Category Archives: Blogosphere

The disappearance of military service

Posted on November 25, 2010 | Comments Off on The disappearance of military service

I would not especially care to see the return of the Draft, which was inequitable before and likely would be again, but it would at least spread the burden among more of the educated than volunteering does now, to the detriment of all:

“The loss of the martial virtues weakens an entire culture. Whole generations begin to rate themselves too special, ‘with a special kind of hide to be saved,’ as Gen. Savage puts it in Twelve O’Clock High, to risk their careers, let alone their lives, for their country.”

Insight from an academic blogger who burned his draft card back in the day and now regrets his youthful arrogance. At least he’s not a wannabee lying about serving when he didn’t.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Infantry OCS, Scribbles, Troops

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Who, as opposed to what, gets on the plane

Posted on November 23, 2010 | Comments Off on Who, as opposed to what, gets on the plane

The El Al security system is far less intrusive than the TSA one (there is no groin grope or X-Ray machine), and it works just fine.

Because, unlike the feds, El Al is not concerned with political correctness, only safety.

Michael Totten, who gets profiled every time he flies through Tel Aviv, explains how Israel does it:

By eschewing the “Security Theater” approach, which is to always fight the last “war,” i.e. remove your shoes, bring no shampoo, let them grope your underwear, etc.

Despite that Al Q never strikes the same way twice, the Feds always do.

(I’m hoping to experience the Israeli Way when I fly to Tel Aviv in the spring.)

Meanwhile, Thomas Sowell sees more of Obamalot’s disdain for America here:

“If anything good comes out of the airport ‘security’ outrages, it may be in opening the eyes of more people to the utter contempt that this administration has for the American people.”

Still more from Instapundit, who thinks the flying public’s anger over TSA’s groin grope is far from over.

Because, for one thing, Obamalot is considering exempting Muslim women.

UPDATE:  Meanwhile, the federal bigs are breezing right on through. No scan or grope for them. And no surprise, either.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Israel, Obamalot, Scribbles, The War

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Get your Obamacare waiver

Posted on November 22, 2010 | Comments Off on Get your Obamacare waiver

“Old Democrat promise: Everyone gets to keep their health insurance.

“New Democrat promise: You can keep your health insurance…if you BEG hard enough for an Obamacare waiver.”

More than a million and counting.

Via The Wolf Files.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Obamalot, Scribbles

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The good life on the federal teat

Posted on November 18, 2010 | Comments Off on The good life on the federal teat

We already knew that the nation’s largest employer (by far) was the executive branch of the federal government. (Why do you think taxes are so high?) What we’re finding out is these folks are among the highest paid as well: “Only three counties in the United States have a median household income over $100,000, and they’re all Washington suburbs.”

Via Instapundit.

Not to forget our career blowhard pols whose wealth has increased 16 percent during the recession. It’s not a recession for Congress, obviously: 261 of them are millionaires. Think Charlie Rangel is the only crook? Think again.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Obamalot, Scribbles

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Have the terrorists won? You betcha

Posted on November 16, 2010 | Comments Off on Have the terrorists won? You betcha

One of several succinct commenters on this Reuters news article:

“The rag-heads won, didn’t they? We now have f-ing idiot security people in place who don’t think, invasion of our privacy, a huge organization that has not prevented a damn thing since they were created but have collected cuticle scissors, manicure sets and lots of bottled water and cola. Support no travel day. If successful then it should be upped to once a week. Defund TSA and put the money into research and profiling. Just because we are human doesn’t mean we can’t be smart.”

Ah, but the government doesn’t want us to be smart. Much easier to govern idiots. The connected just show their pass. The unwashed get the pat-down prostate exam.

UPDATE:  Iowahawk’s Ballad of TSA, Comply With Me:

“Comply with me, you domestic coach class bums
If you opt out I’ll just give a shout
To my icy-handed chums
Comply with me, bend over here it comes….

“Don’t crack wise or I’ll ruin your whole day
Please don’t frown when I pat you down
It alerts the CIA
It’s perfectly legal practice except at Gitmo Bay
Comply with me, comply comply
Comply with me, obey, obey, obey!”

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Posted in Blogosphere, Obamalot, Scribbles, The War

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Harmonizing with the Browns

Posted on November 8, 2010 | Comments Off on Harmonizing with the Browns

Maxine, Jim Ed, and Bonnie Brown were voices on my radio back in the Dark Ages of my teens in the late 1950s—especially their pop hit “Three Bells,” whose words I always thought were gooey sentimental.

But I listened to them anyway for the beautiful harmonies. Which was the secret of their success, of course, the pure Deep South hillbilly music sound that would soon, sure enough, become Rock-n-Roll.

Via Gone South.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Library, Scribbles

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6th U.S. Cavalry

Posted on November 7, 2010 | Comments Off on 6th U.S. Cavalry

6CavRegtCOAWorking a future post on my knoxville1863 blog I was tickled to find out that Brig. Gen. William P. Sanders, for whom Knoxville’s Fort Sanders was named, was a veteran of the 6th U.S. Cavalry Regiment in the Virginia Peninsula Campaign and at Antietam/Sharpsburg.

I was a lieutenant-platoon commander in the 6th’s descendant unit, the 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Meade, Maryland, in 1968-69.

We were then rumored to be headed to Vietnam to replace the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, though, in fact, most of our troops were combat veteran returnees at a time when a one-year combat tour was all that was required.

Instead, we spent most of our time training for riot control in those days of race riots, though we didn’t have to control any. Instead we guarded President Nixon’s inaugural ceremonies. The unicorn is the 6th’s shoulder patch and coat of arms.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Civil War, Library

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