Proper Use of the Military – Killing Pirates April 24, 2009

Pirates Abay!

I may have written about this before, but I find myself struck dumb with this whole pirate situation. In discussions with an elder very close to me, I came to realize that we are just simply misusing our military to the Nth degree.

The United States spends like 700 billion U.S. dollars on defense. Most nations on this planet don’t have budgets that large. Yet, we spend that much on defense. We have fleets of nuclear submarines with stealth technology. We have planes that fly at break neck speeds, and can’t be picked up by the most sophisticated radar systems. We have the best special forces troops in the world. We have intelligence agents scattered in places that one couldn’t imagine. One could say there is no where anyone can hide from the U.S. military force. Yet, unsophisticated pirates with pansy-archaic weaponry (by comparison) can hijack supertankers and in no time receive 25 million U.S. dollars in ransom money for the safe return of crew, and maybe cargo. What’s wrong with this picture?

Is it possible to direct some that 700 billion towards eradicating piracy? Instead of using unmanned CIA drones to bomb Afghan villages during weddings, how about using them to bomb the hell out of the pirate enclaves in Somalia.

I’m no military genius, or defense budget guru, but when I hear/read Katie Couric questioning Secretary of Defense Robert Gates about how the Chinese may have “acquired” sensitive information regarding the F-35 joint strike fighter jet, I ask myself, “Are the Chinese hijacking boats in the Indian Ocean….Why are we building F-35s when we should be killing pirates?” I’m not saying we shouldn’t be concerned by the Chinese hacking U.S. military computers, but we should be killing pirates!

So to sum up: Good uses of military might – killing pirates. Bad use of military might – building useless, and very very very expensive, F-35 strike fighters.

F35 Joint Strike Fighter by Lockheed Martin

Peace

A Challenge to the Court April 14, 2009

It had always been a dream of mine to become a Supreme Court Justice. I wanted to be the next Thurgood Marshall. Imagine being the highest law in the land? It WAS a dream of mine. I don’t long to be one any longer (not that I wouldn’t accept the position if offered).

I read something from Clarence Thomas via the New York Times Online where he was speaking to group of high school essay contest winners about his role on the Court, and his private life. They also asked him questions, and he gave answers. Pretty cool, if you are the high school students. Sweatin’ bullets if you are Justice Thomas.

Anyway, Justice Thomas commented that people like law professors believed that his job was easy. Justice Thomas disagreed with that sentiment, of course. This brings me to the next article, which is an op-ed written by a law professor critiquing the job of judges.

Quite interesting how one reflects on the other.

The main point of the second article is that justices – Supreme Court or any other – are able to hold their positions for life, which could do more harm than good. The only way for appointed judges to “step down” is to be impeached, and no one wants to go through impeachment hearings.

The article was very interesting in that although the argument was against absolute life time tenure, it proposed real alternatives to the current system. I hate it when people just bash and trash. This article gave some real ideas that are very doable.

I wonder if the Justices of the Supreme Court are humble enough to check out this article? I hope so.

Peace

A Busy Busy Obama April 1, 2009

So, in his first couple of months and what has he done…? Well, how about leading an effort to spend trillions (check out my article on big numbers, if you can’t count this high – I know I had some trouble) of dollars of tax payer money to help boost the U.S. economy, lay out plans to tackle the housing market, propose a budget outline of historic proportions, re-organize a broken financial sector, and oh, all but nationalize an American icon. Guess what, he’s not done yet. President Barack Obama is now on an international trip that will see him visit the G-20 Summit in order to bolster international support for solutions to the ailing global economy; he’ll meet with leaders who at one point or another had it in for the United States, as well as those who love and support us; and he might even give us a great speech as he ends his visit in Turkey (that is just my speculation). Is this guy for real? I think after his first 100 days, he will have laid the groundwork for a historic presidency, and a change to U.S. political and societal culture that will take us into the next generation. (If you couldn’t guess I support him.)

I just want to say that people need to get their acts together because this brotha ain’t showin’ up on colored peoples time. Presidents and CEOs beware, he will do what it takes to get the economy going. That said, if you honestly work with him, he will work with you. Remember, he is one of the rich guys as well. Case in point of this proactive attitude, he “nudged” out the president of GM. Some may say this is a dangerous precedent. I say, if you can’t stand the heat then get out of the kitchen. The auto industry, more than any other, fuels the U.S. economy and job market. From car makers to part suppliers it touches everything. It can’t fail, and Obama knows that. He needs to worry about this. Whether bank CEOs get bonuses or not is small peanuts compared to if GM lives or dies. Bernacke and Geithner will see to the banks. And with all the authority they’ve been granted to oversee the financial system – no worries mate. The auto industry is entirely different. No czars there, so Obama has to be the czar.

At first I was a bit skeptical and wondering if he was going too far, but I realize his vision of what government can do is different, and sorely needed. He sees government as being an engine of creation that when used wisely, responsibly, and proactively can cause good things to happen. The big thing, which I hope happens, is people have to believe and not be afraid. We have to shed the old paradigms and muster the will to believe. If people do that, everything will be okay. Maybe we are seeing what smarter government can look like, at least coming from the Executive Branch. Now only if Congress can follow suit.

Read up on Obama’s deals, and politics in general via the New York Times politics section. This is just where I start. Please follow-up if you have the time. And most of all, ask questions, and demand answers.

Peace

Equal Pay for Equal Play February 15, 2009

If anyone out there wants to get into a “lively discussion” here’s one – equal pay for women tennis players, and female athletes in general. Check out this article on CNN.com

I come down on the side of the argument that if Venus and Serena and Billie Jean and whomever want equal cash they should play 3 out 5 sets. Why they don’t is a puzzle to me. If Rafa can play almost 9 hours of tennis in a 36 hour span to win a hunk of metal and some money, why can’t Serena do the same? Dare I say, “She just isn’t fit enough, and womens’ tennis just isn’t good enough.” I hate to think that, but I’m left with very little else.

Danica Patrick drives an Indy Car with a bunch of guys, but she doesn’t ask to drive less because she’s a woman. Say whatever you want about her, and there’s a lot to say, but she drives the same distance as the men, and when she wins she collects the same amount of money. Simple – equal pay for equal work.

A few years back Annika Sorenstam played with her male counterparts, and was emotionally, physically and mentally spent afterwards. At the time she was the best in the world. Through experience she saw the difference between the mens’ game and the womens’ game.

A slap-in-the-face-point to me is that the women aren’t making peanuts. Serena and Venus are financially wealthy and set for life. They would have to be irresponsible and reckless to become poor (it could happen, but I doubt it). What are they complaining about? To my ears this is what I’m hearing, “We’re treated unfairly because we are women. I know we don’t play as much, but that isn’t the point. We play the game. Who cares how much or how well we play. We play, we win, and we put people in the seats. We should get paid for that.” I think they have a group of Wall Street financial “wizards” for PR managers. They’re being told they can get more for less, or even nothing (Probably those same financiers that caused this global recession).

What happened to the saying, “Equal pay for equal work?” Female tennis players need to remember that, and stop being so selfish.

Peace

Letters to Leaders – Obama January 6, 2009

In reviewing some headlines I figured on writing to the incoming president. Of course that prompted me to put the letter on my blog, so I figured why not just make a page out of it and continue to update it. Here’s the first. Some will be hard criticism, but hopefully many will be more cheerful praise. We’ll see. Anyway, check out the first one.

Peace

From The Mind Of “K” May 31, 2008

If I ever had an alter ego this would be it. This is the voice of a deep consciousness within. You could say this is my ‘Dark Angel’ riding on my shoulder keeping my senses sharp.

Quite regularly I converse with “K” about issues pertaining to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Here is an excerpt from a conversation we were having during the past Memorial Day weekend (Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday where we pay tribute to our war dead, and the families and friends they left behind).

This Memorial day makes me think about all the dead and injured in Iraq and what they sacrificed. I’m really not sure what these lives changed. It’s bad enough now that its on-going, but what will the future be for these individuals and their families when they return home. This war is something that the country is uncomfortable about, so it will not be a victorious welcome home for people who risked their lives, and that’s a shame. I think the U.S. could have applied itself better when you examine recent concerns regarding the natural disasters in Myanmar and China. It would be great to extend our impact on the world when we provide assistance with acquiring materials for immediate relief efforts, helping and supporting displaced and distressed children, rebuilding damaged schools and animal reserves. I think that makes a bigger impact then all the bullets wasted in Iraq. What is up with the government presenting challenges of getting emergency relief aid into Myanmar? I think that their military is benefiting from the international support and that is why they deny direct support to the country. And don’t get me wrong a response to terrorism is warranted but more aptly in Afghanistan. It seems that we have really let that situation and Bin Laden slip away.

Just a thought from “K.”

We always talk about the war dead with great admiration, and rightly so. They gave the greatest sacrifice – life. We should stand up and salute them. After that, we should turn to those political leaders who put them in harms and ask the questions – “Why did you do this? And, what has it done for our country? ” And we shouldn’t stop pressing for answers until satisfactory ones come. World War II was necessary. Hitler had to be stopped. Albeit we got into the whole thing too late, but we did what we had to do once we were there. Iraq, is a much different story. A personal vendetta that has left over 4,000 people dead (many many more injured), a nation’s economy ravaged, and the reputation of a great country in the toilet. I ask, “President Bush, why did you do this? And, what has it done for our country?” I’m still waiting for those satisfactory answers.

Peace

All New The Weekly Rant – “When Invasions Are Necessary” May 11, 2008

Just FYI, The Weekly Rant will be posted by Midnight-Sunday Japan Standard Time.

So, last weekend there was a huge cyclone, and it devastated Myanmar. Just wondered when the international community would get involved in Myanmar in a more militarily-focused way. When I say “militarily-focused” I mean using the military to protect aide shipments and personnel, rebuild homes and towns, and keep the population alive. This is how military power should be used, but powers like the U.S. Government seem very ready to just wait while someone gives us orders on what to do. Why didn’t we do that with Iraq? Here is Sunday’s, The Weekly Rant – “When Invasions Are Necessary.”

Kicking the Real May 6, 2008

The New York Times op-ed columnist, Thomas L. Friedman kicks a little bit of the real our way. In his Sunday, May 4th, 2008 column, “Who Will Tell The People?”, he describes his recent travels across the United States (and to some foreign lands) as he writes his latest book. Throughout this travel he has come to realize that U.S. Americans really do want change. He sums it up like this:

My own totally unscientific polling has left me feeling that if there is one overwhelming hunger in our country today it’s this: People want to do nation-building. They really do. But they want to do nation-building in America.

The article really struck a chord because I’ve been rethinking what Barack Obama said about small town America and how bitter people are. I’ve been rethinking, and I come to the same conclusion. Barack was right. Other candidates seem to want to skirt around things and tell you nonsense. How about tell me the real? People are bitter, and pissed off. And guess what, when people are angry about something they do “cling” to things that are very familiar to them. In times of joy, and definitely in times of anguish what is most familiar and comforting to us helps us. And guess what, people say and do racist things. People look at “difference” as “deficient.” That was what Barack was saying. He wasn’t talking down to anyone, or trying to be arrogant. He realizes that band-aide style fixes to major problems only prolongs problems. Relieving the gas tax for a Summer is going to fix things how? Why not take that money and put it into renewable energy research, or infrastructure repairs, or better mass transportation systems, or something that will solve our addiction to the black heroin pumping through our country – oil.

Anyway, check out the article, here’s another excerpt…

Much nonsense has been written about how Hillary Clinton is “toughening up” Barack Obama so he’ll be tough enough to withstand Republican attacks. Sorry, we don’t need a president who is tough enough to withstand the lies of his opponents. We need a president who is tough enough to tell the truth to the American people. Any one of the candidates can answer the Red Phone at 3 a.m. in the White House bedroom. I’m voting for the one who can talk straight to the American people on national TV — at 8 p.m. — from the White House East Room.

Who will tell the people? We are not who we think we are. We are living on borrowed time and borrowed dimes. We still have all the potential for greatness, but only if we get back to work on our country.

See the full article by clicking this title – “Who Will Tell The People?”

Peace

The Weekly Rant Is Back With – “SoundBite Nation” May 1, 2008

Back with another rant, and this time I take on the public and corporate media. Soundbites are all we get from corporate media every night and morning. It seems that the only thing people are getting on Barack are character issues that come from people who don’t speak for him. Snippets of Reverend Wright play and play all over the place without ever delving deeper. News pundits comment and comment on the simple footage, and then attach those remarks to Barack Obama. Obama denounces the words and actions, says all he can, but that isn’t enough. And it seems the media keep pushing it, based on soundbites. Ultimately, all the Reverend Wright stuff will go away if the media stop pushing it. If they want to turn the heat up on Obama, ask him real questions about policy. We vote too much on character and not enough on policy. Get away from the soundbites. Look deeper. Check out The Weekly Rant.

Peace.

History’s Lessons for Today April 26, 2008

Recently I’ve been thinking about this war in Iraq and what it is getting us. I’ve been seeing the reports from both sides saying we are making progress, and Hell is coming to the Earth. 4,000 plus dead soldiers line coffins, and many many more sit in hospital beds injured (and that’s just U.S. American soldiers). The war bill continues to grow. Still I hear progress has been made and anything short of victory is impossible to consider. I whisper the thought in my head, “Only if I knew what VICTORY was…” At these times I think of history’s lessons. I think of people who spelled-out the teachings for us to follow so we are not in situations like Iraq. I give you only two of the many who have WARNED us.

On January 17, 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave his farewell address to the people of the United States. In it he spoke of many things. Probably the most famous and relevant at this time was:

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”

If we ask ourselves, “Has the United States government lived up to this?” We must answer, NO!” Bush’s Iraq War shows us that might is not right, and diplomacy can never take a back seat. What would Eisenshower be thinking right now? How would he be governing this situation? So many questions to ask. Why did we not heed this warning?

I turn to an author who gives historical and literary perspective of war.

Dalton Trumbo, author of “Johnny Got His Gun.”

He wrote such a terrifyingly vivid account about the aftermath of war that it still haunts me to this day. Here are a couple of excerpts:

“He thought here you are Joe Bonham lying like a side of beef all the rest of your life and for what? Somebody tapped you on the shoulder and said come along son we’re going to war. So you went.”

“He was the future he was a perfect picture of the future and they were afraid to let anyone see what the future was like. Already they were looking ahead they were figuring the future and somewhere in the future they saw war. To fight that war they would need men and if men saw the future they wouldn’t fight. So they were masking the future they were keeping the future a soft quiet deadly secret. They knew that if all the little people all the little guys saw the future they would begin to ask questions. They would ask questions and they would find answers and they would say to the guys who wanted them to fight they would say you lying thieving sons-of-bitches we won’t fight we won’t be dead we will live we are the world we are the future and we will not let you butcher us no matter what you say no matter what speeches you make no matter what slogans you write. Remember it well we we we are the world we are what makes it go round we make bread and cloth and guns we are the hub of the wheel and the spokes and the wheel itself without us you would be hungry naked worms and we will not die. We are immortal we are the sources of life we are the lowly despicable ugly people we are the great wonderful beautiful people of the world and we are sick of it we are utterly weary we are done with it forever and ever because we are the living and we will not be destroyed.”

Check out this link for the book’s “Introduction/Addendum: 1970.” They are extraordinarily powerful.

As I said earlier, I could list politicians, writers, actors, scientists, etc. who WARN us against the trappings of war offering better solutions, and vivid depictions of what is the ultimate future after war. Where are we after years and years of war? How can George Bush sound the cry against Iran, North Korea, Syria, and other nations when he has ordered the very atrocities he apparently deplores? Is this not another WARNING of what is to come?