December 31, 2006
December 28, 2006
December 27, 2006
December 23, 2006
Vacation
Due to the holidays and my need to create a new website for the podcast, this will be my last entry of the year. Thanks to all of you who take the time to post your comments; I appreciate your efforts more than you know.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I'll talk to you in 2007.
December 20, 2006
Out Of The Forest
The friend I wrote about the other day has found out that his tumor is most likely benign. I haven't talked to him yet, but I'm sure he is ecstatic. He faced his condition calmly, as I knew he would; nonetheless, I'm sure it's a good feeling to know that everything is going to be OK and that he'll probably never have to undergo radiation treatments.
I've felt a lot of guilt these past weeks. My friend does not live here, so I was not there for his surgery or his time in the hospital. I would've flown there, but with the holidays just around the corner, I could not afford a ticket. He was surrounded (and still is) by friends and family who have provided not just emotional comfort, but food, gift cards and the like so that his family has fewer things to worry about. Their friends are a reflection of themselves, for as my father always says, "Water seeks its own level."
I've written here before about friendship and how strict my definition of it is. To some people, a friend is anyone with whom you spend time---co-workers, drinking buddies, etc. In truth, those people are acquaintances. Friends are the people in your life who are family in all ways but biological. We love these people; not the sexual infatuation so many people picture as love these days, but love that comes from brotherhood and shared experience. Because of that, my friend, his brother and myself are brothers.
So I wish I could've been there. I certainly was there mentally, as that surgery was the overriding thought in my mind in the days leading up to it. It reminded me that we are all here on a temporary basis and that we can be called away at any time. If I had to go tomorrow, I would be most grateful for the friends and family in my life. All else shrinks away in comparison.
December 19, 2006
December 17, 2006
Stuart Smalley Goes Home
According to Drudge this evening, Al Franken is considering a run for the Senate, presumably in his home state of Minnesota. I guess being on one sinking ship (Air America) per decade just isn't enough for this human hot air machine.
Minnesota has a history of weird and independent politics, so Franken may do well. But it's hard to imagine anyone will take him seriously. If you doubt me, do yourself a favor and go listen to one of his interviews. His hate for everyone who disagrees with him is evident in everything he does. He is a populist, a term I do not use as a compliment. He's like Bill Mahr: good at the putdown and the humor, but short on substance.
Then again, maybe that's what passes for political debate today.
December 16, 2006
A Servant Underserved
Yesterday was Donald Rumsfeld's last day on the job as Secretary of Defense. On Monday, Robert Gates will take his place. Gates will inherit a Pentagon at war, not just with Islamic terror, but with media opinion. Although future events may prove me wrong, he does not seem up to the task.
Sec. Rumsfeld was not well-liked, even by some people who worked closely with him. He rode people hard and expected everyone around him to work like he did---12 hours a day, nearly every day. He was in his Pentagon office on the morning of September 11, 2001 when a plane crashed through the walls. He became the Secretary of War that day, a title this nation stopped using after the Second World War because it was too, well, aggressive. But the Secretary was under no illusions as to what his job would become.
Contrary to what those in the media would have you believe, the Secretary of Defense works at the pleasure of the President. That means he takes orders and carrys them out, just like the Admirals and Generals who work for the Secretary. So when the decision was taken to go into Afghanistan and then Iraq, it was not Donald Rumsfeld who cooked up the plans in secret and then released them on the world. Rather, he was given orders to secure those two nations with (yes, I'm going to say it) the military we have.
Sec. Rumsfeld made some serious mistakes during his time in office. I believe he underestimated the strength and resolve of the terrorists in Iraq. If you remember, he kept saying they were "dead enders", meaning they were the remnants of the Republican Guards and other Saddam loyalists. In reality, few of them are Iraqis at all.
There were other mistakes, like the way Falujjah was handled. But one must keep in mind that he was not given a free hand in Iraq, in the same way that Robert McNamara was not give a free hand in Vietnam (I'm not comparing the two; McNamara should never have been in the office in the first place). Political correctness has created many of our casualties in this war, not the actions of the Secretary of Defense.
There's a scene at the end of 'The Caine Mutiny' in which Barney Greenwald, the man who defended the officers of the 'Caine' despite the fact he thought them guilty of mutiny, makes a drunken speech during their victory celebration. In it, he tells the men that while they were planning their lives and going to college, it was men like Cmdr. Queeg who were doing the dirty work of keeping the country safe. Essentially, they got rid of Queeg because they decided they didn't like him and his eccentricities.
Rumsfeld is no Queeg. He's a wealthy man and he will undoubtedly make millions more after leaving his post. He hasn't worn a uniform since the 1950's when he flew for the Navy. He's probably never been shot at or spent the night in the dirt. But he was fired not for being incompetant, but because the media decided early on that they didn't like him. He was smarter and didn't suffer fools (as most of them are) gladly. Thus, they shaped public opinion against him, just as they did the war in Vietnam. When the time came and the poll numbers had to be improved, he was the sacrificial lamb. And in the years to come, I believe we will all be poorer for it.
December 14, 2006
Another 800-Pound Gorilla
Federal officials in six states raided Swift meat packing plants this week in a new offensive against illegal immigrants. At first thought, you probably have one of two reactions. You might be glad that the law is being enforced or you might feel a sadness for the illegals since they are just here to work. I can understand either argument. Part of me feels very sorry for people who take enormous risks to come here and work for nothing so their families can have a better life. But we must have a secure border and we must find a way to make sure everyone living here is here legally. If nothing else, it is a national security issue.
Of course, none of this is new. The real shocking part of this story, the one we don't talk about, is encapsulated by this one sentence:
No charges were filed against Swift.
?????
Am I the only person who sees some sort of inconsistency here? Does anyone besides me think that any company that employs so many illegal immigrants should suffer some sort of punishment?
The defenders of industry will say, undoubtedly, that it's almost impossible for Swift to know beyond a doubt that the people they hire are in the country legally. To an extent, this is true. But 1,200 people? If only half of them are here illegally, that's 600 employees. Six hundred people had impeccable fake documents? Really?
Swift uses a government pilot program to confirm whether Social Security numbers are valid. Company officials have raised questions about the program's ability to detect when two people are using the same number.
This story illustrates something about which I have written before. Put simply, many of the people in private life and government service who stay up nights worrying about radical Muslims sneaking dirty bombs into the country want to give illegal laborers a pass. In the end, it's very good for business to have an almost unlimited pool of unskilled, cheap laborers who have essentially no rights. Should they be given rights? No. Should companies be punished severly for hiring them? You bet.
Eventually, something or someone very dangerous is going to sneak across our border with Mexico. Because we have done nothing to remove the reason people come here (jobs at companies who ask no questions), we will only have ourselves to blame.
December 13, 2006
MTIH 282 Mary Todd Lincoln Born, December 13, 1818
Starting with this episode, I will begin re-posting episodes of Matt's Today in History here again. To make a long story short, I can no longer post the direct MP3 download link on the Matt's Today in History site, so I will do so here. The transcripts of the podcast, however, will still be found there.
MP3 File
On The Other Side
My friend came through surgery just fine and is now in recovery. He's not out of the woods yet in terms of his condition, but he's in good spirits. Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to write an e-mail or comment here. There is much to talk about in the world tonight, but it will have to wait for Wednesday.
December 12, 2006
December 10, 2006
Sitting In Coach
Early in 2004, my father announced that he had cancer and that one of his kidneys had to come out. It was shocking to all of us because dad has always been very healthy. But his career had exposed him to some chemicals that are now much more controlled than they were thirty years ago; some of the men he worked with are already gone. But he made a full recovery, so much so that his doctor is surprised at how well his remaining kidney has "taken up the slack".
Now, someone I love very much is in a similar situation. Those of you who have younger (under 65) parents may not have experienced this feeling yet, but you come to realize that your parents are going to have health problems. But this time, the person facing down the dragon is my age; in fact, I'm a little older. If I had to choose between the two of us who would be the first to have any health problems, I would've said it would be me. I'm overweight, not especially careful about what I eat and while I do exercise, I'm not hitting the gym every day. He is very healthy and exercise is part of his job. If you just look at the numbers, I should be looking at some sort of surgery and he should live to be 97. But that's not the way it works.
Kelli is fond of saying that I need to fix things and make them right. It took me a long time to learn that when she has a bad day at work and we talk about it, she just wants me to listen. I guess it's a guy thing, but when I see an injustice or something bad touching someone I love, I want to punch someone or blow something up or flatten a tire or whatever and make it all better. But I can't fix this. Doctors, all of whom are much smarter and better educated than me, are going to have to lead the fight this time. I know they're capable and this is the best nation in the world in which to have something go wrong with your body. But tonight, sitting here, it doesn't make me feel any better.
It is the nature of our relationship that for 15 years, we have been confidantes. We have solved problems for each other just by airing things out, most of the time over the phone. But no amount of talking can solve this, and talking is about all I can do. I know a few of you reading this have faced tragedy and loss in your lives and that this, in comparison, may seem like small potatoes. I also realize that maybe I'm internalizing this more than I should. Please know that is not my intention.
So if you pray, please say a prayer for my friend this week. Most of you do not know his name, but I'm sure God will know who you're talking about. My mother will be at Mass when his surgery begins, and if anyone has a line to the Almighty, it's my mom (my friend's mom, for her part, should be nominated for sainthood).
If you're read this far, thank you. I know all will be well. It has to be.
December 09, 2006
Night Launch
I'm watching NASA TV right now as Space Shuttle Discovery is preparing to lift off. I saw a night launch from Orlando in 1990-91. There was a small lake on the base, and I remember being able to see the launch and its reflection in the rippled water. It was magical.
I don't pay attention to our space program like I used to. I am not old enough to remember the heady days of the Apollo program; I had to make due with numerous Shuttle delays before the first launch in 1981. Then I reached an age when it wasn't cool to like space stuff anymore, so I walked away and have never quite looked back. I wish now I had paid more attention.
In another 15 years, this nation will be returning to the moon. I hope this will inspire a new generation of American kids to pursue careers in the sciences and engineering; God knows we need it. Of course, I am no one to emulate---I only took enough math and science to graduate from high school. The Navy pounded more knowledge into my head, but it wasn't enough to light a passionate fire in me.
Wow! There she goes. If you live in Florida or anywhere along the coast of the Southeast US, I hope you are outside watching this. Already, the ship weighs less than half what she did at liftoff because of the fuel she has burned.
The solid boosters are gone and she's 45 miles high. That's not a takeoff for those with weak stomachs. She is now at negative return: if there's a problem, she can not return to the Kennedy Space Center. There are runways in Spain, somewhere in Africa (if memory serves) and Australia she can use in the event of an emergency.
We did an 84Online show the day after the Columbia disaster in 2003. I said then, and I still believe, that exploration is an essential part of the nature of man. There is the ever-present argument that the NASA budget would be better spent on something else. I disagree. While private space travel will eventually become practical, government-funded exploration will always have its place. After all, profit can not be gleaned from every endeavor.
December 08, 2006
December 07, 2006
Our Socialist Pearl Harbor
At this moment 65 years ago, over four hundred aircraft on six Japanese aircraft carriers were being prepped for an attack on Pearl Harbor. It was the first time a naval force of that strength was used to attack fixed, land-based installations and ships at anchor. Every American knows how successful the attack was, not just because of the lives and ships lost, but because of the blow it leveled against our society. We were asleep and unprepared. We had let the vastness of two oceans lull us into a false sense of security. And we were racists---the glasses-wearing, buck-toothed Japs might attack us, but we’d whip ‘em in short order because, well, we’re Americans. And Americans are winners.
We did win, but the cost was enormous. In the end, the United States was made a superpower, both in material wealth and influence. There are those who contend that we did not seek the role; others say it was exactly what those in power wanted. Either way, the last half of the 20th century can rightly be seen as a time of American dominance. Yes, the Soviets had their influence, but while they had missiles and ships and tanks, they did not have Coke, Levi’s and General Motors.
Those of us born in the United States after 1945 have known nothing but incredible wealth and prosperity. Many see this as a permanent state, as if the lifestyle we enjoy is not supported by forces that must be fed in order to continue. It is not bedrock we live on, but a sort of mud which we must constantly shovel out of the way lest it bury us. Unlike some others who have no faith in future generations, I believe there will always be people willing to shovel the mud. What I fear, what I can not shake, is my thought that the roof is falling in on us.
I will not bore you with the worn-out comparisons between the Roman Empire and 21st century America. We are complacent, but we have been complacent before. We are arrogant, but we have always been arrogant. We have been involved in endless brush fire wars since the early years of the 20th century. There is, indeed, nothing new under the sun.
Except for this one thing: as a society, we have never danced so closely with socialism as we are today. To this nation’s founders, government was a necessary evil that needed to be watch, pruned and, if necessary, pulled out by the roots. Government needs to exist because there are tasks that must be done but which can not be efficiently or profitably done by private enterprise. National defense is a good example: unless you want to turn the military into a bunch of marauding pirates, they will never make money.
Somewhere along the road, our federal government stopped being about basics and started being a bloated nanny. One can make the argument that the Civil War saw the growth of the federal tit; I tend to think that the change came during the Great Depression when FDR created a giant bureaucracy with the intention of turning tax money into prosperity. The bloat continued through the early 60’s, when LBJ’s Great Society programs meant more and more federal money would be handed out---some to the genuinely poor, some to those who quickly figured out how to game the system. Dependence was quickly created, not on family, but on the invisible man in Washington. It was all done in the name of compassion.
And that’s how things remain today: money given equals compassion shown. There was a time when Republicans (who were mainly conservatives) and some Democrats stood in the way of wasteful spending. This seems to no longer be the case. The surpluses of the Clinton years were mainly smoke and mirrors and were more aberration than a result of policy. Today, only a few voices in the political wilderness are calling for spending cuts; instead, the arguments center on where to spend the money, not if it should be spent at all.
Is our national debt going to ruin us? Probably not, but I’m not an economist. The biggest threat is the society this spending has created: a world in which so many safety nets exist that most people have no idea that there is a hard, cold ground underneath. Most of the world lives on that ground, struggling to put one foot in front of the other. The thought that we, too, could live that way one day because of what we have become seems fanciful, but it is very real.
Look at the example of Europe. Most of the western half of the continent exists as a socialist conglomerate with long vacations, national healthcare and rot at the center. Leftists here point at Europe as the future when in fact Europe has no future if it continues on its present path. Within 100 years, the continent will be a Muslim enclave and all the government spending in the world will not save traditional European civilization. The cries of “What happened?” will be drowned out by the call to prayer.
Our fate will be different, but no less tragic, if we do not take harsh decisions, the same ones our grandfathers made in the years after Pearl Harbor. We are not much for harshness now and those who promote severe decisions are seen as crackpots, militarists or fascists. Barry Goldwater’s famous quote, “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice” will never be heard coming from this President’s lips. But it is exactly that kind of tough talk and action that is needed if we are to give to our grandchildren the lives we now have.
December 06, 2006
The Legal Kickback
Daring Fireball has posted a conjectural conversation between Apple's Steve Jobs, his attorney and Universal Music Group Chief Executive Doug Morris. It's worth a read, especially if you've followed the story of Microsoft kicking back money to Universal for every Zune sold under the theory that some of the music stored therein will be stolen. Nice.
"Mr. Jobs is suggesting that you take a white Microsoft Zune 30 gigabyte digital music player and insert it into your rectum."
December 03, 2006
Fish Sticks Speaks
I've always imagined Gwyneth Paltrow to be a high-maintenance pain in the arse. I may not be far off the mark:
Oscar-winning US actress Gwyneth Paltrow feels dinner talk is far more interesting in her adopted homeland Britain than back in her native country.
"I love the English lifestyle, it's not as capitalistic as America. People don't talk about work and money, they talk about interesting things at dinner," she told "NS," the weekend magazine supplement of daily Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias on Saturday.
"I like living here because I don't fit into the bad side of American psychology. The British are much more intelligent and civilized than the Americans," the 34-year-old added.
Paltrow, who won a best actress Oscar for 1998's "Shakespeare in Love," lives in London with British band Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin whom she wed in 2003.
She said having US pop star Madonna, 48, who married British film director Guy Ritchie six years ago, nearby was another advantage to living in London.
"She's like an older sister. Everything I have gone through, she went through ten times worse and ten times longer. She gives me good advice about how to say no and take care of myself," said Paltrow.
Thank you, Ms. Paltrow, for throwing the pearls of your acting genius in front of us American swine for so long. I hope the millions of US dollars you made (and continue to make) here are well-spent in civilized, intelligent Europe.
Somewhere, an airhead prom is missing its queen.
Cause For Dismissal?
The New York Times has released a memo from Donald Rumsfeld to the White House in which the SecDef calls for a major change in our Iraq strategy. Some of the ideas seem to be straight from the mouths of Democrats, who are now poised to take control of both the House and the Senate. Was this the reason Rumsfeld got the ax?
It has often been said that this White House takes disloyalty very seriously. If the Secretary had broken with the White House over Iraq, even behind closed doors, then it is very likely that this was the cause of his dismissal. My first thought was that his firing was sort of a sacrifice at the altar of public opinion, since the Left and their fellow travelers in the media have done such a good job of portraying Rumsfeld as Grand Moff Tarkin. But now I believe that the Secretary may have lost faith in this nation's ability to succeed in Iraq by "staying the course".
If this is the case (and I have no evidence other than my own instincts), then the situation is indeed grave. The commanders on the ground in Iraq know that most of the terrorist insurgency could be taken care of in short order; however, the loss of civilian life in the effort would be great. What keeps us from securing Iraq is our own respect for life. Yes, many civilians have died, but if we had entered the country as we would have in, say, 1945, millions of people would now be dead as a direct result of the invasion. We talk of atomic weapons, but more people died in Tokyo due to fire bombing than died in Hiroshima.
So what is the answer? I don't know. I am reluctant to talk about Iraq these days because I never want to seem as if I don't support the men and women there who are doing the fighting and dying because I don't believe you can damn the mission and support the troops. Whatever the reasons for the invasion, we broke the place and now we have to fix it. I just don't think the American public is willing to pay the price for that anymore. I'm not sure what that says about us.
December 01, 2006
Back With Weather
I just arrived from a sojourn to the Henderson office. When I left here yesterday at noon, it was 68 degrees. Today, it's about 30. Good times.
I ran a test on our Insightbb connection just now. They are our ISP and cable company. They ramped up everyone's connection speed recently from 4Mbps to 10Mbps down. Here's the real deal at Casa Dattilo:
Oh, yeah!