Bill Buckley, Editor of the National Review says "It Didn't Work".
"One can't doubt that the American objective in Iraq has failed."
"Our mission has failed because Iraqi animosities have proved uncontainable by an invading army of 130,000 Americans."
These words from one of the most conservative people in the USA printed in one of our most conservative magazines.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Whiteout Conditions at Work
I just shoveled (Woveled) 5 inches of snow off my driveway yesterday and this morning. Now I'll go home to another 6 or so inches.
NOTE: it turned out to be 12 inches by the time I got home.
Another Note: I 'woveled' 12 inches of snow off over 200 ft of driveway in 1.5 hrs.
How People Got to My Little Blog
Searching for:
1) heligmosomoides (harmless parasitic worm, unless you are a mouse)
2) russian skin heads
3) key transfer points for illegal shipment of nuclear
Is that damn NSA computer interested in my blog?
1) heligmosomoides (harmless parasitic worm, unless you are a mouse)
2) russian skin heads
3) key transfer points for illegal shipment of nuclear
Is that damn NSA computer interested in my blog?
And So It Ends...
Eventually the Ice Palace becomes too dangerous to remain standing. So the palace is knocked down and the ice blocks pushed to the edge of the lake to melt back into whence they came.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Clumsy Leadership or Incompetence?
In a Newsweek online exclusive, Michael Hirsh (disappointed hawk) asks:
How then did we arrive at this day, with anti-American Islamist governments rising in the Mideast, bin Laden sneering at us, Qaeda lieutenants escaping from prison, Iran brazenly enriching uranium, and America as hated and mistrusted as it ever has been? The answer, in a word, is incompetence. We now have testimony from enough Republicans and Bush loyalists—from former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill to former CIA senior director Paul Pillar — that the administration knew all along how flimsy its WMD case against Iraq was. We also now know, from Berntsen and others, that the administration knew then how solid the intel on bin Laden's and Zawahiri's whereabouts was.
Kevin Drum at Washington Monthly sort of agrees:
Yes, there's been incompetence to spare, but there's also been considered policy at work, policy that deliberately marginalized our allies, tackled fake threats at the expense of real ones, made preemptive war our default preference, and criminally misjudged the actual nature of the conflict we're in. Even if it had been executed well, it still would have been disastrous.
Personally, I think it's a matter of not listening to those with whom you disagree. It becomes more and more clear that Bush was warned about almost everything that has occurred in Iraq in the wake of his disasterous war.
How then did we arrive at this day, with anti-American Islamist governments rising in the Mideast, bin Laden sneering at us, Qaeda lieutenants escaping from prison, Iran brazenly enriching uranium, and America as hated and mistrusted as it ever has been? The answer, in a word, is incompetence. We now have testimony from enough Republicans and Bush loyalists—from former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill to former CIA senior director Paul Pillar — that the administration knew all along how flimsy its WMD case against Iraq was. We also now know, from Berntsen and others, that the administration knew then how solid the intel on bin Laden's and Zawahiri's whereabouts was.
Kevin Drum at Washington Monthly sort of agrees:
Yes, there's been incompetence to spare, but there's also been considered policy at work, policy that deliberately marginalized our allies, tackled fake threats at the expense of real ones, made preemptive war our default preference, and criminally misjudged the actual nature of the conflict we're in. Even if it had been executed well, it still would have been disastrous.
Personally, I think it's a matter of not listening to those with whom you disagree. It becomes more and more clear that Bush was warned about almost everything that has occurred in Iraq in the wake of his disasterous war.
A Saranac Laker in Mongolia
Go here to read some nice adventure stories by a young woman from Saranac Lake. She also has some really neat pictures. Anyone want to drink fermented mares milk? Our World would be a very different place if more young people would take on challenges like Karina has.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
2006 Ice Palace Stats
The 2005 Ice Palace used 1900 16 inch thick ice blocks. It took 11 days to build.
The 2006 Ice Palace used 1100 11 inch thick ice blocks. It took 3 days to build.
The 2006 Ice Palace used 1100 11 inch thick ice blocks. It took 3 days to build.
Russians Question GW Bush and his Brashness
Article in Pravda:
A naturally brash person is inevitably also a rash person and will tend to jump to a conclusion on matters needing decisions or conclusions, and inversely, will brashly dismiss viewpoints and ideas in conflict with his own.
Read more about Russian thoughts on GW here.
A naturally brash person is inevitably also a rash person and will tend to jump to a conclusion on matters needing decisions or conclusions, and inversely, will brashly dismiss viewpoints and ideas in conflict with his own.
Read more about Russian thoughts on GW here.
McHugh Challenger on No Fly List
According to an article in the Plattsburgh Press Republican, Dr. Robert Johnson was denied boarding on a flight leaving from Syracuse airport last month because he was on a 'no fly' list. Dr. Johnson is a Democrat who is challenging Rep. John McHugh (R-NY23) for congress. He ran against McHugh in 2004 but lost and he is opposed to the Iraq War. Johnson was a Lt. Col. in the US military. Johnson's website is under construction but can be found here.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Lefebvre to Run for Assembly?
Dean Lefebvre (D), former supervisor of the Town of Tupper Lake (Altamont), is mulling over whether to run for State Assembly. He would first have to beat Andrew Brockway, of Plattsburgh, in a Democratic primary. Then run against 20 yr incumbent Chris Ortloff (R) of Plattsburgh. Lefebvre was supervisor for 18 yrs. It would be nice to have someone from the Adirondacks representing us in the State Assembly.
Bush Didn't Know About Port Sale
OK, the truth is starting to dribble out as it usually does. According to the Washington Post today "President Bush was unaware of the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates until the deal already had been approved by his administration, the White House said Wednesday."
It continues:
"He became aware of it over the last several days," McClellan said. Asked if Bush did not know about it until it was a done deal, McClellan said, "That's correct." He said the matter did not rise to the presidential level, but went through a congressionally-mandated review process and was determined not to pose a national security threat.
Well, it actually didn't quite go through the congressionally-mandated review process. According to the NYT: a 1993 amendment to the law stipulates that such an investigation is mandatory when the acquiring company is controlled by or acting on behalf of a foreign government. Administration officials said they conducted additional inquires because of the ties to the United Arab Emirates, but they could not say why a 45-day investigation did not occur.
The law is here.
Of course we have already been told that Bush does not have to follow any law he thinks is wrong.
It continues:
"He became aware of it over the last several days," McClellan said. Asked if Bush did not know about it until it was a done deal, McClellan said, "That's correct." He said the matter did not rise to the presidential level, but went through a congressionally-mandated review process and was determined not to pose a national security threat.
Well, it actually didn't quite go through the congressionally-mandated review process. According to the NYT: a 1993 amendment to the law stipulates that such an investigation is mandatory when the acquiring company is controlled by or acting on behalf of a foreign government. Administration officials said they conducted additional inquires because of the ties to the United Arab Emirates, but they could not say why a 45-day investigation did not occur.
The law is here.
Of course we have already been told that Bush does not have to follow any law he thinks is wrong.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
United Arab Emirates - Should they control our ports?
I've been following this story for about a week but I don't think it's really caught the publics attention. The UAE state owned company 'Dubai Ports World' have purchased London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., the fourth largest port operator in the world. So now, if unchallenged, the UAE are in charge of operations of the ports of NY, NJ, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. There is no question that Dubai Ports World is capable of operating the ports. So why wouldn't we want UAE in charge of some of our major port facilities?
– The UAE was one of three countries in the world to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
– The UAE has been a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Lybia.
– According to the FBI, money was transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through the UAE banking system.
– After 9/11, the Treasury Department reported that the UAE was not cooperating in efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden’s bank accounts.
How could this possibly happen? Well as you might expect some Bush cronies are involved. According to the NY Daily News:
One is Treasury Secretary John Snow, whose agency heads the federal panel that signed off on the $6.8 billion sale of an English company to government-owned Dubai Ports World - giving it control of Manhattan's cruise ship terminal and Newark's container port.
Snow was chairman of the CSX rail firm that sold its own international port operations to DP World for $1.15 billion in 2004, the year after Snow left for President Bush's cabinet.
The other connection is David Sanborn, who runs DP World's European and Latin American operations and was tapped by Bush last month to head the U.S. Maritime Administration.
The Bush administration contends the UAE is a key ally in the war on terror. Congress apparently disagrees. At least it's not Pakistan or Egypt that bought the company. Isn't there a company in the USA capable of operating our ports?
– The UAE was one of three countries in the world to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
– The UAE has been a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Lybia.
– According to the FBI, money was transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through the UAE banking system.
– After 9/11, the Treasury Department reported that the UAE was not cooperating in efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden’s bank accounts.
How could this possibly happen? Well as you might expect some Bush cronies are involved. According to the NY Daily News:
One is Treasury Secretary John Snow, whose agency heads the federal panel that signed off on the $6.8 billion sale of an English company to government-owned Dubai Ports World - giving it control of Manhattan's cruise ship terminal and Newark's container port.
Snow was chairman of the CSX rail firm that sold its own international port operations to DP World for $1.15 billion in 2004, the year after Snow left for President Bush's cabinet.
The other connection is David Sanborn, who runs DP World's European and Latin American operations and was tapped by Bush last month to head the U.S. Maritime Administration.
The Bush administration contends the UAE is a key ally in the war on terror. Congress apparently disagrees. At least it's not Pakistan or Egypt that bought the company. Isn't there a company in the USA capable of operating our ports?
Monday, February 20, 2006
Cheney Resignation?
From Martin Frost writing for Fox News:
There are at least three reasons why Cheney might step down before the end of his term in January of 2009:
1) He is 65 years-old and has well-documented health problems
2) While the administration currently is embarrassed over the way he has handled his most recent problem stemming from the shooting incident, the real embarrassment could come if he is called as a witness in the trial of his former chief of staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby Jr.
3) Republican leaders may become so worried about holding on to the presidency in 2008 that they will prevail on Cheney to resign in order to position a strong candidate for the nomination by making that person the incumbent vice president.
Read the rest here.
BTW Cheney would never go along with it.
There are at least three reasons why Cheney might step down before the end of his term in January of 2009:
1) He is 65 years-old and has well-documented health problems
2) While the administration currently is embarrassed over the way he has handled his most recent problem stemming from the shooting incident, the real embarrassment could come if he is called as a witness in the trial of his former chief of staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby Jr.
3) Republican leaders may become so worried about holding on to the presidency in 2008 that they will prevail on Cheney to resign in order to position a strong candidate for the nomination by making that person the incumbent vice president.
Read the rest here.
BTW Cheney would never go along with it.
Tax Breaks for Hybrid Cars and Hummers
Buy a gas-electric hybrid car and you could be eligible for up to a $3150 tax credit. But if you are a business owner and buy an SUV that weighs over 3 tons you get a deduction of up to $25,000. And, you can depreciate the entire remaining amount over 6 years. Does this surprise anyone at all?
An article published at Alternet asks "why sport utility vehicle drivers seem like such assholes?"
An article published at Alternet asks "why sport utility vehicle drivers seem like such assholes?"
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