This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Author: Hondo

  • PETA Really Loves Animals, Right?

    Remember those PETA ads?  The ones that equate wearing fur with killing pets?  And saying they’d rather go naked than wear fur?

    OK, we get it PETA.  You don’t wear fur.  But you also don’t exactly seem to have much use for animals, either.

    1,843 animals were left at PETA’s shelter at their Virginia HQ last year – 1,110 cats and 733 dogs.  130  (22 cats, 108 dogs) were transferred to another shelter.  The disposition of 41 others (34 cats, 7 dogs) was listed as “miscellaneous”.  5 (2 cats, 3 dogs) were reclaimed by their owners.

    A grand total of 20 were placed in new homes.  (The linked article says 19, but the math seems off – 7 cats and 13 dogs aren’t accounted for when you do the math.)

    Do I really need to spell out what happened to the other 1,647 (1,045 cats and 602 dogs)?  Or to a total of 29,398 animals since 1998?

    Hypocritical bastards.  With as much $$$ as PETA pulls in from donations, you think maybe they could find a way to find homes for more than 10.64% of the animals left at their shelter.  And that 10.64% is best case.  I’m guessing not all of the 130 dogs and cats transferred to another shelter ended up placed in new homes.  And God only knows what “miscellaneous” means.

    Maybe that “E” in PETA doesn’t stand for “Ethical” after all.   Given the above another word beginning with “E” comes to mind that certainly seems more apropos.

  • Well Now Isn’t That Special

    It looks like our friends at DHS are about to make travel easier and safer again.

    DHS has apparently decided to extend their “trusted traveler” program, Global Entry.  They’re planning to extend it to travelers from Saudi Arabia.

    Participants in the program have to present their passports and fingerprints on entry.  After doing so, they’re allowed to bypass normal customs procedures and checks when entering the US.  Once registered in the program, the status is good for 5 years.

    Now, don’t jump to conclusions.  Just because over 75% (15 of 19) of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis doesn’t mean anything.  Why shouldn’t we give them special entry privileges at customs?

    And what does it matter that only a relative handful of other nations meet program requirements have to do with anything?  Just because even close allies like France and Germany aren’t currently members of the program doesn’t mean Saudi Arabia shouldn’t be.

    Perhaps I should just shut up now, before my ability to be sarcastic escapes me and I start saying what I really think.

    In the words Han Solo:  “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

  • A Breath of Fresh Air

    Well, I have to say I’m surprised.  Apparently there is still some amount of respect for private property in Europe.

    The Parliament of Cyprus yesterday refused to approve the law required to seize place a tax on bank deposits.  The EU bailout of Cypriot banks is now in question.

    That in and of itself wasn’t too surprising.  But I did find it surprising that the vote against was unanimous.

    Let’s see what happens next.  Things could get interesting.

  • Spreadsheet from Hell

    You often hear the term “<whatever> from hell” used to refer to things that are unusually disagreeable or difficult.  But on occasion, the phrase is chillingly apropos – and literal.

    Consider Adam Lanza, Sandy Hook mass murderer.  He was obviously mentally disturbed.  But he could be meticulous about things that interested him.

    How meticulous?  Try conducting extensive research on past mass-killings – and creating a spreadsheet containing information about over 500 people killed in such incidents.   Lanza’s research was both extensive and detailed, including such things as the number of people killed in an incident, their names, and the weapons that were used – down to the precise make/model of the weapons in some cases.

    The spreadsheet, printed in 9-point type, would have measured approx 7 feet long and 4 feet wide.

    (more…)

  • About That Bank Account of Yours . . . .

    Most TAH readers are fans of limited government.  Most thus have pretty strong reservations concerning a central government with expansive authority and power.

    But we have a few readers who seem to believe in and want a government with unlimited powers.  Others may be willing to accept such on an “emergency basis” or for a “limited time”.

    Well, here’s some food for thought.  Take a look at what’s going on in Cyprus today.

    If you’re still a fan of government with unlimited power after reading that – well, it’s still a free country. You’re entitled to whatever opinion you want, no matter how foolish.

    However, Cyprus apparently isn’t so free.  Be glad you live here and not there.

  • More on Those New Interceptors

    I thought I’d follow-up regarding Jonn’s article from last week on the subject.  In case anyone was wondering:  there’s a good reason it will take until 2017 – or about 4 years from now – before those additional 14 interceptors for which the SECDEF recently announced deployment will be operational.

    They’re silo-based.  We have to build the silos.  And we’re putting all of them in Alaska, which will complicate matters.

    These interceptors – formally “Ground-Based Interceptors”, or GBIs – are big missiles. Each is about 55 feet long, over 4 feet in diameter, and heavy (14 tons).  While it’s technically possible to put something like that on a large TEL (transporter-erector-launcher), doing so is a pain; you’re only going to do that if you need them to be mobile.

    Time constraints also make mobile deployment a problem.  You only have a short time to intercept a ballistic missile, so the interceptor needs to be essentially “combat ready” for immediate launch pretty much all the time.  That is difficult with something on a TEL

    The new interceptors are being deployed to a rather harsh environment, too:  the vicinity of Fort Greely, Alaska.  They’ll definitely need protection from the elements.

    Given all of the above, silo-basing is thus really about the only rational choice for these interceptors if we’re putting them in Alaska.

    It takes a while to build silos and get them operational.  That’s particularly true at a place like Fort Greely that has a relatively short period of good outdoor weather each year.

    Bottom line:  it’s going to take a substantial period of time to get all of that done.   Like about 4 years.

    Four years ago was 2009.  And I seem to remember decisions made that year which cut back planned deployments of GBIs for the US West Coast and Alaska from 44 to a total of 30 – or what we currently have in-place today.

    Hmmm.  Seems to me that if the current Administration hadn’t reduced planned deployments of GBIs four years ago we just might have those extra 14 missiles in place today.   And we also wouldn’t be jumping through hoops today trying to make that happen, either.

  • Sunday Evening Entertainment

    Perhaps my personal favorite for best TV ad ever.  Make sure you keep watching as the door closes.

    Enjoy. (smile)

  • Nonchalance

    I can’t say I saw this with my own two eyes.  But the story was related to me by one of the people involved shortly afterwards.  From his reactions and demeanor, I believe it to be true.

    It happened in Baghdad, on the Victory Base Complex.

    A couple of US soldiers were attempting to locate a facility on the base complex. The facility was run by troops from one of our allies.  It wasn’t particularly well marked (many if not most of the buildings in the complex weren’t well marked).  And although one of the soldiers had been there before, it had been a while.

    They though they’d found it, so they stopped and went inside the building. They were almost right – the building they were looking for was fairly close by.

    Unfortunately, by mistake they’d wandered into the residence of an allied general.

    The general was there, and asked them what they were doing.  The soldiers apologized, and explained what they were looking for.

    Turned out the general was a really decent guy.  He wasn’t pissed; he knew where the facility they were looking for was, and told them.

    However, our guys were visibly very nervous and rather embarrassed during the visit. And it wasn’t all due to their mistake, or the rank of the guy who’s quarters they’d accidentally crashed.

    Apparently they’d caught the allied general coming out of the shower or getting dressed. He was wearing only a pair of sweatpants, and it was rather obvious that . . . how to put this . . . well, the general apparently had really been missing female companionship. Either that, or he was thoroughly turned-on by the sounds of small-arms fire from a nearby indoor firing range (one of our allies actually ran one of those on the base complex). (smile)

    The general was perplexed at the soldiers’ embarrassment, until he happened to glance down.

    Then he said, without any noticeable hesitation: “Oh. Please excuse the chubby.” And he continued the conversation without any hint of embarrassment.

    The soldiers thanked the general, left, found the facility in question, and completed their mission.  Needless to say, the soldiers also had one helluva good laugh about the whole situation.

    Well after leaving the general’s quarters, of course. (smile)