Category — Uncategorized

The Christian Science Monitor wonders: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: next Dubai ports deal?

The purchase of Doncasters, a privately held British aerospace manufacturer, by the UAE-owned Dubai International Capital could set off another problem for the Shrubbery. Doncasters is one of the firms involved in the development of the US’s newest weapons system, the F-35.

The problem is complex because the British are involved in the system which will be used as a replacement for the Harriers currently be phased out in both the US and Britain. The Harrier is a British aircraft that is currently in the Marine Corps inventory.

Tammy Duckworth won the Democratic primary for the 6th Congressional District currently held by “Henry the Hypocrite” Hyde.

It would certainly be nice if there were more people in Congress with combat experience, as they tend to be less ready to waste lives than chickenhawks.

Update: Via Michael, Karen has the possibility of replacing “Denny the Doughboy” Hastert with John Laesch, a Navy intelligence vet.

From Pensacola Beach Blogger I learned that my state senator, Charley Clary, thinks landlords need two months rent for nothing.

A lot of the people in my area are in the military and they are subject to being deployed on minimum notice. Because there isn’t enough housing on the bases, they have to rent and the housing allowance has not kept pace with the increases caused by hurricanes.

Right now, to move in you need around $300 for utility deposits plus first and last months’ rent and a security deposit. To move into the duplex at the end of my street, that amounts to almost $5,000.

This is getting obscene, and the troops are already getting screwed over locally because of the tight rental market.

Charley, your Momma brought you up better than that.

Via Avedon the anthem for progressives from the Dixie Chicks.

They were right. They spoke their minds. They were attacked.

The chickenhawks have not apologized for being wrong, so they don’t deserve forgiveness.

Last night Gideon Rose, the editor of The Foreign Affair Journal, was on the BBC talking about an article in the magazine that outlines what was occurring in Iraq during the run-up and invasion of the country.

Saddam’s Delusions: The View from the Inside

Summary: A special, double-length article from the upcoming May/June issue of Foreign Affairs, presenting key excerpts from the recently declassified book-length report of the USJFCOM Iraqi Perspectives Project.

Kevin Woods is a defense analyst in Washington, D.C. James Lacey is a military analyst for the U.S. Joint Forces Command. Williamson Murray is Class of 1957 Distinguished Visiting Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy. Along with Mark Stout and Michael Pease, they were the principal participants in the USJFCOM Iraqi Perspectives Project.

The short version is that Iraq under Saddam had a lot in common with the Soviet Union under Stalin. The leader was considered a “super-hero” who could do no wrong, and who lived in a bubble created by sycophants.

For some reason I’m reminded of someone else. I see a lot of leaves in the memory. Hmmm…

When I upgraded to Firefox’s latest version I lost my favorite plug-in, the Spellbound spelling checker for comments and forms.

Thus, I am thrilled that Rook discovered the Spellbound development version which works with the latest version.

Be advised that it is a “beta” version, so there’s no guarantee of stability, but no problems so far.

Eta, the current iteration of Basque separatists, have announced a permanent ceasefire in their decades old war against the Spanish government.

If it holds this is excellent news for the people in Spain.

Having acquired a certain level of expertise with rugs from hanging around the Med and other places, the carpets in the picture accompanying the article look to be in the new car range, i.e. they are individually worth a new car.

Of course, I’d have to inspect them to be sure, but if you are out on the West Coast and looking for something for your spare bedroom, expect five-figure winning bids.

The cost estimates are now up to over a billion dollars, as more of the damage is accessed. Banana and sugar cane plantations as well as rain forests were flattened by the winds.

NPR is waking up in its coverage as witnessed by the remarks about the Shrubbery in Ohio. One of the people in the audience asked about the claims that were used to justify the invasion of Iraq and the NPR reporter points out how the Shrubbery avoids actually answering the question, and reframes the question in his response.

Culture Ghost has been running a parade of posters that’s a hoot.

In her Spring article Collective Sigh makes a great find: Archaeoastronomy.

In the Northern Hemisphere Belobog, the white god, has defeated Chernobog, the black god, and the sun waxes stronger.

Down here it’s time to get serious about raking live oak leaves, as they shed last year’s leaves when this years sprout.

There are approximately 400 people from New Orleans still missing, as well as hundreds from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The remains of those washed out into the Gulf will probably never be found.

Public relations!? Is that the most we can expect from the executive branch of the world’s last superpower?