I read recently in The Washington Post on-line edition about a girl who broke up with a guy who opined that her choice of (weird to him) shoes was not appropriate to wear for a job interview. The girl finished her sushi lunch, stood up and told the guy not to call her again. He never did.
In Charleston, SC, the first annual Ravenel Bridge Run (replacing the old Cooper River Bridge run) will be this weekend and some racers from Nigeria will undoubtedly be on hand. They have an unfair training advantage over local runners. The Nigerians train against leopards, the locals work out against guys they meet in bars or at the office.
What are the odds that the two lawnmowers you own will go belly up on the same day within minutes of each other? That happened to me yesterday and I walked up the street and contracted to have my lawn cut regularly during the season. I am expecting a potential buyer to come today and give me some beer money in exchange for the two lawnmowers.
Thursday, March 30
Monday, March 27
"Complete security" - my view
A friend and former co-worker e-mailed recently that Hutchinson Whampoa Ltd. "is controlled by/part of the Chinese Govt/PLA and is now up for operating/running a US radiation detector at Freeport in the Bahamas. I also believe they operate 2 terminals at the Port of Long Beach, operate terminals at both ends of the Panama Canal, were involved with smuggling illegal weapons about 10 years ago at the Port of Oakland and operate terminals at other ports around the world. What are your thoughts about our 'security'?"
To which I replied: First off, M......, I would have to caveat that I have not been in the loop for 25 years. It has been a long time since I had responsibility for even a small part of the DOD/Air Force/Navy security programs. As a citizen-observer, however, I see "complete security" today as I did throughout my 28 years of investigative/security management service: Impossible to obtain and maintain in our great country with its freedoms, opportunities and challenges. I once told one of our commanding officers, Navy Captain (later Admiral) Dick Curtis, that security was about managing risks. He stood up from the chair in my office and shouted at me that he did not manage risks, he eliminated them. We never did hit it off completely during his tour. Security in a Republic is about risk management and despite some glaring gaffs from time to time, I continue to believe the men and women who do this job on a daily basis do commendable work and we ought to be grateful to them for it.
To which I replied: First off, M......, I would have to caveat that I have not been in the loop for 25 years. It has been a long time since I had responsibility for even a small part of the DOD/Air Force/Navy security programs. As a citizen-observer, however, I see "complete security" today as I did throughout my 28 years of investigative/security management service: Impossible to obtain and maintain in our great country with its freedoms, opportunities and challenges. I once told one of our commanding officers, Navy Captain (later Admiral) Dick Curtis, that security was about managing risks. He stood up from the chair in my office and shouted at me that he did not manage risks, he eliminated them. We never did hit it off completely during his tour. Security in a Republic is about risk management and despite some glaring gaffs from time to time, I continue to believe the men and women who do this job on a daily basis do commendable work and we ought to be grateful to them for it.
Sunday, March 26
Russians in the War Room - Part II
"In 1989 and 1990, after the Berlin Wall fell, we all wanted to light candles and sing 'Kumbaya' and wait for the peace dividends to role in," said James Casey, chief of the Eurasia section of the FBI's counterintelligence division. "But things haven't changed as much as we thought they were going to change in 1989." (“Despite partnership, Russia spying on U.S.,” Douglas Birch, Sun Foreign Staff, The Baltimore Sun, originally published 3/23/2006.)
A friend e-mailed to say that “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” was “Absolutely my all time favorite movie. Scott said it was his all time favorite part. Only Slim Pickens was better in that flick!! -- He had the best part.” (Pickens, movie fans will recall, piloted the American bomber and rode the bomb down waving his cowboy hat after breaking it loose from the bomb bay.)
A friend e-mailed to say that “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” was “Absolutely my all time favorite movie. Scott said it was his all time favorite part. Only Slim Pickens was better in that flick!! -- He had the best part.” (Pickens, movie fans will recall, piloted the American bomber and rode the bomb down waving his cowboy hat after breaking it loose from the bomb bay.)
Saturday, March 25
Russians in the War Room
A report out of Washington today reflects that Russians admitted to the American Central Command collected invasion plans data and passed it to Saddam Hussein before the war began. Because the Cold War has ended we have Russians in the heart of the American Command responsible for planning the Iraq War. The Russians told us early on they would not back any military force against Saddam, so why the hell were they still admitted to the planning rooms? Why were they and any representatives of other countries opposed to the war not asked to leave temporarily?
Hollywood got it right, why can’t Washington? For example, General Buck Turgidson said Russians are basically spies who cannot be trusted and was absolutely correct to express outrage to President Merkin Muffley about one being admitted to the war room.
In case you don’t recall Turgidson, he was the Air Force Chief of Staff (portrayed by George C. Scott, who morphed into Patton in 1970) in the 1964 movie, “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.”
President Merkin Muffley (one of three characters played by the late Peter Sellers in the film) invited the Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky (Peter Bull) into the American War Room deep in the bowels of the Pentagon to discuss ways to stop the American bomber wing dispatched to destroy the Soviet Union by an utterly mad U.S. Air Force Colonel Jack Ripper (Sterling Hayden, who commanded an OSS boat in the Adriatic Sea during WWII).
If Hollywood can get it right, why can’t Washington? Where are the Turgidson’s in this day and age?
Hollywood got it right, why can’t Washington? For example, General Buck Turgidson said Russians are basically spies who cannot be trusted and was absolutely correct to express outrage to President Merkin Muffley about one being admitted to the war room.
In case you don’t recall Turgidson, he was the Air Force Chief of Staff (portrayed by George C. Scott, who morphed into Patton in 1970) in the 1964 movie, “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.”
President Merkin Muffley (one of three characters played by the late Peter Sellers in the film) invited the Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky (Peter Bull) into the American War Room deep in the bowels of the Pentagon to discuss ways to stop the American bomber wing dispatched to destroy the Soviet Union by an utterly mad U.S. Air Force Colonel Jack Ripper (Sterling Hayden, who commanded an OSS boat in the Adriatic Sea during WWII).
If Hollywood can get it right, why can’t Washington? Where are the Turgidson’s in this day and age?
Wednesday, March 22
Reasons to stay the course
President Bush and a majority of other Republicans, and a large number of Democrats as well, got us into Iraq and now we are riding the tiger. We are damned if we stay and will be damned if we cut and run. The original premises for going to war in Iraq have been shown to be largely bogus and a lot of legislators who voted for the war now complain they got suckered. (On that point, I, as a former State legislator myself, say they should have done their homework before voting.) Many Americans feel the same way. We did not have access to the pre-war intelligence and could only trust our elected leaders. Nevertheless, we got rid of one SOB dictator and started a popular move to democracy. That has to count for something. With all of this, the lead editorial in The Wall Street Journal today (March 22, 2006) identifies the following consequences if we "cut and run before giving Iraqis the time and support to establish a stable, democratic government that can stand on its own."
The U.S. would loose all credibility on weapons proliferation.
Broader Mideast instability.
We would loose all credibility with Muslim reformers.
We would invite more terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.
Time and space do not permit reprinting the entire Journal editorial but it may be seen in your local library after today. I will e-mail a copy to you at your request (unless WSJ lawyers tell me to stop). Contact me at archinsc@knology.net. It is worthwhile reading and remembering.
Saturday, March 18
Select extracts from readers' comments on earlier blogs
When I sent the flag as a test of the picture capture capability I heard from a friend who said: Old Glory flies on my newly created flagpole at a home depot parts price of $28 and my very own design. How's that for thriftiness?
Write your own obituary brought four replies: I am sending to you by regular mail two obituaries that I have kept because I couldn't stand to discard them. I agree with you on the subject and feel the same way about the coverage of weddings. I always loved reading about what the bride and her entourage wore and where they held the reception and all that good stuff. My husband fought under Patton but never talked about his experiences. I didn't meet him until after the war. When he died in 1972 I started to piece his military life together and have been a student of WWII ever since. I have put "write obituary" on my list of things-to-do. There are a lot of more intriguing things ahead of it, I must say.
I think it is a great idea. Also, guess I'll always remember (deleted) wanting to write his. I wish I had listened to him.
Thanks. I've been thinking of doing this but have not gotten off the mark yet.
I always want to know cause of death - I think the NYT (The New York Times) does that. Seems we need to know if cancer is felling people, or drunk drivers run into them or something. The NYT says "according to family members ..." or some kind of attribution.
The root canal inspired this on the medical profession: Why can’t we charge for the time we sit waiting on them not only in the waiting room but in the examination room?
“Eight Below” brought forth this from a minister: A member of my church had China cups that were on Byrd’s expedition to Antarctica. (Byrd’s first expedition occurred in 1928-30 and he participated in at least six others until his death in 1957.)
On the Ernest Hemingway exhibit and his suicide there were four reactions: Two e-mails told me of the recent suicides of two young men I did not personally know and the tumultuous affect on survivors.
Also: I've known some suicides where I just had to say, they were so miserable that they couldn't see another way out. But I've known some others that were really an act of violence against those left behind. Who knows?
And, finally: We want to see visit the exhibit. Maybe tomorrow when we are in Charleston.
Write your own obituary brought four replies: I am sending to you by regular mail two obituaries that I have kept because I couldn't stand to discard them. I agree with you on the subject and feel the same way about the coverage of weddings. I always loved reading about what the bride and her entourage wore and where they held the reception and all that good stuff. My husband fought under Patton but never talked about his experiences. I didn't meet him until after the war. When he died in 1972 I started to piece his military life together and have been a student of WWII ever since. I have put "write obituary" on my list of things-to-do. There are a lot of more intriguing things ahead of it, I must say.
I think it is a great idea. Also, guess I'll always remember (deleted) wanting to write his. I wish I had listened to him.
Thanks. I've been thinking of doing this but have not gotten off the mark yet.
I always want to know cause of death - I think the NYT (The New York Times) does that. Seems we need to know if cancer is felling people, or drunk drivers run into them or something. The NYT says "according to family members ..." or some kind of attribution.
The root canal inspired this on the medical profession: Why can’t we charge for the time we sit waiting on them not only in the waiting room but in the examination room?
“Eight Below” brought forth this from a minister: A member of my church had China cups that were on Byrd’s expedition to Antarctica. (Byrd’s first expedition occurred in 1928-30 and he participated in at least six others until his death in 1957.)
On the Ernest Hemingway exhibit and his suicide there were four reactions: Two e-mails told me of the recent suicides of two young men I did not personally know and the tumultuous affect on survivors.
Also: I've known some suicides where I just had to say, they were so miserable that they couldn't see another way out. But I've known some others that were really an act of violence against those left behind. Who knows?
And, finally: We want to see visit the exhibit. Maybe tomorrow when we are in Charleston.
Thursday, March 16
Old Glory
I uploaded this image today to test the process and expect to put some photos on my blog from time to time. For now, a simple salute to Old Glory.
Tuesday, March 14
Write your own obituary
Marilyn Johnson, who also edited three major magazines in her 28 year career as a journalist, has written a book about obits. I haven’t yet read the book, “The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries” (Harper Collins, $24.95), but she talked about it with Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg of The Wall Street Journal, (online WSJ, March 14, 2006). Ms. Johnson makes the excellent point that obits written in England top the list.
Thanks to the Internet and the time to roam, I have read many obits in English newspapers and have to agree with Ms. Johnson, who says, “They let them go on. And they let them entertain.” Some English obits make fascinating, enjoyable, smiling reading. They bring the dead to life and tell the good, the bad and the ugly. Snide remarks, peccadilloes, failures and successes and whatever else it takes to make the reader aware of whom and what the deceased was is fair game. The writers include journalists, relatives, friends, colleagues, enemies or even the deceased who anticipated his death and wanted the last word.
Here in the United States, and you can see this in your local daily paper, we are accustomed to reading where and when the deceased was born, his ancestors and descendants are listed as are his major life accomplishments. Most obits we read in our local papers are written by Funeral Directors based on information hurriedly gathered up immediately following the death. They are bland and devoid of anything that brings the deceased to life. The directors who write these usually lack the insight to portray the deceased as the hero or the scoundrel s/he was. The family pays to have them printed in the paper, based on the number of column inches.
Some newspapers will have a reporter write an occasional short piece about a dead politician, a business leader, senior church official (especially one convicted of sexual crimes) or an executed criminal. But they leave the rest of the dead alone and to the inadequacies of sorrowing families and funeral directors. Occasionally a letter to the editor will follow an obit by several days, and all of these are complimentary. No one discusses the warts.
What is the solution? Write your obit now and put it away with your funeral papers if you have such a file, or put it where your spouse or significant other will be able to find it if you die. You can study the outline of the obit formula by reading your daily newspaper. Do this for a week or two and then take up pen and paper and go to work. Put down who you were and what you did that makes you proud. If a life incident is everlasting enjoyable or otherwise significant to you, put it down and share it with the readers. Recently, I read obits where the deceased served with General Patton in the glorious march of the Third Army across France, and the relief of beleaguered American troops in the Battle of the Bulge. Now this belongs in an obit. It doesn’t matter if the deceased was a private who only saw General Patton for a few minutes at a time, he was proud to be in that Third Army and people ought to know it a hundred years from now when they look at old obits on yellowing pages, on microfilm or discs or whatever the storage device is in the future. If you love gardening and want to say something about some darn flower, put it down. If you lived your adult life with a same-sex partner go out the same way, put it in the obit. If you made a fortune or lost one, tell the readers. If you bagged a tiger hunting in Nepal but lost its skin in a poker game later, share the agony of victory and defeat. Let posterity know who and what you really were. Write your own obituary
Thanks to the Internet and the time to roam, I have read many obits in English newspapers and have to agree with Ms. Johnson, who says, “They let them go on. And they let them entertain.” Some English obits make fascinating, enjoyable, smiling reading. They bring the dead to life and tell the good, the bad and the ugly. Snide remarks, peccadilloes, failures and successes and whatever else it takes to make the reader aware of whom and what the deceased was is fair game. The writers include journalists, relatives, friends, colleagues, enemies or even the deceased who anticipated his death and wanted the last word.
Here in the United States, and you can see this in your local daily paper, we are accustomed to reading where and when the deceased was born, his ancestors and descendants are listed as are his major life accomplishments. Most obits we read in our local papers are written by Funeral Directors based on information hurriedly gathered up immediately following the death. They are bland and devoid of anything that brings the deceased to life. The directors who write these usually lack the insight to portray the deceased as the hero or the scoundrel s/he was. The family pays to have them printed in the paper, based on the number of column inches.
Some newspapers will have a reporter write an occasional short piece about a dead politician, a business leader, senior church official (especially one convicted of sexual crimes) or an executed criminal. But they leave the rest of the dead alone and to the inadequacies of sorrowing families and funeral directors. Occasionally a letter to the editor will follow an obit by several days, and all of these are complimentary. No one discusses the warts.
What is the solution? Write your obit now and put it away with your funeral papers if you have such a file, or put it where your spouse or significant other will be able to find it if you die. You can study the outline of the obit formula by reading your daily newspaper. Do this for a week or two and then take up pen and paper and go to work. Put down who you were and what you did that makes you proud. If a life incident is everlasting enjoyable or otherwise significant to you, put it down and share it with the readers. Recently, I read obits where the deceased served with General Patton in the glorious march of the Third Army across France, and the relief of beleaguered American troops in the Battle of the Bulge. Now this belongs in an obit. It doesn’t matter if the deceased was a private who only saw General Patton for a few minutes at a time, he was proud to be in that Third Army and people ought to know it a hundred years from now when they look at old obits on yellowing pages, on microfilm or discs or whatever the storage device is in the future. If you love gardening and want to say something about some darn flower, put it down. If you lived your adult life with a same-sex partner go out the same way, put it in the obit. If you made a fortune or lost one, tell the readers. If you bagged a tiger hunting in Nepal but lost its skin in a poker game later, share the agony of victory and defeat. Let posterity know who and what you really were. Write your own obituary
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