This thread addresses people who have a choice. What about those careers that are essential to our civilization but require family separations such as our warriors (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines), truckers, rail workers, offshore oil rigs, fishermen, etc. 

Are these considered to be people who put career ahead of family?

A minor point, Marines do not carry AKs.

"November elections loom, we're headed into our own ice field of debt and political spinelessness and America will either change course or charge full speed ahead."

We're doomed. There is no political will to do what is needed until after we hit the iceberg.

And you would say:

I'M GOOD.

When all you wanted to say is "Rackifraken-rabbit-axe, that hurts!"

Not many people know earthworms are not native to North America but are an invasive species brought over from Europe.

Unless things have changed since I was in, only commissioned officers are subject to court-martial for contemptuous words against the President (foremost in a long list). This Marine was an NCO and did not receive a court-martial but administrative action. This tells me he was actually cashiered for some other act in violation of the UCMJ. All military personnel are only required to carry out "lawful" orders. Lt. Calley's orders to kill civilians at My Lai were clearly unlawful and no court-martial would ever convict for failure to comply. Refusing deployment orders, not so clear cut. A couple of General Officers relieved of command for inauspicious words come to mind. In 1977, Maj. Gen. Singlaub criticized President Carter's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from the Korean peninsula. Carter relieved him of duty for overstepping his bounds and failing to respect the President's authority. Gen. Dugan, the Air Force Chief of Staff, was relieved in 1990 for inappropriately  speculating in public about plans to attack Iraq. Everyone remembers Gen. MacArthur vs. Harry Truman. These generals were relieved of command which can be done at a whim. A court-martial requires an actual UCMJ violation.

I pine for the good old days. 

Economic Miracle

Walter E. Williams

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

"The idea that even the brightest person or group of bright people, much less the U.S. Congress, can wisely manage an economy has to be the height of arrogance and conceit. Why? It is impossible for anyone to possess the knowledge that would be necessary for such an undertaking. "

Dr. Williams nails it again.

That sounds like a Fan Song painting them at the start. I had forgot about the audio jamming but immediately recognized the piccolo and noise jammers. Its amazing how your mind can be trained to sort through all that racket and pick out what you need. We cruised in at 600 knots at 200 ft AGL doing SAM suppression for the Buffs. It was infuriating and sad to watch them burning and falling out of the sky as we went in. We would lay a string of twelve 500 pounders across the SAM site, usually with spectacular results. Sometimes we would rise up to a 1,000 ft AGL on egress so the search radars could see us and hopefully draw some attention off the Buffs. A few times we turned around and went back in at medium altitude just to try and draw some SAMS off the Buffs when they were having a very bad night. The NVs called us Whispering Death because they couldn't hear us coming and the first they knew we were around was when the bombs went off. The Vark is my avatar on Ricochet and I still love that plane. 

The planet is not in "plight". The planet is doing just fine. People may be in trouble, but good old Terra will soldier on with constantly fluctuating climate as has happened since it's formation. Most of the life forms that have ever been are extinct. Most that are around now will go extinct. They will be replaced as has happened before. The planet doesn't care. Loosen up and enjoy the ride because there is zero we can do about it with our current technology. By the way, there is strong evidence that carbon dioxide increase is caused by global warming rather than the other way around.

In logic, Krugman is using what is called the fallacy of the false dilemma that is often used by politicians and parents. Parents might say "Do you want to go to bed or get a spanking?" There are other choices such as staying up and getting ice-cream.

Politicians might say we have to give women free contraceptives, sterilization, et. al. or we are denying women these services. There are other options than the two given.

To break out of Krugman's false dilemma a third option is needed. I tend to favor the Heritage Foundation plan. It takes a holistic approach that brings market forces to bear and leaves decision making with the individual citizens. Check it out at:

http://www.savingthedream.org/about-the-plan/plan-details/

Robert A. Heinlein "Starship Troopers" is a novel published in hardcover in December, 1959, which explored moral and philosophical aspects of suffrage, civic virtue, juvenile delinquency, capital punishment, and war.  The rights of a full Citizen (to vote, and hold public office) must be earned through some form of volunteer Federal service. Those residents who have not exercised their right to perform this Federal Service retain the other rights generally associated with a modern democracy (free speech, assembly, etc.), but they cannot vote or hold public office. I read the book in 1961 and found the concept intriguing. Looking back now I see the fatal flaw in his argument is that there is room for much mischief in allowing the federal government to pick winners and losers in any area of society let alone the most vital right to full citizenship. I can't imagine all of the special federal service jobs that would be created, such as AmeriCorps, to ensure the "right" people would earn full citizenship. The better answer is an educated electorate but that won't happen until the government monopoly control of education is broken. There is some movement in that direction.

That gesture is extremely offensive in Korea also. Gesturing "come here" with the palm down is OK. Gesturing with the palm up has a coarse sexual meaning towards women which the rules prevent further explanation. It was the same in Thailand and Vietnam when I was at those places. I have no idea what that gesture means in Turkey. Once when trying to insult the crew of a Bear bomber we had intercepted I tried flipping them the bird with no effect. I remembered an Italian actress giving the raised fist salute with the opposite hand on the elbow and gave that a try. Those guys almost fell out of their observation blister. We were soon passing the bird and raised fist salutes back and forth. It was a great cultural exchange.

I know I am paranoid. I just don't know if I am paranoid enough! It is possible the OWS movement is designed to manufacture the civil unrest to justify invoking this presidential order. It is a similar situation to Senator Palpatine covertly manufacturing the Trade Wars on Naboo in order to justify the Galactic Republic granting him extraordinary powers as the new Supreme Chancellor to restore order, which is the first step on his way to Emperor. Boiled frogs never notice the heat at first.

Generally speaking, off base crimes are prosecuted in the host country system. I am not that familiar with the Status of Forces Agreement in Afganistan, but in general this is how they are set up. We have troops in various countries in those county's prisons for rape, murder, etc. This of course doesn't prohibit the military from also prosecuting under the UCMJ. It would appear he is mentally unstable. Very sad.

Interesting about the pavlovian response to can snaps. I can snap the lid on a can of soup or corned beef and there is no response from our cats. Snap the lid on their cat food can and they instantly materialize, even from a deep cat nap. Its all only a matter of conditioning. Friskies has an iPhone app called Call-a-Cat where the can lid snapping sound doesn't work on our cats but the shaking a box of kibbles sound does work. And yes, there is an app for everything.