NY Times editor "Editors try to balance the value of the material to public understanding against potential dangers to the national interest."

Bullshit.

The NYT could care less about divulging classified information and more about increasing subscriptions.  As is, NYT has had to make their online paper a pay subscription for most articles.  This indicates that they are losing money.

Let's look at the rest of what he said:

The question of dealing with classified information is rarely easy, and never to be taken lightly. Editors try to balance the value of the material to public understanding against potential dangers to the national interest. As a general rule we withhold secret information that would expose confidential sources to reprisals or that would reveal operational intelligence that might be useful to adversaries in war. We excise material that might lead terrorists to unsecured weapons material, compromise intelligence-gathering programs aimed at hostile countries, or disclose information about the capabilities of American weapons that could be helpful to an enemy.-NYT

Am I the only one that remembers secret powerpoint slideshows released during the Bush Administration?   Doubt it.

Of course, most of these documents will be made public regardless of what The Times decides. WikiLeaks has shared the entire archive of secret cables with at least four European publications, has promised country-specific documents to many other news outlets, and has said it plans to ultimately post its trove online. For The Times to ignore this material would be to deny its own readers the careful reporting and thoughtful analysis they expect when this kind of information becomes public.
But the more important reason to publish these articles is that the cables tell the unvarnished story of how the government makes its biggest decisions, the decisions that cost the country most heavily in lives and money. They shed light on the motivations — and, in some cases, duplicity — of allies on the receiving end of American courtship and foreign aid. They illuminate the diplomacy surrounding two current wars and several countries, like Pakistan and Yemen, where American military involvement is growing. As daunting as it is to publish such material over official objections, it would be presumptuous to conclude that Americans have no right to know what is being done in their name.-NYT

Is it always necessary for journalists to publish everything regardless of source damage to third parties and potential damage to the state?  I say no.  Prefacing his analysis with "well, the information was already there" is sophomoric at best.  This is a time where not only lives are in the balance, but the security of our own country and others around the world.  Further dissemination of these documents is self-serving to the NYT and nothing more.

The excessive Thanksgiving

And by excessive, I don't mean I overate.  We made WAYYYYY too much food.  At our friends house, they fried a turkey (which is a wonderful, wonderful way to cook it.  White meat is soooo tender).  I made two 3 lb pot-roasts and we had two sweet potato dishes, pies, cupcakes, stuffing, and other things.  It was certainly a tasty dinner, for sure.

I see that Julian Assange continues to leak illegally obtained classified information.  The only good thing that might come out of this is now the Iranians know (I mean the leadership) that the Arabs don't like them.  Perhaps now they will understand the gravity of their situation.

Enough of Wikileaks

It is most definitely time for this mincing poof Julian Assange's flame to be extinguished from this planet.  He's had his more than fifteen seconds of fame and exhausted the goodwill of the American people.  It's time for him to go gentle into that good night.

Let me add to this that the incompetent Crowley and Clinton who are rolling submissively at the feet of the Red Chinese should ask the Wikileaks founder why he has failed to release documents incriminating the Chinese for human rights violations against the Uighar and the Nepalese among others.  

Perhaps this is the crisis Biden warned us about...

Just kidding.  This is the second reported incident in recent history where North Korea was the aggressor against it's southern neighbor.  North Korea cannot win this one no matter what you've heard about their army.  I seriously doubt that our relations with the PRC could be further damaged by an assisted retaliatory aggression against the north. 

The president is considering a joint exercise with our South Korean allies in the next few days, and I believe that is the proper form of escalation.  I don't give credit to the president, but to his joint chiefs of staff.  The Korean peninsula has been a volatile place since the first Korean peoples occupied it.  The history of Korea is one of invasions, but in the 21st century it's time to put a stop to aggression against one of the more prosperous countries in the world.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.

Who killed Lebanon's Rafik Hariri? (CBC)

Seriously?  Could a real journalist not know that Hezbollah was behind the killing of Hariri?

I watched the whole thing live when I was in Iraq.  Al Arabiya showed the scene over and over.

This is the same political correctness that lets our people be scanned and groped and keeps us from the Israeli way of airport security.  Let us understand our liberties and securities for what they are. 

DO NOT TAILGATE!!!!

Seriously, is there such a herd mentality that people feel the need to group up in traffic?  Do not tailgate a motorcycle!!!  It's dangerous for me, and it's dangerous for you.  You will still get injured if you hit an 800 pound bike.  Strangely, I find it to be mostly middle-aged men that are the worst.  You would think it would be teens who don't yet fully (if ever) understand motion.  When you tailgate me, you force me to slow down so I don't end up crushed between the asshole behind me and stopping traffic in front of me.  You also divide my attention.  If your late for work, leave earlier.  I time my trips.  There is nothing life or death except for life or death, that can't wait.  I actually had a guy tell me I was dead as he passed me even though I had no control over traffic and wasn't willing to tailgate the car in front of me.  I'm so scared. 

On top of that, why do we have traffic due to rubber-necking?  If it doesn't involve you, pay attention to what's going on in front of you.

The Republican party had better...

1. Not run Newt Gingrich
2. Not run Mitt Romney
3. Not run Sarah Palin

...for president.  They had best bribe, coerce, or otherwise convince Bobby Jindal that a run for president would be a smart choice.  Gingrich will run, the Dems are salivating at the idea.  How much dirt is there on this guy?  Plenty, to be sure.

Jindal, however, is young, smart, well-spoken without a teleprompter, and knows how to stand up to bullies.

This week (and weekend)

I'm putting politics aside to a certain extent until I am certain of the tempo for the next congress.  Unless something unusual or noteworthy happens, I won't talk about it.

This weekend was alright.  Went a wedding reception for some good friends who recently tied the knot in Jamaica.  I can do without the dark, gloomy weather.  As a Texian, I can honestly say that I hate dark skies and love the heat and sun.  I hate when it gets dark at 1900 hours (7:00 pm).  It really makes you feel rushed to squeeze in more stuff before sun sets.

Got the lawn mowed for hopefully the last time this season.  Gotta say that Trugreen lives up to their name.  A little pricey, but they've basically brought my lawn back from the dead.

At the local grocery store, I see on the cover of "People" magazine at the checkout stand yet another picture of Kim Kardashian with the quote, "I thought I'd be married by now."  Let's see...sex video and ***** receptacle for the NFL and you thought people were trying to marry you?  Please.

Watched "Rebel Without a Cause" for the umpteenth time last night.  Never can quite understand that movie.  Guess the title says it all.  Always fun to see good ol' Jim Baccus as something other than Thurston Howell the 3rd, though.  Shame about Dean croaking at the height of his acting career.

I must have had enough sleep because in my dream that woke me at 445 this morning, my recon commander, CPT Calvert (unaffectionately known at the time as "CPT Cavalry") from 1991 was standing over me saying, "You need to get the hell up and get on the berm!"  That was all it took.  I was up and running and ready to start the day in five minutes.  I'm still a little freaked out by the whole thing.  I sat there shaking for like an hour once I realized where I was.  Always wonder how many combat vets that happens to on a regular basis. 

Hopped on the bike and on 281 some moron decides to ride my ass until I give him the hand signal to back the hell off.  I hate people who tailgate bikers (motorcycles, I could care less about those annoying yuppies on $3000 Trek bikes in their multi-colored tights).

Hopefully this week is more interesting in a positive way.

4-Year-Old Killed in Home Invasion Stabbed 36 Times

(Nov. 11) -- Authorities in Oklahoma have arrested a teenager in the brutal slaying of child, who was stabbed 36 times. The killing was committed during a home-invasion robbery, police said.

"In my entire career, I've never seen anything like this," Muskogee police Cpl. Pedro Zardeneta told Kansas City's KMBC. "It's sad."

Officials with the Muskogee Police Department did not return calls for comment from AOL News today. According to online reports, Aaron Laconsello, 18, was arrested Tuesday after police were called to a home in the 700 block of North N Street to investigate a home invasion and assault.

The homeowner, Stephanie Lane, who is eight months pregnant, told police that an intruder entered her house and attacked her 4-year-old son, Dakota, with a pair of scissors. Lane attempted unsuccessfully to fend off the attacker. She was assaulted but not seriously injured. Dakota, however, suffered 36 stab wounds and was pronounced dead at a Tulsa hospital.

aolnews.com



Let me just preface all of this by saying that injuring children in any way; physical, mental, or a combination of both is the lowest of the low.  I don't think that there is any excuse for any form of child abuse.  Couple that with my disbelief in the machination "hell" fabricated by the Church, and I think you know now what I think needs to be done.

The Killer

You let a group of guys like me alone in a room with this guy for a few hours, and we will let him understand a new definition of suffering.  Two car batteries and two sets of manacles later, this kid would be ready to rejoin society.  And if you don't want him, just let us back in the room.  One way or another, I could get that tough guy look off of his face quick.

I have no sympathy for people like this, nor should anyone.  I was beaten as a child.  Severely sometimes, but I don't go around beating children or stabbing them 36 times.  When I was in the Army back in 1993, there were two four-year-olds killed on post within on week of each other by two military families.  The powers that be blamed the high op-tempo, but I knew better than that.  There had to have been problems prior to this happening.  If you are privy to any form of child abuse happening in anyone's home, please contact your local CPS and try and get that family help or so that they can remove children from a situation like that.

Yes, I know that this wasn't a case of abuse in the home, but we don't know what set this attacker off.  Perhaps earlier intervention might have prevented this from happening.  Then again, he could just be a sociopath, who knows?

Last weekend

Every year, we participate in One-arm-raised night at Wurstfest in New Braunfels.  It's an silly event where everyone raises one arm for an hour.  As Wurstfest is also a drinking event, there are always bound to be one or two or three or four asshole tourists who don't know when enough is enough.

We had our one arm in the air, and some guy and his little posse of merry men ask me what I'm doing.  No problem.  I start explaining it to them, and halfway through the one-sentence discussion, I start getting attitude.  "I'm not fucking doing it."  Now, I could have left it alone, but that's not my style.  You can mess with me online as this Right is Right mongo did, but face to face?  Not happening.

The great thing about being both a former Cavalry Scout and an Analyst is a keen power of observation.  That night even after a pitcher or two of Shiner, I was still able to locate the FDNY logo on the ringleader's jacket.  So I decided to give the guy some shit.  I say, "No one asked you to, go home Yankee."  Ooh...what little cool the guy and his little crew had was gone.  They form a little skirmish circle, but all the while I must have had a little smile/smirk on my face.  I didn't say anything else and pretended like they didn't exist.  They knew they weren't in friendly territory and cooled fast...all except for this tiny girl, presumably the Yankee's girlfriend.  She starts screaming about how he's not a Yankee and she's gonna kick my ass.  By this time, I'm laughing and trying to keep my arm in the air.  They pull her away and leave.  Yay!!!  Back to Shiner and brats and kraut.

Predictably, later that night...ten minutes or an hour later (drunks don't grasp the passage of time), one of his buddies comes over to me and starts up again.  I've been through this in numerous bar confrontations numerous times (not always me, but casual observation) and know they are trying to muster some courage to recover their bruised egos.  I'm bantering with the dude trying to fire him up some more by acting nonchalant because I enjoy annoying people who are clearly being obnoxious to me for no reason.  Pretty soon the crew is back over in my face and now I'm laughing and the little chick is trying to rush me again.  A member of my party had enough of their drama and threatened to get the cops.  I said we didn't need the cops and they would be moving on, and they did despite all of their hard looks.  Crisis averted.  Idiots gone, Shiner and brats for all!!!  I half expected to see them out in the parking lot, but didn't.

This story serves three purposes:

1.  To entertain me.
2.  To illustrate that cockroaches are only as tough as you let them be.  Shine a light in the right direction, and they scurry into the shadows.
3.  Direct confrontation works more often than not.  Yes, there are times when it won't work in your favor, but letting people walk on you is foolish.  I wasn't bullying, but I was keeping myself entertained. 

SCOUTS OUT!

PS:  If any of you douches that pressed your luck read this, eat me.  And tell your little girlfriend to watch the opening scene in the movie "The Way of the Gun".  Warning, there is foul, foul language:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQLXYu6plhg


And one more thing:

So, what's it all mean?

I'm feign to guess what the republican victory means.  Sadly, Boehner will most likely be the speaker.  Even though he has been a driving force in the republican landslide, he is just as corrupt as many of the ones just thrown out.  

The Rand Paul victory indicates in interest in new thinking in the republican party. 

I was disappointed in how blindly and zombie-like Californians were when it came to re-electing Brown and Boxer.  We Texians have had to deal with their political refugees for years now, and sadly, it will keep happening to us.

Even though I don't like Rick Perry, the choice was clear for me:  Either the arrogant, sometimes elitist Perry over the buffoon Bill White.  Hopefully this means redistricting in our state to break up gerrymandering district that kept Ciro Rodriguez in power for so long.  A Canseco victory in Rodriguez' district is an incredible win, but Canseco will not hold that district for more than one term unless he becomes the champion of military veteran rights as Rodriguez was (not everything democrats fight for is bad).

I'm sure the Red at Corndog will be happy with the elimination of traffic light cameras, so will I.  As goes Houston, so goes the state (Houston is home for me, but too, too crowded.  I never go there anymore).

If republicans think that this is solely a republican victory, they need to think again.  There was plenty of help from independent voters, dissatisfaction with a far-left congress, and a repudiation of Obama.  Not to mention that some of these candidate are Tea-Party candidates, and won't vote with the old-guard on everything.