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Liberty Dad - a World Without Dictators

I dream of living in ... a World Without Dictators! I'm a Libertarian Paternalist in Slovakia - Freedom with Responsibility - 10% of income into your own Pension; Tax Loans for education, health, housing; now supporting Employment Maximizing Companies!

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Name: Tom Grey
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blog posts on immigration at The Truth Laid Bear
Home » September 2005
Wednesday, 28 September 2005
Who should be fired for Katrina?

Facts about Katrina, and Broussard's performance on TV.
 
The fact a woman died in a hospital is certainly a tragedy.
The fact that Broussard was blaming the Feds brings politics into an individual data point.
If Broussard specifically blames one level of gov’t at an early time, based on a false fact, then the issue of the fact becomes crucial for blame designation. He was using her death for politics; and misusing her death by relating a false story.
 
The truth is Mayor Nagin GAMBLED about Katrina and “no flooding” — but he lost; and some hundreds of people in NO lost their lives because of the gamble (and not using school busses for evacuation). Nobody deserves more blame than the Mayor.
 
We can NOT fix problems, unless we accurately describe what the problem is.
 
But if he HAD strongly evacuated, and Katrina caused very little damage, he would have been highly resented. Uncertain future negative events are not quite “facts”, but are not well dealt with.
(see CBS Public Eye)
 
Reading Wineberger (via Jeff Jarvis) a second time about Tim Russet: “It was an ambush. It was an attempt to discredit the story's teller in order to deny the story's meaning."
 
Yes, it was a denial of the story's meaning.
The FALSE story meant: BECAUSE the feds were bad, the woman died.
 
The MEANING of the story is in the answer to the question: WHO IS TO BLAME (who should get fired?). (Who killed OJ's wife?)
 
In the TRUE story: BECAUSE the Mayor/ Gov/ President (?) didn't push evacuation well, one specific woman died, symptomatic (and representative?) of hundreds of deaths due to non-evacuation BEFORE flooding.
 
The TRUE story uses facts -- to assign blame. Assigning blame is always subjective; reporters should strive to use facts as much as possible to assign blame properly.
 
Pictures of unused, flooded NO busses are strong facts to blame Mayor Nagin.
 
++ What is the story? WHO, failed to do WHAT, WHEN they were supposed to, WHERE they were supposed to.
 
Mayor Nagin failed to evacuate; failed to order bus drivers to drive busses for the poor; failed to follow the evacuation plan he had available.
 
Jeff Jarvis is right: "It sure as hell could and should have been better." And, if Dem Nagin had DONE HIS JOB, it would have been better.
 
"Is it about blame? I actually wish it weren’t" -- but earlier you said "Justice is harder to fight for", implying you DO want to know who to blame.
 
Justice IS blame. And requires punishment for wrong behavior. Like having a friend get fired (for being bad on TV).
 
The real story is that FIRST Dem Nagin failed; then Dem Gov. Blanco failed, and the LA director of HS failed (invisible Gen. L.); THEN later, FEMA failed. (72 hours later?).
If this is NOT the real story, what is? You refuse to really specify it, though you mention it in platitudes:
"I hope it is the ability to keep focused on the real story."
 
Brown should be fired (last; but already done); invisible <a hrep="http://tomgrey.motime.com/1126537400#493116"> Gen. Landreneau</a> should be fired, and Dem Blanco should resign (lose next vote) and Dem Nagin should resign (lose next vote).
 
Who should be fired, and why, is the real story. And we need honest facts, not emotionally satisfying TV drama, to decide.
(I'm pretty sure you avoid the real story because you don't actually want to call for Dem Mayor Nagin to resign, or be fired.)
 
 
Gandelman:
Jarvis is on the right track: The truth is harder to find. Justice is harder to fight for. Lessons are what we’re after.
 
Justice only happens AFTER injustice. Justice is about blame, and punishment. And real justice has to be based on facts.
 
Bush-bashers above claim hundreds died BECAUSE FEMA was too slow. Those who died in the first 72 hours are NOT the fault of FEMA.
What are the facts? How many of those who died were killed Tue - Wed - Thurs, how many after?
 
Really, I don't know. But when Broussard, or anybody, claims one (or more) died AFTER 72 hours (ie FEMA's fault), but the true fact is they died before (ie Dem fault, Mayor or Gov), the false fact is a false witness against FEMA. (I called for Brown to be fired after a week). People and agencies should NOT be punished, or blamed, based on false facts.
 
Those who want to blame the feds should find out when Gov. Blanco gave AUTHORITY to the feds -- until then, the state (WITH authority) must be blamed as responsible

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/28/05 03:47 | link | comments (3)
democracy, katrina

Monday, 26 September 2005
Media Bashers are to PressThink as the Media is to Pres. Bush

Dear Jay,
I am sorry to make you so upset, and I certainly didn’t want to highjack any threads on your fine PressThink blog (at least, not in theory). I will change my behavior to do MediaBashing elsewhere. It’s your request, you are the host and driving intellect of PressThink, polite folk and intellectual wannabees should respect it.
 
However, I can’t stop thinking about the relationship of we MB’rs (MediaBashers) on PressThink to you. An analogous relation is that of the Media and Bush, as was talked about with your Austin Bay co-host post.
 
Just as I want media to change, you want MB’rs to change; just as I am critical of media, you are critical of the MB’rs. Your critique of my MediaBashing behavior is that I’m (almost) always complaining about media bias. My critique of media behavior is that it’s (almost) always complaining about Bush.
 
Just as you desire no further dialog with MB’rs, most Bush admin folk desire no further dialog with the media -- it doesn’t do any good, and it wastes precious attention time.
 
I do think you ask the important questions of the media, questions defining its problems. I hope you continue, even if media bias is less discussed (despite it being the answer to many of your questions).
 
Cheers,
Your ‘psychotic’ commenter,
Tom Grey
 
PS. This letter is in response your comment, finishing with: “Go. Be gone. To your own blogs go, bore yourselves from within, and make sure to crow about how closed minded I am.”
I have put a few of my comments on my own blog; and not only don’t crow about how closed minded you are, but defend your defensiveness. Just like I defend Bush’s. (See Neo-neocon, and again and again.) Hmm, maybe I do work harder at defending Bush – but you defend yourself so much better than Bush does.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/26/05 16:58 | link | comments (1)
free press, media

Saturday, 24 September 2005
The US Army should teach Arabic

The lack of good Learning Arabic has been a disgrace since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the obvious recognition that the Soviet Union was NOT the biggest threat to the US.
(Since the Lebanon Marine Barracks were bombed under Reagan?)
 
Clinton failed to push Arabic; so has Bush.  There should be some required intro courses, and bonuses to the best in the intro class; with possibility to get more Arabic training AND more pay, based on rapid learning.  (Who knows who has a talent for learning Arabic?  Try! and see.)
 
There should also be on-line open source FREE self study course, by the US gov't, for learning Arabic -- including a full Koran in Arabic; and a translation.
(see Donald Sensing on his son in Fallujah, without promised Arabic training)

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/24/05 15:21 | link | comments (1)

Thursday, 22 September 2005
Bush spending into majority

Simon at Centerfield notes how Sullivan is upset at Bush spending.
 
But admits that the Dems are WORSE.  For one to claim that taxes are worse than borrowing, you have to explain why borrowing is "bad". 
 
It's generally bad because it means the interest rate goes up, and gov't borrowing crowds out private, productive, job creating borrowing.  The badness is measured in the interest rate -- rates higher than about 3% (perhaps a "natural rate of interest"?).  The US is now in that range, so borrowing prolly should start going down -- but I don't hear many Dems echoing Gary Hart on raising taxes on gas! 
 
I support raising taxes on gas ... but those who do so seldom get elected, or stay elected.
 
I don't like the excessive spending either, but I much prefer borrowing to do it -- until the interest rate goes up.  The alternative of higher taxes means LESS growth, less employment ... and less tax collected, thus even higher rates.
 
Plus, were the budget balanced, there would then be a push to deficit spend, anyway.  There is little evidence that raising taxes to reduce the deficit actually reduces the spending and the deficit; most evidence implies higher taxes then result in even higher spending.  The deficit then becomes a way of "starving the beast."
 
The Reps look like they are going to KEEP spending until the Dems say it's too much, and start changing their philosophy to favor small gov't, as "out of power" parties usually do. 
 
I think as long as the Mainstream Media continue biased Dem supporting attacks on Bush, the voters are NOT gonna feel the Reps are in control of everything.
 
 
David Brooks is hilarious on the SC hearings (via Neo-neocon)

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/22/05 13:57 | link | comments (1)

Wednesday, 21 September 2005
Press Think and Public Eye - Media Revolution

Jay at PressThink is helping the CBS Public Eye and the media revolution, including a focus on RatherGate.
 
The fact that Bush-haters are still pushing the "fake but accurate," while MSM folks are unhappy, too, shows that the MSM still hasn't finished covering the story. 
 
The Bush-haters claim that Bush cannot prove where he was, on duty (as the Vietnam war winded down), every day.  This seems likely to be true; that there will gaps in proof of where he was.  But lack of proof of attendance is not the same as proof of absence.
 
A similar issue is likely for the Swift Vets against Kerry, although Kerry's lie about Christmas in Cambodia is a bit less defended by the Bush-haters.  It's also MUCH less mentioned in MSM.
 
Jay did fine defending on John Roberts -- quotes clearly did NOT mention "anchor".  Don't you hate it when somebody adds, or twists, your quote, and then attacks the twist?
 
But MSM folk do this a lot; "quote," and then 'meaning quote plus/minus' and this plus/minus is terrible because of the future.
The <strong>uncertain </strong>future, which is NOT a fact.
 
All the 'racism reporting' about the future is non-factual.
 
But Jay remains bothered by us MSM-bashers:
"Pretty much anything can be said about "it." The MSM is in decline and very powerful. It's irrelevant, and it dominates. It's illegitimate but it still legitimates. It's been "proven" biased but here's more evidence. And on and on."
 
What I'd like to say is that the outrage over Katrina had the MSM boring down on and being outraged by Dem Nagin, and on Dem Blanco, and on Rep Bush -- but I can't.  They only seemed outraged by Bush.
 
Facts: NO had a plan, didn't follow it.  LA had a plan, didn't follow it.  FEMA's plan assumed that the locals had plans they were following -- bad assumption.  The FEMA plan was not "robust".  Brown should go.
Blanco should go.
Nagin should go -- even if he WAS being good against corruption.
 
Jay, I'd love to see you defend this (false?) statement about the MSM:
"The MSM attacks Democrats relentlessly and tries to hound them out of office."
 
I do NOT think any MSM-bashers are saying this.  But they, we, I, do say it about MSM and Bush, Rumsfeld, and Brown.  (And I agreed on booting Brown).  Of course, if you add Rush as MSM, perhaps ...
 
I want a passionate MSM for the truth, against Bush AND against Kerry, against Reps AND against Dems.  Against America's mistakes AND against those of the UN, the French, the Russians, the Chinese; of Amnesty, the Church, and the 1977 Save the Wetlands lawsuit which stopped construction of hurricane resistant barriers in NO. (see <a href="http://www.pennywit.com/drupal/node/3222?PHPSESSID=7b1b5e85bb522f2c22d0f91292cdf258">here</a>)
 
In the meantime, I'll be watching more blogs who are honestly against junk, including those against MSM bias.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/21/05 00:22 | link | comments
media, free press

Missed Bush Speech while in Bulgaria

While I was away, I did some blog reading, but put most notes in a file.  Here are many of the items.

On Bush's Speech:
Thanks to CNN, the full Text the President: “It was not a normal hurricane, and the normal disaster relief system was not equal to it. Many of the men and women of the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States military, the National Guard, Homeland Security, and state and local governments performed skillfully under the worst conditions.
Yet the system at every level of government was not well coordinated and was overwhelmed in the first few days.”
 
 
Michelle Malkin is not impressed – spend, spend, spend.  Michelle is great to include the transcript of the Monday, 2/29 conference, after the wind but before the levee breach and flood.  I’m pretty sure it’s Gen. L., Mr. Invisible, who speaks near the end.  Off with his head! And iterate.
 
Michael J Totten likes it.
 
Other notes:
Lord Neal has a Headhunter’s News Files blog that seems pro-Christian, too.
 
Mark Steyn has great notes on how there is No Cure for the UN.  We need a Human Rights Enforcement Group.  Government is for FORCE; other organizations should be for peaceful, voluntary actions.
 
Kofi Annan is the very embodiment of transnationalism’s polite fictions: a dapper soft-spoken African, he seems the soul of moderation. Even when what he’s actually saying is highly immoderate, and even when he’s standing next to some disgusting dictator as he says it, he’s always a reliably decaffeinated Kofi.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/21/05 00:18 | link | comments

Friday, 16 September 2005
The Palestinians as a goad

Neo-neo-con has an unbelievably important post on how the Palestinians had been treated by the Egyptians, and Arabs around them -- as far back as 1961, BEFORE the 6-day war of 67.

 The unique misfortune of the Palestinian refugees is that they are a weapon in what seems to be a permanent war. Alarming signs, from Egypt, warn us that the Palestinian refugees may develop into more than a justification for cold war against Israel...today, in the Middle East, you get a repeated sinking sensation about the Palestinian refugees: they are only a beginning, not an end. Their function is to hang around and be constantly useful as a goad.

Just a goad, an excuse to fight Israel, for ever.  And the Palestinians believed it, and believe it more, now.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/16/05 22:37 | link | comments
hearts and minds, israel palestine

Public Eye at CBS

CBS news, after RatherGate, has started a public Blog PublicEye.  Looks like a great start.

CBS News also has the text of Bush's speech, and like Michelle said, having the President hawk a telephone number is pretty lame.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/16/05 22:09 | link | comments
free press

From New York, VC and good sense

The blog A VC (Venture Capital in NY) has a bunch of interesting posts: on good music, including the Stones Concert, and Exile in Guyville from 93, plus interesting blog info like about AdSense, and about an alternative to Technorati for watching blogs.  Very interesting is his Really Simple Stealing post, and other tools.

His link to Fractals of Change on how Programmers Speak is great.  True, and funny.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/16/05 17:41 | link | comments
media

Japanese Elections

Joi Ito has a nice post, and fine comments on Software Patents.  He comes down against them.  Lots of posts there, too -- he was the guy who convinced me to use Skype.  Joi is in Japan, where Koizumi just won a landslide re-election victory (very good for Bush; unmentioned), but some Karel Van Wolferen is distressed, and writes about it in The Enigma of Japanese Power. If this great 1990 book is too old, there's a new article about the next election.  Here's what he says:

 Why was last Sunday a sad day for Japanese democracy? Because it was demonstrated that a TV celebrity who also happens to be the prime minister of Japan managed to hijack the cause of reform, placed meaningful policy discussion out of bounds, and was given the opportunity to continue blocking the real repairs that Japan does need.

The inability to speak about policy is due to expectations of Unreal Perfection, the denial of the need for tradeoffs.  Every policy is a mix of good and bad points, but the voters are unwilling to honestly except the cost of the bad points.  Voters, seduced by the lies of politicians who promise everything, for "free."

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/16/05 17:36 | link | comments
democracy, unreal perfection

Do the Right Thing

Rebecca Saxe has a long essay on the Moral Cognition, including a bit of its history and new work.

Don Surber has a good article against taxing and spending in W. Virginia,

My views:There is no reason why EVERY check the gov't writes isn't on the internet, fully available for review and audit, by the taxpayers.  There should be NO gov't secrets in spending from the taxpayers.  Total Read-Only transparency would reduce waste, and fraud, hugely.

[If salaries & wages are exempt, that's OK for privacy reasons; but sub-optimal.]

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/16/05 03:15 | link | comments

Around the Web, and Bush & Katrina

The newish, and even to be revised in Sep, Intellectual Conservative  politics.  Solid stuff, but hard for me to get at all excited over what I agree with, though earlier I dropped by the Adam Smith Institute blog, and their jokes, at least, were pretty funny.

There's also the National Conversation, sort of an interactive set of news polls.

Marc's thread on Bush continues, with a comment that Harry Reid, D, is "pro-life".  My response:

On Harry Reid, from Wiki:
"Reid has subsequently refused to state he wants Roe v. Wade overturned."

Pro-life folk want Roe overturned AND want states to have some laws against legal abortion.   That's what pro-life politics are.  This is so far away from today's reality that disagreement on what the laws restricting abortion should be that our opposition to Roe is sort of like Bush-hate opposition Bush.  Not really promoting what the alternative solution would be.

[I would like more pro-life focus on adoption -- like the two Roberts kids.]

Peggy Noonan directly responds to:
  Is the Bush Era over? No, no, no. It has three more years. 

Earlier she had said:
 What real damage has been done to the White House? It got dinged in three areas: competence, the myth of luck, and the ability to inspire fear.

He needs a good speech.  I doubt that we'll get one "good enough", but I'm hopeful.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/16/05 01:22 | link | comments
katrina

Thursday, 15 September 2005
video logs

At the Echo Chamber project, open source journalism in audio-visual films.  Something to watch.  Maybe to join.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/15/05 03:38 | link | comments
media

Wednesday, 14 September 2005
More Katrina

JunkYard Blog is outraged, as I am, by the buses. Rightfully mocking silly Dem Blanco "does anybody know anything about buses?" Then he links to Bill Hobbs on the buses, before noting the violation of rights in disarming folks.

Bill Hobbs talks about the buses NOT used, and does a fine takedown of ThinkPress and their mistakes

JunkYard also has more on Gretna, the bridge out of NO into an area fully evacuated.  Noting that it's a 35% black community -- working middle class, a bit less than the LA median.  And, importantly, that it will be easier to get people to evacuate if they don't fear looters when they go.

JustOneMinute has the race angle on the Gretna bridge. Vodkapunit (Will) has a note on a family member who was able to drive over the bridge.

There's a useless US Newsire note that " Governor of Louisiana took the necessary and timely steps needed to secure disaster relief from the federal government. "  But this report does not say she gave up power, nor what the agreed upon timetable of what aid, where.  She asked for aid on Aug 17.

Powerline recommends the RightWingNutHouse Katrina Timeline (from the New Orleans paper)

Other good news by Big Rick Stuart, among others is how much lower the death count will be.  Perhaps some less than 500 in LA, less than 300 in NO.

Here's progress.  Impeach Kathleen Blanco.  That sounds good.

Kevin Drum has a long list of FEMA failures.

PalmBeach News has a fine comparison of how Florida does it (more) right.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/14/05 22:51 | link | comments (1)
katrina

French TV2 responsible for Intifada

Neo-neo-con had a note about the fraudulent Al-Dura myth, where a little Palestinian boy was accused of being shot, murdered, by Israelis.  A myth, a LIE, that was not true.  Michelle Malkin has some of the staged pictures, the Commentary article Nidra Poller, same as NNC linked.

Israeli survivors of terrorist attacks should sue France TV 2.  It's terrible.  France's TV 2 is terrible.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/14/05 04:03 | link | comments
media, free press

Democratic Party Vision -- Not

Marc Cooper has a bit against the bloviating Dems in the mildest opposition to Roberts:

 If the Democrats want to thunder against Roberts, then at least make it worth it. Instead of nitpicking the Committee rules on procedure, they could use these hearings to articulate an entire different vision of government in the wake of Katrina. And why, when they come to power, they would choose nominees very different than Roberts.

If there was ever a moment when America needs a compelling, persuasive alternative to the sinking policies of Reagan-Bush-Bush it is right now. This week. Today.

The problem IS the Democratic Party's "entire[ly] different vision of government in the wake of Katrina".
Let's review what that vision IS!

On abortion, the radical Dem feminists have never seen an abortion they couldn't support, no matter how viable the innocent fetus might be.  Charged with being "unwanted" by the mother? Guilty! Chop it up and vacuum it out; unless the brains need to be sucked out, first.

High, punishing taxes on the rich job creators (causing them to stop hiring, and thus increasing unemployment) followed by even MORE gov't pork than Bush to their cronies (like Marc Rich, pardoned by Clinton), resulting in higher interest rates and even more poverty.
Then calls for more gov't "aid" (most of which goes to gov't employees or corp friends), with the express purpose of helping those most needy (and the inevitable result of rewarding irresponsibility).  As these big spending gov't programs fail, it will be called proof that even more needs to be spent (and wasted).

On Iraq -- let the masked death squad Islamofascists win!  We let the death squad commies win in Vietnam, and see how well that worked out -- what's a few thousand, or hundreds of thousands, murdered by the death squads.  At least it won't be "in our name."

Terrorism is a legal issue.  First they set off a nuke (which they don't have) or other WMD, and THEN the world cops go after them.  Just look how well those world cops protected folks in Srebrenica, or Rwanda.  Only a few months ago those fearless ICC folk actually indicted some 52 Sudanese war criminals; so you know that's got to be stopping any genocide, er, humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

---
Marc, I often like your snarc.  But the Dem vision?  I don't think so. 

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/14/05 01:33 | link | comments (1)
hearts and minds

Monday, 12 September 2005
Invisible Commander of LA Homeland Security

Dem Gov. Blanco ordered a state of emergency on Thursday, 26 August, and defined who was ïn command":

SECTION 2: The state of Louisiana's emergency response and recovery program is activated under the command of the director of the state office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to prepare for and provide emergency support services and/or to minimize the effects of the storm's damage.

Nobody seems to know, or care about, who this Commander of the LA Homeland Security is.

But they have a web site, LOEP.state.la.us, and finally I find out the name: Major General Bennett C. Landreneau

Why hasn't he shown up in any media?  What is he responsible for, and what has he done?

So far, I think Gen. Landreneau should be fired -- and likely demoted.  Just like Gen. , now Col., Karpinski. 

Correct to be fired was underqualified, adequately performing (great? 4 hurricanes; Miss seems in good shape), but terrible on TV head of FEMA, Michael Brown.  Fired for being bad on TV. That's part of the Big Leagues.

The Red Cross was turned back by LA state Homeland Security folk, commanded by a Dem:

The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city

The Governor's actions will prolly have to be read, big list.  Why isn't some big name blogger doing this, so I don't have to?

Thanks to Captain Ed, I don't have to read the whole New Orleans Emergency Response Plan, to know how incompetent the Dem Mayor and the Dem Governor were acting:

The Mayor has three tasks: to initiate the evacuation, to retain overall control of the emergency operation, and then to authorize a return to the evacuated areas. The city's Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) reports to the mayor and must coordinate with the NOPD, the state OEP, and the regional transit authorities to:

* Supply transportation as needed in accordance with the current Standard Operating Procedures.

* Place special vehicles on alert to be utilized if needed.

* Position supervisors and dispatch evacuation buses.

* If warranted by scope of evacuation, implement additional service.

The Dem Mayor failed, failed, failed at taking decisions -- but succeeded in screaming about Bush failing.

The plan :

clearly states that the mayor must position supervisors and dispatch evacuation buses. It's difficult to get any more clear than that. Those buses should have been rolling on Sunday, August 29th, with the initial evacuation order.

And of course the Bush-haters blame lies:

"Not enough money" -- false, $1.9 billion for LA over last 5 years, much more than other states, #2 CA only got $1.4 bill.
"Levees needed fixing" -- the levee that broke was recently repaired, it was rated at being safe for a Cat 3 hurricane.

As the Blame game gets going, the Dem Mayor and the Dem Governor will be getting more blame.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/12/05 17:03 | link | comments
katrina

Sunday, 11 September 2005
Let's not forget 9/11 -- the world must change

Michelle Malkin is great, with fotos and some comments, and links.

I'm in Slovakia because the Wall came down (what wall? the Berlin Wall!).  A revolution, changing the world.

The War on Terror successful attack, to destroy the WTC buildings, is another revolution.  The world needs to change.

The world is changing, and many see the direction of change: More Democracy.

Yet few are willing to identify the light at the end of this particular world historic change -- a World Without Dictators.

Coming, in my lifetime -- but not without war; without terror; without genocide in Darfur.  Coming, in hope.

[And, while living in Slovakia, I'm actually in Bulgaria this week teaching.]

 

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/11/05 22:56 | link | comments
wot

Thursday, 08 September 2005
The police and guards are bad

John at spare eye has a critique of the great Tribes (sheep, wolves, sheepdog) essay.

Important story of the police breaking up any surviving mobs, to avoid looking so bad.  I hope it's documented enough to hold up in the coming investigation.

Lessons (for Glenn Reynolds) -- whenever the police want a group to "disperse" in an evacuation process, they should be responsible for a) getting a bus/ transportation for the dispursal, and b) should stay as guards. c) Each National Guard unit should have enough emergency food to share quite a bit.

John, you being upset with Bill's "tribes", about responsible folk vs less responsible, seems so nuanced as to be more excuse making.

The moral hazard in not expecting victims to have some self-responsibility is more victims.

John is also enraged at the MSM Katrina blame-game.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/08/05 02:52 | link | comments (2)
katrina

Blogosphere Review

Michael wants to Fire Michael Brown now.  I sort of agree.  He gave terrible interviews; seems the Bush guy most to blame -- and after they do, all further anti-Bush criticism should be directed back at the Dem Mayor Nagin and Dem Gov.

David Frum covers it (from a reader):" Kathleen Blanco wants the MONEY, but she doesn't want the accountability. "

TmjUtah says Bill Whittle is required reading.  Nina J (my US friend thru a skype chat ) said it was the best blog post she ever read.  Tribes.  including wolves, sheep, and sheepdogs.  But TmjUtah is reducing his blog output because: " Bush Derangement Syndrome has been accepted as the foundational philosophy of the Left. "

Austin Bay has a fine NY Times libels Houston -- in Paris noting how their domestic edition is only a bit negative, but their international one is quite so. 

Claudia Rosset, who deserves a Pullitzer, is expecting the Volcker commission to sort of whitewash the UN.

Michelle Malkin, who deserves to be in the NYT, is following the Air America scandal. Al Franken is such a lying joke.

Neo-neo-con follows the horrible lie about the al-Dura Blood Libel.  It seems the Palestinians, prolly with support of the French news, staged the murder of young Palestinian boy and blamed the Israeli armed forces.  It was also NNC who noted that the movie High Noon showed the evolution of a sheep into a sheepdog.

Posted by: TomGrey at 09/08/05 02:18 | link | comments (3)