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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Parrothead Jeff on the difficulties of getting Silly String™ to the troops.
In the spirit of the post about the new study on guns, that finds our society awash in the things, yet we really aren't living in Dodge City (some neighborhoods excluded, of course), this poll result is refreshing, as well. From the NRA-ILA:
Poll Finds 66% Of Voters Want No New Gun LawsA recent Zogby International poll conducted for Associated Television News found that 66% of the American voting public rejects the idea that new gun control laws are needed.
The poll asked: "Which of the following two statements regarding gun control comes closer to your own opinion?
Statement A: There needs to be new and tougher gun control legislation to help in the fight against gun crime.
Statement B: There are enough laws on the books. What is needed is better enforcement of current laws regarding gun control."
Conversely, the poll found that just 31% of the American public thinks new and tougher gun control laws are needed, and that voters who support better enforcement of existing gun laws are found across virtually all demographic groups, and in all regions of the country.
Put me in that 66% group. Dems running for office might want to take note.
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UPI/Zogby Poll: Most Americans Say Iraq War Not LostSurvey finds two in three Democrats believe the war is already lost
A majority of Americans - 54% - believe the United States has not lost the war in Iraq, but there is dramatic disagreement on the question between Democrats and Republicans, a new UPI/Zogby Interactive poll shows. While two in three Democrats (66%) said the war effort has already failed, just 9% of Republicans say the same.
The poll comes ahead of a September report to Congress by David Petraeus, commander of the multi-national force in Iraq, on the progress of the so-called surge in quelling attacks by insurgents and creating an atmosphere where the new Iraqi government can develop.
This strong skepticism of success in Iraq among Democrats echoes the position of some party leaders, most strongly worded by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who said in April that he believed that "this war is lost and that the surge is not accomplishing anything." This latest UPI/Zogby poll shows Americans are divided on the success of the U.S. troop surge in Iraq - while 49% believe it is not working, nearly as many (45%) said the surge has been effective. The vast majority of Democrats (86%) don't believe the surge is working, compared to just 11% of Republicans.
One thing they agree on: The elected leadership of the nation ain't doing well at this whole war thing.
The solution is obvious. No, not this HuffPo idiot's idea of having General Petraeus arrest the President... let's just send a whole lot of new people to Congress next year. In both parties.
And then... after 8 years or so... do it again.
Just sayin'. It's a plan. -the Armorer
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We've been giving furrin' tankers lotsa props here of late - let's give some 'Murican tankers some juice!
-the Armorer
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*A term of art from the artillery. Harassment and Interdiction Fires.
Back in the day, when you could just kill people and break things without a note from a lawyer, they were pre-planned, but to the enemy, random, fires at known gathering points, road junctions, Main Supply Routes, assembly areas, etc - to keep the bad guy nervous that the world around him might start exploding at any minute.
*Not really relevant to today's operating environment, right? But, it *is*
The UAVs (oops, can't call 'em UAVs anymore - they're now Unmanned Aerial Systems... some Colonel got his Legion of Merit for that change...), er, um UAS's we fly over Afghanistan and Pakistan looking for targets of opportunity are a form of H&I fires, if you really want to parse it finely. We just have better sensors and fire control now.
I call the post that because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to. It's also an open trackback, so if someone has a post they're proud of, but it really isn't either Castle kind of stuff, or topical to a particular post, I've basically given blanket permission to use that post for that purpose. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone"
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