On His Presidency's Sexual Service

These Secret Service clowns have endangered the President and made the US a laughingstock at a regional conference.

And apparently the good times rolled beyond the Secret Service:

The probe widened yesterday to include five members of the US military who were allegedly involved in the same incident, officials said.

The service members, with the Southern Command, are still in Colombia “because of the expertise and the knowledge that these guys have,” a military spokesman told CBS News.

A statement released by the Southern Command said the service members “violated the curfew . . . and may have been involved in inappropriate conduct.”

There is a crying need for improved security in Kabul...

Comments

[Buford Gooch]

Arresting soldiers for liaisons with hookers could decimate our military. Perhaps they have gone a bridge too far.

[Jane (get off the couch - come save the country)]

Why do we send 12 unneeded secret service people with the president?

I recall we just sent 25 with one of his children.

Why are we spending all this money?

[Jane (get off the couch - come save the country)]

BTW I am convinced captcha does not require accuracy. I have not entered one code that I could read every letter and I've only had to repeat once. What on earth is the point of that?

[G One]

I agree with you Tom, people don't go in to law enforcement or the military because they are at the top of their class

[Clarice]

I saw your name, here, Jane, and popped in because I thought you might be volunteering for duty.

Now to test your theory.

[MarkO]

Wasn't this a trap?

[cathyf]

So something about this topic attracted qui-bid ads. I'm trying to figure out the angle -- qui-bid is to auction as hookers are to true love?

[GMax]

After Michael Barrone, there is no better analyst of elections than Jay Cost. Here is part of his latest:

This, put simply, is Barack Obama’s problem. If the 2012 election is framed on “are you better off than you were four years ago?,” then he is going to lose. His record on the economy, the deficit, energy policy, and health care are all very unpopular.

So, Obama’s objective is to get the country to think about other things. In particular, he has of late employed a series of gimmicks to induce the country to conceive of Mitt Romney in the above terms. The whole “war on women” is exactly along those lines, as is the Buffett Rule. Both speak to the core strategy – Romney is a conservative radical and tool of big business who wants to deprive women of birth control and help only the rich get richer.

In pulling this off, Obama has two very substantial problems.

First, Mitt Romney will have an opportunity to define himself for the electorate, funded by hundreds of millions of dollars worth of television ads. And he has a compelling story to tell: family man and father of five, started his own company that invested in a lot of visible businesses, saved the Salt Lake City Olympics, and worked with Democrats in Massachusetts of all places. It is going to be easier said than done to stick either the Barry Goldwater or the J.P. Morgan label on him.

Second, and more importantly, this is not what swing voters want to talk about. Think of the campaign in terms of consumer economics: Customers want Walmart and Target to stock their shelves with certain items at certain prices, and the purchasing power of their dollars forces the two firms to comply. Well, our parties are like Walmart and Target, the voters are their customers, and the campaigns are like the marketplace. In the competition for votes, the two parties invariably end up talking about what the country, and in particular the swing vote, wants to talk about.

I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that the average swing voter does not want to talk about the “war on women,” the Buffett rule, or whatever else Team Obama is going to throw out there in the weeks and months to come. That voter wants to talk about jobs, the economy, the deficit, gas prices, the health care bill--in other words, all the issues where the president is vulnerable. And the competition of the campaign means that swing voter will get what he wants – Team Romney is more than happy to discuss all those issues, and so Obama will have no choice but to respond.

I got Bin Hiding, look squirrel is not going to work.

[rse]

Actually G One that's a misperception. Some are simply bored boys looking for a challenge with aptitudes in the stratosphere.

Anyone else think working in close proximity to bo fosters a belief that it's all a massive shakedown to be enjoyed to the max while it lasts.

If only he were more serious like mo.

[Cecil Turner]

An old military aphorism (variously attributed to Patton, among others, none convincingly) goes: "a man who won't f*ck, won't fight." And I see from the article that it isn't even a violation of Colombian law. Color me not terribly concerned.

BTW, "the probe widened" is both unfortunate and somewhat ridiculous word choice.

[redgypsy]

G-1 "I agree with you Tom, people don't go in to law enforcement or the military because they are at the top of their class."

Speak for yourself, or for the (very) few military you must have known. I have been a military wife for 24 years and most of the "people" I've met were at the top of their class. Where did you go to school?

[redgypsy]

(for pete sake....the last sentence wasn't supposed to be bolded...)

[Cecil Turner]

unbold.

[MarkO]

I so hope DoT does not read this:

"I agree with you Tom, people don't go in to law enforcement or the military because they are at the top of their class."

It reveals a virulent condescension.

[GMax]

BTW Insty has a link to the Nation, and they are all p.o.ed that Hillary Rosen and Kickerbocker are just corporate whores and shills for big business. Its damn funny to read actually. So much for Hope and Change, I guess.

[G One]

"Where did you go to school?"

It sounds like a better one.

[G One]

My imaginary son was stupid enough to go into the military and got killed in Iraq. They're all idiots.

[Ben Franklin]

Funny how that sock always shows up with GobMax, isn't it?

[Ben Franklin]

PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[narciso]

Well it is interesting, how those who protest
'false consciousness' are the most diligent
practitioner of it, yes Hilary was the lady of Babylon, for RIAA and then a hack for
Beyond Petroleum, just like that Johnson fellow was a democrat in good standing that
held the Keystone acct, at Cave LLP.

[Ben Franklin]

Maguire; WTF are you when your peeps need you. AIYGAS.

[narciso]

tHe MCA heir, and Humble OIl's beneficiary, by proxy, have some nerve.

[G One]

There's a reason we haven't won a war since WWII.

[Ben Franklin]

Stop cock-puppetting me and my cock-puppets!!!! I have important thing to say about how stupid people in the military are!!!!

RESPECT MAH AUTHORI-TAY!!!!

[narciso]

Well one can't forget that group of contractors from Armour Group, I believe where the CIA deputy director, that got themselves in a spot of trouble some years back.

[Jack is Back!]

Another post ruined by a nit-wit anti- social idiot from some podunk college in California. Back to my book.

[narciso]

'cooled his heels' during the Goss interregnum

http://www.securitymanagement.com/news/armorgroup-will-still-protect-us-embassy-kabul-005754

[narciso]

How are the latest adventures of Milo Farrow, JiB, I was noting that bit of news, our of a certain area near Abbotabad, where Bin Laden's
supposedly were living. and I recall that sean Flannery (DAvid Hagberg) and Daniel Silva
in their own way, was most accurate, as to where they would hide a master terrorist.

[narciso]

In this one, he appears to be hiding in plain sight, in the Messenger, part of a corporate apparatus

http://www.amazon.com/Allahs-Scorpion-Kirk-McGarvey-Novels/dp/0765345412/ref=pd_sim_b_14

[Jack is Back!]

narsico,

MIlo got f**ked pretty bad by the usual suspects (his own crowd) in the latest. Nothing new.

Now reading Matthew Pearl's latest "The Technologists" about the first graduating class of MIT and how they solve a science mystery that frightens Boston. Being a MIT guy, it is revealing to say the least.

[Sandy Daze]

JiB, Chubby, Janet, et al . . .

Off topic, but for a Sunday, and becasue it concerns the massing of troops against Voldemort, the following is FYI:

A Fortnight For Freedom: Our First, Most Cherished Liberty, A Statement on Religious Liberty

Stalin once said: "The Pope! How many divisions has he got?" Our very own Stalin will soon, if he hasn't started already, be wondering the same thing.

PDF here.
I read this latest letter to the laity and to all pro-First Amendment Americans as a 'mobilization order.' In particular, the letter calls for a series of actions from 21 June through 4 July to be dedicated to a "Fortnight For Freedom" and specifically exhorts "writers, producers, artists, publishers, filmmakers, and bloggers employing all the means of communications—both old and new media—to . . . use their skills and talents in defense of our first freedom."

The letter is masterfully written. I had to initially read it several times to grasp the interlocking arguments, the appeals and the overall construct. In fact, every time I have re-read it, I see something new (now about half-a-dozen times). Using religious leaders from the the Pope, to John Carroll to MLK to God himself, and making appeals to intellect and reason from both within and without politics and religion, the letter is tremendously and skilfully crafted.

The tsunami builds.

OS~OMG~ABO,
Sandy

[Jack is Back!]

Sandy,

What a great letter from the Bishops. Lori is on a mission and Dolan is not a guy Obama wants to play high stakes poker with is he? This is going to be an election issue if the ACA is upheld. If not then it is a victory of rhetoric.

[narciso]

One might quibble with their criticism of immigration laws, like those in Alabama, but it is a sterling defense of principle, not like the statistical legerdemain, that has been bandied about in as many weeks,

[Sandy Daze]

JiB - Cardinal Dolan is the Pope's Theater Commander, and Bishop Lori is Dolan's Task Force Commander, no? How about those other leaders working with Lori in the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty:

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington
Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap, Archbishop of Philadelphia
Most Rev. Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop of Atlanta
Most Rev. John C. Nienstedt, Archbishop of St. Paul–Minneapolis
Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi, Archbishop of Mobile
Most Rev. J. Peter Sartain, Archbishop of Seattle
Most Rev. John O. Barres, Bishop of Allentown
Most Rev. Daniel E. Flores, Bishop of Brownsville
Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix
Most Rev. Thomas J. Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield, IL

Bishop Consultants
Most Rev. José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles
Most Rev. Stephen E. Blaire, Bishop of Stockton
Most Rev. Joseph P. McFadden, Bishop of Harrisburg
Most Rev. Richard E. Pates, Bishop of Des Moines
Most Rev. Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of Fort Wayne–South Bend

This cannot be seen as a Dolan<->Voldemort contest of egos, Dolan has smartly moved some of his most able men to the front lines for tactical direction. Note also that these Cardinals and Bishops are geographically dispersed throughout Our Great Republic. Make no mistake, Cardinal Dolan knows exactly where he is headed. . . Voldemort, I'm not so sure.

OMG~OS~ABO,
Sandy

[PaulV]

Nation linked to this Politico artice on how firm on Dunn and Dumber had hurt democrats:
EXCLUSIVE: ROSEN FIASCO EXTENDS W.H. GENDER WARS - Per a senior Dem: “Serious Dem operatives are aghast at Hilary Rosen's misguided attack on Ann Romney's work history. She and others at PR firm SKD Knickerbocker have represented many clients that have raised hackles with senior White House staff. It's an open secret in the Dem consultant community that SKD has been signing up clients based on ‘perceived White House access’ tied to prior relationships and employment. An example is the Gerson Lehrman Group, the NY based international firm that is a broker for consultants to the business community, but there are many others. ...

“A sure sign of WH displeasure is the strong and fast repudiation of Rosen's remarks by David Axelrod and other staffers. Rosen's [initial] refusal to apologize in the face of a WH request to do so was seen by senior aides as a maddening example of political freelancing and self-promotion that only undermines the president and his re-election effort .... Remember when Anita Dunn made a splash about the ‘male dominated’ WH? She and Hillary are pitching clients at SKD together. Hilary's refusal to cowtow to the (so far) male voices in the WH and campaign trying to rein her in is a continuation of those WH gender wars.”

[Ben Franklin]

"Voldemort, I'm not so sure."

Hosea 8:7 comes to mind since Dolan has a fix on the outcome.

But I don't wish to hamper Bishops with arcane scripture not discussed in Catechism. Politics is a dangerous place for religion.

[Sandy Daze]

If the ACA is upheld, then the timing of the Fortnight For Freedom places it soon thereafter the USSC decision (if I have my sense of timing correct). If the ACA is overturned, the FFF will serve to underscore the correctness of the decision, encourage further opposition to the regime and further empower those in the trenches, strengthening their personal & spiritual commitment.

ABO~OMG~OS,
Sandy

[Jim Ryan]

I'm supposed to run around like a chicken with its head cut off because some rough men [REDACTED] some hooas? Meh.

They'd take a bullet for the president, but they'd succumb to blackmail?

I'd rather have one of these guys babysit my kids than almost any member of Congress.

Give 'em the customary slap on the wrist. Reassign them.

[GMax]

Archbishop Chaput was one who invoked St Michael the Archangel in his public prayers on the matter of the HHS mandate. He knows quite well who his adversary is...

[Sandy Daze]

Yes, narciso, I take your point re the immigration laws, but given previous church policy in this area, it would have been surprising had such not been included.

ABO~OS~OMG,
Sandy

[pagar]

As you're reading these stories about demands for investigations of the SS guys.

Keep in mind that no one seems to worry about this war against American women.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/04/war-on-women-sobbing-female-suffers-through-obamas-tsa-groping-video/

Meanwhile the US State Dept insures the MB visitors aren't subject to such embarrassments.

[narciso]

Really, Rosen didn't take the hint, like that fellow at the head table in the Untouchables who was misunderstanding Capone's 'team metaphor' Axelrod relies on hard to trace
false flags, and she was just too blatant.

[GMax]

Religious practice is a dangerous place for lefty politicians. Hide and watch.

[DrJ]

Please read the latest at the Belmont Club if you haven't already. It is very worthwhile.

[narciso]

I make allowances, for that, if they really have banned taking confession, they have intruded into a realm they were proscribed from.

[pagar]

Sorry, the link for the State Dept prevent the Customs people from inspecting the MB.

http://www.investigativeproject.org/3525/ipt-exclusive-state-department-barred-inspection#.T4NYOuAmxgg.twitter

"The State Department issued a cable specifically barring Customs officials from carrying out any inspections of Dardery and the other members of the delegation on their arrival at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport."

Unbelievable!

[narciso]

Our partners in peace, this can't go wrong

ww.ft.com/intl/cms/s/1c2f1072-86b9-11e1-865d-00144feab49a,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F1c2f1072-86b9-11e1-865d-00144feab49a.html&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fatlasshrugs2000.typepad.com%2Fatlas_shrugs%2F2012%2F04%2Fobamas-peace-partners-the-taliban-free-400-in-pakistan-prison-break.html#axzz1s60pKsrX

[narciso]

Well they aren't the enemy, that point has been made clear;

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2012/04/obamas-peace-partners-the-taliban-free-400-in-pakistan-prison-break.html

[Sandy Daze]

Just so, GMAX.

[GMax]

Sandy

That's the one.

[GMax]

Insty links to Open Secrets which has complied the top contributors by organization to Zero. Note all the Universities on the list:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/contrib.php?id=N00009638

[MarkO]

That's clearly not a picture of Michael rowing his boat ashore.

[Ignatz]

LOL, MarkO.

[Sandy Daze]

Heh-Heh, MarkO

[narciso]

This was Daschles's firm once upon a time,

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/topindivs.php?id=D000021569&cycle=2012

Skadden Arps, where that lobbyist comes from in the other thread, is no. 5 on the list.

[Pofarmer]

Fyi the Catholic Church was for Obamacare. Still are except for it's abortion provisions. Also in favor of illegal immigration. Keep your friends close, and the Vishops way, way over there.

[GMax]

BS the church took no position on Obamacare and of course you are distorting their position on illegal immigrants in this country, as they believe they have an obligation to serve, even tax collectors the good book says.

[Jim Ryan]

Yes, nice one MarkO.

[Pofarmer]

U.S. Council of catholic bishops on health care

http://old.usccb.org/healthcare/faqs.shtml

Answer: The bishops have been consistent advocates for comprehensive, life-affirming reform to the nation’s health care system. Health care reform needs to reflect basic moral principles. The bishops believe access to basic, quality health care is a universal human right not a privilege. In this light they offer four criteria to guide the process: a truly universal health policy that respects all human life and dignity, from conception to natural death; access for all with a special concern for the poor and inclusion of legal immigrants; pursuing the common good and preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and variety of options; and restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers.

[Pofarmer]

Council oc catholic bishops on illegal immigration.

"The Catholic Catechism instructs the faithful that good government has two duties, both of which must be carried out and neither of which can be ignored. The first duty is to welcome the foreigner out of charity and respect for the human person. Persons have the right to immigrate and thus government must accommodate this right to the greatest extent possible, especially financially blessed nations: "The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him." Catholic Catechism, 2241."
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/immigration/churchteachingonimmigrationreform.cfm

[Carol Herman]

I see. So Hillary Clinton runs in. With all her experiences Bill gave her. And, she can't understand why the guys didn't find free fat girls?

Did you think the men weren't supposed to have sex?

Now, it would be a totally other thing IF when on assignment these dudes had to take their wives along.

Besides. Colombia grew fat and rich on the drug trade. It was never legal. And, they didn't even have air fields. Just smugglers. (With Robert Sabbag's story pointing out that they'd fly in using a DC3. Landing on hard scrabble. Having the giant bird turned by the locals. And, refueled using barrels of jet fuel brought to the site by burros.)

You're just lucky this story isn't about "touring" those rich fields of Red and Gold!

While, again, according to Sabbag, the Columbians didn't even smoke pot! So they didn't know the value of their best crops! It's almost as funny as an old Bob Newhart routine, where he had a PR agent on the phone, in London, talking to Sir Walter Raleigh.

"You bought 80 tons of leaves?"

"Oh, I see. You can roll it in paper ... and then what? Stick this in your ear?"

I'm shocked that people are shocked over whore houses.

Exactly who still believes in the fairy tales that sex only happens after you get married. And, it's all in your marital bed.

Man. What a stupid story just came down the pike. Brought to you more successfully, though, than the Zimmerman attempt at starting a racial war.

(I think Zimmerman's name sounds too Jewish to have worked.)

[Strawman Cometh]

Speaking as a one time choir boy, GMAX, here, and here only, is pawned.

[Beasts of England]

G One@5:38 - 'I agree with you Tom, people don't go in to law enforcement or the military because they are at the top of their class'

Gee, struck a nerve on my first week here. May not want to share that with my father or David Patraeus, et al. Slackers...

[Carol Herman]

So far all Obama has to do to win, is show up.

While the republicans can't seem to find candidates who even look like successful businessmen.

I've come to think of it as being very similar to the American Auto Industry. Who gave away the store ... to appease the small mindedness of their hired union help. And, then devised ways to ship to and from, over the great Pacific.

How did it start? With LBJ. He had to dig out a big port in Viet Nam (when it was once spelled as two words.) In order to bring out military in.

That was the beginning of container shipping. While longshoremen stole from everything being shipped. And, their unions fought the cranes ... that unloaded the containers. And, could line them up on truck beds. Or freight cars.

It put Marlon Brando's movie ON THE WATERFRONT out of business.

It provided Seattle with a new port. As shipping diverted away from the "giants." Like NYC. And, LA.

You just can't blame the politicians!

As to the media, now? Most literate people pick their news up from the Internet.

This story about Colombia? Sure. It has a sex angle. But so far few people figure out Obama isn't like the others.

And, Chavez? Almost dead.

Who gets to take over Colombia next?

Does Chavez leave a vacuum?

Were we supposed to leave staff there to figure this out?

As to the 12 guys that got busted, they need new "careers." Maybe, Holder will come up with something? Maybe, they'll be sent to inspect luggage for the TSA?

[Beasts of England]

G One@7:35 - 'My imaginary son was stupid enough to go into the military and got killed in Iraq. They're all idiots.'

I'll allow Tom to share my e-mail address with you. We'll get this straightened out, mother fucker...

[Ignatz]

Beasts,
That 7:35 post is a sock puppet ridiculing the real Ben Franklin. The sock puppet is considerably more irritating than the real Ben who has a long and in many ways unfortunate history here himself.
Wheels within wheels, so to speak.

[Ignatz]

BTW Beasts,
I know a gentleman never tells, but on the presumption you're not one, how was the date with the beautiful bottom? :)

[Beasts of England]

Thanks, Ignatz. As I said, struck a nerve. Other than my children, perhaps the only one.

I'll never tell. ;-)

[Ignatz]

Should have known you were a gent. Anyone with England in their handle has to be, right? :)

[A Fine Bunch of Reubens]

West Point is the number 4 school for cranking out Rhodes Scholars.

The Naval Academy, 46.

The Air Force Academy in its shot life, 35.

"The previous study noted the significant difference between the national recruit high school graduation rate of 98 percent and the national youth graduation rate of 75 percent. "

"92.1 percent of active-duty officer accessions held baccalaureate degrees or higher.[5] From 2000 to 2005, between 10 percent and 17 percent of active-duty officer accessions held advanced degrees, and between 35 percent and 45 percent of the active-duty officer corps held advanced degrees."

Whole thing is here: http://tinyurl.com/3xrbjxb

Yep, the bottom of the barrel.

Just fun facts for the ignoranti above.

[A Fine Bunch of Reubens]

That would be 46 and 35 Rhodes Scholars each for the Navy & USAF - not their rank amongst schools.

[xbradtc]

I'll admit that during my time in the Army, I met a fair number of stupid people. The great majority of those folks enlisted under Macnamara's "Army of 100,000" program. They were, to put it kindly, the dregs of society.

Too dumb to make good soldiers, but just smart enough to avoid getting tossed out. Eventually, however, time passed and they retired or otherwise left the service.

Not every troop who enlisted is a great scholar, but a surprising number that do have, as noted above, aptitude scores that are unbelievably high compared to society in general.

As a recruiter, I was generally looking for a high school graduate, who scored in the top half of the bell curve, aptitude-wise. And quite a few folks I enlisted were in the 98th or 99th percentile. Almost universally, those guys chose combat arms as a challenge.

[A Fine Bunch of Reubens]

What xbradtc said, plus any commissioned officer who doesn't have, and doesn't get, at least a baccalaureate will be known as an ex-officer, and any officer, at least in the Army, without at least a Masters won't get past Major (not that some of those Masters aren't BS degrees, if you catch my meaning.

The flip side is that you can run across guys like the SSG linguists I knew who had PhDs, but just loved translating so were quite happy in their niches.

[Frau Fragezeichen?]

And I'll admit that during my long time teaching school, I met a fair number of ignorant teachers. The higher the grade taught, the more pompous and self-righteous the person. I also met a few wonderful, genuine people who still make me feel blessed to have known them.

BoE, the troll who presently calls himself Ben F. is not much better than the sock puppet who captures the essence of the original troll (aka Cleo or Sem@nt!cleo) quite well. Don't waste your time trying to help either. Just about all of us are here to enjoy Tom Maguire's fine blog.

[G One]

"Gee, struck a nerve on my first week here. May not want to share that with my father or David Patraeus, et al. Slackers..."

I would not call someone who was relieved of duty by Obama a genius. And the other one enlisted in spite of don't ask don't tell.

Some folks sure are sensitive about their "smarts".

[daddy]

Speaking of soldiers and security men and a sex scandal, happened to see a bit of that yesterday when I had the opportunity to view in person The Bayeux Tapestry.

Running 270 feet in length it is a truly stunning piece of work. I suppose we are all somewhat familiar with the story, explaining generally how and why William The Bastard was motivated to fight his rival Harold for the kinship of England, following the death of Edward The Confessor in 1066.

Was fascinating to see the scene of Halley's Comet, and the horrible scenes of The Battle of Hastings with Harold catching an arrow in the eye.

But what are we to make of the mysterious panel wherein Lady Aelfgyva is being slapped by a cleric with a tonsure. What was that about?

Why, just beneath her, is there a naked man with his Johnson rudely hanging out? Was she hanging out with soldiers who were not at the top of their class? Did she demand more money than the security types in the previous panels were willing to give her? Was she a stay at home mom who had no business discussing economics, or was she instead getting what she deserved for demanding that the Catholic Church provide her free birth control?

Who knows, but really, what can you expect from a piece of political propaganda that attempts, after the fact, to justify a foreign born bastards usurping authority in a land not of his birth. Who could believe such an impossible thing like that could ever happen in reality?

[Jack is Back!]

daddy,

We spent 3 days in Bayeaux doing the DDay beaches, Mt. St. Michel, the Tapestry, Calvados, etc. Did you see Omaha Beach?

[rse]

jib-did not know Pearl had another book out. Loved The Dante Club. Not The Poe Shadow. The Last Dickens was in the middle.

I had never read about that train wreck he was in before and then it showed up as a plot device in maybe 4 books I read over the same year.

Clarice-you can tell KK only shows up to cause trouble and does not bother to read in general. Her misguided ahah! on where you might live was rather amusing.

Some of these faculty members post under their own name so they can point to their comments as if it was action research. "Talking truth to the far right".

I think we can all see who prevails in the thinking with facts vs feeling sweepstakes.

[Danube of Thought]

"people don't go in to law enforcement or the military because they are at the top of their class"

You've got it backassward, you dumb shit. Check the profiles of the people at the service academies right now. Make a note of where they stood in their high school classes. It is because they were at the top that they could gain admittance, but that is not the reason they're there.

And no, you wouldn't understand.

[Joe Blow]

You see, this is the problem with government today. If GSA hadn't blown all that money on those party junkets, the Secret Service would have had the extra $47 they needed to pay for those prostitutes, and we wouldn't have had this scandal.

[NK]

I like your thinking JoeB

[narciso]

No, that's not quite it;

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/04/14/video-culture-of-corner-cutting-led-to-biggest-scandal-in-secret-service-history/

[Captain Hate]

We spent 3 days in Bayeaux doing the DDay beaches, Mt. St. Michel, the Tapestry, Calvados, etc. Did you see Omaha Beach?

I spent about the same amount of time in Normancy and saw the beach and cemetary. Staying in Mt St Michel was incredible though; what a wonderful place with the extreme tides.

[Captain Hate]

Arrrrgh, Normandy

[Sue]

I posted a link on the other thread to the news story. Another hometown hero died in Afghanistan on Saturday morning. My heart is heavy. I didn't know this family personally but I know who they are.

[mark l.]

47 dollar hookers...
for the whole night.

it's like half the minimum wage in america.

gotta believe that the SS gets a per diem which is set according to the the most expensive countries.

next time, we just have to pin a fifty to their underwear, before we send them out to meet the natives.

[dustydog]

Soldiers don't sleep with prostitutes because the prostitutes are slaves. Raping slaves is wrong.

Slavery is wrong. Rape is wrong. And in case it isn't clear enough, raping slaves is wrong.

If the Secret Services using prostitutes in Columbia, most assuredly they are using prostitues in Washington DC.

[GMAX]

In a statement the USCCB released to the Catholic Key blog, a bishops' representative corrects the record.
"Recently a reporter asked the staff of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops whether, if the House of Representatives sent a health care reform bill to the Senate that includes acceptable pro-life language like the Stupak amendment, the Conference would defend the pro-life language against efforts by members of either political party to strike it from the bill. The staff answered yes," the statement says.
"Some took that answer out of context, and misinterpreted it as a commitment by the bishops to endorse an overall health care bill as long as it includes pro-life language. No such position has been taken," it continues.
"The Conference has said the Senate-passed health care bill fails our moral criteria and must be changed; if changes do occur the bishops would study the new bill, then develop a position based on our moral criteria," the USCCB concluded.
The Catholic Key also indicated the USCCB produced a one-page document outlining the numerous problems with the Senate health care bill in terms of abortion funding.

Sorry, I did not return last evening.
As I said the Bishops did not support Obamacare as this direct quote shows. Bolding added by me.

[rse]

Oh sue. So messed up over there. I have a hard time just looking at the flag we got and eldest is back. Annoying over weekend. Made him sign red's graduation card as he won't be back for months.

When I went to Fla last the motorcyclists were escorting someone on road to benning and I was tearing up good by the turnoff. Glad they offer such support and never wanting it personally.

[Pofarmer]

This thread just went completely whacked out on my computer, for some reason.

Yes, I recognize that the Bishops may not have endorsed Obamacare directly, but, they support socialized care, generally, and say as much in that statement.

Here's a fer instance

Amici curiae represent the leadership of Catholic women’s religious orders from across the United States. Amici and the orders they serve have a long history of public service in healthcare in America dating back to the 1700s. These services include founding hospitals and free clinics and providing free healthcare to the underprivileged and uninsured. The work by Amici gives them a unique perspective on the unmet healthcare needs of the poor, as well as on the positive impact that will result from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA” or the “Act”). . . .

Amici have witnessed firsthand the national crisis that prompted Congress to pass the ACA. In particular, Amici have seen the devastating impact of
the lack of affordable health insurance and healthcare on women, children, and other vulnerable members of society.

" Amici believe that a civilized society must ensure the provision of basic healthcare to its citizens regardless of their ability to pay for it. They further believe it is a moral imperative that all levels of government institute programs that ensure the poor receive such care. They believe Medicaid expansion under the Act is critical to the communities they serve."

This from

"Following enactment of the health care reform legislation, the challenges are formidable but in some ways are simpler. Since the battle over the bill is over, the defects can be judged soberly in their own right, and remedies can be advanced in Congress while retaining what is good in the new law. Indeed, failure to address these problems would provide ammunition for those who seek total repeal of the law.
The Catholic bishops opposed final passage because there is compelling evidence that it would expand the role of the federal government in funding and facilitating abortion and plans that cover abortion. The statute appropriates billions of dollars in new funding without explicitly prohibiting the use of these funds for abortion, and it provides federal subsidies for health plans covering elective abortions. Its failure to preserve the legal status quo that has regulated the government’s relation to abortion, as did the original bill adopted by the House of Representatives in November 2009, undermined the law of our land and threatened the consensus of the majority of Americans: that federal funds not be used for abortions or plans that cover abortions. Additionally, the statute forces all those who choose federally subsidized plans that cover abortion to pay for other peoples’ abortions with their own funds.
The statute is also profoundly flawed because it has failed to include necessary language to provide essential conscience protections (both within and beyond the abortion context). As well, many immigrant workers and their families could be left worse off since they will not be allowed to purchase health coverage in the new exchanges to be created, even if they use their own money."

In other words, take away the abortion provisions, and give MORE health care for illegal aliens, and it's O.K.

http://old.usccb.org/sdwp/national/Hill-Notes-for-Health-care-February-2011-final.pdf

[Mike Giles]

Why do I get the feeling that the military is being dragged into the Colombia situation, in order to "embarrass" the right into shutting up about it?

[lyle]

They're not that smart, Mike.

[Porchlight]

Shouldn't this thread be titled "Putting the 'Service' in Secret Service"?

[Danube of Thought]

Suppose it had been Bush:

"President Obama erred during a speech at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, when attempting to call the disputed archipelago by its Spanish name. Instead of saying Malvinas, however, Mr Obama referred to the islands as the Maldives, a group of 26 atolls off that lie off the South coast of India."

[Porchlight]

DoT, the headline of that piece calls it an "uncharacteristic error" more like that of his predecessor. Pfft.

[AliceH]

Don't they speak Austrian in Maldives? Or is that only in a few of the 57 states on cinco de quatro?

In other words, "uncharacteristic error" my a$$.