungry and 30 million children can be saved if rich countries double development aid over the next 10 years to $195 billion, a new U.N.-sponsored report said on Monday."
Now here is the punch line...
"Government aid from rich countries should amount to $135 billion in 2003, rising to $195 billion in 2015 or about 0.54 percent of these nations' GNP, about twice the current level to reach the Millennium goals, the report said. World leaders have agreed on 0.7 percent of GNP for development aid for the Millennium goals and other projects.
UNITED STATES LAGGING
But the United States with its $12 trillion economy would have to raise its contributions considerably.
Although the United States is the largest donor in the world, it contributes the smallest proportion of its GNP to development aid among 22 industrial nations.
Washington spends some 0.16 percent or $25 billion and to reach a target of 0.7 percent of its GNP, it would have to spend $80 billion.
Japan, the world's second largest economy, is also low at 0.20 percent as is Italy at 0.17 percent, and Germany at 0.27.
Among industrial nations, only Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have spent more than the world target of 0.7 percent of their gross national product. Britain, Belgium, France, Finland and Ireland have made promised to reach the target before 2015. "
Who the hell gets to decide how much "Government Aid" should come from "Rich Countries?"
They actually have the audacity to suggest that we should more than TRIPLE our spending on the UN? ($25 billion versus $80 billion.) Well let me get my wallet out...huummmhhh...I seem to be a little short, Kofi.
Isn't this sort of like an eight year old kid going to their parents and announcing that they don't get enough allowance? All the while the parents are providing a roof over their head (in NY City in the case of the UN), clothing, food, etc.
All of these statistics quoted only account for official government giving to the UN. They don't count the value of things like military support in the form of the Carrier Abraham Lincoln and all of the aircraft currently in the Tsunami ravaged areas. And what about the US presence in Afgahnistan and Iraq?
Adding insult to injury, the figures also don't count the value of private donations by US citizens.
And regarding Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, (and Belgium, France, and Finland for that matter) isn't it easy to pony up a wad of cash when you can huddle in the safety of the massive US military presence and the flight paths of a few hundred ICBM's bought and paid for by our tax dollars? Only Britain is even remotely capable of defending themselves without substantial support from the US.
Now, if you have the time, feel free to jump to my previous post, Nearly 15 Billion Down A Rat Hole, and find out how I really feel about the United Nations.
Any Questions??
Paralized With Indecision
I have a vapor lock on my brain this evening (some might ask--so what else is new?) I spent much of the day working on a book idea that I've decided to throw myself into this winter. I wish that I could tell you a little about it, but Michael Crichton might be reading and this million is MINE.
Seriously, besides some personal correspondence and blog reading, I just can't seem to find anything that strikes my fancy to write about. No Dan Rather (*%$# head), no UN, no tsunami, no Democrats, no liberals, and least of all,
NO TED KENNEDY.
Actually, I feel better already...
Seriously, besides some personal correspondence and blog reading, I just can't seem to find anything that strikes my fancy to write about. No Dan Rather (*%$# head), no UN, no tsunami, no Democrats, no liberals, and least of all,
NO TED KENNEDY.
Actually, I feel better already...
Monday, January 17, 2005
The Airbus A-380 Is A Big Damn Airplane
I’m an airplane nut. There was a time in college when I aspired to be a Navy F-14 pilot, before my eyesight decided to slide a few points off of 20-20. I abandoned the idea of being a Naval aviator because I refused to accept flying a “fling wing” (a helicopter) or be relegated to hauling plastic dog poop in a rusty transport plane out of Subic Bay Philippines. It was jets or nuthin’.
Later on I started working on being a private pilot, until the FAA bureaucracy ended my flying endeavors with medical limitations the details of which I won’t bore you with here. Any way, I’ve spent a great deal of time building model airplanes, fooling around behind the controls of a Cessna 150, riding in airliners, and even more time reading about airplanes and aviation.
To date I have chosen to not assault you with my aviation knowledge and interests here in my blog, but now I’m asking that you humor me because I’m about to make an exception and I hope to make it worth your while reading my revelations.
Tomorrow, at 6:00 am EST in France, the European aviation manufacturing consortium Airbus will roll out for public viewing their new A-380 airliner, the largest passenger airplane ever produced.
Large is an understatement.
The newspapers and TV news will be filled with simplistic reviews telling you things like that the plane’s wingspan is almost as long as a football field and it holds 555 passengers, 109 more than the capacity of the Boeing 747.
Let me share with you some more details I’ve gotten from the Airbus web site that will put things into perspective, especially if you are a member of the “traveling public” like I am.
Did I say that this plane is huge already? Huge as in …
The fuselage is 238 feet long. The wingspan is 262 feet. The vertical tail is 80’ high and the horizontal stabilizer has a 100’ span. The Canadian regional jets operated by Delta that serve our little local airport have a smaller wingspan that the tail span of this beast.
The plane’s empty weight is 611,729 pounds and it has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,234,588 pounds, more than 600 tons.
Reversing a recent trend of building new airliners with only two engines, the A-340's giant size dictates the use of four (two on each wing) Trent 977 gas turbine engines developing 76,500 pounds of thrust each (thats 306,000 pounds total, boys and girls.)
The fuselage is 28’ high and 23’ wide. The pilots butt will be over 20' off the runway when the airplane is sitting on the runway. That's got to make things interesting when you're waiting for the wheels to touch. You could understand having a bumpy landing every now and then until he gets the hang of things. "Excuse me captain...did you actually land this thing, or were we shot down? Just wondering..."
In tourist class seating there are three seats on each side and four seats in the middle of two isles. It has 49% more floor space and 35% more seating that a 747-400. There are 17 food service galleys and 17 bathrooms.
There is room of 356 passengers including. 22 first class seats on the main deck and 199 (including 96 business class seats) on the upper deck. Each seat will have its own separate armrest. (My aching butt and the rest of my 6’3” frame will certainly enjoy that feature—not having to play dueling elbows with my seatmate.) There are two stairways between decks—one front and one rear.
There will be 12 flight attendants on the main deck and 8 attendants on the upper deck. “Would you like coffee, tea, or a road map to the bathroom, sir?”
It will take 48 minutes to pump 67,364 gallons of jet fuel from four hoses into its fuel tanks. The tanks can actually hold 81,893 gallons of fuel weighing over 247,000 pounds.
They optimistically project that it will take 28 minutes to load 555 passengers onto the two levels of seating through two jet ways (one on each level.) It will take 14 minutes to get everyone off the plane. (Based on my experience on much smaller planes, the A-380 must come with conveyor belts and/or built in electric cattle prods to get this herd moving at this rate.)
It can fly with a full passenger load nearly 14,400 miles without refueling. The expected fuel efficiency should allow operation at costs between 15% to 20% less than the existing 747’s.
They already have over 100 orders from airlines for use on international routes. The airports into which the A-380 will fly will have to modify one or two gates to include the double (or even triple) jet way tunnels and make clearances for all of the four fuel trucks, catering trucks, baggage carts, and other support vehicles.
And leave it to me to do it, but there is one final gruesome statistic that will probably escape mention in the media. With 578 persons on board (555 passengers, 20 flight attendants, and 3 crew members,) if one of these monsters happens to fall out of the sky and kill all aboard, the death toll will exceed the sum total of all of the lives lost in commercial aviation accidents since 1996, including the airplanes lost on 9/11.
Now isn’t that interesting???
Later on I started working on being a private pilot, until the FAA bureaucracy ended my flying endeavors with medical limitations the details of which I won’t bore you with here. Any way, I’ve spent a great deal of time building model airplanes, fooling around behind the controls of a Cessna 150, riding in airliners, and even more time reading about airplanes and aviation.
To date I have chosen to not assault you with my aviation knowledge and interests here in my blog, but now I’m asking that you humor me because I’m about to make an exception and I hope to make it worth your while reading my revelations.
Tomorrow, at 6:00 am EST in France, the European aviation manufacturing consortium Airbus will roll out for public viewing their new A-380 airliner, the largest passenger airplane ever produced.
Large is an understatement.
The newspapers and TV news will be filled with simplistic reviews telling you things like that the plane’s wingspan is almost as long as a football field and it holds 555 passengers, 109 more than the capacity of the Boeing 747.
Let me share with you some more details I’ve gotten from the Airbus web site that will put things into perspective, especially if you are a member of the “traveling public” like I am.
Did I say that this plane is huge already? Huge as in …
The fuselage is 238 feet long. The wingspan is 262 feet. The vertical tail is 80’ high and the horizontal stabilizer has a 100’ span. The Canadian regional jets operated by Delta that serve our little local airport have a smaller wingspan that the tail span of this beast.
The plane’s empty weight is 611,729 pounds and it has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,234,588 pounds, more than 600 tons.
Reversing a recent trend of building new airliners with only two engines, the A-340's giant size dictates the use of four (two on each wing) Trent 977 gas turbine engines developing 76,500 pounds of thrust each (thats 306,000 pounds total, boys and girls.)
The fuselage is 28’ high and 23’ wide. The pilots butt will be over 20' off the runway when the airplane is sitting on the runway. That's got to make things interesting when you're waiting for the wheels to touch. You could understand having a bumpy landing every now and then until he gets the hang of things. "Excuse me captain...did you actually land this thing, or were we shot down? Just wondering..."
In tourist class seating there are three seats on each side and four seats in the middle of two isles. It has 49% more floor space and 35% more seating that a 747-400. There are 17 food service galleys and 17 bathrooms.
There is room of 356 passengers including. 22 first class seats on the main deck and 199 (including 96 business class seats) on the upper deck. Each seat will have its own separate armrest. (My aching butt and the rest of my 6’3” frame will certainly enjoy that feature—not having to play dueling elbows with my seatmate.) There are two stairways between decks—one front and one rear.
There will be 12 flight attendants on the main deck and 8 attendants on the upper deck. “Would you like coffee, tea, or a road map to the bathroom, sir?”
It will take 48 minutes to pump 67,364 gallons of jet fuel from four hoses into its fuel tanks. The tanks can actually hold 81,893 gallons of fuel weighing over 247,000 pounds.
They optimistically project that it will take 28 minutes to load 555 passengers onto the two levels of seating through two jet ways (one on each level.) It will take 14 minutes to get everyone off the plane. (Based on my experience on much smaller planes, the A-380 must come with conveyor belts and/or built in electric cattle prods to get this herd moving at this rate.)
It can fly with a full passenger load nearly 14,400 miles without refueling. The expected fuel efficiency should allow operation at costs between 15% to 20% less than the existing 747’s.
They already have over 100 orders from airlines for use on international routes. The airports into which the A-380 will fly will have to modify one or two gates to include the double (or even triple) jet way tunnels and make clearances for all of the four fuel trucks, catering trucks, baggage carts, and other support vehicles.
And leave it to me to do it, but there is one final gruesome statistic that will probably escape mention in the media. With 578 persons on board (555 passengers, 20 flight attendants, and 3 crew members,) if one of these monsters happens to fall out of the sky and kill all aboard, the death toll will exceed the sum total of all of the lives lost in commercial aviation accidents since 1996, including the airplanes lost on 9/11.
Now isn’t that interesting???
Food For Thought--Part II
I’m sorry, but I just can’t seem to stop picking on the United Nations. On an intellectual basis, from its very inception, every single word uttered by UN “diplomats” and every written word issued by the UN simply begs for analysis and dissection—looking for some form of tangible use and meaning. I’ll keep trying to find something positive, but the prospects look rather bleak at this point.
Revisiting my last posting, Food For Thought, I realize that I really didn’t fully develop my criticisms of the lack of any rational intellectual substance in the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations. Well don’t worry everybody, because I’ve sharpened my knives and now I am going to take another cut at this topic this morning…here goes.
“We the Peoples of the United Nations Determined”
“to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and”
An admirable goal—but at the time that the UN Charter was written they weren’t telling us anything new here in the US. I seem to recall that we were sitting around essentially minding our own business on our own continent and the rest of the world couldn’t play pretty with each other. We were forced to step into both WWI and WWII and kick a little butt to straighten things out.
Leave it to the French and British at the end of WWI to lay the groundwork for the current mess in the middle east when they were forced to divest themselves of their “empires.” They accomplished this by apparently drawing some lines in crayon on the map, essentially ignoring thousands of years of ethnic history. (Remember that the ethnic Kurds are split between Turkey and Iraq and related to the indigenous population of neither country?)
Also, as I recall, by 1950 the UN had asked the US to wade hip deep into the Korean Peninsula on a so called “PEACEKEEPING MISSION” that wound up involving nearly a million more soldiers than were involved in WWI and killing over 33,000 of them in the process. The UN also tucked tail and ran, leaving the majority of the fighting and nearly all of the dieing to our troops. So much for saving us from “the scourge of war…”
"to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and"
Funny, but the Declaration of Independence states "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The UN likewise says they have “faith in fundamental human rights.” But I ask you, what entity do they have faith in? They didn’t come out and say God or Allah or Bob Marley or Jim and Tammy Fay Baker, did they? Where do the fundamental rights mentioned by the UN come from? I suggest that the UN wants you to believe that your rights come from the UN, not from your country and certainally not from your creator.
Further, and this is the scary part, men and women have equal rights, just like NATIONS LARGE AND SMALL have equal rights? I’m sorry, but the only way nations can have equal rights is if the UN truly believes that they are the source of omnipotent power on our planet. Remember that we believe that “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” A little country like Belize has the right to sovereignty within their borders and the right to suck in as many tourism dollars as they can from all of us Rednecks and Yankees, but they are not “equal” to the US in the bigger world picture, no matter what the gold cufflink wearing Euroweenies and the UN weasel bullies say.
"to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and"
Again, this part sounds fine in theory to me, since our existing constitution provides for legally signed and ratified treaties to become part of our laws. Regarding international law, I say that they can set up “World Court’s” and pass international laws all day; they can make Kofi Annon’s birthday a world holiday when he dies—but that doesn’t mean that we here in the US are compelled to close the malls and federal buildings for the day and all pack a picnic basket and go out and celebrate. (Some people might actually celebrate Kofi’s death if it happens while he is in office.)
"to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,"
blaa, blaa, blaa, blaaaaaa, blaa, blaa, blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. I suggest if the UN actually wanted “to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,” they would bring their massive intellectual and military pressure to bear on the leaders of North Korea, Iran, Syria, Libya, Cuba, Haiti, and most of Africa to stop ripping off their own countries and oppressing their peoples.
It’s a no brainer as far as I’m concerned, but the UN is doomed to eternal fecklessness when it comes to actually accomplishing anything regarding human rights as long as they continue to embrace communism and socialism while despising democracy and capitalism. They can’t be serious— China, Cuba, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Pakistan, and the Russian Federation are seven of the twenty six members of the UN's Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. This is sort of like having Charles Manson and Jeffrey Dahlmer on a US Commission for the Prevention of Mass Murder.
"And for these Ends
to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and"
Does being tolerant involve looking the other way while billions of dollars intended for humanitarian relief in Iraq are diverted into the pockets of a brutal dictator for use in arms purchases and bribes for UN employees?
Does being a good neighbor involve raping young African girls and subjecting starving African women to having to provide sexual favors in order for them to receive from the UN the free food that we sent for their use?
"to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and"
Yeah, Right. Korea in 1950, followed by Bosnia, Serbia, Somalia, Croatia, and Rwanda in recent memory—some peace and security.
"to ensure by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and"
We can only accept principles that match our own. In the absence of principals, there are laws and ultimately things like guns and aircraft involved in the process. And let’s see, “institution of methods”—is that other words for 21 non-binding resolutions against Iraq? What a totally ineffective institution or method.
"to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,"
International Machinery—could that be another word for USS Abraham Lincoln, Ch-53 helicopter, Abrams M1/A1 tank? Or is international machinery built by John Deere?
"Have Resolved to Combine our Efforts to Accomplish these Aims
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations."
There now, that about covers it. I think that I have done a pretty good job of proving that the UN was doomed to failure from its inception. Their mission statement was full of flowery words and high minded ideals, but it didn’t have any meat on its skinny carcass.
The Charter was signed on 26, June 1945.
To quote president Roosevelt, “A DATE THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY.”
Revisiting my last posting, Food For Thought, I realize that I really didn’t fully develop my criticisms of the lack of any rational intellectual substance in the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations. Well don’t worry everybody, because I’ve sharpened my knives and now I am going to take another cut at this topic this morning…here goes.
“We the Peoples of the United Nations Determined”
“to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and”
An admirable goal—but at the time that the UN Charter was written they weren’t telling us anything new here in the US. I seem to recall that we were sitting around essentially minding our own business on our own continent and the rest of the world couldn’t play pretty with each other. We were forced to step into both WWI and WWII and kick a little butt to straighten things out.
Leave it to the French and British at the end of WWI to lay the groundwork for the current mess in the middle east when they were forced to divest themselves of their “empires.” They accomplished this by apparently drawing some lines in crayon on the map, essentially ignoring thousands of years of ethnic history. (Remember that the ethnic Kurds are split between Turkey and Iraq and related to the indigenous population of neither country?)
Also, as I recall, by 1950 the UN had asked the US to wade hip deep into the Korean Peninsula on a so called “PEACEKEEPING MISSION” that wound up involving nearly a million more soldiers than were involved in WWI and killing over 33,000 of them in the process. The UN also tucked tail and ran, leaving the majority of the fighting and nearly all of the dieing to our troops. So much for saving us from “the scourge of war…”
"to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and"
Funny, but the Declaration of Independence states "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The UN likewise says they have “faith in fundamental human rights.” But I ask you, what entity do they have faith in? They didn’t come out and say God or Allah or Bob Marley or Jim and Tammy Fay Baker, did they? Where do the fundamental rights mentioned by the UN come from? I suggest that the UN wants you to believe that your rights come from the UN, not from your country and certainally not from your creator.
Further, and this is the scary part, men and women have equal rights, just like NATIONS LARGE AND SMALL have equal rights? I’m sorry, but the only way nations can have equal rights is if the UN truly believes that they are the source of omnipotent power on our planet. Remember that we believe that “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” A little country like Belize has the right to sovereignty within their borders and the right to suck in as many tourism dollars as they can from all of us Rednecks and Yankees, but they are not “equal” to the US in the bigger world picture, no matter what the gold cufflink wearing Euroweenies and the UN weasel bullies say.
"to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and"
Again, this part sounds fine in theory to me, since our existing constitution provides for legally signed and ratified treaties to become part of our laws. Regarding international law, I say that they can set up “World Court’s” and pass international laws all day; they can make Kofi Annon’s birthday a world holiday when he dies—but that doesn’t mean that we here in the US are compelled to close the malls and federal buildings for the day and all pack a picnic basket and go out and celebrate. (Some people might actually celebrate Kofi’s death if it happens while he is in office.)
"to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,"
blaa, blaa, blaa, blaaaaaa, blaa, blaa, blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. I suggest if the UN actually wanted “to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,” they would bring their massive intellectual and military pressure to bear on the leaders of North Korea, Iran, Syria, Libya, Cuba, Haiti, and most of Africa to stop ripping off their own countries and oppressing their peoples.
It’s a no brainer as far as I’m concerned, but the UN is doomed to eternal fecklessness when it comes to actually accomplishing anything regarding human rights as long as they continue to embrace communism and socialism while despising democracy and capitalism. They can’t be serious— China, Cuba, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Pakistan, and the Russian Federation are seven of the twenty six members of the UN's Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. This is sort of like having Charles Manson and Jeffrey Dahlmer on a US Commission for the Prevention of Mass Murder.
"And for these Ends
to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and"
Does being tolerant involve looking the other way while billions of dollars intended for humanitarian relief in Iraq are diverted into the pockets of a brutal dictator for use in arms purchases and bribes for UN employees?
Does being a good neighbor involve raping young African girls and subjecting starving African women to having to provide sexual favors in order for them to receive from the UN the free food that we sent for their use?
"to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and"
Yeah, Right. Korea in 1950, followed by Bosnia, Serbia, Somalia, Croatia, and Rwanda in recent memory—some peace and security.
"to ensure by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and"
We can only accept principles that match our own. In the absence of principals, there are laws and ultimately things like guns and aircraft involved in the process. And let’s see, “institution of methods”—is that other words for 21 non-binding resolutions against Iraq? What a totally ineffective institution or method.
"to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,"
International Machinery—could that be another word for USS Abraham Lincoln, Ch-53 helicopter, Abrams M1/A1 tank? Or is international machinery built by John Deere?
"Have Resolved to Combine our Efforts to Accomplish these Aims
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations."
There now, that about covers it. I think that I have done a pretty good job of proving that the UN was doomed to failure from its inception. Their mission statement was full of flowery words and high minded ideals, but it didn’t have any meat on its skinny carcass.
The Charter was signed on 26, June 1945.
To quote president Roosevelt, “A DATE THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY.”
