29 September 2015

Update no.719

Update from the Heartland
No.719
21.9.15 – 27.9.15
To all,

            Jeanne and I took a long weekend trip to Austin for a visit with our middle son and his family – always a pleasure.  The drive down during the daylight hours of Friday was not a pleasant experience.  Numerous I-35 construction zones were bad enough, but it was the few idiotic drivers who endanger those around them that make the drive truly painful.   Melissa and Tyson recently moved into their new home – a magnificent house on a large country plot of land in the Hill Country of Texas.  We had the privilege of watching Grandson Judson’s fútbol match on Saturday and Granddaughter Avalon’s gymnastics exercise on Sunday.  I also had the pleasure of playing a couple of games of chess with eight-year-old Judson.  He is impressively good.  Judson fought me to a stalemate.  I had never experienced it.  In fact, I did not know the state existed, or who to call the game.  Tyson had to Google it, so we could all learn.  Well done, Judson.
 Judson & Poppi matching wits in chess
Judson & Poppi chess 150926.jpg
Our time with Melissa and Tyson always seems so short, but we are grateful for every moment we have.  To our surprise, they arranged for a celestial spectacle for us – a perigee lunar eclipse . . . a so-called Super Blood Moon – on Sunday evening; and, the next perigee lunar eclipse in the United States will not occur until 2033.  We were invited to view the eclipse through Neighbor Bob’s excellent telescope with the benefit of the anti-light-pollution regulations of Dripping Springs, Texas.  Unfortunately, high cirrus clouds kept us from enjoying the full effect.  We could see the Earth’s shadow pass over the Moon, but the clouds obscured the reddish hue imparted by the Earth’s atmosphere.  Since we could not take images of our view, I have inserted an interesting sequence to show the blood moon portion of the eclipse from Ibiza, Spain.
Supermoon Total Lunar Eclipse and Lightning Storm

Image Credit & Copyright: Jose Antonio Hervás
LightningEclipse_Hervas_960.jpg
We watched through the peak, and then departed, driving through the night.  While driving all night is never easy, it was substantially easier than the daylight drive down.  The only glitch was a serious, night-time, construction zone detour north of Fort Worth – a little disconcerting in the middle of the night but as we proved . . . navigable.  We did take a short break for fuel and a nap; well, I took a nap while Jeanne availed herself of the Winstar Casino just across the Red River in Oklahoma.  We all have our priorities.  We had a great weekend.  Thank you so much, Melissa, Tyson, Judson, Avalon . . . and Bob.

            I am so confused.  We have presidential candidates who demand we place fundamentalist Christian dogma above the Constitution and virtually in the same breath demand Muslims must reject the supremacy of their interpreted religious dicta in order to become or even run for president.  The demonstrated, public hypocrisy is mindboggling.  Article VI, Clause 3 of the Constitution of the United States of America states, “. . . no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”  Those words have remained unchanged since the Constitution was ratified in 1788. That language seems pretty clear to me.  What is so difficult to understand here?  The struggle to find the proper balance between secular governance and religious faith has been with us since before the Constitution was ratified, and as we see during this silly-season, the separation of church and state has reemerged to full flame.  So, let the debate proceed.

            On Friday, Speaker of the House of Representatives John Andrew Boehner of Ohio resigned his seat in the House of Representatives and thus the speakership. He has made this resignation effective Friday, 30.October.2015. Boehner is not the first Speaker to resign.  The Tea Party conservatives finally pushed him over the edge into the abyss.  The prognosis for the majority leadership is not so clear and may give us a preview of politics ahead of us.  We need to pay attention to this one, as well as we are able to see into the selection process.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.718:
“Regarding the Russian build-up in Syria, I would place it in a move by Russia for Russian interests- and not against the U.S.  They are very concerned with ISIS becoming more successful and moving into the Caucasus- where Russia has been fighting Islamic radicals since 1996 on and off.  They are also concerned with what will happen if secular Syria is taken over by ISIS forces.  Below is something on this point from Col. Pat Lang’s blog - as you know he is a MENA expert, Arabic speaker and long time DIA senior official.  I have had conversations with colleagues from the former Soviet Union who are very fearful of ISIS moving into the Caucasus and getting a foothold in the ‘Stans.’”
[Reprint]:
“The Sunni jihadis have made a shambles of that (the plans for regime change in Syria) policy.  JAN and IS are the real enemies of all moderation and multiculturalism in the MENA area.  The destructive U.S., Saudi, Turkish and Israeli insistence on the downfall of the Syrian Government has created a situation in which the jihadis have a real chance of being the next governing force in what is now called the Syrian Arab Republic.
“Russia has decided that it will not accept such an outcome.  The people who are babbling of Russia's desire for Syrian ports, air bases, and the humiliation of the United States are simply wrong.  What Russia wants is the survival of secularism and the Syrian State.  The real possibility that jihadism would emerge as a threat to the Russian state is unacceptable to Russia. To that end the Russians will seek to build up the position of the Syrian government through equipment deliveries and if necessary direct participation in combat against the jihadis.  The ultimate goal is a multi-confessional, multi-national coalition against the jihadis.
“The U.S. and Russia are natural allies in that fight.  There will now be de-confliction talks between the U.S. and Russia.  Most military people are practical people.  De-confliction talks will inevitably lead to coordination of operations if the military people are allowed to try to make sense of the situation.”
My response:
            The Russians should rightly be concerned about ISIL.  There is fertile ground in the Caucasus and the ‘Stans,’ going back to at least 1917, perhaps more appropriately the 1500s and Ivan the Terrible.  Stalin did NOT make nice with the Circassians, and there are many generations of resentment.
            The Wall Street Journal reported today that diplomatic sources have evidence Russia and IRI are working together to shore up the Assad regime.
            I have no expertise to argue with Pat Lang’s assessment.  I do agree that replacing the secular State with a fundamentalist Islamic theocracy ala the IRI would not be a positive outcome.
            Regardless of Russia’s motives and objectives in Syria, not coordinating anti-ISIL operations with allied C&C is an invitation to disaster, misunderstanding and escalation . . . in different directions regardless of ISIL.  Yes, Russia & U.S. are natural allies in anti-ISIL operations . . . IF they work together.  I sure hope the military leaders in theater are allowed to coordinate, and perhaps even amplify their efforts.

Another contribution:
“I wish I could get as far with apparently simplistic solutions as did that multi-talented communicator Ronald Reagan, but I am doomed by lack of credentials and political savvy, as evidenced by my record of one election and three defeats in my efforts to get the bench in Mississippi's antiquated judicial selection process (popularity contest).  Of course, I will chime in anyway: 
“I wish our leaders could be brave and principled enough to announce that as January 1, 2016, the middle east will be left to middle-easterners, without U.S. aid or intervention of any kind (no boots, advisers, aircraft, munitions, dollars, etc.) except a promise of 100% backing of Israel with all resources available, including nuclear, in the event of an attack on our only real friends in the area.  If the Russians really want Syria, let them have it. If the Muslim nations are not willing to stop Isis, let them suffer the consequences.  We can take care of the threats that result, if we merely secure our own borders and get serious with pursuit of radical Islamic sympathizers here.  It would help of course, if leaders would not worry about being politically correct and loudly demand action from so-called freedom loving Muslims worldwide.  Yes, Dr. Carson said the wrong thing, but he could have explained that until Muslims agree to junk those portions of the Koran that are incompatible with our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, they are not qualified to be President.
“Like you, Cap, I could be wrong, but I'm jus' sayin.'”
Roger Clifford Clapp
My reply:
            I certainly understand your sentiment.
            A couple of thoughts for your ruminations:
1.  I shall convey my thought in the form of a couple of questions.  What if Franklin Roosevelt had been a committed America Firster in 1940?  Would Hitler have been satisfied with domination of the UK and USSR in addition to all the rest of Europe?
2.  You know, I might actually agree with you with one small substitution – replace ‘Muslims’ with ‘all religions.’  First, not all Muslims are subscribers to the violence of radical fundamentalist Islamo-terrorists.  If fact, only a small minority are bad guys.  Further, I do believe most Muslims do not subscribe to the strictures of Sharia Law, either.
            Just some thoughts.
 . . . follow-up comment:
“1.  It was different in 1940.  We were helping real friends.  Most Middle Eastern nations are not our friends.  Let them duke it out among themselves, I say.  I guess the real question always is what are the threats to long-range freedom and liberty.
“2.  The problem I have is with Muslims who do not actively and loudly condemn and visibly contribute to the demise of Isis and the Koran dictate of worldwide Sharia law.  They are very similar to the silent German majority who let Hitler prevail.   "Tch, tch tch, my my, why doesn't someone (else) do something?"  Finally, I don't see how any other religions could have any influence on the problem of Sharia Law or any aspect of the Koran, so I don't agree with your substitution.
“3.  Keep on keeping on...”
 . . . my follow-up reply:
            I did not articulate my point well.
            If FDR had not done what he did, we most likely would have been forced by the Germans to fight on their terms.   Even as it played out, the margin of error was small.  There are several decisions made by Hitler that proved fatal and could have easily had far worse outcomes.  First, not finishing off Great Britain in the Summer of 1940, when they were their weakest and most vulnerable.  Second, turning on Stalingrad instead of pressing on to the oil fields of the Caucasus.  While FDR was hesitant to engage by supplying Britain, he made the commitment before the RAF had won the Battle of Britain.  The safe play was to withhold support, to remain truly neutral.  Even as it happened, U.S. logistics support prior to U.S. entry into the war was dangerously late arriving.  My point was, FDR took the bold move to project U.S. power, to take the fight to the enemy as best he could given the constraints of the day.  Better to fight on our terms rather than theirs.
            Sharia is an interpretation by clerics just as there were detrimental interpretations by clerics in other religions, e.g., the trial of Galileo.  Judeo-Christian dogma has a six-century head start on Islam.  I believe Islam will mature in time.  It is only a matter of that time and how much pain we and future generations must endure to allow that maturation.
            I do agree that Muslims must reject and condemn the extremists subverting their religion to feed the megalomania of the extremists.  That is precisely part of the maturation process, just as it had to occur in Judaism and Christianity.
            This Grand Republic was founded on secular governance of the public domain and sufficient separation of religion to the private domain of individual citizens.  Fundamentalist Islam interpretation that places Sharia law above the secular State clearly is inconsistent with the Founding principles of this Grand Republic.  My point here was, we bear witness even today that fundamentalist Christians seek to place their religious beliefs above secular law, e.g., Kim Davis et al.  So, I see this in broader terms than Islam and Sharia Law.

Another contribution:
“Love that choice of words there Cap: FILTRATION.  Beautiful!
“Trump was complaining the temperatures in the last debate were too high.
“Trump is high on talking points, but very low on substance, no doubt.
“Of course the seismic news on Friday was House Speaker Boehner calling it bye-bye, just one day after meeting the pope.   Wow!  Now the scramble for someone to fill the void is going to get interesting in that area we call the Beltway (let's hope the belt on the pulley will not break).
“On Russia, interesting times indeed.  Putin I understand, will be on 60-Minutes (CBS) on Sunday night.  I intend to view that.  Plus Obama is due to meet with Putin here in USA, what, next week?   The potential for error is risky when we are not communicating from any kind of unified command in Syria, with Russia, with various nation-state fighter jets doing air strikes, supposedly on ISIS/ISIL, and now to add in Russia to the mix, makes one wonder how can we operate in such a risky format?  
“From the news feeds I am seeing, it appears USA and China are forging perceived alliances and economic (and climate change) compacts.  I wonder if this is alienating Russia, since we have all those sanctions slapped against them (which may be rightfully so given there advance on Crimea).
“On USA accepting more Middle East refugees, this is what I wrote on a friend's Facebook page commenting on how many Muslims were coming out at our local amusement park: 
"Hi Allyson [Anon.], I see it too with an explosion of Muslims coming out of closets or recently arriving in San Diego. The key question is do they assimilate well into our values, culture and Christianity? The answer is no, in fact many are in direct conflict to us. Many are tapping social services yet hate America. Look at the mess France has with immigrants from Muslim hubs, that do not at all embrace their host, but deplore her."

“Weird times Cap! Geopolitics/geostrategy and what I coin as geoeconomics, is certainly faster than SPEED NORMAL. 
“Glad the pope, so far, has been kept safe.  I had a bad feeling about his NYC visit, though he got through it.”
My reply:
            Thank you for your contribution.
            Re: the current leading Republican candidate.  This is one of those moments in history where we simply must have faith that the American people (and at the moment, voters who identify as Republican) will eventually realize exactly what he is.  It seems to me that his perceived success so far is more about protest than substance – not a good rationale.
            Re: Boehner.  I have not had access to my usual news feeds this weekend, so I’m not exactly sure why he has chosen this rather drastic action.  This is a particularly rare event, kinda like a CNO committing suicide in office.  He is not waiting until his end of term either, so this will likely be a more illuminated replacement, selection process, and further I suspect the Tea Party extremists will make it a point of demonstrating their ire with the party establishment.  Fasten your seat belt and hang on; it is likely going to be a rough ride.
            Re: Putin.  I heard.  I probably will not be able to watch the interview until next week.  Yes, Obama & Putin are to meet in NYC during the UN General Assembly.  Yes, the risks at present in Syria are mounting rapidly from my lay perspective.  There are reports Russian operated combat aircraft are intentionally switching off their transponders, so allied C&C aircraft and facilities cannot see them – a very dangerous situation.  Perhaps this is exactly what he desires and intends – somebody (anybody) gets shot down – to demonstrate Russian power projection.
            Re: refugees.  I am in favor of helping refugees . . . over there.  I am not in favor of admitting people into this country who do not wish to accept and enhance our society, our culture.  I will not include religion in that objective of assimilation.  France is demonstrating exactly what happens when assimilation is not a criterion for admittance. 

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

21 September 2015

Update no.718

Update from the Heartland
No.718
14.9.15 – 20.9.15
To all,

            The second round of filtration for the Republican Party presidential candidates offered some interesting subtle and not-so-subtle reflections.  I watched every minute of both sessions.  One of 16 candidates dropped out before the ‘debate.’  Another chose to whine about how long this session of the ‘debate’ was . . . with 15 candidates  . . . all vying for attention.  I suspect the filtration process will pick up pace soon.  However, we will also bear witness to the power of money in this process . . . not a good feature, I must say.  “. . . there’s plenty of material there” . . . really?  He is a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States of America . . . really?  What has our future come to . . . a reality show debacle?  What’s worse, the best he can do is insult his opponents . . . so bloody mature, I must say.  I sure hope the Republican Party sorts itself out quickly and settles down to more serious presentation.

            Seventy years ago, the post-war Allied administration imposed a constitution on Japan intent upon democratic principles and prohibiting any military development or action beyond self-defense.  On Saturday, Japan's parliament gave final approval to legislation expanding the potential for the country's military to conduct external operations.  The new law enables military action in foreign conflicts and situations where Japan’s defense is not directly threatened.  As expected, the Kim regime in Pyongyang, DPRK, protested vehemently and made their usual threats.  I suspect this change in military and foreign policy was persistently urged by the United States, so that Japan can pick up more of the military counter-operations to PRC hegemony and DPRK bravado.

            The U.S. Defense Department reported Russia has moved fighter aircraft into Syria.  It is not clear whether those aircraft are deliveries to the Assad regime or operational aircraft with Russian crews intended to support the Assad regime.  The former is bad enough.  The latter would be yet one more attempt by Putin to create and/or stimulate confrontation with the United States and Europe to bolster his political position in Russia. It was also reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter spoke to his Russian counterpart about Russia's deepening role in Syria, ending a long hiatus in high-level military discussions between the two countries.  We could take the optimistic view that Russia is taking a more aggressive action against ISIL forces; yet, even the optimistic perspective would be extraordinarily dangerous if not coordinated with other allied air and ground operations in the combat zone.  For now, we must hope there is more positive in what appears to be a rather negative action by Putin.  The margin for error has been decreased.

            Secretary of State Kerry announced the U.S. will increase the number of Middle East refugees we will accept.  I am not convinced this is the correct action for any of us to take.  The refugee crisis in Europe continues to be quite troubling.  From a public perspective, there appears to be very little if any control.  Admitting individuals who may have no intention to assimilate into the culture they seek refuge is a recipe for future problems, stress and conflict.  The United States has been dealing with a similar lack of or insufficient control of our borders and the immigration process for decades, now.  In my humble opinion, only individuals who want to assimilate and can contribute to our society should be admitted into this country beyond a visitor visa.  I worked and lived in England and Italy for two years each.  In both cases, I had to have a sponsor for work, and I had to register with the local or provincial police.  Further, if I wanted to change my residence, I had to notify the police before and after a move.  We all must do better with border security and immigration control including enforcement.

            News from the economic front:
-- The U.S. Federal Reserve decided to leave short-term interest rates unchanged after weeks of market-churning speculation about whether it was time to end an era of near-zero rates in recognition of the stronger U.S. economy and job market.  Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen cited persistent concerns about low inflation, and volatile Chinese and financial markets as rationale for holding the status quo for now.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.717:
“Regarding MH370 – Well, no kidding.  It’s not like there was a bunch—any others for that matter—of missing 777 flaperons out there.  In other words, I am not aware of any reports of flaperons falling off of 777s.  Good observation on the lack of impact damage.  That makes this whole mystery even more interesting.  Hopefully one day we will know.
“Regarding the Air Force Museum – I have been there.  It is a great museum.  But let us not berate the Air Force for the planes they acquired and flew into harms’ way.  They did their job just like the rest of us with what they had.  –Semper Fi.
“Regarding the marriage license fiasco – Jailed?  No.  Fired?  Yes.”
My response:
            It is my understanding some (if not all) of the B777 flaperons were (are) assembled in India.  If so, I am not aware of whether all of the Work In Progress components were accounted for, thus my reluctance to identify the component as from MH370 without physical proof.
            Yes, the fate of MH370 is quite interesting for a host of reasons.  I remain guardedly optimistic they will eventually find the wreckage on the bottom of the Indian Ocean.  It took nearly two years to find AF447, and they had more to go on – they had the floating tail piece.  We just passed the 1.5-year mark for MH370.
            Ah, I think it was just sibling rivalry.  Yes, they do the job, just like all the rest of us.  I will get to Dayton eventually.
            I agree.  However, the only tool available to the judge was contempt.  If she really believed as she says she believes, the honorable action would have been resignation rather than defiance, but she did not take the honorable path.  She chose her religious beliefs over the law; that cannot be a tolerable state.

Another contribution:
“Long time no see although I do enjoy your blogs.   Glad you've kept real busy with writing.  Be careful on that damned motorcycle (although, I maybe I should just consider you as an organ donor on-the-hoof).
“Overcast, gray Sunday walkabout in central Berlin.  Obviously a very affluent city.  Wealthy German women taking their sweet little dogs out to poop on someone else's property.  The Germans seem to favor grand monuments and statues.  The Brandenburg Gate very beautiful but the three nearest businesses are Starbucks, Haagen-Dazs and Dunkin Donuts, in that order.   Maybe these will help pay for the Berlin Airlift.  Tiergarten very serene but I wonder how a society that generated Beethoven, Mozart and Hayden could have also generated Auschwitz?  I have long feared that the facade of our civilization was more fragile than we would like to think.  
“Dreary visit to the site of Hitler's bunker (now a car park) and to the Berlin Wall museum.  Somber reflections on these major markers from our current lives.   Have we done as well as we should have with these challenges?  The current prosperity and peace of the Germans, and of Europe and Japan in general, would indicate that our post-war efforts were good; certainly far better than the shortsighted end of the First World War.
“The Berlin Wall brings into question the existential struggle of our lifetimes between our western ideals and the failed, utopian ideals of Communism, which was hijacked by numerous tyrants to justify their power.  The current problem of Islamic fundamentalism is a pain in the butt but is certainly not an existential threat.  They want to advance to the 7th century and to meet their Allah, and we can probably help them in those efforts.
“I recall clearly my apprehension and fascination in 1989 as the wall came down and the Soviet Republic collapsed.   Certainly our western ideals and economic strength won that conflict (except for certain college professors in our leading liberal universities).   Many of us lost friends during those years of conflict.  Vast amounts of capital were expended on military defense on both sides that could have been used to advance civilization.  Was it worth it?  I have long felt some disdain for the Romans, in that they lost their Republic to dictators, ultimately leading to the collapse of western civilization.  Granted, the Roman wealth and knowledge was not widely shared but it was 14 centuries between their collapse and when the world regained the technology and knowledge the Greeks and Romans had in the fourth century.  Where would we be today if we had not lost those 1,400 years of knowledge accumulation and advancement?  With our lives, did we do as well as we should have?  Have we left our grandchildren with as good of a civilization as we should have, or could have?  How will our lives and contributions be judged?  
“Enough ranting.  Must find some decaffeinated coffee.  No one in Europe uses that stuff.  Another real coffee and I will probably really wig out.  Unfortunately, my calorie budget won't allow a beer. 
“Keep on writing but watch out with the motorcycle.”
My reply:
            Why are you in Berlin?  Business or pleasure?
            I’ve never been to Berlin as yet . . . maybe someday.  I certainly know some of the history.
            Righteousness of war . . . always a worthy debate topic . . . with no definitive answers.
            Interesting supposition, as well . . . where would we be today, if we had not lost the Greeks and Romans in the Dark Ages?  All good questions.  I tend to take the optimistic view in answers to such questions.  Certainly, one observation is axiomatic – we can always do better.  Even the so-called Greatest Generation made dreadful mistakes . . . seen with the clarity of hindsight.
            Thank you for your concern for my safety.  I can assure you my hero days are long gone.  I don’t ride as often as I would like . . . hard to write on a motorcycle.  However, I seem to get good thinking done on a slow, peaceful ride across the expanse of the Great Plains.  I ride with the constant vigilance born in the principle that everything out there is trying to kill me; it has kept me safe so far.
            I’m glad you can still find some value in the Update.  I’ve begun working on the first draft of Book 5 of my To So Few series of historical novels.  The publisher is in the pre-production stage of Book 3, which should be released later this year.  They also have the Book 4 manuscript, which is planned for release next year.
 . . . follow-up comment:
“I'm In Berlin on vacation enroute Poland.  Have never seen either place.
“My rants are certainly not to the caliber of your work but please use anything you want.  Continuing my feeble thoughts, I think our generation did fairly well.  Without significant real thought, I think the U.S. made a major mistake in 1945 when they failed to recognize Ho Chi Minh and tell the French to stay home.  The Vietnamese are more nationalistic and capitalistic than we are, not really communistic.  They would be where South Korea is now if we had let them.  Could have avoided the entire Vietnam war.  The other obvious mistake was to disband the Iraqi army in 2002.  They were the only stabilizing force in that benighted country.  Hell, we kept the Wehrmacht and the Japanese Armies in place where we needed the stability at the end of WW2.   Someone in the Bush administration must have been brain dead.”
 . . . my follow-up reply:
            Poland as well . . . oh my.  You have quite the trip in hand.
            Good point.  There are more than a few reasons for that particular mistake, but at the root I would suggest the distance Roosevelt kept all his vice presidents and in this instance most notably Truman, who was grossly ill-prepared to assume the responsibilities of POTUS.  Truman was quite susceptible to the virulent anti-communist mindset, common in the day, rather than examining the underlying motivations.  Especially after Roosevelt’s counter-empire efforts from the Atlantic Charter onward, to attempt to re-establish the French empire in Indochina in the post-war years cost us 58,000 precious lives.

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

14 September 2015

Update no.717

Update from the Heartland
No.717
7.9.15 – 13.9.15
To all,

            The follow-up news items:
-- U.S. District Judge David Bunning lifted the contempt order against Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis [716] and released her from jail with the proviso that she will not interfere with the issuing of marriage licenses to qualified citizens.  With all the brouhaha over this obscure, rural, Kentucky county clerk, what happens next is anybody’s guess.  I know what should happen, but that means nothing.
-- We have a reliable, authoritative site, but not yet an official site, confirming the B777 flaperon found at Réunion Island [711] is from the missing MH370 aircraft [638, 691].
“French investigators confirm Reunion flaperon from MH370”
Air Transport World / Aviation Week & Space Technology
Published: Sep 7, 2015
The most striking observation about the retrieved flaperon is the paucity of impact damage, i.e., high-energy distortion damage.  To me, the recovered flaperon suggests a controlled ditching, i.e., an intentional act.  I eagerly await the official evaluation of the recovered flaperon.  We will learn more.
-- On Thursday, in accordance with the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 [PL 114-017; 129 Stat. 201; 22.May.2015] [700], the Senate fell two (2) votes short [Senate: 58-48-0-0(0)] of invoking cloture on debate regarding S.Amdt. 2640 to H.J.Res. 61 (Hire More Heroes Act of 2015) – the Senate’s rejection attempt of the nuclear control agreement [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)] with the Islamic Republic of Iran [709].  Then, on Friday, the House passed its version H.R. 3460, titled: An Act To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran [House: 247-186-0-0(2)].  The 60-day review window imposed by PL 114-017 has expired.  By my understanding of the associated laws and congressional procedures, the JCPOA is approved by default and the implementation phase begins.

            An interesting article for cogitation and debate forwarded by a friend and erstwhile contributor:
“Monogamy Just Isn't Natural — Here Are Some Other Options: Thinking about a partnership as something people design or craft allows for flexibility and change.”
by Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson
alternet.org / Cleis Press
Published: June 12, 2014
Let the debate begin.
[P.S.: I vacillated over whether to include this debate topic, since given contemporary arguments, it is more likely to feed the wrong fires.  C’est la vie. Aller à la grandeur!]

            My hesitation noted above springs from the incessant distraction around us about marriage, as if those of us who advocate for freedom are somehow corroding the very structure of marriage and the foundation of the family unit as we know it.  While I am intellectually curious about the evolution of our biology, of our social constructs, and of our thinking about liberty, we must not lose sight of the founding principles of this Grand Republic – “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [people] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  I will note here, there were no qualifiers or constraints to that foundational statement.  My marriage and my family are not threaten by the notion that other citizens might and most probably will choose a different path in their “pursuit of Happiness.”  Nonetheless, since the distraction apparently threatens the marriages of others, I have elected to include more snippets from the continuing debate from a parallel forum.
            In this arena of public debate, we have been subjected to a broad range of extreme rhetoric.  This week, I felt the threshold of my tolerance approaching.  I attempted to draw the line.
            I said:  I started to respond to this drivel, but it's not worth my time.  Let is suffice to say, I profoundly disagree.  Thank you for sharing.
            To which came this response:
“Of course Cap profoundly disagrees because he believes that a fringe perversion which has historically been considered unlawful to perform in this country somehow magically rises to the status of equal with the foundational relationship of societies for millennia throughout the world because one -- one -- more judge sided with creating a ‘right’ that has never existed in our lawful heritage and has NO basis of tradition other than mental disorder.
“Sounds reasonable.  Let me think on that for awhile to see if I can justify that in my mind.  Nope.”
            My reply:
            The beauty of a free society is our right to believe what we wish to believe for whatever reason or rationale we use to justify those beliefs.  We can say what we wish.
            Interesting thought “. . . historically been considered unlawful . . . ”  At the Founding, slavery was codified and protected by the Constitution of the United States [Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3].  By the Constitution, it was unlawful to harbor runaway slaves.  Does that make slavery correct, lawful, right, worthy?  At the time of the Founding, “men” in “all men are created equal” was assumed and understood to mean ONLY white, educated, male, property owners.  Does that make the Doctrine of Coverture correct?
            No one is asking anyone – not CraigN [anon.], not you, not me – to approve of the private choices of any other citizen.
            What I am suggesting and asking is to accept and defend the evolved founding principle of this Grand Republic that every citizen is entitled to equal protection under the law . . . regardless of any one or combination of the social factors.  Let us respect every citizen’s fundamental right to privacy and freedom of choice.
            Uncharacteristically, I shall give [anon.] the last word.
“I wholeheartedly disagree.  Marriage has a well-founded and historical context and involves the union of males to females.
“Marriage was a religious concept LONG before it was a civil concept.  It migrated to the civil sphere ONLY because some wanted the money involved, and were also working to reduce church power.  Easily verified, if you want to bother.
“And this jackass clerk has been married 4 times, WAY beyond what religious doctrine espouses, at least western religions.”

            News from the economic front:
-- The People’s Republic of China (PRC) revised its growth rate for 2014 down to 7.3% from 7.4% -- the slowest rate seen in decades. The PRC’s growth target for 2015 is 7%.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.716:
“Yes - just a so-so museum.  Come out here to where I ‘work’ at the USAF Museum at Wright Pat in Dayton.  They wanted me to work there even though I tell visitors all the info on the Air Farce does not want to be known.  Like all the aircraft on display that the Air Farce stole from the Navy.  The F4, the A7, the A3 (the Air Farce calls B66), the A1, Sidewinder missile, etc.”
My reply:
            The Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB is certainly on my ‘to-do’ list.  I’ve not had the pleasure, as yet.  Indeed, the USAF did use aircraft developed by the Navy.  They also tried to force the Navy to use aircraft they developed, case in point the F-111 – one of McNamara’s many follies.

Another contribution:
Good points on the marriage license fiasco.  I thought Gov. Huckabee's interview by George Stephanopolis was the best discussion of the real problem with the case of the Kentucky clerk who refuses to bow to the federal court while blatantly violating her oath of local office.  In spite of George's scripted efforts to interrupt and guide the interview to suit his superiors, he was unable to prevent the Governor from expressing eloquently the fundamental problem we are facing:  federal intervention in local affairs by a single branch of government without any basis in legislative action.  One had to listen carefully to the governor, who managed to not be completely thrown off by George's efforts to interrupt, to get his entire logic.  I agree with Gov. Huckabee, although I am incapable of properly summarizing his argument.  I think that while the clerk is wrong and should resign or be removed from office because she cannot do the now declared constitutional duties of her office, the federal court should have declined to intervene in this local matter.  The U. S. Supreme Court, having spoken but not without being subject to reversal by the legislative branch, has nothing to do with such matters, and the Congress has not spoken on the subject except arguably in the law that the Supremes reversed.  We may yet see a change there, as there was after the Dred Scott decision [60 U.S. {19 How.} 393 (1856)] (wasn't this the one Lincoln ignored?).  An individual citizen should not be jailed for this.  The proper target for the feds who have no respect for state's rights is the state of Kentucky, not a lowly clerk.  And all this from your flaming Conserberal,
My response:
            Interesting perspective . . . and respectfully, from my perspective, the argument represents and reflects the challenges any free society faces – the inherent conflict between federal, state and local, between public and private.  This conflict goes to the Founding of this Grand Republic.  Yes, marriage is not and never has been a federal issue or within the federal authority established by the Constitution.
            In short, I do NOT agree with Governor Huckabee’s position or rationale.
            While the Supremes’ justification for Obergefell v. Hodges [576 U.S. ___ (2015); no. 14-556] [706, 710] was weakly presented, I do believe they offered the proper argument.  The marriage question is not federal versus state; it is public versus private, or more to the point, government authority versus individual rights.  Thus, the federal government is simply performing the role of enforcement of the 14th Amendment, which none of the states has the authority to violate.           
            Lastly, we simply must get the government (all levels of government) out of our private affairs and out of the morality enforcement arena.

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

07 September 2015

Update no.716

Update from the Heartland
No.716
31.8.15 – 6.9.15
To all,

            This week’s excursion was quite local . . . short ride – Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, Kansas.  The museum is housed in the old (retired) Wichita Municipal Airport terminal building, located on the grounds of McConnell Air Force Base.  The first image below is the main entrance.  I was particularly intrigued by the bas-relief mural above the main entrance (second image) – nice touch.  The museum predominately presents local aviation industry history with bountiful timelines and artifacts with names like Beech, Cessna, Stearman, Laird, and the big dog in town, Boeing.  The Boeing-Wichita plant produced B-29s during the war, so we can all imagine, this was a very busy place 70+ years ago.  The museum does not have a lot of military aircraft, but it certainly has some unique and notable examples as offered below.
Kansas Aviation Museum
[file: Kansas Aviation Museum 150903.JPG]
The bas-relief mural above main entrance
[file: bas-relief.JPG]
I could not find a placard for the B-47 image below, so details are sparse.  However, I think this example of a Sratojet is an E model without the wing pylons installed.  The B-47 was a nuclear capable heavy bomber with a crew of three: a pilot and co-pilot in a tandem cockpit under a bubble, fighter-type canopy, and a navigator-bombardier in an in-fuselage compartment forward of the pilot.  The co-pilot doubles as the tail-gunner using a radar directed, remotely controlled gun system.
Boeing B-47 Stratojet
[file: B-47.JPG]
The dominant display aircraft was a BUFF (= Big Ugly Fat F**ker . . . in the colloquial jargon of those who flew them) – a B-52D Stratofortress – with wing shoulder pylons and weapons bay bomb racks not installed.  The aircraft proved to be highly versatile, operated by a base crew of five: pilot, co-pilot, navigator (bombardier), navigator, and electronic countermeasures officer.  I’ve witnessed B-52 Arclight strikes in North Vietnam during pre-cursor operations to LINEBACKER II– awesome, to say the least.  And an interesting side note, this particular aircraft – serial number 55-0094 – is not allowed to be moved by more than 50 feet under the strategic arms limitation and reduction treaties.
Boeing B-52D Stratofortress
[file: B-52D.JPG]
As a point of completion for this little story, construction of the terminal building, shown above, began in 1929, and was suspended as the teeth of the Great Depression bit deeply to the bone.  With the aid of federal funding under the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) [PL 73-I-067, 48 Stat. 195], the terminal building was completed in 1934, and the Wichita Municipal Airport began commercial flight operations in 1935.  The city added a proper runway in 1939, again assisted by federal funds from the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 [PL 74-I-Res.11; 49 Stat. 115] and the Works Progress Administration [Executive Order 7034].  Understandably, the military dominated the airport as local industry mobilized for war support.  The last commercial flight took off on 31.March.1954, and the following day, the newly opened Mid-Continent Airport began commercial operations for the city.  Just as a related FYI PS: Mid-Continent Airport was renamed the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport with a brand-new terminal building and multi-level parking garage (for those who have flown through Wichita), which began commercial operations on 3.June.2015.

            The follow-up news items:
-- Various Press sources reported this week that assembly numbers from interior components of the recovered B777 flaperon [711] match those associated numbers from the assembly records of aircraft serial number 28420 (B777-2H6ER) – the aircraft designated MH370 [638, 691].  I have not yet seen even implied confirmation from any of several aviation safety networks or from the French BEA – the investigating agency with custody of the assembly in question.  Until then, I shall withhold my speculation.

            The man who shot and killed the deputy sheriff in Houston may claim mental incapacity as his excuse (defense) for the capital crime.  My opinion remains quite simple: if a mentally ill or deficient person has enough capacity to acquire a semi-automatic pistol, load a magazine, rack a round, aim and pull the trigger 15 times at another human being, he is mentally competent to suffer the consequences of his actions . . . especially in Texas.  I trust the state judicial system will do its duty to the appropriate conclusion.

            Rowan County (Kentucky) Clerk Kimberly Davis refused to issue a marriage license to a same sex couple, citing her claim that doing so would violate her religious beliefs.  She further claimed she acted under “God’s authority” for her defiance of common and constitutional law, which places her interpretation of religious dicta over the law.  This Grand Republic is not and never has been a theocracy or even a religious state.  We are certainly religious people, and our right to our individual religious beliefs is protected by the Constitution, but there is no law, no right, and no entitlement for any of us to impose our religious beliefs on another citizen.  This case represents precisely the problem with civil rights versus religious liberty.
            Republican presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz of Texas claimed the government is persecuting Davis.  No, Ted, the government is simply demanding its employees and the servants of the People comply with the law.
            Republican presidential candidate Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky says the government is trying to make Davis approve of same-gender marriage against her religious convictions.  He is wrong in every way possible.  First, the county clerk issues a license for a couple to marry.  She is not the official conducting (officiating or sanctioning) the marriage.  The license simply signifies the couple has met the requirements of the state to marry, period.  That license has absolutely nothing to do with religious beliefs by the couple involved, the clerk who issues the license, the newspaper that prints the notice, or the caterer who produces the wedding cake.  The marriage license is simple and solely about the law and again, it has absolutely nothing to do with any religion or religious belief.
            Ms. Davis is entitled to her beliefs, whatever they may be, she is NOT entitled to a job that requires her to serve all citizens equally.  This is not fundamentally different from Quakers refusing to serve in armed services over their religious objections.
            Her choices are to perform her duties or to resign, period, just as my choices were when I served this Grand Republic as a commissioned officer of Marines.  I did not have the right to defy direct orders because I did not agree with them or I believed God told me to disobey.
            Kim Davis did say one accurate statement with which I agree.  “I simply told you all, I’m willing to face my consequences and you all will face your consequences when it comes time for judgment.”  Precisely.  My moral choices in my private life are between God and me – no one else.  I shall be judged for my choices, just as we all will.  It is not her place and she has absolutely no authority to judge the choices of other citizens.  They have complied with the law.  She has defied the law!
            Some additional snippets of my words from other related debate threads:
Darren,
Yes, we love you, too!
            Let's think about it.  Clerk Davis freely and openly complied with the law prior to 26.June.2015 {Obergefell v. Hodges [576 U.S. ___ (2015)]} [706, 710].  The law changed on that date in accordance with the Constitution of the United States of America.  Now, after that date, she chooses by her personal interpretation of “God’s authority” to defy the law.  So, by her reasoning, a person’s personal religious belief trumps the Constitution and the common law in the public domain.  I cannot agree.  Surely, we can see where such reasoning will lead.  Further, that is not the foundation upon which this Grand Republic was founded and endures.
 . . . to which was added:
“. . . the principals / morals have been inverted for the anything goes crowd.”
 . . . and my response:
            No.   This is NOT moral inversion.  This is simply private versus public.  As I have freely and publicly stated multitudinous times, each and every one of us has a fundamental right to privacy and should have the freedom to choose her/his individual and personal “pursuit of Happiness” by whatever process that matters to each of us.  Those rights apply equally to you, to me, and to Kim Davis.  Where she fails and does NOT have a right is to impose her beliefs on the private choices of other citizens.  I fully understand, respect and would fight to protect your freedom to choose your “pursuit of Happiness.”  Kim Davis is wrong; she has chosen the consequences.
            This is NOT an anything goes nation.  This is a nation of laws.  While our ancestors lost their way passing morality laws that apply only to the private domain, the Founders intended laws to be confined to the public domain for the common good.  What other citizens do within their marriage is a private matter, period.

            Sharee Stanley converted her religious faith to Islam after she had been employed as a flight attendant with ExpressJet regional airline.  After her conversion, she refused to serve alcohol as it violated her newfound religious faith.  No one has asked her to consume alcohol.  She does not want to take a different job with the airline that does not require serving alcohol.  She claims she should not have to violate her religious beliefs to accommodate her employer.  Yet, again, religion does not trump the law or employment practices.

            The immigration / migrant situation in Europe has captured the attention of the Press and others.  Let’s play this situation out to an end point.  The flood of ‘refugees,’ actually illegal immigrant or worse unauthorized aliens are overwhelming European capacity.  As noted in France and other countries in the EU, many of these immigrants CHOOSE NOT TO ASSIMILATE and expect their host countries to change their culture to suit their personal expectations.  The situation in Europe certainly appears to be out of control and unbounded . . . not particularly different from our southern border problem, I might add.  Any country, every country, must have some process of filtration and consent to allow non-citizens to enter their sovereign territory.  The Syrian civil war and ISIL rampage have seriously complicated the refugee situation, but the risks of what is happening now in Europe are far too great for uncontrolled entry.  I do not see good outcomes from all this.

            News from the economic front:
-- The Labor Department reported non-farm payrolls rose a seasonally adjusted 173,000 in August, lower than the forecast 220,000 increase in payrolls.  The unemployment rate ticked down to 5.1%.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.715:
“I was shocked to read about Chan.  I had the pleasure of flying with him in his plane and also taking him up in a glider back when I was still flying.  I know you were friends.  I am sorry for your loss.”
My response:
            You were not alone in being shocked by Chan’s passing.  He was an exceptional pilot.  There is no discernible cause from the available public information to date.  The investigators will have to assess physical and mechanical causes, but even the latter is not very likely.  The PA-25 is a prevalent, widely used airplane, pretty forgiving from what I understand . . . although I’ve not flown one.  A genuine loss for all of us . . . he was a significant contributor and historical figure in aviation.

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