Strong showing in anti-earmark vote - David Rogers - POLITICO.com

"The eight Republicans in opposition were Sens. Bob Bennett of Utah, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Susan Collins of Maine, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Dick Lugar of Indiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Richard Shelby of Alabama and George Voinovich of Ohio. Bennett, Cochran, Murkowski, Shelby and Voinovich all serve on the Appropriations Committee."

Family: New Jersey man serving 7 years for guns he owned legally | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/30/2010

"Sue Aitken, a trained social worker, decided to play it safe and called police, but she hung up before the 9-1-1 dispatcher could answer. Police traced the call and showed up anyway, and found two handguns in the trunk of Brian's car. And now Brian, her middle child, a graduate student with no prior criminal record, is serving a seven-year prison sentence for weapons charges.
No one blames Sue Aitken for Brian's arrest, except herself maybe, but his father and attorney claim that the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office and the former Superior Court judge who tried the case ignored evidence that proved Brian had the guns legally. The family has asked New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for clemency and has garnered a great deal of support on a 'Free Brian Aitken' Facebook page and among gun-rights advocates.
Aitken and his supporters believe that he had a legal exemption to have the handguns in his car because he was moving from his parents' home to a residence in Hoboken.
'This case is the perfect storm of injustice,' said Aitken's attorney, Evan Nappen, of Eatontown, Monmouth County, who specializes in gun laws."

Unemployment extension unlikely; jobless file for last checks - Yahoo! Finance

"Although the deadline to file for extended unemployment insurance is officially Nov. 30, many jobless have already filed their last claim for benefits.
And since lawmakers aren't likely to extend the deadline anytime soon, many more unemployed Americans will run out of their extended federal benefits in coming weeks. About 2 million people are expected to stop receiving checks in December."

More than 8 million drop out of credit card use

"More than 8 million consumers stopped using credit cards over the past year. The decline stems from a combination of consumer choices and bank actions.
An analysis by credit reporting agency TransUnion found that use of general purpose credit cards bearing MasterCard or Visa logos, or issued by Discover or American Express, fell more than 11 percent in the third quarter, compared with the July to September period last year.
About 62 million people now have an active card, compared with 70 million a year ago."

Wikileaks cables reveal China 'ready to abandon North Korea' | World news | The Guardian

"China has signalled its readiness to accept Korean reunification and is privately distancing itself from the North Korean regime, according to leaked US embassy cables that reveal senior Beijing figures regard their official ally as a 'spoiled child'.
News of the Chinese shift comes at a crucial juncture after the North's artillery bombardment of a South Korean island last week that killed four people and led both sides to threaten war. China has refused to condemn the North Korean action. But today Beijing appeared to bow to US pressure to help bring about a diplomatic solution, calling for 'emergency consultations' and inviting a senior North Korean official to Beijing."

Logistics: Deploy the Self-Propelled Drills

"The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is buying twelve truck mounted water drilling rigs. The 25 ton 6x6 T450MIIA can quickly drill down to where water is, and provide a steady supply for troops or civilians in Afghanistan. In the southern part of the country, there is a lot of desert or semi-desert territory. The locals dig wells by hand, but there is often water farther down than the tribesmen can reach. The truck mounted drill can reach these deeper water supplies, eliminating the need to bring in water for the troops, and gain some useful gratitude from water-starved locals. The Taliban will quickly catch on to how useful the T450MIIAs are, and the drills will have to be heavily guarded as they move from one location to another."

Things in the 2011 Defense Authorization

"National Guard border duty: Current language in the bill would force the president to send 6,000 National Guard troops to the country’s border with Mexico;

Abortion: It would permit privately funded, elective abortions to be performed in military hospitals, something allowed now only in cases of incest, rape or to save a woman’s life;

Iraq funding: The bill provides $1 billion less than requested for training Iraqi security troops. The progress of this training is important to the planned drawdown of U.S. combat troops over the next year; and

Second F-35 engine: President Barack Obama has threatened to veto any bill that includes a second engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, but the issue has its supporters in the Senate."

DADT Study to Kick Off Hill Debate Today

An example of "framing" the debate:

"The Pentagon study that argues that gay troops could serve openly without hurting the military's ability to fight is expected to re-ignite debate this month on Capitol Hill over repealing the 17-year-old 'don't ask, don't tell' policy.
Officials familiar with the 10-month study's results have said a clear majority of respondents don't care if gays serve openly, with 70 percent predicting that lifting the ban would have positive, mixed or no results. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings hadn't been released."

And the problem with this is that it is dishonest. It "frames" the reality completely out of the subject.

That people think Don't Ask, Don't Tell is bigoted is not news to me. That they are wrong is somewhat less apparent apparent because the history of it has been obscured.

If it were just a matter of acceptance among military personnel, they’d be right, it’d be an easy fix, but that’s not the case. But just like they hide the facts presented on dicrimination, they refuse to address the facts regarding real-world, actual people’s lives, issues about making a "simple" switch.

Fact: Claiming that DADT is discrimination is a lie. In fact its just the opposite. It was, and remains, a massive step forward for gay rights. Don’t agree? Fine. Please be good enough tell me how it’s not an advance over a time when opportunities in the military were completely closed to those who followed the rules because they were rules, or for those who would join and hide their nature, and would have resulted in criminal prosecution if found out.

Is it fair that, under current policy, that they must still hide a part of who they are? Meh. I don’t want to know that my heterosexual commrades are heterosexual or any of the details that go with it; the private should remain private (and this is enforcable under DADT policy today). There is the indisputable inequity that one group can speak openly of things they should not, and the other cannot. Compared to bar of enlistment or prosecution it still seems fairly minor–there are other ways in which a service member’s speech rights are limited.

As for me, I couldn’t care less. I just want the Soldier next to me to be as dedicated to service and the mission as I am and don’t see their private habits as any more my buinsess as whether they play World of Warcraft or not.

As for any “safety issues”, the left would love to have their view of us as slightly evolved Neanderthals validated by some incident of stupidity. I’ll wager that any incident that does happen, when viewed dispassionately through comparisson with the numbers of similar incidents involving heterosexuals, there will be no significant statistical difference. “Hate crime” hysteria wil make that impossible, but that’s a separate issue.

All that said, there are , indeed a number of practical obstacles that must be overcome; privacy, housing,…. The services must be given time to work out how to make this happen.

Another Fact: Repeal of DADT is all but inevitable. I don't have a problem with that nor do most of my commrades. but it has to be done in a smart way that adresses the ancillary issues. What I see in the "repeal now"crowd is a bunch of sore winners.

--What’s the answer, for instance, to military housing post-DADT? My “get over it” attitude toward the hypothetical Soldier worried that someone’s “staring at his junk” is that of the grumpy senior NCO who only gets a limited set of resources and has to make all of it work and accomplish missions. It is not a long term plan and cannot be.

Do we have four sets of barracks; hes, shes, he-shes,and she-hes? What happens when the B and T of LGBT get into the act–six sets? How about one and we’ll equally discomfort everyone? They want this simple switch to happen fast, but there's the considered and informed plan? Emotional tripe don’t cut it.

--And as I have faith that Congress will undoubtedly hand us the soup sandwich, details such as likely not altering Title 10′s prohibitions against sodomy, what’s the poicy on that? Do we ignore the old law as it conflicts with new law?

--Then there’s benefits–one domestic partner is in the service and one is not. Is this a spouse? Do they get health insurance? Are they eligible for on-post housing? Do they get commisary privileges? That’s a completely different law and repealing DADT has no effect on it. And if you want to ensure that the "all but inevitable" part of repeal comes into play, insist on repealing the Defense of Marriage Act at the same time.

A Moon Shot is a cake walk by comparison.

22 of 24 NATO countries allow gays to serve openly. Even that is an attempt to oversimplify. For every problem there exists a solution that is simple, easy to understand, easy to communicate, and wrong. It is not garden-variety. It is monumental, and far reaching. Not simple, not easy to understand, not easy to communicate.

Color-Changing ‘Blast Badge’ for TBI

"U.S. researchers say they've developed a color-changing patch troops could wear on their uniforms to show the severity of their exposure to explosions.
University of Pennsylvania scientists say calibrating the color change to the intensity of the explosion could provide immediate information on possible injury to the brain and the need for medical intervention, a university release said.
'We wanted to create a 'blast badge' that would be lightweight, durable, power-free, and perhaps most important, could be easily interpreted, even on the battlefield,' Douglas H. Smith, professor of neurosurgery at Penn State, said.
Blast-induced traumatic brain injury has been described as the 'signature wound' of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Somali Gets 30 Years in US Ship Attack

"Jama Idle Ibrahim was sentenced in U.S. District Court on three charges: an attack to plunder a vessel, an act of violence against persons on a vessel, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
He entered a guilty plea to the charges in August for his role in the April 10 attack on the USS Ashland, a Virginia-based amphibious dock landing ship.
Ibrahim agreed to cooperate with the government in their prosecution of five other defendants charged in the case, according to terms of the plea agreement."

Code words

Jeff Goldstein: "To the left, “revenue” is “money taken from the people out of the economy to pay down interest on the debt accrued from the government’s own overspending.” And the need for ever more “revenue” is an excuse to vilify those capitalist enterprises that actually generate revenue — and then to punish them for having done so by insisting that they surrender more of that revenue to the government."

Big Polluters Freed from Environmental Oversight by Stimulus - The Center for Public Integrity

"In the name of job creation and clean energy, the Obama administration has doled out billions of dollars in stimulus money to some of the nation’s biggest polluters and granted them sweeping exemptions from the most basic form of environmental oversight, a Center for Public Integrity investigation has found.
The administration has awarded more than 179,000 “categorical exclusions” to stimulus projects funded by federal agencies, freeing those projects from review under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. Coal-burning utilities like Westar Energy and Duke Energy, chemical manufacturer DuPont, and ethanol maker Didion Milling are among the firms with histories of serious environmental violations that have won blanket NEPA exemptions."

Leadership: A Credibility Problem In South Korea

"The credibility problem arose from the fact that North Korea had fired towards Yeongpyeong Island last January, but the shells from their coastal artillery landed north of the island. It gave everyone a fright, but there was no damage or casualties. The problems arose when the South Korean generals were called before parliament and asked what would happen if the North Koreans actually fired on Yeongpyeong Island. The reply was that South Korea guns on the island would promptly fire three or four times as many shells right back. That was a reasonable statement, if the North Koreans used their 130mm coast artillery weapons. These have a low rate of fire, and there aren't that many of them in the vicinity of the island. But the North Koreans moved up several 122mm rocket launchers, and let the island have it, and then quickly moved before the return fire arrived 13 minutes later. The South Korean generals had told parliament that return fire would begin within minutes, and the K-9s were prepared to do that. But first they had orders to call headquarters and ask permission to commence firing. That took most of the 13 minutes, as alarmed officers and officials at defense headquarters debated what to do. Firing artillery into North Korea could start another war, and no one wanted to be responsible for that."

Mexico: The Discrete Charm Of The American Advisor

"Mexican security organizations have continued to increase their level of cooperation with the U.S.. Intelligence fusion (sharing intelligence) has been the chief focus, but the Mexican military has also expressed an interest in help with improving tactical and operational training, particularly in counter-insurgency methods. U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) has had a Mexican liaison officer for at least two years and now the U.S. military describes the Mexican officer as a permanent liaison officer. The Mexican military is subtle about the developing relationship and the U.S. military understands the political context. Mexican ultra-nationalists would scream if the cooperation were too evident. The U.S. military has around $35 million budgeted to help Mexico with counter-narcotics operations and training. In 2008 the budget was around $12 million, so this is a significant boost in funding. A lot of the instruction goes on in the U.S., though a few U.S. instructors and training teams have taught security courses in Mexico"

Intelligence: Ford Becomes Another Chinese Casualty

"A Chinese born engineer, Xiang Dong Yu who worked for Ford Motor Company for over a decade, pled guilty on November 17th of stealing over $50 million worth of Ford technology and selling it to a Chinese automobile company. The most Yu can get is six years in prison and a fine of $150,000. Many of the technologies Yu stole have military applications. This sort of thing is nothing new. Three years ago, another A Chinese born man, Xiaodong Meng pled guilty this week to stealing source code for American military flight simulators and selling it to China.
The FBI and CIA have detected hundreds of such attempts to steal American military technology in the last eight years. That information led to over 500 formal investigations, and hundreds of arrests and prosecutions. Even with that, it appears that far more military technology is illegally making its way to China."

Senior NCO Busted for Unauthorized Medals

"A senior noncommissioned officer with the North Carolina National Guard will be leaving the service a stripe lighter as a result of a Guard and Army investigation into his wearing unauthorized unit patches, tabs, decorations and badges.
Officials would not offer details on the actions of former Command Sgt. Maj. John Letuli, but a retired Green Beret who had been pressuring for the investigation since September 2009 said he is outraged that the Guard and the Army appear to be letting Letuli retire with just 'a slap on the wrist.'"

Orders from Clinton: US Diplomats Told to Spy on Other Countries at United Nations - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

Well, duh. That's the reason I support remining a UN member and having them meet in NYC--It makes the spying easier to have them come to us.: "The US State Department gave its diplomats instructions to spy on other countries' representatives at the United Nations, according to a directive signed by Hillary Clinton. Diplomats were told to collect information about e-mail accounts, credit cards and passwords, among other things.
US diplomats are alleged to have been requested by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to spy on the diplomats of other countries at the United Nations. That was the purpose of the 'National Humint Collection Directive,' which has been seen by SPIEGEL. The document was signed by Clinton and came into force on July 31, 2009."

Murphy's Law: Facebook Users Will Be Shot At Dawn

"While Israel has had problems with troops posting dangerous military information on Facebook, that social network service has also proved useful to catch draft dodgers. Israel is one of the few countries that drafts women. However, the girls have many exemptions (like being a mother), and one of them is if you belong to a branch of Judaism that is very conservative and restricts what activities women can participate in (like military service.) The Israeli military found that, by running the names of women, who had gotten a religious exemption, through Facebook, many of these young ladies were found to be decidedly unreligious. Investigations were undertaken and draft notices sent where appropriate."

Homeland Security seizes domain names - The Hill's Hillicon Valley

"ICE appears to be targeting sites that help Internet users download copyrighted music, as well as sites that sell bootleg goods, such as fake designer handbags.

The sites are replaced with a note from the government: 'This domain named has been seized by ICE, Homeland Security Investigations.'
For instance, 2009jersey.com, 51607.com, and amoyhy.com have each been seized."

EU Debt Crisis - Next Debt Crisis May Start in Washington: Bair - CNBC

"The US needs to take urgent action to cut its debt in order to prevent the next financial crisis, which may start in Washington, Sheila Bair, chair of the Federal Deposits Insurance Corp. (FDIC) wrote in an editorial in the Washington Post.
The federal debt has doubled over the past seven years, to almost $14 trillion, and the growth is a result of both the financial crisis and the government's 'unwillingness over many years to make the hard choices necessary to rein in our long-term structural deficit,' Bair wrote.
Retiring baby boomers will impact government spending heavily and this year, combined spending on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are expected to make up 45 percent of primary federal spending, compared with 27 percent in 1975, she explained."

Pentagon to test 2nd near-space strike craft - Washington Times

"The Falcon Hypersonic Test Vehicle is designed to skim the top of the atmosphere just below space, and is a key element of the Pentagon's Conventional Prompt Global Strike (CPGS) capability — a program to build non-nuclear strategic weapons that can strike conventionally anywhere in the world in less than an hour."

Spanish Woman Claims She Now Owns Sun

She plans to charge a fee: "After billions of years the Sun finally has an owner -- a woman from Spain's soggy region of Galicia said Friday she had registered the star at a local notary public as being her property.
Angeles Duran, 49, told the online edition of daily El Mundo she took the step in September after reading about an American man who had registered himself as the owner of the moon and most planets in our solar system.
There is an international agreement which states that no country may claim ownership of a planet or star, but it says nothing about individuals, she added.
'There was no snag, I backed my claim legally, I am not stupid, I know the law. I did it but anyone else could have done it, it simply occurred to me first.'"

Morale: A Bronze Star Tragedy

"The U.S. Army has reported that some 857,000 medals have been awarded to the 1.2 million soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. That's 48 percent as many medals awarded during World War II, when six times as many soldiers served overseas. It's also 30 percent of those awarded during Vietnam, where 25 percent more soldiers served. This odd pattern is the result of the excessive number of medals given out during the Vietnam war.
This has not been forgotten. Five years ago, American troops began grumbling about what was perceived as disrespectful use of Bronze Star medals as 'attaboy' awards for officers and senior NCOs who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, or for lower ranking personnel you want to pin a medal on for no good reason (like giving an IED victim, who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, something in addition to a Purple Heart). This inflation tends to be less with the higher awards, especially the Medal of Honor, as events leading to receiving these are extensively investigated, and often publicized."

Support: Why The First Mission Is Not A New Experience

"The $20 billion the U.S. has spent to defeat roadside bombs, mines and suicide car bombers has created a lot of unexpected side effect. For example, there is now a huge amount of data on what these weapons have done, who did it and how they did it. In the past, this treasure trove of past experience would gather dust in some warehouse. But because of cheap computers, powerful database software and video games, it's been possible to turn all that knowledge into custom training exercises for troops and commanders headed overseas, or already there. This collection of databases (and over a million records, some of them video clips) came to be called The Training Brain. These databases are constantly being added to, and depict the recent (last decade) history of these bombs being developed, and countered. This information is used to create training exercises in the form of video games. Troops of all ranks can quickly get into this sort of thing."

Procurement: Evil Russian Arms Dealers Corrupt Frugal U.S. Soldiers

"The Mi-17 medium lift transport helicopter can be purchased as civil or military aircraft. If equipped with military systems, or if purchased directly by a foreign military, the acquisition must go through the Russian State company for arms exports, Rosoboronexport. If the aircraft are not armed, however, they can be purchased by private companies and exported as civil aircraft. As Rosoboronexport has been on the U.S. State Department banned list for the last 6 years for arms transfers to Iran, the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy have used the “civil” method to acquire aircraft via brokers for Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. military has acquired 36 new civil helicopters from U.S. brokers."

Colombia: FARC Is Falling

"Venezuela is spinning out of control. President Hugo Chavez's efforts to radicalize the country have ruined the economy, and made a lot of Venezuelans angry. The socialist revolution has failed, and Chavez responded with more of what caused the problem in the first place. The government is taking control of more companies, which then tend to fall apart under the control of political appointees. That means fewer jobs, and less to buy. More food has to be imported. What doesn't have to be imported are radical advisors and terrorist groups, but Chavez has brought these in as well. His radical economic advisors urge more of the nationalizations that are ruining the economy. Allies like Iran have established terrorist bases in Venezuela, from which they are trying to expand in South America. Throughout all this, Venezuela has hung on to its democracy, and that has Chavez on the run. Recent elections took away his control of parliament, and the 2012 presidential elections threaten to remove him entirely. There are fears that Chavez will go from manipulating elections to outlawing them, to retain power."

Review & Outlook: Al Gore's Ethanol Epiphany - WSJ.com

"Mr. Gore's mea culpa underscores the degree to which ethanol has become a purely political machine: It serves no purpose other than re-electing incumbents and transferring wealth to farm states and ethanol producers. Nothing proves this better than the coincident trajectories of ethanol and Mr. Gore's career."

Army Working on Lightweight .50 cal

"But for the first time since World War II, the Army is working on a fundamental redesign of the venerable M2 .50cal machine gun, cutting its weight in half, increasing its accuracy and making it a lot easier to shoot for Soldiers on the move.
Dubbed the XM806, the new version of the “Ma Duce” is being developed in response to the Army’s concerns about the weight and mobility of the current M2. With a greater emphasis on light infantry tactics since 9/11, officials wanted a weapon that can be as easily mounted on a Humvee as it can a hillside.
“It is designed to augment the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, but can also be used to replace the M2 in select operational locations,” the Program Executive Office for Soldier Weapons said in an email to Military.com. “The weapon is ideal for light infantry and special operations forces, as well as for vehicles demanding more lethality but lighter weight.”"

Taliban Leader Nabbed in Afghanistan

"Iran has supported the Taliban, providing weapons, money, safe haven, training, and facilities for Taliban commanders and fighters, while allowing al Qaeda operatives to move through and shelter in its territory. Qods Force, the special operations branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, has tasked the Ansar Corps, a sub-command, with aiding the Taliban and other terror groups in Afghanistan."

China, Russia quit dollar

"China and Russia have decided to renounce the US dollar and resort to using their own currencies for bilateral trade, Premier Wen Jiabao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced late on Tuesday.
Chinese experts said the move reflected closer relations between Beijing and Moscow and is not aimed at challenging the dollar, but to protect their domestic economies.
'About trade settlement, we have decided to use our own currencies,' Putin said at a joint news conference with Wen in St. Petersburg.
The two countries were accustomed to using other currencies, especially the dollar, for bilateral trade. Since the financial crisis, however, high-ranking officials on both sides began to explore other possibilities.
The yuan has now started trading against the Russian rouble in the Chinese interbank market, while the renminbi will soon be allowed to trade against the rouble in Russia, Putin said."

Obama Bolsters U.S. Hybrid Automobile Sales in Waning Consumer Market - Bloomberg

"President Barack Obama’s administration has bought almost a fourth of the Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. hybrid vehicles sold since he took office, accelerating federal purchases as consumer demand wanes."

Electronic pickpocketing puts your credit cards at risk | Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota | WTSP.com 10 News

"By simply using a credit card scanner attached to a battery pack, Augustinowicz shows how easy it is to grab sensitive information from an unsuspecting person.
'If I just get kind of close to (a person's) back pocket or purse, where ever their wallet is, I can read their credit card numbers, expiration date, actually the whole tracking data,' Augustinowicz said.
The founder of Identity Stronghold, Augustinowicz says cards with a RFID or Radio Frequency Identification chip in them send out a signal that can be picked up by someone with a scanner."

Information Warfare: South Korea Upgrades It Defenses

"Last year's attacks were initially believed to have been organized by North Korea. But no conclusive evidence could be found for this. The hijacked PC launched DDOS attacks. These are carried out by first using a computer virus (often delivered as an email attachment or via an infected web site), that installs a secret Trojan horse type program, that allows someone else to take over that computer remotely, and turn it into a 'zombie' for spamming or DDOS (distributed denial of service) attacks to shut down another site. There are millions of zombie PCs out there, and these can be rented, either form spamming or lunching DDOS attacks. Anyone with about $100,000 in cash, including North Korea, could have carried out the attacks last year that infected all those PCs with orders to make attacks on South Korean and U.S. government sites every July. You can equip a web site to resist, or even brush off, a DDOS attack, and some of those attacked were prepared. But others were not."

China: North Korea Finds A Friend

"But China is trying to keep north and south Korea from going to war over this latest North Korean aggression. Overall, China wants the two Koreas to remain quiet, and not united. A war could bring unity, most likely with the south absorbing the north. China does not want that. Moreover, such a conflict would send millions of refugees across the border into northern China, where the economy and public order would be disrupted. China wants North Korea to stay independent, and become more self-sufficient via the economic reforms China has been using for three decades. But the North Koreans refuse, and grow increasingly paranoid, violent and unpredictable. Thus Chinese officials consider North Korea unstable and self-destructive and treat its leaders accordingly. China has, for centuries, preferred a weak Korea. A divided Korea, even with a prosperous and dynamic south, suits China just fine."

Intelligence: The Gaza Gestapo Gets A Grip

"Hamas has been desperate to do something about the Israeli intelligence network in Gaza. With the help of their Iranian advisors, they came up with a plan. First, they executed a few (real or suspected) Israeli informants earlier this year in order to get everyone's attention. Then, they announced a two month amnesty for Israeli informants. This included keeping secret the names of those who came forward. Over 200 people took advantage of it, and many of these people supplied names of those they suspected were also working for the Israelis. Naturally, the Israelis don't let informants know anyone else in the intel network, except for their controller (who was sometimes another Palestinian) Then several hundred more suspected Israeli spies were arrested. Many of these were innocent, and a lot of them were simply anti-Hamas Fatah members. What the entire process did do was make all Gazans aware of how large the Israeli informant network was. But that's not all. There are lots of Hamas, Fatah and Egyptian informants. Thousands of Gazans make extra money by keeping an eye on their neighbors, and reporting what they see to someone."

Counter-Terrorism: How Al Qaeda Was Destroyed From Within

"American success against al Qaeda has had a lot to do with the experience of nations that have earlier destroyed similar Islamic terrorist organizations. In particular, the U.S. adopted the Israeli tactic of concentrating on the leadership and technicians. These are the skilled people required to plan a suicide bombing attack. This skilled crew must find a target that is not heavily guarded, build the bomb, recruit and train the bomber, and then get the bomber to the target for the attack. Without these 'technicians', the attacks don't happen. That's how the Israelis stopped the Palestinian terror campaign cold after a few years. The Palestinians have been stymied for over five years now, and most have lost faith in the use of terror attacks on civilians."

Naval Air: First Chinese Carrier Nearly Complete

"For a long time, no one was sure exactly what plans the Chinese had for the Shi Lang, although work had been going on for years. It's long been believed that the carrier will eventually be used to train the first generation of Chinese carrier aviators and sailors. Or maybe not. No one who really knows anything about the plans for the Shi Lang, is speaking up. All is observation (from a distance, but good pix are numerous) and speculation."

Leadership: How North Korea Keeps Them From Flying Away

"Last August a North Korean MiG-21 jet fighter crashed in China, 200 kilometers north of the border. The pilot did not eject and there was no fire after the plane plowed into the ground (indicating it was out of fuel.) China later reported that the aircraft went off course because of 'mechanical problems.' But that does not explain why the pilot did not try to land or bail out. A more likely explanation was that the pilot was trying to defect (to Russia, as China tends to return defectors). To avoid that possibility, North Korea warplanes are supplied with minimal fuel for training flights, and their ejection seats are disabled in peacetime. Other interceptors are kept in readiness to chase down and destroy defectors. So to get out, pilots have to evade all this scrutiny, and use your minimal fuel to get to someplace you will be safe. It isn't easy."

Schwartz: We’ve Got Plenty of Firepower to Deter N. Korea | Defense Tech

"U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz weighed in on the situation on the Korean Peninsula this morning, telling reporters that while American fighter jets remain on their normal alert status, the U.S. has plenty of firepower in the region in case North Korea gets even more trigger happy.
“Clearly, we have substantial Air Force assets in a number of locations in the Western Pacific both on the Korean Peninsula at Osan and Kunsan as well as at Kadena [Japan] and mainland Japan and further east in Guam,” said Schwartz. “Those assets are certainly ready and the commander of Pacific Command, [Adm.] Bob Willard, and Gen. Skip Sharp [commander of all forces in South Korea] are prepared to use those assets if they’re required.”"

NKorea Artillery Attack Kills 2 in South

"Two South Korean Marines were killed and at least 16 others were wounded, some seriously, a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said. Island residents were escaping to about 20 shelters in the island while sporadic shelling continued, the military official said.
The firing came amid South Korean military drills in the area. North Korea's military had sent a message to South Korea's armed forces early Tuesday to demand that the drills stop, but the South continued them, another military official said.
During the drills, South Korean Marines on the island shot artillery toward southern waters, away from North Korea, the official said."

Study: Face Shields Could Prevent TBIs

"The current helmet, which leaves a Soldier's face exposed, could be improved by adding a transparent shield made of polycarbonate, which is used in the making of bullet-resistant glass, said the study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
'The face is the main pathway through which pressure waves from an explosion are transmitted to the brain,' said the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

DoD Announces 2011 Afghan Deployments

"The Grafenwöhr-based 172nd Infantry Brigade and the Baumholder-based 170th Infantry Brigade, along with the 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters, out of Fort Hood, Texas, and the 82nd Airborne Division Headquarters, from Fort Bragg, N.C., will deploy between spring and fall 2011, according to a Friday press release."

Army Tests Combat Uniform Designed for Women

"Changes to the uniform were made following recommendations of female Soldiers during preliminary testing and research phases made by the PEO team.
“The biggest issue that a majority of females have with the current ACU is that the uniform was not designed for a female’s body,” said Staff Sgt. Jessika Malott, stationed at Fort Meade, Md. “The cut of the uniform and a female’s body type usually leaves us looking like a duffel bag.”
'Women have so many different shapes and sizes, we’re as not as ‘straight’ as men are,” said Robinson."

Pentagon Trying to Get DADT Lifted This Year

"The Pentagon's top leaders warned Sunday that if Congress fails to repeal the ban on gays serving openly in the military, the courts may order changes that military leaders consider too fast or poorly thought-out.
The Pentagon is trying to make it easier for the Senate to consider lifting the ban in the current post-election session. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday he will release a study of the effects of repeal on Nov. 30, a day earlier than planned.
That could allow the Senate Armed Services Committee to hold hearings on the ban the same week."

Taliban Vow to Kick NATO Out Before 2014

"The Taliban on Sunday vowed to force the U.S.-led coalition to abandon Afghanistan before a 2014 date set by the alliance for handing over security responsibility to its allied Afghan forces.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a message e-mailed to the media that NATO will be unable to establish a stable government in Afghanistan by that date. He did not mention an offer from President Hamid Karzai for peace talks and eventual reconciliation -- an offer rejected by the hard-line Taliban leadership."

Warplanes: Is There Anything The Clever Raven Can't Do

"In Iraq and Afghanistan, the enemy does not want to confront U.S. troops directly (this tends to get you killed). So there is an unceasing effort to set up ambushes, plant mines and roadside bombs and fire rockets or mortars at American bases. All of these activities can be messed with by using Raven. U.S. troops know to think like the enemy, and quickly figured out the best ambush positions, or places to plant mines or fire rockets. By sending Ravens over these spots periodically, the enemy is put in danger of being spotted. The enemy knows that this means this often quickly leads to attack from American mortars or helicopter gunships. These mind games, of sneaking around trying to get a shot off at the Americans, is more stressful, and dangerous, if the U.S. troops have Ravens. And most of them do."

Federal Judge Halts Certification of Alaska Senate Election as Miller Eyes Lawsuit - FoxNews.com

"...U.S. District Judge Ralph Beistline said he would grant a temporary injunction to halt official certification of the Nov. 2 election -- an action Miller is seeking -- so long as Miller takes his case to the state court by Monday. Miller told The Associated Press late Friday that he intended to do so.
Beistline's unusual action was intended to 'ensure that these serious state law issues are resolved prior to certification of the election,' the ruling said.
Miller sued in federal court in a bid to stop the state from using discretion in determining voter intent on write-in ballots cast for his election rival, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who declared victory in the race Wednesday. She mounted the write-in campaign after losing to Miller in the GOP primary."

FCC may regulate Internet lines days before Christmas - The Hill's Hillicon Valley

"An FCC source confirmed on Friday that the commission plans to push its December meeting back by a week, meaning it will fall on the 22nd of the month. That's the same meeting in which analysts say the agency may move forward on its controversial net-neutrality proposal.

Though the FCC has not confirmed that it will vote on net neutrality this year, rumors are swirling that it will.
The timing of the meeting is already raising eyebrows. Some see it as a way to move the matter along before the GOP assumes the majority and while Congress is not in session to criticize the effort."

Biden on Afghanistan: 'Daddy is Going to Start to Take the Training Wheels Off.' - Political Punch

Ah, the paternalism:

"“Daddy is going to start to take the training wheels off in October -- I mean in next July, so you'd better practice riding,” he said.

A little "White Man's Burden," anyone?

Just days before President Obama’s meeting with Hamid Karzai, Biden did not convey confidence in the Afghan leader.
“Do you have faith in President Karzai?” King asked.
“I've known President Karzai for a long, long time. I think he's in a very difficult position,” the vice president said. “You know, we could argue that there could be a stronger leader, but you deal with the hand you're dealt, as the old saying goes.”"

At least he didn't say, "You go to war with the allies you have."

Geithner Warns Republicans Against Politicizing the Fed - Bloomberg

Is there anyone out there,besides Geithner and perhaps Bernanke, that thinks they have any credibility to be hurt?: "“It is very important to keep politics out of monetary policy,” Geithner said in an interview airing on Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt” this weekend. “You want to be very careful not to take steps that hurt our credibility.”"

Counter-Terrorism: Vicious Victims Vie For Victory

"Most of the terrorism in the world is being carried out by Islamic radicals obsessed with the belief that Islam is under attack. Yet it is Islamic radicals who are doing most of the attacking. If sounds nuts, well, it is, and an increasing number of Moslems agree. Most of the Islamic terrorism is concentrated in a few small areas (southern Somalia, the tribal territories of Pakistan along the Afghan border, central Iraq, southern Afghanistan, the Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and Gaza, southern Thailand, southern Philippines, northern Nigeria, southern Yemen and southern Russia). The only two places where there is a lot of non-Islamic terrorism is Colombia and Greece."

Afghanistan: When The Myth Hits Reality, Reality Wins

"Finding that the foreign troops are unstoppable, the Taliban sought to use their usual media ploy, accusing the foreign troops of killing civilians and causing undue hardship. But this couldn't get much traction, as civilian battle deaths (caused by foreign troops) have been declining all year, and most of the civilian deaths are caused by Taliban action (especially IEDs). The drug gangs pressured the politicians they owned, and soon president Karzai was calling for fewer night raids (which are capturing a lot of Taliban leaders and IED specialists) and combat in general."

Intelligence: France Steps Up When America Backs Off

"A year ago, Saudi Arabia went to war with Shia rebels in northern Yemen, who were moving into Saudi Arabia. The Saudis asked the United States for satellite photos of the border area, but the United States refused, for fear of offending Yemen (which never had good relations with the Saudis). Saudi troops pushed the rebels back into Yemen, but had problems tracking the rebels in the mountains along the border. France then stepped up and provided satellite coverage, and suddenly the Saudi bombing missions became much more productive, and fewer civilians were killed."

Morale: Marines Morn The Missing Mohawk

"There are a lot of new rules about how you cannot cut your hair. No sideburns that end in a point (popular among civilians for over a decade) and exotic cuts for men or women. That means no Mohawk cuts (although this was popular among combat troops during World War II). Also outlawed are spiky hair, dreadlocks or anything that offends your gunny (Gunnery Sergeant, usually a platoon sergeant). The new rules do make it official that male marines can shave their heads, but female marines must have at least quarter inch (7mm) length hair. If the female marines have hair that extends below the collar, they must be able to put it up in a bun while on duty. The women do catch one break, in that patterned fingernails (French manicures) are now officially allowed."

Beseiged McConnell backs crazed whims of Tea Party “purists”

"Or, as the LA Times would have it, “In about-face, Sen. Mitch McConnell backs ban on earmark spending.”

But I like my headline better."

Militants Assault Jalalabad NATO Base

"The militants attacked the Afghan army checkpoint outside the Jalalabad base shortly after dawn, sparking a gunbattle that lasted at least two hours and involved NATO helicopters firing from overhead, said Sgt. Abdullah Hamdard, a national army commander at the site.
A spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial government, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, confirmed the attack and said eight assailants were killed - including two who were wearing explosives vests.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said there were 14 attackers and that 11 of them were killed, though the insurgent group typically gives inflated numbers."

If instead of showing himself to be a colossal incompetent willing to embarrass his country on expensive and decidedly unproductive overseas trips in which he is roundly rebuked by strong allies, Barack Obama was actually at least partially successful at negotiating a trade agreement

"If instead of showing himself to be a colossal incompetent willing to embarrass his country on expensive and decidedly unproductive overseas trips in which he is roundly rebuked by strong allies, Barack Obama was actually at least partially successful at negotiating a trade agreement
Barack Obama: “So then it’s a deal, then? — 15 Big Mac combo meals for 6 lbs of Chadol Baki, and you agree to throw in free chop sticks…?”*
****
update:
Barack Obama: “Ha. Done. Suckers…!”*"

Artillery: The Chinese Plan To Crush American Power In Korea

"U.S. military planners have discovered that China's current arsenal of non-nuclear ballistic and cruise missiles could probably knock out five of six major American air bases in Japanese and South Korea. Oops. To make matters worse, this has become an issue as North Korea stumbles towards political collapse, and China indicates that it will assume control in the north if that happens. South Korea believes it should move north to deal with a collapse, and this plan is becoming a contentious issue with China."

Irony Alert: Accused Plagiarist Arianna Huffington Accuses Bush of Plagiarizing… His Own Words - Big Journalism

"Now Huffington blogger Ryan Grim over at Huffington Post has declared that George W. Bush is guilty of plagiarism. His evidence? Bush lived through events, which have been reported by Bob Woodward and some of his aides. Because Bush recounts the events in a similar fashion, he’s guilty of plagarism! The more simple and straightforward answer, that those previous books accurately recorded events, Grim never considers. Nor does he actually investigate whether the same thing occurred in books published by Bill Clinton or Hillary Clinton."

Presidential Panel: Freeze Military Pay

Might surprise many, but I favor freezing military pay raises, but I wouldn't do it across the board. Instead of a freeze for all grades for three years, I'd suggest a 5 year freeze for all senior grades; E-6 and up, O-4 and up, CW4 and up. Continue providing increases to our junior grades.

I'm also not convinced that the push to give the military so much isn't an effort to make Defense cost too much, so it's easier to justify other cuts, such as those further below.

"A presidential commission on reducing the deficit has recommended freezing basic military pay and housing allowances for three years starting in 2011, according to a draft report of the commission’s recommendations posted online Wednesday.
“A three-year freeze at 2011 levels for these compensation categories would save the federal government $7.6 billion in compensation and tax expenditures, as well as another $1.6 billion in less retirement accrual, or $9.2 billion total discretionary savings in 2015,” it said."

Other recommendations:

Slash the Air Force and Navy’s F-35 buy by half and buy F-16s and F/A-18s instead.

Cancel the Marine’s F-35B.

Stop buying more Marine Ospreys.”

Cancel the Marine’s Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.

Cancel the Navy’s Future Maritime Prepositioning Force.

Cancel the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, the Ground Combat Vehicle, and the Joint Tactical Radio.

Replace military personnel performing commercial activities with civilians.

Most of these are just dangerous. One of the things we've got to remember in the search for austeritya nd savings, is that Defense,is one of the three enumerated responsibilities of teh federal government. Let's cut the extra stuff first.

Why We Continue the Fight - Pete Hegseth - National Review Online

"Our generation of warriors understands that while militaries alone do not solve the world’s problems, there is no way to preserve peace, liberate peoples, or deter nuclear-armed dictators without the specter of military might. America’s historic allies are shrinking their armies and shying from conflict, but we mustn’t follow suit, because perpetual peace, while our dream for tomorrow, isn’t the reality of today’s fallen world."

Deficit panel leaders' plan curbs Social Security - Politics - msnbc.com

"Leaders of President Barack Obama's bipartisan deficit commission are proposing to reduce the annual cost-of-living increases in Social Security. It's part of a sweeping proposal to wrestle $1 trillion-plus budget deficits under control.
The proposal would also set a tough target for curbing the growth of Medicare. And it recommends looking at eliminating popular tax breaks, such as mortgage interest deduction."

FT.com / Commodities - Food price fears as US warns on crop yields

"The agriculture department on Tuesday cut estimates of US corn yields for a third successive month, forecast record soyabean exports to China and warned of the slimmest cotton stocks since 1925.
“The combined production shortfalls and dramatic potential stock drawdowns mean a much tighter supply picture than just a few months ago,” the agency said in a separate grains report."

Analysis: German tempers fray as U.S. policy gulf widens | Reuters

"Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, 68, said last week that the U.S. Federal Reserve decision to buy $600 billion of government bonds undermined U.S. credibility and was 'clueless.' There was no point, he said, in pumping money into the markets.
China and Brazil were among those echoing his comments but U.S. officials were particularly stung by Schaeuble and German Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle saying the Fed move amounted to 'indirect manipulation' of the dollar to boost exports; this at a time when Washington is criticizing China for exactly the same kind of strategy."

Front Leaning Rest Comics: COFFSTAT REPORT

"Be advised...Officers now want this DA Form completed and place next to their coffee pot."

Israel: The Turkish Threat

"Lebanese from many political parties are trying to halt the UN sponsored tribunal investigating who killed former prime minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. The tribunal appears to have proof that senior members of Hezbollah were involved. Some Hezbollah leaders have openly boasted of Hezbollah playing a part in killing Hariri, but Hezbollah does not want that made a part of the public record. This is because such admissions could trigger another civil war. Iran backs Hezbollah, and has been pushing this Shia organization to try and take control of the Lebanese government, and adopt a more aggressive attitude towards Israel."

Morale: Disarming Remembrance Day

"A hundred teenage members of the British Army Cadet Force in Plymouth have been suddenly told that they would not be able to carry rifles, as they traditionally have, during the annual November 11th Remembrance Day parade. The reason given was that it was inappropriate to have the teenage cadets carrying rifles in public because it glamorizes weapons. The cadets disagreed, but the decision stood.
The Army Cadet Force began 160 years ago as a an organization for boys who were intent on eventually joining the militia (a local defense tradition dating back over a thousand years). The Cadet Corps quickly became a national organization and was supported by the British Army as a way to introduce teenage boys to the military, and help recruiting."

News Radio 1200 WOAI San Antonio Texas

"The measure would be similar to Arizona's controversial SB 1070, in that it would require that local police work with federal immigration officials in determining the legal status of a person who is in their custody.

'If that individual is already being detained, because of another crime, then that officer can inquire as to one's immigration status,' Riddle said.

The Arizona law has been placed on hold pending a court challenge. Riddle says her measure would help it withstand similar legal challenges."

My Way News - Obama sidesteps question on Fed monetary policy

"Obama noted at a news conference in New Delhi that the Fed 'doesn't take orders from the White House,' saying it would be inappropriate for him to comment directly on the action. The move last week aimed at making loans cheaper and getting consumers to spend more."

GOP taps 2 tea partiers for transition to power - Politics - msnbc.com

"Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Tim Scott of South Carolina, who won endorsements by Sarah Palin and support from tea party activists, are part of a newly named 22-member team charged with crafting new rules and smoothing the GOP's shift from minority to majority.
The team, led by Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon and headquartered in the basement of the Capitol, is to meet Monday night and Tuesday. It includes several seasoned veterans and influential members like 15-term Rep. David Dreier of California, in line for his second stint as head of the powerful Rules Committee, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, in line to head the Budget Committee, and Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, the GOP campaign committee chief."

Winning: Voting With Your Feet

"Is the Taliban winning in Afghanistan? Afghan refugees in Pakistan are voting with their feet, and the tally is going against the Afghan Taliban. Twice has many (over 110,000 refugees) retuned to Afghanistan this year than last. It wasn't just that things are more peaceful on the Afghan side of the border. There have been other factors, like the recent flood in Pakistan, and the fact that the Pakistan government is eager to get the remaining Afghan refugees (from the 1980s war with Russia) out of the country. Since September 11, 2001, over 4.5 million have returned (most from Pakistan)."

Surface Forces : LCS Competition Ends In A Tie

"It was only recently, after over a decade of development, construction and delays, that both versions of the LCS entered service. Both were worked hard, to determine which model should become the standard design. Both ships delivered impressive performance. But the navy also believes that having two suppliers, even with different designs, will provide the kind of competition that will keep costs down and quality high. If one of the builders began to screw up, they would lose some, or all, of their orders. Such an incentive program has worked in the past. Current plans are to place an initial order for to 20 LCSs, to be built between 2011-15."

Why Is Ron Paul Supporting Spendthrift Bachus for Committee Chair? - Hit & Run : Reason Magazine

"Spencer Bachus has supported the majority of the most fiscally unsound, expensive and destructive pieces of legislation that have come before him in the past ten years -- including but not limited to Medicare Part D, the 2008 farm bill (a $300 billion million monstrosity that passed over President Bush's veto), and most importantly the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act that produced the $700 billion TARP. Bachus is even worse than I noted earlier, about which more in a moment. So why is Paul supporting somebody who is so clearly his ideological and economic nemesis?"

Courts Wrestle Over Piracy Definition

Only lawyers would be able to quibble over what is and is not piracy.:
"U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis last month upheld piracy and related charges in a 14-count indictment against the five Somalis charged in the April 1 attack on the Nicholas, a Norfolk-based frigate.

Davis' conclusion was opposite the one reached by Judge Raymond A. Jackson, sitting two floors below Davis in the same courthouse, in August in a case involving the April 10 attack on the Ashland, based at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.

Jackson determined that he must interpret the piracy statute as it was meant at the time it was enacted, which was 1819. He found, citing an 1820 Supreme Court case, that piracy is defined only as robbery at sea. Since there was no robbery of the Ashland, he threw out the piracy charge. The government appealed and the case was halted.
The conflicting decisions have set legal scholars abuzz."

DoD Says Afghan Handover in 2014 Realistic

The Korean War begain in 1950. The cease fire was negotiated in 1953. Today it's 2010, and the South Koreans, who enjoy a modern infastructure and the fruits of modern technology, are, still not handling thier own security. Think about that:
"Afghanistan should be ready to handle its own security by the year 2014, the top U.S. defense chiefs said Monday.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said NATO should endorse the 2014 timeline proposed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai when the alliance holds its annual summit later this month.
'As a target at this point that makes sense, so I am comfortable with it,' Mullen said.
The 2014 date would give a symbolic deadline for ending the war and bringing most combat forces home. The war is already in its 10th year and unpopular in the U.S. and Europe."

Bernanke Defends Bond Purchases, Predicts Stronger Growth - Bloomberg

Destroying the dollar will help global recovery?: "“Our first objective, the first goal that we have, is to meet our mandate to get price stability and maximum employment in the United States,” Bernanke said yesterday in response to questions from college students in Jacksonville, Florida. “A strong U.S. economy, a recovering economy, is critical not just for Americans but it’s also critical for the global recovery.”"

GOP to Use Debt Cap as Leverage to Push Spending Cuts - WSJ.com

"The U.S. can't accrue debt above a certain ceiling set by lawmakers. In the most extreme scenario, the government would default on certain debts if the cap doesn't move.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, left, and House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio, right, at a news conference Wednesday.Republican lawmakers, including South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, and congressional aides have said major spending cuts are the primary demand they will make going into the discussions over whether to raise the limit.
It isn't clear whether the White House would agree to significant cuts so quickly, though, and Obama administration officials could try to portray the GOP as playing political games with the country's ability to borrow."

Boehner under fire: First cut should be lawmakers' salaries - TheHill.com

"Soon-to-be Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) is being pressed by taxpayer groups to slash the salaries of House lawmakers.

Cutting member pay would show voters the new GOP majority in the House is going to lead by example in their efforts to rein in spending and start with their own wallets, say officials with three prominent taxpayer advocacy groups in Washington, D.C.

“There has to be a visible gesture that people can immediately relate to,” said Pete Sepp, the executive vice president of the conservative National Taxpayers Union.

“And cutting pay would be one of the best symbols, because unlike virtually anything else the federal government does, when Congress spends money on its own salaries and benefits, people can make a direct comparison to their own situation,” Sepp said."

Obama calls for compromise, won't budge on tax cuts - TheHill.com

"Days after Democrats received a self-described 'shellacking' at the polls, President Obama called for an end to campaigning and an embrace of compromise.

But he signaled no willingness to bend on the first challenge likely to face him from a Republican House as he advocated the permanent extension of Bush-era tax cuts for families making less than $250,000 a year despite the GOP's resolve to extend the tax cuts for all income brackets."

Why would we want a Senator Castle?

"Seriously. Why? I mean, clearly the Republican primary voters of Delaware didn’t want him, and this was their election. So why do so many GOP cheerleaders wish Republican primary voters of Delaware would have been smart and savvy enough to vote for a guy those voters didn’t want representing them, casting their vote instead for a woman they believed would?
There is nothing “extreme” about the Tea Party message, and there’s nothing in that message that should put off “moderates".

Keith Olbermann suspended for making campaign contributions

So having a particular job means that you are less allowed to participate in the political process? This is wrong.:

"MSNBC host Keith Olbermann has been suspended indefinitely without pay for making political campaign contributions to three Democratic candidates last month, MSNBC president Phil Griffin said in a statement Friday afternoon.

'I became aware of Keith's political contributions late last night,' Griffin said. 'Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.'"

FT.com / Americas / Economy & Trade - Brazil ready to retaliate for US move in ‘currency war’

"“It’s no use throwing dollars out of a helicopter,” Guido Mantega, the finance minister, said on Thursday. “The only result is to devalue the dollar to achieve greater competitiveness on international markets.”
At a joint press conference with president-elect Dilma Rousseff, outgoing president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday he would travel to the G20 summit in Seoul with Ms Rousseff, ready to take “all the necessary measures to not allow our currency to become overvalued” and to “fight for Brazil’s interests”. “They’ll have to face two of us this time!” he said.
Ms Rousseff added: “The last time there was a series of competitive devaluations. . . it ended in world war two.”"

Ron Paul vows renewed Fed audit push next year | Reuters

Its really not something that requires an opinion ("I think..."), the Constitution provides that Congress is the body charged with setting monetary policy. I have no problem with delegation of that authority, but the responsibility goes nowhere.:
"'I think they're way too independent. They just shouldn't have this power,' Paul, a longtime Fed critic, said in an interview with Reuters. 'Up until recently it has been modest but now it's totally out of control.'
Paul is currently the top Republican on the House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees domestic monetary policy, and is likely to head the panel when Republicans take control of the chamber in January."

Privacy advocates fear massive fed health database - Computerworld

"Several privacy groups have raised alarms over plans by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to build a database that would contain information about the healthcare claims of millions of Americans.
The concerns have surfaced because the OPM has provided few details about the new database and because the data collected will be shared with law enforcement, third-party researchers and others.
In a letter to OPM Director John Berry, the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) and 15 other organizations asked the agency to release more details on the need for the database and how the data contained in it will be protected and used.
The OPM 'should not create this massive database full of detailed individual health records without giving the public a full and fair chance to evaluate the specifics of the program,' the letter cautioned."

Obesity rates will reach 42 percent: study | Reuters

Part of the problem is the measuring stick--BMI is a crock.: "U.S. government researchers in January said 68 percent of U.S. adults are considered overweight, having a body mass index or BMI of 25 or higher, and a third are obese, having a body mass index of 30 or higher.
BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A person 5 feet 5 inches tall is classified as overweight at 150 pounds (68 kg) and obese at 180 pounds (82 kg)."

UNH scientists to study cow burps . . . and more - Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010

Proof the USDA has too much money: "UNH has been awarded a $700,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to create a computer model that measures the amount of greenhouse gases an organic dairy farm produces and thus provide ways to cut those emissions."

Fox News Turned Off At Local Gym - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville

Everyone in this story is wrong, except the attorney.: "Robinson said she pays $10 a month for the membership at Just Fitness and that she should have the freedom to watch what she wants. Channel 4 took Robinson's complaint to an attorney.
'A gym is not a public forum,' said appellate attorney Bryan Gowdy.
Gowdy said Just Fitness's practices are legal, but he also thinks they are practicing bad business.
After Channel 4 reported on the Fox News ban Wednesday night, Robinson got a call from the gym owner who said that the gym would allow her to continue watching Fox News."

If Robinson wants to watch Fox News while working out and can't at Just Fintess, then she needs to find a new gym. Suing to force them to change behavior is bad behavior itself.

Electronic Weapons: Mobile Cell Towers Advance On All Fronts

"The U.S. Army is spending $68 million to build its own cell phone network in Afghanistan. The system will use the GSM protocol (used in most of the world, while CDMA is used only in the United States, Japan, Canada and South Korea). Called ECCS (Expeditionary Cellular Communications Service) it uses permanent and portable cell towers. The portable towers can quickly be set up in new, or temporary, bases. One reason for setting up their own cell system is because the Taliban force cell phone service providers to shut down service at night, in the belief that the U.S. uses cell phone transmissions to track Taliban operations, and because local civilians often call in reports of Taliban activity at night. A private system is also more secure from spying."

Attrition: Israel Braces For The Iranian Rain Of Fire

"All this could be traced back to preparations Iran has been making for over a decade. Using their oil wealth, and weapons smuggling network, Iran has armed Syria, Hezbollah (the Shia militia in southern Lebanon) and Hamas (the Palestinian terrorist group that runs Gaza) with over 50,000 rockets, plus numerous other weapons. Most of the rockets are short range (about 10 kilometers), but several thousand have a much longer reach, and can hit targets throughout Israel. The Iranian master plan is for Hezbollah, Hamas, Syria and Iran to simultaneously fire as many missiles and rockets into Israel as they can. Even if there are no ground forces to follow up such an attack, the casualties (civilian and military) in Israel would be seen as a great Islamic victory, and would demoralize the Israelis. While Israeli defensive moves could do great damage to Syria, Lebanon and Gaza, Iran considers it a reasonable plan. Hezbollah, Syria and Hamas are not so sure, but Iran already has all the rockets and missiles in place."

Iraq: Kill Them All

"Current prime minister Nuri al Maliki is trying to put together a coalition that would enable him to form a new government. Former prime minister Iyad Allawi (whose Iraqiya party has a small plurality in parliament) insists that the constitution gives only him the right to form a government. Broadly speaking, Maliki is seen by his enemies as too pro-Shia and too willing to work with Shia radials and Iran. Allawi is seen as too secular and too willing to work with the hated Sunni Arab minority (who have done most of the killing in the last sixty years). But both men are very much Iraq nationalists, and each believes only they can lead Iraq to a better future."

Somalia: No Unity, No Peace

"The UN rejected AU (African Union) pleas for a blockade of Somalia, to help halt the piracy and violence. Western nations would have to enforce such a blockade, and don't want to. Such a blockade would require more warplanes and warships, an expense that most nations do not want to incur. Yemen would also like a blockade, largely because the pirates have ruined the Yemeni fishing industry, costing fishermen over $100 million a year. But Western governments have cracked down on al Shabaab recruiting and fund raising among migrant communities in Europe and North America. Kenya also has a growing Somali refugee community, that is also used by al Shabaab for recruiting and refuge. The UN is criticizing Kenya for trying to force many of these refugees back into Somalia. But Kenya says that most of these recent refugees (5-10,000 Somalis) expect the fighting to die down soon, and then they will go back to their homes. The UN prefers to establish refugee camps, which are a big business for them, and essential for fund raising."

Officials: 1 in 5 Undeployable by 2012

"Today, nearly 14.5 percent of Soldiers in a brigade combat team are unable to deploy by the unit's latest arrival date in theater, or LAD. That number is up from a little over 10 percent in 2007. By 2012, it's expected the number will be as high as 16 percent, said Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, the Army's deputy chief of staff, G-1.
'We don't want it to grow, but the reality is, we're tracking what's happening with our Soldiers and we're making our best assumptions and assessment of what's going to happen in the future,' Bostick said."

U.S. Navy Wants it All When it Comes to LCS | Defense Tech

"Woah, so the U.S. Navy wants to buy both classes of Littoral Combat Ship in equal numbers for a total of 20 ships, double the planned by of 10 Hulls"

Military ready for war in cyberspace | Reuters

I hope the headline is teh product of the author or an editor and not someting someone in Cyber Command actually said as it would be kind of a stupid thing to say. THe numebr of ways that electronic threats can present, the vulnerabilities and exploits, and the myriad of stragegies for taking advantage are so numerous that no one should ever consider themselves "ready" in this arena.:
"Gates ordered the new unit's creation in June 2009 to address the growing threat of cyber-attack.
It consolidates offensive and defensive operations under Army General Keith Alexander, who also heads the National Security Agency, the Defense Department's intelligence arm that protects national security information and intercepts foreign communications.
'Cyberspace is essential to our way of life and U.S. Cyber Command synchronizes our efforts in the defense of (Defense Department) networks,' Alexander said in the Pentagon announcement.
Lynn declared the unit, based at Fort Meade, Maryland, fully up and running in a memorandum dated October 31, said Colonel Rivers Johnson, a Cyber Command spokesman."

Why would we want a Senator Castle?

Read Jeff Goldstein Every Day!: "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if sold on its merits, classical liberalism — and the Tea Party’s message is essentially a classical liberal message — crosses party lines and appeals to anyone who believes in individual liberty, smaller government, equality of opportunity, and the rule of law. It is constitutionalism — legal conservatism / libertarianism — substantively alienated from the rudderless country club Republicanism of Lindsey Graham, or the vote-counting gamesmanship of Karl Rove, for whom winning temporary majorities and chairmanships is more important than governing from a coherent philosophical base.
We don’t need slicker candidates. We need committed candidates."

Obama Lets GM Execs Fly Private Jets Again - GM - Fox Nation

Again. Under what authority was this prohibition put in place?: "General Motors executives have been cleared for takeoff again.
The automaker has been given the go-ahead by the federal government to use chartered aircraft as early as Thursday to ferry managers on a 'road show' promoting G.M.'s public stock offering, according to government and company officials who declined to be identified.
It is believed to be the first time that G.M. will use private jets for business-related purposes since the government demanded that it sell its fleet of corporate aircraft in 2008. As a condition for accepting emergency federal assistance, G.M. has required its executives to travel on commercial airlines."

UPDATE 2-Republican election surge hits U.S. state houses | Reuters

"Republicans saw a net gain of at least 680 seats in state legislatures, giving them control of chambers in Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the NCSL reported.
Storey said four chambers remain in play, including the New York Senate.
Election results so far have Republicans in charge of 54 legislative chambers, with Democrats controlling 38 and two chambers with a partisan split -- the Alaska Senate and the Oregon House. Control of four chambers remains undecided."

Democrats lose centuries of seniority in House - Washington Times

"All told, with about a dozen races still uncalled, Democrats have already shed 376 years of congressional experience, and that could go as high as 430 years if five other Democrats lose races in which returns show they are trailing."

DeMint: We'll Ban Earmarks Right Away - The Early Show - CBS News

"'We can't have 500 congressmen and senators who think it's their job to bring home the bacon - and that's what's going to change,' South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint told CBS' 'The Early Show. 'One of the first thing we'll do in the House and Senate is ban earmarks as Republicans - that'll get our eyes back on fixing our tax code, fixing social security and Medicare, getting America back to work.'

DeMint called earmarks 'that parochial interest I think gets that the focus of interest off national interests onto paving local parking lots.' He said in an editorial Tuesday that the dozens of GOP congressional newcomers 'can't be bribed if they're not for sale.'"

FT.com / Technology / Science - Scientists unveil moving 3D holograms

"More than 30 years after the famous Star Wars movie scene in which a hologram of Princess Leia appealed for help from Obi-Wan Kenobi, US researchers have unveiled holographic technology to transmit and view moving three-dimensional images.
The scientists at the University of Arizona say their prototype “holographic three-dimensional telepresence” is the world’s first practical 3D transmission system that works without requiring viewers to wear special glasses or other devices. The research is published in the journal Nature."

Afghanistan: The System

"The ability to respond quickly to emergencies has made it easier to recruit villages to organize their gunmen and resist the Taliban. Traditionally, if you arrived in a village with enough armed men, you could do what you wanted. No reinforcements were going to arrive in time. But that is no longer the case, not always anyway. So the Taliban have to be careful where they show up out in the countryside. Usually, the Taliban will organize their own intelligence network in an area they are operating in, but that does not enable them to move quickly enough to terrorize all the villages in their area, to prevent them from Taliban-proofing themselves with a village defense plan and a radio connection to call in reinforcements. Meanwhile, while the Taliban are watching the local villagers, they are in turn being watched, and analyzed, made predictable and, eventually dead or fled.
It's because of this that the Taliban are at their most dangerous near the Pakistani border. The American intel system is partially blinded in Pakistan, and the Taliban know it. Thus the Taliban based in Pakistan are less predictable, and can dash across the border and stage raids that are surprises, just like in the good old days."

Amos Describes Corps’ Future Conflicts

"Combat will largely be in tightly contested urban areas near the seas, because that is increasingly where the world's populations are headed, he added. Those populations, meanwhile, will be living in poverty as the world's eyes turn increasingly toward scarce resources.
Even in places such as Europe where populations are shrinking, a growing portion of citizens will join gangs as they leave dysfunctional families and seek a different kind of identity to become 'an insider.'
Add to the mix weapons moving among gangs and terrorists, and you've got an enemy that's 'nameless and faceless and hard to deal with,' Amos said.
Some examples included an attack by Hezbollah on an Israeli warship back in 2006 by a drone packed with explosives. Amos said Hezbollah was able to get a drone because they had the money and someone was willing to sell it. For evidence that gangs are a growing concern, Amos said one has only to look at what's happening just over the Mexican border.
'This is what's going to happen in the world,' he said."