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

Author: Hondo

  • A Final Homecoming for “Big E”

    The USS Enterprise is expected to return to Norfolk, VA, today – from her final deployment.  She will be decommissioned on 1 December 2012.

    The USS Enterprise was commissioned in November 1961.  At the time of her decommissioning, she will have served the US Navy for in excess of 51 years.  No other carrier has served the Navy as long.

    The USS Enterprise was the US Navy’s first nuclear-powered carrier, and is still today the longest warship in the world.  She has seen duty in virtually every major US naval operation or conflict from the Cuban Missile Crisis to today’s hostilities in Afghanistan.

    Every ship eventually reaches end of life.  But this one has indeed been special.

    Sadly, because of her design it will likely not be possible to convert the USS Enterprise into a museum after decommissioning.  Her design included eight nuclear reactors.   The extensive disassembly of the ship necessary to allow  removal of her eight reactors and associated equipment will likely make conversion to a museum afterwards impractical.

    In the end, though, the final disposition of her steel hull is not what really matters.  What does matter is the service – and the history – the USS Enterprise gave this nation and the Navy.  So long as there is a US Navy, that history will be remembered and treasured.

    Welcome home one last time, grand lady.

  • An “Interesting” Voter Registration Story from NC

    You see a lot of stories about voter registration that make you shake your head as elections near.  This year is no exception.  But most aren’t that surprising.

    Then you read something like this story.

    I just don’t think this is exactly what the 1993 National Voter Registration Act had in mind.  But where there’s a way to exploit a loophole or commit fraud, someone will eventually take it.

    Words fail me.  Except to say that, under North Carolina law, it looks like someone may have some ‘splainin’ to do (see the last 2 paragraphs of linked story).

  • For Once, Justice

    I have to hand it to the Brits this time around.  In spite of their bizarre (by US standards) laws regarding firearms and opposition to capital punishment, they still appear to take murder seriously.

    Even when it’s an honor killing.

    Nine years ago, Shafilea Ahmed disappeared.  Her body was found in 2004.

    Turns out it was an honor killing.  Her own parents killed her in front of her siblings for “bringing dishonor on the family”.

    How did she “dishonor her family”?  By wearing jeans and makeup, wanting to be a lawyer, and resisting an arranged marriage.

    However, killing her in front of her siblings was a mistake.  One was later arrested for burglary – and turned state’s evidence against the parents.

    Gee, I wonder why?  You mean murdering one of your own kids in front of their siblings isn’t a good way to ensure their loyalty and love?

    Earlier this year, Shafilea’s parents – Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed – were convicted of her murder.  They received life sentences.  Under English law, that means they’ll serve at least 25 years.  By then both will be in their 70s.

    Hopefully they’ll die in prison vice ever see another day of freedom.  And then they’ll have a chance to explain their acts to Allah – and, possibly, to Shaytan as well.

    Many Islamic extremists subscribe to conservative forms of Islam that condone honor killings.  They also want to eventually impose Shaira worldwide.

    We should probably remember that.

  • So, You Think Letting Everyone Vote By Mail Is a Great Idea?

    If so, maybe you should take a close look at Ohio this year.  It could prove quite . . . entertaining.  As well as provide another example of why good intentions pave the road to hell.

    Prior to this year, some Ohio counties sent absentee ballot applications to all registered voters; others didn’t.  Ohio decided to standardize their voting procedures.

    So this year, all counties in Ohio mailed registered voters absentee ballot applications.  (A side benefit would be to make it easy to vote by mail.)  All told, 6.9 million of the state’s 7.8 million registered voters were mailed an absentee ballot application.

    As expected, many took advantage of that opportunity – roughly 1.3 million as of about a week ago.   And as of about a week ago, roughly 950,000 absentee ballots had been returned.

    No one knows just how many absentee ballots ultimately will be requested in Ohio, or how many of those absentee ballots will be unused. In Ohio, this year absentee ballots may be requested up until November 3; they must be postmarked NLT November 5.

    Also obviously, a number of those who requested absentee ballots will change their mind and decide to vote in person instead.  Based on how many were outstanding a week ago, we’re talking potentially 350,000 or more people who could change their mind.

    Now the law of unintended consequences comes into play.

    In Ohio, if you (1) requested an absentee ballot, and (2) then show up to vote in person, you don’t get to just waltz into the voting booth and vote normally.  Instead, you must cast a paper provisional ballot.  Those provisional ballots are counted only after the voter’s eligibility to cast that vote has been verified.

    In the case of those who requested absentee ballots but did not vote absentee, that means after verifying that no absentee ballot bearing their name was cast.  The intent is obvious:  to prevent people from abusing the system by voting twice.

    So that means each unused Ohio absentee ballot can potentially generate a provisional ballot.  That’s potentially 350,000+ paper provisional ballots.

    Now, here are the unintended consequence.  Ohio law specifies that provisional ballots cannot be opened until 10 days after the election.

    So . . . that means in Ohio there could possibly be 350,000 or more paper, sealed provisional ballots.  Ballots which by Ohio law cannot by even be opened until 16 November.  Ballots which must be securely stored for those 10 days.  And they’re paper ballots which then must be counted – presumably by hand, with all the potential for honest mistakes, partisan arguments, and outright fraud inherent in counting a bunch of paper ballots.

    And remember:  this is happening in a state that could well determine the outcome of the 2012 Presidential election.  So it could well be 2+ weeks after Election Day before anyone knows who won.

    “Hey, ho, way to go Ohio . . . .”

  • A Code Talker Passes

    One of the few remaining Navajo Code Talkers from World War II has passed.

    George Smith died Tuesday, 30 October 2012, aged 90.  He will be buried with full military honors on Saturday, 3 November 2012 at Rehobeth Cemetery near Gallup, NM.

    During World War II, Smith served with the 2nd Marine Division at Saipan, Okinawa, and other locations.

    The story of the Navajo Code Talkers is fairly well known.  If you don’t know it, you should visit this site and spend a few minutes.

    Rest in peace, my elder brother in arms.

     

  • An A123 Systems Postscript

    It looks like A123 Systems, which recently went belly-up after burning through $129 million in Federal loan guarantees, wasn’t totally useless after all.  Apparently they did create a few jobs while the money lasted.

    By the most generous count possible (combining all reports over the life of the company), they created at most 408 new jobs with that Federal money.  That averages out to over $316k in taxpayer money spent per job created.

    Even the Federal government itself does better than that.

  • Four Rangers Receive Medals

    Four members of the 75th Ranger Regiment received awards for valor at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, on Friday, 26 October 2012.  The Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN Raymond Odierno, presided and presented the following decorations:

    SGT Craig D. Warfle – received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism on 18 August 2010 in Logar province, Afghanistan.

    SSG Dominic J. Annecchini – received the Silver Star for heroism on 16 May 2012 in eastern Afghanistan.

    SGT Christopher D. Coray – received the Silver Star for heroism on 27 and 28 May 2011 in northern Afghanistan.

    SGT Michael A. Ross – received the Silver Star for heroism on 13 April 2012 in Afghanistan.

    In addition, at the same ceremony 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action between 15 May 2010 and 20 Oct 2010.

    Details of each man’s heroic actions can be found here.  IMO it’s worthwhile reading.

    Exceptional heroism.  Exceptional men.

  • PETA Wants a Memorial . . . .

    . . . to commemorate a large number of fish killed in a traffic accident.

    Yes, you read that correctly.  PETA has asked for a roadside sign to be erected as a memorial for a large number of live fish that died as the result of a traffic accident while on their way to market to be sold as food.  About 1,600 pounds of sea bass to be precise.

    I’m not joking.

    And before you ask:  yes, this indeed happened in the Granola State (“get rid of the fruits and nuts and all you have left is the flakes”) – AKA California.

    Idiots.