COMensarations
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
The Coming Water Wars — 051123
There are storm clouds on the horizon.
An interesting report in today’s Pueblo Chieftain.
It seems that the bigger city to our immediate north is getting upset about our county’s efforts to comply with existing state 1041 statutes.....
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Stopping Kelo v. New London In Colorado
This will be interesting to watch.
The Pueblo Chieftain reports that there is a movement inside the state legislature to prevent what happened in New London from happening in Colorado.
For those not aware of the Kelo v. New London case, a city seized private property and converted it to commercial with the sole justification that it would improve the city’s tax revenues to have the land used for commercial purposes instead of residential. This ruling on the part of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) put EVERYONE’S home in jeapordy. This is the epitome of judicial activism at its worst. Why? Because the Constitution of the United States reads that such actions, under the auspices of “eminent domain” can be done for “public use”. It says nothing about commercial use. And here, the SCOTUS overstepped it’s authority, vis-a-vis the Constitution.
Now, legislatures across the nation are moving to block local governments from doing the same in their own area. This is a good first move. I would think that a good second move would be to impeach the justices of the SCOTUS who voted in favor of New London. But I’ve yet to see Congress do anything so couragous as to do their duty and remove a federal judge that has ruled against the Constitution.
I’m curious where OUR Congressional delegation stands on Kelo v. New London. I’ll probably report on THAT later....
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Hail to the Chief
Kitty Kennedy gets a second chance.
According to reports, Kitty Kennedy has been re-elected to be president of the District 60 School Board. The vote was unanimous, with Kitty abstaining from voting for herself.
Her previous tour has been, as some people would say, ‘interesting’. Between scandals regarding people holding positions on the board that probably should not have been, due to rampant ‘truancy’ issues, hints of shenannigans regarding the spending of bond monies delegated to the improvement of the schools in the district, apparent inappropriate influence being exerted by members of the school board over the administrators of the schools, she had quite a learning experience in the previous two-year term. I certainly hope she learned well from those experiences.
As one general officer who addressed the assembled classes at Benning School for Boys put it, “Good judgement is based on experience. Experience is based on poor judgement.”
And on that note, let us look to the future....
The Great Non-Debate — 051116
Use of the Hitchhicker’s Guide to the Galaxy as a form of debate on terrorism.
The other day, the Pueblo Chieftain did one of its weekly He Said/She Said things. Albeit along the lines of Pro vs. Con. The resolution under discussion was:
Are Muslim leaders derelict in not denouncing terrorism?
The pro side of the discussion was pretty much what was to be expected; the observation that there are darned fewer reports of Muslims protesting against the terrorists than there are dead bodies caused by said Islamic terrorists.
The con side is what caught my attention....
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
On the Other Hand….
....this is interesting.
Just got off the phone from talking with Congressman Salazar’s office ‘help’.
They were of no help whatsoever.
I was alerted by an item from Glenn ‘the Blogfather’ Reynolds that the House of Representatives was to vote on turning over control of the interent to the UN TONIGHT.
Almost, but not completely, stunned by this report, I called Congressman Salazar’s offices in Pueblo to (1) ask of them his position on this matter and (2) give him my opinion of this [not ‘no’, but ‘h--- no!’].
Unfortunately, none of the multitude of sweet-young-feminine-things I wound up talking to, either local or long-distance had ANY CLUE as to what our John was thinking on this matter. Not to mention how he would vote. Indeed, one individual, who was indirectly presented as John’s Chief of Staff in his DC offices, tender years that she bore, thought the vote was not tonight. This contrary to a realiable source of information.
So, I gave the sweet-young-thing my opinon of turning over control of the internet to a bunch of rapcious, nefarious, bribe-taking, brothel running bureaucrats. I tried to be ‘polite’. I think I succeeded as the distaff did not beat me about the head and shoulders, afterwards. Indeed, she added her support to the position. To the sweet-young-thing, too.
The first question I have of MY Congressman is, “Are you a sexist? Are there any ‘men’ on your staff?”
The next question is, “Why doesn’t anyone other than YOU know what’s going on?”
I await your reply to my questions. And, I’m looking forward to see how you voted on this, issue. As well as on others.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
This Is NOT a Good Indicator
Bird flu has jumped to pigs.
According to THIS report, it looks like we’ll all become vegans. Either that or start eating sushi, if the report is accurate. But good sushi is hard to come by here along the Front Range.
As I had commented earlier, between this bird flu and the mad cow, the price of meat is going to go through the roof. Now pork is at risk.
Better start stocking in beans as a source of protein. Fortunately pinto beans are really cheap....for the moment.
The good news is that this event occured in 2004. But we have not heard of massive die-offs of pigs. The indicator, however, is that this virus can jump from one large group, in this case from class avis (birds) to class mammalia (including pigs). Guess what....we Homo sapiens are of the class ‘mammalia’ too. So there is something of a ‘risk’ here.
I suspect that the reason we have not heard of more pigs dying is because the herd that died, was not interacting with other herds of pigs, as migratory birds interact with other birds.
The point remains, that, if the report is accurate, this virus IS subject to mutations that can allow it to jump from the bird population to the mammalian.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Nuggets In the [Pueblo Chieftain] News — 051109
A couple of interesting items in Pueblo Chieftain’s regular feature, What Others Are Saying.
First item, we have a comment from the Rocky Mountain Snooze on the attempts by the United Nations (UN) to takeover management of the famous internet.
Think of that. The UN thinks we’re doing a ‘bad job’ of managing the internet in our—if you’ll pardon my ‘French’—laissez-faire fashion. So they think THEY should do it for the world.
What a fascinating concept. We’ll turn over the free flow of information to a group of unresponsive, irresponsible, bribe-taking incompetents. THAT will certain improve things. But the question is for whom? Probably the remainder of dictatorial leaders who would rather NOT see their nefarious activities broadcast to the world. That would be a ‘good thing’ for them. And probably a ‘good thing’ for the UN. After all, since Hussein was deposed, they’ve probably had a serious cash-flow problem.
They need to find new sources.....why not the internet. Information for sale, whatever flavor you want, if you’ve got the money to line the UN officials’ pockets.
The third item is interesting too. Here, the Blade, in Toledo, Ohio, cuts itself while shaving.
The fact is that the [National] Guard was never intended to be thrust into the front lines of a foreign war. It was supposed to be a group of well trained citizen soldiers who could be activated in case of weather disasters and other emergencies on the home front.
The REAL fact is that whoever wrote that is totally wrong. The mission statement of the National Guard DOES contain a clause about going to fight in wars overseas. If they doubt that, they should take another block of instruction on American History through their local extension division of the University of Ohio. They obviously slept through their high school classes. Or perhaps it’s that the public education system in Ohio has REALLY ‘slipped’.
They do make a decent point about the utility of the National Guard during a natural disaster. Katrina is a prime example of that. That WAS a gaff. The mechanized infantry brigade of the Louisiana National Guard was out of position to support their own state, their being in Iraq.
The system for employment of the National Guard brigades, such as Louisiana’s is that they mobilize first in their home state and begin training up for their mission. The training continues at various locations around the country, to include such hi-tech sites as the National Training Center and other similar facilities to hone their unit into one of the sharpest combat tools the world has ever seen. Then, after almost six months of training, they perform six months of combat operations overseas.
It’s a VERY good system. However, as with all so many things in the military, timing is VERY important.
I don’t know WHO it was who agreed that Louisiana’s infantry brigade should be overseas during the regularly scheduled hurricane season. I mean, it’s not like they show up at random throughout the course of the year. They occur only during a few months. But, it would have been VERY easy for them to be doing their six months prep-up stateside, during the season. And their six months overseas during the ‘off’ season.
From my perspective, this is a staff foul-up. The Bush administration is not to blame. Rather, I think the Louisiana Adjutant General, his Chief of Staff, the State Area Command (STARC) staff officers for Intelligence, which is supposed to pay attention to the weather, and Operations, who should have asked the Intelligence staff puke about what threats could affect the state while the unit is gone, should all have their [figurative] heads on pikes outside the STARC headquarters, as an example for all others that STAFF WORK IS IMPORTANT and we will not tolerate sloppiness. It’s just too expensive.
Monday, October 24, 2005
The Bird Flu Pandemic II
Odd thoughts on what to do if it goes ballistic.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, the current threat with respect to Bird Flu, as it is reported today, is a dramatic rise in the price of chicken. We’ll have to kill off chickens like never before in order to contain a localized outbreak. In light of the current industrial process of raising the birds, this means whole industrial plants will be purged of all birds. The resulting lack of product will drive the price of bird flesh trough the proverbial roof.
On the other hand, there are other aspects as well. The human ones.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
The Bird Flu Pandemic I
Thoughts on the pandemic.
Initial thought? The price of chicken is going to go UP.
Caught between a rock and a hard place; brain rotting Mad Cow or a lack of chicken? My advice, like Eddie Murphy’s in Trading Places, is to put your money in sow bellies.
Seriously. With the report of Nine Dead from Mad Cow in Idaho. You get the distinct impression that all is not quite safe with respect to eating beef. Yes, a good friend of mine says ‘stay away from hamburger’. But that’s just to reduce the dosage. It doesn’t prevent being dosed in the first place. Only avoiding the contaminated food source prevents getting dosed with Mad Cow prions.
Then we have the approaching bird flu pandemic. And YES, it IS a ‘pandemic’. It’s just killing off the birds, for the most part....at the moment. And what’s the immediate consequence? There will be fewer chickens available for dinner. Not to mention what will happen with eggs. The price of both will probably sky rocket, where the bird flu is killing large numbers of birds.
So without beef or chicken or even eggs to eat, pork is going to become something other than “the other white meat”. If the fish go bye-bye too, it’s going to be the ONLY meat.
UPDATE: This is going to put some kinda pressure on the Jews and Muslims.
ADDITIONALLY: I think Cox & Forkum did a cute job with the aspect of Bird Flu vs. Humans. More on THAT idea, later.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Dog-Pile on Pat!!!! Part Deux
The fun just keeps on keeping on....
Pat Roberston has apologized for speaking his mind about the desirability of assassinating Hugo Chavez; chief of state for Venzula.
Initially, he claimed his comment to “take him [Chavez] out” was ‘misconstrued’. That may be, but most people recognize the phrase “take him out” to mean “kill”. Not “kidnap”. Pat should chose his words a bit more wisely.
Now, he has gone the ‘extra mile’ and outright apologized. Here’s his statement…
“Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him.”
The point here is that the so-called major media are not focusing on the apology. Instead they are still howling for blood....
...religious leaders including the Rev. Jesse Jackson for Bush to repudiate Robertson’s remarks.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called Robertson’s remarks “inappropriate” and said any ideas of hostile action against Chavez or Venezuela were “without fact and baseless.”
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Tuesday said political assassination was against the law and was not U.S. policy.
This public call to assassinate a head of state, considered a crime by all modern legislation, is prosecutable by its very nature. That is what the civilized world is expecting of U.S. authorities,” the Venezuelan government said on Wednesday.
Furthermore, the Venezuela government is attempting to take legal action against Pat for his employment of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
Meanwhile....
...there is deathly silence, in the so-called major-media, about similar calls for the assassination of President Bush.
Go fig....
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Dog-Pile on Pat!!!!
The lefties and a lot of others are ‘at it again’.
Pat Robertson, whom Glenn “BlogFather” Reynolds likes to refer to as one of the original ‘idiotarians’, has brought the wrath of god-only-knows-who-isn’t-involved down upon himself again. Here’s the story.
Just to keep the record straight, I’m not a big fan of assassination as a form of foreign policy. However, as the old adage goes...
All’s fair in love and war.
And last time I looked, we ARE ‘at war’.
As the rule of law stands right now, there is a presidential edict AGAINST assassination of hostile foreign heads of state. But, that could easily be removed with the stroke of a pen by any president. That includes President Bush (43).
What I find ‘interesting’ about all of this flap on the part of the leftist media and a bunch of others is that Pat, for all his alleged flaws, seems to be doing pretty good at predictions.
Seriously. Look at the two previous pronouncements by Pat that the so-called “major media” jumped on. Sometime in 2003-4, Pat said someone ought to ‘nuke’ the State Department. Then, sometime in 2005, Pat said that “Men In Black”, i.e., federal judges who sit for life, are a greater threat to American freedom than al Qaeda.
So, what happened? In 2005, after Bush celebrated his inauguration to a second term, he ‘nuked’ the State Department by removing Colin Powell and installing Condoleezza Rice. Talk about ‘nuking’ a bureacracy! Then, a few months after that, the Men In Black attack, in the Kelo v. New London decision, to make every homeowner at the veritable power of his City Council. [Note: It doesn’t matter if your house is in a fine state of repair. All they have to do is ‘declare’ it as ‘blighted’ and in comes the wrecking crew....]
So, Pat’s doing pretty good at being prescient, so far. What are his chances of being so again?
Here he is suggesting that some foreign leaders who are (1) hostile to the United States and (2) capable of doing something about it could and maybe even SHOULD be eliminated by the federal government. All as part of ‘providing for the common defense’. All it would take is a good team of men, as opposed to a full United States field army consisting of two corps and all the necessary support units.
What’s to prevent the President of the United States from doing EXACTLY that? Eh? I ask you....
And, if this president, or some future one, does exactly that, will Pat get credit for being prescient again? Don’t hold your breath.....
UPDATE [050823 1413 MDT]: Speaking of Planning....
I would not be surprised to hear that some staff pukes, either at the Puzzle Palace or the CIA already have a solid plan or two on how to assassinate Chavez. Indeed...I’d be surprised to honestly hear that they didn’t have such a plan ready. It’s the sort of thing they do....planning....
Friday, August 12, 2005
Penzeys One
The source of all spice has a new mag on the street.
Penzeys, the people who bring a world of flavor to your door, on demand, have come up with their challenge to Martha Stewart—a magazine for anyone who likes or wants to cook well with good seasonings.
Title Penzeys One, the magazine is choke full of articles and recipes on fine food. I’m looking at the portobello mushroom sandwich and getting hungry.
I have to say, I’ve been VERY happy with Penzeys for the quality of their products and the timeliness of their services. Seriously....why spend $4 for an ounce of herbs de provance when you can get a pound of it for three times that? Do the MATH fellow Ms....
Saturday, July 30, 2005
We’re Baaaack
Nothing like getting back into the swing of things.
It has been a long and busy six-months. Too much going on to spend as much time as I would like pontificating on things I probably don’t know nearly enough about to do so. But...still and all, things are settling down and we can get this thing going again.
There will be some rule changes, as in the previous incarnation, we discovered some loop-holes in the system that permited spamming of a most unsavory nature.
In order to deal with the problem of spamming of that sort, I’m open to suggestions on means to control it. If you have such a suggestion, please feel free to e-mail me with it and we’ll discuss it. Or you can comment....for the moment. I don’t think the spammers are aware of this blog’s existance just yet. But when they do find out, we’ll have to affect the sort of security that seems to be the best for all parties....save the spammers.