Update no.668

Update from the Heartland

No.668

29.9.14 – 5.10.14

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

To all,

As it happened, the time has come for another travelogue.  On this trip, we made our way to South Padre Island, Texas, the barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico, near Brownsville, Texas – the very southern tip of Texas, across the mouth of the Rio Grande from Matamoros, Mexico.  Beyond a long weekend get-away to hear the surf, the 27^th annual Sandcastle Days Festival [3/5.October.2014] gave us an excuse to make the journey.  On the drive down, we stopped in Austin to see Melissa, Tyson, Judson and Avalon; being a work/school night, we did not have much time, but it was sure great to see them; thank you darlin’s for your gracious hospitality.  Jeanne’s travel club had a special package deal based at the Pearl Resort at the southern end of the South Padre Island segment – nice hotel, great balcony and view, as well as excellent cuisine at the hotel’s Beachside Restaurant.  We can certainly offer our endorsement for the Pearl Resort should you ever wish to visit South Padre Island.  The rather long barrier island is split roughly in thirds – (from north to south) Padre Island, Padre Island National Seashore, and South Padre Island; the segments are not connected by a through-roadway – bummer!  The weather was spot-on perfect – moderate temperatures, spotty fair-weather cumulus puff-balls floating across the blue sky, and a light, trade wind breeze off the Gulf – yep, perfetto, as the Italians say.  Part of the package was a massage at Delores Ferrentino’s shop – the Massage & Healing Arts Center.  Delores was a native New Yorker who came to visit one day in 1986, and literally never left.  As she tells the story, she telephoned her father and asked him to ship her stuff to her.  Well done and also recommended. Y’all must be getting impatient to see the artwork, so here goes.

The 1^st Place Sand Sculpture

[SDF 1st place.jpg]

Neither of us could determine why this was the best sand sculpture of the lot . . . perhaps the skill required to maintain the unsupported letters.

The 2^nd Place Sand Sculpture

[SDF 2nd place.jpg]

Again, the key may be the skill required to produce this item.

Jeanne’s Favorite

[SDF JLP fav.jpg]

This was Jeanne’s favorite.  The arches and the little outhouse on the foreground promontory impressed her, and rightly so.

The Message

[SDF JLP YSBH1.jpg]

Need we say more!

Cap’s Favorite

[SDF CAP fav.jpg]

Now, this is a sandcastle!

The Bizarre One

[SDF bizarre.jpg]

I am not sure what to say about this one.  As the title reflects, this one was rather bizarre.  The quality of the sculpture was certainly incredible.  It was the imagery that puzzled us.  If there was any criticism, I expected more and a wider variety.  Professionals sculpted the above exhibitions.  They had an amateur section behind the professional line, but none were worthy of disk space.  I wish there were more of these magnificent works of art.  Well done to all the artists.  Of course, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our enjoyment of the bounty of the sea, sampled at Louie’s Backyard Grill and Blackbeard’s Restaurant – great seafood to make the visit even better, and also recommended should you be in the area. 

            Special thanks must go to our oldest grandchild Aspen Shae, who tended the house and dogs in our absence, and to Tracy, Jacy and Shalee Lynn, who took the opportunity to replace our old and decrepit, remote, garage door opener.  Thank you all so very much for giving us the peace-of-mind to take the days away from home.

“In Texas, an undue burden on women seeking abortions”

by Ruth Marcus – Columnist

Washington Post

Published: October 3 [2014]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ruth-marcus-texass-abortion-laws-have-nothing-to-do-with-protecting-women/2014/10/03/7762ad40-4b2a-11e4-b72e-d60a9229cc10_story.html?wpisrc=nl_opnsat&wpmm=1

As Ruth Marcus so accurately states, the evolving legislative and now judicial battle unfolding from Texas has absolutely nothing to do with protecting women or even an ovum at the precise instant it becomes a zygote.  The 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals issued its ruling in the case of Whole Woman’s Health v. Lakey [5CCA no. 14–50928 (2014)] that challenged the constitutionality of Texas H.B.2 (2013) and specifically Texas Health & Safety Code §171.0031.  I imagine this is the appellate case the conservative faction of the U.S. Supreme Court has been looking for to finally negate Roe v. Wade [410 U.S. 113 (1973)] [319].  We shall see.

            Like so many past and current moral questions, a mobilized faction seeks to impose its will, its beliefs, its agenda, on ALL citizens . . . in this case, female citizens since it is the female reproductive rights that have been infringed upon here.  This is precisely why the Republican Party has become far less attractive to me.  The Republicans of Texas may have the votes to impose their will, but it certainly does not mean they should; but, impose they have.  The mindset that led Texas legislators to impose laws such as this is exactly why we should be so bloody careful with our votes.  Today, it may be abortion.  Tomorrow, the subject might well be chocolate ice cream, or the movies we are allowed to watch, or even the books we are permitted to read.  No, that Texas law is not about protecting women, it is entirely about controlling one of the most private and personal decisions a woman can make.  Someday we shall expel these damnable moral projectionists from our private lives and affairs.  Until that day, we must suffer and endure those narrow-minded intruders among us.

A friend and colleague illuminated this article regarding TWA Flight 800:

“Former Navy official: Missile from USS Seawolf submarine shot down TWA Flight 800”

by Wayne Madsen

milfuegos.blogspot.com

Published: Mon, 28 Jul 2014; 23:10 CEST

http://www.sott.net/article/286528-Former-Navy-official-Missile-from-USS-Seawolf-submarine-shot-down-TWA-Flight-800

 . . . to which I responded:

            Interesting.  There are several elements that bother me about this opinion spot.

            First and foremost, “a senior member of the staff of then-Secretary of the Navy” is suspicious to me, and I have begun to take offense at such nondescript references.  Why would this “official” not take a more “Deep Throat” position relative to the Press?  I doubt there are many who do not understand the significance of the TWA 800 incident.  The choice of an obscure Blog for such a powerful “conspiracy” stretches credibility.

            Imprecise references always make me suspicious as well.  There were four U.S. submarines with the name Seawolf:

SS-28 – 1913, sank in 1920

SS-197 – 1939, sunk in 1944

SSN-575 – 1957 and stricken in 1987

SSN-21 – launched: 24.June.1995; commissioned: 19.July.1997; still in active service

The first two sank, so virtually impossible as a rogue boat.  The third began the scrap process 1 October 1996 and completed it on 30 September 1997; highly unlikely.  The fourth would have been smack dab in the middle of its fitting and trials phase.  While it is possible and plausible for a trials boat to be involved in a prototype system test, it is highly unlikely; technically, the USG has not yet accepted the boat until it is commissioned.

            Third, as we discussed in our book, a SAM of this class, like the SM-2, leaves irrefutable physical evidence – multitudinous, high-energy impacts over a wide area of the fuselage.  No such evidence exists.  There are monumental differences between a FIM-92 Stinger and a SM-2 Standard missile.

            Fourth, a P-3C Orion is NOT a tow aircraft for a host of reasons, and sure as hell would NOT be towing a target for a missile test, especially one as complex as suggested in the article.  This is the least credible element of the whole scenario.

            Fifth, SEALs are NOT salvage divers; huge difference.  I find this aspect the least plausible of this whole scenario.

            Lastly, I note with interest the idea of a submarine firing a subsurface SAM based on the SPY-1 RADAR targeting data from a remote Aegis cruiser.  While it is an intriguing hypothesis, I find too many doubtful elements for this to be a worthy scenario – unbelievable, literally.  Perhaps his last sentence may be the real reason for the article.

            “That’s my opinion, but I could be wrong.”

News from the economic front:

-- The Labor Department reported nonfarm employment grew a seasonally adjusted 248,000 in September, the fastest pace since June.  The separately calculated, unemployment rate dropped from 6.1% to 5.9% – the first time below 6.0% since mid-2008 and the beginning of the Great Recession.  The September data suggests the labor market is improving faster than previously thought.

Comments and contributions from Update no.667:

Comment to the Blog:

“I find it interesting that Americans are still defending Oliver North. ‘I just followed orders’ is as defective morally in one defendant as another. My only published work to date is a series of essays on the decline of the rule of law in the United States. The Iran-Contra scam figures prominently in that series because it expanded the disregard for culpability that Ford began by pardoning Nixon to include any government officials, not only the President. Bush the Elder simply pardoned all of the criminals when he was a lame duck, no longer subject to the pressure of re-election.

“Speaking of the rule of law, that tide may be turning at last. The setbacks the Kansas Secretary of State has encountered in simply changing election rules to suit his party's needs are a sign of hope, along with most of the recent rulings on marriage equality and some of those on voting rights.

“We shall see how the government proceeds in dealing with inversions. As you almost point out, corporations exist to make money. In a for-profit environment, such notions as patriotism, the health and well-being of customers, or the functioning of the planet are strictly secondary to making money. If we accept that, many controversies resolve themselves.

“Your other correspondent gave you a thorough and appropriate discussion about your use of the term ‘saner minds.’ The only addition I can make to that is to encourage you to look at your writing in general. You decry the use of emotion in decision-making but you use prejudicial and inflammatory words often. I hope I need not dissect this; you write regularly and publish much of what you write. Please decide whether you want to use fact and logic to persuade your audience or whether you would rather take the easier route of arousing emotions.”

My response to the Blog:

            Re: Iran-Contra.  I recommend you read Timberg’s “The Nightgale’s Song” before casting judgment.  As Timberg so expertly accounts, the whole picture is not so simple, North became the fall guy, not that he was not without culpability.  Timberg adds further enlightenment and illumination in “Blue-Eyed Boy” as background behind the scenes.  If you would like to understand Iran-Contra, I would urge you to read both books.

            Re: rule of law.  We can debate this topic.

            Re: Kansas.  The results of the upcoming, mid-term election will be an illuminating event, I suspect.

            Re: corporations.  Indeed!  Corporations in general do not have altruistic motives at heart.  A century ago, most corporations saw employees as simple consumables . . . to be used, thrown away, and replaced.  Government is charged with protecting all citizens, not just corporations.  There must be balance . . . to go too far in either direction, everyone gets hurt.  Inversion and taxes are really no different from health care or risk.

            Re: “saner minds.”  OK, so now y’all are piling on.  Emotional decision-making is not a mental illness by any professional definition.  My comments on the Scotland independence referendum were not intended to reflect on genuine mental illness, which is a bona fide public issue in its own right.  My comment was reason over emotion, not sane over insane.  There is no decision for me; my entire professional and personal life has been based on reason rather than emotion.

 . . . Round two:

“Cap, you still claim reason over emotion, but you use emotional words like ‘Islamofascist’ that are neither accurate nor emotionally neutral. As with history, those who do not learn the lessons of psychology are destined to become examples for students. I attempted to point out that you, as a writer, are or should be aware of loaded questions, unsupported assumptions, inflammatory language, and issues of logic. You cannot expect to conduct a reasonable and logical discussion if you do not lead by example.”

 . . . my response to round two:

            Wow, now that is quite an admonition.  I suppose it all depends upon perspective.  I am not sure what is inaccurate, unfactual, unsupported or inflammatory about the term ‘Islamofascist.’  They openly and publicly professed their objective to use violence and terror to dominate others, to enforce their beliefs on others or kill anyone that will not, and in the name of their highly distorted interpretation of a peaceful religion.  The term appears to be quite accurate and descriptive to me.  So, I’m not sure where you are coming from on this.

 . . . Round three:

“Cap, ‘fascist’ is a word with a specific definition. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary re-directs to the root word ‘fascism’ and gives this:

‘often capitalized :  a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.’

“You are a writer. If you have no paper dictionary available, definitions and synonyms are easily found online. The definition above does not include religious domination. The word for that is ‘theocracy.’ However, ‘theocracy’ does not stimulate the emotional response that ‘fascist’ does. I contend that, whether or not you do so consciously, you use the less accurate word in order to express your feelings and bring out similar feelings in your reader.  Psychology trumps accuracy, as it so often does.”

 . . . my response to round three:

            First, to assuage your concern for the literary tools in my possession, I have, understand how to use, and in fact regularly use a Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary that is five (5) inches thick, a half dozen assorted dictionaries in both American and British English, as well as a half dozen dictionaries in German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Latin, and not quite a handful of various versions of thesauruses.  This is not to say to I do not misfire occasionally with my word selection.

            Frankly, I am rather baffled and befuddled.  You have accurately reflected the definition of Fascism, and I will assert that definition accurately describes the professed objectives of Islamo-fascist groups like al-Qa’ida, ISIL, Khorasan, Hamas, Hezbollah, et al.  Yes, the basic definition does not include a religious or theocratic element, which is precisely why I add the modifier “Islamo-“ since those groups use rabid interpretations of a religious rationale to impose their Fascist ideology.  So, to my befuddlement, what it is that is not clear about the label I use to describe those terrorist groups?

Another contribution:

“Another famous burn victim who did well- Johannes Steinhoff, a Luftwaffe pilot who was horribly burned in a ME-262 crash- his tire blew out on take-off.  He was one of the few Luftwaffe pilots who flew operationally during the entire war from 1939-45.  He was a high-scoring ace with 176 confirmed victories, and was awarded the Oak Leaves and Sword to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.  But after the war, after several years of recovery and surgery, he re-entered service and helped build the West German Luftwaffe in the Cold War- he commanded the Luftwaffe and even became the NATO military commander.

“He was also in the ‘pilots’ revolt’ that challenged Goering’s incompetence and was relieved of command.”

My reply:

            Thank you for the reminder.  Now that you have mentioned him in this context, I recall his exploits.  I will add Oberst Johannes “Macky” Steinhoff to my listing, certainly deservedly so.  An accomplished Luftwaffe fighter pilot well before his 18.April.1945 crash, he was one of the Galland Gang in Jagdverband 44 (JV44), flying the world’s first operational jet fighter – the Me-262.  He endured years of reconstructive surgery for his burns, as the others on that particular list did as well.  “Macky” continued in service and reached the rank of General der Luftwaffe (LtGen) in the Bundeswehr – a worthy addition to the list it seems to me. 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)