Thursday, January 31, 2008

Keeping Score

My Pet Jawa has a report up on the cyber war between the Taliban and the Jawas.

To: Taliban Shura Council
CC: Propaganda Dept.; Cyberwarfare; Planning;
BCC: Adil 'Murchal' Watanmal; Qari Muhammad 'Ahmadi' Yussuf; Zabihullah Mujahid

From: Rusty Shackleford, The Jawa Report, & Sandcrawler Crew
Date: 01/25/2008
Subject: Cyberattack Failure

Nice try. Your cyberattacks are even more pathetic than your actual attacks on NATO forces, all of which are easily repelled. Next time you should probably hire someone who is not a total retard to manage your webspace and cyberattacks.

Let's tally the score Adil:

Taliban websites successfully attacked by Jawas over past week: 41
Jawa websites successfully attacked by Taliban in the past week: 0
I hope Rusty will forgive me for putting the whole thing up. It was just too delicious. Visit The Jawa Report if you feel guilty. I did.

This may not be exactly the private war A. Jacksonian had in mind, but it will have to do until something better comes along.

HT linearthinker via e-mail

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Al Qaeda In Iraq

The US Military has put out a slide show about Al Qaeda In Iraq [pdf]. The first few slides are innocuous enough. After that it gets pretty graphic. Pictures of wounds on torture victims. Mass graves. And other such vileness.

After looking at the presentation it is no wonder the Iraqis hate Al Qaeda and all it stands for.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Flour In The Streets

The mean Israelis have done it again. They have cut the flour ration for Gaza.

The Boston Globe has just run an op-ed under the headline "Ending the Stranglehold on Gaza." The authors are Eyad al-Sarraj, identified as founder of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, and Sara Roy, identified as senior research scholar at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University. The bias of the op-ed speaks for itself, and I won't even dwell on it. But I do want to call attention to this sentence:
Although Gaza daily requires 680,000 tons of flour to feed its population, Israel had cut this to 90 tons per day by November 2007, a reduction of 99 percent.
How about we do a little math. There are about 1.5 million people in Gaza (or were - some have decamped for Egypt). So before the Israeli cut back Gazans were getting about 900 lbs. of flour a day each. Now the ration from Israel is about .1 lb a day each.

So are the Israelis thanked for helping Gazans go on a diet and lose all those ugly pounds? Not on your life. Are they thanked by the Gazans for reducing the flour in the street problem? Nope.

How about a more realistic look. Tunnels from Gaza to Egypt were a huge business for some Gazans living near the Egyptian border until the recent destruction of the border fence. What were they smuggling? Food? Nope. Weapons. So it would appear that Gazans have a taste for cold steel and hot lead. Obviously the Israelis have been sending in the wrong commodities. I hope they respond more to market demand in the future. It can only improve the place.

H/T LGF

Monday, January 28, 2008

Navy Gets A Rail Gun

The US. Navy has just taken delivery of a functional rail gun at its test laboratory in Dahlgren, Va.

For true sci-fi fans, any mention of a real-world rail gun will draw an instant, slightly audible gasp. Instead of relying on chemical propellants -- such as gunpowder -- a rail gun uses magnetic "rails" to launch a solid, nonexplosive projectile at incredible speed. Theoretically, rail guns would be able to precisely strike targets at extreme ranges, and would negate the risks associated with carrying around tons of explosive ammo. More to the point, they're cool-sounding, just like lasers.

Which is why the news that BAE Systems has delivered a functional, 32-megajoule Electro-Magnetic Laboratory Rail Gun (32-MJ LRG) to the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Va., is exciting. Installation of the laboratory launcher is currently under way, and according to BAE, this is the first step toward the Navy's goal of developing a tactical 64-megajoule ship-mounted weapon.

The lab version doesn't look particularly menacing -- more like a long, belt-fed airport screening device than like a futuristic cannon -- but the system will fire rounds at up to Mach 8, drawing on tremendous amounts of electricity to generate the current for each test shot. That, of course, is the problem with rail guns: Like lasers, they're out of step with modern-day generators and capacitors. Eight and 9-megajoule rail guns have been fired before, but providing 3 million amps of power per shot has been a limitation. At 32 megajoules, this new system appears to be the most powerful rail gun ever built, and the Office of Naval Research is installing additional capacitors at the Dahlgren facility to support it. The planned 64-megajoule weapon, if it's ever built, could require even more power -- a staggering 6 million amps.
Which may explain why the Navy is planning for all its future ships to be all electric drive. It may also be a reason why the Navy is funding Fusion Research on the WB-7 Fusion Test Reactor. If it works as advertised it will convert fusion power directly to electricity.

H/T scareduck at talk.polywell

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Stretch Them To The Breaking Point

Stretch them to the breaking point and then increase the pressure. Collapse will follow. In the early days of the siege of Richmond, Lee admitted that if Grant had been able to bring one or two more brigades to bear he would have been crushed as he had no reserves left.

It appears that this is what Bush has done in Iraq according to the Weekly Standard. It appears that Bush made one of the most audacious moves in civilian control of the Military since Lincoln appointed Relentless Grant to lead the Union Armies.

In September, Rumsfeld had rejected the idea of a surge when retired general Jack Keane, a former vice chief of staff of the Army and a member of the advisory Defense Policy Review Board, met with him and Pace. Keane insisted the "train and leave" strategy, as Bush referred to it, was failing. He proposed a counterinsurgency strategy, the addition of five to eight Army brigades, and a primary focus on taking back Baghdad. Rumsfeld was unconvinced. But now, with Bush favoring a strategy nearly identical to Keane's, he didn't object. "Rumsfeld was never a lose guy," a Bush adviser said. "He always wanted to win."

With Bush's connivance, Cheney asked the chiefs a series of questions designed to ease their qualms about a surge. What would be the consequences of losing in Iraq? Was the Iraqi army capable of quelling the sectarian violence without substantial help from American troops?

The chiefs had real grievances to air, and they didn't hold back. Schoomaker cited the stress on combat forces from repeated tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. That, Bush told me, was "the main thing I remember from that meeting. That was clearly a factor in some of the people around the table's thinking .  .  . if you sustain our level, much less increase the level, you could, Mr. President, strain the force, which is an important consideration."

Bush agreed that strain was a problem. Then he delivered a sharp rejoinder, touching on a theme he returned to in nearly every meeting on Iraq. "The biggest strain on the force would be a defeat in Iraq," he said. Winning trumped strain. To alleviate the strain, the president committed to enlarging the Army by two divisions and increasing the size of the Marine Corps. The chiefs had two more complaints. The military, practically alone, was carrying the load in Iraq. Where were the civilians from the State Department and other agencies? Again, Bush agreed with their point. He promised to assign more civilians to Iraq. (The number of provincial reconstruction teams was soon doubled.)

Their final problem was the unreliability of Iraq's Shia government and army. Would Iraqi forces show up and do their part in the surge? And would they act in a non-sectarian manner, treating Sunnis the same as Shia? Bush said he'd get a public commitment on both counts from Maliki before making a final decision on the surge. And he did.
The article goes into General Petraeus' call for more brigades. The initial plan called for a one or two brigade surge. Petraeus asked for 5 brigades and got them.

On top of that Congress voted to increase the size of the military. The Democrat controlled Congress. Obviously it is never wise to come up short of divisions in wartime. It could adversely affect re-election prospects. Even of Democrats.

H/T Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Darkness at the Break of Noon

It seems like the Palestinians are having lighting problems during the day since the Israelis stopped delivering fuel to them. Solomonia has the story and pictures. Quoting from Khaled Abu Toameh:

On at least two occasions this week, Hamas staged scenes of darkness as part of its campaign to end the political and economic sanctions against the Gaza Strip, Palestinian journalists said Wednesday.

In the first case, journalists who were invited to cover the Hamas government meeting were surprised to see Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and his ministers sitting around a table with burning candles.

In the second case on Tuesday, journalists noticed that Hamas legislators who were meeting in Gaza City also sat in front of burning candles.

But some of the journalists noticed that there was actually no need for the candles because both meetings were being held in daylight.
If they went around blindfolded they would be no worse off, they could save a lot on curtains, and it would give a truer picture of the situation.

H/T Instapundit

Friday, January 25, 2008

They Cancel Out

Unfortunately John McCain got Time's endorsement.

Fortunately he did get the New York Time's endorsement.

I say they cancel out.

McCain.

More at Gateway Pundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Drug War Encourages Prostitution

I have recently posted on how the drug war fuels the the war on guns.

Evidently by keeping prices for some drugs high it also fuels prostitution.

Anneli Alderton, 24, had been an "excellent student", spending part of her childhood in Cyprus and becoming bilingual, her mother Maire Alderton said.

But when she moved back to Ipswich at the age of 14 her life went off the rails when her father died and she turned to prostitution to fund her drug habit. She had been in prison four times.
Now I can't think of a major politician who isn't against drugs and prostitution (unless you count Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich as major and they only cover drugs). And yet their fight against these social problems only makes them worse. Of course the government is only here to help. And when - like Sharia - there is a law for everything we will certainly have a perfect world. Unless Le Chatelier's Principle intervenes. Short version - you push on a balloon in one place, it tends to expand in others to compensate.

In any case these wars on vice are typical Republican Socialism. Price Supports for vice and crime.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The Indian Chief Was Jewish

I found a fascinating story about Solomon Bibo America's only known Jewish Indian Chief. He was Chief of the Acomas.

From the earliest contact between North American Indians and white European settlers, the Europeans held the upper hand. Almost unremittingly, the Europeans imposed their idea of private ownership of land on the Native Americans, obtaining it from them by purchase, stealth and war. Virtually every Indian tribe in North America found its contacts with white settlers painful, if not fatal, and few Indians trusted or respected, much less loved, the white men and women they knew.

One exception to this generalization was Solomon Bibo, a white trader who won the trust and affection of the Acoma Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. In 1888, "Don Solomono," as he was known to the Acomas, became governor of the Acoma Pueblo, the equivalent of chief of the tribe. Remarkably, the Acomas asked the United States to recognize Bibo as their leader. Even more remarkable is that Bibo was a Jew.
While many white men were giving the Indians a raw deal. Solomon played it fair and square. Follow the link to learn the whole story.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Broad Legitimacy

Mat Yglesias at The Atlantic wonders how there can be more air strikes in Iraq while there are fewer civilian casualties. The best answer is this comment. But that is not what I want to discuss. Also in the comments is a guy who says the war is not worth it because we have not established

an Iraqi government which does enjoy broad legitimacy

The US Congress is at 11%. Bush at 28%.

So would 11% be enough legitimacy? Or would it have to get to 28% to make it Jake?

Where do these people get their ideas? Three boxtops and a SASE?

HT Winds of Change

Flailing Each Other With Ovaries And Melanin

Nice video up on this at Classical Values.

The title is a paraphrase of an astute comment at Althouse

HT Instapundit

Monday, January 21, 2008

The Democrat's Gramscian Problem

There is a long discussion going on at Gates of Vienna about the divisions in our society. The Left seems intent on multiplying those differences in a divide and conquer strategy. One of the participants said that the answer to what the left is doing is for people of European ancestry to band together to form a countervailing pressure group. The participant cites a number of race and ethnic blogs to prove his point. I have an answer for that.

I have no doubt that what you say exists and it has always existed. I was fortunate to live in MLKs "I have a dream" America growing up.

All the things you decry, what a friend of mine called "Angry Studies", are part and parcel and in total Gramscian Marxism/Socialism. The idea was to destroy social cohesion so that Marxists could rule.

It is apparent that even if you are not a Marxist that they have won you over. It follows the Stalinist line of dividing the country along ethnic lines to make rule easier.

Fortunately some of us are not so easily fooled.

As I keep saying - the core of the problem is socialism and it is the socialists who are pushing this crap.

Here is a place to start Gramscian Marxism.

You are following the Marxist script. You are a dupe.

You really need to educate yourself. The Church was a unifying force because it was based on the brotherhood of all men in Christ. The first object of the Gramscians was the destruction of the Church. Not that they cared about religion much one way or the other. It was the brotherhood of man that was the critical element. To destroy that they went after the particulars of the Church. Their real aim was the brotherhood of man. Divide and conquer.

I will not be divided. I refuse to join in.

I wish to celebrate American Multiculturalism in which all men are brothers and destroy Gramscian Multiculturalism where all men are enemies.

I refuse to be divided. I refuse to be conquered.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Nothing Worthwhile

I have been interested in the annals of espionage all my life. Books like The Wilderness of MirrorsThe American Black ChamberThe Bodyguard of LiesReinhard Gehlen are ones I read over and over.

I was re-reading The Bodyguard of Lies and decided to look into Germany's spy chief during World War 2, Wilhelm Canaris, and came across this interesting quote from Hitler's Spiesa book I have yet to read, about his attitude towards official parties.

To spare his strength for his enormous burden of work, he regularly quit the numerous affairs he had to attend at 10 P.M. sharp. Once he explained to a subordinate, "No one says anything worthwhile after ten o'clock anyway." Murmered the officer, "Not before ten, either, Herr Admiral."
Most amusing.

The Jewish Virtual Library gives a short account of his activities during the War, how he saved Jews when he could, and how he died in the Flossenburg concentration camp.

A very interesting man.

Dissent

You do not become a "dissident" just because you decide one day to take up this most unusual career. You are thrown into it by your personal sense of responsibility, combined with a complex set of external circumstances. You are cast out of the existing structures and placed in a position of conflict with them. It begins as an attempt to do your work well, and ends with being branded an enemy of society. — Václav Havel, (Living in Truth, 1986)

This reminds me of my work on the Bussard Fusion Project.

I found Dr. Bussard interesting and credible - in so far as this engineer was able to judge. I have been labeled every thing. An idiot. A fool. Asked how I could possibly believe such clap trap. Stationary plasmas. Every one knows they are a physical impossibility. Non Maxwellian plasmas. Everyone knows you can't maintain such a state without huge energy inputs. Mono-energetic beam fusion? Every one knows you have to make things really hot to get atoms to fuse. Hot means the energy is distributed. Some particles go fast. Some slow. Some in between. Containing that mass is hard. To get net energy out you have to make reactors the size and weight of aircraft carriers. Those dinky little things you are looking at will never work. Big men do big fusion. The rest are just dabblers.

And it is true. I didn't start out to be a dissident. Hot fusion seemed perfectly reasonable. After all. That was how the sun did it. Why not repeat on earth what we know works on the sun? And then I saw Dr. Bussard's video. And everything changed. I was no longer a member of accepted reality. Just another crazy man with a stupid dream.

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. —T. E. Lawrence from "Seven Pillars of Wisdom"

It looks like the dream is about to come true.

WB-7 First Plasma

However, let me caution that dissent for the sake of dissent is just night dreaming. You must do reasoned dissent. You must be absolutely brutal with yourself because the easiest person to fool is yourself. You must weigh the pros and cons. Not just the pros and pros. Or the cons and cons. Out of this will come truth. If you are lucky you will also get something useful.

Fecal Importance

Half the harm in the world is due to people who want fecal importance.

i.e. they crap on you to make themselves feel important.

With apologies to T.S. Eliot

Inspired by this thread and the comments at Samizdata.

HT Instapundit

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Attack Of The Ludicrats

My friend Eric at Classical Values has a post up about Noose Crime. It is image rich and covers hanging through the ages. It has pictures of Nazis post hanging and Saddam pre-hanging. He also covers the fact that lynching was used by Democrats to intimidate Republicans during the Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. Nice fellers those Democrats. They do seem to get a bit carried away by their enthusiasms though.

It is my opinion that the current spate of anti-noose laws is being promulgated by Ludicrats. There seem to be a lot of them around these days.

Cyber Attacks On Power Generation

Back when this blog was new (Dec '004) I put up a post called Internet Security, where I discussed the problems of controlling critical infrastructure with the Internet, wireless, or worse yet wireless Internet. George Tenent then head of the CIA said we had a problem. Let me quote a bit to give you the flavor:

What George is saying is that the Inherent Design of the internet is not compatible with infrastructure security. Duh.

What we actually need is less stupidity.

What we need to do is to provide more security for our networked systems. The Internent is not the answer to infrastructure control problems. It is inherently insecure. As a controls engineer I have been arguing this point for at least five years. Well before 9/11.

Wiring up a factory to use the Internet Protocol (IP) for in factory and inter factory control is a stupid idea. Since the IP is well understood using it to destroy a facility would be rather easy. Nothing new to learn except the control settings of the individual factory or company.

Worse is controlling a factory with wireless internet. With that kind of setup you don't have any fire wall between your operations and the outside world. In fact you don't even need to know IP or wireless protocols to cause trouble. All you need is a jammer to bring a factory to its knees. And the jammer need not be on continuously. An intermittent jammer could wreak havoc with sensitive factory processes.
Well it has started. According to the CIA
The CIA on Friday admitted that cyberattacks have caused at least one power outage affecting multiple cities outside the United States.

Alan Paller, director of research at the SANS Institute, said that CIA senior analyst Tom Donahue confirmed that online attackers had caused at least one blackout. The disclosure was made at a New Orleans security conference Friday attended by international government officials, engineers, and security managers from North American energy companies and utilities.

Paller said that Donahue presented him with a written statement that read, "We have information, from multiple regions outside the United States, of cyber intrusions into utilities, followed by extortion demands. We suspect, but cannot confirm, that some of these attackers had the benefit of inside knowledge. We have information that cyberattacks have been used to disrupt power equipment in several regions outside the United States. In at least one case, the disruption caused a power outage affecting multiple cities. We do not know who executed these attacks or why, but all involved intrusions through the Internet."
Let me tell you that as long as I am designing plants no controls or critical infrastructure will use the Internet protocols or the Internet. Ever. As long as I am designing plants no controls or critical infrastructure will use wireless. Ever. To do is inviting trouble. I will use wires. Coax. Shielded twisted pairs. Fiber. Preferably in conduit except for nodes. All with custom protocols. No easy access, except locally. There is nothing wrong with using encoded data over the internet to report plant operation. There will be no possibility of plant control remotely. Ever.

To do so would be stupid. I wasn't born yesterday.

Yes. It raises the capital costs and the time required to connect everything together. What is one plant outage worth? What is meeting one extortion demand worth? Once you pay the Danegeld, how do you get rid of the Dane?

H/T Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

I Blame The Ludicrats

John Leo at Minding the Campus discusses affirmative diversity counseling at Yale.

Yale's burgeoning diversity program has another announcement: it wants to "incorporate the role of ethnic counselor into that of freshman counselor, who will become responsible for providing enhanced community support for cultural affairs on campus," according to the Yale Daily News.

What does that mean? Well, according to the News, which neglected to supply an English-language version of the plan, "students would become increasingly aware of extant cultural resources on campus, along with gaining knowledge of new support to be rolled out under the restructure."

Okay, that clears it all up.
Commenter Peg C. gives her take:
I work for a 3 letter household global corp. and annual Diversity training is mandatory. It has devolved into ludicracy and even the libs despise and joke about it.

Fortunately it's all online now and easy to complete without actually taking any of it in. That stuff rots the brain, you know.
Yep.

Lucky for us the Democrats are running at least two ludicrats. With more waiting in the wings in case America is not diversity enough. It is enough to make a grown man cry. Or make up some words and use others ungrammatically. Original sin for a writer you know. (Hi LT :-) ) I can tell you this for sure - I need some action. And that is an affirmative.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Friday, January 18, 2008

Looking For A Plot

Thomas B. Edsall at The Huffington Post is discussing the Democrat prospects with respect to National Security. I won't bore you with all the nuanced narratives re: why it will not matter. I will just give you the money quote.

"I think there's a sweet spot for Democrats to actually say something that connects the dots on the national security and terrorism front - one that actually responds to a need from the American people to hear a viable alternative - but we're just not hearing it yet at that political communications level. We're seeing and hearing tick lists that make the broader public's eyes glaze over. On the conservative side, we hear a story line - a batshit crazy one for the most part that got us in the predicament that we're in now, but hey, it's a story. Most people would rather go to a movie that has a plot."
In other words the Democrats lack a strategy other than we hate Bush. Excellent. Except they will not be running against Bush.

Most Unfortunate.

H/T Instapundit

The Judge Was A Marine

Black Five has an update on the Jay Grodner case that I reported on in A Marine Needs Help. The best stuff is in the comments so I'll give you those.

From Mike the Marine yesterday:

[Sgt] McNulty might derive some comfort from the fact that the presiding judge is a former Marine. Circuit Court Judge William O’Malley was a lance corporal in the early 1960s and is known around the Chicago Courthouse for wearing a Marine Corps pin on his lapel and celebrating the Corps’ birthday each November.

Ooorahhhh...

Posted by: Lands’nGrooves | January 17, 2008 at 02:41 PM
This is excellent. Not necessarily for Mr. Jay.
The case was called at 13:33, and the Defendant did not show up. There were 2 heavy hitter State's Attorneys here to handle it. The Judge increased his bond to $20,000.00 or 10 percent cash, and put out a warrant for his arrest.

The Defendant called at 13:40 to say that he will be a half an hout late and was waiting for the media to leave. The Judge said in open court that if he does shows up he will be taken into custody, and if he doesn't he is fair game for any law enforcement agency that wants to pick him up. Will report further developments as warranted.

Posted by: wp91 | January 18, 2008 at 01:54 PM
Uh. Oh. Mr. Jay does not like publicity. Must be bad for business or something. If he has any business left that is.
The update: At 1400 hours the defendant showed up, and was told that he was half an hour late. The Judge stated on the record that the defendant had done the same thing during the previous court date, and he said that the defendant called and said that wanted to wait for the media to leave. The Judge said "That is not the way I run my courtroom." He increased the bail and took him into custody and told him to try and work out a deal with the State. About 25-35 Marines and assorted military were there.

The case was recalled at 14:22, and the State said that the defendant had asked for permission to put his belt and such back on. The Judge said, "Treat him like all the other prisoners." The defendant was brought out and the plea deal that they had worked out was entered into the record.

The Judge asked him if he had committed the specific acts he was accused of. The defendant hemmed and hawed, and the Judge raised his voice to make him say yes or no. The defendant agreed, and the Judge read the facts into the record. Several times, the Judge said if there were no deal, he would be given a court date just like any other defendant, and he could try and make bail soon.

The deal: 1 year Social Service Supervision, restitution of 600 dollars to be paid to Social Services and which would go to the Injured Marine Semper Fi fund, to be paid by February 25th, 2008, and $50/month in supervision fees.

The Judge then, in as angry a voice as I have ever heard him use, scolded the defendant, saying that the Marine license plates the complaining witness had were not vanity plates or about ego, but the proceeds go toward the Marine and Navy scholarship fund for the children of fallen soldiers, sailors and marines. These Marines protect his very existence "so people like you can enjoy their freedom." He further said that the reason there were so many in the courtroom and so much public interest is that the Marines have a tradition since 1775 that "No Marine gets left behind." Several Hoorahs in the courtroom.

And then the deal was done, and he was taken away by the sheriffs to be released later.

If there are any questions, I can try and answer them...

Posted by: wp91 | January 18, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Hoorah.

Black Five has a good warm up (no Marine Left Behind) that you should read, but basically the case is concluded. Plus now that Jay R. Grodner has admitted his crime the Marine's insurance company can go after Jay for restitution. Hoorah.

H/T Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

I Feel Their Pain

From a comment at Think Progress.

What a masterful plan on the Repubs’ part - create a mess so big, ugly, and stinky that it is NEXT to impossible to solve effectively, and then blame your opponents because they can’t clean up the enormous, hideous, painfully ugly mess you’ve created. What strategists! Curse you, KKKarl Rove!
Heh.

Democrat Racism

As evidence let me refer You to this Democratic Underground post entitled:

Obama = A Resurrected Ronald Reagan With A Tan

Better read it before some one takes it down.

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

Dr. Nebel, who is working on the Bussard Fusion Project has taken some time out of his busy schedule to thank the bloggers supporting the WB-7 Project.

Also, I would like to thank M Simon, TallDave and their fellow bloggers for their continued interest in this technology. We appreciate that a great deal, but as you might imagine we have been a little too busy to communicate very much with the on-line people.
This is the head of the current research project. Everyone who has supported this in any way, including just reading the articles, can take a bow.

Special thanks go to my friend Eric and his pal Justin at Classical Values for getting me started on this. Also I am very grateful to Tom Ligon for being patient with me while he helped me learn the ropes. We have been manning the anchor capstan. Soon the anchor will be secured, the sails hoisted, and the ship under way. May the Maker Bless us all.

If any one wants to help man the rigging may I suggest reading this short post and using the urls provided in it to contact your Congress Critter. We need a gale to get us where we want to go in the shortest time possible. As they like to say in another Navy that is yet to be. Warp speed Mr. Sulu.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Contact Your Congress Critter

It is election season again. The time when the Congress Critters are most responsive to citizens. As most of you know by now Dr. Bussard's latest Fusion Power experiment, WB-7 First Plasma, is so far showing encouraging results.

It is time to get Congress and the President thinking about this so that if final results are positive (I expect they will be) Congress will be ready to belly up to the bar and make a power producing reactor happen as fast as possible. Now you can contact them by e-mail, fax, letter, or phone. Phone is best for the initial contact because it insures a human response. Tell them if they get with the program we can have a working fusion reactor in as little as three years. To do that they are going to have to Manhattanize the project. A full up scientific and industrial effort.

Here is contact info for the government:

House of Representatives

The Senate

The President

Light up their tails.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Unanimous Decision

I was reading a bit about Ron Paul and came across this delightful comment by Bob K:

The issue of secession was settled by the supremest of supreme courts in the Appomattox Courthouse in the case Grant v. Lee. Lee lost a unanimous decision.
Denny, Alaska adds some commentary on the decision:
Yes, it was the supreme court sitting in Appomattox, VA, that delivered a 9-0 decision; Infantry wrote the majority opinion, with supporting sections added by Cavalry and Artillery.
Don't let any one tell you war never settles anything.

All The Rest Is Obfuscation

Gun control is to prevent self defense.

Drug control is to prevent self medication.

All the rest is obfuscation.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Ron Paul Is A Communist

Ron is a Communist when it comes to American foreign policy.

Withdraw America from everywhere was their marching song.

I should know. I was a Communist in my youth.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Gun Control - Stuck On Stupid

Jeff Soyer is discussing the Democrat's position on gun control. And of course the Dems want to reduce gun deaths by gun control but it is politically impossible.

If they wanted to reduce gun deaths why not eliminate Drug Prohibition? The elephant in the closet.

It worked for alcohol prohibition.

I note it is never mentioned by pro gun folks either.

Why is every one stuck on stupid? Must be a national disease.

H/T Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Hillary And The Diebold Effect

American Digest has a post up about Hillary's Diebold effect.

It seems that in areas where the Diebold machines are used Hillary's vote totals are up about 5% over other areas even when confounding factors like race, gender, and economics are taken into account. The math whizzes on the problem calculate the odds that it is a chance happening at 1 in 1,000.

The guy who did the analysis has a post explaining his work. Here is a pdf of the study done on the New Hampshire results. The pdf seems to show that Romney and Clinton had the biggest statistical variance. With Romney up 7% and Clinton up 5%.

In the good old days (Chicago, November 1960) you used to have to have operatives on the ground "lose" and then "find" the ballot boxes. Labor and organization intensive. Now a days all you need is a couple of computer geeks and a bank of modems.

Of course it could be just random chance. Such things do happen. Occasionally.

Election Defense Alliance has hand count vs machine count results. They appear to mirror the statistical analysis. Hmmmmmmmm. A full recount will take place starting 16 Jan. Dennis Kucinich is paying for the Dem recount. I wonder who will pay for the R recount?

Update: I have been doing some checking and it appears that Romney, who got a 7% Diebold boost in NH, would be the easiest Republican for Hillary to beat. Make of that what you will.

H/T linearthinker

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Self Defense

I have put up a video at Classical Values for people who think that 911 will save you if confronted with a dangerous life threatening situation. Three bullets saved the woman in question.

You can listen to her 911 call.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

No Profit

No profit. No jobs. No taxes.

Where is the profit in that?

Coloreds Only

Brendan Loy is discussing the eruption of a mini race war in the Democrat party over some recent remarks by the Clintons.

One commenter had some nice things to say about this comment I made:

It is time for Obama to have a Sistah Soljah moment.

Let him denounce the race hustlers like Al Sharpton that he embraced (not just metaphorically but actually). Let him say that Louis Farrakan - who his church honored - does not represent his views. That such views - that whites are not human - are not his.

Let him denounce all racism - black or white. Let him speak out loud about the Jew hatred that infects the black community.

If we are going to banish race as an issue - we have to speak honestly. The truth. That white racism does not excuse black racism.

It is past time he had his MLK moment. It is time to acknowledge that Jews were the core supporters of blacks before it became the general view that Jim Crow was wrong.

That the Battle Hymn of the Republic was a "white" song. Written by a white woman. Ju­lia W. Howe. That the abolitionists were mainly white men.

Here is a version (wait for it) by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Battle Hymn of the Republic
After praising my comment he went on to say that I was the first in the comments to point out that a lot of white men worked hard against slavery and Jim Crow. As we all know a lot of whites worked and died to end slavery. They were called abolitionists. It seems like these days that fact is an embarrassment to the Democrats and liberals who would like to brand whites as inherently racist for political advantage. This was my response to the kudos:
Thanks for that. I think I should give a little history of myself to illustrate how this Republican (I came to it late in life) has always thought.

I lived in the South when I was 5. One day I saw a "Coloreds Only" sign on a water fountain and thought that was wrong. I went to the fountain and got a drink of water. My mom let me drink for a moment then pulled me away. However, I could tell she was proud of me. I have never had a racist bone in my body and resent to the MAX the idea that "white men" are inherently racist.

Which is why Obama's affinity for people with such views torques me off.

It is a steaming pile and I will not stand for it any more than I would stand for "Coloreds Only" water fountains.
It is time to end the "victimhood confers political advantage" crap. It is time people give up their resents for what happened in the past. As one commenter in a different blog commenting on the same subject said:

When the only thing in your intellectual toolkit is a bludgeon, everything looks like a skull. - pst314

Nice turn of phrase that.

HT Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Monday, January 14, 2008

Fred, Federalism, and Medical Marijuana

Fred Thompson was interrogated by some medical marijuana supporters. Here is a link to the video. He gave the right non-answer to the question. However, he looked pained. I think he knows more than he is letting on. If my reading of his expressions is any good.

Which is going to lead next to some rampant speculation.

Fred and Hillary were both Watergate lawyers. This is a fact.

Here is an interesting Youtube on Watergate that asks what did the Mafia get out of its alleged connections to the White House?

Here is my theory. If the Mafia had connections to the Whitehouse perhaps the drug war got ramped up as a favor to them. When the drug war ramped up the country went dry for about 6 months after Nixon "closed the borders" and then Thai Stick flooded in for about a decade or more afterwards.

IMO we are screwed no matter who wins. Things are not what they seem.

In any case I still like Fred on most issues. However, I think he knows where the skeletons are buried and because of his Watergate connections would be a formidable opponent to Hillary. Bill ran his campaign in '92 as a "nod, wink" anti-drug war guy and then ramped up the drug war to heights even staunch Republican's couldn't have imagined. There was something fishy there. Very fishy.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The Uniters

Today let us look at Al Sharpton. The Reverend of hatred.

Larry Elder has Sharpton's rap sheet. The music is not pretty.

Capitalism Magazine says the Rev. Al. is The Democrat's David Duke.

Networks of the Left looks at Al's connections to the left side of American politics.

Rich Lowry on Sharpton's business. Race hustling. Rich thinks Al would like to be #1 in the business.

Power Line says Al is a defender of rapists.

Conservative African Americans are not happy with the Rev. Al. Not Happy at all.

The Village Voice says Reverend Al Sharpton, apologized for calling Harari "a white interloper". Nice of the Rev. to acknowledge a mistake.

The Wall Street Journal calls Sharpton an 'Impresario of Hatred'. Swell just swell.

Jay Nordlinger says Al is a power Democrat.

Is it any wonder the top three Democrats in the race for the Presidency are very chummy with Al?

And lest you think this is all a fluke for Obama take a look at Obama's Church.

You know, it appears more and more that the Democrat's cries of racism re:Republicans is a form of projection. David Duke is denounced in mainstream Republican circles for his racism. Those same mainstream Republicans pushed Pat Buchanan out of the Party for a whiff of anti-Semitism. Or look at the heat Ron Paul is getting from Republicans. Why do the Democrats give their race baiters and anti-Semites (often one in the same) a pass?

Could it be they can't win elections without them?

The End of Divisivness And Corruption

Senator Obama is the New Hope from Chicago, Illinois. A uniter, not a divider.

Obama's dealings with Nation of Islam member Tony Rezko are above reproach. Fortunately Tony was involved with the top cadre of politicians in Illinois. All of whom are under investigation. I don't think such investigations will have any effect though. They are just a cheap Republican trick.

The end of divisiveness and corruption in American politics is within sight if Obama gets elected.

He is nothing like those Clinton folks from Arkansas. Illinois is known far and wide as one of the least corrupt states in the nation. The city of Chicago is particularly exemplary. Let me tell you that you can trust Chicago politicians. And you can take that to the bank. In small unmarked bills.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Thanks From Fred - South Carolina

From the Fred '08 Campaign:

I can't even begin to thank you enough for your support of our Red Truck Challenge 2.

Thanks to you we have funded Fred's entire South Carolina media campaign and have gone on to start funding critical voter contact programs that will complement our excellent ground game and give Fred the extra push he needs to win in the state.

So, thanks to you, Fred is poised for success.

Fred's dominating performance in the Thursday debate on Fox is serving as a catalyst for people to take a second look and reconsider their support. Also, there are still loads of undecided voters in the state who are taking their first look at him.

This is important because voters will realize that Fred is the clear conservative choice in this race that has held consistent conservative positions and will:

* Fight amnesty and benefits for illegal aliens.
* Cut your taxes and fight to keep a prosperous economy.
* Protect our security against Islamic radicals.
* Be 100% pro-life

Fred is continuing to make this case to South Carolina voters on his bus tour, and is being received by enthusiastic crowds at every stop.

What's really amazing is that the mainstream media is actually starting to notice and give him credit! Read this story from today's New York Times.

Fred is able to do this because of you--you have been a terrific friend and he will always be appreciative for your support.

So will I. Thanks for all you've done. Let's keep it up...we've got lots of miles to go!

Sincerely,

Bill

William B. Lacy
Campaign Manager

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Hillary The Movie

There is a nice video up at Classical Values about Hillary - The Movie. It is about a two minute clip and you can hear Hillary doing her screech at the end. She is not called Shrillary for nothing.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Imperial America

Imperialism is killing America,

We have troops in England, Germany, Japan, South Korea and now Iraq.

If we stay long enough in Iraq for a viable democracy to be established it will ruin the Middle East just as it has ruined Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

Bring the troops home now!

Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science

I have put up some very interesting Bucky Fuller stuff including an interview where he discusses Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science at Classical Values.

I had the honor of meeting Bucky at a number of his lectures and the supreme honor of living in his dome home in Carbondale for two weeks around 1974. This was after he sold it to Mike Mitchell who I worked with on a number of projects for about a year and a half. There are some pictures of that dome including an interior shot at the Classical Values link above.

Another Blog Burst For Fred

Eric has put up another Fred Blog Burst For Fred. Again I'm going to crib from Eric at Classical Values.

This is the second time I've linked Rick Moran's Fred Thompson Blogburst (which Glenn Reynolds linked earlier today), and I'm linking it again because I feel strongly that Fred Thompson -- while not perfect -- is the best all-around Republican candidate for people with views similar to mine.

As I stressed the last time, I don't ask readers for much. Hell, I'm not asking readers for anything. Only that they consider donating to Fred Thompson's campaign.

Once again, I remind readers that I do not have a tip jar. Instead, I occasionally ask people to donate to one worthy cause or another.

I suppose some will say that considering his poor performance in New Hampshire, Fred Thompson is a lost cause. To that I'd say that in this insane race in which no one is truly ahead, no cause can be said to be lost yet. But even if you think it's a lost cause, I'd point to history, which is replete with "lost causes" which turned out not to be lost. England was said to be a "lost cause" after Hitler attacked. (Ask Churchill about lost causes.) And in his last blogburst, Rick Moran analogized to Washington's crossing. (Another nearly lost cause, but a retreat led to later victory.)

Remember, this time it's not New Hampshire; it's South Carolina.

Thompson desperately needs to win in South Carolina in order to continue to be a viable candidate. And there are several factors at play in the Palmetto State that makes a Thompson win a realistic goal:

1. Romney has dropped out of the running in SC, having pulled his ads and is transferring staff in order to ambush John McCain in Michigan.

2. That leaves only three candidates with a realistic shot at winning in SC; Huckabee, McCain, and Thompson. Amazingly, none of the three candidates will have an overwhelming advantage when it comes to financing. This levels the playing field considerably.
If Thompson can win South Carolina, he has a shot at the nomination. Remember, right now there is no clear winner, and it's still up for grabs.

As a member of the unorganized and unorganizable group of nonconformists who could be called "small 'l' libertarian bloggers who support the war," I sincerely believe that no other candidate comes closer to being a political match for this group than Fred Thompson. If you fit into that category, you owe it to yourself to donate now to Fred Thompson's campaign.

Hell, I feel so strongly about this that I'd be willing to cry like Hillary (or even like this guy) if I thought it might work.

Hmmm...

Tell you what. I'll spare the tears if you go donate now!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Energy Calculator

I found a neat energy calculator at Energy For Kids.

Have fun.

WB-7 First Plasma

MSNBC Reports first plasma on the WB-7 Reactor.

Bussard's mantle has been picked up by a small team led by Richard Nebel, who has taken a leave from Los Alamos National Laboratory to head up Bussard's EMC2 Fusion Development Corp. Backed by a Navy contract, Nebel's five-person team is trying to pick up the technology where Bussard left it.

"What's there is interesting, OK?" Nebel told me today. "And the bottom line of it is, what we've been charged to do is reproduce that. Find out if it's real. Find out if or if not all this stuff is what it seems to be."

EMC2 Fusion has built an upgraded model of Bussard's last experimental plasma containment device, which was known as WB-6. (The WB stands for Wiffle Ball, a whimsical reference to the structure of the device.) "We got first plasma yesterday," Nebel said - but he and his colleagues in Santa Fe, N.M., still have a long way to get the WB-7 experiment up to the power levels Bussard was working with.

"We're not out trying to make a big splash on any of this stuff at this point," Nebel said. But he said he's hoping to find out by this spring whether or not Bussard's concept is worth pursuing with a larger demonstration project.

The initial analysis showed that Bussard's data on energy yields were consistent with expectations, Nebel said.

"We don't know for sure whether all that's right," he said, "but it'd be horrible for Mother Nature to give you what you expect to see, and have it all be bogus."
If you want to learn more about this technology may I suggest:

Bussard Fusion Reactor
Easy Low Cost No Radiation Fusion

If you want to get deeper into the technology visit:

IEC Fusion Technology blog

Start with the sidebar which has links to tutorials and other stuff.

Update: 09 May 008 2228z

Here is a good place to start for a history of the Bussard Fusion Project and a tutorial that will help understanding: The World's Simplest Fusion Reactor Revisited.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Morals And Values

I just got a call from the Campaign to Restore Morals and Values 1-877-266-6277. They were asking me if I knew about all the sex offenders living in the neighborhood. Then some one came on the line and asked me what my first name was and as soon as I began to give it they hung up.

I suspect it was some kind of push poll. Here is the only link I could find on the outfit and they are talking about receiving calls as well.

Any one else have any skinny on them?

Update:

I called the number and it seems like some kind of scam to get you to change your long distance provider. The name of the company is United American Technologies. They gave me a couple of urls www.uatnow.com and www.thencsp.com.

A friend of mine just called me and said they are scammers. I'm going to call my phone company and make sure I don't get jacked around. If they call you do not answer any questions in the affirmative. If you get your service through cable you likely have what is called a change freeze on the account. If you get your service through normal providers you need to call them and have a change freeze put on your account. That should keep them at bay.

Let me add that the lady who called gave her name as Charlotte and she seemed so nice. A sweet Southern voice. My friend says that the Southern States refuse to police these scammers. I would think the fact that they are doing this across state lines should make it a Federal Offense. I wonder why they are not getting shut down.

Wiki has a page on them. Very interesting.

Also it seems North Carolina had a fraud action against the company in 2006.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Making History

Obama wants to make history. So did I at one time.

You know, I'm from Illinois. We had a chance to make history before. I fell for it. Carol Moseley Braun. Other than her stance on the Drug War (leave the pot heads alone), I had nothing in common with her policies. But. I. Wanted. To. Make. History.

I helped make history alright. That dead turkey stunk up the house (Senate actually) for six years. Defeated by Peter Fitzgerald who was a good guy but too straight (honest) for the big time. He was a one termer. And then through the machinations of a leaker of Ryan's divorce proceedings and my state Senator Dave Syverson(R) we got the Keyes vs Obama match up.

So here we are today. BTW Obama came from U. Chicago and Braun went to U. Chicago after her term. Seems suspicious to me. And I'm an alum and my son graduated from there in June.

IMO Fred is the only good guy in the race and the Rs are doing to him what the Ds did to Tsongas. I believe some one asked Tsongas what would happen if he didn't get the nomination. I think his reply was along the lines of "You're screwed". Which brings us to Bill and Shrillary.

Oh. Well. I survived.

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Oil Peak?

Reuters says that it is tough to pump more oil, even at $100.

A growing number of leading industry figures -- the CEOs of Total and ConocoPhillips among them -- now question mainstream forecasts for supply, suggesting the era of "plateau oil" is nearer than many in the business have admitted.

While global oil demand is projected to grow to more than 100 million barrels per day later this century, some argue it may not be possible to boost flows beyond the current rate of some 86 million bpd.

Supply still falls short even after so-called unconventional oils extracted from tar sands and converted from natural gas are taken into account, said Sadad al-Husseini, a former top official at state oil giant Saudi Aramco.
I think what the Saudi Minister is saying is that given the current supply situation they intend to continue their war with the west indefinitely. Especially given that Americans seem to have no interests in opening ANWAR or other known areas of supply along the American Coasts. Seems like a case of stupidity squared to me.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Obamarama

Here is a round up of the skeletons in Obama's closet. I will be adding links as I find them. Check back.

Obama goes to Church.

A Black Supremacist Church

Ronald Kessler comments on Obama's Church

Kaus On Obama's Pastor

Just One Minute on Obama's Pastor

Hannity interviews Obama's Minister

Wright's Church gives Farrakhan an award - video

Sweetness and Light on Jeremiah Wright - with quotes

Atlas on Wright

Get Religion on Wright

Obama May Dump Wright for the General

Obama timeline

The Husaria has links and connections

Al Sharpton with Obama, with Clinton, with Edwards

Did Obama Practice Islam?

Obama does Kenya

Tribal Politics in Kenya

Islamic coup attempt in Keyna

Coup Plotter claims Obama as cousin

Coup Plotter - Islam Only True Religion

Jihad in Kenya

Baldilocks has a corrective On Kenya

Obama Backs Taliban Supporter

Obama exploits grievances

Chicago Tribune - Obama plays Chicago politics

Time Magazine flags a problem

Snopes flags the flag story - with video

Obama and Slumlord Tony Rezko

Obama Watch

Make Your Own Vacuum Tubes

An absolutely fascinating video that revives a lost art. It has a nice sound track. The titles are in French, but it doesn't matter. About 17 minutes of absolutely no politics.

HT hanelyp at talk.polywell

Romney Push Polls?

Today is the big day for New Hampshire. As usual there are shenanigans. Could Romney be behind some of them? Upper Left Coast has some dirt on Romney.

The New Hampshire attorney general is going after a Portland polling firm to determine who launched the anti-Mitt Romney push polling that asked Granite state voters if Romney's Mormonism would cause them not to support him.

We already knew that the polls were conducted Utah firm Western Wats, causing some to speculate that Romney was secretly behind the whole thing. But the NH AG today said that Moore Information of Portland was responsible for hiring Western Wats, as well as developing the wording and schedule for the poll.

Working with the Multnomah County attorney, New Hamshire officials filed subpeonas to force Moore Information to reveal the name of its customer, but Moore declined, and a hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 16 to give New Hampshire the chance to show why they should have that info.
Upper Left Coast has a follow up on that bit.
The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes reported yesterday afternoon that Bob Moore, the head of Moore Information in Portland (which is being investigated by New Hampshire officials regarding the anti-Mormon push-polling that occurred there in November), is himself a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I've been resistant to the idea that Mitt Romney has been behind those push-polls; it just didn't seem consistent with his character. But there are so many links to the Romney campaign -- Moore hired Western Wats, a Mormon-owned firm in Utah which employs several financial supporters of Romney, to conduct the polls -- that that the idea will not die.

If Mitt Romney thinks his finish in Iowa was damaging, that will be nothing compared to the damage he will suffer if it's revealed he ordered those push-polls against himself.
Wow. Just wow. A candidate attacks himself based on suspicions about his religion to get the sympathy vote?

We are definitely into election season madness. I'm doing my part. I have been looking at Obama's Church. It is not a pretty picture.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan received the "Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright,Jr. Lifetime Achievement Trumpeteer" Award at the 2007 Trumpet Gala at the the United Church of Christ.
If that gains traction I don't think Obama is going to get the Jewish vote. Or worse Jewish money.

I haven't seen such an ugly Presidential election season since? Well, since the last one. Put your favorite beverage in the frig and start popping the popcorn. And have extras on hand. We have 10 more months of this.

HT linearthinker who alerted me to the comments at Oregon Guy's place.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Trinity United Church of Christ

The Pastor [Jeremiah Wright - ed.] as well as the membership of Trinity United Church of Christ is committed to a 10-point Vision:

1. A congregation committed to ADORATION.
2. A congregation preaching SALVATION.
3. A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.
4. A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA.
5. A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.
6. A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.
7. A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.
8. A congregation committed to LIBERATION.
9. A congregation committed to RESTORATION.
10. A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY.

Jeremiah Wright, accompanied Louis Farrakhan to Libya in 1984, where they met with Moammar Khadafy.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan received the "Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright,Jr. Lifetime Achievement Trumpeteer" Award at the 2007 Trumpet Gala at the the United Church of Christ.

Andrew Sullivan

St. Louis Examiner

Chicago Tribune

Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. is a racist anti-Semite, anti-white demagogue who spews profanity laced sermons based on Black Liberation Theology.

New York Times:

CHICAGO, March 5 — The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., senior pastor of the popular Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and spiritual mentor to Senator Barack Obama, thought he knew what he would be doing on Feb. 10, the day of Senator Obama’s presidential announcement.

After all, back in January, Mr. Obama had asked Mr. Wright if he would begin the event by delivering a public invocation.

But Mr. Wright said Mr. Obama called him the night before the Feb. 10 announcement and rescinded the invitation to give the invocation.

“Fifteen minutes before Shabbos I get a call from Barack,” Mr. Wright said in an interview on Monday, recalling that he was at an interfaith conference at the time. “One of his members had talked him into uninviting me,” Mr. Wright said, referring to Mr. Obama’s campaign advisers.

Some black leaders are questioning Mr. Obama’s decision to distance his campaign from Mr. Wright because of the campaign’s apparent fear of criticism over Mr. Wright’s teachings, which some say are overly Afrocentric to the point of excluding whites.


American Thinker:
Given the anti-Semitism that is sadly so often associated with other leaders and groups that have emphasized black separatism and empowerment (think Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton) perhaps some qualms might be warranted, particularly given some of the actions and statements of the Church's minister.

Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr. is the long-time Pastor of Obama's church, and Obama has credited him as being an inspiration and guiding light for him. He is a spiritual mentor to Obama and coined the term the "audacity of hope" that Obama has essentially made a theme of his campaign as well as the title of a book. He also has, in the words of the Chicago Tribune, a militant past.

Moreover, Pastor Wright has beliefs that might disturb some of Obama's supporters. He is a believer in "liberation theology," which makes the liberation of the oppressed a paramount virtue. The language of liberation all too often veers off into anti-Jewish rants. For example, one of the founders of the movement, Gustavo Gutierrez, has stated that the infidelities of the Jewish people made the Old Covenant [between the Jews and God] invalid." Pastor Wright is also a supporter of Louis Farrakhan, and in 1984 traveled with him to visit Col. Muammar al-Gadaffi, an archenemy of Israel's and America and a firm supporter of terror groups.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Reality

It seems that I am at war with the Reality Based community. You could encapsulate it as:

"The Reality Based community vs. the fact based community"

They rarely let facts get in the way of their reality.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Regulation

West Hawk is discussing oil and geopolitics and asks "Could the U.S. walk away from the Persian Gulf?"

It seems as if American society has finally reached a political consensus on the urgency of energy security. December’s energy bill that President Bush signed into law contained a government mandate to sharply increase the fuel mileage requirement for new cars and light trucks sold in the country. Today, this new mandate seems uncontroversial. Yet for several decades previously its adoption was prevented by free-market arguments from the political right and opposition from Michigan-based labor unions and supporting politicians on the left. All such objections have now been swept away.
Yep. Those pesky free marketeers have been vanquished. People will have to start doing what is good for them. Unquestioned obedience to the government mandates will be required. Comply or else.

What needs to be done is the nationalization of the oil, steel, car, computer, and all other industries, plus all the citizens. But we don't have to nationalize them by ownership. It can be done by regulation. The National Socialist way.

Sound familiar? Bueller? Any one?

H/T Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Meanwhile Out West

It is starting to look more and more like Fred is every one's second choice. The candidate that everyone can compromise on. The Washington Post reports that Fred came in second in Wyoming picking up 3 delegates out of 12 up for grabs.

By the time the votes were counted, Romney had won eight delegates while Thompson picked up three and Hunter netted one. Twelve delegates were selected today, while another two will be apportioned in May at a statewide convention.

The Republican National Committee cut Wyoming's number of national convention delegates in half, to 14, in retaliation for its early voting, but Laramie County GOP Chairman Jerry Zellars said the decision to accelerate its caucuses still paid off.
In other election news it looks like McCain is surging in New Hampshire.
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — John McCain overtook Mitt Romney for the New Hampshire lead in a new poll released Saturday, three days before the nation's first primary.

Taken in the two days following the Iowa caucuses, the poll shows Romney losing ground after the former Massachusetts governor's disappointing second-place showing in the leadoff state; McCain continued his steady climb since the Arizona senator's campaign hit a low point last summer.

Mike Huckabee, the Iowa victor, didn't get a bounce in the survey from his Iowa triumph, meaning the race in New Hampshire has become a two-man fight.

McCain, who won New Hampshire's primary in his first bid eight years ago and wants a repeat, had 33 percent to Romney's 27 percent in the poll. All others trailed by double-digits; Rudy Giuliani had 14 percent while Mike Huckabee had 11 and Ron Paul had 9 in the CNN-WMUR poll.
It looks like Fred is not even in the running in New Hampshire. He is planning to spend a couple of days in the state before the election. If he gets around 5% I think that would be a fair showing for the effort. If he gets 10% or above that would be spectacular. Below 3% would be a disappointment. Still he will be going on to North Carolina.

Speaking of which. Fred looks to do good there. In a mock election in Langston Focus School in Danville Fred did real well.
“This was a chance for students to learn about who is running for president,” said Jared Coleman, a 12th-grader at Langston Focus School.

Obama beat Thompson, an actor best known for his role as District Attorney Arthur Branch on “Law & Order,” by a tally of 82 to 13. Republican Mitt Romney got a few write-in votes.

In the primary, Obama beat New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton with 50 votes to 25. Thompson beat U.S. Sen. John McCain in the GOP primary with 33 votes to 26. Students and faculty could vote in both primaries.

Coleman and fellow students Jeffrey Keene and Shonteca Henry canvassed voters in each classroom. They would make a brief presentation on behalf of each candidate and the voting took a matter of minutes.
Of course this is not a real election. Still, kids have a tendency to strongly reflect their parent's views. So Thompson did well in the "primary" and got skunked in the "general". I think that is OK for now.

And just for fun: the Paulites who were expected to do well in Wyoming, got zero convention votes. They are crying in their beer. If a Libertarian can't do well in Wyoming, what are the odds?

Update: Well it looks like I screwed the pooch. North Carolina is not going to vote until May. It is South Carolina in January. You can't tell the players without a score card giving the dates of all the primaries.

So what about South Carolina? Glad you asked. Jim Geraghty of National Review has a puff piece by a Thompson operative and some words of caution.
My only note of skepticism in this thinking is that there's not just New Hampshire before South Carolina, but Michigan as well. Thompson has gone to a midwestern state of Iowa and did, meh, okay I guess. He won't do well in New Hampshire, and might be in asterisk territory, as Suffolk and Zogby have him at 2 percent. There isn't a ton of polling on Michigan, but what there is doesn't have Thompson making much of a splash. So it may be a long stretch before Thompson is back on friendly territory in South Carolina.

But the potential secret weapon? Wyoming, this Saturday. The Thompson Associate tells me, "Fred has actually spent time there. And don’t forget Liz Cheney is working with us."
Well Fred did OK in Wyoming. The rest is for the future. Which is hard to predict.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Reagan Coalition

Here is the essence of the Reagan Coalition.

"government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem."

If you believe that you are a member of the Reagan Coalition. If that is not your foundational principle you are not.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Watch Out For Consultants

Commenter linearthinker has a post up on his blog about Norman Hsu and the Clintons. What is most noteworthy is this nice turn of phrase.

I bet Hsu deliberately took a moderately heavy dose of pills on that train in Colorado just to get himself into custody. I was wondering at the time why the Clintonistas were letting him roam like a free range chicken. I suspect they had consultants looking for him.
He has a nice picture up of Norman Dancing with Hillary. Go have a look.

Saturday, January 05, 2008

I'll Support The Socialist

I have thought for a long time that we needed a more libertarian oriented party in America. Huckabee's Republican socialism just doesn't cut it for me.

I have been flirting with the idea of voting Dem in the general election. Especially if Clinton gets the nod. I like her evil underhandedness. I figure she will be as hard on America's enemies as she will be on us.

Then I got to reading around the blogosphere. I'm looking at Backyard Conservative and Power Line and Town Hall and Politico and Yahoo News and Outside Report and World Net Daily and Right Thinking from the Left Coast. They all seem to agree that Huckabee is splitting the Republican coalition. I agree.

So I have decided that if the nominee is Huckabee over my favorite Fred Thompson then I'm going to give Huck my support. I think it will be better to have a split coalition (in the hopes of a Reformation) than to keep going on the way things are going with the party. And my campaign theme for the Huckester? Support the Republican Socialist. That should help don't you think?

If that sort of scenario doesn't appeal to you might I suggest: send Fred Thompson some money. Fred of course is quite popular among the blogging set. He is not a one issue candidate. Based on his positions, he could have socon support, Federalist support, neocon support and fisc-con support. In other words every ones (outside a the blogging cons) second choice. So if you don't wish to see the Republican coalition break up (just yet), may I suggest giving Fred a hand and some money.

And if the above doesn't put the fear of God (har) in you, consider Obama vs Keyes '004. The Dems wrote the book on defeating a big name socon.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Progressive

Do you know what Progressive means? Same old communists in brand new clothes. i.e. steal your money and tell you what to do (a favorite of politicians every where - which is why all politicians are "progressive"). And they will call it progress.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Another Great One Has Fallen

I just read on Instapundit that Major Andrew Olmsted has died in Iraq.

Andrew and I had numerous exchanges on Winds of Change. He will be sorely missed.

Damn. Fuckin damn.

You can read his final words to us at Obsidian Wings.

You can also read his blog Andrew Olmsted

My blog Master at Classical Values Eric has left this comment there. He is so right:

Very sad news. His final post (intended to be published in the event of his death) is deeply moving. Don't miss it.

Iowa 008 - Results

CandidateVotes%
Mike Huckabee40,32634%
Mitt Romney29,67425%
Fred Thompson15,72613%
John McCain15,38313%
Ron Paul11,72310%
Rudy Giuliani4,0593%
Duncan Hunter5190%
Tom Tancredo50%


From: The Washington Post

Winning Wars

It is my contention that you don't make babies or win wars by withdrawing.

*

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Jeri Thompson For First Lady

Jeri Thompson

After my most recent bout of depression about Fred's chances in Iowa, I thought it might be a good idea to raise morale a bit. There is nothing like a picture to explain "why we fight".

For God, for country, for the Constitution, for Jeri. And we get Fred in the bargain. I call that a twofer.

Thanks to commenter linearthinker who is one of my low bandwidth readers, but asked for the picture anyway.

Honor Killings In America

My friend Eric at Classical Values has a post up on honor killings in America. Let me quote a bit:

The idea of "honor killings" of Muslim girls by their fathers for dressing like Westerners or dating boys would strike most Americans as too horrific to contemplate. Certainly not the kind of thing that would happen here, right?

Think again. Not only is it happening, but it's barely being reported.

If you're as horrified as I am that even a hint of this sort of thing would happen here, don't miss Phyllis Chesler's "Dead in Dallas: Honor Killings Land on our Shores -- a story about Amina and Sarah Said, who were shot to death, and whose father is being sought by police.
Eric has much more with lots of links. Go read the whole thing.

Choose Your Commissar

I'm really depressed by the news that Fred Thompson will drop out of the race if he does not come in second in Iowa. In my opinion Fred would have the best chance in the general election. He also best represents my position on the major issues. So maybe I'm biased. Huckabee depresses me. Totally. Almost as bad as Hillary.

I’m from Illinois and closely followed Obama’s ’004 Campaign. He is more Marxist than Hillary. It does not bode well for the future of our country.

At least for the time being we have our choice of Commissars. Obama seems like a nice Commissar.

Prompted by an e-mail discussion with Eric of Classical Values.

Commenter LarryD says the rumor about Fred dropping out if he doesn't do well in Iowa is a false one. He cites this Captain's Quarters post which links to Iowahawk. I stand by the rest of my observations.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

The New Fallujah

Michael Totten has a piece up on what he saw on his recent trip to Fallujah. He says it is still very third world but nothing like it was a year ago. In fact he has this amazing (to some of our "liberal" friends) quote from a wedding party he saw on the streets.

Sharply dressed Iraqi men and children got out and walked up to meet us. They were so friendly. An older man in a keffiyeh greeted us so warmly and sincerely it was obvious his affection was real. “Thank you, thank you,” he said. We all knew what he meant. Thank you for being here. Thank you for the security.
Michael has pictures and text. He talks about being a non-combatant in a war zone. One Marine officer asks him if he would pick up a weapon in a fire fight which is illegal for non-combatants. Michael's reply is a classic.
“Anyway,” I always said to Marines who thought I should carry a weapon, “if it gets bad enough out here that you’re relying on me in a fight, you’re really screwed.”
Go and read the whole thing. He has lots of pictures including what might be an explanation of why electricity supplies in Iraq are so bad.

H/T Instapundit

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Callipyginous

A word worth learning.

Bernie at Planck's Constant explains in words and pictures.

Enjoy.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

Policy Of Blockade

A. Jacksonian (A.J.) has an excellent post up tying Iran's natural gas problems with Turkmenistan with its oil problem and its internal economic woes. Let us start with this bit that A.J quotes from Reuters

Ebadollah Ghanbari, who heads the public relations unit of the national gas company, said Turkmenistan on Saturday slashed exports to Iran by half to 10 million cubic metres, before stopping deliveries completely a day later.

"In an official letter they said it was due to technical problems," he told state broadcaster IRIB. "Since yesterday evening Turkmenistan has completely cut its gas exports to Iran."

Despite its massive gas reserves, Iran has been a net importer of gas since 2002.
A.J. goes on to say:
Well, if you haven't read my previous stuff on Iran's Oil Problem and its Oil Outlook, now is the time to, because Iran just hit the wall.
Excellent advice since those articles provide excellent background.
Iran subsidizes natural gas so as to keep things running and folks happy. They don't use natural gas to rejuvenate their oil fields, which is one of the cheapest ways to do it. Instead, with non-market prices they get steep use and an increase in that use. If an energy source is cheaper than others, it gets over-utilized, just ask the folks in Iraq who don't pay monthly bills for electricity but get the 'all you can eat with a flat tax' deal from the Government. If there were meters, Iraq's power problem would diminish greatly, but that would also stall out the economic recovery so it will wait. Iran, however, is selling the natural gas at a rate cheaper than re-utilizing it for their oil fields. In theory they should have more than enough to export.

Which brings up the prime question: Why is Iran importing any natural gas?

And why is 5% of their natural gas supplies coming from imports via Turkmenistan?

This was supposed to be a money making export, as they had just finished a pipeline deal with India for natural gas. So *what* are they going to put in that pipeline? Right now the answer is NOTHING.

The folks in Turkmenistan suddenly had a great awakening: they were keeping the Iranian natural gas market afloat and NO ONE ELSE WOULD SELL TO THEM.

If you were in that position, what would *you* do?

Can you say: raise the prices?
A.J. then looks at what the Iranians can do in this situation with respect to natural gas prices.
Iran can't raise the price without causing a major recession or depression and starting to shut down some sectors of the economy. Plus, if they raise the prices for natural gas, they will be raising the cost of operating gas fired electrical facilities. A 'double-whammy' on the economy.

Iran might start 'rationing' it, but how they would do that is beyond me. Maybe start closing shut-off valves to certain neighborhoods for half-a-day at a time? That will start to cause some *serious* complaints, not just from college students or government employees, but from everyday folks.

Iran has only one solution that it tends to use for everything, and that is to shift terror operations. So Turkmenistan can expect to get its own little Hezbollah and meet-ups with the Qods forces. Which will be a blessing for Iraq and a 'holding pattern' in Lebanon. Unless, of course, Turkmenistan is *serious* in which case the next year in Iran is make or break.

And if Iran has to *pay up* a lot of terrorist cash will suddenly *dry up*.

Thank you to Turkmenistan!
I'd like to look a little further into the situation and see what the US has done to help put Iran in its current position.

A. J.,

You and I have been on the same page on this for quite some time.

I covered the Cash Flow Jihad aspect. You have been covering oil.

America is squeezing Iran by preventing them from earning income from other than oil and cutting off their cash flow from western banks. Iran's own bad policies (as you point out) are squeezing their oil income.

In other times this would be called the policy of blockade.

I posited that they had a window of opportunity for their jihad program. They lost the war in Lebanon (intended to weaken Israel - it did not). They needed an unstable Iraq (so they could take Iraqi oil fields once America left Iraq. This was an effort to stave off collapse by the usual methods. Theft.). That didn't work out either.

They are now between a rock and a very hard place. Afghanistan is their last hope. However, even if they win it they gain a liability, not an asset.

If they don't get nukes within a year (instability in Pakistan ring a bell?) they are fooked. They are screwed any way. A huge nuclear arsenal didn't save the USSR from economic collapse.

Let me add that the Iranian regime sells gasoline in Iran for under 50¢ a gallon. About 1/4 the world price.Iran raised gasoline prices by 25% last summer. It was around 34¢ a gallon previously.

In addition economic genius Ahmanutjob withdrew all the Iranian cash reserves from the world banking system to stave off disaster. It created an inflationary spike and produced nothing as the money was not invested but went to support jihad and stave off internal economic collapse.

Paying off the Shiites for the disaster in Lebanon must have cost a lot. However, without that payment Iran loses prestige and its proxy Hizbollah.

Historical precedent - Germany summer of 1918.

Another point. Perhaps the CIA leak - taking military pressure off Iran - was policy and not a rogue element in the US Government acting without authorization.

In fact it may have been in Iran's interest because by making a deal re: cutting the funding of the insurgency in Iraq in exchange for a reduction of American military pressure they reduce their cash flow strain.

My guess is that it will buy time for Iran, but not enough. So it was a good deal for us. If we reckoned that the slide had gone so far as to be irreversible.

Cross Posted at Classical Values