Poll of a Billion Monkeys

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Thursday MCW Briefing - 6/25/09

Thursday MCW Briefing (Military/Crime/War)

MS-13 Indictments


The West African Coke Line

Hizballah of New Jersey

Detachment 88


NYPD Counterterrorism

Into the Abyss

Murtha Speak

The King of Korea - interesting analysis.

The Predators in Pakistan

The Just War

Fight Like You Intend to Win, Fight Like Injuns - The Iranian opposition and the people are still trying to fight this thing like it's a Marquess of Queensbury match. It ain't. When you're fighting tyrants you fight like Injuns, not like Englishmen. They need a real leader and a real revolutionary with real plans and they need him now.

Shattering the Illusion

The Strike

The Altruism of War - Although I am agnostic on this study I cannot help but tithing of both the altruistic and individual motives of protesters in Iran

Cybergon


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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Sanford's Real Sin

The Glair - Sanford's Real Sin: the Modern Hubris of the Indispensable Man

I would have been happy for Mark Sanford to run for president. I would have helped to elect him. Done everything I could have to made sure he became President of the United States of America. Before this.



I fully admit I have no understanding of these actions at all. Maybe because for the most part they really are incomprehensible. Sometimes love makes people crazy I guess. It does teenagers anyway. But this is a nearly fifty year old man. At some point you grow beyond your immediate impulses. Or, maybe not...

This is exactly the kind of thinking and behavior that lost Republicans so many offices last time. With good reason. The idea that emotions, not thought and discipline and self-control should run the affairs of the individual and the affairs of the nation.

But if I'm understanding these events correctly then even after the trial separation with his wife Sanford ran down to Argentina and spent some quality tear time with his adulterous flame. Without properly notifying the people for whom he works. In dereliction of his governmental and political duties.

Yet far worse to me is the general attitude that Sanford seems to have that the political affairs of the state come before his own family and marriage. Now I firmly admit that I am the last person on earth to think that politics is the most important occupation in the world. Yes, I have been at one time or another deeply invested and active in politics. I'm about to become so again because of my opposition to so many of the policies of President Obama. But to me politics is not like curing cancer, or even painting the Last Supper. It just isn't the grandest contribution to life that one can make and to tell you the truth usually it achieves very little of lasting value. Most of the time that is.

However if you're gonna be involved in politics then you have certain public obligations to meet. Sanford failed his in a particularly inexcusable way. He failed his public duties and he failed his state.

More importantly (and this is Sanford's real sin) than even that he failed to understand that his time in office would have been of a relatively brief duration, with or without these series of events to cloud the matter, in comparison to the entire course of his life. He placed his political career (for without his political career the odds are small he would have engaged in this particular affair in any event) and his adulterous career over that of the importance of his family, his wife, his sons, and what that will represent to them in the future. In other words if your marriage and family were falling apart why not just put aside your career for at least as long as it took to make a course correction and satisfy your first, and more vital set of obligations before carrying on dutifully with a mere job? I just don't get this about modern people. They'll screw everything and everyone around them up completely in order to concentrate upon a public career that they will certainly ruin anyway by screwing up everything and everyone else around them. Did your career save either your marriage or your job-reputation Governor? How did that work out for ya? If you can go "hiking" for a few days then couldn't you have perhaps better expended that time productively working out your marriage and family problems? Hell, at least give it a try like you actually mean it. My marriage was about to fly apart at the seams about a year ago and I fought like a damned wolverine in a wolf-pack fight til it got settled. My wife deserved that much, my children certainly deserved that much, hell, I deserved that much. To try at least. You'd fight heaven and hell against fiscal and financial injustice and irresponsibility (nothing wrong with that by the way) and you'd take a separation from your wife and repentance from an affair like it's a confusing accounting maneuver you need time to more fully analyze? Or a psycho-therapy session you need to cry-out for good measure? Do you think you might have some fire left in your belly for your family man? If not then you think that maybe you should have stoked at the flame a little? You know you're not so crucial that the world can't do without you long enough to prove that there's something more important than what you desire at the moment. It's just a suggestion Mark. Take it for what it's worth.

I hope this turns out to be some kinda lesson for the wise at heart, or soon to be that way. (I'm looking your way too young Republicans.) If your career has doomed your family then maybe it's not your family that's the main or real problem Mr. Einstein. In other words solve first things first. If your house is afire then don't worry much about the slow leak in the kitchen sink. Other things you can catch up with later. Is that really brain salad surgery, or am I just that much smarter than the average modern Joe? Cause it seems to me it's pretty much like reading a grizzly bear paw print at high noon in fresh mud with the help of a old mountain man as your tour guide. If it got anymore self evident then maybe it needs to be published in a pop-up coloring book, or an alphabet primer.

I hope and pray that he will come to his senses for the sake of his wife (and I don't know the personal situation personally, but from her statements I think she certainly deserves better than this infidelity and betrayal) and his children. The fact that he cannot instantly grasp the full weight of his own hypocrisy (in comparison to what he says he represents) is just further proof that he's out of his mind at this point and it is his emotions that guide the autopilot. To paraphrase the ancients, "our emotions make fine steeds, but poor charioteers."

You need to get off the ride Sanford, and if she'll have you back then you need to walk home humbly, tell your wife you're stronger than a sixteen year old in mindset and outlook, resign your office (be a man about it, because you know you need to be, and spare us a well-earned impeachment Mr. Clinton, I mean Mr. Sanford), get out of the public limelight, concentrate upon your family, and remember that your duties and your obligations are what define you as a man.

The State will be just fine without you (God I wish more politicians understood just how really dispensable and disposable they are, their own opinions to the contrary) Governor, and you will be far better off in a state that concentrates upon what is most important, instead of just what is most politic.

Anyway you can forget my political support in the future.
I'm not gonna ask that my Republican representatives be perfect, but they gotta do a lot better than this one. That's just a given.

Get yourself straightened out and as far as I'm concerned, I'll forgive what you did. Not that that's important. You got a lot more significant people than me to re-earn the trust of.
But in any case get yourself straightened out now man. Right now.

You're starting to look like a little boy playing at being Tarzan, King of the Monkeying-Around Men.

Gird up your loins man, gird up your loins. Don't just sling em around like jungle vines for purposes of entertainment and circus shows.


Story Link


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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Tuesday Science and Technology Abstract - 6/23/09

Tuesday Science and Technology Abstract



Intuition, Email, and Doom - When do people know what they don't yet?

The Cyborgin Impulse

Metastatically Examined

The Tilted Mass

I find this one particularly interesting as personally I have often wondered at the many seeming inaccuracies and inconsistencies (both physically and mathematically) in common models of solar system formation.

The Stretchable Creation

The Listening Ear

I've long been a proponent of biologically based and biologically modeled technologies, for obvious reasons. Here is a good example of why. The applications are enormous, for what if one designed chips and recovers of a molecular and genetic nature based upon the hearing capabilities of dogs and wolves?

The New Spin

I also have to wonder how this might effect practical applications of Spintronics.

The Entrained Brain

The Great White Serial Killer


I'd like to see this used as the basis for developing analysis systems for violent human psycho and social pathologies. In other words develop this study into a predictive analytical tool concerning human serial killers, as one possible application. I'm not talking about the direct correlation, but the generla methodology.

America's Most Twittered

I've recently been considering the real value (if any) of various social networking applications. Here is an application I could actually make real use of.

The Sharp Alchemist

Need I say more?

The Resonant Recharge

The New Cyber-Warfare

The Sunny Devil

I know I have included more than the usual number of articles in the Abstract. But the past few weeks have seen some very interesting and exciting developments in the various disciplines of science and technology that I thought were well worth examining.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Monday Political Appraisal

Monday Political Appraisal

Iranian Protests Continue, Government pursues predictable counter-tactics

Politics by Other Means

Non-Burgas, Franco-style

Iranian You Tube

From Winds of Change

Sex Offenders Law



___________________________________________

I helped elect Jim DeMint. Both to the House and Senate. I consider him a friend and to tell the truth he is the man I am most proud of having helped to elect at this point in American history.

I really like this idea because I don't consider the Senate very highly. It is primarily a house of beasts and effetes. So I'm posting part of Jim's Letter to support his idea.

___________________________________________


Dear Fellow Conservative:

If it concerns you that America is sliding toward socialism, I hope you will join me in supporting a group I am leading to elect true conservatives to the U.S. Senate who will fight to save freedom.

Fighting for freedom is the reason I ran for the Senate and it's also why I wrote a new book called Saving Freedom that I would like to send you. I'll tell you more about that in a minute... But first, I need you to act if you agree that we need to elect more true conservatives to U.S. Senate who will fight for liberty.

As you know, President Obama and congressional Democrats are ramming billions in bailouts, stimulus plans, and pork-barrel projects through Congress as fast as they can. We desperately need principled leaders in the Senate to stop them, and we need those leaders now. The tea parties are great. They are a physical representation of the growing anger Americans have over the direction of our country. But now we need to channel our energy into positive action that makes a real difference. That is why I formed the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF). Its mission is to bring bold leadership to Washington by supporting only the most rock-solid, conservative Senate candidates nationwide -- candidates who believe in limited government, a strong national defense, and traditional family values. SCF does this by making financial contributions to candidates, educating voters on key issues, and building a grass-roots army of like-minded conservatives across the country who will push our candidates on to victory. And let me be absolutely clear about something. SCF does not support liberal Republicans and is not affiliated with the Republican Party or any of its campaign committees. SCF only supports conservatives and will support conservative challengers in Republican primaries when it's necessary.

So if you like wishy-washy Republicans who talk out of both sides of their mouths and try to have it both ways, you won't like SCF. I will tell you that up front. But if you love America and you believe it is the world's greatest bastion of freedom, then you should join our team and help us take back our country. There are just 500 days until the 2010 elections, and we have a lot of work to do. SCF has already made three important endorsements for three impressive candidates.

In Oklahoma, we are supporting the re-election bid of conservative U.S. Senator Tom Coburn. As I'm sure you know, Senator Coburn is a one-man pork-busting machine who has done more to protect American taxpayers from wasteful Washington spending than anyone in Congress.In Pennsylvania, we are backing former Congressman Pat Toomey in his race to replace ultra-liberal Senator Arlen Specter, who helped President Obama pass the $1 trillion stimulus bill and recently switched parties to save his political hide.

In Florida, we have endorsed former Speaker of the House Marco Rubio who is running for the GOP nomination against Governor Charlie Crist. Rubio is a bright, articulate, and principled leader who has what it takes to win this important seat for conservatives.


Iran's Electoral Swindle - from Asharq Alawsat

A buddy of mine sent me this editorial from Amir Taheri.
I thought it extremely well written and his observations insightful.

Iran's Electoral Swindle


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Saturday, June 20, 2009

Free Iranians

Free Iranians

You are going to have to expand your tactics.

It is summer now. You are out of school and university. Your nation has succeeded in Revolution before. You’ve overthrown the Shah. You can overthrow the Ayatollah. Continue to push. Use the season to your advantage. Use the environment to your advantage.

Rally at night, as well as in the day. Rally late at night and at early morning and at nightfall. When the government will have much more trouble preventing you from congregating and assembling. Rally in shifts if you have to do so. And at different locations. Exhaust the opposition.

Encourage market and work strikes.

Get your parents and the middle class involved in your effort. It’s their nation and liberty at stake too.

Develop new means of communications. Use word of mouth, use graffiti on walls, use paper and pen, and develop your own codes. So that you can communicate securely whenever you need and without fear. Exploit all available technologies, but do not just rely upon technologies that the government can disrupt. Also keep communicating in English when you smuggle out messages to the West. Sympathy is strong for you here and will only grow with admiration for your courage and strength.

Organize and attack specific targets that will hamper the government. But do not attack your fellow citizens or innocents. Instead recruit them to your cause. Grow your numbers to an unstoppable host.

When the time is right recruit the police and the military. Many of them are your relations, friends, or even direct family. They can and should be turned to support you.

Instead attack government communications systems and munition stores and transportation networks. Engage in effective sabotage.

Have strikes, prevent commerce from occurring, and continue to rally, march, and shut down fuel networks.

Do not look at this as a defensive action. Instead think of what you can do to actively sabotage and cripple your government while making more and more of your fellow citizens your allies and supporters. Do not stop now. If you give in now then the government will just arrest, try, and imprison or kill many of you. You’re all the way in now, do not turn back though it take weeks or even months to win.

Organize and develop effective and good leadership. Elect leaders and substitute and back-up leaders in the case that your first set of leaders are injured, arrested, out-of-action, or killed.

You need effective Plans. You need a definite Goal and a set of real objectives. Once the revolution is won then you will have to build a new government for the people and by the people and of the people. You also need new routes of movement, and new systems of communications that are your own. So that you can not only win, but also build a new nation afterwards.

You need persistence and this is the perfect time and the perfect season and the best opportunity you have ever had to achieve what you wish, liberty, prosperity, justice, and a real future worth having.

You will have to take what you want but you are all well educated, smart individuals. Use what you know. Exploit where you have advantage. Where there is an obstacle, adapt and overcome. Find a way over, under, or behind any obstruction or opposition.

And screw what your government says, screw what my government and president fails to say. We are with you and you can do this. But you will have to be smart, and organized, and effective, and persistent, and courageous.

You are all of those things.

Now prove it. Don’t forget that the American Revolution was fought by and achieved by the efforts of a relatively small percentage of the population. And yet you young Iranian men and women are 3/5ths of the entire population of your nation. Bring them all in on your side. Win the Hearts and Minds of your fellow citizens. Then you will have victory, real and unfettered victory.

Now Godspeed and God be with you.
And He will be if you don’t give up.
God gives victory to the determined and the courageous.

We are with you too.
Until this is finished.
In the right way.


Meaning, to your advanatge.



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Thursday, June 18, 2009

AN IRAN FOR FREE MEN AND WOMEN

Go you magnificent young boys and girls! Go you Free Iranian Men and Women!


I know you can do it.

Yes, we are watching here, from America. We watch you here in the United States. I watch you, my buddies watch you, and my children are watching you. Gladly.

You have courage; this is your moment in history.

Do not back down. Not today, not ever. Bring those bastards to their knees.

Pressure, every day, more pressure. More liberty, more courage, more of you and what you are proving.

You can do it. You will do it if you don’t hesitate. If you won’t stop.

Victory will be yours.

Eventually the police will side with you. Eventually the military will side with you.

The mullahs will flee your nation just like the Shah did.
I’ve waited a long time to see this. So have you. Don’t falter now, we’re with you. It’s your Revolution now. It’s your nation now.

Take it!

And God Almighty I’m proud of you guys!

Take it and be free, and we are with you.
You’re an example to us all.

Now fight til you win dammit!!!
FIGHT TIL YOU WIN!



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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

IRAN: No Country for Small Men

As many of you know I have long been a proponent of freedom and democracy in Iran. Indeed not just in Persian Iran but also in places throughout the Arab world as well, such as Saudi Arabia.

I know that due to the recent elections things have become tumultuous throughout Iran. And for good reasons. The elections there were obviously skewed and corrupt.

I haven’t blogged in a long time, but I thought this was as good a time as any to make a public pronouncement on my sentiments. Not that my sentiments are what is important, but I just wanted the young people, the old people, indeed anyone in Iran who desires true liberty to know that this American watches your situation with great, and even personal interest. And I have been praying for your liberty and your freedom (for a long time) and for you to have the type of government you can be proud of and that kind of country in which you can flourish and fully exploit your individual and national talents. Which are obviously and historically many and great.

I will continue to pray for the people of Iran, for you are not my enemy, nor the enemy of my nation. I know, and you know, who the enemy of your nation is, and it is not America anymore than you are our enemy. But if I can be of even more practical service in your cause I will be, and indeed I have tried to be for some time now.

So yes, you will be attacked. Yes, I am sorry to say, some of you will be unjustly and viciously slain for the just demands you now make upon your false government and your efforts to establish a far more viable and honest and honorable and free Iran.

God Bless you then and be with you in your cause.

It is a good cause, a just cause, a true cause, and not just one worth dying for, but also one worth living and struggling and fighting for. So I hope and pray you are safe. But above all I pray you are successful. And with courage and determination you will be. And when this is decided in your favor remember us, for many of us in America foresaw this day long ago, as you did. We knew liberty would march throughout your region of the world and that when it did, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, and in your nation, it would also free the trapped and ingenious energies and imaginations of those who know of what they are capable, but have been too long suppressed by men with small imaginations and even less wisdom.

So to all Iranians I say, forget the naysayers, forget those who say the Wars of Liberty cannot be won in your region of the world, forget those filled with doubt and small spirits and timidity and fear. The fearful have their reward, and may they enjoy what small comfort it ever gives them. You, though, are not such people. You are part of the future of the World. Be what you were always meant to be. Be great again.

And for my many Christian brothers and sisters in Iran, even you secret and hidden Christians. Rise up courageously and take your nation in a new and better direction. Set it free. For in Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, no Greek, no bondsman or servant, no Iranian or American separate from and disregarded from the other, but all men and women are one, and equal, and free. Your struggle is mine. Have courage and run until the race is completed. And when you win, as inevitably you will, I will see you at the finish line and I will say to you, “well met my friends, I knew you would make it. It was destiny, and it was God’s will.”

Liberty is your inevitable individual birthright. It’s yours by nature, now take and prove it with action.