Year: 2008

Little Bird Returns in the Autumn

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Sorry about the hed, I thought it sounded cool, like code words for two spies who meet for the first time.

It’s actually true too, as the AH-6 Little Bird scout light attack/reconnaissance helicopter is experiencing a renaissance as a result of the problems with the Bell ARH-70, which is behind schedule and over budget. Boeing is not explicitly looking to replace the ARH-70 through the cancellation of the contract, though the US Army is considering this.

Right now, they are pitching the AH-6 on the export market, which has viewed Bells problems with some alarm.

[Update]
The Pentagon has declined to certify the ARH-70A Arapaho following a Nunn-McDurdy (budget) breach, so the program is effectively canceled.

Seeing as how Boeing has largely fixed the manufacturing capability issues that dogged their first bid, I expect them to come back and win the bid, but we know what my predictions are worth.


ARH-70A Arapaho


AH-6 Little Bird

I will note that the AH-6 has seen combat service with the Israeli Defense Forces.

Who Am I To Argue With an 82 Year Old Woman Blogger?

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Who titles her blog post, “Sarah Palin is a Bitch… there I said it“:

Look. I am going to say what everyone at CNN, CBS, ABC and NBC is thinking but is afraid to say. Governor Palin is a stupid, conniving bitch. And it’s not because she is a strong woman – I like strong women… worship them… It’s actually the opposite. She is a weak, pathetic woman who thinks big hair, winking, baby talk and self deprecation is somehow becoming of a woman who wants to lead the free world. My god, where is Margaret Thatcher when you need her!

Heh.

‘Roo, It’s What for Dinner

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But not in my house, it’s not kosher, but it looks like there are people in Australia who think that a greater reliance on Kangaroo meat will reduce global warming.

Kangaroo meat, which has a taste similar to farmed venison, was banned from sale for human consumption until 1995 on Australia’s eastern seaboard, including in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, according to Kelly of the kangaroo association.

So it doesn’t taste like chicken.

Krugman Nails It

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He hasn’t let the Nobel go to his head.

Read his Op-Ed.

He is saying that there is not much that the Fed can do by lowering interest rates, they are already at 1%, after all.

He is saying that they have shot their monetary wad, the classic phrase is “pushing on a string”, and that Congress needs to go with fiscal stimulus, meaning that Congress needs spend money on things like infrastructure, etc.

Think New Deal and the WPA.

Go read the shrill one.

Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Krugman R’lyeh wagn’nagl fhtagn!

Economics Update

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Not a great day.

Consumer confidence had the largest plunge ever, from 70.3 to 57.5, and home construction fell to a 17½ year low.

There are some indications that the credit freeze is relaxing, at least temporarily, the short term spread between LIBOR and Treasuries has dropped a bit.

I’m not sure that there is a real thaw, as evidenced by the fact that hedge funds are hemorrhaging money and investors.

The dollar, meanwhile was largely static today.

In energy, oil is back above $70/bbl, but that is likely the result of OPEC holding an emergency meeting to cut production.

Equal Justice Under Law: 9 – Ohio Republican Party: 0

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The Ohio Republican Party got lower courts to approve their voter suppression tactics, which would have allowed them to use things an error in coding a middle initial to prevent people from voting.

Well, by a 9-0 unanimous vote, the Supreme Court told them to go Cheney themselves.

I’m not sure what shocks me more, the fact that the Supreme Court ruled this way, or that it was unanimous.

It’s clear that the ruling was narrow, on the basis that the Ohio Republican Party lacked standing in the suit:

Instead, they said they were granting Brunner’s request because it appears that the law does not allow private entities, like the Ohio GOP, to file suit to enforce the provision of the law at issue.

My guess is that they had 5 votes for democracy, and the other 4 got this narrow ruling, so they wouldn’t look like completely political tools….See Bush v. Gore in 2000.

Quote of the Day: He Said THAT? Edition

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From Joe Kline, which I guess proves the old adage about even stopped clocks being right twice a day:

Ronald Reagan used to say that the most frightening nine words in the English language were ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’ That is no longer true. This year, the most frightening eight words are ‘I’m John McCain and I approved this message.’

(emphasis mine)

That should go a long way towards alleviating the snark shortage.

Not Content With Being a Lame Duck

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Bush is determined to push through rule changes to allow dishonest companies to kill and injure ordinary citizens:

Bush administration officials, in their last weeks in office, are pushing to rewrite a wide array of federal rules with changes or additions that could block product-safety lawsuits by consumers and states.

The administration has written language aimed at pre-empting product-liability litigation into 50 rules governing everything from motorcycle brakes to pain medicine. The latest changes cap a multiyear effort that could be one of the administration’s lasting legacies, depending in part on how the underlying principle of pre-emption fares in a case the Supreme Court will hear next month.

Because they know, just like investment banks, nothing untoward will be done by companies, because the holy market place would punish them for maiming children.

Only to go.

Iraqi Status of Forces Agreement Near Signing

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Irt appears that the new pact calls fortroops to leave Iraqi cities by June with a complete widhdrawal by the end of 2011.

Basically, the Obama plan.

Also, it’s clear that the Iraqis knew that they had the US over a barrel, because immunity for US soldiers is severely curtailed:

U.S. negotiators demanded exclusive jurisdiction over all soldiers and contractors. But Iraq insisted on a role to convince the public that Iraqis – and not Americans – were in charge of their own country.

Under the compromise, the United States would have the primary right to try troops and Pentagon contractors for alleged offenses committed on American bases or during military operations, the officials said.

Such language would presumably shield troops from prosecution for accidentally killing civilians caught in crossfire during authorized combat operations.

But Iraq would have the first option to try U.S. military personnel and contractors for serious, premeditated crimes alleged to have been committed outside American bases and when they were not on an authorized mission, the officials said.

…

American troops would no longer be allowed to detain suspects or search homes without Iraqi legal authorization except in cases of active combat, the officials said. Anyone detained by the Americans must be handed over to the Iraqis within 24 hours

I would note that our status of forces agreements with our NATO allies and Japan give the local authorities far less access to soldiers accused of wrongdoing.

It appears that some members of Congress are having a cow over the potential exposure of US troops to Iraqi justice.

Unfortunately, the Iraqis know that if there is no deal by the election, it will be even worse for the ‘Phants, and applied the old adage, “If you’ve got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow.”

Can Central Banks MAnage Asset Bubbles

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Alan “Bubbles” Greenspan said that it was impossible, so all that could be done was to clean up afterwards, though it’s clear that Ben Bernanke is s looking at ways for the Federal Reserve to intervene before bubbles get too frothy.

He’s also looking at how excessive consolidation in banks made the current troubles worse.

This is a clear repudiation of Greenspan’s policies and philosophies.

Kevin Drum nails the problem clearly, at least with respect to housing, when he asks when do asset bubbles become inflationary.

While it is hard to claim that the Dot Com boom was inflationary, it’s clear that the housing bubble was. These were not abstract financial assets, they were essentials of life that people pay for, but the Fed, and the BLS, specifically gamed the inflation data so as not to have to count double digit increases in the cost of shelter as inflation.

Of course Alan “Bubbles” Greenspan, who hates wages, but loves unearned income, would never subscribe to the idea that this was inflationary, but he’s a complete wanker.