tammy swofford

The Road Not Taken

2009-07-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

“There are two paths to choose. One is a path I’ve warned about tonight, the path that leads to fragmentation and self-interest. Down that road lies a mistaken idea of freedom, the right to grasp for ourselves some advantage over others. That path would be one of constant conflict between narrow interests ending in chaos and immobility. It is a certain route to failure.”—Jimmy Carter, Crisis of Confidence speech July 15, 1979.

Thirty years later, it is clear that is the path we took. It is the path that has led to “a Congress twisted and pulled in every direction by hundreds of well-financed and powerful special interests. You see every extreme position defended to the last vote, almost to the last breath by one unyielding group or another. You often see a balanced and a fair approach that demands sacrifice, a little sacrifice from everyone, abandoned like an orphan without support and without friends.”

Congress is currently sitting on Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court and is attempting to create some form of universal health insurance. In both cases, the political parties are putting themselves ahead of what is best for the American people. Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (R-AL) is concerned that Judge Sotomayor will be mean to lawyers arguing before her. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) wanted to know what would happen if Judge Sotomayor shot him. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is very concerned that a wise Latina could be smarter than he is and wants Judge Sotomayor to assure him that nothing like that could ever happen. What a bunch.

Healthcare is a question of special interests pure and simple. No one has the courage to tell the insurance company and AMA lobbyists that their clients have sent the quality of

U.S.

health care back to the Stone Age. Thirty-four countries including Cuba have a better record on infant mortality than we do. In the 1950s, before employers provided health insurance we were in 12^th place in this category. We pay far more for medical treatment than they do in Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, but people in those countries all live longer than we do. Nobody has gotten up and told the medical and insurance industries that universal health insurance is an issue precisely because they have done such a lousy job, and get the hell out of the debate. You have proved that you have nothing to offer.

These are the problems that Jimmy Carter saw 30 years ago and was mocked for mentioning.

There is one problem that not even he saw. Recently, Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, began to attempt a rapprochement with China. The Australians have come to the conclusion that they can no longer depend on U.S. sea power. President Carter may not have seen that coming, but he did see the cause. As in health care, we are paying more than anyone else in the word for defense and we are getting far less for our money. We are paying for weapons systems the military doesn’t want because it keeps powerful congressmen in their jobs.

Thank you for your courage, Mr. President, I wish we had listened to you 30 years ago.

Tom Gordon

A Stout-Hearted Mission in Georgia

2009-07-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Georgia's Always on My-My-My-

My-My-My-My-My-My Mind"

Here we go again. Or maybe the correct phrase is: Here we are still. The government of Russia remains in cognizant denial of the breakup of the Soviet Union. It was a year ago when Georgia faced down the Great Red Menace in a 5-day conflict over South Ossetia. Russia's interest in this small region, as well as in Abkhazia, is clearly a Machiavellian ploy to absorb strategically located lands back into its control. The politics of oil.

Thousands of Ossetians were driven from their homes last summer, and the capital city of Tskhinvali was all but destroyed. On August 26 Russia formally recognized the independence of both regions, violating UN Security Council resolutions that Russia previously accepted. Since the cease fire, Russian troops have been openly taking part in agitating exercises in the Caucasus Mountains on Georgia's northern border, including thousands who are deployed in Abkhazia and S. Ossetia.

President Medvedev met with separatist leader Eduard Kokoity on Monday and declared S. Ossetia "a new country". Georgian President Saakashvili responded, "The president of such a big country, Russia, stole into a small region of ours and visited, as if for negotiations, an unwashed murderer, corrupt criminal." Then: "Georgia will certainly strengthen and will stand on its feet. It will be reunited and we will once and forever end this entire political circus and immoral and shameful actions in our small but very important country for the rest of the world.”

The Kremlin is set to sign agreements with local leaders to build military bases in these two regions, which will be in place for 49 years without rent. On June 11 a Russian website posted, "the first military airfield will be built to replace the village of [reuters] Kurta." On June 19 Nikolai Makarov, Chief of General Staff, stated, "We will create two bases, one in Gudauta, Abkhazia, the other near Tskhnivali, S. Ossetia. On July 14 Medvedev said he hoped Georgia had "learned its lesson". A cocky statement from the second in command, don't you think?

So why do many S. Ossetians want to take Russia's offer of military assistance against Georgia, when they surely realize the authoritarian strings that will be attached? It seems they would merely like to rejoin their ethnic brothers in the Russian republic of North Ossetia. This distinctly ethnic group was driven south by the Mongols in the 13th century, and was consequently divided into North and South.

Does Georgia have a sovereign right to keep its borders intact? In American terms, should we agree to give Texas back since there are many ethnically Mexican citizens who live there? Not even taking into account the illegal population. There are many Russian descendants in Alaska. Should we just hand our 49th state back over to Russia? Sarah Palin detractors might entertain the idea. America experienced the fight against secessionism in the 19th century. We should respect Georgia's right to fight for its real estate.

Garry Kasparov, a Russian opposition leader, said in an interview regarding President Obama's visit: "The Kremlin official Web site edited Obama's speech on Georgia, trying to make it less aggressive and more complacent with Medvedev's and Putin's words, but if you can read English original, it was--I think it was a statement protecting Georgia and Ukraine." The manipulation of the Russian media has clearly not improved since Khrushchev's day.

This week we have sent a stalwart visual sign that we do, indeed, support the Georgian government's interests. The USS Stout, a guided missile destroyer, arrived in the Black Sea port of Batumi this week for "small-scale joint naval exercises" with Georgia's Coast Guard. And while Commander Mark Oberley and his crew were welcomed with traditional music and food, Russia was performing mock air bombing runs to the north.

-Blackfoot

WhiteHouse.gov links:

July 6 - Joint Obama and Medvedev Press Conference

"As President Medvedev indicated, we've had some frank discussions, and there are areas where we still disagree. For instance, we had a frank discussion on Russia -- on Georgia, and I reiterated my firm belief that Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. Yet even as we work through our disagreements on Georgia's borders, we do agree that no one has an interest in renewed military conflict."

July 7 - Obama's remarks at New Economic School

"Just as all states should have the right to choose their leaders, states must have the right to borders that are secure, and to their own foreign policies. That is true for Russia, just as it is true for the United States. Any system that cedes those rights will lead to anarchy. That's why we must apply this principle to all nations -- and that includes nations like Georgia and Ukraine."

And You Have a Problem with This, Because....?

2009-07-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

My guess is the C.I.A. has a pre-employment checklist which looks something like this:

*Did you pull out your little brother's molar with a pair of pliers?
*Did you set the cat's tail on fire while your mother was napping?
*Did you stuff a firecracker up a frog's ass and light it up?

Personally, I am pretty suspicious that one of my brothers probably did two of the three, but I am no ordinary snitch.

Santa Maria! The way the Dem's are reacting to the "news" that the C.I.A. possibly had a secret program to leave a personal calling card with a few of al-Qaedah's top leadership has me more than a little perplexed. Remember, these are some of the same folks who stood on the steps of our Capitol and sang, "God Bless America" shortly after more than a few American's were lit up like torches on 9/11. Possibly they have reptilian brains? Have they so quickly forgotten the carnage? Swofford never forgets. Our citizens boarded missiles. They were just not aware of it until shortly before they hit the Towers no better than bugs on a windshield. Yeah, Swofford never forgets who threatened us on that day. My sons know the drill: Don't ever take a threat. Deal with a threat. That is how this Texas mama has raised them.

How, may I ask, do they suggest that "God Bless America", if we send out the Knitting Society of America to seek and destroy? We are not looking for a covey of quail, you know. We are looking for hawks. The C.I.A. seems like a better choice. But I also wonder if some of the biggest complainers would have been too squeamish to allow an abbreviated a la carte hit list to move forward operationally. There are those who pontificate about our security and then there are those willing to risk their lives and kill the bad guys.

Should the C.I.A. be in the business of assassination? You betcha. There are a few men on the planet who are oxygen thieves and the sooner the next breath is sucked right out of their lungs as their last breath, the better.

The latest Jack Higgins book on display at my local bookstore has this quote on the inside flap:

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." George Orwell

Read my lips. Leave the Sean Dillon's of the world alone. Let them do their job.

Congress Sings!

That vile C.I.A.

Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Intellectual Battlespace: Apostasy and Islam

2009-07-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

My entry into the Intellectual Battlespace causes me to examine many primary source documents and the (translated) writings of prominent Islamic jurists and literati. So the news coming out of Somalia of beheadings for apostasy fell right in line with what I am currently reading. I am currently immersed within the historical timeline of the Abbasid Dynasty. Fascinating reading. Some of the administrative applications of law are similar to our own, but there is hell to pay, in other regards.

While I hate to engage the “Islam for Dummies” routine for my readership it seems necessary to give the abbreviated drill regarding the Qur’an. So here is a bullet format:

*The Qur’an is seen as the singular active voice of Allah.
*It is composed of 114 Surah (chapters)
*These are further divided into ayat (verses or “signs”)
*Each ayat, is further subdivided by whether it is from the Makki or Madani era. In other words, was it a revelation from when Muhammad was in Mecca (approximately 13 years) or Medina? (Approximately 10 years)

Individual ayat function as a hinge to a greater doorway of thought which is the oral traditions behind the verse in question. Any analyst who ventures into geopolitical Islam without a firm grasp of oral tradition will produce thought which is not fully armored. I do root cause analysis. It is much different than what other analysts engage.

Quick Test: What individual comes to mind with the following ayat?

"A lying sinful forelock" Al-Alaq 16

O.K. So you flunked. Let's move along.

While Stratfor suggest the beheadings may be linked to Islamist' failure to take Mogadishu and an Amnesty International researcher further opines the beheadings are “under the guise of applying sharia law”, oral tradition demonstrates that Shari’ah is supportive of and allows the death penalty for apostasy. The terror of the modern-day beheadings is not a guise, rather a legally sanctioned penalty based on jurisprudence.

Within the tribal Muslim regions, this application is most likely meted out based on an understanding of oral traditions. These have been passed along in mother tongue for centuries. A conflict zone such as Somalia will most likely suffer under a more vigorous application of Shari’ah as there is lacking any secular political counterbalance to this distillation of potent Islamic thought. But what needs to be understood is that current upheaval aside, dealing with apostasy in Islam is determined by a firm understanding of Allah's rights over his creation.

Should a Muslim leave his faith, application of death penalty is allowed. Period. A man by the name of al-Mustawrid al-Ijli was put to death by the 4th Caliph Ali, for "embracing the Crucifix". He was allowed a three day requittal period, after which his life was taken. The death penalty is applicable to women, as in the case of Umm Ruman whose life was taken for same reason.

After death, the corpse is neither bathed nor a prayer spoken over it. The body may not be placed in a cemetery where other Muslims are buried. In a strange twist of fate, neither may the body be laid to rest in the cemetery of non-Muslims, due to the deceased' prior affiliation with Islam. Seizure and distribution of the assets of the deceased are also extensions of the law of apostasy.

This is abbreviated, and for that I apologize. But I hope that this venture into the IB will provide its own hinge to each of the readers. But yes, apostates are to be seized and killed.

Beheadings for apostasy

Tammy Swofford

CAX at 29 Palms

2009-07-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

Yeah, just mentioning 29 Palms in the prior post, made me pull out the photo album and take a trip down memory lane. Providing medical support with Fleet Hospital Dallas was a fun way to spend a couple of weeks of my summer several years ago.... as opposed to visiting Switzerland, of course.

Check out this link. On the right, you can click on the thermometer to check out the wet bulb temperature at 29 Palms today. It seems about as hot as when our detachment served there.

See how happy I look, seated on the left? That is the picture taken prior to the Marine pilots' playing "map the world" to see if they could make the other Navy nurse and me (on board) throw up into our Kevlar or inside our blouses. We were given "guidance" prior to the flight that those two specific places, were appropriate areas to store our vomitus should we become queasy. Yep. We found out later that the pilots from hell had a little bet going. These were definitely not "A Few Good Men". smile

Map the world is where the helicopter hugs the terrain at strange angles, zipping in and out of ravines at high speed. It is kind of like the games your kids play online. Except that it is quite a bit more exciting because you are also sucking in the fuel fumes and sand as you look out the back and wonder why the peaks of the hills are sideways on the horizon. Your diaphragm flies up into your throat, your spleen dislodges, and you have a strong urge to defecate all over yourself because it feels like your bowels are being put through a blender. Did I mention that you also feel the uncontrollable urge to puke?

We were on an "ice run" delivering twenty-five pound blocks of ice to Marines engaged in their combined arms exercise within the hills around us. Navy nurses wanted them to keep their Gatorade chilled. There were happy smiles all around when we made our landings to drop off the ice.

Did I mention that we also ran a nice little beer garden in the evening in a GPL which we put up, with a few tables and folding chairs? All of us shared the waitress duties. You know the rule: After about one week in the field, all female Navy nurses look like a "10" to the guys. We look good even with dirt packed up our nostrils and beads of sweat on our foreheads. Problematic is that there isn't a darn place to kanoozle for miles, should the call of the wild be heard. Ah, the camraderie of military life! Two beer limit, and the crackers from the MRE for "pretzels". What could be better?

Speaking of MRE's (meals refused by Ethiopians) I did manage to keep the contents of my MRE within the confines of my stomach on that little voyage of the damned. But the lingering nausea stayed with me for approximately two hours after the flight. Would I do it again?

In a heartbeat!

Thank you for letting me share a happy Navy memory. smile

Tammy

Yes Ma'am, Senator Boxer!

2009-07-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

The cartoon in question

The disrespect toward another who also worked hard.

Bitchy Boxer.

O.K. Now that we have cleared up that little formality.....

I picked up the phone and called Tom Gordon regarding this little political blip. As both of us know the drill regarding military tradition, I wanted his opinion. He declared the whole thing a "tempest in a teapot". While agreeing with him regarding the need not to stoop to examine a speck, I do think it worth a venture into the free speech zone. Saturday blogs should be fun!

As a military officer who seeks to always bear well the weight of my rank, I would never seek to address Ms. Boxer by any title other than one of respect within a public forum. Both "Senator" and "Ma'am" would be appropriate avenues of response by a military officer when addressing someone with positional authority within a separate chain of command structure.

Any person who has survived the military culture can attest to standing in rank and shouting "Yes, sir!" or "Yes, Ma'am" with a crescendo which can go on and on until laryngitis ensues and voice rest is required. We also do odd things like ask permission to make a head call when it is 114 degrees outside and we have just finished drinking two canteens of water in thirty minutes. Wouldn't it be a given that the bladder needs relief? Sure. But we ask permission to trek up the hill through the hot sand at 29 Palms and leave our duties behind. Respect. We give it across the board.

Just as the admonishment "honor your father" denotes the public respect a child affords a natural and earthly father even when privately aware he is a drunk or womanizer, we should extend public respect to Senator Boxer even if it is found she is overly fond of bubbly and ..... oh well, we will leave it at that! smile But it appears Brigadier General Walsh did give proper respect.

So in the future, Ms. Boxer, it stands to reason that we should afford you double the respect as your ego seems to require it.

Yes Ma'am, Senator Boxer! Yes, Ma'am!

V/R LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC

Barack Obama: The New Mother-in-Law in the White House

2009-07-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

As a new bride I was introduced to the joys of an intrusive mother-in-law within weeks of the wedding. After a day of shopping I returned to the humble apartment which my husband and I called home. This darling lady who had given me a fine specimen of a man, completely rearranged the kitchen from top to bottom in my absence. Counter appliances and china were moved, cannisters redeployed and dish towels refolded. Everything looked rather neat, but it was not as I had envisioned my kitchen.

Naturally, my clueless new husband did not understand the stakes. He calmly watched the whole thing like a dumb ox. Assuming that I would be thrilled, my response was quite a bit different than the grateful posture he envisioned. Mama knows best, you know. But you can imagine the rest! chuckle But the foundations quaked on that day, as I made sure that he understood: "It's me or her, baby!" Marriage is not for the faint of heart and conversely, there were times early in our marriage where "It's me or him, baby!" also rang out on his part. These adjustments are necessary.

Marriages are built on foundational beliefs about the nature of roles and responsibilities of the parties who engage covenant. With a good foundation a marriage stands a chance. But nations also rise and fall based on their foundations. America, has stood the test of time. Our foundations have served us well. Unlike the nay-sayers who would have you believe otherwise, the state of our Union is strong and our foundations have served us well.

So I find it interesting that the White House now sports two new mother-in-laws. On the one hand we have...... Michelle's mother, Marian Robinson. She is probably harmless enough. She might have a hand in moving the furniture around in the East Room, or adding a lamp to the Lincoln Bedroom. We shouldn't lose sleep over little stuff of that nature. But what about the other mother-in-law, the one who has promised to rearrange the very foundations of our nation?

The hammer is being put to our foundations on many levels by a left-leaning ideologue. Inspired by old ideas which have been shown not to work in other nations, my heart quakes to think of this reinvention of America envisioned by a man without the maturity of a grey head of hair. Marxism is dead and so is Nietzche. Some people, have yet to figure it out.

Has anyone else noticed President Obama's use of the term "new foundation"? Whether speaking of economic growth, revamping healthcare, or energy policy the phrase "new foundation" is one of deliberate usage. Now maybe his revisionist speech writers like the ring to it. But in my mind, he is overstepping the constraints of the administration. Our President certainly has the right to seek corrective measures to shore up our foundations. He does not retain the executory power to bring "new foundations". I can live with his campaign slogan of change, as it might bring a few new good ideas to the table . I will not stand quietly aside, for destruction.

Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

The Text Manifesto: A 21st Century Call to Arms

2009-07-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Whether it be Rod Dreher proclaiming a granola manifesto of sorts or Fareed Zakaria declaring his capitalist manifesto, it seems journalists at large have become enamoured with the concept of moving the masses whilst seated at their desks sipping herbal tea or perhaps, a java jolt.

Oh, the power of the pen! The unleashing of the sword with nary a bead of sweat on the brow! You gotta love us. Personally I tend to be the laziest of creatures on God's planet, right above the old sloth when it comes to journalism. Hence, I write this miserable blog. (Please note that I am sipping Starbucks and eating gourmet chocolate as I write this text manifesto piece. smile)

But slap yo' momma into the next county, as we say in Texas. The world of manifesto-ization has gotten incredibly more fun with the advent of text messages and the quick Tweet of protest.

The current situation in China is merely a small example of the tip-of-the-text-iceberg in the world to come. Rumor has it, the whole thing has been stirred up by a sweet-looking little old lady in Virginia. So what does our state of Virginia have to do with an uprising in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China? Possibly plenty, if your name happens to be Rebiya Kadeer.

While not negating the distinct possibility that the Muslim-majority population in this region has been treated brutally in the past by the Chinese security apparatus, the complete unfolding of this episode over the last few days leaves me with a sense of sadness. Ethnographic upheavals always take my thoughts back to the Rwanda massacre of the previous decade. That was accomplished without text messages, but the repetitive slogans of the lowly daily radio broadcasts struck the match.

The Uighurs proudly proclaim that the world now knows they exist. Yep, you and over six billion other people which inhabit the planet. President Hu Jintao rushes home from the G8 summit with public proclamation from the Chinese government sounding similar to the message given by the Grand Ayatollah of Iran regarding their own tweetering, texting mass of political activists. Indignities, systematic and sanctioned oppression or historic brutality aside, the Uighurs will now pay heavily if they heeded a text manifesto to move to the streets to foment civil disobedience. The lucky ones, will be the humble folks who barred their doors and stayed home leaving cell phones off. Those armed with a deadly cell phone, beware. A much stronger force now opposes you.

As someone who is stridently in favor of free speech I draw the line with activities which seek to move tens of thousands of people to the streets for what plays out in acts of escalating violence by the state against the people. It is bad strategy. It is certainly not fair to the innocent who are swept up with a sense of destiny to take it to the street because of a daily barrage of text reminding them they are important to "the cause". Next week when a few of these people find themselves digging coal within the mine shaft of a Chinese labor camp they may wonder what the hell happened. It will, of course, be too late. A grain of rice will lodge in their emaciated throats before their skeletal frames will be allowed to reintegrate into public life. Starvation works wonders against the best of zealots.

Rebiya Kadeer certainly knows the cost she paid for engaging acts of self-determination. I am able to identify with her passion. It is not fully determined if this fiesty grandmother has had a hand in the current uprising in China. The rumor mill certainly points a crooked finger in her direction. But if she has had a part in goading the regional populace from a status of ordinary citizen to that of low-tech combatant on large scale, I hope someone begins to put the toys away until calm prevails.

I support the actions of any government to block text message access during times of intense national turmoil or crisis. Suck in your breath. I support our government to engage the same. It seems the best means to keep the innocent from being swept up into the prison net. It is a benign active denial tool to move people back to their homes, and away from flashpoints of danger.

Do speak to your children today regarding the pitfalls of text activism. Calling the average citizen to move into an asymmetrical battlespace during this century is going to confront all of us with ethical problems of unimaginable proportions. We do not have an upgraded jurisprudential code to deal with either instigatory text messenger or recipient delegated activist moving on the behest of what is possibly a hidden hand. Our government must consider these things.

Rebiya Kadeer

Rod Dreher

Fareed Zakaria

Tammy Swofford

Kitchen Debate of 1959

2009-07-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

NIXON: In America we like to make life easier for women.

KHRUSHCHEV: Your capitalistic attitude toward women does not occur under Communism.

NIXON: This attitude towards women is universal. What we want to do is make life more easy for our housewives. This house can be bought for $14,000. Any steel worker could buy this house. They earn $3 an hour. This house costs about $100 a month to buy on a contract running 25 to 30 years.

KHRUSHCHEV: We have steel workers and peasants who can afford to spend $14,000 for a house. Your American houses are built to last only 20 years so builders could sell new houses at the end. We build firmly. We build for our children and grandchildren.

NIXON: American houses last for more than 20 years, but after 20 years many Americans want a new house or a new kitchen. Their kitchen is obsolete by that time. The American system is designed to take advantage of new inventions and new techniques.

KHRUSHCHEV: This theory does not hold water. Some things never get out of date. Houses, for instance, and furniture. I hope I have not insulted you.

NIXON: I have been insulted by experts. Everything we say, on the other hand, is in good humor. Always speak frankly.

KHRUSHCHEV: The Americans have created their own image of the Soviet man. But he is not as you think. You think the Russian people will be dumbfounded to see these things, but newly built Russian houses have all this equipment. In Russia, all you have to do to get a house is to be born in the Soviet Union. You are entitled to housing. In America, if you don’t have a dollar, you have a right to choose between sleeping in a house or on the pavement. Yet you say we are the slave to Communism.

NIXON: This exhibit was not designed to astound but to interest. Diversity, the right to choose, the fact that we have 1,000 builders building 1,000 different houses is the most important thing. We don’t have one decision made at the top by one government official.

KHRUSHCHEV: On politics, we will never agree with you. For instance, Mikoyan likes very peppery soup. I do not. But this does not mean that we do not get along.

NIXON: You can learn from us, and we can learn from you. There must be a free exchange. Let the people choose the kind of house, the kind of soup, the kind of ideas that they want.

---
KHRUSHCHEV: The construction workers didn’t manage to finish their work. This is what America is capable of. And how long has she existed? 300 years? 150 years of independence and this is her level. We haven’t quite reached 42 years, and in another seven years, we’ll be at the level of America. After that we’ll go farther. As we pass you by, we’ll wave "hi" to you, and then if you want, we’ll stop and say, "please come along behind us." If you want to live under Capitalism, go ahead. That’s your question, an internal matter, it doesn’t concern us. We can feel sorry for you, but really, you wouldn’t understand. We’ve already seen how you understand things.

NIXON: I, very early in the morning, went down to visit a market, where the farmers from various outskirts of the city bring in their items to sell. There was a great deal of interest among these workers and farmers. The exhibition from that standpoint would, therefore, be a considerable success. There must be a free exchange of ideas. There are some instances where you may be ahead of us, for example, the development of the thrust of your rockets for the investigation of outer space. There may be some instances, for example, color television, where we’re ahead of you. But in order for both of us benefit...

KHRUSHCHEV: In rockets we’ve passed you by, and in the technology...

NIXON: You see, you never concede anything.

KHRUSHCHEV: We always knew that Americans were smart people. Stupid people could not have risen to the economic level that they’ve reached. But as you know, "we don’t beat flies with our nostrils!" In 42 years we’ve made progress.

NIXON: You must not be afraid of ideas.

KHRUSHCHEV: We’re saying it is you who must not be afraid of ideas. We’re not afraid of anything.

NIXON: Well, then, let’s have more exchange of them. We all agree on that, right?

KHRUSHCHEV: Good. (Khrushchev turns to translator and asks: "Now, what did I agree on?")

NIXON: Now, let’s go look at our pictures.

KHRUSHCHEV: Yes, I agree. But first I want to clarify what I’m agreeing on. Don’t I have that right? I know that I’m dealing with a very good lawyer. Therefore, I want to be unwavering in my miner’s girth, so our miners will say, "He’s ours and he doesn’t give in!"

NIXON: No question about that.

KHRUSHCHEV: You’re a lawyer of Capitalism, I’m a lawyer for Communism. Let’s kiss.

NIXON: You would have made a good lawyer yourself. Here you can see the tape which will transmit this very conversation immediately, and this indicates the possibilities of increasing communication. And this increase in communication, will teach us some things, and you some things, too. Because, after all, you don’t know everything.

KHRUSHCHEV: If I don’t know everything, then you know absolutely nothing about Communism, except for fear. Now the dispute will be on an unequal basis. The apparatus is yours and you speak English, while I speak Russian. Your words are taped and will be shown and heard. What I say to you about science won’t be translated, and so your people won’t hear it. These aren’t equal conditions.

NIXON: There isn’t a day that goes by in the United States when we can’t read everything that you say in the Soviet Union. I can assure you never make a statement here that we don't read in the United States.

KHRUSHCHEV: If that’s the way it is, I’m holding you to it. Give me your word. I want you, the Vice President, to give me your word that my speech will also be taped in English. Will it be?

NIXON: By the same token, everything that I say will be recorded and translated and will be carried all over the Soviet Union. That’s a fair bargain.

Silly Season

2009-07-07T04:32:00.000-07:00

Usually, the nutters wait until August to come out of the woodwork and onto the media stage. Given the curtain raisers we had so far, I can hardly wait for next month.

First, we were treated to Senator John Ensign (R-as if you couldn’t guess, NV). Actually, Sen. Ensign is merely the john in the story of an ambitious man who decided to pimp his wife. The wife, Cynthia, also got a substantial pay raise. Or as the L.A. Times put it: “The same month, Cynthia Hampton's salary doubled, federal records show, though Ensign's camp has said she took on additional duties.” We understand that, but what additional duties did Doug Hampton undertake since he was paid too?

As so often happens in this business, Cynthia’s pimp, Doug Hampton, got greedy and the Senator sent them both packing. What raises this banal tale to Silly Season levels is the fact that Sen. Ensign is still more popular in Nevada than the other Senator who happens to be the Senate Majority Leader, and thus in a position to do some good for Nevada.

That, of course was followed by the wanderlust of Mark Sanford, quirky governor of South Carolina. Apparently, tired of people asking if he was crazy for declining federal money, Gov. Sanford decided to prove that he was. Unlike New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Gov. Sanford did not trust his security people to accompany him on his tryst in Argentina. He didn’t even tell his Lt. Governor to keep the chair warm for him, while he slipped off stage for a while. He probably didn’t know what he was going to do until he took that wrong turn on the way to Springer Mountain, Georgia, the start of the Appalachian Trail. As I understand it, cell phones are unknown in South Carolina, so he couldn’t have called, or anything.

After a week of his sobbing, his inamorata got tired of him and sent him home, where Jenny, the Gov’s independently wealthy wife was “gathering her brows like a gathering storm, nursing her wrath to keep it warm” (Robert Burns, Tam O’Shanter). In another improvement on the Giuliani soap, Mrs. Sanford didn’t throw the governor out of the mansion, only the beach house. Since then Sanford has been doing more confessing that St. Augustine. For all anyone knows he may still be at it. Unfortunately, he has been upstaged by Alaska’s soon to be ex-governor.

The Wasilla Wonder gave a brief speech in Friday that would have left Marilyn vos Savant whomperjawed. What we know is that, as things stand now, Sarah Palin , has resigned as governor of Alaska, apparently, for the good of the state, or because someone had mistaken her for a dead fish.

And these are just the warm up acts.

Tom Gordon

Tammany III: The Bipartisan Mauling of Sarah Palin

2009-07-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

"A fondness for power is implanted, in most men, and it is natural to abuse it, when acquired."
-Alexander Hamilton

"Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers which they dare not dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry."
— Winston Churchill

The tiger knows not why it chose the sambar deer or wild cattle. It knows only that it was hungry. For some reason, I found myself drawn once again to Tammany II: Tiger By the Tail, which I wrote on this blog in December of last year. Oh, it could be just the timeliness of the cartoon's imagery, I don't know. But this weekend I watched the pundits and press corps feeding on Governor Sarah Palin's supposedly dead political carcass. Though the faulty premises and assumptions of the anti-Palin prognosticators deserve srutiny and scorn, it may better serve us to ask why so much energy would be expended over the last nine months to destroy one politician.

What continually fascinates me is how Palin's run has inspired the only true "bipartisanship" I've ever seen, as haters from both "sides" of the establishment stand together to wax extemporaneously on her supposed failure. This cacophony of premature eulogies smacks of a pathetic, self-interested political class struggling to convince themselves and us about things they have yet to understand. Reagan baffled them with communicative prowess and a cool, determined resolve in 1976. Palin may, or may not, prove comparable in the end. But based upon opposition alone Sarah Palin deserves Reagan comparisons. Reagan was a transformative pain in Tammany's backside, but the machine outlasted him. Future rogues and individualists would not be tolerated. Those who cannot be bought or tempted (and exposed when necessary) would be summarily dismissed. There is always a way.

Still, let's see what Barricuda does before we shoot our mouths off too much, folks. Personally, I could care less if Sarah has designs on another office. Conservatism and Freedom need advocates of all kinds today. Whether as a candidate for president or a spokesperson for ideals she champions, she need not be bound by the whims and rantings of newsreaders. Something tells me Governor Palin (still at this point) will continue to confound this plethora of critics. Never one to let a good movie reference go to waste, I have seen at least four references in print comparing Sarah Palin's resignation to Obi-Wan-Kenobi's "death" in the original "Star Wars" film, and of course his famous line:

"IF YOU STRIKE ME DOWN, I shall only become more powerful than you can
imagine. "

We no longer wonder why good people refuse to run for political office. We increasingly understand why scoundrels manage to "get in". And we are reminded daily, it seems, how good people who do get in do unimaginable things to break our trust. This is why James Madison wrote:

It has been said that all Government is evil. It would be more proper to say that the necessity of any Government is a misfortune. This necessity, however, exists and the problem to be solved is, not what form of government is perfect, but which of the forms is least imperfect."

America's governance today is nothing more than an aging political machine. The institutions and supporting industry around it are slaves to convention and predictable behavior. The machine runs on the backs of productive American citizens. It keeps it's eye constantly on the horizon, because it knows every emerging leader must be approved, controlled, and managed.

This latest scare required a summoning of a great amount of resources. Soldiers from both wings of the political class will still be needed to protect Tammany III from a great menace. She is not gone, unfortunately, and the poison spread by her pious integrity and authenticity will take time to counter. There remains the unpredictable threat. When she returns it hopes to be ready.

bob
treo_bob@yahoo.com

You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man's age-old dream -- the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order -- or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path. Plutarch warned, "The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits."
-Ronald Reagan (Address to the nation, October 27, 1964)

American Patriot Sarah Palin Resigns the Alaska Governorship

2009-07-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

The bombs bursting in air... Just like Michael Jackson's unexpected death knocked the story of civil unrest in Iran off the page, the Jackson story is now taking a backseat to Governor Sarah Palin's announcement today that she will be stepping down at the end of the month.

Surrounded by her family -- including her husband Todd who flew in from Bristol Bay, where he fishes commercially, to be at her side -- and by her staff, Palin gave the news from her scenic back yard. Ducks quacked and paddled around on Lake Lucille in the background, oblivious to the groundquaking business of the humans on shore.

In her uniquely steely style, and with no need for TelePrompters, Palin spoke from her heart. She spoke of her appreciation of freedom and peace. She spoke of faith and family. But at the core of her message was her love for the Great State of Alaska, its role in the United States and in the world. She spoke of Alaska's great energy resources and its strategic location for the security of our nation.

A wave of emotion very briefly came over her when she spoke of her personal mission. "...You know me by now. I promised four years ago that I would be showing my independence and there would be no more conventional 'politics as usual.'" On the heels of the last governor's administration, Palin indeed has shown a rare pioneer spirit.

She went on to proudly list a few bullet points of some of her administration's successes: PSIO. Point Thompson drilling. AGIA. ACES. Slowing down government growth. Budget vetoes. The government dairy business switch to the private sector. Education. Public safety. Climate change. Wildlife management. Our much-needed new prison. Selling the jet, eliminating the governor's mansion's chef position, the junkets, the entourage. Turning down a pay raise. The reasons behind her reluctance to take federal stimulus money.

Then again her emotions came to the surface, this time frustration, as she discussed the level of attack she has been under since being chosen as a VP running mate for John McCain. She is clearly repulsed by some of the frivolous ethics violations lawsuits that have been filed against her. The thousands of hours of time and $2 million that it has cost our state is ridiculous. One of them claimed that the governor was getting a kickback from Arctic Cat, her husband's sponsor in the Iron Dog race. Click here for the ADN link. Yes, Palin is a pioneer, but is she supposed to make her own clothing, so that there is no suspicion of impropriety? Should that include her running shoes, too? The governor is spending $500K of her own money, "to set the record straight".

On a side note, a friend of mine has worked professionally with Andree McLeod. She is a miserable person in her own life. And you know what they say about misery...

I appreciate that Governor Palin addressed apathy in our nation. "It would be apathetic to just kind of hunker down and go with the flow. We're fishermen, we know that only dead fish go with the flow." Palin has been swimming upstream for all of her political life. Since hitting the national stage, the stream has looked more like Niagara Falls. I have never seen anyone attacked with the barrage of political and personal bullets than that which Sarah Palin has withstood. Hillary Clinton might have thought she was under fire in Kosovo. I dare her to walk a mile in Palin's moccasins.

I don't think the frustration of battling her opponents is all there is to it. There is surely either an undeniable opportunity in the private sector, or perhaps she is looking upstream to 2012 as many have speculated she would do. Maybe it's time for the big fish in the small stream to migrate out to the vast ocean of national politics, where she has already proven she is adept at swimming with sharks without becoming one of them. There may have been times when I have questioned Palin's decisions, but never her integrity. Whichever way the river of her life flows, I have faith that she will maneuver through the bends and rapids with the grace she has so far exhibited.

Best wishes, Sarah. God bless your family.

Full Text of Governor Palin's Announcement

-Blackfoot

Establishing a Safer Flight Path

2009-07-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

In the aftermath of the latest air disaster the Yemeni aircraft industry is being dubbed as one operating "flying cattle cars". Any who have taken an adventure tour understand the inherent risks of travel off the beaten path. You make it through the checkpoints and security stops, take your life in your own hands, and board a dilapidated crate with an old engine. The pilot has possibly never had anything comparable to a flight physical as required by our government. Who knows if the grade of fuel is up to standard, or for that matter, the tank properly topped off. I had a friend who boarded a flight in the Ukraine and saw the pilot bang on the instrument panel with a hammer right before take-off. He sweated bullets throughout the duration of the flight.

It is not only the safety record of a particular airline, rail or bus system which must be considered in planning a trip to the exotic locale. Many other things should be anticipated prior to departure. Here are just a few things which need to be hammered out when planning your big adventure.

*Department of State: Have you sent a message to the U.S. Embassy or nearest consulate to make them aware that you will be shooting big game in Kenya or collecting bird droppings as part of your research of the Mariana Island chain? Do you have their POC and phone number in your wallet at all times? And have you left the same information with your family? Conversely, do you carry a point of contact in your wallet, should you become incapacitated? Don't make it your 86 year old grandmother who lives on the family farm.

*Have you made copies of any important travel documents to leave with a trusted family member? Think primarily of your passport. But also leave a complete travel itinerary with someone. If you are supposed to be in Sri Lanka on Monday, your family needs to know these things. Does a family member also retain a copy of your prescription medications, dosages and any food or medicine allergies? If you suffer a concussion in Bangkok and are temporarily incapacitated, it will be nice for the M.D. to be aware that Cipro gives you walk-toward-the-light anaphylactic reaction.

*Are you carrying a full month's supply of any prescription medicines? So you only intend to go fishing and snorkeling off the Caribbean reef for an afternoon. I have certainly done it. But at the time, I didn't have a contingency plan. Do travel with a month's supply of medicine for any OCONUS vacation. Otherwise, you may end up with ground up rhinocerous bone, such as was observed being done in a hospital pharmacy in Mongolia when I was there. (The other choice, dog's blood for burn wounds or perhaps, the bile tube draining out of a lethargic looking bear in a cage. Yep, it was being offered up for something holistically sound!)

*Perimeter safety: Stay at centrally located hotels when in urban areas. Determine means of exit from the building, and if in a group, determine an alternate site for meeting should there be a catastrophic event. Think of the attack in Mumbai and the group from the U.S.A. It appears they did not have a perimeter safety or evacuation plan in place.

*If in charge of an "adventure tour" maintain a couple of practical rules. Each person is part of a buddy system. If Peter is missing, Paul should know where he has gone. There should be dual accountability across the board. Identify all members by a numerical system. Do a count off in the morning and the evening to determine all members present. If no. 13 does not respond to the count off, the world stops, until no. 13 responds. When hustling in and out of the Beijing airport with my group, we found this system to be quick and workable for our large entourage. We arrived at one a.m., we were tired, and the process was harried enough. It helped, to know we were all moving through the checkpoints, and onto the shuttle to the hotel en masse.

Do take that vacation of a lifetime. I have had more than one such adventure and retain warm memories of each exotic locale. But each vacation, with adequate planning to cover the law of unintended consequences.

Yemeni Air Tragedy

Tammy Swofford

For Women Like Jaime

2009-07-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

The above video is just one of dozens of files which I have viewed in previous weeks while researching the world of jihad. This particular file is one of the least graphic offerings. I am placing it on the blog for a short scene at approximately one minute into the view. You will see a primitive, but deadly, weapon being buried in the ground. Although this particular video is several years old, it is important that we be reminded of a couple of issues.

While our troops are being drawn down in Iraq, some of these same folks will find themselves in Afghanistan in coming months due to reconfiguration of troop strength. The troops remaining in Iraq will also labor under the hardships and restraints of their environment. One of the continuing areas of concern will be the asymmetrical battlespace, more specifically the use of IED's against the members of our military.

On June 5, 2006, Petty Officer Second Class Jaime S. Jaenke, a Navy Reservist, lost her life when the Humvee she was riding in struck an IED. This 29 year old Seabee (NMCB 25, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin) was the third Navy female to die in Iraq. Thus far, approximately fifty percent of the casualties (mortality and injury) in Iraq have been due to IED's. The statistic is approximately thirty percent for Afghanistan. I have a dear friend who lost her youngest son, to an IED injury in Afghanistan several years ago.

For women like Jaime, and the many other fine women and men serving within the combat theater of operation, our military must continue to vigorously pursue the means to degrade and minimize the capabilities for IED weaponry usage in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tammy Swofford

Michael Jackson: Strung Out

2009-07-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Your mother may have sung lullabies to you while you were still growing inside her body. You probably learned the alphabet and Bible stories through song. Unless you lived on another planet, you were on one end or the other of a few bullying chants. "Nanny-nanny-boo-boo." Maybe you were in the school band or chorus. You might have listened to Michael Jackson, Metallica, or Mannheim Steamroller. Or all three. No matter what your particular connection, music is a common thread throughout all the nations to which we are introduced long before we grasp verbal language.

If you believe String Theory might be a possibility -- humor me for a minute -- then all of God's vast Universe is a superhuman symphony. By that I mean that all of Creation is not "playing" music, but is composed of music. The tiny matter forms the atoms that make up everything we recognize as tangible. This is a highly accepted hypothesis among the scientific community. And you thought egg-head scientists had no faith.

Personally, I appreciate the technical, fact-based conclusions that prove Biblical scripture. Infrared satellite images that reveal ancient spice routes and the commerce city center of Ubar. The physical evidence of the Great Flood. The astronomical events that occurred around the time of Christ's infancy. I also appreciate the science that disproves man-made mythical folklore, like the Shroud of Turin. But some beliefs will never be able to be concretely proven. Some things we just have to take on faith.

We each view life through our own filters, and we each (hopefully) have our own personal relationships with our Maker. God obviously requires different talents from each of us during our ride around the sun. If He wanted us to be identical carbon copies, He could have applied a Holy Auto-Tune, to make us hit the same notes. As an American, I feel fortunate to have a sense of personal freedom. While the current administration is doing their damnedest to infringe on our individualities, the Free Will that God allows me cannot be assimilated.

One of the most famous American noncomformists, for better musically and for worst in his personal life, Michael Jackson has broken the barrier between flesh and energy. As Einstein said, energy never dies but merely changes form. Wherever Jackson exists now, he exists. I won't miss him here on Earth, but I understand why there are masses gathered at landmarks for him. We watched this bright-eyed, talented kid grow up. His family were icons, especially in the black community. But so was O.J. Simpson, once upon a time.

Everything seemed okay for Jackson until about 20-25 years ago. Maybe that's when he first started to get hooked on Rx drugs because of his 3rd-degree scalp burns. He was also reaping the monetary benefits of fortunate relationships with the new MTV channel, producer Quincy Jones, and director John Landis. He was on top of the world, but how the mighty fall. My mortal suspicions are that his actions behind closed doors with children were criminal. I will defer to God for final judgment.

Unlike faith, forensic science provides hard proof. The stories parents are telling their children about the Michael Jackson of their youth could turn out to be a great opportunity to discuss the downside of drug abuse with them. Like when Jackson was indicted, maybe some parents will be reminded to talk to their kids about "stranger danger" and improper touching.

Regardless of your opinion of his life, Jackson's death is a tale of caution for budgetary excesses, especially in this economic climate. It is a lesson for us all to value the people around us and to be attentive to their needs.

Wherever he is, I'm sure Jackson is using his energy to play the hell out of his strings.

-Blackfoot

Mir Hossein Musavi: A Revolutionary Heart

2009-06-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

A professional peer in the U.K. recommended a wonderful book to me last year. This selection has placed the Iranian election upheaval into rather clear focus on many levels. For those who hadn't read or heard his name prior to the Iranian election, Mir Hossein Musavi may have drawn a complete blank in most Western minds. But his name must be linked with that of Ali Shari'ati to fully grasp the tenacity, nature, and ideology of this political firebrand. Long before he became a current day political power with which to be reckoned he was swept up within an earlier revolutionary fervor. Musavi cut his revolutionary teeth during the heady days prior to the flight of the Peacock, a rather bumpy flight, at that!

Ali Shari'ati is considered by many to be the ideological father of the Iranian Revolution. Receiving his Ph.D in Paris and living within a geographic locale and specific timeline where an active hub of ideas created many ideological spokes, Shari'ati returned to Iran with a few new ideas of his own. Bringing galvanized thought to the political stage, first at Mashhad University, and later at Hosseiniyeh Ershad, Shari'ati accomplished two things. He created a vortex of thought by delivering impassioned and fiery speeches which were a mix of progressive Islam with a welding arc of Marxism. He also created a funnel into the resistance movement with Ershad as a staging area and (possibly) covert recruitment depot. As a young adult Mir Hossein Musavi attended Ershad lectures, admired Shari'ati and maintained a friendship with him.

When the earth began to quake under the Shah, Ali Shari'ati and many others were arrested by SAVAK. The lesser lights were sent to Evin Prison. But men such as Shari'ati were sequestered at the Komiteh prison. This facility, known for interro-torture of political prisoners. (Navy Petty Officer Sam Gillette, and several other Americans, were placed in this prison during the Tehran hostage crisis. This account can be read in "Guests of the Ayatollah" by Mark Bowden)

While not able to verify whether Mir Hossein Musavi spent time within the prison system or was even interrogated by SAVAK, he represents the face of many Iranians who joined in an earlier struggle. It is an older face, more experienced, but from what has been seen in recent days that of a man who retains a revolutionary heart. He has been out on the streets again, this time leading the pack.

It has saddened me to consider some of the words being issued from the cleric community in Iran, the brash and reckless boasting of president Ahmadinejad. They speak of dealing "with cruelty" against the leaders of the protest. Such bold and cock-strutting words. Such horrors await the few.

As for Ali Shari'ati, he died on 18 June 1977 in Southampton, U.K. The coroner's report attributes his demise to coronary failure. Others, voice the opinion that he was poisoned by SAVAK.

The biography of Ali Shari'ati is what I term a "political IED" in my personal library and is retained on the top shelf. Anything which makes my top shelf has an honored position. It is an invaluable source book for any who are interesting in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

An Islamic Utopian

*Editors note: You will find the reference to Mir Hossein Musavi on page 319.

*The Persians take a roll of the dice with Hafiz. Here is my "third roll". smile

Hafiz

Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

You Picked a Fine Time, Governor Sanford

2009-06-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

A song of distress

For the people of South Carolina

And of course, for Mrs. Sanford

"You Picked a Fine Time"

One real option:

Choose one. You can't have both.

Governor, you already picked the wrong "king" for analogy. This is the analogous situation.

Abdication of a King for the woman he loved.

Tammy Swofford

The DPRK and the Cheerleaders Association

2009-06-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

With the DPRK leadership threatening nuclear blitzdom and fire-breathing dragons it is always good to remember that behind every sporting government are the cheerleaders whooping it up on the sidelines. No team worth its salt hits the field without a couple of pretty sidekicks. In this case, the DPRK has more that a few nations who might be cheerfully watching for the sweat on the brow of "the friendlies".

"China views itself as a nation intent on rising peacefully, its behavior marked by humility, noninterference, and friendly relations with all."

Do you ever read a statement and feel like a few brains cells were sucked right out of your skull in the process? The effervescent Fareed Zakaria wrote the aforementioned in his book, "The Post-American World". (p.114)

The "view" is actually a bit different in some regards, depending on how the writer aggregates and delivers the journalistic parcel. It kind of comes down to one of the Swofford Rules of Journalism: Every aggregate of facts can potentially be nullified by some fool who has the time to aggregate a separate and opposing set of facts. Tiananem Square is old news. The Hainan Island incident where 24 members of an EP-3 Navy flight crew were sequesterd by the Chinese for eleven days is more recent news, as is the infamous "Hawaiian Good Luck Sign" offered up to our Navy Fleet trying to make a port of call in Hong Kong for Thanksgiving. What is ongoing news, is the Chinese economic espionage and patent theft which we must guard against. Intellectual property theft is how to accomplish R & D on the cheap. So to showcase China as a benign and benevolent power may be a bit premature. Throw in the never-ending fight over Taiwan since the days of Chiang Kai-shek and seeing the DPRK bare a few nuclear teeth might just have a few Chinese officials popping a beer in celebration. There is no love lost between the Chinese or American government regarding this particular political boil.

What about Russia? God knows when the USSR dissolved into nothingness the U.S.A. had her hands full worrying about nuclear assets rolling around on the black market. Beyond that, we worried about the unemployed scientific community responding like mail order brides to the highest bidder . We may have snagged Alibek from the bio-weapons community, but it was the nuclear scientific community which had a high priority for our government. Moving to the present, we now deal with issues such as Fradkov and the Russian external intelligence apparatus, where economic espionage is most likely a flanking duty for the staff. So while Bush II may have looked into Putin's soul and viewed a sea of tranquility..... well, you know what I mean. smile

Iran, albeit facing election woes of their own, certainly might be cheering for the DPRK. One never knows what Iran is up to these days.

Pakistan, although struggling to keep from imploding into various cobbled fiefdoms, did grace the world with Dr. Khan. Although esteemed as the father of a nuclear Pakistan, his part-time hobby within the nuclear blackmarket made him an entrepeneur extraordinaire. Ahhh, the cheerleaders.

Dr. Khan

Tammy Swofford

The American Church: The Right to Hold to a Standard without Caving to a Standard Deviation

2009-06-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Trouble has been brewing for quite some time and in Texas our fights can be as big as our state! A controversial religious ember sparked into full flame recently in the ethical realm when time came around for the yearly traditional "church directory" at an area Baptist Church. In the Bible Belt the Baptist denomination can cook up a mean pot of chili and pull off the biggest fish fry in the county when putting their hand to it. They can also kick up the dust and attend their regional conventions fully armed and loaded. They showed their gut again, this week.

So why the big fight? It all started with photography. Yep, the lowly photograph. Many churches have now upgraded their directories to include pictures of "la familia". That way if you cannot remember old "what's his name" and want to call him about your yard sale merely scan the directory for a picture and link to the forgotten name. "Right! Now I remember! It is Bill Z. Bub!"

But now Beelzebub is loose in the church, leading the worship and teaching your kids in Sunday School. And yes, the Smackdown involves the place and function of active and open homosexual communities in the house of God.

In this particular case, the demise of Broadway Baptist as a member of the Southern Baptist Convention came down to something as simple as the church directory. Their pastor was amenable to allowing photos of same-sex couples. Later backing down on the issue the functionality of this particular church directory fell into total collapse when the church opted for "group membership photos" instead. Baptist weenies.

What are my feelings on this issue? They are principle-based. Does an organization have the right to hold to a tradition and standard or must it bend to the will of popular culture? Does Boy Scouts of America have to submit to the pressure to admit girls, or can they continue to serve the needs of growing boys? They have a foundation which should not be touched. Can a support group for widows of cancer victims serving the needs of that specific demographic be forced to admit widows who lost a spouse to suicide? Or for purposes of organizational integrity can they keep their foundational vision? And most importantly, can the Christian church hold to a standard of morality which simply states, "We are not better than you. We are merely standardbearers of our doctrine and our creed."

Christianity teaches that in the beginning God breathed into man and he became a speaking spirit. We are just an old earth tent with vocal cords. But our lives do speak. We are "living epistles, read by men". The Church retains the right to hold to the Epistle its self, the Word of God. And in the domain of man, the umbrella organizations such as the Southern Baptist Convention retain the right to discipline members who deviate from the standard doctrinal belief. Without adherence to our teachings, we cease to exist as the Church of Jesus Christ. Regarding the rest, I leave it to the people in the trenches. But let's stir it up in the comments. Keep it polite. Passion is certainly allowed but not derogatory vulgarity directed toward any one person. Thank you.

Fort Worth Star Telegram coverage

Tammy Swofford

Generation Express: Can I Get That in Vlaminck?

2009-06-24T05:01:00.000-07:00

We've all seen the photo of the 18-year-old Belgian girl who got 56 stars tattooed on her face. The story has come out that her father threw a fit, so she told him she fell asleep after asking for 3 tattoos. Hmmm... Drunk people getting tattoos is cliché, like in Jimmy Buffett's song "Margaritaville": "But it's a real beauty. A Mexican cutie. How it got here I haven't a clue." As they say, it's a cliché for a reason. Kimberley Vlaminck later admitted that she had asked for the full "skin art" that she received. Maybe the lawsuit against the obviously sensitive and self-restrained tattoo artist (below) will be dropped. I'm not sure it should be, but I haven't heard all the details.

I won't supply you with the website of the Jim Rose Circus, because it's kind of sickening, being lifted by hooks in your skin and that kind of thing. Think of the "Hellraiser" movies. No, that one will be on you, not me. I first became aware of their acts on the X-Files, back in the last century. The "entertainer" Paul Lawrence that goes by the name of "The Enigma" has most of his body tattooed in blue jigsaw puzzle pieces. While it's a good edge for a sci-fi show, I'm pretty sure that some of his kids' friends (if he has any kids) aren't allowed to visit his home, and that he scares old ladies at the supermarket (if he eats normal food). Maybe he's a nice guy, but in reality first impressions might be the final impressions.

I've seen a few rebellious fads in my time. The Age of Aquarius 60s long hair, facial hair, unshaved legs, and cutoff jean shorts. The Disco 70s afros, permed afros, sequins and spandex. The Butt Rock 80s stone-washed jeans, mullets and Texas bouffants on crack, and men wearing make-up -- a great decade for the beauty retail industry. The Grunge 90s purple and green hair, plaid shirts and Birkenstocks. However, those are all temporary appearances. Tats are forever. Well, unless you have alot of money and a tolerance for the pain of lasers.

I know we're at the end of this decade, but what is the legacy of the 00's high-schoolers and college-aged kids? Are they so assured, in these jaded days, that they are above the fray? Maybe they have no need to be "one of the crowd" of many who represent the same thing? Hey, you can still get a fast food job with full sleeves of tattoos on your arms and the Kama Sutra tattooed around your neck.

No, these people are special. Just read their ink. A guy's bicep portrait of (for an example) Tupac or maybe their favorite sports star says everything you need to know about him. I saw a picture of the actress in the Transformers movies, Megan Fox. She has a tattoo of Marilyn Monroe on her arm. Why?? One of my heroes is Winston Churchill, but I don't want his face on my ass. (The only place it would fit.)

On the other hand, I know a few kids, tattooed and not, who were at impressionable ages when 9/11 happened. I know it knocked me for a loop. No matter how a kid tries to express the feelings about external influences and threats over the past 8 years, maybe it was one of those moments in life that caused them to think about the true balance of life. Maybe that's why they want to get all of their information about themselves out NOW. Their skin says: "Here's what you know about me up front, because my subconscious knows how fragile is life."

I'm not saying all tattoos are bad. I admire the cultural tattoos of the tribes of (for an example) New Zealand, Africa, and America. I have friends and family members who have tattoos that have meaning. One lost his father about 5 years ago and tattooed their last name on his left pec. One has the cartoon character that she and her deceased mother loved tattooed on her shoulder. A couple have Christian crosses. Several have military tattoos, some done overseas.

When done tastefully and when they mean something to the bearer, tattoos get a nod of recognition from me. But the people who expect their tattoos to mean something to me and other strangers are futilely attempting to draw us in to their epidermal embellishments. You want a conversation piece? Get a job or an interesting hobby. Don't dye your hair green. I guess I'm the type that wants to trust someone before they know who I am at a glance, including who is my favorite cartoon character.

-Blackfoot

Welcome to the Veterans Hospital: Now This Burns my Ass!

2009-06-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

When working as a staff nurse in Interventional Radiology, I administered radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies to clients. I was also present for medical care such as intrathecal chemotherapy. Both handling and administering any nuclear material, (think of your nuclear medicine tech) or chemotherapeutic agents requires an unusual skill set. The process of obtaining and administering such treatments are laden with protocol, checks and double checks. Working in PACU, gave me experience handling post-operative clients who had received radioactive seeds into the prostate. All such treatments require high level care for cancer victims.

But what measures should be taken against a treatment facility when the cancer victim is found to be secondarily injured by piss-poor, reckless care administered by a physician, most likely covered up by nursing staff, and then swept aside by both the hospital, and possibly.... gulp.... the Nuclear Regulatory Commission? Add one more tongue of a newt to this witches brew: The facility is part of the Veterans Administration, tasked to care for our wounded warriors.

When I tell you that I am furious, you really have no idea what that means. It takes a lot to tick off LCDR Swofford. But this bit of news of radioactive seeds and damaged rectums, is quite the medical shaft. The New York Times titles their article, "At V.A. Hospital, A Rogue Cancer Unit". I looked up the word rogue. It is a dishonest, knavish person; a scoundrel. Personally, some of the words I wish to write are better not used in mixed company; unless of course, in the field with my beloved Marines.

Here is the link.

My stroke-level blood pressure is two-fold.

*Why was a physician more suited to veterinary medicine allowed to treat our veterans in manner more brutal than that we allow our family pets? I would give my dog a better treatment option than a 79% botch rate, which is what this brachytherapy procedure produced at the V.A. facility in question.

*Why were medical mistakes covered and not admitted? The tissue of lies at this cancer unit smack of criminal negligence. Personally, if I were an R.N. involved in multiple FUBAR brachytherapy procedures I would fire myself!

Of course there is the pesky little bit of news that the monitoring equipment was also broken. My facility has aborted surgical procedures for less. We once aborted a procedure in one suite because a fly was spotted buzzing around when the client was wheeled into the room. A new room was secured for the procedure.

The V.A. probably gives decent care overall. (?) But should they be unable to function as a center of excellence in certain areas their care must be outsourced to private facilities such as my own, which certainly give a damn that our interventional and invasive procedure success rate stay close to the one hundred percent mark.

LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC

Iran Election: Blood Turf

2009-06-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

"I think this is serious and will lead to a lot of bloodshed and instability. ( i hope to God that i am proved wrong though as that is the last thing that part of the world needs right now). I also do not believe that Ahmadinajad would have lost even without the obvious gerrymandering that took place. He had enough support in the rural areas to see him through at least to a run off. But the mullahs panicked when they saw the crowds that were coming out in support of Mousavi and decided to end it in the first round. Khamenei had the opportunity to put it right in his Friday sermon yesterday. He could have come out as the honest arbitrator, ordered an impartial investigation and taken the heat out of the situation. Instead he decided to come out fighting on the side of Ahmadinajad. His position is now totally compromised and the result is more support for Mousavi and more unrest. If there is a glimmer of hope it is that Hashemi Rafsanjani could emerge as a compromise candidate and Ahmadinajad be allowed to step down gracefully. It is a long shot but if the mullahs dont play their cards right we could be in for a repeat of 1979."

*Dialogue with a professional Shi'a in the U.K.

When writing the prior blog on the Iranian election process last week the nagging fear which I harboured was expressed by my friend in his words to me on Saturday: "a repeat of 1979". With each passing day it appears Iran is on the cusp of yet another historic event, approximately thirty years after Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile to a throng of millions of Shi'a Muslims lining the streets from the airport into Tehran. The Sayyed influenced the Shi'a political process in strong play for greater than five decades with his writings and speeches spanning the 1940's (Islam is not a Religion of Pacifists) right up unto the end of his life. (On the Nature of the Islamic State, September 8, 1979) Revolutionaries require cauldrons of blood.

Earlier this year I archived this article, which gives a small toe-hold onto the ledge of political thought. Seeking to understand the vast complexities encountered within the various Muslim communities in Iran is difficult, as our government has not had an embassy on Iranian soil since 1979 and the Tehran hostage crisis. As you read the link remember that which is expressed is the opinion of one player on the stage. It showcases that the political tensions within the borders of Iran are closely watched and monitored by the vast diaspora of Iranian intellectuals residing in the West.

Regarding the tradition of the rule of the jurisprudent (Waliyat-al-Faqih), it is established that the jurist rules over the king. So while the apparent "king" would be a certain president Ahmadinejad the guidance and rule of the Ayatollah chain of command may be the house with the leaking roof.

Of extreme concern is the sequelae of the massive demonstrations on the streets of Tehran. This season of unrest will certainly cause destabilization of the existing political order. The children of the Shi'a Twelvers who assisted in the toppling of the Shah, now appear to be engaged in a bit of revolution for their own generation. The capability of the traditions to coalesce with the secular will determine the future of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Words of the Grand Ayatollah

Tammy Swofford

DPRK and the Misery Index

2009-06-20T05:07:00.000-07:00

While SecDef Robert Gates proclaims our military and missile defense system ready for anything the DPRK can toss our way, it is good to pause and reflect on the monumental havoc caused by the Korean Conflict. Here are the statistics, as presented by the Navy regarding the SitRep in South Korea at the time of cessation of hostilities.

*Nine million homeless or refugees

*500,000 homes destroyed and an equal number damaged

*Eighty percent of hospitals demolished

*100,000 orphans (loss of both parents)

The Navy began coordinated relief operations in Seoul, Inchon, Pusan and Masan. Hospitals and clinics were rebuilt. Land was secured for orphanages with a purchase of rice land in Pyongteck by MAG-12 so this particular orphanage could be self-sustaining. MAG-12 sponsored The Eden of Paradise Orphanage. The 7th Motor Transport Battalion purchased weaving machines for the people of Puja-Gun County to produce rice bags so that industry could be revived. "Operation Goodwill" secured clothing for a hospital in Pusan and "Operation Love" delivered 30 tons of clothing (donated from the U.S.A.) to the port at Inchon. The Marines in MAG-33 gave enough money in 1951 to build a Catholic Church. The USS Battan also delivered a large shipment of clothing to the needy of Pusan. These are but a few of the acts of kindness displayed by the USMC and Navy community on behalf of the South Korean people.

I share all of the above to remind you that our military forces do not have a history of plundering either population or landscape, but in post-conflict environments do their best to sustain and assist the weakened and vulnerable of war. These traditions continue to this day and serve as reminder to our uniformed services that behind each rifle, a human heart.

Tammy Swofford

Senator John Ensign: The Impracticalities of the Affair

2009-06-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Last year I had an affair. I violated the vows of my marriage. It is the worst thing I have ever done in my life. If there was ever anything in my life that I could take back, this would be it."
—Senator John Ensign, R-Nevada, reading from a prepared statement (16 June 2009)

Any person who has dealt with adultery within their marriage, or observed the implosion of a marriage due to infidelity will readily admit the messy nature of these things. None of us with the view from the outside can cast a stone if we believe the command of the One who best understood human nature. But it does seem that certain impracticalities deserve a bit of review.

A rise to power opens the door to sexual favors. No doubt about it. People are attracted to success, on every level. Hey, I am not shy about discussing these things. A man in a suit with a solid education, business card and expense account looks good to me. But the young college male at the mall directing me to the handbag selection provides an encounter I will forget thirty seconds later. Powerful men are powerful magnets. That is why women need to test the force field of a powerful boss to determine a safe boundary. That being said, offering sexual favors to the boss opens the door for your boss' next job to be the one at the mall directing you to the handbag selection. A carefully cultivated rise to power can end in a moment when the media hyenas get the first whiff of an extramarital affair. Rule number one of corporate interpersonal relationships never changes: Keep the relationships professional.

*For the boss: Don't sleep with the hired help.

*For the hired help: Don't sleep with the boss.

So if you are going to have an extramarital affair, find a lover in Bangladesh, or maybe Uzbekistan. Don't ever let the person in the adjacent office or cubicle entice you!

As far as "the other woman", it appears Mrs. Hampton enjoyed a promotion and two pay raises for the extracurricular activities provided for Senator Ensign. The flip side of this coin is that she is now unemployed and it is highly unlikely Mrs. Hampton will ever again work as a campaign staffer, unless of course, there is a job opening in Zimbabwe or possibly the Arctic Circle. I call this the dreaded "Lewinsky Effect". She might as well stamp the word "leper" on her forehead should she ever slide her resume across the desk of an elected official.

Now with rumors swirling that Senator Ensign possibly had an earlier affair I am reminded of his statement that this is the worst thing he has ever done in his life. Is it now the worst mistake because he is sorry or is it the worst mistake because he was caught? There is a big difference, ya' know. That being said, there is an old saying about the distinct manner in which men and women face temptation. If the woman slams the door, the man will crawl away slowly, cheerfully hoping that the temptation will still overtake him. In this case, it appears neither party crawled away fast enough.

But back to Jesus. I can't cast the first stone, because He said only people who had never committed a sin were qualified. I sure won't tell you how many chocolate chip cookies I ate yesterday, but it was a sinful amount of carbs. burp

But in high profile cases such as this one, stones are not necessary. Adultery has its own dynamic penalty phase when the marital infraction involves an elected official. I truly am sorry that the two individuals in question did not think things through more clearly before they took such risks. Senator Ensign will pay a high price for sleeping with a staff member. The staff member in quesion, will suffer under the Lewinsky effect.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Poor Workmen Blame Their Tools

2009-06-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

God help us! Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and presidential economic advisor Lawrence Summers are beating the drum for regulatory reform. Where’s Moe? We have Larry and Curly.

The following paragraph from their June 15 Washington Post essay will explain my concern: “First, existing regulation focuses on the safety and soundness of individual institutions but not the stability of the system as a whole. As a result, institutions were not required to maintain sufficient capital or liquidity to keep them safe in times of system-wide stress. In a world in which the troubles of a few large firms can put the entire system at risk, that approach is insufficient."

Horsefeathers! What these two geniuses have said is we need new regulations because the old regulations were not enforced. Why do they believe the new regulations will be enforced either? Geithner and Summers don’t blame anyone, probably because so many of the culprits are economists. I am thinking of Ken Lay, who rigged markets and thus destroyed trust; Phil Gramm, who destroyed both the banking system and the commodities market; and Alan Greenspan, who hid the fact that he had no idea what he was talking about behind walls of impenetrable prose.

Since Geithner sat at Greenspan’s feet, perhaps he is not the best person to attempt to fix that which his mentor wrecked. They do say the second cause of the disaster was the dramatic growth in financial activity outside the traditional banking system, but fail to mention that the financial industry paid Phil Gram and other members of Congress a king’s ransom for a law that would let this happen. It is probably for that reason that the foxes have been invited back into the henhouse as “experts.”

Despite 70 years of contrary evidence, Geithner and Summers claim that the current regulatory regime cannot protect the consumer and that the federal government does not have the tools it needs to contain and manage financial crises. I’m sorry. It is not the tools that need changing so much as the men who don’t know how to use them that need to be changed.

Obama, you blundered! Let Geithner pursue the career in standup comedy that he recently unveiled in China and let Summers resume his study of women’s issues. He made such a promising start while president of Harvard, it would be a shame if he were stopped now.

Tom Gordon