26 January 2009

Update no.371

Update from the Heartland
No.371
19.1.09 – 25.1.09
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
At noon Tuesday (12:00 EST, 20.January.2009) by the 20th Amendment to our Constitution, Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th President of the United States of America. During his inauguration speech, he invoked the spirit of General George Washington’s prayer before crossing the Delaware River on that cold Christmas night of 1776, on the eve of the Battle of Trenton. The President said:
“America!
In the face of our common dangers,
in this winter of our hardship,
let us remember these timeless words,
with hope and virtue,
let us brave once more the icy currents,
and endure what storms may come,
let it be said by our children’s children,
that when we were tested, we refused to let the journey end,
that we did not turn back nor did we falter,
and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us,
we carried forth that great gift of freedom,
and delivered it safely to future generations.”
This Grand Republic, born from the caldron of rebellion and the quest for freedom, has entered a new phase of its glorious history. Godspeed and following winds, Mr. President. We shall do our part to help you be successful.

As Jeanne and I watched our DVR replay of the inauguration ceremony that evening, Jeanne sent to following eMail to our kids and their partners:
“I am taking a moment to tell my children how proud I am of you on this special day, for electing this president who will help change our America for a better one. Your vote is the one that made the difference. Thank you. All of you who supported this great man should be very proud.”
“Love, Mom”

As a footnote to the inauguration and associated celebrations, I recognize the historic significance to this particular transition as well as the need for the Nation to revel in the change ahead – after all, we now have the first American president who happens to have dark skin pigmentation. However, I choose to acknowledge the decision by President George W. Bush to downplay and low-key his second inauguration in deference to our military who stand in extremis during a time of war. To which, I must add the enormous stress of the current recession. I am a humble man who truly appreciates humility in any leader, and especially in our political leaders. That said, let us all look toward tomorrow and what each of us can do to help our new President be successful.

The follow-up news items:
-- I failed to make one very important observation regarding the USAirways flight 1549 ditching event last week [370]. With the minor exception of the right engine nacelle not shearing off as it was designed to do at water impact, the Airbus A-320 fulfilled its design objectives for water ditching events. As much as we praise the crew for their handling of the emergency, we should heap equal praise and congratulations on the designers of the A-320. The RAT (Ram Air Turbine) deployed properly and provided hydraulic & electrical power, with both engines inoperative, during the descent. The fuselage remained intact with no apparent structural failures. More importantly, the aircraft remained afloat even after all the emergency exits were opened. And, to my knowledge, all the emergency and ditching provisions worked as advertised. The evacuation was picture perfect, even allowing the captain to check the cabin for any stragglers before departing himself. For engineers, seeing machines perform as designed, especially in adversity, is a joyous event. Congratulations, Airbus, SAS!
-- As one of his last acts as President, George Bush commuted the prison sentences of former Border Patrol agents Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos. The two agents were convicted for shooting a known illegal immigrant and drug smuggler [267]. To this day, we still do not know why the government prosecuted the two men. Perhaps, once they are free, we shall begin to hear more of the story. Efforts also continue, to gain full pardons for Ramos and Compean. The prosecution of the two Border Patrol agents still stinks four years after the event and two years after their trial.
-- President Obama signed several Executive Orders (EO’s) this week. Some are almost pro forma transition directives of a new administration. Yet, some are potentially profound and fundamental departures from prior administrations, and specifically the previous administration, and could very well produce adverse unintended consequences. Obama ordered a direct and thorough review of the case against detainee Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri – al-Marri v. Pucciarelli [4CCA no. 06-7427 (2008)] [288, 346] – in and of itself not particularly dramatic. Far more significant is an Executive Order titled (not yet numbered): “Ensuring Lawful Interrogations.” Obama revoked Executive Order 13440 and has now constrained the CIA to field combat intelligence interrogation methods and techniques delineated in Army Field Manual 2 22.3 (FM 2-22.3), “Human Intelligence Collector Operations,” and FM 34-52, “Intelligence Interrogation.” The debate over what are harsh interrogation methods versus torture [126, et al] has been protracted and will continue despite the President’s Order. In essence, we have broadcast to our enemies that we intend to talk them into submission in a knife fight. This “Interrogations” EO may give us a warm, fuzzy feeling of righteousness, but it will NOT help us wage war successfully, especially against a determine enemy who has no rules or morality. War is not some academic, intelligence feel-good exercise. This is a huge and potentially far-reaching mistake. Then, on the same day, President Obama signed an EO titled (but not yet numbered): “Review and Disposition of Individuals Detained at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base and Closure of Detention Facilities,” in which he directed the closure of the Guantánamo detention facility by 22.January.2010, and ordered those held there to be “returned to their home country, released, transferred to a third country, or transferred to another United States detention facility.” Closing Guantánamo is another feel good action for those among us who remain unconvinced we are at war. Representative Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania publicly supported the President’s EO and said there are jails in his district that could handle some of the battlefield combatant detainees. Brilliant! Just what we need . . . inject a bunch of Islamo-fascist battlefield combatants into our already dysfunctional prison system; sure, why not, let’s radicalize our criminals. I understand why Obama issued these orders, and I reject these foolish, shortsighted, political parochial actions. We are not playing some intellectual, sand-table, board game. We are at war!

On 4.March.1973, a Black September plot to detonate three large car bombs in New York City was foiled. In January 1991, Khalid Duhham al-Jawary was detained at an airport in Rome for using a false, Jordanian passport. He was extradited to the United States for his complicity in the 1973 bomb plot. Al-Jawary was tried, convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison in 1993. The Islamo-fascist terrorist is due to be released on 16.February.2009, for good behavior no less (only 15 years of a 30 year sentence). Sometimes I think we are our own worst enemy.

I illuminated one of many Executive Branch orders being contemplated last fall that would protect any health care worker’s choice to deny services based on his moral objection. The Federal government’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Notice of Proposed RuleMaking (NPRM) RIN 0991-AB48 [349] prima facie says, “Department of Health and Human Services funds do not support coercive or discriminatory policies or practices in violation of federal law.” Written in the proverbial small print is a series of directives allowing health worker’s to decide what they will and will not do. I argued against the NPRM last August [349]. The rule is slated to take effect today (20.January) . . . at the last moment’s of the Bush administration. Attorneys General in seven states (Connecticut, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island) along with two family planning groups (Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association) have filed legal actions to block the NPRM from being implemented, or revoke it if the Court will not support an injunction. This is bad regulation intended to impose a conservative moral agenda by indirect means. Put simply, a health care worker’s morality is no different from my sense of integrity; my choices are to accept & perform, or resign. We need the states to be successful in court. President Obama reportedly signed an EO (not yet found) suspending the implementation of Executive Branch regulations from the prior administration. We can only hope the HHS NPRM is one of those affected regulations appropriately suspended.

Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (Schlossberg) withdrew from consideration on the eve of Governor Paterson’s selection to replace Senator Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton of New York, who was confirmed this week as Secretary of State in the Obama administration. Caroline Kennedy had abruptly announced her interest, bumbled her flash of publicity and awkward interviews, and even more abruptly withdrew – undoubtedly a humiliating end to any political aspirations she may have held. Under his authority, New York Governor David Alexander Paterson selected and appointed U.S. Representative Kirsten Elizabeth (née Rutnik) Gillibrand, 42, of New York to replace Senator Clinton as the junior senator for New York. The beat goes on.

News from the economic front:
-- The UK banking group Royal Bank of Scotland warned that its losses for 2008 will be significantly more than forecast – £15-20B (US$22-30B). The announcement came as the UK government unveiled new extensions to its financial rescue plan, in an effort to quell rising concerns about the health of the country's banking system.
-- Chrysler and Italy's Fiat confirmed they had reached an agreement on an alliance that would give Fiat a 35% stake in the American company and joint marketing rights in exchange for access to Fiat technology, however the deal is contingent on Chrysler getting US$3B in additional government loans. Does this sound like a deal of desperation or what?
-- The Citigroup Board of Directors chose former Time-Warner chairman Richard Dean Parsons to replace Sir Winfried Franz Wilhen ‘Win’ Bischoff [361] as chairman. Last week, Citigroup posted an US$8.3B 4th Quarter net loss and unveiled a revamped recovery strategy.
-- Apple reported its profit edged up 2% in its latest quarter, while eBay reported a decline in revenue and earnings, citing global macroeconomic conditions. At least there are tiny rays of sunshine in the dark clouds over us.
-- Sony expects to be deep into the red in the fiscal year ending in March, blaming the faltering electronics business and price competition, as well as the yen's strength, as they anticipate a net loss of ¥150B (US$1.65B) and an operating loss of ¥260B (US$2.86B) for the year.
-- Housing starts declined the 6th straight month in December and brought construction to a new low, decreasing 15.5% to a seasonally adjusted 550,000 annual rate compared to the prior month.
-- New state unemployment benefit claims soared last week to match the quarter-century high reached in December, suggesting layoffs will continue unabated into this year.
-- Microsoft reported an 11% drop in quarterly net income as revenue edged up 2%, amid growth in server and entertainment software but weakness in the PC market, and announced plans to eliminate as many as 5,000 jobs (5% of their work force) over the next 18 months, including 1,400 jobs immediately, blaming the “deterioration of global economic conditions.”
-- Former Merrill Lynch chief John Alexander Thain [365] resigned from Bank of America, three weeks after the bank’s acquisition of Merrill Lynch was completed.
-- General Electric reported their 4th Quarter net income fell 44% to US$3.72B and revenue decreased to US$46.2B, as the conglomerate recorded US$1.5B in special charges.
-- Intel announced that Chairman Craig R. Barrett, 69, plans to retire as chairman at the company’s May annual stockholders’ meeting, and Board member Dr. Jane E. Shaw, PhD, will become non-executive chairman, and Paul S. Otellini will remain CEO. The company, whose microprocessors serve as the electronic brains for most of the world’s computers, has been hit hard by the economic downturn.

The Blago Scandal [365]:
-- As his impeachment trial looms in the Illinois state senate, Blago held a news conference in a lame, perverted attempt to convince himself he had done nothing wrong. He said, “The heart and soul of this has been a struggle of me against the system.” Blago also said, “Notwithstanding mistakes and errors in judgment from time to time, most of the things I've done as governor have been the right things and have been things that helped people.” The beleaguered governor had the audacity to say, “This is about raising taxes. It’s all about getting rid of me to raise taxes on people.” Is this guy delusional or what?

I have had numerous false starts in previous Updates on the topic of sex. An opinion column in our only local newspaper pushed me over the edge, forcing me to address the sensitive and often controversial topic. The article:
“Abstinence Education More than ‘Just Say No’”
by Sandy Pickert
Wichita Eagle
Published: Thursday, January 22, 2009; page 7A
http://www.kansas.com/781/story/672275.html
Ms. Pickert is the executive director of Abstinence Education, Inc., here is Wichita. She presents a reasonable and cogent argument for abstinence education as well as her contention that they also address broader elements beyond “just say no.” A number of varied articles / opinions on aspects of sex and sexuality have recently been published that help illuminate the topic for public debate.
“Like a Virgin: The Press Take On Teenage Sex -- Yes, attitudes do make a difference in behavior”
by William McGurn
Wall Street Journal – Opinion: Main Street
Published: January 6, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123120095259855597.html?mod=djemEditorialPage
McGrun closed with, “That, alas, is not something you're likely to read in the headlines. For when it comes to challenging the conventional wisdom on issues of sexuality, the American media suddenly become as coy as a cloistered virgin.”
“‘Joy of Sex,’ Revised From Top to Bottom”
by Monica Hesse
Washington Post
Published: Saturday, January 10, 2009; Page C01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/09/AR2009010903767.html?wpisrc=newsletter
Then, we have a series of opinion columns from Nicholas Donabet Kristof on one of his favorite topics.
“The Evil Behind the Smiles”
by Nicholas D. Kristof
New York Times
Published: December 31, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/opinion/01kristof.html?_r=1
“If This Isn’t Slavery, What Is?”
by Nicholas D. Kristof
New York Times
Published: January 3, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/opinion/04kristof.html
One of these days, we shall mature as a species, or hopefully at least as a society, to recognize sex as an important part of what it is to be human, as much as eating, breathing, exercise, debate, and relationships. First and foremost, to each of us individually, sex is a private matter – personal and intimate. Our practices, wants & needs, and proclivities are not and cannot be a matter of public interest. Furthermore, our persistence in using the law to impose our values on everyone and to keep sex as some forbidden fruit to be hidden, secreted, ignored and confined to bilateral, monogamous, procreation-only, adult, religious-sanctified marriage along with our reticence to discuss sex and more importantly educate our children about healthy sexual conduct will only condemn us to the status quo and the same results, while we expect or even hope for better outcomes. Sex is as much a part of life as eating, breathing, curiosity, pleasure, fulfillment, and all the other activities and attributes that make us human. To persist with the notion that sex is some mystical endeavor that must be kept clean and pure, and thus is beyond proper public debate, will relegate us to medieval constraints. The last administration will undoubtedly claim the federally mandated Abstinence-Only Education block grant program [192, 308, et al] was simply an alternative. Yet, when it is the only funded program, the message is quite clear – indirect inducement. I am all in favor of sex education that includes abstinence as a choice – a personal, familial choice. However, making abstinence the only choice simply institutionalizes ignorance. Sex education should be no different from teaching our children to chew their food properly, to clean themselves regularly, to read, write and speak properly. Unfortunately, we have a legal code that makes parents, schools, everyone, afraid to teach children about sex and making good decisions about sex. Then, we have Nick Kristof, who perpetuates the notion that prostitution is a disgusting, contemptible activity that fosters crime and some of the worst crime – human slavery. While I join Kristof in the condemnation of any socio-economic activity that thrives and feeds upon human trafficking or enslavement, I fundamentally reject his supposition that prostitution is bad in any context. What is truly bad, wrong and disgusting is the criminal sub-culture that operates prostitution as we know it today. Thus, we criminalize a perfectly normal and natural human pursuit, or at least any portion beyond married procreation. We strive mightily to frame the law, the educational curricula of our children, and even proper public debate to pretend sex does not exist in the name of “protecting the innocence of our children,” of preserving our traditional Judeo-Christian moral values, and of protecting hapless citizens from the degradation of moral decay. In short, we try to keep our children ignorant in hopes that they will remain pure, and thus fail to give them the knowledge and teach them the skills they will need to deal with life and to make the best decisions for themselves. We simply must find the courage to shed our Puritanical and Victorian sense of propriety regarding matters sexual. Our children deserve much more than we are giving them, and they occasionally make bad choices.

On the downside of this week’s historic events, perennial, uber-Right, talking head, Rush Limbaugh said, “I hope he [Obama] fails.” Limbaugh was regurgitating his conservative social, economic and political opinions. Yet, his choice of words could not be a more graphic demonstration of the corrosively divisive, ideological, partisan politics. Limbaugh is against the President because the President does not agree with him. Just because ideological, uber-Left liberals mindlessly condemned anything President Bush did, does not make the inverse any more acceptable. I did not agree with many things President Bush did, and I will not agree with some, maybe even many, things President Obama is going to do, but I want Barack Obama to be successful. We, the People, need him to be successful. Let us not allow our disagreement over one issue or another to distract us from strengthening this Grand Republic. Rush Limbaugh is as wrong as wrong can be, and it is Limbaugh who must fail . . . oh wait, except he does not do anything productive other than flap his gums. We need constructive debate, not acidic contrarianism. John McCain and Sarah Palin seem to have taken a far more conciliatory position and offered their support for President Obama. Perhaps, Limbaugh should follow their lead.

Comments and contributions from Update no.370:
“The systematic and ill-advised destruction of the corporate jet industry, while bailing out the big guy, is but one example of rewarding A, while hoping for B. Small business fuels more job creation than the big guys lately and they are taking it on the chin. While I appreciate at some level the attempts by our government to manage the crisis, I do not believe that anyone in government is as smart as "the invisible hand" of a free society. The bailout did not save us and another bailout will not save us. The freedom to fail will save us as it always has in America, but only if we are free to pursue success.”
My response:
Here, here! Yet, my concern lays with the potential collapse of the entire financial system and the knock-on destructive effects. If we are prepared for 25% unemployment or higher, then we can say let the chips fall where they may. We are not talking about the failure of this business or that, but rather a broad, deep recession or even depression. Therein lies the rub.
. . . round two:
“I reject the fear of depression consequences whenever it emerges in my thinking, because it leads to bad decisions like the bailout. Government managing the economy to this degree is flawed. It presumes they know what they are doing. So far I don't see any evidence of it in this crisis. If we look at history, some people believe that Roosevelt prolonged the depression with government intervention and we only recovered due to the aftermath of WWII. While I'm not sure about that historical muse, I am sure that I have little confidence that there are market geniuses running the government now, or coming in tomorrow after the inauguration.
“We shall see...”
. . . my response to round two:
Well said!
I am not, never have been, and never will be an advocate for Government intervention. Yet, the government’s place in our society is to protect the public good. In this instance, the USG failed its responsibility. I recognize that some suggest and perhaps even believe that Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal prolonged the Great Depression. I am not one of those. There are elements of the New Deal legislation that I strongly disagree with and believe caused more injury than they resolved. Regardless, Roosevelt did what had to be done, to restore confidence in the American economy. History may record actions taken by the Bush administration caused more damage than they helped, but at least they tried to bolster confidence in a faltering economy. We shall see how history does record this time.
. . . round three:
“We shall continue to debate the bailout for years to come I suspect. It did not work and another bailout may do more harm than good. Of course, I could be wrong, and I'd like to be wrong. Regardless, I'd rather trust the "invisible hand" than leave the future to those who do not know not what they do. In this mess I sense no one does. Maybe we will get lucky in the short run. In the long run the odds are good we will recover and, perhaps, be stronger for it. But, the pain getting there will be intense. Let's hope we weather it well and not lose our patience. Now is not the time to make stupid mistakes. It is time for reasonable heads to prevail.”
. . . my response to round three:
Yes, we shall continue to debate the economic recovery along with so many other socio-political issues of our day.
So much of our life and society is directly and primarily dependent upon confidence – our driving rules, our laws, our relationships and our economy. Our confidence has been shaken, and we are not spending as we normally do. All of us are more reserved and cautious. Millions of citizens are losing their jobs as a consequence.
We, the People, employ the military, police and firefighters to protect us. We have rules – laws – intended to order our society to ensure our freedom to choose our particular “Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness,” and to provide equal protection under the law to each an every citizen. Just as we have rules for living together, we also need rules for banking and investment, those with whom we entrust our money. The USG failed in that responsibility and duty. The marketplace cannot be an anarchistic, techno-enhanced, version of the Wild, Wild West.
Bernie Madoff and all the other greed-mongers ran rampant on Wall Street with far less scrutiny than we receive driving down the highway or boarding a commercial airplane. That failure must change.
. . . round four:
“Agreed on the anarchy danger and well said. I'm all for laws that make sense. I'm also for enforcing them to the letter. It is the lack of enforcement where we failed miserably. The SEC had Madoff in their hands years ago and turned their heads the other way or did sloppy word. Even so, government bailouts are not the answer in my view because it assumes once again that they know what they are doing. I see little evidence of it so far, but I do see more sloppy work. But, we'll see how it goes. Set the laws, enforce the laws, and let the "invisible hand" do the job. That is a rule-governed free society in my view.”
. . . my response to round four:
Absolutely, lack of enforcement of existing law remains a big failure of previous administrations, and we shall see if this administration can find the chutzpah to carry out their enforcement responsibilities.
I’m sure you recall the financial criteria we had to meet when we bought our first houses. As I recall, our mortgage could not exceed 38% of our gross income, and our total debt (which we had to disclose) could not exceed something like 45%, or some such. Those lending constraints (otherwise known as qualifications) began to disappear with Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) [PL 95-128; 12.10.1977] [356]. Congress began pushing government lenders (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, etc.) to lower their standards to allow low income citizens get into the booming residential real estate market. We got a big warning slap-in-the-face with the Savings & Loan crisis of the late 80’s, but we failed to heed the warning signs. Then, the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 deregulation [PL 106-102; AKA Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act; 12.11.1999] [353] pulled out all the stops constraining hedge fund and financial derivative traders (AKA institutionalized gambling with inadequate reserves). We received more warning signs, i.e., Barings, PLC (26.2.1995); Enron (2.12.2001); Société Générale, SA (21.1.2008); plus, the various professional warnings regarding Madoff Investment Securities, LLC (from 1992 to 2008), et al; we continued to ignore the warning signs. Alan Greenspan’s repeated “irrational exuberance” public statements gave us clues.
We need policemen & prosecutors for Wall Street and the banking system. For reasons I know not, our regulators have ceased to function. I am not advocating for a bigger “invisible hand,” and I do fear an overreaction by Congress in the wake of this debacle . . . just as they overreacted with the Church Committee after Watergate, the FBI exposé, and Vietnam. I hope we can find a rationale solution.
. . . round five:
“Agreed and well said. I readily admit that the ‘invisible hand’ metaphor is a bit unnerving when we have to rely on the notion that when people pursue their own self-interests in a free market, they will help their communities in the process. At some level bad people will take advantage to a degree that has to be squashed. Madoff took advantage, was not squashed, and now sits in luxury. He is a symptom of people turning their heads. So, not only do we need police and prosecutors to pursue the bad guys, we need regulators to do their jobs and uphold the laws already on the books. They failed miserably over the past few years.
“All that said, I will resist a change direction to become a social economy like France, England, Sweden, and so forth. If those nations have it right, why are we still the strongest nation on earth? None of them are and one could argue that they morphed into what we see now to compensate for losing their power. The belief that government can manage the economy is fatally flawed. Government can protect the nation from our enemies, pass laws, regulate as needed, and enforce those laws. But, to engage as a partner in the economy does not mean printing more money resulting in devaluing the money already in the market. It only takes 3rd grade arithmetic to figure out that is a path to destruction. And, that is the path we are taking with the bailouts. I am willing to trust the market ‘invisible hand’ if government does what our forefathers wisely outlined long ago. Beyond that, they stink when it comes to market acumen. May they get it right in time to prevent a cataclysmic meltdown of the USA.
“All our enemies in the terrorist camp have to do right now is stand by and wait for us to either blow it, or get it right.
“I vote for right...”
. . . my response to round five:
Spot on, my brother!
Adam Smith was a good observer and a prophetic thinker, but there is a huge difference between 1776 and 2009, not least of which is the speed of life. Things happen very fast today, which means mistakes, errors or greed can be and often are amplified by orders of magnitude. Without checks & balances, enforcement of regulation, it is far too easy for a bad person or group to take advantage of others.

Another contribution:
“I skimmed through your last update and thought you must have been in a wild debate with some islamo-terrorists regarding Israel's invasion of Gaza, based on the characterization of your opponent by some of your readers. But today I went back and read the debate which you posted in your no.369 and realized the opponent was me!
“It is quite odd to be an invisible presence in cyberspace and have labels pasted on you by people you don't know and who don't know you. A supporter of Hamas, and by extension, Hezbollah? And worse, anti-Semite?
“My disgust with the lack of concern for the slaughter of nearly 1400 people trapped in a walled compound is no more or less than any human being's horror at what the Nazis did to the Warsaw Ghetto Jews. The fog of war clouded the international reaction to that as it has in our present times.
“The unspeakable horror of the effects of a suicide bomber, some fool dressed up in TNT, is no less gut-wrenching than the video of what a UAV did to a UN school, or a crowded market place.
“I cited Jewish writers, Jimmy Carter, Canadian reporters, none of whom are Hamas, don't support Hamas, and are not self-hating Jews, nor anti-Semitic. If people who support Israel's aggression, suppression, invasion, or whatever word one applies to it, can not see the hypocrisy in turning a blind dry eye to the slaughter in Gaza, then I don't care what they call me, for they are unreachable as human beings. This is not the fog of war. This is an international crisis. I suspect some of your readers have never heard of Raoul Wallenberg, one of my heroes and an example for all people who are not blinded by fanaticism, whether it is Zionist, or Islamic, or Christian.”
My reply:
Passions are strong on all sides of virtually every issue – no less the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, the Islamo-fascist issue, and so many others. We need the debate, and I try very hard to walk a fine, delicate line of moderation to foster a vigorous public debate on all topics including some of our most sensitive renditions.
For many years now, I have admired your courage, forthrightness and willingness to express your opinions in a clear, articulate manner. There are those in this forum (as in the public at large) who agree with you and disagree with you. We (you and I) have not always agreed on one issue or another, however we argue with respect for each other’s opinions, and that is healthy. As one contributor noted, others are not so restrained or constrained.
I do not and cannot use the word ‘slaughter’ regarding what Hamas has done to the Gazan Palestinians. Hamas has long chosen a path of violence to achieve their objectives; “You live by the sword, you die by the sword.” I am deeply saddened by the loss of life in any conflict, and I believe most folks are equally saddened. We disagree on the genesis and purpose of the current confrontation, now in tenuous cease-fire. As I have suggested before, looking backward serves little purpose in situations like these. Further, none of us should be surprised that some folks respond to our words prima facie; after all, as you note, they do not know you, or you them. I have more history, and I am able to place words into better context, which is the basis of my responses in last week’s Update. Yet, these often polarized exchanges with the Press, politicos, and within this forum should surprise no one when one position or another is taken with no apparent effort to seek balance. To even intimate that Hamas and the Gazan Palestinians are innocent victims of naked, hegemonic, Israeli aggressive will garner reaction from those not so inclined.

A different contribution:
“I somehow just do not understand hatred of one group for another so abiding as does exist between Palestinians and Jews. I believe the hatred itself is one way---the Palestinians hate the Jews.
“‘Sully’ did good. Not many could have handled that situation, and even he, I expect, had a bit of luck riding with him.
“I am glad Bush Jr. is gone. But I do worry about Obama. I think he is sincere and wants to do a good job, but he faces immense problems. We shall see.
“Specialist Rivera? Leavenworth! Regardless of her motherhood.
“Madoff should be shot at dawn. But he won't be. Nor will he spend a lot of time in jail. Certainly not in a ‘hard-time’ jail. Plus----he is no youngster.”
My response:
The parochial intolerance of the revealed religions seems to be a product an inherent, violent, protectionist phase. Unfortunately, Islam is in that phase. The Mullahs have been stirring up all this damnable jihadi crap for several decades. And, the hapless Palestinians are the unfortunate dupes of megalomaniacal agents. I still believe that Palestinians are no different from any other people – Americans, Russians, Chinese, all human beings.
‘Sully’ did a bang up job; and, as you well know . . . better lucky than good.
Barack has made some pretty impressive early moves and has done some unusual, maybe even extraordinary, early actions. We need to pay attention and watch. I think he is making a mistake by closing Guantánamo and restricting intelligence interrogation techniques; but, we will survive.
Deserters must pay their debt to society for their mistake. I trust Specialist Rivera will pay hers.
Madoff will undoubtedly declare his innocence and do everything possible to stretch out his trial date as long as he possibly can . . . maybe even until he dies of natural causes.

My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)

19 January 2009

Update no.370

Update from the Heartland
No.370
12.1.09 – 18.1.09
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
On Tuesday, my sister’s youngest child was killed in a motorcycle accident. David was 29 years old and unmarried. Tragically, David became the first of our children’s generation to pass on. May God rest David’s immortal soul, and protect my sister and her family in their grief. In a personal message to family and friends, she wrote:
“my mother shared with us
the comfort of the umbrella of ‘grace’
that comes with being present and
intentional staying in this moment
we are calm and riding the waves that come
in their own due time”
For those who may be so inclined to offer donations or remembrances, she asks they go to:
Children's Hospital - Burn Unit - in Oakland, California.

The follow-up news items:
-- At 02:00, Sunday (18:00 CST, Saturday), Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza campaign [368]. Twelve hours later, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups announced a week-long ceasefire and gave Israel a week to remove their troops from Gaza. We can hope that at least a respite comes to that troubled region. Anyone want to take a bet Hamas cannot resist lobbing a rocket or two during the week?
-- Susan J. Crawford, the convening authority for the Guantanamo military commissions, declared, “We tortured [Mohammed Mani Ahmad al-]Qahtani” – allegedly an al-Qaeda operative and one of the missing 9/11 conspirators – apparently because we interrogated him with techniques [126, et al] that included sustained isolation, sleep deprivation, nudity and prolonged exposure to cold. There is no question whatsoever that such conduct with a police prisoner is beyond the law, but al-Qahtani was never a police prisoner. He is a battlefield combatant in the War on Islamic Fascism and must be subject to harsh interrogation techniques for combat intelligence purposes. Perhaps this particular debate is moot, as our savior shall render his edict soon.
-- Before I could even get this Update on the wire, Hamas fired off a few rockets into Southern Israel. They want blood; they shall have blood as it has been for decades.

On Thursday, USAirways Flight 1549 took off normally, although slightly late, from New York LaGuardia Airport enroute to Charlotte, North Carolina, on a clear but cold winter day. During climb out, at approximately 3,000 feet altitude above ground level, they apparently encountered a flock of large birds, which took out both of the Airbus A-320’s engines. Captain Chesley Burnett ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, 57, of Danville, California, and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, 49, of Oregon, Wisconsin, made all the right decisions, in a comparatively short amount of time, and landed the cripple aircraft in a picture-perfect ditching in the Hudson River. One of the engines was missing from the aircraft; they are designed to shear off on impact like a water ditching; I am not sure why the right side engine did not depart as well. The aircraft has been recovered. The Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been recovered and transported to the NTSB laboratory in Washington. Congratulations to the crew. ‘Sully’ Sullenberger will join Al Haynes on a rather small list of magnificent pilotage in extremis.

President George Walker Bush gave his last press conference on Monday. I was at work and did not see the event live. Jeanne recorded it for me, and I have listened to the aftermath of talking heads. There was sadness in his use of language to convey his thoughts and reminders of why I am glad to see him go. His rather lame effort, attempting to re-direct history’s judgment of his administration, had a mostly pathetic air to it, left me shaking my head and feeling a bit exhausted. Yet, we also saw flashes of why George’s administration was able to fulfill its primary constitutional responsibility. While there were failures in the prosecution of the war that cost lives and there were failures in the Katrina response, W has been erroneously maligned by partisan politics and the stink stuck. On Thursday, President Bush gave his farewell address to the Nation – the best speech in his political career. Things might have been quite different if he had good communications skills. C’est la vie. We move on.

The recession and stress of the economic crisis have impacted the aviation industry in extraordinary, if not unprecedented ways; but, that was not enough. Congress had to publicly ridicule the auto CEO’s for using their corporate jets for travel to testify. Congress also seeks to amend the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 [PL 110-343] [355] to force any company who receives TARP funds to divest themselves of all corporate aircraft. The message to corporate America, and especially those industries who sought, might seek, or even might benefit from Federal financial assistance during the mortgage / credit crisis and recession, is that corporate aircraft are not acceptable or consistent with public assistance. The message, intended or not, ignores the enormous leverage corporate aircraft provide for companies operating at regional, national and international levels. Then, we have the TSA’s Notice of Proposed RuleMaking (NPRM) under Regulatory Identification Number (RIN) 1652-AA53 [Docket No. TSA-2008-0021] {49 CFR Parts 1515 et al}, called the Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) that will require operators of all aircraft over 12,500 lbs (Part 25 & 29) regardless of how they are operated (Parts 91, 125, & 135) to implement security screening procedures similar to those that have been in place since the Aviation and Transportation Security Act [19.11.01; PL 107-71] and the Homeland Security Act [25.11.02; PL 107-296]. LASP may not sound very important to most folks, as few of us will ever fly on a medium or larger, private jet, but LASP will be a killer for the general and corporate aviation industry because it eliminates one of the principal benefits of private aircraft. There are significant differences between Part 121 commercial flights and Part 135 charter flights, not least of which is the passengers using the former means are largely unknown to operators, while those using the latter are well-known. The industry has taken extraordinary action to stop the implementation of LASP. We need all the help we can get. Please write your senators and representative and ask them to reject the corporate aviation provision of the TARP amendment and join their colleagues against LASP.

An interesting extradition case points out numerous interesting characteristics of our society. The liberal faction of the Press, intelligentsia, and bloggers present her as a loving mother of three, and the innocent victim of government callousness. The conservative element notes her status as deserter. Specialist Kimberly Rivera, USAR, is the first of an estimated 200 deserters to be deported from Canada. She faces general court martial at Fort Carson, Colorado. I expect her pay the price for her mistake.

News from the economic front:
[NOTE: Some may wonder why I take the time to chronicle events in the unfolding recession? The simple answer . . . history. I have experienced numerous recessions in my life time. This edition has a strange and unique feel to it, and as such, I suspect this one will be historic in more ways than one. So, I note events for the record.]
-- Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke pronounced President-Elect Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan [368] could provide a “significant boost” to our struggling, recession economy, but not without other steps to stabilize financial institutions.
-- In an extraordinary and highly unusual move, Pfizer – the pharmaceutical giant – announced their intention to lay off 800 scientists from their research laboratories, which may well reflect a loss of confidence in the unit that defines the company’s future – a strange choice in troubled times.
-- Deutsche Bank announced it expects to post a 4th Quarter loss of about €4.8B (US$6.3B), citing “exceptional market conditions” – indeed!
-- According to the Commerce Department, retail sales contracted more than expected or projected in December (-2.7%) – an incredible drop in one month and even more dramatic because it was the peak of the holiday spending season.
-- Nortel Networks – the Canadian telecom-equipment company – filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court. The company has been cutting costs and trying to sell assets as it struggled to survive the recession and adjust to the precipitous drop in demand for its voice-only wireless equipment.
-- The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book of economic activity shows a wide range of declining parameters that suggest the recession will last well into 2009 – not great news, but the truth is important to all of us.
-- The USG is nearing commitment of additional billions of Treasury funds for Bank of America as the large financial institution continues to grapple with the acquisition of Merrill Lynch [353]. I sure hope this works out to the benefit of We, the People, rather than inflating the personal assets of bankers.
-- J.P. Morgan Chase posted annual net income of US$0.7M, or seven cents a share, compared with net income of US$2,970M, or 86 cents a share, a year earlier, despite a US$2.4B net loss at its investment banking business. Revenue rose 4.6% to US$19.11B from $18.28B.
-- The European Central Bank reduced its benchmark rate by half a percentage point to 2.0%, reflecting continued economic weakening in Europe.
-- Citigroup reported 4th Quarter revenue of US$5.6B (down 16%) along with a net loss of US$8.3B, which includes US$6.1B in net credit losses and a US$6B net loan loss reserve build.
[NOTE: I sure hope some independent source is seriously auditing all these reported bank losses, and they are not just anticipated losses that can be transformed into pure income at some future date that may not be noticed by those of us fronting the banks all this money.]
-- The U.S. Labor Department reported that consumer prices rose last year by their slowest pace in over a half century. Much of the reversal was due to a roughly 75% decline in oil prices from their July peak. The core CPI, which excludes food and energy, was unchanged, suggesting we have not yet faced economy-wide deflation.
-- Circuit City Stores Inc. – the 2nd largest consumer electronics retailer in the U.S. – agreed Friday to the liquidation of its assets after failing to find a buyer or lender. Unfortunately, this will not be the only corporate death to which we shall bear witness . . . kinda like watching a hapless wildebeest succumb to a lion or crocodile. C’est la vie!
-- Officials at the Treasury, Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., in consultation with their Obama administration counterparts, are discussing a range of options in the continuing effort to stimulate the economy. The process is part of the transition as the new folks will be the ones taking action. We shall see.

L’Affaire Madoff [365]:
-- United States Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis issued his ruling on bail revocation [369] in the case of United States v. Madoff [USDC SD NY 08 Mag. 2735 (2009)]. While Judge Ellis found insufficient evidence for the Government to satisfy its burden of proof as to Madoff’s flight risk or danger to the community, he avoided the obstruction of justice aspect, to a degree. Madoff’s conduct was consistent with his lack of any conscience or respect for those he may have injured. Despite the grievous crimes he is accused of committing, he is presumed innocent under the law and entitled to his day in court. Yet, his conduct under house arrest and bail further indicates his guilt. I trust the U.S. Attorney will present sufficient evidence to convict him and sentence him to a very long time in prison. We wait his judgment day.
-- Assistant United States Attorney Marc O. Litt immediately appealed Judge Ellis’ decision to Senior District Judge Lawrence M. McKenna, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, who in turn affirmed Judge Ellis’s ruling. I must acknowledge the correctness of the law; yet, the thought of Madoff confined in the luxury of the $7M apartment in the light of the gargantuan destruction he has wrought upon innocent investors as well as the collateral damage to the financial system is infuriating and offensive. At his age, he may not make it to prison, but I sure hope so.

The Blago Scandal [365]:
-- On Friday, Roland Burris was sworn in as junior senator from Illinois. I truly hope he is able to rise above the stench that surrounded his appointment to the Senate. Blago out-snookered the vaunted Senate. Chalk one up for Blago.

Comments and contributions from Update no.369:
“Your exchange with the supporter of Hamas/Hezbollah is revealing. Whereas you are objective, your opponent is emotional with little regard for the facts. There is little any of us can say to alter an emotional view this strong, but we will keep trying. It is exactly the type of view that fuels Hamas and Hezbollah. At least this position is up front and clear, unlike the worst type of anti-Semite - the insidious kind where being subtle and crafty can be treacherous for all Jews and supporters of Israel. Israel will eventually defeat the up-front emotional haters of Jews. The insidious ones are more dangerous. Let us hope that crowd fails.
“Here is a representative view from the NYTimes yesterday (Sunday) revealing that President-elect Obama is aware of the facts and will continue to support Israel. Let us hope the non-emotional opposition gets it and forces Hamas/Hezbollah to lay down their arms and help build their own state in peace, not destroy it. If not, they face certain death.”
“Continuity We Can Believe In”
by William Kristol
New York Times
Published: January 12, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/opinion/12kristol.html
My response:
I am not so definitive in the author’s perceived ‘support’ for Hamas. We can glean that from the choice of words, but I think the author’s principle objection is what seems to be blind support for Israel. The author has valid points to which I argued.
. . . a follow-up:
“Understood and appreciate your evenhanded approach to it. My read of the Hamas/Hezbollah supporter is less lenient than yours. That opinion reeks of anti-Semitism where one remains dogmatic regardless of the facts. It goes beyond opinion. Emotional hatred of Jews drives it and history is replete with this hate and its consequences. Israel defends safety, freedom, and survival for all of us. May they win the fight because if they lose, we lose.
“Keep up the good fight Marine.”
. . . to which I responded:
I am far more interested in having the debate than I am in winning the argument. I try to treat everyone with respect, not just those with whom I agree. I want people to express their opinions without fear of retribution. While I would like broader participation / contribution to this humble forum, the opinions I do receive certainly keep me motivated to continue . . . so I press on.
. . . and a closing comment:
“As the HMFIC of this blog, you must spawn the debate in all of us. I have the luxury of being able to polarize my position at will.
“Great job and this is the only blog I participate in.”

Another contribution:
“I believe I wrote many months ago, this was a religious war, and reason and common sense are not included in religious beliefs.
“I was wrong when I didn’t realize that the hatred of Jews was to be included in the sidebars to the war against Muslim terrorists.
“HOLD FAST!”
My reply:
I was simply reflecting the public rhetoric of Islamist leaders and clerics, and the written words. “Hatred of Jews” is not a reason for war. Hatred is an emotion – an internal thought. Yet, such public, angry, demonstrative, anti-Semitism is most certainly a clue to raise suspicion and awareness. When placed on the page with other dots, such rhetoric helps to clarify the image that emerges.
Religion, or rather rabid, intolerant, offensive religion, is a prime factor in the present war. Our enemy undoubtedly sees their endeavors as a religious war. Yet, we cannot allow the War on Islamic Fascism to be cast as a religious war, meaning our religion against their religion. This is a war to defeat those who use violence to impose their beliefs on others. Fundamentalist Islamic clerics created and ignited this war, and we must defeat their methods, not their religion.
. . . with this follow-up comment:
“I intended to support your comments. My comments were directed at those respondents who find no sympathy for the Jews or Israel and try to justify it by tying it to something that they ascribe to the Jews as ‘unwarranted’ or ‘over-reaction.’
“When I read the responses written to you, I see a religious fervor to their comments as if they could only get you to ‘really believe’ you would see the errors of your ways. It is not our religion against their religion, it is the defense of a position based on ‘beliefs’ rather than on any fact or rationale: the more facts or reason you put forth, the more resistant they become. The next step for them is ‘fanatic.’
“I see the same type of fanaticism when some people deal with a Bush, any one of the three, or six, if you include some of the very hateful things the fanatics have against Barbara or Laura. IMHO.”

A different contribution:
“If one thing infuriates me about the Israeli/Hamas conflict, it's the media's harping on how many Palestinian children are killed during IAF/IDF attacks. Yes, it is tragic and sad, but maybe they should focus on how Hamas keeps setting up it's facilities where there's a whole bunch of innocent people. Lay some blame on them.
“I'm with you regarding Israel's justification in attacking Hamas. I think Jews know full well what can happen when whackjobs start talking about exterminating them. And where is it written that blowing up night clubs and bus stops is the only way for Hamas to resolve this conflict? Look what Ghandi and MLK did by preaching peace.”

One more contribution:
“Good morning to the Great Plains,
“Everything is running slowly over here [UK]! Business especially. Our main street (high street in Anglo Saxon) is becoming a graveyard of failed businesses and boarded up premises. The bookies (betting shops) are doing well as are pawn brokers. The loss of FW Woolworths, an institution on British high streets since 1911, is a tremendous loss to the economy, not only those who shopped there, didn't we all at some time or other, but to the staff and the local economy that benefited from the their very presence. And we're told we're not in the eye of the storm yet.
“We've had the coldest start to winter for 30 years, this has added strain to personal economies, especially the old and infirm. Our government most definitely bothers us, borrowing money in a cash strapped economy to 'buy' the country out of crisis. Dangerous ground to tread. The calculation is that every new child born will inherit a bill of £17,000. Our neighbours are on short time, long faces are everywhere. There is the odd oasis of money though, recently in London I was amazed at the number of punters in the bars even on the streets drinking after work. But then we do have a drink culture here, with some that might be the very last item to be subjected to moratorium.”
My response:
I am sorry to hear of the High Street woes, made even more sad, and perhaps with a twinge of disgust, by the rampant, unchecked greed on Wall Street, e.g., L’Affaire Madoff, and “irrational exuberance” among some of the American citizenry that led to the precipitating mortgage / credit crisis. Who could have thought it would have such dramatic knock-on effects across the Great Waters? The carnage from this particular recession is far from over. The damage to innocent citizens is orders of magnitude greater than anything the banks or corporations will ever suffer. We see the corporate failures. We do NOT see the failure of individual citizens.
I have (perhaps blind) faith that we shall overcome this latest trial, as we have all previous versions. The magnitude of debt being racked up by governments across the globe is scary to say the least; yet, the consequence of not taking aggressive action seem far more horrific to me. We overcame the horrendous debt load after World War II. We can do that again, if we can return to a period of prosperity. Perhaps naïvely so, I cling to the belief that the economic corrections we must suffer today shall make us all stronger tomorrow.

My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)

12 January 2009

Update no.369

Update from the Heartland
No.369
5.1.09 – 11.1.09
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
The follow-up news items:
-- The Gaza war [368] continues with only very brief respites. Hamas (AKA Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya, or Movement of the Islamic Resistance) seeks only violence. After the carnage at the Gaza UN school, Mahmoud Zahar, a top Hamas leader, proclaimed that they would kill Jewish children anywhere in the world – that children are fair game. This sort of machismo, reverse logic is precisely why innocent Palestinians continue to pay a dreadful price for the militancy of Hamas. If they could only see reality . . . .
-- The Egyptian-French ceasefire proposal at least tried to find roots, even if only tenuously. Representatives of Hamas and Israel joined in the Cairo talks to attain a ceasefire, to stop the killing long enough to negotiate a broader peace in the Gaza situation [368].
-- Then, we have Khaled Mashaal, a Damascus [Syria]-based Hamas leader, condemning Israel's attack on Gaza as a “holocaust” in an Al-Jazeera broadcast speech, and rejecting any negotiations . . . while Hamas representatives were in Cairo for the Egyptian-French cease-fire discussions. Ah yes, I’m so impressed . . . nothing like leading from the front. The hypocrisy is staggering.

[Please read the Comments section below for an extended exchange on Hamas.]

A former President’s opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
“An Unnecessary War”
by Jimmy Carter
Washington Post
Published: Thursday, January 8, 2009; Page A15
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/07/AR2009010702645.html?wpisrc=newsletter

The Minnesota State Canvassing Board declared Alan Stuart ‘Al’ Franken the winner of the U.S. senatorial election by a mere 225 votes [0.006%]. Senator Norman Bertram ‘Norm’ Coleman Jr., who Franken defeated, has filed legal actions contesting elements of the vote count. The governor and secretary of state have indicated they will not certify Franken’s election until the court cases are resolved. Thus, it appears Minnesota will join Illinois with diminished congressional representation.

Apparently, the CIA racked up another success on January 1st, with a reported drone missile strike on a building in South Waziristan near the Afghan border. The Pakistani government confirmed the deaths of Usama al-Kini, a Kenyan national and reportedly chief of al-Qaeda operations in Pakistan, and his deputy Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, also a Kenyan national. These two were responsible for the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing (20.9.2008) [353] and the Nairobi U.S. Embassy bombing (7.8.1998). Another one bites the dust . . . hey, hey! Congratulations to the darkside operatives.

On Thursday, I listened to President-Elect Obama’s speech on the economy at George Mason University. First and foremost, what a refreshing change . . . to listen to a leader who speaks clearly and with rhythm; Obama possesses a powerful tool for his job. Regardless of our political affiliation, leaning, preference or opinions, he is inspirational. Obama added more words but little meat to his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan [368]. I think some elements of his plan are pointed in the correct direction, and there are other elements for which I am quite skeptical.

More nomination by the incoming Obama administration:
-- Virginia Governor Timothy Michael ‘Tim’ Kaine has apparently been tagged to serve part-time as chairman of the Democratic National Committee – logical choice for the DNC, but odd choice in terms of commitment. We’ll see how this works out for the Dems.
-- Nancy Killefer – Chief Performance Officer (new) in the White House Office of Management and Budget
-- Leon Edward Panetta – Director of Central Intelligence
For all the savvy cabinet and staff nominations by the Obama administration, the nomination of Panetta as DCI is strikingly odd – a politician with no intelligence experience. This is one nomination I do not agree with, but I hope it works out for us. Yet, more importantly, I hope Panetta does not re-politicize the CIA, which would hurt the national security of this Grand Republic.
-- John O. Brennan – Deputy National Security Adviser for Homeland Security (chief counterterrorism adviser)

News from the economic front:
-- Minutes from the December meeting of the Federal Reserve indicate their worries that the current recession could last well into this year and perhaps longer.
-- Alcoa plans to reduce employment by 15,000 (-14.5%) as well as other cost cutting measures including a 50% reduction in capital expenditures.
-- Time Warner announced they will take a US$25B 4th Quarter write-off with US$15B from its cable unit alone.
-- Intel expects to report 4th Quarter revenue of US$8.2B, down 23% from the previous year.
-- The Bank of England reduced its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point to 1.5% – the lowest level in the central bank’s history [1694]. Also, the British government warned that its earlier prediction of the economy recovery in the second half of 2009 now looks doubtful.
-- Same-store December retails sales did not meet even lowered expectations from a wide range of stores, including Wal-Mart, Target and Neiman Marcus.
-- Citigroup and top Senate Democrats struck a deal on a measure that would allow judges to set new repayment terms for mortgage holders who wind up in bankruptcy court. The deal may well become a pivotal agreement to aid recovery of the mortgage market.
-- The economy shed another half a million, non-farm jobs in December, bringing the unemployment rate to 7.2% – the highest rate since January 1993.

L’Affaire Madoff [365]:
-- The SEC is reportedly expanding its probe into the Madoff scandal . . . I should hope to shout! I can’t wait to read about the results. I suspect there are plenty of dirty hands beyond Madoff in this disaster.
-- Less than two weeks prior to his arrest, as his investment company was collapsing, Madoff hit up and received US$250M from one of his oldest friends and biggest financial backers – Carl Shapiro. Do we need more evident that Bernie has no conscience?
-- Then, almost on cue, federal prosecutors disclosed as part of Madoff’s bail revocation hearing that about 100 signed checks totaling US$173M had been discovered in his office desk drawer. He also wanted to transfer US$200-300M to certain employees, relatives and friends. I suspect this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg in the mound of evidence this man has little if any of what we might recognize as moral values. The judge is expected to issue his decision on Monday, and I truly hope he revokes Madoff’s bail and slaps his butt in jail awaiting trial, maybe even helping him find a jail-yard love-buddy.

The Blago Scandal [365]:
-- After all the bravado from the Senate about not seating Roland Burris, as Blago’s selectee, and rejecting his credentials on Tuesday, Majority Leader Senator Harry Mason Reid of Nevada reversed himself the next day to make nice with Burris. Blago called their bluff and won, using the race card. I hope this foolish little vignette gives Blago some sense of satisfaction before he is impeached, tried, convicted and sent to prison for a long time. Despite the lack of any detectable spine in Harry Reid, my opinion remains the same – Burris may well be a good man, but his appointment is tainted by a corrupt governor and he should not be seated.
-- The Illinois House of Representatives voted on the articles of impeachment against Governor Blagojevich on Friday. They passed House Resolution 1671 by a vote of 114-1. I have not yet identified the one lone vote against impeachment, but I would like to know who and why, just out of curiosity.
-- ABCNews chose Pamela Meyer Davis, president and CEO of Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois, as their Person of the Week. Five years ago, Pamela alerted the FBI to apparent corruption in the administration of state government, specifically regarding a building permit application for her hospital. That investigation eventually caught Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in his ‘pay to play’ shenanigans. I join ABCNews to praise Pamela Davis for her integrity and courage. Her conduct stands in stark and dramatic contrast to the disgraced governor. If you did not see the broadcast, here is the URL link:
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6615027

Comments and contributions from Update no.368:
“I find your comments on the murder of Nizar Rayyan and his family disgusting and callous. I did not realize how you aligned yourself with Zionism, nor how blind and one-sided you could be to the history of the conflict.”
For a little perspective:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/01/04/terrorism/
http://www.philipweiss.org/
My response:
Wow! There is quite a bit packed into those two sentences.
First, I do not align myself with any political ideology, Zionism or otherwise – never have, never will.
Second, I am a supporter, advocate and friend of anyone who chooses to live in peace and respect their neighbors. Nizar Rayyan was neither. He was a thug by the strictest definition of the word.
Third, there is nothing in the Israeli constitution or national policy that seeks extermination of any of their neighbors. The Hamas mission statement as well as multitudinous public statements seeks elimination and eradication of Israel, and extermination of the Jews. See the second point above.
Fourth, we can continue to play the chicken & egg game regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but I respectfully submit that it serves no purpose. They have both made mistakes; they are both culpable; let’s move on. One day, they (we) will choose to look to the future rather than the past.
Fifth, as with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas seeks conflict with Israel as justification for their existence, and there are those in the region who are quite content stoking those fires to serve their hegemonic purposes, using the Palestinians as hapless dupes.
Lastly, there is no doubt in my little pea brain that there is one simple answer – choose to live in peace with and respect your neighbors. Fatah has made enormous progress toward that end; Hamas has not. They ignored the ceasefire and chose to lob rockets into Israel; why should any nation tolerate such conduct?
So, if my treatment of Rayyan’s death was disgusting and callous, my apologies. I do not seek to offend anyone. And yet, I see my words as only reflective of the violent death of a violent man who chose his path. I hold no grief or compassion for him – his innocent children and to a certain extent his wives, yes; I am sorry they had to perish as a consequence of his violence. C’est la guerre!
. . . round two:
“You are justifying the killing of family members, women and children because you feel it is righteous to murder someone who you judge to be a criminal and worthy of state assassination. Without the rule of law, the ability for all sides to express their points of view, to defend their positions, to justify what appears to be "terrorism", then we have to rely on the judgment of the conqueror for analysis of who is the bad guy and who is the good guy. You know that I would never justify suicide bombing as a response to any kind of hardship me or my family might be under, but that statement, on my part, is actually quite naïve, for I really have no idea what I would do, nor do you, if: a foreign nation took my home, a foreign power murdered my wife, children, and family members, a foreign power blamed me for my anger and characterized me as an enemy and my belief and faith as evil because I do not go quietly into the night as that power went about its normal life as if I didn't exist, using my land, my home and abusing what is left of my family. This rather feeble attempt on my part to put some perspicacity on the situation will fall on deaf ears just as it did over a hundred years ago, and just as it did in March 2003. I won't belabor the point further.”
. . . my response to round two:
There are many critical elements here.
First, as [Generalmajor Karl Philipp Gottlieb] von Clausewitz so succinctly stated, “War is diplomacy by other means.” Hamas sought violence; they’ve got violence. The forbearance of Israel under the near constant abuse by Hamas has been admirable. Once Hamas exceeded the threshold of Israeli tolerance, war was inevitable. Once the trigger is pulled for war, I am not and never will be an advocate for half-measures or constraints. War is killing, plain and simple. Let’s get it done as quickly as possible.
Second, if Hamas respected its neighbors and sought to negotiate grievances in good faith, war would not have been necessary. Unfortunately, when one of the Hamas grievances is the destruction of Israel and death to the Jews, good faith is moot.
Third, Hamas is not the legitimate, elected leadership of the Gazan Palestinians. They seized control in a violent coup d’etat in June 2007. To give them legitimacy serves no purpose of peace. These guys are thugs, terrorists, and the antithesis of peace. To glorify them as some noble freedom-fighters ignores reality.
Lastly, as I write in this week’s Update, the Press coverage of the Israeli action is so typical and as always regrettable. As Sherman said, “War is hell,” and indeed it is. All this lamentation about children killed and injured by the Israeli tank round, and not one word of the provocation. Islamo-fascist terrorists have repeatedly demonstrated their lack of respect for human life; it should be no surprise that they use schools, mosques, hospitals and other sanctuaries for their violent activities. I am sympathetic to the tank commander and gunner who pulled the trigger; that was not an easy shot, but there is little doubt in my little pea-brain that it was a necessary shot. Let us cast our accusatory finger in the proper direction.
. . . round three:
“You start off with a fallacy in the beginning. Hamas was honoring a cease fire until the Israelis broke it in Nov. After that, the militant wing, or whatever you want to call it, fired a few rockets, maybe 6(?) during the month of Dec, which killed no one, and Israel used that as justification to do the same thing we did to Iraq. Do I have my facts wrong?”
. . . my response to round three:
Why would the Israelis break the ceasefire?
So, as long as I injure no one, it is OK if I lob explosive rockets around the countryside?
What leads you to believe that Hamas is an innocent, peaceful, community organization?
I am left with the impression that you believe Israel is the aggressor. If so, what purpose would the Israelis have to attack Hamas?
. . . round four:
“The question is not why, but did they? I am watching news shows that are not mainstream- democracynow.com for example, reading Glenn Greenwald at salon.com, Juan Cole, at informed comment.com, Philip Weiss, (google him, he is a Jewish journalist) people who are trying to see the whole picture, both sides. Hamas, as far as I can tell is a product of the repression and ghettoizing of the Palestinians. It is a community organization, and a political party, and a militant group. We can not judge them through our vantage point because there is no way we can relate to what has happened to them. As I said earlier, I do not know what I would do if my home was taken, bull dozed or whatever, or my family killed. But it is our responsibility to be honest arbiters and fair in our support of both sides. At this point we only support the Israeli side, and in this country there is no voice for the other side. You are a very factual and honest judge of history. Investigate and decide for yourself if Israel broke the cease fire, and then you can try and answer the question as to why. As to your last question, the answer can be found in the answer, if there is one, to why did we attack Iraq? And what good has it done? Even conservative estimates are saying 100,000 plus civilians have been killed, and an Islamic leaning govt in place.”
. . . my response to round four:
The problem with “did they” is the reliability and accuracy of the Press. My news sources suggest ‘no;’ yours apparently suggest ‘yes.’ So, who are we to believe? Further, my question of ‘why’ helps me sort through disparate information sources, and often helps me find alternative, corroborating bits & pieces. In this case, I can find little if any motivation for the IAF / IDF to attack Hamas. However, I have been wrong before, and I may be wrong here.
Hamas, like it’s cousin Hezoballah, is a product of chiefly IRI state-sponsorship of terrorism. For decades, Iran has enabled and sought surrogates to perform it’s dirty work. Yes, certainly, the poverty and status of the Palestinians has been fertile ground for nurturing hatred and violence against Israel. Like their cousins to the north, Hamas has been quite effective with its collateral community and social activities, but that does not alter the violent basis of the organization – it’s objectives and purpose remain the same, and it is not to help the Palestinian people.
As with so many aspects of the Palestinian predicament, we invariably get into a chicken & egg philosophical debate, which in turn inevitably pushes us to retrospection rather than future-look. As long we (they) remain mired in such non-productive debate, there will never be a solution. At least Fatah has matured to an extent and largely abandoned their terrorist past, and substantive progress has been and will be made on the West Bank. Not so, Gaza!
So, I connect the dots and what image emerges? Hamas is dependent predominantly on IRI financial and material support. Other Arab sponsored have substantially abandoned them. The IRI has, wants, seeks, and will do whatever it can to perpetuate violence against Israel, and Hamas, like Hezoballah, is the agent of that aggression.
I truly believe the majority of Palestinians are no different from any of the rest of us. They want to live in peace, enjoy some degree of prosperity, and raise their children to have a better life than themselves. Unfortunately, the IRI could careless about the Palestinians, so the meat-grinder continues to churn out victims.
We have debated the Battle for Iraq. I have not altered your opinion and you have not altered mine. While there has been grotesque mismanagement of the post-invasion period, and I believe Rummie should and will bear the burden of that shame, just as McNamara bears the shame of Vietnam, I think history will eventually show direct and knock-on good has and will come from the Battle for Iraq. Iraqis are now free to lean whatever direction they wish; that is the beauty of freedom. What I hope for is that they will not return to state-sponsorship of terrorism, that they will not become a puppet of the IRI, and that they will become an example for the region that democracy can flourish.
. . . round five:
“I don't think Iraq was a state sponsorer of terrorism. The labels used early in Bush's administration should all be thrown out just as every case against a water boarded prisoner should be as well. (See Christopher Hitchens you tube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LPubUCJv58
who originally supported water boarding, and then had it done to himself) It was alleged that Saddam gave money to families of suicide bombers. That may be so. But it is a complicated chicken and egg situation as you mentioned, and one's freedom fighters are another's terrorists, and all that. Hamas seems to be autonomous more than a satellite for Iran. Iran is a secular nation run by religious right wingers. Again it is complicated- as geopolitical positioning plays out- but that religious framework, Islam, makes Iran more sympathetic with the Palestinian cause- which is normal and natural, as we are more aligned with judeo Christian sentiments with Israel. But in the real world it is more than sympathy, because historical fact shows us that Israel illegally took their land and won't give it back. And this is land that people still living have lost, along with their family members lives. Should they go quietly into the night, as I asked before? Would you? That the international community does not address this is the root problem. The immediate problem is Israeli over reacting to Hamas rocket firings, and the subsequent slaughter of innocent people as we comfortably sit here at our computers and talk about it. News sources are not the issue, to me, it is who you choose to believe. When Rice and Bush and others, including Dems, say Hamas is at fault, and lay the blame solely with them, and I know for a fact that it is not that one-sided, then it is not the news source- it is the spin coming from people who have a purpose in wanting us (the US) to believe something that isn't true. Just as Rice and Bush manipulated us into an unnecessary war in Iraq, and I would say in Afghanistan as well, (in as much as 17 Saudis and a couple Egyptians actually flew the planes), they have no standing to be telling us anything at this point. I fear that Obama will fall into step with this as well and more slaughter will follow. We will see. Read Philip Weiss, or Juan Cole, or any source other than what we see on TV or in Israeli influenced media. They have every right to sway our opinions, just as the Palestinians do. But there are zero resources in this country for the other side of the issue to be put forth by non-Israeli outlets, other than satellite or internet media. It is our responsibility to sift through the propaganda and then speak out for those who have no voice. For we as human beings on this tiny speck are in fact all in it together, and if we can't look out for those who can not speak for themselves, or in this case reach an audience- then what good are we- no better than cows watching a passing train, as someone once said. Here is a different view from Canada:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDmLrOUKnpE&feature=channel_page
. . . my response to round five:
One of the beauties of freedom . . . we are all entitled to think what we wish. Saddam was a consistent state-sponsor of international terrorism. He was in the top-5 for 20 years; never no.1 (that distinction has consistently gone to the Islamic Republic of Iran for 30 years). We can choose to see Saddam as some innocent, peace-loving, unfortunate victim of American hegemony. That is our choice. I know he was not the innocent some suggest.
There should be no “case” against any battlefield captive. My opinion of the status of battlefield captives in the War on Islamic Fascism has not changed, and you know my opinion. Further, my opinion regarding the interrogation of battlefield captives also remains unchanged. We are NOT talking about criminal procedure; we are talking about war.
Yes, Hamas is more rogue and independent than Hezoballah, but they are hardly independent. In fact, they are far more dependent upon financial, material and military support from the IRI than just a few years ago; and now, the IRI is virtually the only state left supporting them. Yet, I would not call Hamas a satellite of the IRI; they are Sunni and not particularly ideologically compatible with the Shiia Iranians, but any port in a storm, as they say.
I am not advocating that the Palestinians go quietly into the night. Quite the contrary, I want all Palestinians to live in peace, to prosper, and to raise their children to have a better life than they had. If the Palestinians rejected terrorism and decided to live in peace, I believe we would be enthusiastic in our support and offering our assistance for their protection from aggressors. As long as they continue to profess the destruction of Israel and death to the Jews, they will not have our support. This is about peace, not religious dogma.
Like any intelligence processing task, we take in information, ascribe a perhaps subtle reliability & accuracy assessment, and try to find the picture among all the dots. The Press is a major source of that information, and thus does play a major role. Take for example, the vidclip of the alleged aftermath of the UN Gaza school attack; that vidclip could be made anywhere, anytime; we do not know what preceded that event. Such is the nature of war. Even the subway shooting in Oakland is confusing, and that was an isolated event witnessed by many people. War is far more confusing – the fog of war.
. . . round six:
“As effective as it is at times as a debating technique, putting premises in the mouths of others which they never said is simply distracting. I'm afraid I am guilty of it, though I can't cite a specific example right now. But implying that I thought Saddam innocent and peace-loving is not accurate or fair in this context. Israel is the benefactor of 3 billion dollars a year and much of that is the munitions we sell them which have killed at least 257 children as of yesterday, and the UN has unanimously called for a ceasefire, while Israel has intensified the attack.
“I have no idea, nor do you, of what type of support Iran gives Palestine, or the elected govt, Hamas. There is no doubt they give them aid and the puny little rockets they fire at Israel, which are illegal, but can not be compared to the devastation caused by the modern weaponry we have supplied to Israel- those practically harmless weapons I would guess do come from Iran, or militant elements in Iran. But you leave out so much of the heart of the situation: the taking of others land and then occupying them, and then fencing them in in ghettos and then bombarding crowded and neighborhoods while the US nods in agreement. It would lead one to believe not only because of our loss of moral standing by the invasion of Iraq, but also our acquiesence (we abstained from calling for a halt in the slaughter-257 slaughtered children so far-) that we are nothing but whores, having been bought and sold. I am ashamed of our leadership, RIce, Bush, Dem and Rep Senators, commentators. I had such high hopes for Obama's election. We shall see.”
. . . my response to round six:
I used first person plural intentionally as it includes me; I did not use second person singular. I did not intent to ascribe such a view to you, only to point out that there are those who refuse to see Saddam for what he was. ‘Nuf said.
Yes, we have long supported Israel. There were years the Soviets supplied Egypt, and we did not. Today, we support Egypt as well as Israel. Things change. The chicken & egg conundrum of ‘who shot John’ will not help us find a solution; and, as long as Hamas chooses to persist in trying to make Israel the bad guys, we will have the same result. Two simple facts speak volumes to me: Israel holds no policy of hatred toward anyone; Hamas/Hezoballah/IRI seek the destruction of Israel. Israel has and will continue to defend itself and its citizens. Hamas can choose to live in peace, or they can continue to antagonize & attack Israel. They choose; they reap the consequences.
If I was an Israeli leader, I would argue for intensifying the offensive against Hamas terrorists (or freedom fighters, regardless of what label they choose), just as I have argued for intensifying our offensive against Islamo-fascists wherever they may hide.
BTW, Hamas was not elected to lead Gaza; they seized control from the Palestinian Authority in a violent coup d’etat that ended on 14.June.2007; hardly a fair & free election.
If we wish to discuss / debate the history of the region, I’m game; I love history; but, looking backward will not help us find solutions.
We may see a fundamental change under Obama-Clinton, but I suspect not. They are no different from any previous administration when it comes to dealing with those who wish to live in peace and those who do not. We shall see.
. . . round seven:
“I'm not sure why you continue to avoid the main problem that Israel took someone's land and continues to illegally settle on someone else's land. This is the fundamental problem, and just because Israel has our support does not make it legal, right, moral or just. You speak of Hamas as if they were you or I, free to go to work, the store, pick up their kids from school! They are living in a walled in compound with no access to services, food, communication, basic needs. Until we talk apples and apples we will not be able to discuss this rationally. They are living under occupied circumstances by an invading army and can not possibly choose anything but to die or resist. What would you do? You would fight to the finish with every ounce of energy in your body! There is no solution but the UN, with US support, to police the situation and get people to talk. Of course the radical wing of Hamas, an elected party, which fought with the US backed Fatah will be hardcore and unbending! Look at the blood spilled! Whose blood! do the body count. How can you gloss over the slaughter of all these children and innocent civilians? Cap, we are responsible for the deaths of nearly a million people in Iraq. When does the sheer sense of humanity finally make a dent in our consciousness? But supporting a cease fire, demanding the parties talk and not use the weapons we sold them to slaughter more people is the only sane and humane position to take. We are not honest brokers- we are siding with the bully. There I have vented my frustration, and I don't mean it directed at you personally. But you mention if you were an Israeli leader. What would you do if you were a Hamas leader?”
. . . my response to round seven:
I was wondering when we would get around to this. Here we are.
The stage for the current situation was set with the Balfour Declaration (2.November.1917), which set expectations for the end of British Protectorate in the Middle East. The ownership of the land takes us in many interesting directions. Nonetheless, the British, U.S., and UN recognized Israel in 1948, as part of the overall division that created the other states of the region. The Arabs chose to fight. We can argue over the land
Hamas has no choice . . . au contrare, mon frère.
What would I do if I was the leader of Hamas? I would turn the focus and energy of my people inward to ourselves. I would abandon hatred, terrorism and corruption. I would work to build self-sufficient infrastructure and industry. Instead of spending scarce resources on weapons, I would turn those resources to the benefit of the people. I would seek the path to become a respectable nation among nations. I would also build an internal security service to seek out and eliminate those elements (internal & external) who wished for foment violence for perceived grievances.
I respectfully do not agree. Israel would not be doing what they must do if they were not threatened. There are many things I am staunchly critical of in Israeli policy, but self-defense is not one. Israel is not the bully. They have survived and thrived despite being grossly outnumbered on all sides. After many wars, they have managed to find peace with Egypt and Jordan. They have managed at least a raproach mal with Saudi Arabia. Now, even Syria is looking for peace. The West Bank under Abbas’ leadership is slowly progressing toward peace and statehood. Many in the Arab world have turned their backs on Hamas. If the IRI was not deep in their stirring the pot, I doubt Hamas would have seized control in Gaza and I doubt they would be doing what they are doing now.
It is tragic what is happening to innocent Palestinians. Truly sad. Unfortunately and regrettably, they are the pawns of the IRI and their agents, Hamas.
. . . round eight:
“Cap, did you watch this?
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/024765.html
. . . my response to round eight:
Yes, I have.
There are a number of actions by the Israeli government with which I have strong and fundamental disagreement. One of the issues at the top of that list is the government policy, enhanced by Ariel Sharon, regarding the West Bank settlements. While the settlements, for the most part, have not injured anyone like indiscriminate ballistic rockets or children with vests of explosives, they are comparable in terms of offense. The Israelis have most often taken the high moral ground in the conflicts with its neighbors, but from my perspective, with the settlements, they have sacrificed and rejected that moral high ground. As Hamas rockets anger Israelis, Israeli settlements anger Palestinians, and are a graphic demonstration of a paucity of Israeli respect for the Palestinian people. I am also of the opinion that when statehood comes to the Palestinians, which it inevitably will, those settlements including the residents, infrastructure and everything else associated with them will become Palestinian. If the people who live there do not want to be Palestinian citizens, then they should move to Israel. Further, during that transition, I would assign international security forces to ensure those settlements are not damaged or altered in any manner. The Israeli policy of West Bank settlement has been wrong for many years. I have condemned that policy at every opportunity I could find. The settlement policy failed that most fundamental test: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
. . . round nine:
“Holy Mackeral! I knew we really do have some things in common! (Don't worry I won't let on that I think you agree with me in general!) From some conversations I have had with people who hate Jimmy Carter, I would say a two state solution has a hard row to hoe. Apparently today more slaughter is going on.”
. . . and my response to round nine:
I do not hate Jimmy Carter. Hate is a very strong word I reserve for only a few people. I admire him as a human being. I just disagree with him on a number of issues like the Israeli-Palestinian situation and his performance as POTUS. Other than that, he is a good man with compassion for his fellow man.

A different contribution:
“I read with interest Nathan Freier's article [368] on strategic shocks. He does lend credence to the Bush doctrine. After reading it my thoughts center on three points. First, preemptive strikes are necessary to prevent most shocks and surprises, but they will not prevent them all. The best businesses in the world preempt their competition whenever possible in order to beat them. The best defense department in the world must do the same. So, planning for preemptive action is required and valuable. Second, dealing successfully with shocks and surprises like 9/11 depends upon speed more than planning. One reason the USMC is so successful is speed. Reorganizing our military into speedy composite units is a good thing. Speedy military action requires realistic ongoing training. Rarely do leaders have time to think it all through before acting when speed is called for in order to win and survive. Training, experience, and courage take over in a speedy response. Third, domestic military action is an option that cannot be overlooked, yet is a slippery slope. Most of us who served in the military did not consider domestic action given the focus was somewhere else. Not today. Terrorists operate in the USA now. To think otherwise is foolish and dangerous. They are biding their time for the next shock or surprise. We should be ready to pounce. Even so, I am cautious about domestic military action, because it requires top leaders with wisdom beyond their years and without political ends. Those folks are hard to find and rarely get elected. Let us hope we picked right last November.
“Regarding Israel, no mosque is safe from harm if it harbors weapons to be used against others. Go to war to win or do not go at all. If all the mosques harbor weapons, they are targets. If the bad guys attack and then hide with their families, all are at risk. A peace treaty cannot be one-sided. Israelis are wise to defend themselves from those who want to kill them all. Yet, they are condemned for doing so. They exited the Gaza and the Palestinians have a chance to form a state of their own. But, it will never happen unless they observe peace agreements, which they did not do once again. The Palestinians will never succeed using suicide bombers against a Jewish people who still have memories of those who wished to eliminate them from earth altogether. Time for a more lasting and peaceful strategy to emerge, but it will never happen if only one side accepts the other. Varvel captures it quite well below. Israel deserves to live free and safe. So do the Palestinians. We should keep our eye on Iran who fuels this destruction and hate.
“There are many issues that President Bush will be pounded for including the economy and spending. He certainly deserves scrutiny for overspending. Regardless, he did two main things that history will eventually judge him well –
(1) President Bush kept us safe from attack after Sept. 11; and
(2) he stayed close to the military who volunteer to keep us safe.
I commend him for doing so. He told us after 9/11 his presidency would be defined by the war on terror. He was right. I suspect the next presidency will have to face the fury of terrorists. Let us hope courage is plentiful.
“The Madoff scandal will reach far before it is over. How it went on for so long is a good indicator of more people helping it along. There are many swindlers in this one who will face justice in time. The highest punishment available is appropriate and probably not enough.
“Until nutty positions on prostitution and drugs are reversed and made legal, the porn and drug industry will continue to be mismanaged and damage people who trade unlawfully in both. The Libertarians and some Europeans have this one right. Prohibition does not work period. It enslaves people and makes criminals of many. The nonsense will stop someday. May it come sooner rather than later.
“Let us hope in 2009 that all people seek freedom to live their lives without infringing upon the rights and lives of others.”
My reply:
Preemptive action has always been contrary to U.S. policy, so the Bush Doctrine of preemptive action ruffles quite a few feathers. Yet, it seems to me that folks who reject preemptive action have probably never been in a fight. When presented with a bona fide threat, I have no intention of waiting for the blow. During the Cold War, Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) was sufficient to blunt any urge toward preemption. Yet, in the War on Islamic Fascism, we fight an enemy who seeks the pleasures of 72 virgins in the Great Beyond; MAD offers no such deterrence. Our enemy abides by none of the rules of warfare.
The Posse Comitatus Act [PL 45-263 (1878)] remains valid law, but it has been blurred in recent years, and I’m not so sure for the better. Freier’s hypothesis points toward serious modification or elimination of Posse Comitatus. We must be prepared.
The Varvel cartoon is quite descriptive and insightful, and accurate I might add.
I’m not a fan of GWB, but he did keep the Homeland safe.
We agree on the potential reach of the Madoff Scandal. I just hope the judge sees him for what he is and revokes his bail. Let him spend his days in jail while he awaits trial.
Yea verily! Until we learn that in a free society, prohibition of perceived immortal private conduct will never, ever be successful, no matter how painful the righteous moral minority makes it. The best we can do is remove the prohibition, regulate it for the common good, and minimize the collateral damage.
. . . a follow-up comment:
“Well said. I'd rather ruffle feathers and get it right than to look the other way and react to a devastating attack that could have been prevented. Preemptive action is possible. We need to use it wisely.”

Another contribution:
“Actually I thought [Bill Richardson] should have been sec of state. Not that it makes any difference now.”
My reply:
You were not alone in that thought. I have always admired Richardson’s skill as a negotiator. He has a rare ability to absorb elements of an issue and find mutually acceptable compromise . . . good qualities for a secretary of state – a moot point, now. I wonder if the Richardson situation shares similarities to the Spitzer fiasco – political vendetta. The Richardson investigation has gone on for several years, so I understand; so, for this to happen now stinks of politics rather than justice. American politics is an ugly, nasty business.

My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)