Month: July 2007

And Related to Charlie Pierce’s Comment

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Mitt Romney spent nearly $2K on makeup while governor.

Who cares. Really. The only thing of interest is that the press won’t be constantly harping on this, because makeup on Mitt makes him “manly”.

This is crap. Romney is a f#$%ing moron.

When he first ran for state wide office in Massachusetts, he ran for senate against Teddy Kennedy, and it started out competitive. Some polls actually had him in the lead.

Until the debates. Romney made the point that Kennedy was born wealthy, so what did he ever have to give for public service?

Mitt…You know…There are the three brothers…The war hero, the assassinated war hero president, and the assassinated populist presidential candidate.

Mit is stoopid.

What Charlie Pierce Said.

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On Fridays, he frequently contributes a pice to Eric Alterman’s Altercation:

However, where in hell do we go with that last passage there, about how the haircuts matter because “a healthy chunk of the political press corps” doesn’t like Edwards, and how they’re staying away from a sauce-for-the-goose position on Mitt Romney’s makeovers because of their own private calculations of the relative electability of the two candidates. OK, here’s the deal. Every member of that “healthy chunk” of the press corps should be fired. Today. This minute. Without pay or recompense. Let them all walk back inside the Beltway from Cedar Rapids if they have to. I value what I do. I value the work of the people in my business who do it correctly. But, holy mother of god, these people do not do what I do. It’s OK to sneer at a candidate if you don’t like him? It’s OK to create a destructive narrative out of unmitigated piffle because he doesn’t kiss your ass with the regularity you think you deserve, or because his press buses don’t run on time, or because one of his staffers was late with the Danish in Keene? I watched a roomful of them boo Al Gore seven years ago, behavior that would have gotten them run out of any press box in the major leagues. Do you think one of these jamokes — or jamokettes — is thinking, “Maybe we should lay off the haircut thing because of what we all did to Gore in 2000, and look how well that worked out.” Please.

Here’s what I think — the majority of people who cover national politics believe that history is whatever happened in the MSNBC Green Room 15 minutes earlier. I believe the campaign is covered by people with a completely unjustified sense of their own superiority, since not many of them understand or ever care about most of the issues, much less the horrendous bills that are going to come due upon whichever of these poor sods winds up with the job. I believe these people care more about their reputation around the bar at the Wayfarer in Manchester than they do about the interests of the people they purportedly serve. And, were I an editor, and someone brought me a story about John Edwards’ hair or Mitt Romney’s skin, that person would do it once. The second time, the lazy bastard would find himself typing bowling agate on Wednesday night.

Damn good thinking, and damn good writing.

On the Rumors of Arafat Death from AIDS

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On the radio today, I heard reports that Ahmad Jibril, leader of the PFLP has said that senior officials in Fatah have confirmed that Arafat has died of AIDS.

A quick goggle revealed no particularly mainstream reports of this. I know nothing of the provenance of Israel Today, the source of the above link, and Mr. Jibril would have a number of reasons to lie anyway.

That being said, I do have my definitive opinion on the significance of this report.

It has no significance at all.

What is significant about Yassir Arafat is that he was an incompetent, corrupt, and cowardly figure whose position in life derived from who he was related, his uncle was mufti of Jerusalem, rather than any abilities on his own.

He pretty much failed, and failed spectacularly at everything he did, though he did manage to spin things to his favor.

In a word, he is not the Palestinians George Washington, but rather he is the Palestinians George W. Bush.

Why Should We Believe the US Military Now

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You know the saying, fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me

U.S. says Iraqi militant nonexistent
The man known as Abu Omar Baghdadi is an actor and the group a front for Al Qaeda in Iraq, the military says.
By Tina Susman
Times Staff Writer

July 19, 2007

BAGHDAD — In March, he was declared captured. In May, he was declared killed, and his purported corpse was displayed on state-run TV. But on Wednesday, Abu Omar Baghdadi, the supposed leader of an Al Qaeda-affiliated group in Iraq, was declared nonexistent by U.S. military officials, who said he was a fictional character created to give an Iraqi face to a foreign-run terrorist organization.

An Iraqi actor has been used to read statements attributed to Baghdadi, who since October has been identified as the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq group, said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner.

Bergner said the new information came from a man captured July 4, described as the highest-ranking Iraqi within the Islamic State of Iraq.
…..

Bush has purged the military of anyone who might tell an unfortunate truth to the public.

If we want our government to work, we will need to de Bushify the bureaucracy and military after he is gone.

The problem is, that we need to de Bushify the courts too, and the Constitution makes that difficult.

Future Combat Systems NLOS-C Begins Planning for LRIP.

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I worked on the program for three years, though not on the NLOS-C.

This variant is the only one I expect to see service service. At the urging of the US Army’s “Artillery Mafia”, this is entering production and service well before any other vehicles as a kind of “block zero”.

This was the deal cut when the Crusader self propelled howitzer was canned.

Personally, I think that the lightweight XM777 towed 155mm howitzer is a better bet, since it’s light enough (it weighs less than a typical 105mm howitzer) to be airlifted.

FCS Industry Team to Initiate Production Planning

ST. LOUIS, July 18, 2007 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and partner Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Lead Systems Integrator for the U.S. Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, today announced that the Army has authorized planning for FCS low-rate initial production, including long-lead items for the first FCS capability Spin Out and Manned Ground Vehicle (MGV) early production units. The latter is focused on the Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon (NLOS-C) initial production platform, which will be fielded in 2010 according to a Congressional mandate.

“The Army’s notification to proceed with early production planning for Spin Outs and Manned Ground Vehicles is evidence that FCS technologies are maturing according to plan and represents a crucial step toward meeting program production objectives,” said Dennis Muilenburg, vice president-general manager, Boeing Combat Systems, and FCS program manager. “It underscores the significant accomplishments of the entire FCS One Team which continues to perform and is well-positioned to deliver these early life-saving capabilities to our soldiers as quickly as possible.”

Three FCS Spin Outs to the current force will be initiated in two-year increments starting in 2008 when the FCS team delivers the first infusion of capability to the Army Evaluation Task Force (AETF) in Fort Bliss, Texas, for testing. The first, referred to as “Spin Out 1”, consists of equipment and technologies that will provide enhanced situational awareness and communication capabilities for the Current Force through technology insertions to Abrams battle tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and HMMWV vehicles. Spin Out 1 elements include network integration “B” kits consisting of an Integrated Computer System, System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment, Battle Command and Network Management software and communications system including the Joint Tactical Radio System Ground Mobile Radio. Also included are Tactical and Urban Unattended Ground Sensors to provide real-time threat information in complex terrain, and the Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System for remotely controlled precision fires.

A recent Critical Design Review of Spin Out 1 technologies confirmed that they meet design requirements and are ready for integration into current force vehicles and the AETF. Low-rate initial production for Spin Out 1 will support the procurement of 17 Brigade Combat Team sets to be fielded incrementally over a period of seven years, beginning in fiscal year 2008.

FCS MGVs, developed in partnership with BAE Systems and General Dynamics, will provide the Army with a new family of networked vehicles with enhanced armor and protection technology, and next-generation survivability and sustainability features that are required for successful and decisive future battlefield operations. Based on a common chassis, FCS MGVs will be more than 70 percent common, reducing spare parts and logistics costs. The NLOS-C will be the first of the eight MGV variants to be developed and fielded as part of the FCS program. It is designed to provide a networked, extended range precision attack capability against point and area targets in support of FCS Brigade Combat Teams.

Plans call for 18 NLOS-C initial production platforms to be delivered between fiscal years 2010 and 2012 at a rate of six per year, in advance of the Milestone C and low-rate initial production decisions in 2013.

The LSI, in partnership with BAE Systems and General Dynamics, plans to employ various sites for component subassembly, and final vehicle integration, assembly and test activities will be conducted, including Elgin, Okla.; Lima, Ohio; and York, Pa. Once integration and assembly are complete, the NLOS-C vehicles will undergo cannon verification testing at Fort Sill, Okla., then be transferred to Fort Bliss, Texas, and White Sands Missile Range, N.M., for system-of-systems verification testing conducted by the AETF.

On the HedgeFund/Subprime Meltdown

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A survey of what is out there has the New York Post approaching this in its typically sensationalist manner, though there are some pieces of useful information:

HEDGE HORROR

SUBPRIME MELTDOWN COULD WIPE OUT BILLION$

By PAUL THARP
The stunning formal disclosures, which eventually could affect as much as $2 trillion in various mortgage securities, is expected to trigger widespread revaluation of the paper, which some analysts believe could wipe out 40 to 50 percent of their values.
….
“The hedge funds are so over-leveraged, they’ll be the first to crack,” said Peter Schiff, CEO of Euro Pacific Capital.

By of perspective, that is about $6500 in mortgage securities for every man, woman, and child in the US, and the point about leverage is a telling one.

….
The housing crunch sent the dollar plunging to a new low against the euro for the second day, to $1.3787. The greenback fell to a 26-year low against the British pound, at $2.0271.

This is where a lot of foreign investment is going, and if it’s scared off, it may not come here at all, pushing the dollar down and interest rates up.

The rather alarmist Post headline is reinforced by the fact that two Bear Stearns mortgage hedge funds have basically been wiped out. Investors have lost everything because of a relatively small drop by virtue of the amount of leverage.

So much for smart investors.

On the other side, we have Ben Bernanke claiming that everything will be fine , that the housing collapse will just a small bump int he road.

Juxtaposed with this, you have Vulture Hedge fund Black Pearl preparing to snap up cheap mortgage securities. They believe that, “The subprime market is approaching a point where ‘widespread price dislocation’ is likely.”

Translated from the legalese, this means that folks are panicking, and they intend to capitalize on this.

I trust them more than Bernanke.

FAS A Good Insight Into the Current European ABM Kerfluffle

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Along with good information on the Russian systems, and the US Posture in the Cold war, and this provides insight into why the Russians believe that this is targeted at them.

This US document might provide some insight:

Figure 1:
The US 1968 Nuclear ABM Strike Plan

“To ensure the penetration of the ICBM force, the Soviet ABM system would be attacked first. Minuteman E and F and Polaris missiles would first hit the Hen House early warning radars, and their Tallin system defenses [SA-5 SAM, ed.]. Then the Dog House radar and the Triad system around Moscow would be attacked. More than 100 Minuteman would be involved in the ABM suppression.”
Source: U.S. Strategic Air Command, History of U.S. Strategic Air Command January-June 1968, February 1969, p. 300. Excerpts (pp. 300-306) available here (pdf, 0.8 MB).

Here is his money quote:

All of this happened during the Cold War and many things have changed, but the basic motivation for targeting a limited missile defense system then was the same as today: The Soviet ABM system was entirely defensive and couldn’t threaten anyone (to paraphrase a characterization frequently use by U.S. and NATO officials to justify their missile defense plans today), but it could disturb the main ICBM attack on Moscow and military facilities downrange. That made it a top-priority target. And even though U.S. planners suspected that the system was not very efficient, they committed about 10 percent of the entire ICBM force to destroy it. To the extent the Russia ABM is operational, U.S. nuclear strike plans probably still target it today.

All in all, an excellent read, and it reinforces my believe that the US system IS to a large extent towards the Russians.

Microsoft rigs Live Search traffic

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Remember those stories about Microsoft gaining on Google in the search business?

Turns out it was all a scam.

Microsoft has successfully rigged its search traffic. The company recently introduced several online games than shamelessly bribe people to query its moribund Live Search Engine, and according to web research firm comScore, these games gave the engine a significant traffic boost last month.

….

When users play games like Chicktionary, Dingbats, and Seekadoo, they automatically generate Live Search results. The more results they generate, the more points they win. And if they win enough points, they win prizes. Like a Microsoft Zune player. OK, it’s not much of a bribe. But it’s still a bribe.

Love that bit of snark at the end.

Europe to RIAA: Eat My Shorts

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According to The Register, Advocate General Juliane Kokott, adviser to the European Court, reckons European internet service providers are not obliged to hand over subscriber information when approached by record labels pursuing civil cases. The information should be handed over in a criminal case.

This is not a court ruling, but it is likely to be the opinion adopted by the European court.

In related news: 23 New Schools to Receive Latest Round of RIAA Pre-Lawsuit Letters.

The RIAA is a bunch of thugs. When the revolution comes, they will be up against the wall before the PR department of Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.

Murdoch and Blair Colluded on Selling Iraq War

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This defines Rev. Smiler, and history will be most unkind to him.

How Murdoch had a hotline to the PM in the run-up to Iraq war

By Andrew Grice, Political Editor
Published: 19 July 2007

Tony Blair had three conversations with the media magnate Rupert Murdoch in the nine days before the start of the Iraq war, the Government has disclosed.

Details of the former prime minister’s contacts with Mr Murdoch have been released under the Freedom of Information Act. After trying to block disclosure for four years, the Government backed down in a surprise change of heart the day after Mr Blair resigned last month.

Sounds like Gordon Brown threw his dear friend Tony under the Bloody bus.

……

In Alastair Campbell’s diaries, published last week, the former spin doctor described a Downing Street dinner for Mr Murdoch and his sons, James and Lachlan, in 2002. “Murdoch pointed out that his were the only papers that gave us support when the going got tough. ‘I’ve noticed,’ said TB,” Mr Campbell wrote. Lance Price, Mr Campbell’s deputy, called Mr Murdoch “the 24th member of the [Blair] Cabinet“. He added: “His presence was always felt. No big decision could ever be made inside No10 without taking account of the likely reaction of three men, Gordon Brown, John Prescott and Rupert Murdoch. On all the really big decisions, anybody else could safely be ignored.”

….

Well, there’s always hoping that he’ll share a cell with Bush and Rumsfeld.

Only in the USA

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It appears that some inmates at El Reno federal prison in Oklahoma attempted to buy a “get out of jail free” card using copyright.

They “copyrighted” and then attempted to file suits for millions of dollars against him and seize his property with the idea of using this as leverage to be let out.

Needless to say, the indictments against them for “conspiring to impede the duties of federal prison officials” rap, and “mailing threatening communications with the intent to extort”.

On the bright side, they have each received six figure offers of employment from the RIAA when they get out of stir.

With The Bush Admin, There is No Policy, There is Only Politics

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This time, it’s the so called “War on Drugs”.

Rep. Henry A. Waxman (Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said documents obtained by his panel suggest that the appearances by the drug control officials were part of a larger White House effort to politicize the work of federal agencies that “may be more widespread than previously known.”

This is a direct consequence of conservative philosophy. If one sees government, even when it works as a source of weakness and moral hazard, then the only reason to govern is to accumulate wealth and power for you and yours.

The Bush administration is not an aberration, rather it is the logical consequence of the hard right wing philosophy that they all hold.

There is no policy, because government is evil. It’s just a gravy train.

I saw this first hand when I went to college with, and served in the student Senate with, Tony Rudy, who has copped a plea in the entire Abramoff/Delay thing for taking bribes.

He was personally nice, but once in government, there was nothing for him to do but to be corrupt.

What’s Going On With Subprime Loans

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I came across this post at Alea blog, which has a picture worth many thousands of words:


As you can see, the other loan default rates are at or below their levels in the 2001-2002 recession.

The big question is whether the other default rates will follow subprime variable rates.

My guess is yes, for at least 2 of the remaining 3. Notwithstanding the Dow, we are headed for a slow down, and interest rates are going to have to rise. They are still at or near historically, and unsustainably, low levels.

With oil likely to break 90 by year’s end, and trillions in mortgage resets due to hit in the next few years, I see it as getting very, very bad.

Pentagon to Engage in Psych Warfare Domestically

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The full article is in Harper’s.”

Meet the Pentagon’s New Spin Unit: Bush Administration hacks court bloggers, talk radio

Ken Silverstein
….
The rapid-response team has been shut down but several sources tell me that another of Smith’s spin projects is ongoing. This project seeks to bypass the traditional media and work directly with talk radio and bloggers, mostly those with a heavily conservative tilt. The unit, which one source says was originally called “Surrogates Operation” but was later rechristened “Communications Outreach,” also reportedly provides talking points and briefings to retired military officials who now support the administration in appearances as media pundits. (I haven’t been able to learn which blogs and individuals the unit has been working with, but urge anyone with such information to contact me via email.)

It should be noted that this effort appears to violate the law which forbids domestic Pentagon propaganda operations.

The article, while informative, buries one of the important points in the last graph:

…

The irony here is that Gates has a far better relationship with the media than Rumsfeld, who treated journalists as the enemy. But with Smith running amok, Gates’s honeymoon with the media and with the military may be coming to an end.