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June 30, 2007

H&I* Fires, 30 JUN 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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In honor of BloodSpite’s campaign against the immigration reform bill I present Tapscott’s post about the effect of the New Media on policy debate.
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A sign that some of the positives in Iraq are actually making print media is this story, “Half of Baghdad Now Under Control” in USA Today. The ‘Surge’ is in progress. And why do we still keep calling it that? The surging part ended when last unit was on station. Now they are onto some other element of an operational plan. I guess I shouldn’t complain too much. At least the ‘escalation’ tag some wanted to hang on this didn’t really stick. (h/t Dunnigan’s FYEO group)
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According to some turnabout on obstructionism isn't fair play. Cry me a freakin' river.
--ry
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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... �

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by Denizens on Jun 30, 2007 | General Commentary

'Tis done.

We've got the keys to the Castle.

Champagne on the deck.

And the ranges are open.

Artillery...

Pistol...

Rifle...

There's splashes of lead, bits of copper, GSR, and casings all over the place now. I've marked my territory.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. I can knock *that* off the list of things to do before I die. Have a house where I can shoot from the deck... legally, safely, and without annoying my neighbors.

And SWWBO can knock an item off of her list: owning a farm.


A big thank you to Mike, our agent, Karen, the listing agent, our new neighbors, Cheryl and Allan, Dewayne for the work he did, and Karen the mortgage lender for making this all easy.

But most importantly, thanks to Floyd & Doris Camp, for making this place what it is - and Mom and Dad, for making our assumption of the feoffe-in-trust possible.

June has been a damn good month for this place. Dusty got his new rating, Bill got his new job, and we got a new Castle. Woot!

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by John on Jun 30, 2007 | Something for the Soul

A report from Remodel He11 and a note on genetics.

My sister's live-in remodel continues. I was going to say, "apace" but this is anything *but* "apace." It does have a pace, but it ain't a real fast one.

When last I wrote, a hole had been started in my yard. The next day the hole was made larger. That also meant that two mountains of dirt from the hole had been constructed on the lawn. Who needs grass anyway? A small amount of lumber had also appeared.

Then.…..they went away. No activity for two days (really four because of the weekend).

On Monday, two guys came and put a couple of stakes in the hole. Then they left and didn’t come back. I hope they get paid by the job.

On Tuesday, a bunch of guys came and pounded stakes into the bottom of the hole, wound some strings around the stakes, poked some new rebar in the dirt, and created a form for the foundation. I don’t know how long they were there, but at least there was some progress.

On Wednesday, a cement mixer came. They put a pipe up over my roof and dumped cement into the bottom of the hole and filled the forms. You know what Dodger did when that happened. The trend is strengthening.

On Wednesday evening, it began to rain. A lot. It rained a lot all night long and into the morning. When we arose this morning, we had a lovely cement pond surrounded by a muddy moat, ringed by eroding mountains of dirt. But we have the beginnings of a foundation, so all is good.

For those who have been following this saga, and remember the discussion of the pile of rebar snakes, concrete, and how delicate certain strains of grass are to be mauled by a bobcat - here's proof.

Moving on to genetics, or "The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree." The Castle Guard Force consists of the Exterior Guard, a force of two dogs scrup'ls and the 8 felines who consitute the Interior Guard. All are foundlings of one sort or another. I used to wonder if there was a marking on my forehead which reads "sucker" in Cat and Dog.

Heh. It's either that or a pheromone or something. Why do I say that? This note from the Armorer's Father will explain:

There is a new resident in the old house. Dee Corn called me Tuesday evening upset about a kitten that was living in her back yard. Very young and constantly crying. Her two dogs were not pleased, but she was slipping water and milk to the creature. She called for advice but and before I could think of a good excuse to avoid it she was at my door with this very young teeny black and white fluff ball.

The kitty decided I was mama. climbed up my leg using ice climbing crampons and stuck her nose in my eye, mewing pitifully.

Of course she spent the night, much to the disgust of my other two housemates. She slept with me, or to be more accurate, we occupied the bed together. She cried most of the night resting on my chest. Damncat wouldn't speak to me (except at meal time) and Biby was an aggressively nasty hostess.

Yesterday was the first window replacement day so I spent most of the day trying to keep the animals from escaping and keeping the little one away from the feet of the workmen.

Last night was calm. The crying had stopped, but I still had a little body clinging to me most of the night.

Today Damncat has adopted his the "if I ignore it will go away" stance, but the BIB is still hissing & growling & sputtering. She blames me of course & won't let me come close except to fill her dish.

We have an appointment with John Williams tomorrow.

I have tentively named fuzzball Elizabeth - Lizzie for short, at least until I can come up with more appropriate like fuzzball or darned cat or needlefoot (I look like a drug addict)

You can also see where I learned my naming conventions. Given we have cats named Barnacle, Little Girl, Rest Stop... And Dad had one named Noname... Damncat is pretty obvious - but Biby (more correctly, the acronym BIB) - well, that's short for Bitch In the Basement.

And she is.

But she's family. And now, so is Lizzie. That little pointy-ended fluffball doesn't know how good she's got it.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by John on Jun 30, 2007 | I think it's funny!

Propsicle

I didn't get the chance to wander through the official museums at Bragg, but the unofficial ones kept the trusty digicam busy.

Stuff like this.

Propsicle #39

For the grognards with dialup, shoot me an e-mail and I'll send you the hi-res (they're a tad large). For everybody else, the profile ("Ooooh! *Rivets*...") and a fairly unusual nose-on shot.

Oh, for the good ol' days of authorized personal markings...

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by CW4BillT on Jun 30, 2007 | Plane Pr0n

Hurry Up and Wait. Postscript (Maybe)

Your Horoscope for Today, Virgo: Today is not an auspicious one for travel plans, especially if they involve a distant destination.

Okay, thanks to a certain major carrier cancelling a buncha flights ("We can get you as far as Charlotte or Atlanta, but then you'll have to take a cab to Jersey..."), my original 10-day sojourn south of Messrs Mason 'n' Dixon's chalk line has turned into a fortnightly foray. And still no luck on the elusive Flyable AH-1F.

*grump*

I'd have paid more attention to that horoscope, but us Virgos are notoriously skeptical -- as well as being passionate, artistically-inclined lovers who are totally devoid of a sense of humor. Ummm -- waitaminnit. I misread this -- Jupiter's in trine, Saturn's in the parking lot and Mercury's in Chinese tuna. So, ix-nay on the assion-pay.

Especially since my present domicile isn't within walking distance of anything but the parking lot of the mall, and *that* closed at 8pm due to electrical storms.

I sense something otherworldly about this.

A touch from the Beyond.

The hand of...

...Carborundum.

Hmmpf -- I'll remember this, dude (unless that short-term memory deal kicks in, anyway). Think you got nonplussed in Nam Can? Messed up at Moc Hoa? Upset in the U Minh? Once I get Cobra Current, you'd better have those newbies primed to hit the ground at a flat-out, dead run, bruddah!

*grin*

I can see the pinion-flurry now...

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by CW4BillT on Jun 30, 2007 | Shameless Self-Promotion

June 29, 2007

H&I* Fires, 29 JUN 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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A sign of something that looms over the horizon: Putin lays claim to vast chunk of the Arctic. Right of way, territorial claims, and such that result from accessibility gained by receding polar ice are issues that are being argued right now in many places.
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Heh. I know the feeling. The left lane’s the passing lane and not the ‘I’m too lazy to pay attention to changes in traffic so I’ll just sit here’ lane.

But then there’s the problem of the jackalope who comes screaming down the road at 90mph and just expects you to get out of his way, traffic or no, and then tailgates you flashing their headlights and such.
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This sucks. VBIED have gone to London. JRobb’s Bazaar of Violence sounds more and more reasonable all the time, regardless of TDAXP’s slagging the idea.
--ry

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Two items for your consideration, whose only connection is that they both involve special forces:

- Damian

Update: I've been able to find out some additional information on the decorated SOF members (cleared through the appropriate official channel), which I've posted as an update to the Facta Non Verba link. I'll admit I was surprised to find out one of the soldiers recognized was a female member of CANSOFCOM, and that the citations themselves will remain sealed for at least twenty years.

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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... �

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by Denizens on Jun 29, 2007 | General Commentary

Perspective is everything...

"Congratulations, you passed."

Sweet words after two months of training for a type rating in the MD-11. 215 tons of airplane controlled by my left hand...typing commands into the Multifunction Control Display Unit. Of course, if two engines decide to explode shortly after takeoff there's a little hand flying involved but hey, whatever it takes.

So... it's off to IOE--Initial Operating Experience--flying revenue trips with a check airman watching me trying my best not to kill both of us and giving me official blessing to "fly the line," i.e., be a regular crew member along with the rest of the anointed.

Got some pretty important guidance from the evaluator after the check, too.

"OK, once I input into the system the fact that you passed the check, go to the website and order your catering for the Hawaii trip."

"Say what?" (I knew my first ride was to Honolulu but this subtle nuance escaped me up to that time.)

"You know, what you want to eat on the flight."

"Uhh, OK."

New bean logs on to the pilot website...

Ah, there's a hot link to "International Catering"...lessee what pops up...

Two (not one, two) meals listed: Hot dinner; Hot breakfast. Choices...the stuffed halibut looks nice...or do I want barbecue? Salad choices, beverage choices, a list two pages long.

Gawd. I knew I bid this jet for a reason. That and the pay raise, a'course.

Knuckle-draggin' Hawg driver dies and goes to heaven--nice food, nice destinations, nice hotels, flying airplanes--JUST flying airplanes, no OERs to write, no dumb-ass projects to do, no all-nighters to pull. Show up, fly, leave.

The flying is as much computer management as it is stick and rudder because flying a behemoth is taxing when you do it for an hour, much less eight, and it's more fuel-efficient if you let Betty do most of the mundane maneuvering. Besides, this jet was designed for passenger comfort. God forbid the martinis are spilled in First Class 'cause an engine quit, so the autopilot and flight director systems are pretty cosmic.

Granted, these carry boxes but why rip out all the cool automation? OK, fine. We all gotta make sacrifices.

Me? I'll hand fly it on depature and approach as much as they'll let me but it's nice to know that, launching out of London in weather that makes it difficult to find your hand at the end of your arm, you can hit that "Autoflight" tile (yeah, "tile," not "button"--whatever) and Betty nails all the headings, altitudes and airspeeds while you sit back and just, well, watch.

Anyway, I ain't done yet...two more trips culminating in a line check, but it sure beats sitting in a cubicle staring at the ceiling.

Would I trade it for a Hog assignment? If the nation called, I would go without hesitation.

But there is life after the speed jeans (G-suit) are hung on the peg for the last time and trust me when I say I don't feel guilty enjoying the new lifestyle.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by Dusty on Jun 29, 2007 | General Commentary

Let's have some fun.

It's going to be a busy day. We close on the new demesne this afternoon.

Which means rounds downrange this evening!

While we wait for that... caption this:

Hosting provided by FotoTime

And SWWBO is soliciting suggestions and advice.

Yeah, I know, this place is supposed to be a milblog... but I gotta have *fun* too!

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by John on Jun 29, 2007 | I think it's funny!

Ah, cruel fate.

I coulda been a data collector on this exercise... had the war not changed the schedules.



SHOALWATER BAY, Australia (June 26, 2007) An Australian army Soldier fires his weapon during a training exercise in support of Exercise Talisman Saber 2007 (TS07). TS07 is designed to enhance the combat readiness and interoperability between U.S. and Australian military forces, is conducted in Australia and focuses on crisis action planning and execution of contingency response operations. This biennial event is the largest-ever joint/combined training exercise in the region consisting of more than 9,000 U.S. and 7,500 Australian personnel conducting land, sea and air evolutions. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by John on Jun 29, 2007 | Observations on things Military

Hurry Up and Wait, Part Deux

Well, today was "Draw the Last of the Flight Gear" Day. While popping a pair of new boots, two sand-colored T-shirts, a set of gloves, et cetera into a shopping cart that had never seen actual sunlight, a late-twentysomething A-10 driver eyed my lanky, grey-haired carcass and fished, "Going to the Sandbox?"

"Ummmm -- the periphery of one of 'em, yeah."

"Hauling people or cargo? Or both?"

Heh. Time to play the "My Ops Are Blacker Than Your Ops" game.

"Neither. Gunships."

*eyes opening wider* "Whoa! You're flying Spectre?"

"Nope. Cobras. Goggle stuff."

"Cobras? *Helicopters*?"

"Yeah. I like to get close enough to see the look on their faces."

*blink* "Uhhhhh."

*grin*

New kids. I love it when they go speechless...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

However, karma must equalize, so my payback was that the Cobra I was supposed to fly for recurrent training isn't flyable anymore. Got feelers out to the usual places (there actually *are* a couple of de-mil'ed Cobras with civil registrations out there), but in the meantime, my employer decided -- and rightly so -- that

1. it would be a waste of funds to keep me cooped in a motel here in the scenic South and

2. my scrounging talents would be better utilized at the personal level, rather than electronically.

Yup. I have a mission (and contacts) to obtain some unobtainables. Still working the telecommuting details, but tomorrow this afternoon, I launch into the Danger Zone.

New Jersey.

And KtLW's honeydew list.

I'd almost rather be getting shot at...

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by CW4BillT on Jun 29, 2007 | I'm an idiot...

Kansas Casualty.

LEWIS%5B1%5D.jpg
TRANSITION TEAM OFFICER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN

Captain Darrell C. Lewis, 31, died of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by insurgents using rocket propelled grenades, mortars and small arms fire June 23 in Vashir City, Afghanistan.

Lewis was a mobilized Army Reserve air defense artillery officer serving on a transition team assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. His home of record is Washington D.C.

He entered the Army Reserve in June 2002 and deployed with the 1st Infantry Division transition team in January 2007. This was his first deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

To date, 114 Fort Riley Soldiers have been killed while serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Hoist your tankards, lads and lasses - Duck Hunter *fighting as Infantry* inbound to Fiddler's Green.

Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance. In Memoriam.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by John on Jun 29, 2007 | Something for the Soul

June 28, 2007

H&I Fires, June 28, 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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Today is Crime Day! Because that's what was in my email, mostly...

CAPT H sends, "Granny, get your gun!" Granny's got some pretty harsh ROE! I hope that second shot doesn't land her in jail.

Lou M. sends us this about an auld Marine who didn't need a gun to deal with his perp.

Jack Lewis has some things he wonders about... some examples:

Why after serving two terms in the House of Representatives and eight years in the Senate, Dan Quayle was considered "unqualified" to serve as Vice-President by much of the Media Elite, yet after serving only two years in the Senate, Barack Obama's qualifications are never questioned by those same Media Elite?

If when I assemble a jigsaw puzzle of the Mona Lisa, I can't then claim I painted the Mona Lisa, why do companies buy parts from overseas, pay Americans to put the parts together, and then claim it was "Made in America"?

Why are Bill Maher, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert allowed to say as reprehensible and as outrageous stuff as they want, but Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh are almost daily excoriated for stuff nowhere near as offensive?

Check out his others, here.

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Speaking of prosecutors being blinded by the kliegs... Fitzgerald (who at least got a reluctant conviction in a Martha Stewart-esque display of prosecutorial zeal), that idiot Nifong, now let us add... Ronnie Earl and his pursuit of Tom DeLay.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals today refused to reinstate criminal conspiracy charges against former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and two co-defendants.

DeLay, R-Sugar Land, and political consultants Jim Ellis and John Colyandro were accused of conspiring to violate state election laws in the 2002 elections for the Texas House. But lower courts threw out the indictment on grounds that conspiracy to violate the election code was not a crime until 2003,

A majority of the Court of Criminal Appeals agreed.

DeLay, Ellis and Colyandro were charged with plotting to funnel illegal corporate campaign contributions to several Republican House candidates in 2002, when the GOP gained its first House majority of modern times.

The three also were charged with money laundering, but a trial on those charges has been held up pending a resolution of the conspiracy charges.

DeLay's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said he was pleased with the ruling but sorry that it took so long and resulted in DeLay's resignation from Congress, where he represented Houston's southwest suburbs for more than 20 years.

"Ronnie Earle indicted Tom DeLay for a crime that didn't exist, wasn't on the books," DeGuerin said.

-the Armorer

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Sigh, Eric, you're harshing my mellow, dude. (see his comment on the "Range" post.)

Just work with me here.

For you - this will be your vehicle... So, think in scale terms...

The map is where things are supposed to be... I can't build it until I own it (after 1500 local tomorrow).

And if your tank is one of these... then there's plenty of room, 'k? -the Armorer

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How 'bout a little Gunner Zen while we're at it, too?

Italian gun taken out of action in the Western Desert.

That's some fancy shooting. Or lucky. -the Armorer

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It's a good thing critters can't vote. Mr. Romney would have lost 10 votes at the Castle. And quite possibly two more bi-pedal votes, as well, if he were a candidate we were interested in. -the Armorer

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Cdr. Salamander added his voice to the question of Internet Misogyny and requested the ladies' imput, including mine. - FbL

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ARROWHEAD RIPPER UPDATE

Yesterday's SIGACTs from FOB Tacoma.

Alexandra Zavis of the LA Times with 5-20 IN

Joshua Partlow of the Washington Post with the 3/2ID

Michael Gordon of the New York Times with Comanche Company, 1-23 IN

Drew Brown of Stars & Stripes with the 296th BSB

In other AOs-this report from LTC Matt Green of Ft Lewis, leading an advisory team to one of Baghdad's Iraqi police commanders.

-HL

Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... �

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by Denizens on Jun 28, 2007 | General Commentary

Smith's Right

We are not paying enough attention to this.

Pirate-Held Crew Runs Out of Food and Water [W. Thomas Smith Jr.]

It appears the world — including the Royal Danish Navy — has forgotten the pirate-seized crew of the Danica White
A Danish cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates earlier this month has run out of food and fresh water at sea, a Kenyan maritime official said on Monday.

The MV Danica White and its five Danish crew members were carrying building materials from Dubai to Kenya when it was seized off Somalia in the world's most dangerous waterway.

"The news we are getting is that food has run out in that ship and there is no water," said Andrew Mwangura, director of the Mombasa-based East African Seafarers Assistance Programme.
What's above is copied directly from W. Thomas Smith, Jr.'s entry over at "The Tank". Follow the link in the title to Smith's post over at The Tank and there's some back and forth with my pal Steve. I published it at my place and sent out a few emails. I really feel it's wrong that we let this slip from the public eye.....Maggie

P.S. I wanted to slip it into the H&I Fires, but it was unpublished and I couldn't figure out how. I guess I'll never get the drop on anyone up there, like Ry, Kat and Bill. You can move it if that's more appropriate....M

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by Denizens on Jun 28, 2007 | General Commentary

What really peeves me about the immigration bill.

Besides the bill itself, which I think is unworkable and unusable as written - except by illegals who will be able to game the system with near impunity is the real, palpable disdain with which several Senators seem to regard their constituents.

A post by Stanley Kurtz on National Review's "The Corner" blog:

Pants Down [Stanley Kurtz]

Here’s something new. The first true Internet-Age presidential campaign was in 2004. The first major Internet-Age Supreme Court nomination was Harriet Miers, in 2005. Now, in 2007, we’ve got what is arguably the first truly major down-and-dirty Roberts-rules-of-disorder parliamentary battle fought under the searchlight of the blogs.

The Internet was critical to the immigration bill’s first failure. If not for the blogs, the bill’s deceits and flaws would not have been so well or quickly exposed, and "comprehensive reform" would probably otherwise have passed within a couple of days. Now we’re at yet another new level. The public is being exposed to a basket of legislative tricks–of a sort that are rare in any case, and surely of a kind that have never been subjected to mass and rapid-fire public exposure. The undemocratic character of all that is happening here is being conveyed to the public in short order and with clarity–often through the medium of Senate aides themselves.

Do the Senators now called "Masters of the Universe" understand this? Presumably, senate aides, who certainly read the blogs, have communicated to their senators how dangerous it is to be exposed in this fashion. But maybe some senators still don’t get it. They seem to think they can get away with backroom maneuvers in an era when blogs are serving as virtual fly-on-the-wall cloakroom cameras.

Earlier today, in "Off the Table," I argued that passing this bill is not going to make the immigration issue go away. On the contrary, the blogs-eye-view we’re getting of all this sausage making is going to be frozen in the public memory for a very long time. It’s going to inspire new campaigns, and it’s going to haunt the Masters of the Universe–and the Amnesty 8, too. I still don’t think they quite realize this. In fact, the Masters’ false belief that quickly passing this bill is going to somehow get this issue off of their backs is the method behind this their deceptive madness. They don’t seem to realize that they’ve already been caught with their pants down.


The influence of the blogs (no, not mine, in this fight or context) is growing, and defining their niche in the news business. And doing so strongly, by their nature not having many of the time and content constraints that broadcasters/cable news operations have, nor the structural issues that print media has.

What's happening in the Senate is nothing short of disgraceful, as the ugly workings of ramming through unpopular legislation in an arguably un-democratic fashion is laid bare - and it's being done in a high-handed, bi-partisan display of stunning oligarchic arrogance.

I had this discussion in May, with Nancy Boyda, my Rep in Congress. How the Internet (re: the blogs and the way they feed the news-cycle - and feed off of it) are going to change the way politicians do business. That the old paradigm most of these Senators were used to just wasn't workable anymore.

You're seeing it in action now.

Boyda, being at the beginning of her career, has a unique opportunity - to build a new way of doing business-as-usual. By recognizing that you can't be "all things to all people" because we feeders-of-the Internet just aren't going to allow it. Pols are going to have to keep track of their positions, and changes to them. The key thing is the follow-up to explain *why* they changed. So, of course, as with McCain-Feingold, their instincts are to regulate criticism out of the picture...

Flip-flopping sticks as an accusation when you can't or won't explain the change.

If you can/will explain the change (and have been consistent) - then it's grown-up behavior, right?

Not that loons on the extremes of either side will *ever* be satisfied, therefore, don't bother trying to satisfy them, really. You're never going to make them happy without rigid, lockstep obedience to doctrinaire positions.

But the key pieces in the blurb from The Corner is what dominates local water-cooler talk, and the disgust is bi-partisan in regard to the bill and the Senators from both parties trying to ram it through who are clearly disgusted with having to take into account popular will.

Most people understand a need for reform in the system - and most people don't see this bill as the venue for it - and are appalled at the way the political class is behaving, and that's regardless of party affiliations - it's a huge swell of "a pox on all your houses."

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by John on Jun 28, 2007 | Politics
� Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator links with: Immigration bill faces key test
� Airborne Combat Engineer links with: Final cloture vote on Immigration Amnesty bill ~ 10:30 DST
� Techography links with: Points of Interest

Why I don't watch TV news.

Michael Medved's opening paragraph today...

The sad case of pregnant, murdered Jessie Davis and her married lover (and alleged killer) Bobbie Cutts threatens to dominate cable news for months to come – especially now that Paris Hilton’s out of jail and the justice system has established the paternity of Anna Nicole’s baby.

...especially now that Paris Hilton’s out of jail and the justice system has established the paternity of Anna Nicole’s baby.

And the fact that those stories lead, nay, *dominate* the news is *our* fault - meaning consumers, and I suppose, in a sense, it's a death spiral of sorts. As more and more of us abandon the TV news because it just gets more and more tabloid... the people who *do* still watch it are increasingly of the type who want... tabloid news. Local news has always been bad in KC, but now it's simply a joke. If you live here, and take your sense of community from the news - then you're living in a war zone, complete with kidnappings and murders all the time, with a tornado looming outside your door anytime there's a thunderstorm.

And heaven forbid if it's a cute white chick who's kidnapped. That will push the gangbangers (who are far more dangerous than the lone murderous loon) off the tube so we can worry about the pretty white girl in breathless tones.

And, sadly, there *are* a few neighborhoods in KC where that just might be true, where the 'bangers are warring amongst themselves and the innocents are caught in the crossfire. But that's *not* where most of us live.

Absolutely *not the fault* of the victims and their families - I don't mean to imply that at all, and I don't fault the families for using every means at their disposal to try and get their kids back.

This is a more general commentary on the producers and remaining consumers of the product.

I don't have an answer to it, I'm just venting.

But I do wish more newsies would do what Mika Brzezinski did on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show.

Be embarassed by what the producers put in front of them.

Check it out.

H/t, Toluca Nole

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by John on Jun 28, 2007 | Media Morons

Kansas Casualties.

First, a Kansan in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Corporal Eric C.Palmer
FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- An 82nd Airborne Division Paratrooper died as a result of injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire in Salah Ad Din, Iraq Monday.

Corporal Eric C. Palmer, 21, of Maize, Kansas was a rifleman with 1st Bn., 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 3rd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 82nd Abn. Div.

Palmer joined the Army in September 2004. He completed Infantry One Station Unit Training in December 2004 and the Basic Airborne Course in March 2005 at Fort Benning, Ga.

He reported to the 82nd Abn. Div. in March 2005 and was assigned to 1st Bn., 505th PIR as a Rifleman.

Palmer's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.

Palmer is survived by his father, John Palmer, and his mother, Dena K. Palmer, both of Maize, Kansas; his brother, Travis Palmer, and his niece, Camryn Palmer, both of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

From the 1st Infantry Divsion, Fort Riley:

Private First Class Andre Craig Jr.
Private First Class Andre Craig Jr., 24, died of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device June 25 in Baghdad, Iraq.

Craig was an infantryman assigned to 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. His home of record is New Haven, Conn.

He entered the Army in October 2005 and began serving with the 1st Infantry Division in March 2006. This was his first deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

To date, 113 Fort Riley Soldiers have been killed while serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Hoist your tankards, boys and girls - two more infantrymen headed for the table at Fiddlers Green.

Heh. The legend of the 'Green says it's for mounted soldiers... but I've never believed that the denizens of the 'Green would turn away any weary grunt needing a brew.

Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance. In Memoriam.


Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by John on Jun 28, 2007 | Something for the Soul

June 27, 2007

"Going to war with a pencil"

Canadian artist Richard Johnson spent some time embedded with U.S. forces in Iraq in 2003, capturing their lives with nothing more than a pencil and paper.

He's doing the same thing with Canadian soldiers in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan right now, and blogging about it too.

Johnson isn't sitting back at KAF, either. He's out at the FOB's, going on patrol with the troops, dismounting and following in their footsteps, ducking during the inevitable TIC's, and trying to give each of us a glimpse into the life of ordinary soldiers doing extraordinary things through the lens of his experience.

Here's an excerpt of the text he puts up with his drawings, taken from a patrol he joined on his "day off":

The heat starts to take a toll. Every time the tank stops soldiers alternate turns to drink. Civilian families are waved inside by the interpreters and the ANP. I snag a water from the ever-prepared Corporal Tu. My camera makes one last grinding sand-filled attempt to focus and dies. I grab the spare.

We move on metre after choking metre, after km after km before eventually leaving the buildings for open fields. Gunfire erupts from the lead tank’s coaxial machine gun. It hurtles forward, crushing a stone wall and rumbling into the field. The soldiers duck by the wall. Then they are joined by others, then hustled by their sergeants to work to the right along the road flanking something I cannot see. Gunfire erupts again and I drop to one knee. I am the only one though. Everyone else can tell friendly from enemy gunfire. The tanks continue moving and firing.

We leave the road into the vineyards. The checkpoint is spotted and the infantry sweep forward. We stage one last time in cover before making the last rush to the wall of the checkpoint and inside. Almost everyone is exhausted. Some soldiers — each carrying at least 65lbs of gear — are completely soaked in sweat, no part of their uniforms remain dry. Many collapse to the ground behind the barricade.

Service takes different forms, and is expressed with different talents. Soldiers fight. This artist has chosen to pay tribute to those soldiers, and has found his duty there. - Damian

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �

by Denizens on Jun 27, 2007

IPB - Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield. 26 JUN 2007

Is a nuclear Iran and DPRK a future reality we’re just obstinately ignoring?
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Can Iraqinization, i.e. a nationalism centric approach, succeed over the short to mid-term? Not according to this author at Democracy after spending time as an advisor during 2006 in Al Anbar with MEF I.(Free registration reg.) (I sent this to Lex some time last week to help deal with a troll infestation so if you’re seeing it again it’s ‘cause o’ that.)

A three state partition of Iraq may have taken a hit to its viability on 21JUN.
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J over at Armchair is looking for some good ideas from Progressives on issues of Defense, but also questioning the entire ‘defend it all’ strategy that seems to be in place.

Another post from J but this time he’s assailing the idea of terrorist use of nuclear weapons. His main point is that terrorists can achieve their objectives without the added difficulty, and ergo no impetus for them to go that way.
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Barnett makes another plea for more ‘Purpleness’ in thinking and bifurcation of the Services into SysAdmin and Leviathan with ‘Amphibs must be multi-purpose’.
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This one needs a little explanation before you dive down the rabbit hole on it.

In gaming there’s a style of play called Live Action Role Playing(LARPing). It has morphed into what is now called Alternative Reality Gaming, analogous to Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games(MMORPG, or simply MMO). It is role playing on a grand scale with scripts and events written by a central team as opposed to LARPing which was rather do-it-yourself for small groups who did what they had time and inclination to do on the cheap. ARG is massive in the same sense that World of Warcraft is massive, but ARG is in-the-flesh instead of only over the ‘Net.

So, the band Nine Inch Nails releases their new album Year Zero. They also start their own ARG of the same name. Which takes you to this.

I can’t help but notice that this is what people of a certain community, a self named and proclaimed community, seem to really think. This is what they view as happening and the road we’re headed down.

Of course, you would’ve already known that without going to the website if you got the Year Zero reference and seen the videos supporting the album.
--ry

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �