tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99932932024-03-13T16:06:36.111-07:00Major MikeMajor Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-43532761620819414472012-10-25T12:26:00.001-07:002012-10-25T12:37:25.428-07:00Breaking the Trust<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the things that commits the warrior class to it
various missions is the trust they place in the Chain of Command to support
their efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On a visit to Fort Benning, GA many years ago I was given a
tour through the Delta Force training facility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without a long digression, we had supported their training activity in
New Mexico over an extended period and they invited us to bring a couple of jets
to Pope AFB, and then to tour their facility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Needless to say, it was an unbelievable experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But what impressed me most was the nonchalant approach that
the Delta Force team members took to the dangers of their duties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They shrugged off dangerous nature of some harrowing
training exercises as if they were going to the grocery store to pick up a
quart of milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were serious, but
casual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was never any doubt, based
on what I saw and what I heard, that these Special Forces operatives were hard
as woodpecker lips, and no amount of danger would get them to flinch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing could dissuade them from doing anything
other than their duty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There was one moment during that visit when one of the team members
related a story to us that was seared into my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the only time I saw a flash of
intensity that has been unseen by me since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The discussion was about a Delta Force team that was attacked and presumed
lost during the Grenada invasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Forgive
me if I don’t get the details entirely correct, but in the end you’ll see that
that will be mostly irrelevant.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly
after this news reached the DF command element a discussion brewed about
whether to send more DF members after the team that had been attacked or
whether the situation was “too hot” to risk additional troops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently the DF commander deferred to
engage because of the risk involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At this point the face of our DF escort’s face was nearly
purple with rage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He calmed a bit and went
on to explain that several team members armed up, commandeered a helo, and went
to find the other team to see what they could do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Upon their return, the DF commander had been relieved of his
duties and was on his way off of Grenada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Such business like decisions are not part of the Special Forces creed
and are not acceptable to those special operators who will do ANYTHING they are
asked to do, all they ask in return is to cover their backs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small potatoes when it comes down to what
they risk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fast forward to Libya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had two special force operators, outnumbered and out gunned, and the
best that we can do for them is NOTHING?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They fought for SEVEN hours, undoubtedly each wounded many times throughout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They kept the faith with one another, as
expected, but what did the Chain of Command do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>NOTHING.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Administration left
these two highly trained and committed warriors isolated; knowing with
CERTAINTY that they would eventually perish to the overwhelming odds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Every American should ponder what that must feel like before they vote this election.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In order for the military to operate effectively it MUST
trust the Chain of Command. At this point in time, I wouldn’t walk across the
street under a Presidential order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
spineless behavior, the absence of direct action and the cover up for this heinous
delectation of duty is unprecedented and it is reprehensible for any Commander
in Chief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If for no other reason than fact that the Obama administration
abandoned its people in the field while engaged with the enemy, this President
should not be allowed in the office, let alone voted by the people of this country back into it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-84237719962984938232012-10-19T14:17:00.002-07:002012-10-19T14:18:13.296-07:00Thoughts for Obama<br />
Holding the wheel is not the same as steering. Sitting the the White House and allowing world events to unfold around you does not constitute a coherent foreign policy. It does not shape events. And it most certainly does not diminish the threat to our country. It does however more clearly define the idiot thought that it is possible to "lead from behind." Let the wheels go where they may, then pretend you were actually steering. Brilliant.<br />
<br />
Closing your eyes does not make the boogie man go away. Al Qaeda attacked us again in Libya; plain and simple. The previous strategy of 3.5 years of playing nice did not make them go away. It did not diminish their organizing activities. It did not slow their training. It only gave them room to maneuver. No matter how much you had hoped they would forget about us and move on, they did not. Instead, they moved in; killing four Americans. Clearly not optimum.<br />
<br />
As Commander in Chief, you should learn something about waging war. Key principle, you must maintain contact with your enemy lest you get ambushed. "Gain and maintain contact with your enemy," is basic warfighting and it also applies strategically. Rest assured, if you take your eye off your enemy or ignore him, you will be ambushed; as in Libya. Normalized relations with Al Qaeda is warfighting, not sipping home brews at the 19th hole chatting it up.<br />
<br />
Semantics is no substitute for substance. Quit dancing around the Libya timeline splicing words that have clear meaning to the rest of America. It may help you feel better while giving a stump speech, but the rest of us know that going to Vegas to fundraise, says more about you and your deep concern for dead Americans, than finding a fortuitous sound bite on a tape that you think will act as an escape hatch from dereliction of duty. Not so fast. We get it. You wanted peace through smiling and apologizing. It didn't work out; it only took you four weeks of Cirque du Soleil verbal acrobatics to get to a spot where you think us stupid idiots in the Middle Class now find you believable. We don't. You lied about what you knew when. You did it to protect your political butt. Shameful behavior form the Commander in Chief. Pathetic.<br />
<br />
It sure is hard to defend vapor. You should have worked harder for 3.5 years rather than just talking about "results;" you should have produced some.<br />
<br />
You and Joe Biden could not lead ants to a picnic. You both came out of the Senate. You had 60 seats at one point, and you still haven't been able to wrangle a budget out that highly respected legislative institution. If the President and Vice President, both fresh out of the Senate, cannot get a budget out of the Senate, what could they do? I guess three years of no budgets is all the evidence we need.<br />
<br />
Own up to it, you love being President, you just don't want to do the job. Why let those security briefings get in the way of golfing? Why not line up a new gig as a DJ while you can? Why not strut your eye candy self through NY and Hollywood while everyone is licking your boots and telling you how much they like your new clothes? Who could give it up? Sorry, but being President is about being on call 24/7, and attending security briefings, and meeting with foreign leaders instead of TV ratings bottom dwellers and softball buttkissers. It is heavy lifting and it is not for the faint of heart. It is for those who love this country more than they love playing a round of golf, or watching the teleprompter, or watching themselves on TV being "hip." It is not for those who can even utter the words "lead from behind," let alone try to turn an un-clever punch line from a joke into "coherent" foreign policy while half of the Arab world is in the throes of revolution. <br />
<br />
Walk away, you can play golf for free for the rest of your life, but the rest of America can't afford to have you as President. <br />
<br />
It costs too much. Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-24038818144257978272012-09-12T08:06:00.001-07:002012-09-12T08:31:19.046-07:00Jimmy Carter Part IIInteresting how the President of the United States, an unabashed apologist for radical Islam (read as murderous radical Islam) and self-proclaimed swami of foreign policy has put the US in a position to lose an Ambassador and three consulate employees, allow for a breach of an American Embassy, the destruction of an American flag (the most powerful symbol of freedom in the world) and then have the Embassy staff tweet out an apology to the attackers. Haven't we been given enough evidence in the post-Carter era, now totalling 31 years, that appeasement, apologies, and avoidance do not equal peace and cooperation. <br />
<br />
The cultivation of these three A's through ignorance, inaction, and idiocy only embolden what would otherwise be impotent and ignominious splinter groups into becoming polarized Muslim mobs that are wreaking havoc on a lame and limp Presidency. It wouldn't bother me so much, except it continues to cost the lives of Americans across the globe, and the President's responses in these circumstances are so feeble that they only add gas to the fire and accelerate more attacks. The attack in Benghazi was clearly fueled by the success of the attack in Cairo and fanned by the completely ineffective White House response. Now four people are dead.<br />
<br />
When will the liberal culture in this country come to understand that Christians are not the ones running around the globe murdering innocents, and when will they finally place the blame for such attacks, not on the producer of a movie, but squarely on the shoulders on which it belongs, the bent and radical believers of Islam and the timid and weak moderate Muslims who have allowed the "religion of peace" to be hijacked? Those sitting idly by are just as guilty.Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-44524507239289722172012-08-13T16:57:00.002-07:002012-08-13T16:57:31.648-07:00SchlubsThe selection of the upcoming Presidential Debate moderators is showing again what schlubs the GOP leaders can be. <br />
<br />
Good job in not securing a debate for FoxNews the #1 news station, while securing a debate for CNN who can muster about as many viewers as a midnight showing of "Spies Like Us", "Three Amigos", "Gigli" and "Showgirls."<br />
<br />
Good job in allowing all three Presidential Debate moderators to be so far left that they could make Gov Jerry Brown seem to be on the fringe of being a Repbulican. That should set up for three very fair debates.<br />
<br />
What GOP candidates and RNC leadership fail to grasp, is that when they cannot negotiate to a fair outcome on matters such as these, our confidence in their ability to govern is diminished.<br />
<br />
Put your pads on, lace up your skates, grab a stick and play. Don't let yourself be pushed around by a bunch of pooofty figure skaters who get blown down in a stiff wind. Man up and get your candidate and your party a fair deal...always!Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-15529235277798908602011-06-17T15:38:00.001-07:002011-06-17T15:38:04.658-07:00Beware of the Heinous ATMs<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is astounding that America could elect as its President a man who is </span><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/16/revenge-machines-obama-mocked-for-blaming-slow-recovery-on-atms/?test=latestnews"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: purple;">blaming ATMs</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for slowing the economic recovery.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"You see it when you go to a bank and ... you use an ATM, you don't go to a bank teller. Or you go to the airport, and you're using a kiosk instead of checking in at the gate," the president said. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is obvious that the fate of our economy has been entrusted to a man who knows less about business than a five year old running a lemonade stand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">His ATM example is off for several reasons, but foremost is that ATMs were a regular part of life well before<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the economic downturn, and based on their cost-effectiveness it is doubtful that at any point since that anyone in the banking business has even remotely considered removing their ATMs in favor of bank tellers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ATMs have had exactly ZERO impact on the economic downturn or the recovery.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Secondly, he fails to comprehend that every component contained within the impenetrable boxes has to be manufactured by someone with a far greater skill set than your average bank teller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not in the ATM business, but it is easy to see that inside every machine there is a small computer, a scanner, a remote access device (modem/comm. Device), human-machine-interface (control screen), steel case for the machine, and hundreds of metal and plastic pieces that have to be injection molded or stamped in order to get the machine to function.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All these parts then need to be assembled, tested and shipped to their installation locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it is safe to say that each ATM supports dozens, if not hundreds of jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to mention that they are way move convenient than most bank tellers were only available between 9:00 am and 3:30 pm.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ATMs add to the banks’ profitability, and thus allow banks to make better investment decisions with those dollars; decisions that add to profitability and higher paying jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps they would even want to buy more evil ATMs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or hire a securities analyst rather than an entry level employee who has a skill set about the equivalent of the TI 30 calculator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or open another branch, which would in turn create construction jobs and more ATM jobs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In business, jobs that can be replaced with capital equipment which is ultimately more cost effective and efficient have always been the target of automation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cotton Gin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harvest Combines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Motorized street sweeping machines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is way too late to lament the loss of the cash counter at the bank window.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The reference to the airline kiosks though shows just how out of touch Obama is with the real world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If I have a choice between the “friendly” ticket clerk and the kiosk, I am heading to the kiosk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because the President has not likely flown on a commercial airliner since before his Chicago organizing days, he has no comprehension to what degree most of us disdain airline travel today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TSA (no more need to be said), Surly clerks, surly passengers, surly parking attendants, and surly airport cops make taking a trip about as fun and time consuming as having back-to-back root canals done.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In two simple sentences our President shows the world that he knows NOTHING about business and that he is completely out of touch with that part of the population (90%?) which has to travel by commercial airliner vice luxury jet or Air Force One.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who in the country would vote for this guy, and why in the world would they think for a minute he was capable of managing us out of financial crisis?</span></div>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-67032646453511272772011-06-16T11:09:00.001-07:002011-06-16T11:25:40.808-07:00Camouflage Cooperation<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many years ago, as the services were becoming more “Joint,” many eager beavers floated the idea that the individual service cultures should devolve into a single, joint (blended more appropriate) service that would go so far as to share a single uniform set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe it was referred to for a while as going purple, or a rough blend of all of the existing uniform colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suffice it to say, I personally knew of no Marines who were in favor of this idea, although in the officer brown-nosing class, I am sure there were a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Marines are both aware of, and proud of the history behind their uniforms and uniform items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know that the uniform is what links them to previous generations of Marines and sets them apart from the other services whose uniforms pale in comparison to those of the Marines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Switching uniforms was a complete non-starter for the Corps.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Given this, it is not surprising that the Marines are particularly defensive about sharing their camouflage uniform pattern with the </span><a href="http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/06/army-marine-corps-clash-over-camouflage-060411w/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Army</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are simply protecting their distinctive Marine turf, a pretty natural reflexive response for most Marines.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I would ask the Marines to re-consider.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Allow me a few of short digressions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My last assignment in the Marine Corps was as an operational requirements assessment officer on the Navy staff in Pearl Harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My job was to evaluate the operational requirements submitted by the operational staffs (Fleet, Air Wings, etc.), prioritize them and if approved, get them into the budgeting process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I personally evaluated all things fixed-wing tactical aviation, all air delivered ordnance, and all things Marine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing I learned in that job was that money was tight, always.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A million dollars meant a lot to each of us in our respective roles in N83, and haggling for a million dollars was not uncommon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A million dollars saved on submarine spare parts might easily fund training ammunition for a battalion of forward deployed Marines for a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would say we did a fair job of making the money go as far as we could.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Digression number two.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to catch a snippet of how the Marines developed their new camouflage pattern on a show about camouflage on the History Channel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The show depicted the intense analysis and testing that the Marines put into the development and selection of their final pattern, and I was impressed to learn that when the Army evaluated their choices it was one of the top patterns considered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Marines had done their homework, and it seems to have paid off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Allow me one more digression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the early eighties the Marines embarked on a program in their development center in Quantico, Virginia to come up with a new PT (physical training; gym) short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This process was long and painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while I am sure that project officers were sincere and energetic, the fruits of their labor proved to be woefully in adequate. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In an era where nylon shorts had become the running norm, and indeed the standard, the Marine Corps spent millions of dollars and several (five or six as I recall) years to develop the equivalent of a 1940’s era gym short made of cotton that was so stiff that many of us would have preferred to wear the same short made of burlap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The material was so heavy and the seams so thick that the seams at the leg openings would cut through the skin on a run of even modest length.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were, in short (pun intended) a disaster.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, in times of fiscal austerity and looming budget cuts, I implore the Marines to reconsider and let the Army use their successful camo pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This gesture would surely save years of development and millions of dollars in testing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even then, a successful outcome is not guaranteed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Save the money and use those funds for more live ammo that can be used in training or directly on our enemies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Marines needn’t worry, they will never be confused for soldiers as their utility cover will forever be distinctive, and the Army will put enough patches on the uniform to set them apart from miles away.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think that these two services should get together and act cooperatively in a time where wasting money developing another camo pattern, while compelling for service distinction reasons, is still a waste nonetheless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be a lesson in cooperation that could serve as an example for other, less prestigious <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>governmental institutions to emulate.</span></div>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-49606844631039588512011-06-02T13:13:00.000-07:002011-06-06T14:26:51.672-07:00Who’s Dumber, Politicians, or Journalists Who Accept Their Stupid Answers<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am done watching ANY television interview with ANY politician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because they NEVER produce any meaningful information.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I enjoy watching Fox News Sunday, but Chris Wallace is no better at getting a straight answer out of a one-on-one guest than CNN is at getting Anthony Weiner to pick his own johnson out of a police line-up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Weiner story brings to a head all that is worthless about the MSM today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have come to accept the most world-class improbable explanations from idiotic guests, and then they let the steamy turds lie there expecting us public school graduates to go “Wow, I guess that is a really good explanation as to why some 21 year-old college student accidentally got a photo, of what may or may not be Anthony Weiner’s Johnson, from his twitter account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Makes sense to me.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where is the follow-up question?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mr. Frankfurter, if you’re not denying that that picture is your scantily clad package, what prompted you to take such a picture in the first place, let alone have it stored in a place on your computer where if hacked (doubtful) it could be sent to others via social media?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Do you think this behavior is appropriate for a US Representative?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Do you think the people in your district approve of you farming photos of you junk out to twenty-one year olds?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Geez, your wife must be really upset!?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But no, the MSM lets these narcissistic spin doctors ramble on for hours without answering even the simplest questions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Are you running for President?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“How are you going to vote on HB-XYZ?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TiVo all the Sunday morning shows and you will not see one question answered by a politician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What you will see is continuous streams of nonsensical ramblings that make the infinity sign seem to have an end.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I am not going to answer whether or not there are yellow and blue in the color green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes a village to make a color, and I don’t think that the composition of green should be used to de-value the color red or purple for that matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to understand that yellow-blue diversity, while unique does not necessarily set them apart when it comes to making colors of all kinds.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The idiotic press also delivers the Get-Out-of-Hell-Free card to any scandal laden politician, as long as they follow the formula; go to re-hab, do 40 hours of public service counting rat turds in rabbit nests, cry on camera, give a one hour interview to Barbara Walters, cry again on TV, and promise never, ever to do it again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I thought part of their role was to comment and critique when public officials’ behaviors get out of hand, not condone and facilitate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is easy to tell when people are lying and obfuscating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By letting the politicians slide around every question, journalists are proving that they are incapable of doing their jobs. Again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I ask again, who’s dumber, politicians, or journalists that accept their stupid answers?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or, C., we voters for voting these idiots in time after time after time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Update 6/6/11</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Answer: Representative Weiner for thinking we were all stupid enough to believe his lame story and his whacky attempts at deflecting the heat. He now admits to doing an Annie Leibovitz on his miniature wanky and broadcasting proudly (not so much anymore) via Twitter. Oh, and by the way, to five other women as well. I wonder how married life is treating him these days.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Please, voters in his district, show America that we will not tolerate idiots representing us in Congress; as least not once we have confirmed they are idiots. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am bi-partisan on this one. No idiots, donkeys or elephants.</span> </div>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-44936352033704626942011-05-31T12:13:00.000-07:002011-05-31T12:21:14.426-07:00Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Only conservatives could get such an early start in losing the 2012 election. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In just two weeks you have Newt Gingrich calling Congressman Ryan’s Medicare proposal “right-wing social engineering” and trying to affix Ryan with the “radical” label.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, I didn’t think it name calling and labeling would happen for maybe, three months.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In perhaps one of the most intriguing (maybe astonishing is a better word) exchanges you have Rick Santorum trying to explain how he knows more about waterboarding and interrogation techniques than John McCain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly Santorum was trying to connect the waterboarding techniques used to get information out of <span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Khalid Sheikh Mohammed with the success of the raid on Bin Laden and not specifically trying to get into with McCain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet get into with McCain he did nonetheless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to be sharp enough to drop or ignore the issue rather than to go into extensive detail about interrogation techniques when John McCain’s name is even mentioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">But to say this, "And so this idea that we didn't ask that question while K</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">halid Sheikh Mohammed was being waterboarded, he (McCain) doesn't understand how enhanced interrogation works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, you break somebody, and after they're broken, they become cooperative…” shows that Santorum hasn’t a scintilla of instinct when it comes to running for the most powerful office in the land. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you read John Hubbell’s book POW, and every American should read it, you’ll know that John McCain is somewhat an expert on how enhanced interrogation works, and he is the antidote to Santorum’s implication that once broken there is no more resistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone that has been through SERE (Survival, Resistance, Evasion, and Escape) school knows that everyone will be broken, but the key difference in the US Armed Forces Code of Conduct and US training, is than when able, the POW is to begin resisting again to the greatest of his ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you read Hubbell’s book, you’ll see that McCain needs no such lecture from Santorum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and many others endured unimaginable “enhanced techniques” and resisted well beyond what I think is humanly possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Santorum simply proved he is not astute enough to avoid a bear trap the size of the state of Texas, and he makes his situation worse by explaining more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could it get worse?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You also have Republicans now hem-hawing about how much hardball they are willing to play on the Debt Ceiling – Spending Cut fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their wavering under the flimsy and false pretenses of paper deadlines and pseudo-cataclysmal fallout shows that they lack the commitment to take responsibility for governing this nation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Their doddering is another example of where “real change” simply means change of party and not change of action or consequence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until conservatives have the courage to confidently steer the ship on a truly conservative course, Obama should remain cozy in his La-Z-boy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You have the very odd situation where Mitt Romney, truly a newly minted conservative, is trying to justify the support and signing of a state bill that is eerily similar to the most liberal piece of national legislation ever passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gingrich would likely classify him as a Left-wing conservative, or more appropriately as an opportunistic flip-flopper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of which makes Romney Presidential material for conservatives.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So in very short order, you have a former conservative leader calling a sitting conservative leader a radical and social engineer.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You have a former Senator telling a sitting Senator, former Presidential candidate, former POW who can barely lift his arms, that he don’t know jack about interrogation techniques and torture.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You have conservatives backing away from real fiscal change as they appear to cave in to the lame and vacuous counter arguments that the dems are barely backing themselves (see Dick Durbin on Fox News Sunday, 5/15/2011) in regards to raising the debt ceiling.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And you have a “conservative” justifying state run health care in the context that it isn’t exactly like Obamacare.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In summary, you have no civility, no leadership, no common sense, no adherence to basic conservative issues while in control of the House of Representatives, no credibility, and no chance of defeating Obama in 2012.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I wonder why there is a Tea Party.</span></div>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-59111323031653741662011-05-31T12:07:00.000-07:002011-05-31T12:09:06.530-07:00Don’t Believe Everything You Hear<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">China’s top general </span><a href="http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/05/18/chinese-general-china-does-not-have-capability-challenge-us?test=latestnews"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">complimented</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> the US military last week in such a fawning manner that many in the military and in elected federal positions likely took those compliments as a sincere assessment from an impressed and dissuaded foe, rather than clever and mendacious comments delivered by an ingenious and guileful enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make no mistake, this was an international head fake done with skill and with the specific intent of getting us to relax our guard.</span></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When General Chen says "What I'm trying to say is that we do not have the capability to challenge the United States.", he’s not saying that China does not want to challenge the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is not saying that China is going to suspend all of its weapons programs because he was so impressed that China is now deterred for the next millennia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is not saying that they now have a good reason to cease development and production of their stealth fighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he is certainly not asking for hands across the water and a long chorus of Kum By Ya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He is simply saying that they have not matched our capabilities yet, and that he really, really hopes that the US will let its guard down while the Chinese make leaps quantum leaps necessary to match their armed forces against ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The specific intent of his blunt statements, which were not made by someone ready to give up his sword and sign capitulation papers, were to get the US to reduce our military budgets, reduce our reconnaissance of their coast line, and to lull us into ten years of stagnation while they blow past us like they did in Olympic diving.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Chinese are acutely aware of our penchant for overspending and keeping ourselves on the precipice of budgetary crisis, as they hold a preponderance of our debt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>General Chen was planting a seed that sends the perfect message to liberal money-grabbers; we can cut defense spending because we are soooo far ahead of the Chinese, we can relax for a few years in weapons development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There will be no listening to conservative think-tanks that see this for the Bangalore torpedo that it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will be urged to believe our new, good friend General Chen and his frank honesty in assessing the true state of military affairs in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should all give a thumbs up and in chorus say, “Mission accomplished.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Don’t look to the top layers of the Pentagon to put up much of a fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is natural for the many narcissists at the top of the military to take these compliments as validation of a lengthy and laborious effort, but because of their egos, they will miss the covert nature of Chen’s message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the objections of the real operators, who recognize this as a disinformation campaign, the top brass will be smoozing for their next assignments by bringing out accounting like assessments showing cost benefit curves proving that we can stay ahead of the Chinese with little or no spending over the next ten years or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Liberals will latch onto the brass’ acquiescence as the roadmap to substantial budget cuts in an effort to turn the table on Republicans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Republicans will be pinned between their budget cutting efforts and General Chen’s statements, and they will lose the fight in trying to sustain or extend weapons programs and operational spending, and consequently our tactical and strategic advantages over the Chinese.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Admiral Mullen is obviously buying it, "I think part of the discussions, and General Chen spoke to this, is his view of how far ahead the United States is technically."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What follows that kind of talk is budget cuts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One of Chen’s direct goals is to get the US to reduce its coastline surveillance of China.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our fortitude combined with our technology here is key to keeping the Chinese from achieving their longest standing objective, the re-taking of Taiwan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chen’s comments “As a matter of fact, the reconnaissance activities along China's coast by U.S. military aircraft and vessels are seen in China as deterrents.", are specifically designed to try to get the US to relax its efforts in order for China to begin to develop a window in which to launch a campaign to restore Chinese “unity.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With statements like, “As it is known to all, the United States is a super-power in the world today; how can China easily have the ability to challenge it? That is simply not part of Chinese culture and we do not have that capability. We would strive for world peace, civility and development and well being of the whole humankind...The United States has far more advanced weapons and equipment."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>General Chen may take Miss Congeniality at the next Miss World pageant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">World peace is not a stated goal of the Communist Chinese government, expansion of their version of communism is. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We Americans have been suckered into complacency more times than we can count, and we only overcame years of neglect and narcissism (post WWI, post WWII and pre-Korea, post-Korea, the Carter years) on our guts and the shear will of the individuals in the military (Guadalcanal, Pusan perimeter are striking examples).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We should not be led down a path of complacency and neglect by someone who has read Sun Tsu more times than most of us have read the Sunday comics. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is part of the Chinese national strategy, don’t be fooled.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You don’t have to be a former military officer and Asian history major to receive General Chen’s message loud and clear.</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-51971003070104943832011-05-31T12:04:00.000-07:002011-05-31T12:04:27.661-07:00I'm BackNot sure there is anyone out there who cares, but apparently I have lost my gig with Townhall.com beacuse of my sparadic submission schedule. Guilty. The pieces I am about to put up were submitted to Townhall, but I have heard nothing back, so up they go. Welcome back to anyone who is still poking around my blog.Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1144956048584115022006-04-13T12:18:00.000-07:002007-02-02T09:10:03.776-08:00Remember, I've Moved<span style="font-family:arial;">I know my sign off is buried a little deep now, so if you have stopped by to catch my writing, I am writing over at </span><a href="http://mysandmen.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">MySandmen</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">. Come see us there!</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1125729178589174742005-09-02T23:24:00.000-07:002005-09-08T15:51:27.663-07:00Tulane NROTC Clearing House - Katrina<span style="font-family:arial;color:#009900;">Latest update 8 Sep 05, 1535 PST...if you want zulu time...go somewhere else...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I am baaaaaaack...like constipation after eating C-rat cheese, but, for one expressed reason...to, for now, try and act as a conduit of information about the Tulane NROTC community and its needs. This includes Alums, the Building, the mids, and the current staff. For now, use the comment section to pass info. Link this site to other alums and interested parties. If the need is not there, we'll close down...otherwise we are on until it becomes apparent that we can shut down the operation. Pass info, links, and status...it may help those concerned about you to find you. Let's see how it goes, and how much good the alums of this great unit can do. Roll on Green Wave. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">My essays will continue to be posted with my team at <a href="http://www.mysandmen.blogspot.com">www.mysandmen.blogspot.com</a> . Please stop by there often. MM</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff0000;">Update</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#009900;">If you know the status of LtCol Jerry Sneed USMC, TU MOI 90-93...please post it here...Is that Jerry Sneed the one I served with at TBS from 84-88...or a portion of that time? He may be currently assigned to MARFOR RES, NO.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Also...gaming the system a little...stop by multiple times...the more the Major Mike site gets hit, the higher it moves up the Google search find list...Last night I couldn't get any coherent results from "Tulane nrotc hurricane katrina." So if you stop by...hit it a couple of times, and we can get to the top of the list to smooth the process. Have other grads and alum hit it as well...you never know who knows what.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>Update</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#009900;"><a href="http://tulanestudentinfo.blogspot.com/">http://tulanestudentinfo.blogspot.com/</a> here is a link with some pics of uptown... some may remember the Mushroom (the record store) located around the corner from the Boot... water everywhere </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#009900;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">From an Anon source...right off campus near the chapel and the BTP house...and, of course, many nickel beer nights. The pics were taken Aug 31, and the source reports the water has receded to Clairborne. We are now #1 on google for "Tulane nrotc hurricane katrina" on google...good job...direct people here to post what they know...believe me, at least one piece of timely info will find its way here...spread the word. MM</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Update</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">The Official Tulane NROTC site remains down...no surprise. Obviously, this site has not been overwhelmed...but, let's try to get some momentum in re-establishing important links to one another. Right now we may not be able to imagine how important it may be later. MM</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Update</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">Validate your muster with the Chain of Command...this just in:</span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#009900;">Sir,I'm a Midn 1/C at Tulane. Almost all of us mids have gotten in contact with our chain of command but for any of the ones that haven't, please post on your site for them to contact </span><a title="mailto:jeremyhall3@gmail.com" href="mailto:jeremyhall3@gmail.com"><span style="color:#009900;">jeremyhall3@gmail.com</span></a><span style="color:#009900;"> he is our current BNCO and is the clearinghouse for almost all NROTC information. Thanks.VR/Midn Adam Stephens</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">I'm recommending re-validating any previous muster with Midn. Hall...anyone who has been to Bulldog knows how messed up musters in person get...let alone via the net. Also...don't be shy...list any personal needs that some of us out here can help with. This is one time to ask. MM</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#009900;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;"></p></span><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Update</strong></span></p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;"><p><span style="color:#000000;">The following link is to the Tulane Blog that is looking like a pretty fast moving message board...might be worth a look for all interested Tulanians. </span></span></p><a href="http://www.tulane.edu/blog/"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">http://www.tulane.edu/blog/</span></a> <p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">Update - 5 Sep 05</span></strong></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">NROTC site is still down. Not much new on either the Tulane main site or Tulane Blog. BN Staff...please ask for any missing info that you need...I am getting a fair amount of traffic..most of it coming over from the Tulane Blog...so, I am hoping we can get you the info that you need. Please feel free to post any open updates here, or redirect my efforts in another direction. MM</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Update - 6 Sep 05</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">OK...some feedback now...am I wasting my time? Is there some direction I could be taking that would help more? I am getting plenty of traffic, but I don't get the feeling this site is contributing ...let me know what I can do, and what resources you need...If this conduit is unneeded, I can go back to reading Homer and Faulkner...both to be avoided, unless your a dedicated frosh in English 101. C'mon...you're not going to hurt my feelings.</span></p><p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">Update 8 Sep 05</span></strong></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000000;">New posting at the Tulane main site. <a href="http://www.tulane.edu/">http://www.tulane.edu/</a> The main site is becoming a bit more robust, as the university is beginning to break down their information pipelines to student,a dn separately, the staff...seems like an appropriate strategy. Good info on tuition. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">NROTC main site still down...if I am missing something here...someone clue me in. Also...because of the lack of comments...I am questioning the value of me continuing here...feedback would be nice...let me know if I should shut back down, or keep this up.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">Thanks for the traffic...clue me in if I am missing something.</span></p>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1122659639196022682005-07-29T10:50:00.000-07:002005-08-05T10:26:16.553-07:00Actually...I am moving my shop...<span style="font-family:arial;">I am accepting an offer made by Mr. Atos and Dueler69 to join My Sandmen </span><a href="http://www.mysandmen.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.mysandmen.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> . I think this alliance will prove effective, and perhaps allow us to turn some enegry and focus on Oregon issues...so, again, thanks for stopping by, come visit at My Sandmen.</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1121712282596217002005-07-18T11:33:00.000-07:002005-07-18T11:44:42.603-07:00Closing Shop<span style="font-family:arial;">I have come to the honest conclusion that I am not doing this well. Although I have the inclination, and generally the capacity to do this well, I simply am not. The demand of my full time job, my home life, and the few extra activities I afford myself, are not leaving me enough time to write interesting, well-researched, and well written pieces. I find myself rushed to get something out, and then cringe at the lack of depth and insight in what I have published. So, rather than be ashamed of my effort, I think I'll close up shop. I simply think that the pool is full of talent, and that others are doing a better, faster, more credible job.<br /><br />Thanks to all that have stopped by., and thanks for the many great comments and critiques. I'll continue to read as many blogs as possible...thanks for the experience. MM</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1121115413692610972005-07-11T13:19:00.000-07:002005-07-12T08:15:06.536-07:00Losing...or Winning?<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/11/afghan.seal/index.html"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/11/afghan.seal/index.html</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I wouldn't take this as evidence of a US failure in Afghanistan. I'd say this is evidence that decent people want a chance at freedom. I'd say this is America, and Americans, forging very positive relationships with responsible Muslims. I'd say this is evidence that our presence in Afghanistan is welcome. I'd also say that the Muslims that helped this Seal are not in the minority. I'd say we're moving ahead, on a winning path, in Afghanistan. I would also say, that if the press walked around Iraq with their eyes open, they'd see these very same things in Iraq. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We're winning the GWOT, one friend at at time.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">On operational security...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I would like to see the military be a bit more tight lipped on our operations...releasing some of the details of the SEAL team situation gave potentially useful information to the enemy. I really don't care if the press is clamoring for the fiftieth time for more info...don't give it to them. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Taliban attempted to use the fact that there was still a SEAL unaccounted for to their psychological (psy ops) advantage. The details about that team and its circumstances should have never been released until the mission was complete. We are aiding the enemy with our free flow of information.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">As I have mentioned before, I was read into a couple of "black" programs. These programs, for the most part, were very simple technology enhancements that could have been easily negated by tactics had the details ever gotten out. Secrecy is what keeps these enhancements the combat multipliers they are. Once exposed, instead of being extremely lethal, they would merely have been a nuisance. OpSec is hugely important...let's don't get complacent.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">No operational info out while it can still be leveraged against us...period.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">On predictability...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">C'mon guys, we should not be getting helos shot down by rockets. Change your tactics, your routing, your escort procedures...something, but no more helos shot down while we're running headlong into the fight.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">One of the things that got us into trouble in Vietnam was our predictable re-enforcement response to units in contact. The NVA would dangle a few troops in front of us, we would run headlong after them, and eventually we would have re-enforced our way into a trap. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Let's make sure this helo loss is the only one of its kind...it was a terrible waste of highly trained personnel.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1120847797151142692005-07-08T10:35:00.000-07:002005-07-08T11:37:04.793-07:00Where Are the "Americans?"<span style="font-family:arial;">It has occurred to me that America has been softening since we settled the West. It began with the linking of the East with the West via railroad at Promontory Summit in 1869. Our softening continue with the final submission of the Native American tribes in 1891. We continued to get mushy with the invention and mass production of the automobile; the collapse of subsistence farming; the New Deal and its social programs. Add in welfare, fast food, television, E-Z-Boy chairs, and we're done.<br /><br />Why is this relevant?<br /><br />Coming to work this morning on NPR, a Brit, analyzing the impact of yesterday's London bombings said that the Brits would carry on, but they were worried about a falloff in American tourists, because Americans (general population) are a bit more worried than the Brits in regards to their personal safety. I don't disagree with him, but when did this happen?<br /><br />When did we start becoming a nation of cowerers and how do we pull out of it?<br /><br />Where are the Americans that crossed this nation in wagons? Where are the Americans who fought against tyranny and oppression? Where are the Americans that conducted Pickett's Charge and those who defended Seminary Ridge? Fought in World War I? Landed in Normandy and Tarawa? Invented manned flight? Went to the moon? Built our dams and highways? Where are the "tough" Americans?<br /><br />I am not talking about our soldiers, football and rugby players, NASCAR drivers. I am talking about the toughness of your average American. Because in the end, his/her toughness and their resolve will be the key to winning the GWOT. We need to rediscover our grit and fortitude. We need to become physically and mentally tough as a nation. And we certainly don't want the Brits to show us the way when it comes to toughness.<br /><br />Americans need to start acting like "Americans."</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1120762326530847882005-07-07T11:21:00.000-07:002005-07-07T13:15:06.240-07:00Toto, Ted, and Joe...We're Not in Kansas Anymore<span style="font-family:arial;">For those who think that the Islamafacists are going away anytime soon...think again. Their objective is not to get us to leave Iraq. Their objective is to get every citizen in the world to cower while they take over every country on earth and turn them into Talibanesque nations. No amount of Kennedy appeasement, nor silly Biden grinning is going to get them to stop. Only their deaths will bring an end to their killing.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The residents of London did NOTHING to deserve what happened to them today. Same of course, for those in Africa, Madrid, and NYC, who were victims of ruthless killers, who deserve nothing more than to be hunted down like dogs and be brought to justice. These people do not care who they kill, they simply want to send their message of hate. They will kill you, your family, and your pet fish if they have a chance...wake up.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This is not the time to weaken the Patriot Act in a thinly veiled attempt by Democrats to woo a very small group of Arab voters. Weakening the Patriot Act will make us exponentially more vulnerable to a re-attack in this country...and should parts of the Patriot Act be repealed or lapse, no amount of Bidenspeak or Kennedyexcusing will shift the blame for subsequent deaths from their shoulders...something Kennedy is already familiar with.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Additionally, we need to wake up and understand that very few Arabs actually want to assimilate into the various Western countries they migrate to. While it appears to be the aim of most western countries to diversify their populations, many of the Arabs that migrate do little to integrate themselves into the mainstream cultures of those countries. That being the case...isn't it becoming reasonable to begin limiting immigration from the countries that are filling our streets with terrorists? Isn't it OK to say "enough" and stop the sources of terror from gaining entry into our country, and not be ashamed to take this necessary defensive measure? I do not dislike Islamacists, but they are the ones doing the wanton killing of innocents...isn't it OK to deny them access to their objective, and protect ourselves without feeling as if we are bad people. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Bottom line good people...this cannot be ignored away, as the Clintons had hoped. This cannot be appeased away as the Bidens and Kennedy's hope. This will not go away anytime soon, and it will certainly not go away until most of these terrorist are dead. When we begin to believe that as a nation...we'll be back in Kansas.</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1120574872202235722005-07-05T07:32:00.000-07:002005-07-05T07:49:14.556-07:00Geez ...Can We Be Any More Cluto?<span style="font-family:arial;">Hat tip to my buddy at CENTCOM on this one...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">If our citizens continue to be as self-centered and clueless as Tom here...we will lose this war. They will insist on living their lives their selfish way, right up until the Islamafacists blow them and their RVs up out in the middle of the desert. Wake up America, there is a war on, and brave men and women are holding the line against terrorism and oppression...get the clue!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">A personal note to Tom from Peoria...there are people who get up at 0300 everyday to protect your 0900 sleeping ass, and I hope you choke on the squadron's CO's reply, you smart ass.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0623thurlets239.html">http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0623thurlets239.html</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A wake-up call from Luke's jets </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Jun. 23, 2005 12:00 AM </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show?Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune!Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns' early-bird special? Any response would be appreciated.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Tom MacRae, Peoria</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0628tuelets282.html">http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0628tuelets282.html</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Flyby honored fallen comrade Jun. 28, 2005 12:00 AM Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday):On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt Jeremy Fresques.Capt. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day. At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the president of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?" </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Lt. Col. Scott Pleus</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Luke Air Force Base</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The writer is commander of the 63rd Fighter Squadron.</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1120078570102601562005-06-29T13:43:00.000-07:002005-06-29T13:57:40.110-07:00Tagged By "Bowramp"...Port-O-Call Summary<span style="font-family:arial;">The crusty old squid at Bowramp </span><a href="http://www.bowramp.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.bowramp.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> tagged me to answer some port call questions. My experience comes from floating on the USS Midway in the summers and falls of 1981 and 1983. I'll include bingo/divert destinations associated with my tours.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Number of ports visited...about 20...bingo/diverts add 5.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Most recent was Subic Bay, for 26 days trying to get a dead Phantom out of there...darn it took a long time to get out of there.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Port (Divert) I never want to visit again Tsuiki, Japan...Miso soup for breakfast...nuff said.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Top three most memorable...in order:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Subic Bay, single night for munitions...the fastest 14 hours of my life. Half of our aircrew did not make it out of the rack the entire next day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Pusan, Korea...first night libo in Service Alphas (greens)...lost most of my short term memory, all my money, and one of my socks.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Divert to Taegu, Korea on Novemeber 10, 1981. Det CO dives out of Women's barracks window, pilot attempts to steal APC, me and the other WSO start up a 6-By...ooops right in front of MP HQ. Happy Birthday Marines.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Duty done...thanks brought a smile to my face.</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1119989285397917452005-06-28T13:07:00.000-07:002005-06-28T13:17:07.863-07:00Recycling Can Be fun...and Informative<span style="font-family:arial;">I am re-playing my third post, which I originally published January 9th...how's that for leading edge...</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">All the recent Vietnam comparisons deserve to be courntered. Here I focused, not on Iraq, but the factors about our participation in Vietnam, that eventually made it what it became...use your own adjective here. This is meat and potatos, no fluff...I love recycling.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Iraq Is Not Another Vietnam</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">WHY IRAQ IS NOT LIKE VIETNAM</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">While I am sure most to the American population has this figured out, it pains me every time I hear an analogy, a reference, or a prediction that Iraq is, or will turn out like Vietnam.Iraq is not like Vietnam:The terrain in Iraq favors the conventional forces. The terrain in Vietnam favored an asymmetric or guerrilla strategy. The almost contiguous cover afforded to the Viet Cong and the NVA was ideal for insurgency ops. It provided cover for MSRs, staging areas, and nearly all troop movements. It mitigated the effectiveness of our technical advantages and leveled the playing field for the enemy forces. Although the foreign insurgents in Iraq are taking cover in the cities, the lack of secure mobility and their inability to mass forces at critical junctures will keep the insurgency in its current stages. Iraq may be unpleasant, but it is not like Vietnam.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The insurgency in Iraq is not a popular rebellion. The seeds of the NVA victory in Vietnam were planted in the early 1920’s when nationalistic movements of all types were hatched in Europe. The Viet Minh, as did the Communists in China, gained momentum out of their efforts in fighting the Japanese in World War II. Both were modestly successful, but there were no other viable political or military organizations in existence, so they each became the preeminent forces within their countries, regardless of the desires of the US and the rest of the world. The post World War II agreements that attempted to restore French colonialism to Vietnam and the subsequent agreements that divided Vietnam, sealed our eventual fate. The NVA had gained valuable experience fighting the French. They had a safe operating base in the North, and at worst, they had the support of 50% of the entire population of the combined Vietnams. The insurgents in Iraq are largely foreign fighters intent on disrupting the democratization efforts. They have, at best, tepid support from 13% of the population. They are also not a viable political force, which in the end, regardless of the casualties they inflict, will never give them clout in the political arena. They may kill people, but they won’t be a political success.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Our entry into Vietnam was clouded and ambiguous. Our entry into Iraq was clear and purposeful. We were hip deep into Vietnam even before the dubiously credible Gulf of Tonkin incident. President Johnson worked overtime to keep our depth of commitment and troop strengths hidden from the American public. In the end, the depth of our commitment could not be hidden, and the public rightfully became angry at what had been perpetrated. Regardless of if you are for our involvement in Iraq, or against it, President Bush was straightforward in telling the public what he was doing and why he was doing it. Debates about the viability of specific intelligence reports may linger, but there has been no repeat of the rampant lying that hindered our effort throughout the Vietnam War.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The quality of our forces far outstrips the quality of the forces we had fighting in Vietnam. I am not a believer of the “every soldier a druggie” crowd post-Vietnam, but I saw first hand what low morale and poor leadership had done to the USMC on my very first day of duty in MCAS El Toro in 1979. In barracks drug use, unscheduled intramural boxing matches, and complete disrespect for officers and Staff NCOs was common. Those Marines were the remnants of the Vietnam era Corps, and they were a mess. Units failed to meet basic training requirements, such a going to the rifle range…my unit was NOT the exception. It took a long view and hard work to revive the professionalism that had once been the hallmark of our services. Our forces excelled in Afghanistan, a country once thought impervious to outside military operations. They rolled through Kuwait in 1991 and Iraq in 2003 with unmatched speed and precision. They are arguably the best forces this world has seen. While individual soldiers and Marines in Vietnam may have been every bit the match of today’s troopers, collectively they were not nearly the cohesive force we have today.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">There are clearly major differences in our involvement in Iraq and our participation in Vietnam. Calling a donkey a horse does not make it one. There is no excuse for the shallow and off base analysis that is nearly continually comparing these two military operations. Let’s learn from the mistakes we have made in the last twenty months, not from a completely unrelated excursion 30 years gone by.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We clearly need to guard against a protracted low-intensity conflict in Iraq, but the final solution will ultimately be a political one. The Iraqis will have their freedom, and hopefully they will have the will to keep it. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, our participation in Iraq will reveal itself to be less a post-colonial folly, and more a necessary attempt to fight the next battle in the war on terrorism, a battle that is effectively reducing the capability of terrorists. At its worst, it has been a battle that has stopped the murder and torture of hundreds of thousands, and freed millions in the process.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Iraq is Iraq. Vietnam was Vietnam.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Got History?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Reference material: Vietnam, Stanley Karnow. A Bright and Shining Lie, Neil Sheehan, In Retrospect, Robert MacNamara. The Best and the Brightest, David Halberstam. Dereliction of Duty, H.R. McMaster. And about 20 others</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1118862734009954162005-06-15T12:10:00.000-07:002005-06-15T12:13:14.953-07:00I Have Not Abandoned Ship<span style="font-family:arial;">Sorry, I will have to take a little more time off from blogging. I am still catching up on work, and have not had time to get to it. I have a conference tomorrow and go on vacation (not wired in) on Friday. I will be back around the 27th. Regards.</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1118092970780245762005-06-06T14:00:00.000-07:002005-06-06T15:20:07.330-07:00One Last Windmill Attack Before My Trip<span style="font-family:arial;">Judge Bridges denies petition in King County. Tip to Michelle Malkin for her timely post </span><a href="http://www.michellemalkin.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.michellemalkin.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> .</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">My take. "Geez, I don't know where all those votes came from." It is impossible for me to comprehend that a "judge" cannot see the malfeasance that will remain the hallmark of the 2004 Washington State Governor's election. With judges like that, is it any wonder that judges find themselves under siege? Judges are suppose to use...drum roll please...judgement. If the chicanery that was this election is not readily apparent to a judge, then I am missing a nose. His blind eye is damaging to the republic, as voters are now entitled to have zero confidence in the democratic process in Washington. Nice work judge.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For the Dems this is a crime against the country. Stealing elections will come to an end. More than who wins or loses, voters will soon tire of fraud and corruption. Eventually the truth about events in King County will emerge, and the Dems will find the damage to their party was not worth four years of the governorship. Shame on them for the dirty work they have done...I am fairly certain it will come back to haunt them...hopefully in spades.</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1118081982380778422005-06-06T10:03:00.000-07:002005-06-06T11:19:42.390-07:00I, Don Quixote<span style="font-family:arial;">While I am not carrying but a minute portion of the load, the seemingly endless barrage of bad MSM media is taking its toll on my blogging effort. Their collective density, well above that of uranium, continues to prevent them from seeing their demise on the way. In spite of of their multiple and memorable gaffes, all diligently tracked by the blogoshpere, they continue to push their completely substandard product...often laced with untruths, outright lies, and biased slants, our way (Hugh Hewitt posts today on it). Their persistence is wearing me out... A normal person (or collective group) would have begun to change their ways by now, but our MSM refuses. I felt my energy drain on Sunday morning as I read another vindication of the Newsweek story on Koran mis-handlings, still only bolstered by the Pentagon's own investigation, citing only the same five cases that have already been acknowledged. Huge sigh on my part....I did not have the energy for round five. I avoided blogging altogether.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">They deserved a blistering, and I failed to produce.<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So, luckily I am off to New Orleans on business, and hopefully I will re-charge my batteries. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But I am beginning to think that spending any time correcting, cajoling, coaching, or coaxing the MSM is a Quixote-esque endeavor that may never produce results. It is dis-heartening since there are many fine institutions in this country, and instead of being one of them, the MSM uses their power to trash most, if not all, of them. I am impressed by their blind doggedness, yet not by their product. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">While I am gone, I'll try to outline a series of pieces on What Makes the US Different. I'll be back next week. I am not sure how much more time I am willing to spend on the MSM...I am truly beginning to believe that they will never get it. Maybe they are all Democrats...</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1117654383675192522005-06-01T12:27:00.000-07:002005-06-01T12:37:25.753-07:00Weeds Gunning the A-10s<span style="font-family:arial;">I thought of this on my way home the other night and I laughed out loud…even though it has been 11 years.<br /><br />While deployed in Aviano, Italy protecting the Some Time Fly Zone, my pilot was Weeds. Weeds was one of the top two or three pilots I had ever flown with, and every hop was a joy…professional, but a blast all the time. Weeds had been a TopGun grad, and he went on to become a Blue Angel. Great stick…nuff said.<br /><br />Aside from Some Time Fly Zone patrol, we occasionally got to train against some of the other A/C deployed in the area…Mirages, Tornados, and A-10s to name a few.<br /><br />Weeds and I drew a 2 v 2 against a couple of A-10s. We would plan on three 40 mile setups, to close engagements. No Fox Ones (long-range AIM-7 or Rammer shots) counted. So, we would work to get tactical advantage at the merge. Advantage Hornets with our radars.<br /><br />It was good practice for the A-10s to try to survive the merge, and it was good for us to try to remain offensive at the merge on such a tight turning A/C. It would be interesting to see what the hop brought.<br /><br />The long sets went quick, and we were only slightly offensive on the first pass, but in five seconds we were saddled up on our A-10, and Weeds says “I’m skipping heater and going to guns.” Pretty tough move considering the turning radius for an A-10. I was keeping an eye on the other fight, when I hear over the ICS, “Trigger down, bllllllrt, bllllllrt, blllllrt, bllllrt, Guns kill, hog in a right hand turn, 11 thousand.” That was followed shortly by a “knock it off.” Weeds was making the audible sound that is only replicated by clothespinning a playing card to the spokes of a bike. He was “blllllllrting” over the ICS while the tape was rolling. I was busting a gut.<br /><br />As we went to set up the next engagement, I asked Weeds if he was sure about the kill. He said “no sweat, I was all over him like a hobo on a hot dog.” I was a little surprised, because in a gunfight the g’s are usually greater than 4, and the airplane is rocking all over as the pilot tries to keep the pipper (Constantly Computing Impact Point (CCIP) symbology on the HUD) on the bogey…particularly a highly maneuverable one. If we had crossed 3 g’s I would have been surprised. But Weeds was backing the kill.<br /><br />The next two set-ups were pretty much the same…<br /><br />“Trigger down, bllllllrt, blllllrt, blllllllrt, blllllrt, bllllrt, guns kill, hog left hand turn 13 thousand, knock it off.” “Trigger down, bllllrt, bllllrt, blrrrt, blllrt, blllrt, guns kill, hog 8 thousand right hand turn, knock it off.” Each time very little “g”, and the audible “blllllrting.” Each time I questioned the veracity of the kill. Each time Weeds assured me he had 3 seconds of “pipper on,” or tracking time, to qualify as a guns kill.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />We terminated the hop, head back to Aviano. The debrief was taking place in our spaces. We debriefed our portion and awaited for the A-10 crews to arrive. We viewed the tapes. Weed indeed had three valid kills…way more than valid. He was extremely smooth with the A/C and easily had 5 –7 seconds of “pipper on” time in each kill, despite the A-10 moving like a snake on a fire…amazing. The tape also played the “bllllllrting.” Each time Weeds had the trigger down he would audible-ize his imitation gun sound. We were in stitches.<br /><br />The A-10s finally showed up. Weeds took his tape out of the machine and put it away. Weeds was debriefing the first engagement, and he got to the point where we were about the kill the A-10, and he says “here is where Hornet One gets a guns kill on the A-10 nose low in a right hand 11 thousand.” …and he turned away from his kneeboard card, ready to move on to the second engagement. He was interrupted by the A-10 pilot of the gunned ship…<br /><br />“I’d like to see the tape.”<br /><br />“It was a valid kill, we reviewed it before you got here.”<br /><br />“I still want to see the tape.”<br /><br />“You don’t really want to see the tape.”<br /><br />“I still want to see the tape to validate the kill.”<br /><br />Weeds says “OK, but the kill is valid.” Weeds put in the tape, cues it up just before he put the hammer down, and turns the volume down, then hits "play".<br /><br />It was impressive, steady as can be, he gunned the beeeejeeezus, out of this hog driver. Really no need to go any further…<br /><br />“I’d like to hear the audio.”<br /><br />Weeds tried his best to dissuade him, but the hog driver insisted. So Weeds re-cued the tape, turned up the volume. And the A-10 drivers got introduced to the Weeds show. They were not happy at the first “bllllllrt,” and they got no happier by the end of the tape, as Weeds made them watch and listen to every kill. I had tears coming down my cheeks I was laughing so hard…the A-10 drivers had steam coming out of their ears…Weeds just put the pens down and let the tape do the talking.<br /><br />Here’s to Weeds…his smooth guns kills and his hilarious “blllllrt.”</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9993293.post-1117569894041951412005-05-31T12:40:00.000-07:002005-05-31T13:33:03.806-07:00"U.S. arrests Sunni leader by mistake"<span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Interesting...the above headline, (front page, top, The Oregonian, linked) and its story, comprise 33 paragraphs, of those only 11 are dedicated to the headline...including the first, the fifth, and the last nine. And only five paragraphs from the end does the author acknowledge "<span style="font-size:85%;">Iraqi authorities suggested someone had planted lies against him in a bid to stir up "sectarian sedition." </span><span style="font-size:100%;">" So by my pea brained analysis, I have come to the conclusion that this was an honest mistake by the US. Why does it take till five paragraphs from the end to get this point out?</span><br /><br />A couple of other things here. First this "US Mistake" headline string is a great example of biased reporting. Did any one see front page "Newsweek Mistake"? Not me. My take is that the press takes EVERY opportunity to bash Bush, via the country, as an attack on his policies, and in the meantime, this slamming lands on the troops...regardless of how many times the press says it is not intentional...it in fact does.<br /><br />It is very helpful. By overblowing the Newsweek Koran allegations, and then finally reading the Pentagon report that acknowledged five mis-handlings, the press was able to get tons of anti-American exposure out to the world. Oh, I did catch, buried in paragraph 29, that the Muslim detainees had committed three times as many Koran abuses as did US military personnel. I guess that doesn't count for much when it comes to headline space, but vindicating Newsweek with five, acknowledged examples does. Oh, and it had the desired effect....the American press was able to push the hot button of the Islamafacistterrorists for a second time, and spark dozens more anti-American protests. Nice work.<br /><br />Secondly, who is "U.S." when "U.S. Arrests Sunni Leader"? "U.S." means our military, and the "military" means our troops in the field. So what the Oregonian meant to say was "U.S. Troops Screw Up, Arrest Sunni Leader, Bush Policies and Actions Suck." Look this constant finding of fault IS slamming our troops. you cannot separate our "Troops" from "U.S." when they are the ones physically doing the work in the field. Yes they are responsible for their actions, but no need to keep slamming them as they have operated remarkably well under arduous conditions. No more..."We support the troops" from the press, at the very time they are going out of their way to throw gas on every single match. The results will never be perfect, but the effort has been superb, and it deserves much more respect than it is currently getting from the press.</span>Major Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13672097330797736028noreply@blogger.com2