Category: Current Events

Bruce made the same mistake I did.  When I first read about Obama giving Queen Elizabeth II an iPod, I thought it was a funny April Fools Joke.  Wrong.  Now I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.  Sounds like it was a video iPod, at least.

I’m wondering if they came up with this regal gift idea after Obama’s staff rejected what no doubt was the first suggestion for the Queen’s gift: A new upsampling region free DVD player so the Queen could enjoy the Obama’s last state gift with her Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.  No, too tacky I suppose.

Dr. Helen offers some insight into the minds of a lot of these rampage killers, and suggests ways that these people can be detected and helped before they kill.  PDB, who is a native of North Carolina, offers some other commentary on the situation.  I would add that I think the media has a lot to do with these rampage shooters as well, as Uncle points out, they always seem to come in threes.

Earth hour starts now.  We’re all supposed to turn all our lights and modern devices off, and imagine what it’s like to live in the stone age, except for the whole dying before you reach 30 part.

Glenn Reynolds suggests celebrating human achievement.  I think that’s a swell idea.  Bitter and I are going to go out and celebrate by consuming beef.  Beef is naturally earth friendly because it comes from the earth.  Don’t listen to the dirty hippies who say otherwise.  It’s tasty, tasty human achievement.

Tea party protests are getting really big.  Obama needs to understand that this is a centrist nation, probably more right of center than the President would like to admit.  Something this big can’t be ignored.  Let’s hope we can keep the momentum going into 2010.

The German Interior Minister seems to have more common sense than a lot of our politicians.  See the interview here:

Some German politicians have called for a ban on private gun ownership and urged authorities to set up airport-style security systems at schools in response to the massacre, which left 16 people dead, including the killer.

“I can’t see how a change in weapons rules would contribute anything to solving the problem,” Schaeuble, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, told Reuters.

In response to setting up airport style security at schools?

“Do we now want to treat pupils like passengers at the airport? Imagine the effect on children growing up under such circumstances. It’s absurd! I think it wouldn’t help us at all.”

Vielen Dank, Herr Schaeuble.  The world needs your common sense during times like this.

I haven’t really had much desire to talk about the mass shooting in Alabama.  I don’t like to jump on tragic situations to make a political point, but nor do I really want to offer up platitudes either.  Whether we like it or not, this has become part of the national media landscape, and is probably a media generated phenomena.

The Brady Campaign is making the most out of it, and our side has been pointing out that a worse shooting happened in Germany at the same time, which has strict gun laws.  I’ve been watching what the Administration says, because I think it’s key.  This is the first mass shooting that’s happened under the new presidency.  So far, not a peep.  That’s telling.  Why?  Because that means Obama isn’t willing to use the bully pulpit to push for more gun control, something that Bill Clinton never missed a chance to do.  That’s not to say Obama has suddenly become our friend, but he’s not willing ot engage in this particular polarizing debate.  That’s a tremedously good thing for gun owners, and we ought to hope it doesn’t change.

I have a feeling that if Obama remains silent on the issue, the folks at the Brady Campaign are going to start missing Bill Clinton a lot more than I’m sure they already do.

Lots of talk around the blogosphere about this training exercise out in Iowa where the military is training to go door to door searching for a “weapons dealer” and cordoning off the search area.  Participation in the exercise is on a volunteer basis.  Rumor going around now says that the exercise is canceled.

I think they likely are training to search for weapons, but I’m going to agree with SayUncle’s take on this that it’s training for Iraq, not here.  Most of the past five years our soldiers have been looking for caches of weapons and explosives over in the sandbox.  The rule was (at least until the Iraqi Government nixed it) was that families could keep one Kalashnikov or other firearm for self-defense.  Heavy weapons, explosives, or caches of weapons were contraband.

Given that training exercises generally take a while to plan, I wouldn’t be shocked if this drill was planned under Bush.   If Obama and the Democratic Congress had a secret plan to pass a gun ban and confiscation bill, why would the Iowa National Guard be in on the secret, but no one else?  One reason I don’t believe in broad conspiracies is because people talk.  Sure, I suppose it’s possible the order came down from on high to conduct this training making it look like it was for Iraq, but if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.

UPDATE: I should clarify that I don’t believe this training exercise should be conducted, and it ought to be opposed, but that is out of a general principle that the military should not be using civilian communities in military exercises.  Even if they are getting volunteers, not all in the community will be pleased with the disruption from the military presence.  I have no problem with the military conducting these exercises on base with civilian volunteers, but taking over a community is extreme.

Raising Farrahzona did everything right, but is now way upside down on her mortage.  She’s wondering if it wouldn’t be better to just walk away.  A lot of people are in this situation right now.

I would have a hard time walking away, even if I could accept that I’d be financially better off.  Just because something would seem vaguely wrong about sticking the bank with my problem.  But really, there are two people who take a risk when property is purchased with a mortage.  You, and the bank.  The bank has every incentive to keep a homeowner in their house.  If they walk away, the bank is stuck selling the property at a significant loss.  The bank might we willing to negotiate, and I think I would try to come to an agreement with my bank before walking away.

My home value has been falling as well.  I purchased in 2004.  The value is still higher than what I paid for it, but a few more months of this and I’ll be at the price I paid for the house.  Because I put 10% down, and have another 10% in a seperate home equity loan, It’ll be a while before I’m actually underwater.  I have the cash to pay off the equity loan if the bank demands it because of falling prices.  I’m in a far better position than a lot of folks, but Pennsylvania hasn’t gotten soaked as much by falling prices as other places.

By some strange quirk in the nature of the universe, I have today off.  I guess this is what it feels like to be a federal employee.  I’m not sure why our company has always gotten today off, but it’s tradition by this point.  I’m preparing a post I need to research a bit that I hope to get up before noon.

The main road headed to the club is shut down, and traffic in the area is gridlocked.  This is why.  Officer Jones lives down my street and around the corner.  I drove past his patrol car parked out front on the way to work many mornings.  I did not know him, but he has a wife, and three young kids that often play along that corner.  My heart goes out to his wife and his family.  Law enforcement families know it’s a dangerous job, but I don’t think that can possibly prepare you for the call that tells you that your husband and father of your children won’t be coming home safe and sound.  Keep the Jones family, and the Middletown Township Police Department, in your thoughts and prayers.