Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A thought on the Auto makers:
The bail out of GM is more like a government buy out. The phrase that came, most recently, to mind is: "Who is John Galt?"
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
USSR part II?
I am not an expert in Russian politics....
When President Bush first met, then President, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin early in his first year in office he stated:
Two articles I've read in the last week spawned this quick reminder of who runs Russia today. The first was this one discussing the heavy handed break up of opposition protests. Many people are extremely unhappy with the current political situation in Russia and this has been exasperated by the lack of foreign investment and the current global financial mess. The investment issue is a major one and worthy of a book or two.
The second article is much more frightening. I thank God they we have the Bill of Rights. Voicing a descending view is treason... that very thought frightens me until I remember the old adage: "the 2nd Amendment protects all of the others." Read the article. This is a basis for a totalitarian state. I pray something occurs to heel Russia's current course or I fear a return of the USSR, though resembling Germany circa 1938 to a degree.
edit: This is what may happen in an extreme, but it is in the back of my head when ever I read someing like this.
When President Bush first met, then President, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin early in his first year in office he stated:
"I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country."Oddly enough I agree with Hillery Clinton - he is former KGB and probably does not have a soul. The minute he took office he started to consolidate political power. I could argue that purging the Kremlin of nearly anyone related to Boris Yeltsin was important house cleaning or that condensing the number of governors and political territories was need to better manage the country - many of the events of the past years point to less benevolent reasons. Let me be clear: this is a man who spent much of his life working his way through the KGB - starting in the Fifth Directorate (irc) which is charged with quelling descent of the government. I do believe that he has the best interests of his country at heart; it just so happens that it is always in the country's best interest to have him near the top of power. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's current president, has served under Putin since the fall of Communism in the early nineties and it is believed by many that hey his mealy Putin's proxy in office. The political party they share (and Putin is the current leader of) is generally considered a nationalist/center-right (the European definition of right). One of its main planks is to limit "radicalism". Additionally it has been reported (I don't recall where I saw it) that a push is being made to lessen the power of the rich oligarchs that run most of the countries manufacturing, transport, and natural resource concerns - possibly leading to the nationalization these industries. Now the PM and the President are pushing for a constitutional change to allow the president to serve a 6 year term instead of the current four. As a package it looks less than fair for a real Russian Democracy - I hope I'm wrong.
Two articles I've read in the last week spawned this quick reminder of who runs Russia today. The first was this one discussing the heavy handed break up of opposition protests. Many people are extremely unhappy with the current political situation in Russia and this has been exasperated by the lack of foreign investment and the current global financial mess. The investment issue is a major one and worthy of a book or two.
The second article is much more frightening. I thank God they we have the Bill of Rights. Voicing a descending view is treason... that very thought frightens me until I remember the old adage: "the 2nd Amendment protects all of the others." Read the article. This is a basis for a totalitarian state. I pray something occurs to heel Russia's current course or I fear a return of the USSR, though resembling Germany circa 1938 to a degree.
edit: This is what may happen in an extreme, but it is in the back of my head when ever I read someing like this.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
More minor points...
They are making a Ghostbusters game. Whether it very good or very bad doesn't matter: it'll be funny and I'll buy it.
This is the best summary of Islamo-fascist terrorism I have ever seen:
Plexico Burris is a colossal moron. Apparently the thug culture, that apparently urban people perpetuate, ignores basic safety and throws common sense out the window.
Problem one: He carried a gun in NYC illegally. Do I think NY's laws are asinine? Hell yeah, but I obey them just the same. He shouldn't have had it with him in the first place. Hell, clubs/bars and guns don't mix for a myriad of reasons. Guns and alcohol don't mix in any situation or quantity.
Problem two: He stuffed a loaded Glock in the waist band of his sweat pants. I have never found a pair of sweatpants that would support a couple of pounds of stainless steel, plastic, and ammo. In fact, I purchased a heavy duty gun belt to wear when I carry to support the weight of my sidearm - no pair of pants would do it by it self. In addition to this being unsafe and insecure; I have a major problem with pointing a loaded gun at my junk and at my femoral artery when sitting. In the worst case scenario the gun goes off taking my boys off and severing the major artery in my leg. The shame of becoming androgynous will be short lived since I'll probably bleed out in less than minute.
Problem three: He was sans holster. Nearly all holsters cover the trigger guard preventing accidental contact with the trigger and thus helping to prevent a negligent discharge. Most holsters also have belt clip that will prevent the gun from sliding down your pants leg.
Problem four: It should be a rule - don't try and grab a falling gun!
Who wears sweatpants in public anyway? Many people do when it makes sense to do so (jogging for example) - but to a club? Isn't that a sign you've given up on life and plan on spending your days in a recliner, chugging cheap booze, channel surfing and hoping not to wind up like half the people on COPS. I think this was a basis for an episode of Seinfeld.
And again whe turn to Americas best source for news an commentary to help put this in the proper perspective:
This is the best summary of Islamo-fascist terrorism I have ever seen:
Plexico Burris is a colossal moron. Apparently the thug culture, that apparently urban people perpetuate, ignores basic safety and throws common sense out the window.
Problem one: He carried a gun in NYC illegally. Do I think NY's laws are asinine? Hell yeah, but I obey them just the same. He shouldn't have had it with him in the first place. Hell, clubs/bars and guns don't mix for a myriad of reasons. Guns and alcohol don't mix in any situation or quantity.
Problem two: He stuffed a loaded Glock in the waist band of his sweat pants. I have never found a pair of sweatpants that would support a couple of pounds of stainless steel, plastic, and ammo. In fact, I purchased a heavy duty gun belt to wear when I carry to support the weight of my sidearm - no pair of pants would do it by it self. In addition to this being unsafe and insecure; I have a major problem with pointing a loaded gun at my junk and at my femoral artery when sitting. In the worst case scenario the gun goes off taking my boys off and severing the major artery in my leg. The shame of becoming androgynous will be short lived since I'll probably bleed out in less than minute.
Problem three: He was sans holster. Nearly all holsters cover the trigger guard preventing accidental contact with the trigger and thus helping to prevent a negligent discharge. Most holsters also have belt clip that will prevent the gun from sliding down your pants leg.
Problem four: It should be a rule - don't try and grab a falling gun!
Who wears sweatpants in public anyway? Many people do when it makes sense to do so (jogging for example) - but to a club? Isn't that a sign you've given up on life and plan on spending your days in a recliner, chugging cheap booze, channel surfing and hoping not to wind up like half the people on COPS. I think this was a basis for an episode of Seinfeld.
And again whe turn to Americas best source for news an commentary to help put this in the proper perspective:
Sunday, November 30, 2008
A Journalist gets it!
I found the following quote, in this article, from the photographer who managed to get a shot of on of the Mumbai terrorists:
Policemen who will not stop an armed gunman from slaughtering unarmed citizens... It makes my stomach turn.
"I told some policemen the gunmen had moved towards the rear of the station but they refused to follow them. What is the point if having policemen with guns if they refuse to use them? I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera."
Policemen who will not stop an armed gunman from slaughtering unarmed citizens... It makes my stomach turn.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Just a few random thoughts.
Arrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Somali pirates have been thriving - capturing a Saudi oil tanker and a Russian cargo ship laden with military cargo amongst others. That takes balls by any measure. What is amazing is that they have been allowed to thrive. The reactionary nature of the nations patrolling the Indian Ocean have emboldened the Pirates who live in luxury in a Barbary state. Somalia has not been a truly sovereign nation for sometime. The meddling by foreign groups - including Clinton's abortion of an operation in the '90s - have created a poor, fractured country in a state of perpetual civil war. The international community, sadly, frowns on arming the crews for the defense of their ship. As an American I fins this fundamentally wrong. The pirates have no real fear of loss and this emboldens them. Only one way has been proven to stop piracy: sink their ships, hell their ports, and hang the captains. The US Navy was formed to battle the Barbary Pirates. The Marines Hymn enshrines the "...shores of Tripoli...". You must be more ruthless then them; history prove s this. Sink captured vessels to deny them ransom and cargo - though that gets expensive in a hurry. Shell/bomb safe havens - a perfect job for a BB - if we still used them. If you make piracy have a significant cost you will curtail it.
Obama's Appointments and Such...
I just have to laugh. The man worked his way up through the Chicago political machine. Patronage is an important component of that. If anyone really thought he would do things differently they are a diluted fool. Even the Huffington Post is crying about this. You are getting exactly what you voted for. Those of you on the left are only seeing the beginnings of what many on the right had predicted would be the shape of his administration. If you are unwillinhg to take a critical look at your canidate before an election; don't act surpised when he does thinks you don't expect or disagree with.
On a somewhat related note... something that I had noticed during the summer, but never mentioned (I wasn't in a writing mood much of the summer): Doesn't the Oboma 'Hope' graphic look a little like the common Che Guevara image? I think it does, and it is quite telling of his belief system.
Money...
Here is an interesting artical in the Finacial Times. Apparently the Germans get it. It is a real shame that politicas and class warfare have gotten in the way of solving problems.
Arrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Somali pirates have been thriving - capturing a Saudi oil tanker and a Russian cargo ship laden with military cargo amongst others. That takes balls by any measure. What is amazing is that they have been allowed to thrive. The reactionary nature of the nations patrolling the Indian Ocean have emboldened the Pirates who live in luxury in a Barbary state. Somalia has not been a truly sovereign nation for sometime. The meddling by foreign groups - including Clinton's abortion of an operation in the '90s - have created a poor, fractured country in a state of perpetual civil war. The international community, sadly, frowns on arming the crews for the defense of their ship. As an American I fins this fundamentally wrong. The pirates have no real fear of loss and this emboldens them. Only one way has been proven to stop piracy: sink their ships, hell their ports, and hang the captains. The US Navy was formed to battle the Barbary Pirates. The Marines Hymn enshrines the "...shores of Tripoli...". You must be more ruthless then them; history prove s this. Sink captured vessels to deny them ransom and cargo - though that gets expensive in a hurry. Shell/bomb safe havens - a perfect job for a BB - if we still used them. If you make piracy have a significant cost you will curtail it.Obama's Appointments and Such...
I just have to laugh. The man worked his way up through the Chicago political machine. Patronage is an important component of that. If anyone really thought he would do things differently they are a diluted fool. Even the Huffington Post is crying about this. You are getting exactly what you voted for. Those of you on the left are only seeing the beginnings of what many on the right had predicted would be the shape of his administration. If you are unwillinhg to take a critical look at your canidate before an election; don't act surpised when he does thinks you don't expect or disagree with.
On a somewhat related note... something that I had noticed during the summer, but never mentioned (I wasn't in a writing mood much of the summer): Doesn't the Oboma 'Hope' graphic look a little like the common Che Guevara image? I think it does, and it is quite telling of his belief system.
Money...
Here is an interesting artical in the Finacial Times. Apparently the Germans get it. It is a real shame that politicas and class warfare have gotten in the way of solving problems.
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