Gitmo Follies

Obama renews his commitment to closing Guantanamo later:

WASHINGTON – President Obama reversed his two-year-old order halting new military charges against detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, on Monday, permitting a resumption of military trials under rules he said provide adequate rights for defendants but implicitly admitting the failure for now of his pledge to close the prison camp.

Mr. Obama said in a statement he remains committed to closing Guantánamo some day and to charging some terrorist suspects in civilian criminal courts, as occurred throughout the administration of George W. Bush administration and has continued under Mr. Obama. But Congress has blocked the transfer of prisoners from Guantánamo to the United States for trial, undermining at least for the time being the administration’s plan to hold civilian trials for Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the chief planner of the Sept. 11 attacks, and other accused terrorists.

 

Comments

[Lord Whorfin says Murphy was an optimist]

Talk about he mother of all expiration dates!!

[Jane]

He's a moron.

[Melinda Romanoff]

This administration will do nothing on this, one way or the other, until they are out of office.

[clarice]

Some day my prince will come..........

[Captain Hate]

Is there any campaign promise he's followed up on? The lefties must be completely gelded because they've been kicked between the uprights so many times that they'd have died from the pain if anything was there.

[PD]

It began on the previous thread, but I'll reply here, the new thread:

I always get AppleCare for laptops and iMacs. These items cost enough that if a big failure occurs, it gets paid back easily.

Have not ever bothered with AppleCare for iPods or the iPad.

[narciso]

Well he's working on 'electricity prices will necessarily skyrocket' and he acts like his pretend wisdom on inflating your tires, are
actual policy recommendations.

[Janet]

He's a moron.

Amen. Where's Cindy Sheehan? Her opinion on anything war related was sooooooo important for years. Her picture is in my kids yearbook for heaven's sake! Her (big hero) & Libby (big criminal) were both pictured.

[narciso]

Yes, Captain, one almost feels sorry for the folks at Prairie Weather, (who will be conned
into TimesSelect part deux (talk about 'winning') then the feeling passes,

[matt]

The Nobel Peace Prize Committee called. They want their money back.

[PD]

The Nobel Peace Prize Committee called. They want their money back.

They should ask for their brains back.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Is there any campaign promise he's followed up on? The lefties must be completely gelded because they've been kicked between the uprights so many times that they'd have died from the pain if anything was there.

It is amazing how a little dose of reality can change your whole governing outlook. It is easy to make a bunch of campaign promises, meant to denigrate your opponent, when you have no experience, just a bunch of talking points. When you finally have to get down to governing and actually dealing with existing law and conditions on the ground, all those pie-in-the sky lefty commie ideas quickly show themselves for what they are, fantasy. The human condition does not lend itself to Utopian fantasies, no matter how lofty those fantasies might sound at midnight in the college dorm when you are 19.

[Jane]

The lefties must be completely gelded

They just change the talking points. It's just not about facts for them.

[Jac]

Miss me yet?

[Jac]

Miss me yet?

[Jac]

Miss me yet?

[Jac]

Miss me yet?

[Jac]

Miss me yet?

[Jac]

That was to be a silly W vomment and I got my hand caught in tne iPad!

[Jac]

Hey! A new word "vomment", which means "a dogs breakfast".

[PD]

Miss me yet?

Not until you leave.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I just saw this headline: "Brazil opens Lula oil field, starts pumping oil, only 3 years after discovery."

Why do our politicians claim it will take 15-20 years to get oil, even if we started drilling right away?

[PD]

The opposite of moving on.

[PD]

Why do our politicians claim it will take 15-20 years to get oil, even if we started drilling right away?

It's called trying to depress your adversaries (a.k.a., us).

[Henry]

Frederick, at least you gave me a chance to reread your blog.
: )

[Spaceman]

The Chinese can build a nuclear plant in 5 years. It takes that long in US to get the regulators' permission start building a nuclear plant.

[Specter]

Hey All!

Remember the word "CHANGE"?

I just can't seem to find policy that supports it - uhhh - unless you want to include Obamacare...

[matt]

Profiles in Chaos. My thoughts on our incompetent President and AG. Lord help us. LUN.

[clariceihavtopasstomanydeadprinces']

The delay is so we use theirs and ours when they run out.There is terror extortion now for the rigs,so the old scam dont matter.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Charlie Sheen may have been fired by CBS, but he is hiring. He is looking for an intern. I'm thinking of applying since I think he needs a housemother more than an intern. Give me a couple of months, and I'll have him whipped into shape and ready to win for real.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Not to draw too broad conclusions, I do think this explains a lot:

Since 1995, Arabian Gulf money has poured into these schools:

American University (The) $500,000
Boston University $1,500,237
Columbia University $500,000
Cornell University $10,900,000
George Washington University $11,953,519
Georgetown University $16,232,667
Harvard University $11,871,563
Howard University $250,000
MIT $10,000,000
Michigan State University $926,740
Rice University $2,750,000
Texas A&M University $1,498,671
Tufts University $1,000,000
University of Arkansas $18,312,524

Total $88,195,921

[Melinda Romanoff]

Sara-

Looks like a lot of season tickets for Arabic hockey fans, since that could be the only reason BU is on the list.

Or admission tickets, but at BU that's one and the same.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

1, 2, 3 ... everyone wipe a tear and say aaaaaaaaahhhhh.

Secret WH memo: Why aren’t any high schools asking Obama to speak at commencement this year?

[narciso]

That kind of explains why there was no 'Arab lobby' published by any major university press, how Stephen Walt and Joseph Nye, ended
up such slavish takers of dictation for Quadaffi.

[Army of Davids]

A few things to look at w/ legacy pension and healthcare obligations..

1) assumptions of 8% return discounted to funding levels for future payouts. Warren Buffet calls this assumption "crazy". It is an expensive assumption.

2) COLA increases. That should be fun in a inflationary environment.

3) Pension spiking...jacking up your work hours in your final year so that your future pension payouts are jacked up as well.

4) Air Time...nice little pension buy-in game in California for those who want to leave the public sector for a while.

5) Inflationary hit to legacy healthcare obligations.

6) Some public employees get a get out of the Social Security system free card. Where can I sign up for one of those? .... Nevermind.

7) States like Illinois floating bond issues to fund it's pension. There will be more of this.

8) increases in human longevity coming down the pike.

The public sector unions may be screwing over the taxpayer right now. But the best is yet to come. And this garbage is locked in by law.

[PD]

Jac,

My apologies. With all that whacky posting, I thought you were some kind of troll. Checking your LUN, I see that's far from the case.

[Danube of Thought]

"States like Illinois floating bond issues to fund it's pension. There will be more of this."

What suckers those bond buyers must be. When the state government has to choose between stiffing them and stiffing the public pensioners, what do they expect will happen?

[clarice]

Amir Taheri says what's happening in the ME is not an economic or Islamic revolt--it's a political revolt.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/behind_the_revolts_CF5ImBNrvOHXW1TOiZoNaI

[PD]

From Sara's link:

The White House is ramping up an effort to promote a nationwide competition to decide which high school wins a commencement speech by President Obama.

Is it just me or is there something seriously strange about flogging the president like a lottery ticket?

[maryrose]

Wisconsin and Ohio and hopefully Indiana are going to change the future of unions and collective bargaining. no one can survive these pension promises or healthcare guarrantees. In the early 90's I was a public school teacher,forced to belong to the Union and told to vote for Bill Clinton{as if}. I was a counselor hired for a federal program for at-risk kids. When the grant dried up I who had been hired in the morning of a certain day was saved for 1 year because my friend was hired in the afternoon and I had seniority over her. The next year I was sent to the High school and bumped a first year Spanish teacher because I had 2 years in and she just had one. The next year a counseling position opened up at the high school but that bad year's experience was a deciding factor for me. Helping elderly parents, my family and returning to private education with less guarantees was my chosen path. I have never regretted my decision.

[maryrose]

With Obama I'm reminded of the song:
Promises, Promises,that's all you'll ever git...

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I have figured out how to save myself close to $500. Last night the dog's tail whipped around and caught me in the face, knocking my glasses off and halfway across the room, where my son was coming in the door and promptly stepped on them, as I gasped. I wear graduated lenses and I'm farsighted, so I can no longer read anything closer than 15 ft., including my computer screen. So in desperation, I rummaged around and found an old pair of glasses with a 10 year old prescription in the junk drawer.

I have been complaining for months that I need new glasses, but couldn't afford them. I've struggled with my existing, now broken pair. Low and behold, I not only see just as well with the old pair, I actually see better. I think instead of needing a stronger prescription, my eyes may have improved and the older lenses are better. Voila $500 saved (or maybe created). In fact, the old glasses (also graduated lenses) are so much better, I forgot I had them on and got all the way into bed to go to sleep before realizing I still had them on.

[Army of Davids]

There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.
Leon Trotsky

[maryrose]

I know of at least 3 people who are what we call double-dipping in the Ohio school system. You retire from one job collect your benefits while at the same time you have been hired for another position and can then collect on those benefits. Good work if you can get it.

[Janet]

Great story Sara. Ya know, maybe that borrowed dentures story wasn't really that great. Lots of old or borrowed things are better! Why did the Dems assume the used dentures were crappy? Might have been top notch!

[PD]

I don't know, Janet. I wouldn't want to use someone else's toothbrush, I certainly don't want to use their teeth! :-)

[PD]

I know of at least 3 people

There's no mechanism to turn them in?

[PD]

Or do you mean this is explicitly allowed in the system?

[Henry]

PD, my impression is double dipping is not only explicitly allowed but is encouraged in the govt sector all over.

[Captain Hate]

PD, being a whistle-blower in the public sector isn't a prudent thing to do; ask Linda Tripp.

[bgates]

The White House is ramping up an effort to promote a nationwide competition to decide which high school wins a commencement speech by President Obama.

Second prize: Two speeches.

[Ann]

If only.... they were wearing orange jumpsuits!

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Janet: I don't know about dentures, but after my Mother had her stroke, her hearing deteriorated quickly and we got her hearing aids. When she died, I called around to see if her $6000 hearing aids could be donated. One of the places I called, sent someone all the way out to my house to pick them up. I also donated several pairs of old glasses I found in a box in her dresser. It does seem that even ill-fitting dentures might be better than having no teeth at all, if you can get over the ick factor.

[bgates]

What's really holding things up is there is a rumor the last place school will have to have their prom chaperoned by Michelle Obama and Katie Couric.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

LOL bgates, sometimes you are soooooo baaaaad.

[bgates]

Is there a high school attached to Galludet? I don't want to pick on the deaf, but I'd think it would be less irksome for them to have Obama speaking in front of them.

It could be a real bonding moment. All the kids at the other schools would be so grateful, and they'd learn to see there can be real value in being deaf. Especially if there's some giant douchebag who won't stop yapping.

[PD]

PD, my impression is double dipping is not only explicitly allowed but is encouraged in the govt sector all over.

In the Wisconsin state retirement system, you cannot retire and take your benefits, then decide to go back to work for the state while continuing to take those benefits.

In fact, if when nearing your retirement you so much as discuss the possibility of returning to work after retirement, you risk the loss of all benefits. See p4 of the Jan 2011 newsletter here.

Whether any of that is ever enforced is another question, I suppose, but taking your retirement while not retiring doesn't seem to be allowed.

(I've been checking into the Wis. retirement system recently because I worked for the UW for many years and turn 55 later this month. Thus I become eligible to being taking payments if I want. I am not retired, but it would not, I think, be double-dipping because I'm no longer working for the state.)

[Ann]

Second prize: Lunch with Michelle

[PD]

being taking -> begin taking

[Rick Ballard]

Henry,

Of course it's encouraged. Buck passing, ass covering, paper shuffling, break taking, shovel leaning, time filling bureaucrats are worth their weight in... something and should never be allowed to lift their snouts from the trough. The entire nation would sing hosannas for months collapse should they simply retire after emptying their first tax funded feed bag.

[Army of Davids]

Libya going off line is 1.1 million barrels of oil a day. That's about 1.3% of global supply. The price in WTI $104 doesn't reflect the real hit as much as the price at the pump. Brent crude (European) around $118 has been a better reflection of the actual global price of oil because of some distribution changes hitting the Cushing, Oklahoma storage facility (WTI).

The point is more to say that marginal supply matters. And it matters more the tighter the market gets as a driver of prices. OPEC is acting to cover for the shortfall and mitigate the price spike. But policy in the U.S. needs to shore up more domestic supply and continue to increase (vs decrease) the petroleum reserve. A second petroleum reserve (they have one in China) is smart policy IMO.

These oil spikes can do major damage to an economy. And the U.S. because we are so spread out and so dependent on oil are at risk as much as any.

We might see the price go back down in the next month. I have no idea. But we have other oil spikes coming at us. They have the potential to be some mothers. Remember summer 2008's spike to $147 came right before the credit crisis. It played a roll in the depth of the damage.

What happens in 2013 if something comparable happens in Saudi Arabia?

Bottom line....when political academics come back w/ a study that shows the idea that marginal supply doesn't matter I have to say...BS. It matters a lot at the top of oil spikes and it matters more when the spikes are bigger.

[maryrose]

It is definitely allowed and everyone seems to enjoy eating at the trough.

[maryrose]

Why do you need 10 people to drill or dig a hole or repair aroad? Everytime I drive by 2 guys are working, one guy is holding a sign and 8 others are watching.

[Jim Miller]

That kind of "double dipping" has become an issue here in Washington state, especially in our universities. It's strange to see someone "retire" and then get hired immediately, or almost immediately, to do the same job they were doing before.

[C.R.]

There was a kerfuffle during the election for governor where Jerry Brown was accused of not only double dipping on his state pension, but drawing it from a ‘secret fund” as well. I never heard if he had a defense, but obviously it wasn't enough to keep him out of office. LUN

[daddy]

Can't say it better than Jane up above.

"He's a moron."

[bgates]

Apparently the kids are having trouble with the application essay question, "What do you guys think I should do about all those fanatical psychos at Guantanamo?"

[bgates]

Second prize: Lunch with Michelle

Third prize: Lunch for Michelle.

[daddy]

At the OCS (Offshore Continental Shelf) Public Drilling Hearing I went to last week, one of the speakers said that start to finish to get an Oil Drilling Lease from Mexico takes 43 days. He was contrasting that with the 5 years 5 Billion cost Conoco and I think Shell had spent up here with still no final permission to Drill due to Federal Government dithering and Eco Lawsuits.

I can't vouch for that 43 day figure, but nobody contradicted him.

Another speaker said that 1 of our Oil Companies was in the process of moving 8 of their rigs out of the Gulf Of Mexico due to the Moratorium, and shipping 4 to Brazil and 4 to coastal Africa.

Wish we had an Oil guy to give us the "inside the Industry straight scoop," but that's what was stated at the Public Hearing.

[PD]

Fourth prize: Lunch from Michelle's garden.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Daddy: Why does Alaska allow the Feds to control so much of their resources and land and dictate to the State how they can best use the resources and land?

You guys up there are supposed to be so pioneery and independent. Why do you put up with the Fed iron fist.

Someone ask what would happen if drilling started despite the Feds? I ask why not. Will they send in the army to stop you, because short of that, seems they are pretty impotent, if the citizenry decides to act and protect the fields against Fed intrusion.

And yes, I'm to the point of being willing to stop yacking and start acting.

[Comanche Voter]

Mr. Waffles is in fine form right now.

[Danube of Thought]

A huge portion--on the order of, say, 50%--of the land in the western states is owned by the federal government. I don't know how big a slice of Alaska they have, but I'm sure it's a whole lot of land. And what they don't own they can tie in knots with the EPA, BLM, Interior Department and hordes of other minor papacies.

[Threadkiller]

I don't think prize means what it used to mean.

[DrJ]

The Feds own just shy of 70% of the land in Alaska.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Well then DOT, we better act quickly while "the government" still means "we the people."

[daddy]

Jack,

Excellent story on the other thread about Darwin and Lawn Tennis, and especially the kvetching about the Drosera. That bit of great trivia is going into my memory banks. Thanks for that.

Everyone:

Just got an alert from Skippy Peanut Butter. The Skippy Reduced Fat Peanut Butter Spread currently on store shelves is being immediately recalled due to Salmonella contamination. Momma says we had some in the cupboard. Yikes.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Choosy Mothers choose Jiff. Doncha' know?

[Ralph L]

I'd think it would be less irksome for them to have Obama speaking in front of them
They could just turn the TOTUS around while BHO moves his head from side to side. The TOTUS has a skinny ass (from the second-hand smoke), so it's no problem.

In the 80's, a co-worker went to grad school at GWU part time. I can't remember the degree, but many of the other students were Saudi military officers.

[Pofarmer]

"The Chinese can build a nuclear plant in 5 years. It takes that long in US to get the regulators' permission start building a nuclear plant."

More like 10 years and 40 million, just for the permits.

[daddy]

"The Chinese can build a nuclear plant in 5 years. It takes that long in US to get the regulators' permission start building a nuclear plant."

Even more maddening, of the 17 Chinese Nuclear Plants in planning or under construction, 5 of them (or 29%) are being built by Westinghouse Corp.

This Administration is out of it's mind.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Westinghouse! What do you know!

My paternal Grandfather, an electrical engineer by education, was manager of the Pacific Rim for Westinghouse. He made many trips to China and made some very good friends. That was what he referred to as Old China, then along came Red China and everything came to a screeching halt. But even though communication was difficult, many of those friends managed to stay in touch on a personal level with my Grandparents right up until my Grandfather's death.

It would be nice to think that maybe some of those friends and business contacts opened the door to Westinghouse all these years later. I know that some still remember my Grandfather because when my Mother made her trip to China in 2001, she was invited as the guest of honor to a dinner at the home of the daughter of one of those early contacts of her Dad. This woman was very anxious to show my Mother a picture she had of her father and my Grandfather shaking hands. Needless to say, my Mother was blown away by the experience.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Oh dear. I'm listening to a replay of Brett Bair's interview with Gen'l. Petreaus. Petreaus says: PAHK-EE-STAWN and TAHL-LEE-BAWN.

[Jack is Back!]

Sorry about the Jac burst last night but U ws going to make a "Miss me yet" before bed and it somehow went out before i could backspace delete my name. Hoe I got so many Jacs is another iPad mystery. Need to try the DoT solution and only use the iPad while drinking a martini.

[Jack is Back!]

Geez, that post looks like I am drinking martinis this morning. Too rushed to correct. A bottle of Beefeaters to who can figure it out.

[Janet]

Someone ask what would happen if drilling started despite the Feds? I ask why not. Will they send in the army...

If illegals are brave enough to disregard our laws...then maybe citizens should be too. Heck, the feds can't stop the illegals.

[Rob Crawford]

Difference is, Janet, that they don't want to stop the illegals.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

Is there a high school attached to Galludet? I don't want to pick on the deaf, but I'd think it would be less irksome for them to have Obama speaking in front of them.

Oh how I love laughing first thing in the morning!

[Janet]

via Am. Thinker - Now we have to worry about our Nitrogen footprint!

from the article - "Producing and consuming food is one of the major contributors to nitrogen pollution."

These leftists have gone totally insane.

[clarice]

bgates!!!!!!

[bunkerbuster]

Hey here's a great slogan for the Tea Party:
Greed is great, unless you work for the government.

Although it is kind of tough to top: Keep the government out of my Medicare...

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

It's not greedy to want to keep what you earn bubu. It's greedy to think you can take what someone else earns.

[fdcol63]

In a sane and just world, Michael Moore would just be a fat slob that no one listened to.

[narciso]

The insanity, just moves along, like a 'rolling stone' in the LUN

[DebinNC]

Speaking of being greedy... The Milwaukee mayor, who lost the guv race to Scott Walker, wants public safety workers there to agree to Walker's pension/insurance givebacks that, supposedly and oft-quoted, the other public unions magnanimously agreed to. Instead, they want more, more, more, even though in Milwaukee 2/3 of the budget goes to public safety workers.

[DebinNC]

In a sane and just world, Michael Moore would just be a fat slob that no one listened to.

Michael Moore is a girther.

[Captain Hate]

I've never understood the appeal of Michael Moore's movies; they're a particularly low sort of "gotcha" humor through misleading editing that aren't deserving of more than a local cable access forum.

[Sandy Daze]

8 March 2011

Narc -

UFB.

The drive toward 'diversity', the lowering of admissions standards at the Academies, the reverse discrimination against white males, the inclusion of open gays, on and on have all been encouraged by CJCS, Admiral Mike Mullen.

In Europe AFRTS (now known as AFN) runs a commercial for Navy Medical, where USN sailors from around the world introduce themselves and state their home of birth and then the announcer intones at the end, "US Navy Medicine, Strength through Diversity!" Golly, what ever happened to "Strength through Professional Competence" ??

Wouldn't it be nice if we stopped talking about 'diversity' and started focusing on, professional competence?

Just asking.

(The final report (21 MB) or an Executive Summary (4 MB) are available for download here.)

Take good care,
Sandy

[Seeking candidates for 'denihilist'.]

Ooh, I like 'girther'.
===========

[Janet]

Yeah narciso...I can't even read that link. The left has ground our country to a halt with their nonsense. I've grown to hate the words diversity, justice, environment,...