In This Dimension

Military Poll…

Just In case you missed this week’s issue of the Army Times, here are the results of the Army Times’ poll of Military personnel concerning the election (in percent):
 
                                      McCain          Obama
 
Overall                               68                23
 
Army                                  68                23
 
Navy                                  69                24
 
Air Force                            67                24
 
Marines                             75                18
 
Retirees                             72                20
 
White Non-Hispanic         76                17
 
Hispanic                           63                27
 
Black/African-American  12                79
 
Enlist ed                          67                24
 
Officers                           70                22
 
Somehow I missed seeing this in the New York Times. 

Americans on Government Spending v. Tax Cuts

“Fifty-eight percent (58%) of U.S. voters say more tax cuts will better stimulate the economy than new government spending, even as Congress considers a second stimulus plan that could cost as much as $300 billion.”

Now then, one party is always calling the other, “out of the mainstream.” Now that we know that the mainstream tax cuts,  let’s see how these Americans vote.

Will we vote for the guy who wants to increase out taxes about two trillion dollars (by letting the Bush tax cuts expire, ending the cap on earnings funding Social Security and coming up with $800B of new spending[…]

Unintended Consequences

Unintended consequences have interesting historical ramifications.

Had Hitler known America would come in with Britain, would he have set in-motion Operation Sealion, which precipitated the Battle of Britain, which led to the (possibly accidental) bombing of London and the retaliatory bombings of German cities and an entirely new chapter in warfare?

Had Wilson known that sending the AEF to France would result in the flawed Treaty of Versailles, the destruction of the Ottoman Empire (which gave rise to Islamic fundamentalism – ask bin Laden), to hyperinflation in a defeated Germany, German re-armament, World War 2, 50MM deaths, and Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe and[…]

What “international crisis” was Biden referring to?

The Wall Street Journal’s James Taranto today asked readers if they could come up with plausible areas of the “international crisis” to which Sen. Biden referred in his remarks over the weekend. Below is one thought:

 
Based on timing, etc., I’d have to think that the context is Venezuela and a Venezuelan Missile Crisis.

Obviously the Pentagon has been briefing the Senate committees on the Russian activities there. Biden would have that fresh in his mind.

For Putin not to test Obama (certainly not a JFK, who actually distinguished himself in war), would be uncharacteristic. Putin needs to investigate what, if anything, Obama[…]

The Financial Mess as seen by one honest Democrat Journalist

Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights?
By Orson Scott Card

Editor’s note: Orson Scott Card is a Democrat and a newspaper columnist, and in this opinion piece he takes on both while lamenting the current state of journalism. [From the posting to which this column is linked - Alex]

An open letter to the local daily paper — almost every local daily paper in America:

I remember reading All the President’s Men and thinking: That’s journalism.  You do what it takes to get the truth and you lay it before the public, because the public has a right to know.

This housing crisis[…]

How about a “We Deserve It Dividend” to the taxpayers?

Rather than give AIG a bailout of $85,000,000,000.00, here’s a better idea - better on every single count.

I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a “We Deserve It Dividend.”

To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18 and older. (Our population is about 301,000,000 counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.)

So divide 200 million adults into $85 billon. Answer? $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a “We Deserve It Dividend.”

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. Let’s[…]

Obama Selling Press Election Night Coverage Packages

This is great stuff! From the Chicago Sun Times… Obama selling the Press PACKAGES for food, telecommunications, heat, etc., on Election Night in Chicago!

* Main Riser Position - $935 (Includes 4 Main Riser Credentials, 5′x8′ Slot on Covered Main Riser and one 20 amp circuit)
* Main Riser Position with Telecommunications - $1870 (Includes Main Riser Position services, PLUS two unlimited long distance/local phone lines and one wired high speed internet connection)
* Cut Riser Position - $880 (Includes 4 Cut Riser Credentials, 5′x8′ Slot on Covered Cut Riser, one 20 amp circuit)
* Cut Riser Position with Telecommunications - $1815 (Includes Cut[…]

Obama v. Democracy on Climate Change — WSJ today

This is from today’s Wall Street Journal. If it doesn’t scare you in what it portends for a “democratic” Obama Administration, you just aren’t paying attention. If you have yet to be convinced of the totalitarian nature of the modern Liberal, you probably will be convinced by the time you finish this column and understand what it means to your future, your kids’ futures and the American economy. Given that the entire world is supported by our economy, this is, pure and simple, a totalitarian prescription for global poverty  and economic Depression in a world that is less able to[…]

Fighting the Iranian Navy?

This article in the Atlantic today posits issues in a naval war with Iran. While an interesting article in which Kaplan discusses asymmetrical naval warfare in a rather mundane way (certainly no new insights are provided), the premise is absurd.

The absurdity, however, is not that of the columnist alone. It seems to be of the strategic “thinkers” in our government and military as well.

The absurdity is the idea of sacrificing American soldiers in combat when the goal of the military action – changing the behavior of the enemy (which is the purpose of war) can be achieved without sacrificing a single[…]

More Global Warming Evidence

Coldest beginning of Northern Cal winter since 1893.. at least (that’s when record keeping began).

Oregon cold temps breaking 118-year-old record lows.

Alaska snow and glacier buildup most ever seen:

Never before in the history of a research project dating back to 1946 had the Juneau Icefield witnessed the kind of snow buildup that came this year.

Remember - the 0.7 degree C drop in global temerature last year (2007) was the largest one-year drop in temp in the historic or geologic record. The planet has been cooling since 1998 - and this cooling is increasing…. Oops!

Al Gore - call your office! (and John[…]