Meanwhile, the Dragon rises?

As the new world war lurches forward with all eyes focused on the Islamofascist world, communist China continues its military modernization. Why? Who are they "defending" against? As we live in a world more completely run and maintained by high technology, as does our military, one has to wonder about the latest action by the Chinese … Read more

This day in history: Tet Offensive. Could it happen again?

January 30th, 1968 marked the start of the pivotal battle in the Viet Nam War, the notorious Tet Offensive. This is a column I wrote back in August ’04, reprinted in remembrance of this historical event many Americans overlook and forget. I only mention it briefly in the piece, but I think the potential for a scenario in some ways similar to Tet still exists– right here in the homeland… 

Exercising the First    by Doug Lambert

Got Imagination?

In the official report of the 9-11 Commission, one of the major concerns raised was that of a lack of imagination on the part of those whose job it is to think about such things. Page 346 of the report states, “Since the Pearl Harbor attack of 1941, the intelligence community has devoted generations of effort to understanding the problem of forestalling a surprise attack. Rigorous analytic methods were developed, focused in particular on the Soviet Union, and several leading practitioners within the intelligence community discussed them with us. These methods have been articulated in many ways, but almost all seem to have at least four elements in common: (1) think about how surprise attacks might be launched; (2) identify telltale indicators connected to the most dangerous possibilities; (3) where feasible, collect intelligence on these indicators; and (4) adopt defenses to deflect the most dangerous possibilities or at least trigger an earlier warning.” So what was the problem with this time tested system?
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Section 11.1 of the report concludes: “The methods for detecting and then warning of surprise attack that the U.S. government had so painstakingly developed in the decades after Pearl Harbor did not fail; instead, they were not really tried. They were not employed to analyze the enemy that, as the twentieth century closed, was most likely to launch a surprise attack directly against the United States.” It seems that, after the end of the Cold War, everybody, including those who shouldn’t have, turned a blind eye to the dangers of the world. Nobody apparently saw anything but peace and love and happiness. America took a collective holiday from history, which ended on September 11th, 2001.
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In the famous ancient Chinese text, “The Art of Warfare”, Sun-Tzu writes, “The ultimate skill in taking up a strategic position is to have no form. If your position is formless, the most carefully concealed spies will not be able to get a look at it, and the wisest counselors will not be able to lay plans against it.” The classic military guidebook reminds the reader that, “Warfare is the art of deceit. Therefore, when able, seem to be unable; when ready, seem unready; when nearby, seem far away; and when far away, seem near. …Attack where he is not prepared; go by way of places where it would never occur to him you would go.” Again from The 9-11 Commission Report: “We believe the 9/11 attacks revealed four kinds of failures: in imagination, policy, capabilities, and management.” Imagination.

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Bush to tackle 2 tough issues… and looks forward to the Dems working with him. Sure they will…

In this week’s radio address, President Bush spoke about the two biggest issues, other than the war, that affect every American man, woman, and child: energy and health care costs…
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, I appeared before Congress to report on the state of our union. I asked members of the House and Senate from both sides of the aisle to join me in confronting the great challenges before us, so we can build a future of hope and opportunity for all Americans.
Does President Bush really think that the Democrats will work with him on anything for the good of the country? That would take too much from their most immediate goal: destroying any last shred of possible successful Bush initiatives. To allow him success at ANYTHING at this point that might bring a positive "legacy" is the last thing Democrats want, regardless of what’s good for the Nation as a whole. This has been their S.O.P. for the last six years. Why change now?
Two key challenges we face are reducing our dependence on oil and expanding access to affordable health care. I have asked Congress to take several vital steps to address these issues. And while some members gave a reflexive partisan response, I was encouraged that others welcomed this opportunity to reach across the aisle. One Democratic Senator said the initiatives I put forward were "serious proposals" and encouraged his fellow Democrats to "respond in a constructive way." Another Senate Democrat pledged to work toward these goals "through sincere bipartisan efforts." This is a good start, and I look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to reform our health care system and increase energy security.
Again, this reminds me of Lucy offering to hold the ball for Charlie Brown. Other than Joe Lieberman, who isn’t a Democrat anymore, I don’t see any Dems sticking up for President Bush— only sticking it to him.
Our Nation’s dependence on oil leaves us vulnerable to hostile regimes and terrorists who can hurt our economy by disrupting our oil supply. To protect America against supply disruptions, I have asked Congress to double the current capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. We also must diversify our Nation’s energy supply, and the way forward is through technology. On Wednesday, I visited DuPont’s Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware, where researchers are developing new methods of producing cellulosic ethanol and other advanced biofuels using everything from grasses to cornstalks to agricultural wastes. By expanding our use of renewable and alternative fuels like ethanol, we can become less dependent on oil, and confront the serious challenge of climate change.
Yeah, that stuff really helped the Germans in WW2- synthetic oil. This sounds like it will be good for farmers. Climate change?

Message to President Bush: the whole "man (American ones, that is) causes global warming" mantra remains unproven. Don’t you know that this issue is nothing more than the latest attempt by America’s global competitors (aided by an army of unwitting dupes) to somehow destroy our economic abilities once and for all? If the global warming acolytes were at all serious about carbon emmisions and the like, they would be after Russia, China, and India, where emissions controls and caring about the environment are all but nonexistent…

Bush went on…

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Another life lesson: taxes, baseball tickets, and Democratic economics.

At first I was going to post this under the "humor" category. But when I read it again, I realized that it really isn’t funny at all. It’s downright sad. Perhaps you’ve seen this already– it seems like the sort of thing that’s probably on its umpteenth trip throughout the Internet. No matter. It’s worth … Read more

Bush on health care… Think Congress will go along? Hah!

This week President Bush discussed what I believe is the number one issue on people’s minds after the war: health care. Well, not health care per se, but PAYING for health care…
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. For many Americans, the new year began with a resolution to live a better and healthier life. Whatever goals you have set for yourself this year, one goal we can all share is reforming our Nation’s health care system.
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Americans are fortunate to have the best health care system in the world. The government has an important role to play in our system. We have an obligation to provide care for the most vulnerable members of our society — the elderly, the disabled, and poor children and their parents. We are meeting this responsibility through Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. We must strengthen these vital programs so that they are around when future generations need them.
Of course where it gets dicey is how one defines "poor". I know many healthy, working individuals who have no health insurance because they choose not to– "It’s too expensive," they say, as they run into the liquor store for a $40 bottle of spirits, followed by a trip to the store for a $35 carton of smokes. But I digress. President Bush continues:
For all other Americans, private health insurance is the best way to meet their needs. But rising health care costs are making insurance too expensive for millions of our citizens. Health care costs are growing more than two times faster than wages, and this is making it harder for working families to buy insurance on their own. Rising costs are also making it harder for small businesses to offer health coverage to their employees. Our challenge is clear: We must address these rising costs, so that more Americans can afford basic health insurance. And we need to do it without creating a new Federal entitlement program or raising taxes.  
Amen! Of course, someone needs to clue the President in on one contributing factor to rising costs, especially in the Southern states: providing medical care to illegal aliens. Fixing that problem would help too, but that’s a whole other topic for a separate post…
Our Nation is making progress toward this goal. We created Health Savings Accounts, which empower patients and can reduce the cost of coverage. We are working to pass Association Health Plans, so that small businesses can insure their workers at the favorable discounts that big businesses get. We must pass medical liability reform, so we can stop the junk lawsuits that drive costs through the roof and good doctors out of practice. We’ve taken important steps to increase transparency in health care pricing, and give patients more information about the quality of their doctors and hospitals.
"Medical liability reform?" Not with Dems in control. Who loves lawsuits and big jury awards more than Democrats? Many of their constituents earn their living by suing "rich" people. I think the President will be sucking swamp water on that one.
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The next point he made in his radio speech is something, however, that will undoubtably be popular with many Americans of all political stripes:

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Tax Evader a no-show at court… and on the radio.

For those of you wondering where our previously announced radio interview with convicted tax-evader Ed Brown ended up, you can stop looking. Despite speaking with one of his comrades "holed up" at the mountaintop "compound" several times prior to air time, when it came time for the interview, they never answered the phone. I guess … Read more

Notable Quote: Jefferson.

On March 4th, 1801, Thomas Jefferson delivered his first inaugural address in the still unfinished Washington Capitol. This quote caught my eye. As one of the key Founding Fathers, his thoughts on government carry much weight in the ongoing debate over the true role of government. Still one thing more, fellow citizens: a wise and … Read more

What does Bush see in Putin’s eyes now?

I’m sure that Bush has had his eyes checked since he looked into Putin’s eyes and saw the soul of a good man. Surely now, what Bush saw was a reflection of his own heart and soul. The former(?) KGB man rules a government that is once again filling the world with a never-ending stream … Read more

Jealous of… Massachusetts?

Here in central NH, most residents are held "hostage" by a single cable company that offers TV and broadband services. While they try as hard as any monopoly would to provide good service at a good price, they sometimes fall short. Friends and co-workers living to the south in NH, while still serviced by a … Read more

Where have all the Boy Scouts gone?

People that know me know that I have a wide variety of books, both new and old. I am one of those odd people that feel I must personally own and possess any book I have read. In addition, from time to time, I pick up some old book that strikes my fancy. Friends and … Read more

“Private Citizen” John Bolton speaks…

Of all the casualties of the past election, the loss of John Bolton as our UN ambassador is the one that I regret the most. To have had a plain spoken person advocating first for what’s best FOR AMERICA on the world stage during the last year or so has been refreshing indeed. Unfortunately, the … Read more

The Buckley Scandal: Is Gov. Lynch going to get caught in the splatter when it hits the fan?

Attorney Ed Mosca submits the following piece on the unfolding Ray Buckley scandal. You’ve heard part of the story: famed NH Dem activist Ray Buckley, candidate for that party’s state committee chair, had to withdraw due to allegations which, if true, are damning, to say the least…
IF RAY BUCKLEY HAS NOTHING TO HIDE,
THEN WHY ARE THE DEMOCRATS HIDING HIM?
(AND WHO DID LYNCH TELL, AND WHAT AND WHEN DID HE TELL THEM?)
 In quitting the race for state chairman of the Democrat Party, Ray Buckley unequivocally denied allegations which, according to press reports (the allegations themselves have not been published), involve child pornography:  “These politically motivated allegations are completely false. I have no doubt that the allegations will be proven baseless but I am angry beyond belief that the politics of personal destruction have come to New Hampshire.”  The obvious question brought to mind by Buckley’s remonstration is this:  Why, if the allegations are “completely false” and “baseless,” did Buckley nonetheless quit the state chairmanship race, which by all accounts he already had sewn up?  The apparent answer is that Governor Lynch made it known that he wanted Buckley to step down, which in turn raises this question: Why did the Governor ax Buckley?
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The answer is easy to surmise.  If the allegations are “false” and “baseless” as Buckley claims, then there are no witnesses or physical evidence, which would have resulted in the pending criminal investigation being resolved in Buckley’s favor well in advance of the March 29th election for Democrat state chairman.  In other words, porn-gate unlike phone-gate would have turned out to be a tempest in a tea pot.  Presumably what happened is that when the Governor’s politicos asked Buckley the predictable question whether it was possible that he could be found guilty of any crimes and thereby embarrass the Governor if the Governor continued to support Buckley, Buckley did not answer in the negative.  The question is whether this conversation with Buckley occurred at a time and in a manner that could have compromised the criminal investigation by tipping off Buckley and allowing him to destroy evidence.   
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One report suggested that current Democrat state chairman Kathy Sullivan refused to say whether investigators had seized computers from state Democrat headquarters.  Nonetheless, she did say that “Raymond will be exonerated, and I believe he will be vindicated of these politically motivated charges.”  Pay attention to the words chosen by Attorney Sullivan.  She clearly knows the substance of the allegations against Buckley and the identity of the alleger.  This brings us back to the Governor.

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Notable Quote. Let’s put him in charge.

For some as yet inexplicable reason, this quote, from one of my 5 all-time favorite movies, Conan the Barbarian, popped into my head today… Mongol General: "What is best in life?" Conan: "To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." I dunno. I’ve always thought … Read more

Well, what do you know… A case study already!

TheWMURChannel.com is reporting today that there has already been an arrest in the new year of a person that will be charged under NH’s new "tough" child predator law. . According to the story, a Patrick Collins of Wilton, NH was arrested on New Year’s Day for molesting his girlfriend’s 10 year old daughter. If … Read more

A beautiful day in December? Rejoice!

As I carry fire-wood into the central NH GraniteGrok bunker, the ground is white with fresh snow and the sun is shining brightly. The temperature hovers near the 40 degree mark. On December 31st, one could not ask for a more beautiful day. Global warming? Maybe. Man’s fault? No way. This is the day the … Read more

President Bush wishes a Merry Christmas and honors the troops and their families

In this week’s radio address, President Bush talks about Christmas, and in particular, reminds us not to forget our troops afield during the holiday season…
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. As families across our Nation gather to celebrate Christmas, Laura and I send our best wishes for the holidays. We hope that your Christmas will be blessed with family and fellowship.
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At this special time of year, we give thanks for Christ’s message of love and hope. Christmas reminds us that we have a duty to others, and we see that sense of duty fulfilled in the men and women who wear our Nation’s uniform. America is blessed to have fine citizens who volunteer to defend us in distant lands. For many of them, this Christmas will be spent far from home, and on Christmas our Nation honors their sacrifice, and thanks them for all they do to defend our freedom.
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At Christmas, we also recognize the sacrifice of our Nation’s military families. Staying behind when a family member goes to war is a heavy burden, and it is particularly hard during the holidays. To all our military families listening today, Laura and I thank you, and we ask the Almighty to bestow His protection and care on your loved ones as they protect our Nation.
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This Christmas season comes at a time of change here in our Nation’s capital — with a new Congress set to arrive, a review of our Iraq strategy underway, and a new Secretary of Defense taking office. If you’re serving on the front lines halfway across the world, it is natural to wonder what all this means for you. I want our troops to know that while the coming year will bring change, one thing will not change, and that is our Nation’s support for you and the vital work you do to achieve a victory in Iraq. The American people are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers, and we will make sure you have the resources you need to accomplish your mission.
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This Christmas, millions of Americans are coming together to show our deployed forces and wounded warriors love and support. Patriotic groups and charities all across America are sending gifts and care packages to our servicemen and women, visiting our troops recovering at military hospitals, reaching out to children whose moms and dads are serving abroad, and going to airports to welcome our troops home and to let them know they are appreciated by a grateful Nation.

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And the Democrats are speaking about raising taxes – how about getting rid of some?

THIS LITTLE TAX DITTY WAS SENT IN BY AN OLD CLASSMATE.  I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE CORRECTION. AT THE END OF THE MESSAGE, IT SAYS "NOT ONE OF THESE TAXES EXISTED 100 YEARS AGO . . .". ACTUALLY, THE TELEPHONE FEDERAL EXCISE TAX GOES BACK TO THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR. THE TAX WAS INSTITUTED TO HELP PAY FOR THAT WAR — IT WAS ENACTED ON JUNE 13, 1898.

What Happened?
At first I thought this was funny…then I realized the awful truth of it. Be sure to read all the way to the end!

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he’s fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries, then
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won’t be done
Till he has no dough.

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Documents? Oh, THOSE documents. Never saw ’em…

If ever the actions by a high-ranking government official begged for a skit on Saturday Night Live (the old-school version, oh do we miss it so!), the most recent revelations in the former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger saga are it. Better yet, maybe a plotline for a new Seinfeld episode…
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What a story– Former government hack, involved in an investigation that might make him, or worse yet, his boss and chief benefactor, look bad, accepts a mission to get back on the "inside" and dispose of key evidence. Sounds almost the stuff of some action-adventure novel. Except, in this case, we’re talking about a rumpled, bumbling slob of a man, who breaks into a sweat when asked difficult questions like, "What is your name," and, "Is that a rolled-up document in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"
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Yes indeed, Sandy "Samuel" Burger, or, as he is now affectionately called, Sandy "Burglar" has provided no small amount of laughter (we probably ought to, in fact, be crying) as the story of his theft of national security documents unfolds.
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You remember the tale: Sandy Berger, while preparing for testimony before the 9-11 Commission, got caught removing key documents by stuffing them in his shorts and socks. As new evidence comes forth, the comedic value just gets even better. Consider this AP report on the matter and tell me you can’t picture some George Costanza- type actor in the role of Sandy Berger:

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CAGW celebrates “Festivus”. Airing of Grievances and Feats of Strength.

The gang over at Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has announced that they are celebrating "Festivus" once again this year…
(Washington, D.C.) – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today marked its third annual celebration of Festivus to acknowledge the disappointments and successes for taxpayers in 2006.  In the sitcom Seinfeld, Festivus is a fictional holiday invented by Frank Costanza to protest the commercialization of other December holidays.  The Festivus dinner begins with the Airing of Grievances, where the celebrant tells family and friends all the ways they have disappointed him or her over the past year.  Similarly, CAGW will now tell politicians all they ways they have disappointed taxpayers over the past year.  Festivus is not considered over until the head of the family has been pinned by another participant in the Feats of Strength.  Likewise, CAGW will end Festivus by recognizing the times taxpayers triumphed over Washington’s big spenders.
The Airing of Grievances
Pork:  CAGW’s 2006 Congressional Pig Book identified 9,963 pork projects costing a record $29 billion in the 11 fiscal 2006 appropriations bills, including $1,000,000 for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative and $500,000 for the Sparta Teapot Museum in Sparta, N.C.  Former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif) is serving an eight-year jail sentence for taking $2.4 million in bribes in exchange for earmarks.  Other members of Congress are being investigated for allegedly profiting from earmarks and for directing earmarks to campaign contributors, including outgoing House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) and incoming subcommittee chairman Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.).  In the face of these scandals and abuses, the 109th Congress failed to enact substantial earmark reform and later rejected a bill to require defense earmarks to be reviewed and graded.
"Water-free urinal initiative"? And you thought all your tax dollars were being wasted… you know– flushed down the drain. The CAGW announcement continues:

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NOW he targets “earmarks”

President Bush discussed the economy and the topic of so-called federal "earmarks" in this week’s radio address.
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Christmas is fast approaching, and I know many of you are busy trying to finish up your holiday shopping. This week, we received good news about the economy that should brighten the season and keep us optimistic about the year ahead.
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First, the Commerce Department released figures showing that sales for America’s retailers were up in November and that the increase is much larger than expected. These figures are important because for many American businesses November and December are their highest sales months for the year. So the healthy increase in retail sales is a good sign for American employers and workers.
Of course, if you’re anti-business, anti-free marketplace liberal (socialist?) Democrats Jonathan Edwards or Barak Hussein Obama, this is bad news. After all, they’ve worked hard in the recent past to encourage people NOT to shop at Wal Mart. President Bush continues…
America’s working families also received another bit of holiday cheer this week: We learned that real hourly wages rose by 2.3 percent over the past year. That may not sound like a lot, but for the typical family of four with both parents working, it means an extra $1,350 for this year. At the same time, our growing economy continues to create jobs and that has brought unemployment down to just 4.5 percent. These numbers give all Americans a reason to celebrate: More people are working than ever before, and paychecks are going further than they used to.
Of course, if the big spenders at the local, state, and federal levels of government get their way, they’ll take every bit of that $1350 and then some in increased taxes. President Bush alludes to this next. It’s just too bad he doesn’t sound very credible when preaching spending restraint in Congress, given the past 6-year track record of wasteful budgets laden with pork…

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