Does DoJ Also Have The Right To Remain Silent?

Who decided that the Underpants Bomber deserved a lawyer and had the right to remain silent?  Will Attorney General Holder enlighten us?

Sen. Jeff Sessions said the decision was made by "unnamed high-ranking official at the Department of Justice".  Perhaps We the People can find out who.

There seem to be some basic and unanswered questions that might be worth asking the "suspect", if his lawyer would let us.  From the Jan 7 Times:

SANA, Yemen — A senior official here said Thursday that the young Nigerian man accused of trying to bring down an airliner as it was approaching Detroit on Dec. 25 had met with operatives of Al Qaeda and probably with Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical American-born Internet preacher, in Yemen before setting out on his journey.

But the official, Rashad al-Alimi, the deputy prime minister for national security and defense, cited Yemeni investigations and said that the Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, had acquired the explosives used in the failed attack not in Yemen, which he left on Dec. 4, but in Nigeria. There he changed planes at the Lagos airport on Dec. 24, boarding a flight to Amsterdam and then another to Detroit.

Mr. Alimi’s remarks, made at a news conference in Sana, offered Yemen’s most definitive public reconstruction of Mr. Abdulmutallab’s movements before the attack. But the account differed on crucial points from those given by British, Ghanaian and Nigerian officials: where Mr. Abdulmutallab was recruited, where he obtained the explosives, even how long he spent in the Nigerian airport.

According to previous accounts, Mr. Abdulmutallab flew from Accra, Ghana, on Dec. 24, and had a layover at the airport in Lagos on his way to boarding the Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines flight in Amsterdam. American officials have said that Mr. Abdulmutallab told F.B.I. investigators that Al Qaeda in Yemen had trained him and furnished him with the sophisticated bomb he concealed in his underwear.

In a normal military interrogation the detainee could be confronted with discrepancies between his previous story and any new evidence.  In Eric Holder's war, not so much.

Comments

[Mike Huggins]

And, why are we sending these Algerian terrorists from Guantanamo to Algeria?

[Jack is Back!]

Can we send him back to Yemen and just start all over again now that we know how we screwed up?

You know, a terror do-over. ABC can produce it and show it up against 24.

[Mustang0302]

BHO ordered the Code Green. Holder just wanted to please him take credit for it. Keep pushing and BHO will fly into a Col Jessup-like rage and confess.

[Rick Ballard]

Mustang,

I think that's a 'Code Yellow' (I'm thinking Caine Mutiny rather than Col. Jessup).

[Terry Gain]

In Eric Holder's war, not so much.

With respect TM, as I'm sure you know, Holder doesn't blow his nose without Obama's approval. Let's direct our criticism at the man making these moronic decisions.

[Mustang0302]

Rick,

Yellow works too. I was pointing out the 'go' signal to their mohammedan-brother-in-panties angle.

[Mike Huggins]

Hey, it's all OK (according to the DOJ):

(AP via NYT) Justice: Christmas Bomb Suspect Handled Correctly

" 'Trying Abdulmutallab in federal court does not prevent us from obtaining additional intelligence from him. He has already provided intelligence, and we will continue to work to gather intelligence from him, as the department has done repeatedly in past cases,' (Justice Department spokesman Matthew) Miller said."

See, there you have it! Nothing to worry about. The DOJ is on the case!

[Rick Ballard]

Mustang,

I'm thinking it's "rolling the ball bearings in his hand" time. By the SOTU his approval rating should drop down to 40 and he has never had his incompetence so utterly exposed. The truly sad part is that the combination of his very mediocre intelligence with his narcissism makes it extremely unlikely that he will be capable of learning - even from gross errors.

Having a silly Bozo who is dumb as a brick in the most powerful position in the world just isn't very comforting. Unless you're an islamofascist or a commie dictator, of course.

[Mustang0302]

Rick,

Queeg had been competent at one time; he cracked, and was undermined by his cowardly officers (all but one).

I'll bet the Community Organizer goes out with a bang (Jessup) rather than a whimper (Queeg).

The SOTU would be a perfect occasion. BHO carried out in irons, screaming about ball bearings, Gitmo, and the key to the strawberries!

[Mike Huggins]

Hmm.. "Capt. Devries" vs. "Capt. Queeg." I wonder...

[Danube of Thought]

Lies! He was no different than any officer in the wardroom -- they were all disloyal, I tried to run the ship properly by the book but they fought me at every turn. If the crew wanted to walk around with their shirttails hanging out that's all right let the--take the tow line. Defective equipment, no more no less, but they encouraged the crew to go around scoffing at me and spreading wild rumors about steaming in circles. And then old yellow stain...

[Mike Huggins]

"May, I love you! I LOVE YOU!!!"

Ooops, sorry, wrong quote...

[Mustang0302]

Something that has always pissed me off about both movies...the absence of any Staff NCOs or Chiefs. Of course, neither story would work had any senior enlisted leadership been present.

Jessup's SgtMaj would have sandbagged him a long time ago, and Queeg's Chiefs would have squashed Keefer like a bug (not to mention worrying about crapola like shirttails!). The Lib view of the entire military chain of command: Tyranical officers over junior enlisted (and innocent foreign) victims, with nobody in between.

Which leads us to consideration of the C.F. at the center of the current administration...

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

Queeg had been competent at one time; he cracked, and was undermined by his cowardly officers (all but one)..

I always thought the real moral of the Caine Mutiny was that a once competent guy who is obviously slipping can either be supported or destroyed by his subordinates. Keefer chose to destroy him and influenced Maryk and Keith to do his dirty work.

[bunky]

NCOs make the military happen.

[clarice]

"The truly sad part is that the combination of his very mediocre intelligence with his narcissism makes it extremely unlikely that he will be capable of learning - even from gross errors."

True. Unfortunate, but true.
He will just put even more blame on others and start being openly more irrational about what's going on.
(Did you notice that his compatriot, Hugo, blames the U.S. for unleashing an "earthquake bomb" on Haiti as he nationalizes more and more of Venezuela and as it sinks further into the surf?

[clarice]

Yes, Jim. The author who did have military experience was very unsympathetic to the mutineers.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

Something that has always pissed me off about both movies...the absence of any Staff NCOs or Chiefs. Of course, neither story would work had any senior enlisted leadership been present.

Just so Mustang. If you have a good senior NCO on your side, you are pretty sure to have a successful command.

Teh Once is not experienced or knowledgeable enough to be surrounded by the civilian equivalent of senior NCOs.

[Sir Toby Belch]

When Obama made the nefarious hack the AG,
I was furious. He carried the stench of the
Mark Rich pardon as well as a lot of other
liberal baggage. Well, Obama's chickens
are coming home to lay eggs! Beautiful.

[fdcol63]

"NCOs make the military happen."

Indeed.

The ignorance of liberals on the critical importance of NCOs is what makes their "We Need To Pull Out of Iraq/Afghanistan NOW!" arguments so assinine.

It takes time to train experienced, quality NCOs. Without them, you can not maintain discipline and effectiveness in ANY force.

This is complicated and exacerbated when you're also trying to change other major aspects of culture and method of operation.

Liberals call for "time tables" as if this can be done within an American election cycle.

[BB Key]

Anybody know where to find more on the Gitmo task force that released its findings today.

[Ignatz]

As a former NCO I'd have to say most of our time was spent making things work by avoiding, without directly defying, the input of our officer corps; excepting the pilots, who were pretty much NCOs with wings.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

Ig:

My secret to running an outstanding basic training company as a 26 year lawyer/officer was to leave it to my Top and get out of the way.

If he needed my input (which wasn't often) he let me know.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I swear Fox reported last night that it was Holder.

[verner]

a Know charlie, if it was DOJ, then ultimately it WAS Holder. Does anybody think that with a case this high profile some underling hack is going tomake such an important decision?

By the way, I predict that Holder is the next one to go under the bus.

[Mustang0302]

verner,

By the way, I predict that Holder is the next one to go under the bus.

Before Geithner?

[glasater]

No no--It's Bernanke of all people.

Volker's been at Zero's side nodding and approving of all the bs he's laying out there.
All you needed to do was watch the market tank as Zero was speaking in Ohio.

If Bernanke is not confirmed I sure hope everyone is stocked up with the necessities for a time 'cause it's gonna be a blood bath.

[Ignatz]

Jim,
Hope I didn't offend any officers as it was more a structural thing in the Air Force, at least in my niche.
We were on the flight line and they weren't, unless they were pilots.
The smart ones did what you did and just made sure nothing went bad and let the non coms make sure things went right.
When we had problems was when busy body micro managers (all too common unfortunately) would try to "improve" operations. That's when the work-arounds would start.
The AF reserve was a marvel compared to regular duty. We never even saw an officer if he wasn't driving the plane and we were incredibly efficient. The planes were spotless and always maintained beautifully. Best government run outfit of any kind I ever saw.

[daddy]

Concerning releasing terrorists:

The Lockerbie PanAm Bomber who killed 217 innocent civilians, was released because he was absolutely positively going to die within 3 months and releasing him was a sign of Western humanitarianism. So the Brit's let him go.

As of today, 5 months later, ">http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/01/06/2010-01-06_lockerbie_bomber_.html"> he's still alive, and even more surprisingly, today we get this from Britain's Sky News:

">http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/UK-Terror-Threat-Level-Raised-To-Severe-From-Substantial/Article/201001415533869?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15533869_UK_Terror_Threat_Level_Raised_To_Severe_From_Substantial"> BREAKING NEWS10:23pm UK, Friday January 22, 2010
UK Terror Threat Level Raised To 'Severe'

Seems as if Steve's 'good will to the bad guys' approach isn't working. Oh well, maybe this latest release of 2 Terrorists to Algeria will be the release that makes them all start singing "Kumbaya."

[clarice]

Yes, daddy. Perhaps as an even better gesture of goodwill we can start disarming ourselves and stringing up infidels on the lampposts of our major cities..

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

Ig:

No offense taken. I learned a hell of a lot in my Army service.

[daddy]

That might work Clarice,

After all Chamberlain had Peace in his Time (for about a week).

[pagar]

UK, London Surrender to the Taliban

The story is at Atlas Shrugs. I can't get any links to post. Part of the deal is removal of the Taliban names from the US NO FLY lists.

Insanity!

[clarice]

I'd take it with a grain of salt,pagar.

[Danube of Thought]

"He will just put even more blame on others and start being openly more irrational about what's going on."

Hard to tell whether you're making a prediction or describing what he did a few hours ago. In either case you're 100% correct.

[glenda]

Melinda..you out there?? Or our Island Comptroller, Rick...what do you think the markets will do Monday? Can Obama come out and tank it even further with another economic speech Chavez would approve of?
What to do...what to do..

I hope Holder goes first, but won't he replace him with another progressive "change" constitutionalist?
Wow, that hurt coming out......

[Extraneus]

"I didn't run for president to turn away from these challenges. I didn't run for president to kick them down the road. I ran for president to confront them, once and for all."

[Extraneus]

Obviously he still has the power to talk the markets down, glenda. I know he outsmarted me, but a little thought would have led to the conclusion that he couldn't allow the markets to rise on Brown's victory. My bad.

[Rick Ballard]

Glenda,

It will have to be Mel - the market doesn't make any sense to me at the moment. It's a buy at 8,000 but I'm not hoping for anyone to take a 25% haircut just for the sake of rationality.

[justonebullet]

Well, I am surprised why there was no attempt at the hearing to press FBI Director Mueller to name the high-ranking official at the DOJ who made the decision to switch to criminal processing.

[Old Lurker]

Glenda, I too am right where Rick is. I can understand 8,000 but have not understood the last few months.

I gave some advice to an investor for whom losing more money was not an option a few months ago, so they cashed out to avoid the fatal downside. That meant they missed the run-up and of course they are not happy to have lost out on the gains.

Still think they did the right thing under the circumstances...but that is how the markets surprise folks.

So listen to Rick. Who says listen to Mel.

[anduril]

Is the terrorism thread? I missed this yesterday.

Phylacteries abort flight: Jewish prayer ritual item mistaken for bomb; jet lands in Philadelphia.

Q: Does this make more sense than making my 88 year old parents remove their shoes? Less sense? Does it matter if it makes sense? WTF?

I suppose everyone on the flight had a good laugh afterwards, right?

A teenager strapping Jewish religious ritual prayer boxes to his head and arm caused a scare on a plane from New York to Kentucky Thursday, prompting the pilot to land in Philadelphia, officials said.

Authorities determined there was no threat and the 17-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister, who live in White Plains, N.Y., were not held.

Flight 3079, a U.S. Airways Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines, was en route from New York's LaGuardia Airport to Louisville about 8:15 a.m. when a flight attendant saw the youth putting on his tefillin, police said.

Tefillin are leather boxes containing scriptures with leather straps that observant Jewish men wear on their foreheads and arm and fingers during obligatory weekday morning prayers.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joseph Sullivan said the flight attendant became concerned and alerted the pilot.

"It's something they had never seen before," Sullivan said.

"This is something most Americans probably have never seen before," FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver said later.

In a statement, Republic Airlines, Chautauqua's parent company, said the crew "tried to discuss the issue with the passenger" but "they did not receive a clear response."

Taking no chances, the pilot decided to make an unscheduled landing in Philadelphia and reported a man with a device with "wires" on the plane, Sullivan said.

The wires turned out to be the leather straps, officials said.

Police were notified about 8:23 a.m. and federal and city law enforcement vehicles surrounded the plane after it touched down.

Authorities took the jet to a remote area and removed the boy and his sister from the plane. The pair explained what the boy was doing with the tefillin, Sullivan said.

He said passengers were surprised to see law enforcement officials board the plane but they were not upset.

Officials decided by 8:45 a.m. that there was no threat, Sullivan said.

[Extraneus]

I was on a flight from Rome to JFK a few years ago, and a guy in Hasidic garb pulled out these boxes and started strapping them on. He had a young girl with him, and I was sitting two rows behind them, on the aisle. I spent the whole trip ready to jump on him within two seconds of a false move.

Never knew what those things were until now.

[anduril]

Come to think of it, those leather straps could be used to garrot or strangle the pilot. Also, a rosary could be used, maybe.

[glenda]

OL, Rick and extraneus..TYVM ♥ --- I sat on the last years' rise, but I don't want to suffer another 08' September, so I'm hoping my capitalist market friends will buy, hire, write checks to anyone running against Obama/Pelosi and trivialize his ideas. That should make our island getaway much more comfortable. I mean, I prefer running water, AC and cable! :)

[Soylent Red]

NCOs make the military happen.

LTs make the coffee.

**SIGH**

[BobS]

I'm sorry, but I can't help but be a conspiracy theorist when it comes to anything Holder.

Perhaps Clarice can give some insight into whether or not Holder's law firm stands to be enriched by representing terrorists in US courts.

At any rate, Holder has been a Dem hack his entire life and will likely continue. I'm still surprised he prompted the dismissal of Ted Stevens conviction.

[matt]

having lived in Bensonhurst for a short while, one would see Hasidism in all its glory, from the "normal" ones to the ultra orthodox. It was a very interesting neighborhood, as the other big group was, I kid you not, mafioso. Quietest and cleanest neighborhood in the city.

But most New Yorkers would know the little boxes were not explosive devices, unless of course they Hasid experienced the rapture. Not much phases New Yorkers.

I can just imagine Paul Blart, TSA goon shouting out "freeze! He's got a streimel!" (I looked that up. It's a furry hat)

[Melinda Romanoff]

Glenda-

I'm about to make some calls.

[clarice]

I fear my low tolerance for stupidity and my big mouth will result in my being arrested at an airport soon.

[Mustang0302]

LTs make the coffee.

Chief's Mess coffee is second only to Black Gang (Engine Room, you racists!) coffee!

And if your mug ain't lined with 'fur', it ain't seasoned properly!

[Soylent Red]

I fear my low tolerance for stupidity and my big mouth will result in my being arrested at an airport soon.

It's why I no longer drink when I travel by air. I'm afraid it will loosen my tongue.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Rick's dead on, we have the DJIA fair value at 8500, anything above that is a gift. Unwrap gifts and take them home.

BUT, that is an index, individual equities are different, very different. As are certain bonds.

More later.

Glenda, you've got mail.

[Jane]

Never knew what those things were until now.

I still don't know what they are.

[Mustang0302]

Video: A 747 with a missile-frying laser in the nose.

Of course, BHO canceled the weapon program. The single A/C flying will be preserved for R&D only (!)

Remember, Jimmah canxed the B-ONE at one time; later revived by RWR.

Imagine what a future POTUS could do with this baby to control the Alaska wolfpacks...oh, and incoming ICBMs, too.

[Extraneus]

Here's one.

">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4212969832_08e3532d6a_b.jpg">

[Charlie (Colorado)]

LTs make the coffee.

Don't worry, Soylent. Even O-1s someday grow up to be useful members of society.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

And if your mug ain't lined with 'fur', it ain't seasoned properly!

There was an operational site I spent time at with an old senior Master Chief (guy had forearms like Popeye from typing on KSR33 teletypes for 30 years) who had a coffee mug, one of the old fashioned no-handles ones, that he swore hadn't been washed since he got his rate.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Jane, they're also called tefillin. They are little boxes containing scrolls with prayers in Hebrew; devout Jewish men put them on head and arm before prayers.

[Soylent Red]

O-2 now Chaco. 50% less stoopid.

[Mustang0302]

Charlie, I learned about that the hard way. When I was a new Lance Corporal, many years ago, I got assigned to clean up the Top's office during field day. Windows, floors, empty the shitcan, etc. Just as I was about finished, I noticed his big ol' ceramic mug on his desk, and inside it was grody, I mean coated with about an 1/8" of fur. I took it into the deep sink and scrubbed it clean with a scotchbrite pad. Later, just as we were about to be secured for the day, I heard a furious, anguished bellow out of Top's office, and I got a first-class asschewing. The good news: I never got that assignment ever again, and now I've got a collection of prized "seasoned" mugs of my own!

[Mustang0302]

O-2 now Chaco. 50% less stoopid.

Keep us informed, Soylent. I'd like to be the first to call you 'Skipper' when you pin on your railroad tracks.

[Danube of Thought]

I took over the command of a good friend who had been killed in the "May Offensive" in 1968. I started moving my stuff into his desk in the quonset-hut HQ, and noticed a dingy-looking coffee cup on the desk. At the bottom was a VC ear that some good-natured fellow had left in there, God knows how long before. It was recognizable as an ear, but a rather sickly gray in color, sort of like a cast-off wad of Double Bubble.

To this day I suspect one of the senior petty officers. But I know they all loved the guy, so I'm sure it was an affectionate gesture.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

O-2 now Chaco.

See?

[Mustang0302]

DoT, if we're lucky, somebody at the W.H. Mess will Duraglit the inside of POTUS's coffeepot...affectionately, of course!

[clarice]

Jane, it is an oddity that the only other place in the world where religious figures wear black boxes on their foreheads is Japan where Shinto priests wear them.http://www.moshiach.com/tribes/iscame11.jpg

It may well be an utter coincidence or it may be a vestigial something from immigration or contacts with middle eastern people lost somewhere in time.

[PD]

Hah. Eric Erickson on Hannity's panel tonight just gave a plug for Ace of Spades.

[Jane]

The things I learn here.

Thanks guys.

[Janet]

Clarice - I find it really interesting to look at the common threads and practices in cultures. C.S.Lewis talks about it with regard to the 10 commandments, and covenant, blood brother, sacrificial systems found in so many cultures all through history.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Janet, you might like reading some of Joseph Campbell's stuff about the "Hero with a Thousand Faces", or CS Lewis's Preface to Paradise Lost.

[JM Hanes]

I don't know what an 0-2 is, but I want to thank each and every one of you who do.

[Ann]

Honestly, JMH, me too.

I am always awed and thankful for the men and women that protect this country. I don't think it is a coincidence that we find so many of them here at JOM. Bless you all.

[Ignatz]

--I don't know what an 0-2 is--

It's one step up from the organ grinder's monkey.
Sorry Soylent.

[Janet]

Okay...thanks Charlie.

[Melinda Romanoff]

My father was a Looey JG(ROTC), now an defined as an O-2 in the Navy, and he kept his mugs, and the gimballed turntable he kept in his quarters on the two stack tin can ('52-"53, LUN(this Wiki is accurate, Who Knew?)) on which he served.

I poly'd up his sea chest for his grandchildren that he never saw. (Can NOT find the Navy lock that came with it, but I have the key).

[Elliott]

Does that mean he has a license, Ignatz?

[Soylent Red]

It's one step up from the organ grinder's monkey.

My boss disproves this assertion, as he doesn't even rate as an organ grinder's monkey.

I am, however, several notches below most of the guys who work for me.

Funny how that works.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Soylent-

Work for one large bank with over 300K employees and you will find out how much sh%^ rolls downhill.

[Ignatz]

--Does that mean he has a license, Ignatz?--

No, but at least his dog doesn't bite.

[mefolkes]

The comments about nasty coffee mugs got me laughing. I was on the cleanup crew at a turkey slaughter plant nearly twenty years ago. For a while, I was assigned to clean up the condemned room, where hearts, livers, trimmed parts and condemned whole birds were dispatched to pet food manufacturers. One of the regular shift workers in there had the nastiest coffee mug I had ever seen, with blood and bile all over it. It put it in my bucket of cleaner for a short while and then thoroughly rinsed it. It looked as if it had come right from the store, absolutely pristine. The next day, I heard its owner cursing the unknown ***hole who ruined the mug that he had gotten perfectly "seasoned".

[Elliott]

"Mr. President, if I had told you one month ago that Massachusetts would elect a Republican senator..."

[Charlie (Colorado)]

JMH (since it seems to fall to me to do the simultaneous translation while we tease Soylent and make fun of TSA) all the US military ranks are mapped to a set of military pay grades.

In the normal, general case, when first commissioned you're an O-1: a Second Lieutenant in Army, Marines, or Air Force, or an Ensign in the Navy. the Coast Guard, or the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service (of all things.)

When you are promoted, it increments the number, Thus Soylent, who is an O-2 and Army (do I recall that correctly ?) is now a First Lieutenant, but would be a Lieutenant Junior Grade ("Lieutenant JG") in the Navy or the Coast Guard or the PHS.

O-1s are generally considered to be a danger to themselves and others, especially if they get the idea they're actually running anything. O-2s begin to be useful, O-3s can usually be trusted to handle sharp objects without supervision.

(After medicalling out when I enlisted in the AF, I became a civilian intelligence guy, which meant I did the same stuff I would have been doing in the AF, in the same places in general except for a couple of those "I could tell you but" sorts of places, but got paid more and could pick my own clothes. This broke an I-don't-know-how-many-years tradition going back at least to when the motors on warships were made of cloth.)

[McCloud]

The DOJ blogger said that every terrorist picked up in the US since 9/11 has been handled the same way. Interesting.

Guess he forgot the history of Jose Padilla and Ali al-Marri and the years they spent in brigs, and how they eventually got trials. Al-Marri's sentence-- a whopping 8 years thanks to a plea deal, despite being sent by KSM to investigate poisons. Upholding our values, baby!

[PD]

Looks like Conan's ending his last show with more cowbell.

[JM Hanes]

Thanks Charlie. To a civilian like me it's pretty much an impenetrable maze of services and ranks which I only understand for about as long as it takes to explain it to me! I enjoy hearing y'all talk amongst yourselves though, it's sort of like the code that keeps us safe.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

To a civilian like me it's pretty much an impenetrable maze of services and ranks which I only understand for about as long as it takes to explain it to me!

For a really good time, try British RAF ranks. They all have more or less functional names, so, eg, "Squadron Leader" is a rank equivalent to Major.

[Flodigarry]

Clarice - I fly twice a week for business and I have to constantly remind myself to not verbalize my contempt for all the major and minor travesties I am witness to. I'm sure Daddy can testify to even greater atrocities.

My only outlet, which keeps me out of trouble, is to keep a communal diary of my travel travails with my co-workers. We white board "interesting" travel events and are always looking to one-up the others.

[JM Hanes]

I think I'm better off sticking my toe in the water on one side of the pond at a time.....

I meant to tell you that I thought you did a great Climategate roundup over at PJM the other day. It worked as both an update an intro -- very helpful.

[daddy]

Mustang,

As an old Navy boy have seem some grody or grotty (however you spell it) old squadron coffee mugs myself, though I've got nothing to top DoT's VC ear tale, and don't even want to try.

But in the 'what shouldn't have been washed' category, had a Religion Professor years back (History of the old Testament scholar). Spent a summer digging up an ancient city in Israel (Beersheva) under him.

Anyhow, one night as we were all sitting around base camp after the day's dig, looking at remnants of ancient glass, he told a great tale of how some new maid in his home was cleaning stuff and found these old Roman Glass ointment and perfume bottles in a cabinet, which after about 2000 years had developed that sort of multi-colored oilish looking sheen they acquire from centuries of oxidation. She thought they looked nasty, so when he and the wife got home they were floored to see these wonderful ancient and beautiful and valuable pieces drying next to the sink with all the centuries of oxydation scrubbed off them, and her looking proud at the job she'd done. Hilarious story, but man you really felt for him. Said he and the wife were too heartsick but too polite to let the maid know what an atrocious thing she'd done---a very good guy he was.

Here's a shot of the sort of oxidation I'm talking about: Link.">http://www.ancienttouch.com/1216.jpg">Link.

[mefolkes]

A.J. McClane, the outdoors writer and editor, compiled a magnificent fishing encyclopedia. At one point, he had a couple of extremely rare saltwater fish in his refrigerator, waiting for a photographer to shoot them. He came home and discovered that his housekeeper had cooked the damned things.

[daddy]

BBC rant time.

I focus so much on the BBC because where I go this is what is being put out to the rest of the world about America, so I think it's worth being aware of it.

The BBC Science/Environment webpage has 2 regular columnists; Richard Black (Environment Correspondent), and Roger Harrabin (Environment Analyst). It's worth keeping in mind that Harrabin admitted in print that he received leaked CRU E-mails, but he decided not to publicize them, so they didn't get published until they were leaked to the Internet in the big dump 2 weeks later. And Black was his colleague who, after the big dump, stood by the BBC's refusal to publish the CRU leaked documents because of "potential legalities." (Personally I think they sat on the stuff because they didn't want anything to upset the Copenhagen power grab they favored.)

Richard Black has this new column up ">http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/richardblack/2010/01/reflections_in_a_confusing_cli.html"> Reflections on a hugely changed climate. Its a big bemoaning of how in November he was so excited about what Copenhagen might do to save the Earth, and now 2 months later, how all that has collapsed and no big world Government agreement was pushed through to stop AGW. At the time Black particularly lay blame on the fault inherent in our US Constitution, because our Founder's had created a system that prevented Obama from making world Government Climate deals without Congress's ultimate approval. To Black, that system of checks and balances is a very negative thing and a flaw in our government.

In today's column he takes aim at the Massachusetts vote of Scott Brown:

"Meanwhile, the prospective US climate legislation encounters new hurdles, the latest being the election of Republican Scott Brown to succeed Democrat Edward Kennedy as Massachusetts Senator.

That pushes the Democrats below the majority they need to prevent long discussions on the healthcare bill that, it's generally assumed, must go through before the climate wrangles begin in earnest."

In other words, you pesky Massachusetts voters screwed the world Climate-wise, because now that ObamaCare can't be shoved through immediately, the President isn't free to spend 100% of his time shoving through Copenhagen Climate regulations.

Turning to Harrabin's column ">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8475293.stm"> Harrabin's Notes: Cash for influence, he's angry because of the US Supreme Court's decision yesterday to allow Corporations to contribute to Political Campaigns:

"The chances of a global climate deal this year have taken the second major blow in a week in the US...the US Supreme Court has ruled that corporations can spend as much money as they like to influence elections.
The decision is likely to unleash a flood of business cash attempting to drown plans for a climate and energy bill in the Senate."

Therefore the 2 great US victories this week that we JOMer's are all jubilant about, will be spouted out to the rest of the world via the BBC, as horrible developments, especially in preventing the creation of the sort of 1 world Government Regulatory bodies that these BBC Leftists are so desperate for. They specifically view the US as the single most important country that must be pushed into this 1 World Climate Regulation thing, else no other country of consequence will follow. So that is very specifically why they consistently bang on us and criticize us and demand that we do what they want.

So when you happen to go overseas anytime soon and discover that Obama remains wonderful but was prevented from saving GAIA because of our lousy US Constitution, our awful US Supreme Court, and the dumbass, shortsighted and selfish citizen voters of Massachusetts, you'll know the reason why.

And just for fun, the comments to Richard Black's column are generally excellent, as they really take him to task for failing yet to acknowledgement the lies, fraud and deceptions of Climategate.

[daddy]

Another Sarah Palin legal victory today.

">http://www.adn.com/palin/story/1106051.html"> An Alaska judge has sided with former Gov. Sarah Palin in a lawsuit over e-mail, finding that state law doesn't forbid the use of private e-mail accounts to conduct state business.

Narciso, 3 guesses: "Friday's ruling by Superior Court Judge Patrick McKay stems from a lawsuit filed by ...(shoot, you guessed right)---Palin critic Andree McLeod."

98 Letters to the Editor attached to the ADN story, mostly anti-Sarah.

But since I believe that a great majority of the ADN's Letter's to the Editor come from out of state, agenda driven opinion swayers, I thought that this next story, written by a sharp eyed reporter at the Cleveland Plain Dealer might be of interest:

">http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/01/letter_writer_claims_diverse_r.html"> Obama has suspicious number of letter-writing fans named 'Ellie Light'

"Ellie Light sure gets around.
In recent weeks, Light has published virtually identical “Letters to the Editor” in support of President Barack Obama in more than a dozen newspapers. Every letter claimed a different residence for Light that happened to be in the newspaper’s circulation area."

Not that there's any law against what Light does, (unless she's voting in all those locations) but in response to an e-mail from the Plain Dealer Reporter she answered:

“I do not write as a representative of any organization. The letter I wrote was motivated by surprise and wonderment at the absence of any media support for our President, who won a record-breaking election by a landslide less than 18 months ago, and now, seems to be abandoned by all, supposedly for the infantile reason that he couldn’t make all of Bush’s errors disappear in one day.”

So be sure to check your papers and voting rolls for Ellie Light listings. Wonder if she invented the word "skeezy"?

[daddy]

An Experiment:

One final comment about the Ellie Light Letter to the Editor (above), then off to bed.

I know there isn't any bias in the media, since we've been told there isn't a million times, but isn't it unusual that an almost identical letter to the Editor from Light to 12 different Newspapers, highly critical of President Bush and full of nothing but praise for President Obama, should be deemed so good that 12 different unbiased Letter's To The Editor's Editors decided it deserved publication on their Letters page? I suppose it's just my jealousy and cynicism talking, and probably chances are that if any of us did the same thing to 12 papers lauding 1 President and damning another, they'd all receive the same treatment.

So anybody care to do an experiment?

Here's my weak effort, tho' I'm willing to dress it up some if you guys have suggestions:

Potential Letter Number 1:

"George Bush is an A#$hole and Obama is great!"

Potential Letter Number 2:

"George Bush is great and Obama is an A#$hole!"

Which one should I submit, or do you think it'd make a difference?

[BobS]

I've been away from JOM for awhile. School and coaching usually prompt changes in my internet behaviors. Nevermind how much it hurts my own blogging. At any rate, its good to see many of the same folks here Clarice, Jane , Ann, ChaCo, daddy, JMHanes, et al. You folks remain your own special little DRUDGE report. Gog bless you all.

[megapotamus]

Yes Tom, the DoJ DOES have the right to remain silent if what they are accused of is a criminal infraction. I think this can be counted, procedurally at least, as an admission against interest.

[clarice]

DoJ has without legal warrant refused a legitimate FOIA request re the Black Panthers case.

If Obama's favorables keep tanking (and i predict they will) and Holder keeps making dumb moves, Congress and the Courts will soon make Holder's life a living hell and after that there's his boss who will be dealt with. He's courting impeachment.

[PD]

BobS, I hope your slight of Magog isn't intentional.

[sbw]

daddy, we check the address of the writer of every letter we print and call them to be sure they wrote it.

[sbw]

Yes Tom, the DoJ DOES have the right to remain silent if what they are accused of is a criminal infraction.

Only if they are considered a person under the Constitution. Show me where in the Constitution is says that the DOJ is a person! ;-)

[Ignatz]

JMH,
Extending but not revising Charlie's remarks, enlisted personal have a similar scale only it naturally is preceded by an "e".
Hence an e-1 is a lowly airman in the AF and a private in the Army and the equivalent with the Navy, Coast Guard and Jarheads all of whose ranks I can never remember correctly and so won't try.
Sticking to what I know, the AF, e-2 is airman first class, e-3 sergeant, e-4 staff sergeant, e-5 tech sergeant, e-6 master sergeant, e-7 senior master sergeant and e-8 chief master sergeant which is the highest enlisted rank.
I think I'm right on those but it's been over 20 years since I was discharged.