Update no.697

Update from the Heartland

No.697

20.4.15 – 26.4.15

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

To all,

Quite a few folks noted the neglect of my website . . . last updated in 2007.  The reasons for such neglect are moot and otherwise irrelevant; they are what they are and history.  Having sent away the manuscript submittal package for Book IV of my To So Few series of historical novels, I worked with a professional web developer to produce a new website with a more up-to-date appearance, accessibility and currency of the content.  Some have reported problems communicating with me via eMail this week; I expect the problems were an artifact of the transition to the new host servers.  I urge everyone to visit, browse the content, and offer whatever constructive criticism may come to you.  

http://www.parlier.com

The editing tools available with the new website are immensely easier to use, thus we should all expect the new site to remain current henceforth, as my new books are released for publication.  Suggestions for improvement are always welcome.

The follow-up news items:

-- The Justice Department announced the arrest of Navinder Sarao by U.K. authorities and charges against Sarao for fraud, manipulation and a high-speed trading practice known as ‘spoofing,’ The charges allege Sarao was the principal contributor (root cause) of the 6.May.2010 “flash crash” in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 1000 points [438, 459].  I trust he shall feel the full weight of the law and join his fellow traveler Bernie Madoff [365, 378].  Greed that causes destruction is NOT good, despite what Gordon Gekko professed (1987).

-- Former Director of Central Intelligence General David Howell Petraeus, USA (Ret.) [USMA 1974] [569, 570] pleaded guilty to a charge of mishandling classified materials he provided to his former mistress and biographer.  Under a plea deal, he is expected to face a fine and probation, but no prison time.

Comments and contributions from Update no.696:

Comment to the Blog:

“It's good to see at least a few of the Blackwater criminals get long sentences.

“I pay my taxes without complaint, and I share the desire to see them used well. The fact that people in the U.S. pay less taxes than those in civilized nations means that we need to make difficult decisions about how that money should be spent. I probably seek a different balance than you, but I certainly agree that those who ‘seek to scam or take advantage of our generosity’ should be stopped. To that end, we probably need to stop most corporate tax breaks and to begin taxing the wealthy at a rate fair to the rest of us. That remains unlikely so long as campaign spending knows no limits. Have you noticed that the Koch Brothers plan to spend $900 billion on the upcoming Presidential election cycle? That's obscene, but I'm sure they will make a good investment of it if their properties win enough elections.

“Speaking of government priorities, I find it sad that the United States government has foregone its legitimate support of science and technology, including space science. A few of those privatized enterprises may succeed in making money, but the control and the prestige will be lost to the people as a whole.

“I doubt it helps much, but you have the nation's sympathy about living in a Kansas that has gone insane. I hope less for mercy than for the total absence of any enforcement effort of the new law on TANF money. Kansas nowadays has no money for such nonsense even if it were possible to enforce such a law effectively. The Brownback regime passed that thing mainly to reinforce the governor's claim to extreme conservatism, or possibly to set up an insanity plea should he be held accountable.

“In any territorial dispute, sooner or later one of the parties seeks to cement its claim. Apparently, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has done that in the case of the many-named island in the South China Sea. That would be part of the PRC's wider effort to fill the open place of world leader that the U.S. has vacated in favor of plutocracy. Foreign ownership of U.S. investments, even government bonds, is another facet of this change.

“Operation Paperclip probably benefited the United States as a whole, at least for a time. Discussing the ethics of spy operations is a waste of time. Secrecy precludes any real ethical limits. All parties confidently expected that they would not be called to account for their actions during their lifetimes. They were correct in the case of Operation Paperclip.”

My response to the Blog:

            Re: Blackwater.  ‘Nuf said.

            Re: taxes.  I suspect you meant million rather than billion, but no matter how many zero’s . . . a hellava lot of money – an obscene amount of money, all to buy influence.  I further suspect they will simply write off those campaign expenditures as business “expenses” and thus diminish their period profit and thus their corporate taxes, i.e., We, the People, are paying for their largess and influence purchases.  Somehow, Citizens United must be overcome.

            Re: USG funding science & technology.  Agreed.  The primary advantage of public funding of such endeavors is the outcome or product(s) are in the public domain, which means the most people benefit.  One of my biggest such projects is embryonic stem cell research.

            Re: Brownback.  Spot on!

            Re: PRC.  Again, spot on!  They subscribe to the theory that “possession is 9/10 of the law.”  Salient question: where will their neighbors draw the line?  What is too much?

            Re: Operation PAPERCLIP.  OK, no argument.  Nolo Contendere.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“I was unable to send an email response, so this will have to do.

“I did indeed mean to say that the Koch Brothers are spending $900 million,  (not billion) on the election cycle. This is more than a write-off; investing in politicians has a very strong return on investment for large  investors.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

            I hope the problem has not been on my end.  I have been working to get my new website up & running.  Looks good, but I have had problems with my eMail over the last few days as servers were switched over.  So things should be back to normal soon.  I will make an announcement in this week’s Update.

            Yes, you are quite right.  My only point is, at least the part they write off as a business expense is ultimately paid for by the taxpayers.  Their benefit vastly exceeds the dollars they spend, such is the world of the money elite (or perhaps more appropriately, the money royalty) of this country.  I suspect there will be a correction in time.

 . . . a follow-up comment to the follow-up:

“This is mostly a test email to see if it will send.

“However, the ‘correction in time’ part has always somehow come from the public on one guise or another disrupting the oligarchy, plutocracy, or monarchy that was in place. Often enough, that does not happen and the nation in question deteriorates into a lesser entity.”

 . . . my follow-up response to the follow-up comment:

            Appeared to come through just fine.  I believe the problems of transition are behind me.

            I understand and appreciate your observation.  However, I shall offer a contrarian perspective.  With mounting signs of abuse, Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act [PL 51-I-647; 26 Stat. 209] on 2.July.1890.  It took the USG another 20 years to break up the Standard Oil monopoly – Standard Oil v. United States [221 U.S. 1 (1911)], 15.May.1911.  Some could argue it took 90 years – break-up of AT&T on 1.January.1984.  The process did not lessen us.  We will overcome the obstacles we face today.

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

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)

Update no.696

Update from the Heartland

No.696

13.4.15 – 19.4.15

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

To all,

The follow-up news items:

-- Four members of the Blackwater security detail involved in the Nisur Square incident [16.9.2007] in Baghdad, Iraq, were convicted and sentenced; one received a life sentence and the other three received 30-year sentences for killing 14 and wounding 20, during a transport mission.  The four men went through several legal machinations [421] before reaching this conclusion.

Wednesday was Tax Day in the United States.  Just as it is a citizen’s duty and obligation to vote, it is also a duty to pay taxes for the governmental services we need.  I want to pay my taxes.  I want a government that maintains law and order, protects us from the bad guys at the gate, and helps those among us who need a helping hand to rise above their dire situation.  Like most citizens, I want to pay my share; I do not want to pay more than my share.  And, I am not too keen on helping those who seek to scam or take advantage of our generosity.  Thus, to me, the debate is not about the taxes we pay, but rather how we spend our precious tax dollars.

I have to offer kudos to Elon Musk and his Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) [545] for their second operational attempt [14.April.2015] to land the Falcon 9 first stage booster of its latest cargo launch to the International Space Station (ISS).  The video clip shows the booster landing on the target barge . . . unfortunately, the contact center of gravity exceeded the limits of the landing system, and the booster fell over – close but no cigar.  The first operational attempt to land on a barge platform [10.January.2015] basically hit the target barge and was not even close to a controlled descent.  Based on the progress between attempt one and two, I suspect their next attempt will stick the landing, and the booster first stage will be reconditioned and reused on a subsequent launch – the objective of the effort.

On Thursday, 16.April.2015, our beloved Governor Samuel Dale ‘Sam’ Brownback of Kansas signed into law S Sub for HB 2258 [Senate Substitute for Kansas House Bill 2258], implementing changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) law. S Sub for HB 2258 § 9 (14) [K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 39-709] lists a plethora of prohibited expenditures of TANF funds, e.g. “alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco products, lottery tickets, concert tickets, professional or collegiate sporting event tickets or tickets for other entertainment events intended for the general public or sexually oriented adult materials,” et cetera.  Now, personally, I think public assistance funds should not be spent on such things.  Public funds should be for sustenance and improvement for self-supporting productivity; none of the listed prohibited activities can even remotely meet a proper threshold.  Yet, the way such reform was constructed and implemented comes across as callous, cold, and not particularly compassionate.  We can only hope the law is enforced with more heart than the Legislature displayed in the formulation of the new law.

We have long known and recognized the hegemonic ambitions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) beyond its borders in virtually every direction [624].  This week, we see physical evidence the PRC has taken their hegemony to the next level.  Publicly available satellite images of Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea, document the substantial build-up and development of a major runway, harbor and support facility far beyond the natural extent of the coral reef.  The PRC has clearly staked its physical claim to Fiery Cross Reef [AKA Northwest Investigator Reef, Yongshu Island and Yongshu Reef (PRC); Kagitingan Reef (Philippines); and Đá Chữ Thập (Vietnam); located at 9° 37′ N, 112° 58′ E].  Each of the South China Sea margin countries lays claim to the whole of the Spratly Islands.  I cannot ascertain what exactly the purpose of the PRC’s build-up of the Fiery Cross Reef is.  Perhaps, they want it to be a joint use facility; however, this looks like a schoolyard bully, doing whatever strikes his fancy, betting that no one has the chutzpah to challenge his provocative actions.  My guess: the PRC will complete their construction at Fiery Cross Reef, install air defense systems and a fighter squadron at the island, and then carry out operations to dominate the Spratly Islands and intimidate their neighbors into submission to their will.  We need to pay attention to what is happening at Fiery Cross Reef.

Jacobsen, Annie.  “Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America.”  New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2014.

My reading of “The Nazis Next Door” [682] led me to the Jacobsen book out of curiosity and the need to fill in some blanks in my knowledge of that history.  Both Jacobsen and Lichtblau are professional journalists by trade – the former with the Los Angeles Times and the latter with the New York Times.  Jacobsen offered a better effort to present the facts and a balanced perspective of those facts with respect to a controversial highly classified intelligence program carried out after World War II. 

Apparently, she could not entirely resist the urge to generalize, using the emotionally charged term “Nazi” as an adjective modifier for anyone who worked for or supported Nazi Germany during the war.  Further, Jacobsen uses “ardent Nazi” to be worse than a run-of-the-mill Nazi with the implication that all Nazis and especially all ardent Nazis were war criminals, as if by definition.  Operation PAPERCLIP involved the employment of more than a thousand German scientists, engineers, doctors and intelligence personnel after the war.  As could be easily anticipated, more than a few of those German “employees” presented a serious ethical conundrum.  Some of them were actually charged, tried and convicted by the Nürnberg Military Tribunals; a few of that number were acquitted.  Yet, the label Nazi, used in the far more expansive application than is technically supportable, was intended to forever condemn them to non-productivity and obscurity, and further by association, disparage the American military and intelligence personnel that executed Operation PAPERCLIP or supported the objectives of the program.  The ethical question represented in Operation PAPERCLIP is: where do we draw the line, where is the threshold of tolerance, regarding Germans who worked for or supported the Third Reich between 1933 and 1945?  The crimes committed by some Germans and some Nazis apparently taint all Germans and especially all Nazis, without due process of law.

I was also struck by the clear condemnation of German scientists, engineers, and chemists, who were doing the same work as professionals in the United States and Great Britain.  Such selective condemnation seems to be woefully ignorant or politically biased.  The development and production of chemical and biological weapons are not war crimes.  The testing of those agents on prisoners without consent is a war crime.  As with so many moral questions in wartime, the crime is in the use of such weapons, not the development or production of those agents.

One last observation: neither book makes much of an effort to describe the situation in Germany and Europe in the aftermath of World War II.  To the vast majority of Allied citizens, the Soviet Union was a heroic, allied nation fighting against Germany (and in the last days of the war, against Japan).  Prime Minister Churchill recognized the reality of Premier Stalin’s objectives and intentions earlier than any of the Allied leaders.  He shared his perspective with his compatriot President Roosevelt.  It took Roosevelt two years to acknowledge Churchill’s insight.  Regardless, Stalin’s devious intentions clarified rapidly and became publicly undeniable by 24.June.1948 – a mere three years after the end of the war and after most of the PAPERCLIP decisions had to be made.  The choices presented to the Western Allies in those early post-war years were bad and worse.  Neither Jacobsen or Lichtblau made an adequate effort to paint the backdrop in which the Operation PAPERCLIP decisions were made, and thus, the impression the casual reader is left with is one of American military and governmental culpability, rather than parochial national security interests or simple naïveté, regarding the employment of German professionals after the war.

That said, at the end of the day, Jacobsen came closer to a balanced position than Lichtblau.  As such, I will recommend Annie Jacobsen’s “Operation Paperclip” for anyone interested in understanding the history of a very important, post-war, intelligence program.

News from the economic front:

-- The Gross Domestic Product of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) rose 7.0% for 1Q2015 – below the 7.4% for 2014 and 7.3% for 4Q2014.  The PRC’s economy expanded at its slowest pace in six years, dragged down by a slumping property market, industrial overcapacity and dampened overseas demand.

-- For the first time since the 2008 financial crisis, Japan has overtaken the PRC as the largest foreign owner of U.S. government bonds.  The PRC’s decade long appetite for U.S. government debt has been shifting down amid its slowing economy.  Investors in Japan have been attracted to U.S. bonds by one of the most attractive yields in the developed world.

Comments and contributions from Update no.695:

Comment to the Blog:

“In re police shootings: I see those shootings as racist but not limited to racism. Police work attracts a very specific personality, more so than any other field. Otherwise, why would a person choose to spend his days dealing with people at their worst? Other fields pay better for easier work with better emotional rewards. The police officers I have met, at work and otherwise, have a very strong sense of right and wrong that often devolves into an ‘us versus them’ mentality. Actual and appropriate law enforcement too often changes over time into ‘catching the bad guys’ by any means available. That includes, especially, police officers deciding who the ‘bad guys’ are based on race, attire, or attitude. We may as well expect that people will die unless something basic to the attitudes of the officers can be changed. I will note an even deeper underlying issue. Despite heavily armed police and extreme penalties for violations (the death penalty, ‘three strike’ laws, rigid ‘broken window’ enforcement), the United States continues to have higher crime and imprisonment rates than other similar nations.

“I myself was trained from an early age to do whatever law enforcement officers demanded because they carry guns. This has nothing to do with respect. It's simply fear. That fear fits the facts. Minorities were not allowed in the place and time I grew up. Poor people and ‘outsider’ families such as mine fell into that role. The first time I was falsely accused of a crime I was 11 years old, and my two younger brothers were included in that bit of insanity. I'm glad I was taught not to agitate law enforcement, but I have never come to respect police officers as a category. They are merely human beings with a strange taste in occupations. Their badges and weapons confer a sense of power on them, and power corrupts.

“I will admit to a certain surprise that Wichita has decriminalized marijuana possession. Nobody accuses Kansans of liberalism. I think we may take this a clear sign that progress on this issue is now national.

“I will not be voting for Hillary Clinton. I made that mistake with her husband. I will vote for a progressive one way or the other. Secretary Clinton has had 25 years to build a progressive record and has failed to do so. I don't care what she puts into her campaign. I will vote for someone with a history of progressive actions.

“Unfortunately, here in the U.S. we have a habit of overlooking diplomatic accomplishments. I learned to appreciate President Nixon's accomplishments in that arena only long after he served. I imagine President Obama's opening to Cuba will suffer the same fate with most Americans.”

My response to the Blog:

            Re: Law Enforcement (IE).  I will not quibble with your observations.  I believe the observations are valid at least in part.  Yes, IE share common traits of weakness, as do we as a society.  However, there is another major factor . . . communities get the police they deserve . . . too much “them vs. us,” “don’t snitch,” “I saw nothing,” et cetera.  We need strong, effective IE, and WE must help them in proper policing.  Leaving it to the IE to figure out does nothing but foster “us vs. them.”

            Re: interesting perspective.  I choose to follow instructions from IE not out of fear but from respect for the vital community work they do, and the risks they take for our protection.

            Re: Wichita marijuana vote.  I wish we had at least decriminalized marijuana possession and use.  The vote simply reduced penalties for first time convictions . . . as I said, a very small, half step.  While I do agree, it is a surprising step . . an important one, nonetheless.  I do not think of Wichita as a bastion of liberalism; it certainly appears as such in contrast to the extreme social conservatism exhibited in the surrounding state.

            It is way too early to be deciding on 2016 votes.  I do not know who I will vote for.  If Hillary is the best candidate presented to us on Election Day, then she will get my vote.  Today, we are a very long way from such decisions.

            Re: Obama & Cuba.  I hope you are correct.  Only time will tell.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“‘Communities get the police they deserve’? They get the police they can afford. After tax cuts over and over since Reagan, there's not enough money left to many communities even for these basic functions. Beyond that, I think you have cause and effect backwards. People will share information with the police if they believe the police can and will protect them from the criminals. They will show the police respect when the police earn respect.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

            Regardless of the chicken or the egg, the conduct of the community is directly involved in the effectiveness of law enforcement.  I will agree that tight governmental budgets affect the extent of law enforcement units.

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

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)

Update no.695

Update from the Heartland

No.695

6.4.15 – 12.4.15

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

To all,

The follow-up news items:

-- A federal court jury convicted the surviving Tsarnaev brother – Dzhokhar Tsarnaev – of all 30 charges against him, stemming from the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings (15.April.2013) [592], including using weapons of mass destruction.  Next, the jury will decide if he should get the death penalty.  I trust they shall do the right thing and diligently perform their civic duty.

We suffered yet another white-on-black, officer-involved shooting death, this time in North Charleston, South Carolina.   This time, the tragic event was fortuitously captured on video.  The police officer involved was quickly fired, arrested and charged with murder.  The Washington Post reported on an analysis by the newspaper and researchers at Bowling Green State University of thousands of fatal shootings at the hands of police since 2005, and found that only 54 officers had been criminally charged.  I watched the entire, publicly available video clip; there is little doubt in my little pea-brain the city took the correct action and the officer will face justice.

            In this next paragraph, I must preface the next element of my opinion with a clear statement.  A police officer is just another citizen, who happens to have chosen a particularly difficult and occasionally dangerous profession.  That said, the uniform, badge and firearm on his hip do NOT and SHOULD NOT offer any protection from criminal prosecution, especially when their actions cause injury to another person or property.  They do not have license for criminal conduct.  Yet, my irritation and mounting resistance from the string of these widely publicized, white-on-black, officer-involved shootings is the extraordinary disservice they do to all law enforcement officers.  Why is that we allow the Press to focus on the sensational, emotionally charged conclusion and rarely, if ever, the extraordinary poor judgment and often antagonistic actions of the victims leading up to the finale.  I suspect virtually everyone reading these words has been pulled over for a traffic violation at one time or another in our lives.  Has anyone been confronted by a police officer drawing his weapon?  I have never faced that circumstance.  So, as we mourn the loss of another citizen with dark skin pigmentation at the hands of a police officer, I will emphatically proclaim, a citizen’s skin pigmentation and past centuries of brutal discrimination do NOT give anyone the right to defy compliance instructions – stop resisting arrest and being belligerent with law enforcement officers trying to perform their duties.  If anyone believes they are being mistreated, do as you are instructed and file a complaint.  If you doubt the integrity of your local government, seek federal assistance with such discrimination.  Stop resisting!

On Tuesday, including yours-truly, we voted in Wichita, Kansas.  For the first time in my voting lifetime, I had to present an approved, image, identification instrument – in my case, my state driver’s license sufficed.  We elected a new mayor, city council and school board members.  We also voted on the citizen petition initiative to significantly reduce the legal penalty for the first time cannabis or paraphernalia possession offense by a 54% - 45% vote – hardly an overwhelm approval, but sufficient for a clear statement.  The state attorney general has already taken steps to block the voter-approved change.  The legal wrangling has only just begun.  As I previously wrote [691], this change is only a partial, baby-step and a long way from the proper reform that should be enacted; however, long journeys begin with small steps.  So, we begin!  One day, we shall mature as a nation that embraces freedom and remove government from our private lives and personal choices.  Until that day, we must continue to suffer the fools who desperately cling to the status quo ante.

Well, now, the suspense is finally over.  Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton finally and officially threw her hat in the ring for the 2016 presidential election campaign.  Whether you love her or hate her, there can be little question she will add color and dimension to this rendition of the quadrennial, or some might say bi-annual, silly season, which is sure to begin in earnest soon.  Republican wannabes – Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio (so far)  – have officially declared their candidacies.  We are likely to have a bounty of Republican candidates.  At least she recognized history in her announcement when she noted that voters have rarely kept the same party in control of the White House for 12 straight years.  Clinton is the first major Democrat to formally declare her candidacy.  Let the fun begin!

President Barack Hussein Obama of the United States of America met with President Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz of Cuba in an adjunct session during the Seventh Summit of the Americas in Panama City, Panama – the first substantive meeting between U.S. and Cuban leaders since 1956 and the Cuban Revolution of 1959.  History will judge this action.  Until then, I will hold the opinion that it was about time a president stood up to the mark and began the process of normalization of relations with our neighbor to the south.  President Nixon took the first steps to normalize relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1971.  President Obama’s move with Cuba has been long overdue.  We shall see how this works out . . . we can only hope for the better for both countries.

No comments or contributions from Update no.694.

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

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)

Update no.694

Update from the Heartland

No.694

30.3.15 – 5.4.15

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

To all,

The follow-up news items:

-- Indiana backpedaled quickly to revise their SB101 religious freedom law [693] to prohibit the use of the new law to discriminate against any citizen based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  Arkansas amended their law as well.  This is a good example of why President Jefferson articulated the separation between church and state.  I do not tell anyone how they should practice their faith or adherence to the religious dogma they choose to embrace; conversely, no one has a right to tell me how I should live my life, just because their faith tells them to do so.

-- Despite the very wrong 47-senators letter [691], the P5+1 Group (People’s Republic of China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States, plus Germany, i.e., the United Nations Security Council Permanent Members + Germany) [well actually, rather than P5+1, it is actually EU/EU3 + 3] reached agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), regarding the IRI’s nuclear development efforts.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel screamed bloody murder, publicly declaring “the deal” as a bad agreement and a threat to the security of Israel.  I have multitudinous views of all this, but the one thought that continues to percolate out of the morass – Netanyahu wants war with the IRI, nothing else will do, and he wants to drag the United States into his war.  I say, let us do as we say, let’s give diplomacy a chance, before we pull the trigger for more blood to be spilled.  There, I’ve said it.

-- Recovery crews finally located and retrieved the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) from Germanwings Flight 9525 [693], a little over a week after the tragedy.  Both critical recorders (CVR & FDR) are now in the hands of the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA) [the French NTSB].  The condition of the seriously damaged FDR is not clear.  In this instance, I suspect the BEA will release their investigation report as quickly as they are confidently able to do so.  The publicly available information continues to mount that this was a deliberate act by a selfishly murderous, suicidal co-pilot – Andreas Lubitz.  I shall persevere in my advocacy for caution and deliberation, to avoid over-reacting to the evidence.

Governor Edmund Gerald ‘Jerry’ Brown Jr. of California took an unprecedented action, ordering mandatory water consumption cuts across the entire state after the latest measurements show the state's mountain snowpack, which accounts for roughly a third of California's water supply, has shrunk to a record low of 5% of normal for this time of year.  Executive Order B-29-15 directs the state’s Water Resources Control Board to implement mandatory water reductions of 25%.  The sad reality of California’s drought cycle . . . this situation will impact us all.

For those who may be interested, Governor Samuel Dale ‘Sam’ Brownback of Kansas signed into law KS SB45, the so-called “constitutional carry” law, which allows any citizens (not otherwise prohibited, i.e., convicted felons, or under 21 years of age) to carry a concealed pistol, with or without a permit or appropriate training.  We will see how this works out.

News from the economic front:

-- The U.S. Department of Labor reported nonfarm payrolls rose by a seasonally adjusted 126,000 jobs in March – the smallest gain since December 2013.  The average monthly gain in 1Q2015 was 197,000, down from an average of 324,000 in 4Q2014. 

Comments and contributions from Update no.693:

Comment to the Blog:

“I regard the crash of Germanwings Flight 4U9525 as you do, as a tragic instance of a mentally ill person inexplicably taking many other lives along with his own. Short of strong evidence otherwise, society's only immediate action is to support the grieving survivors as best we can. This is the only instance of this specific behavior, so perhaps we ought not to treat it as an ongoing issue. People are showing signs of doing exactly that, though. Like you, I do not see increased or changed airline procedures as effective preventive measures should another such person make his way into the cockpit as a crewmember. The notion of arming cockpit personnel fails even more. Ordinary, mentally stable people would not have constant attention on such weapons, but a person in the mental state of First Officer Lubitz would. Such weapons would become the tools of the suicidal/homicidal person.

“We must find the means to protect the privacy and dignity of the individual while some form of filtration process allows us to intervene . . .” seems an impossible idea to me. Like it or not, we live in an adversarial society and we have already lost much of our privacy. Such a system would certainly be abused by the unscrupulous and the resentful, and might well not work anyhow. First Officer Lubitz's work environment placed him under more scrutiny than 99% of the people, but he went undetected.

“The so-called Religious Freedom Law, the Indiana government's assertion of its own insanity, surely will not withstand scrutiny. Among the more obvious “unforeseen” consequences could be a refusal to pay taxes or to cooperate with any governance at all. In medieval times, Christians refused to handle financial transactions because of some passage in the Bible. Look for people claiming Christian beliefs to comb that long, varied document and find words they can turn to their financial advantage. Many other ludicrous outcomes can easily be envisioned. Passages in the Bible give instructions in how to sell one's children into slavery, what animals to use for blood sacrifice and various other behaviors we see as repugnant today. Of course, these outrages are not limited to Christians. My religion has been persecuted by the Christians extensively in the past. Would this law give me liberty to persecute them back? A decent attorney could make total anarchy from this mistake were it allowed to stand.”

My response to the Blog:

            Re: suicide-by-aircraft.  Well, actually, GWI Flt 4U9525 is not the only instance of suicide-by-aircraft.

9.2.1982            Japan Air Lines Flight 350, DC-8, crashed short of runway; Pilot Seiji Katagiri, 35, engaged No.2 & 3 thrust reversers on approach, sending the plane into Tokyo Bay, killing 24 of the 166 passengers on board; he survived, tried, found not guilty by reason of insanity

21.8.1994            Royal Air Maroc Flight 630, ATR-42 aircraft, dove suddenly and crashed in Atlas Mountains; pilot Younes Khayati, 32, intentionally crashed the aircraft

19.12.1997            SilkJet Flight 185 crashed into swamp near Palembang, Indonesia; dove suddenly from FL350; pilot Tsu Way Ming most likely committed suicide-by-aircraft

31.10.1999            Egypt Air Flight 990 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Nantucket; cause unknown; most likely an intentional event

29.11.2013            Linhas Aereas de Mocambique (LAM) Flight 470, pilot Herminio dos Santos Fernandes locked out his co-pilot and intentionally crashed the a/c, killing all 33 people

I can also argue that PSA Flt 1771 [7.12.1987] was a suicide-by-aircraft, although that one did not involve either of the pilots as perpetrator.  As any good special operator will attest, there is no such thing as perfect security – where there is a will, there is a way.  Clearly, Lubitz had the will; it was not a spontaneous, emotional act.

            Re: mental health screening.  You are probably correct, which in turn means, we will have to endure sporadic events like GWI Flt 4U9525.

            Re: religious freedom.  Indeed!  Religious freedom does not entitle or enable anyone to impose upon the freedom of choice of another individual.  While Governor Pence is spot on correct, the law makes no mention of discrimination – for or against.  The IN SB 101 law simply states government cannot get involved when religious freedom is claimed.  To me, the IN SB101 is more likely a passive-aggressive enabler than it could ever be construed as a law of discrimination, i.e., it is rationale NOT to defend the civil rights of citizens who might offend the religious sensitivities of others.  The Constitution says equal protection under the law; it does NOT offer an exception, any exception, including for religious offense of some.

Another contribution:

“The news this morning that the Germanwings Co-pilot's personnel records show a six month sabbatical to deal with depression while he was in flight academy in 2009 is probably enough to invoke full negligence on the part of the airline which will significantly increase potential monetary damages. Also, both France and Germany have statutes on books making gross negligence chargeable as a crime.”

My reply:

            I heard the reports as well.  I hope the powers that be do not over-react to these revelations.  I have not heard the rationale or justification for Lufthansa ‘ignoring’ the signs, but it could be they were trying to give Lubitz the benefit of the doubt.  The dimensions of what might have been are large.  Clearly, Lufthansa did not have, or did not apply, criteria for mental health determinations.  In hindsight, Lubitz was clearly a troubled soul.  As you noted, he appears to have reached out, but apparently no one was listening.  It would be easy to over-react and disqualify everyone who reports or may be suspected of having a mental illness or anomaly.  While we certainly need a filtration process, we have failed to establish non-judgmental, non-punitive, mental health treatment systems.  Hopefully, we will learn positively from this event.

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

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)