The Inside Straight

The "Radioactive Boy Scout" and Other Summer Madness

The easiest way to introduce this topic is with a quote:

Radioactive Boy Scout" arrested
03 August 2007

David Hahn, 31, from Clinton Township, Michigan, has been accused of stealing smoke detectors containing americium. Hahn was previously described as "The Radioactive Boy Scout" after trying to make a thorium-based reactor in a shed at his mother's home when a 17-year old. Now 31, Hahn, was being held in the Macomb County Jail on charges of larceny from a building.

Full story here.

According to the story. Hahn had a number of (apparently stolen) smoke detectors, and it was speculated he was trying to extract the americium from them. Americium is a radioactive metal that is quite similar to polonium and could ( I believe) be used to make a "dirty bomb"-or-more threatening still- be alloyed with beryllium to create a neutron source that would be far more dangerous.

Hahn's motives (He says he was researching for a book) are - at best - murky.

Hahn's adventures are not unique: a Pataskala, Ohio (near Columbus) man was taken into custody on sexual assault charges,and a search of his home revealed a jar about half full of castor bean seeds-which can be used to make ricin : a deadly bio-poison  for which there is no antidote. Police say "rocket fuel" was also found. (I'm not sure I want to know what that was all about !)

All across the nation, there have been false bomb threats. These usually get phoned in right after lunch on Friday afternoons - presumably by employees looking to start their weekend early.

New Jersey had a staggering number of such incidents until it worked out a remedial strategy: The police respond in full force, and they make a thorough search ...but no employees are allowed to leave the building unless a real threat is found. (By strange coincidence the number of bomb threats has gone from several per week to one every few months...)

All of these incidents remind me of the old fishing hole I visited as a boy. The water would sometimes be so dappled with "fish strikes" it would look as if the pond was being hit with a rain shower; but, on closer examination, the "big fish" creating all that fuss would turn out to be minnows.

That didn't mean there were no big fish present. You would see them swirl up once in a while from the cool depths to grab a minnow, or to steal the bluegill you had just hooked.

The people we need to worry about are out there - and, just like the bass and pickerel of my youth,catching them is the tricky part - especially when there are so many minnows tying up the attention and resources of those whose job it is to keep us reasonably safe.

Things that make you go "Hmmmm..." : Dragon Skin Armor Fails Army Tests-Miserably; Senators Complain !!

The United States Army conducted exhaustive tests on a privately produced body armor called "Dragon Skin" : finding the armor was less protective than the standard GI issue, weighed more, and did not hold up to extreme changes in temperature.

Two Democratic Senators: Edward (Ted) Kennedy of Massachussetts, and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York immediately fired off letters demanding explanations.

As far as I know, there is no financial connection between the senators and the manufacturer of Dragon Skin : Pinnacle Armor, a Fresno,California corporation whose "main line of products" - metal doors, sash, and trim - are well regarded. Pinnacle is to be commended for its attempts to bring a desirable product to market - even though - according to the prestigious H.P. White Laboratories , they do not meet Army standards-yet.

The more likely reason the two senators were irked was that public disclosure of the tests deprived them-and their political allies-of a club that had been used to beat and belittle the Bush administration.

The Army, you see, had previously ruled that troops who were injured while wearing body armor that did not meet military standards would be denied benefits. This very sensible ruling had been used to create a faux firestorm : Army refuses to protect troops ! Troops denied proper armor !! Troops at risk !!!

Those who lit and fanned the firestorm were people like Clinton and Kennedy : neither of whom has ever been known as a staunch supporter of the troops. Clinton is notorious for her open contempt towards those who serve , while Kennedy is notable for his indifference.

There are certain common-sense things that need to be said about body armor.

1. It is heavy and uncomfortable - especially for troops who may be carrying 100 pounds of gear already.
2. It is NOT "completely bulletproof"-(no armor is) -but it offers a great deal of protection against grenade fragments,shrapnel,and small caliber weapons.
3. There are always points of vulnerability in body armor, and, in this Information Age, opposition forces (to use the PC form of description) have been making a careful study of these points : using charts and other visual aids (some of which have been captured.)

Those who bray-piously and sententiously-about their "great concern for the troops" (translation: their own political careers) really ought to give some thought to the effect on troop morale their braying has: Tell the troops their equipment is "defective" enough times, and an increasing number will come to believe it : going into harm's way with a mindset that can easily lead to disaster...at which the Clintons and Kennedys of the world can point and say : " See ? I told you so !"

Three Nights Stumped

Three Nights Stumped


(Inspired by an article in New Scientist warning of a mini-ice age –that could – somehow - be attributed to man-made global warming.)

I come home on Monday night –
I was sober as could be !
Found an ice-skatin’ rink in the backyard
Whar the swimmin’ pool should be.

So I sez to my wife
My purty l’il wife,
“Explain this thang to me :
What’s an ice rink doin’ in our backyard
Where the swimmin’ pool should be ?”

An’ she said :

“Old fool, you stubborn fool –
Are you too blind to see ?
It’s an artifact of global warming :
They said so on TV.”

Well, now:

I’ve traveled this whole world round an’ round :
Ten thousand miles or more –
But an artifact in my swimmin’ pool ??
I never did see before ! !

I come home late on Tuesday night :
Two foot of snow was in the ground,
An’ every time I tapped the brakes
My pickup spun around .

So I sez to my wife
My purty l’il wife :
“Explain this thang to me :
How’d we get a blizzard in August ?
What could the reason be ?”

An’ she said :

“Old fool, you stubborn fool
Are you too blind to see ?
It’s an artifact of global warming-
They said so on TV .”

Well , now :

I’ve traveled this whole world round and round :
Ten thousand miles or more –
But a blizzard in the middle of August
I never did see before !

We was all snowed in by Wednesday night-
It was piled up to the trees !
The power was off, an’ there wasn’t any heat .
I was sure we was gonna freeze !

So I says to my wife
My shiverin’ l’il wife:
“Explain this thang to me :
Where in heck is that Global Warmin’ ?
Can they send a bit to you an’ me ? “

An’ she said:

“Old fool, stop yammering
An’ fetch a quilt for me –
If you snuggle here beside me
We’ll be toasty as can be !”

Well,now:

I’ve traveled this whole world round an’ round:
Ten thousand miles or more-
But a warmer like my purty l’il wife
I never did see before

New York Times Upset Over Arrest of "Fort Dix Six"

It is amusing-if disheartening-to see that my cynical predictions about how the story of the six wannabee Islamic terrorists might be handled in certain circles have come true.

The New York Times dedicated its front page to the proposition these poor lads - who merely wanted to shoot up Fort Dix and kill as many soldiers as possible - are VICTIMS ; that they were subjected to entrapment by the FBI; and that their barely-frustrated scheme was just a boyish lark.

The Know-Nothing Party : a loose aggregation of groups and individuals who are intensely opposed to illegal immigration ("alien invasion") , excessive legal immigration, the granting of work visas to people-who-don't-look-like-us , (and a host of other causes, some of which might be considered alarming) ,has decided that: since the three Duka brothers - allegedly part of the plot - were not in the country legally, they must have been smuggled over the Mexican border (Canada doesn't exist to these folks) , and George Bush should be shot for High Treason for permitting it to happen.

These folks fly into a rage when it is pointed out the Duka brothers entered the country many years ago (they attended grammar and high school in the US) and George Bush was NOT in office.Pointing this out is considered "NeoCons using Clinton-bashing to squirm off the hook."

Dedicated Clinton Bashers have been crying: " Aha ! All this immigration of Albanian and Kosovar refugees took place while "Bubba" was in office !"

That's true. America DID open its heart and its arms to many of the refugees. Had the Clinton administration failed to approve a refugee program , there would have been considerable anger;as we have long been (or have tried to be) a compassionate nation.

Most of that group of refugees fit into our society without too many problems- ( One of the refugees married my Niece,and is a decent, hard-working  naturalized American ) - just as the refugees of the Hungarian Uprising were able to adapt a generation before.

CAIR : Voiced concern that there might be backlash against American Muslims.

Al Jazeerah : No comments....yet.

Wonkette: A "Progressive" website had this (fairly predictable) comment:

"Never mind that we've done this song and dance before with those seven losers in a warehouse in Miami that got arrested last year.  Never mind that this is all suspiciously well-timed for the Bush Assministration, whose poll numbers are tanking and whose pet idiot will be making his second (and undoubtedly awe-inspiringly bad) testimony before Congress the day after tomorrow."

The Neo-Copperheads - a conglomeration of anti-war groups - many with widely divergent points of view (eg: Libertarians joining forces with Socialists) pulled out the standard "apples-and-oranges" whine they use every time a terror plot is foiled : " I thought we were fighting over there so we could not have to fight the terrorists at home ".

Alex Jones "Truthers" : I didn't see anything on the web yet. I anticipate reading this was all a Zionist plot to make Muslims look bad, and to prepare us for the establishment of concentration camps on military bases all over the country...so, if you've got any sense, you'll invest every dollar you can spare in the Gold stocks , survival gear , nutritional supplements, and Alex Jones tapes we just happen to have on hand. (Better hurry : supplies are limited !)

Oh. As predicted , they are already known as "The Fort Dix Six".

Don't you wonder when the student teach-ins will begin ?

"Operation Bite" Was Toothless

"Operation Bite !", the headlines screamed. " US Plans to Launch Sneak Attack on Iran on April 6th !!"

Well, folks, April 6th has come and gone - here and in Iran - and no "4AM sneak attack" has been launched...BUT, this story has exposed a link between the Alex Jones 9/11 "Truthers" (AJTs) in the person of Webster Tarpley, and a retired Russian Colonel General named Leonid Ivashov ; who sounds on the face of things to be an FSB operative, specializing in disinformatsia  : an AJT specialty.

An interesting website called "Verum Serum" has a fairly detailed report on the relationship between Webster Tarpley-author of most of the reports circulating on the internet , and General Ivashov.

The author speculates this was a "Truther" operation from the get-go , and that some of Iran's seemingly insane recent moves might have been motivated by this operation.

You may wonder why the AJTs would involve themselves in such an adventure. Are they "agents of influence" for Russia's FSB ? Are they merely " anarchists in neckties" who seek to de-stabilize the United States ?

Could it be this is all linked to speculation in gold stocks - something the leading "Truthers" ,many of the "patriot" radio networks, and certain of their political cronies are intensely involved in ??

(There's nothing like the threat of another international crisis to drive up the price of gold !)

Whatever the reasons , it is clear the "Truthers" may have bitten off more than they could chew with "Operation Bite" !

Moonbats,Wingnuts,9/11 "Truthers" and the Iranian Captive Crisis

The 15 British captives are now safe on British soil - thanks to exhaustive (and outstanding) efforts by British negotiators...but it didn't take long for the Moonbats of the Left , the Wingnuts of the Right ,and the Alex Jones 9/11 "Truthers"  (AJTs) -who occupy an odd parallel universe of their own devising - to begin bloviating on the subject.

To keep things simple, the Moonbats insisted Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's visit to Syrian President Assad led the latter to intervene in Iranian affairs. (R-r-r-r ight !)

The Wingnuts said it was the Bush administration's steadfastness that did the job. (H-o-o-o-kay !)

The AJTs said the whole thing was a put up job (like 9/11) designed to provide a framework for an attack on Iran by the Neo-cons and their Israeli allies - (No. Strike that ! Make it "Zionist Masters" !!)

The Associated Press seemed a bit confused : first asserting the captives had been released in honor of the Prophet's Birthday ; then reporting the release had been Iran's Easter present to the British people. ( Either theory makes the Iranians look like nice , badly misunderstood chaps : something the Associated Press is fond of telling us.)

I believe I'll settle for this explanation: The Iranians and the British were able to negotiate the release of the captives - before a true hostage situation could develop ,and before the matter could escalate into more serious conflict. The terms of the agreement are unknown to us - as they should be. 

The Moonbats,Wingnuts, and AJTs talk louder than the rest of us ; but, in the final analysis , they don't know squat !

Drums Along the Potomac

Since the 2004 Presidential elections, we've been hearing "warnings" and "insider tips" that the Bush administration is planning to wage war on Iran. Naturally, each time the administration denies such a plan,the howls of protest grow louder.

Now that the howls have been spread across the Internet, some of the mainstream politicians are jumping in. For example,Presidential wannabee Hillary Clinton , and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi took time out from their busy schedules to tell the Media that the President can't wage war on Iran without Congressional approval. (Goll-leee ! What a surprise !! )

Those who suffer from Bush Derangement Syndrome seem to have arrived at the conclusion that Iran - if it is a problem to the world at all - is a problem only because President Bush is so mean to them. ( It's a familiar refrain to my old ears. The peace-at-any-price folks used to say the same thing about every American president who refused to join in a rousing chorus of The Communist Internationale.)

Since at least 2005, American and other Coalition troops in Iraq have been running across war materiel of Iranian origin ,which has been used to kill our troops - and they have run across occasional identifiable Iranian Special Forces operatives as well .

The Anti-Bush folks have two answers when evidence is presented:

1. It is all a Neo-Con hoax; and/or :

2. Because we furnished weapons to the mujahadeen in Afghanistan against Russian invaders, the Iranians have a perfect right to do so in Iraq ; and :

3. Iran has a perfect right to pursue the goal of joining the Nuclear Weapons club.

It may surprise some of you, but I have no real objection to Iran becoming a nuclear power.India and Pakistan , which have been at loggerheads from the gitgo , are both burdened with nuclear weapons they dare not use against each other. The harsh realities of Mutual Destruction have forced both nations to restrict their military activities, and to meet across the bargaining table.

I can readily visualize such a scenario developing between Iran and Israel , should both antagonists achieve nuclear parity , and I can visualize Shi'ite Iran becoming a counterbalance to the Sunni -dominated nations. The relationships that would develop would probably be noisy-with much ranting,and much low-grade irregular warfare, but the world would probably be safer for it.

As to any Iranian guerrillas who might turn up in Iraq , the answer is clear: dispose of them, or chase them back to their homeland. Continue to document what they are doing, but let the Iraqis themselves handle them and any problems they may cause.

Let's keep a steady hand on the reins; and above all, let's not let political wannabees stampede us into open conflict just so they can get elected. We have more than enough on our plates right now, thank you !

Global Warming : "Template Science " at its Worst ?

We could have used a bit of "global warming" around here today: snow,sleet, freezing rain, more snow on top of that. A salt truck knocked down an electrical line, and we lost power for an hour or two.

No biggie: just your typical February day in the Northeast - but , according to Al Gore and The Church of Anthropogenic (Human Caused) Climate Change , it is further evidence we (American sinners) are all doomed,doomed, doomed !

As you can see, I have some reservations about "The Church" and its teachings. I believe some of what is being "preached" is based upon "template science" ; ie: research conducted to produce desired results. Having said this, let me qualify my remarks.

My sole relationship with the Petroleum Industry is as follows: They send me a bill every month for the gasoline and oil I put into Gladys,our adopted Honda. (She followed us home from the dealership,so we decided to keep her.)

I am not a gap-toothed, ignorant , drooling redneck. I must confess to having listened to Bluegrass music from time to time, and to occasional picking on guitar, mandolin, etc. in the past-but I like Classical music too ...and have a keen, continuing interest in science.

I am not an Evil Neo-Con. In point of fact, I've probably voted for Democrats a whole lot more than I've voted Republican. If I had to describe myself, I'd say I'm a "Commonsense - itarian".

I mention all these things because it is currently the fashion to launch a no-holds-barred personal attack upon anyone who questions the dogmatically presented opinions of The Church of Anthropogenic Climate Change.

The notion that Humans are responsible for most Global Warming is still just that: a notion. In scientific terms, it is a Hypothesis - for which there is insufficient evidence to elevate it to the status of Theory ...and definitely nowhere near enough evidence to advance it to the status of a Scientific Truth ; but "The Church" insists on calling it  a "proven fact" , and tries to punish anyone in the scientific community who disputes them.

An example of how "The Church" acts is shown here.

The curious career of one of this cult's prime architects-Maurice Strong- was explored by researchers at Fox News (which the cult's devotees refer to as "Faux News" - especially when their reporters hit the nail on the head - as they did in the "Oil for Food" scandal.)

Having told you in advance what some of the response to this entry will consist of, let me throw a few concepts on the table.

1. The earth is warming - much as it has warmed (and cooled) many times before. Most of this warming , I think is due to conventional forces : solar activity, oscillations in the earth's orbit,volcanic activity (especially in the Pacific),methane output from the planet's animal life, etc.

2. Most of this warming is exactly what one might expect as the planet came to the end of a cooling cycle. How cold has it been in the past ? Well ,following the Blizzard of 1888, it was possible to travel on ice skates - across the coastal waters - between Boston and New York City. In fact, many people did so.

3.  The original "template" for much of our now revered "climate science" was a perceived "need" to slow down the United States by reducing its ability to compete with the European Union. (The Fox article suggests China may have been the originator, but I'm more inclined to think they merely jumped aboard an EU concept.)

4. When then-President Bill Clinton signed on to the Kyoto accords , I'm reasonably sure he knew perfectly well Congress would not approve it - but it made a marvelous "worry weight" !

( In table shuffleboard, an astute player will sometimes protect his high value weights from being knocked off the board by shooting a weight about halfway up the board: thus forcing the opponent to shoot around it. )

A. If Al Gore won the 2000 election , he could ignore the Kyoto worry weight ...or use it as leverage to extract large donations from corporations opposed to it. Few would criticize him in either event.

B. If Gore lost , then the winner - Bush - could be (and was ) hammered incessantly for "failure to follow through on Kyoto".

5. Most of the flak about global warming comes from the EU (and is parroted here). It is worth noting the EU , which preaches to us about Global Warming , has never met its own Kyoto Accord goals , and has exaggerated and lied about its own achievements. Germany, for example, has the largest number of highways in Europe, but does not count auto emissions when it discusses greenhouse gas production. Spain meets its goals by "purchasing credits" in other countries - as does China (which happens to be the biggest polluter on the planet).

(Credits are purchased by buying pollution control equipment, and shipping it to "Third World" countries, which, for the most part, don't even take it out of the shipping cartons.)

6. Ironically the one country cast as the villain of the Global Warming drama has met and exceeded the originally proposed Kyoto "goals" year after year, without fuss and fanfare. That country-as you may have guessed- is the United States of America.

ps: Be careful who you share that last tidbit with ! The Church of Anthropogenic Climate Change hates it when anyone says this like that !!

The Great "Save Darfur" Scam (Bill Richardson's Big Adventure)

Save Darfur ! That's one of the new slogans of the Beautiful People.

In case you're wondering where Darfur is, why it needs to be saved, and who it needs to be saved from,let me provide a quick rundown.

Darfur is a region in Sudan that is chock-a-block full of highly desirable,easily refined light sweet crude oil. It has been the home of African natives for ages untold; but, in recent years,Arabs - some of whom are tightly entwined with al-Qaeda and/or the Muslim Brotherhood - have moved in and taken over the government: making removal of the original natives from the oil-rich sands of Darfur their highest priority.

The Chinese (who have no qualms about "blood for oil") are willing to buy all the oil Sudan can sell them,and are willing to supply the neccessary tools (guns,helicopters,etc.) needed to remove the troublesome natives.

The Sudanese government-wishing to keep its hands "clean" in this matter, has funneled almost unlimited money, arms, and supplies to a non-governmental group that calls itself "the janjaweed militia": taking great care to look the other way while this militia clears the oilfields of native Africans with an orgy of murder, arson, rape,looting, and wholesale destruction of homes and villages.

So far, this government-backed Islamist militia has succeeded in killing an estimated 200,000 people,killing livestock, destroying crops, and turning about a million families into homeless refugees ; but it wasn't until the natives started to fight back ,and the flow of oil to the Chinese became jeapordized that the UN (and,some might say,the Beautiful People) became interested.

Here,here !, the UN cried. What's all this....this conflict ?

The UN has long adhered to (or at least practiced )the view that if one group murders and oppresses another,the conflict is best resolved by disarming the victim. It makes the resultant slaughter much less alarming ; much more tidy .

Come, come, the UN coaxed. Let us sit down at the bargaining table and negotiate this ...unpleasantness away !

To no one's great surprise, all parties to the conflict told the UN to butt out.

On July 14,2004 , a truly worthy group - The Save Darfur Coalition was organized. Members, who came from a broad spectrum, signed the following statement:

"The emergency in Sudan’s western region of Darfur presents the starkest challenge to the world since the Rwanda genocide in 1994. A government-backed Arab militia known as Janjaweed has been engaging in campaigns to displace and wipe out communities of African tribal farmers.

Villages have been razed, women and girls are systematically raped and branded, men and boys murdered, and food and water supplies targeted and destroyed. Government aerial bombardments support the Janjaweed by hurling explosives as well as barrels of nails, car chassis and old appliances from planes to crush people and property. Tens of thousands have died. Well over a million people have been driven from their homes, and only in the past few weeks have humanitarian agencies gained limited access to some of the affected region.

Mukesh Kapila, the former United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, said on March 19, 2004 that the violence in Darfur is “more than a conflict, it's an organized attempt to do away with one set of people.” The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has issued its first ever genocide emergency. John Prendergast of International Crisis Group warns, “We have not yet hit the apex of the crisis.”

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that 350,000 people or more could die in the coming months. Ongoing assessments by independent organizations such as Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) suggest that USAID’s estimate may be conservative. If aid is denied or unavailable, as many as a million people could perish.

Lives are hanging in the balance on a massive scale."

(Source: Wikipedia)

The Beautiful People decided to get behind this effort , and a massive fund-raising drive was conducted. When enough cash had been collected , the Save Darfur Coalition decided to send New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to Sudan - not to redress the ongoing genocide, but to negotiate a ceasefire between the oppressors and their victims.

Richardson seemed tailor-made for the assignment: a former US Ambassador to the UN,a former Secretary of Energy (who had proved a good friend indeed to the Chinese), and a good friend of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

On January 10,2007 , Richardson flew to Khartoum, sat down with all the available parties, and negotiated a "60 day ceasefire". Returning in triumph the same day, he gained much-desired "face time" with the Media and the Beautiful People ....just in time to announce his candidacy for President in 2008.

As Bill Richardson basked in momentary glory, life as usual resumed in Darfur. The Janjaweed Militia announced they were  not bound by the decisions of the Sudanese government - no matter how many papers were signed with Unbelievers - and the rattle of weapons began anew.The 60 Day Truce-like the May ceasefire that had preceeded it-was empty words on worthless paper : a pointless gesture, contrived by foreigners for their own ends.

George Soros Plays Pied Piper to the EU: His Song ? Forget a Constitution and Follow Me !

George Soros has surfaced again : this time in Europe, where he advises the members (and would-be members) of the European Union to stop wrangling over the terms of a constitution-and adopt his world wide "Open Society" instead.

The EU Observer notes of Soros : "The Hungarian-born US citizen, who became famous as a financial speculator in the 1980s and 1990s, currently heads the Open Society Institute which promotes liberal democracy worldwide and which has been particularly active in the former Soviet bloc. "

What the Observer does NOT say is that the experience of Russia with Soros' "Open Society" was not especially beneficial : the highly visible result was an inflation rate of 2500% ,the formation of a corrupt cabal of Russian and American businessmen (sometimes referred to as oligarchs),and the looting of $100 BILLION dollars in IMF loans, USAID loans,and other foreign assistance : all under the thoughtful guidance of Soros beneficiary Jeffrey Sachs and the merry crew at the Harvard Institute for International Development - referred to sardonically by the Russians as "The Garvardniki" -(The Harvard Boys).

Sachs resigned on 5/25/99, and Harvard shut down its operations in January,2000 -after settling a lawsuit brought by USAID for a modest $26 million.

The whole business soured US and Russian relations , and may still be a factor in ongoing tensions between the two nations.

 

Soros is also credited with engineering the "Orange Revolution" in the Ukraine : a revolution that,two years later, is considered to have faltered and lost its way - with substantial assets again disappearing amidst the FOGS (Friends of George Soros).

For all that , people still dance happily along behind this cryptic "pied piper" like the fabled children of Hamlin : eager to scoop up the occasional small coins he strews in their path ; ignorant of the fact it is their money he is spending so lavishly; and chillingly ready to follow him to the Land of No Return.

It is even more chilling that a growing number of Democrats (and not a few Republicans) in this country have begun to listen to -and dance to the Piper's tune.

If this be "tinfoil hattery" - then make the most of it !