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vxbush
1/3/2025 6:03:15 AM
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5
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I think this paragraph from Sopko at the New York Times (quoted in this article in Hot Air) summarizes government spectacularly, even though this comment was in reference to Afghanistan: As one former U.S. military adviser told my office, the entire system became a self-licking ice cream cone: More money was always being spent to justify previous spending. Old staff departed, new staff arrived with “better” ideas, and new iterations of the same old solutions were repeated, for years. Quoting from the inspector general on Afghanistan, I believe, but it might still be Sopko: President Dwight Eisenhower once warned of the growing influence of a “military-industrial complex.” Today, there are multiple complexes: development and humanitarian assistance, anti-corruption and transparency, protection for women and marginalized people, and many others. These are all good and noble causes, to be sure. But when it came to Afghanistan, organizations under these umbrellas, whether because of altruism or more selfish motivations, contributed to the overly optimistic assessments of the situation to keep the funds flowing. Self-serving delusion was America’s most formidable foe. To me, the summary line is: "These failures were not special to Afghanistan but inherent in how the government does things." An insanely cogent summary. Now: Can DOGE in any way change this?
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vxbush
1/3/2025 6:11:17 AM
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6
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Elon Musk's mother is sharing her frustration at the media narrative regarding the Tesla truck used to explode a bomb--even Fox Business ends up in her crosshairs. Maye Musk Wants You to Know Something about Tesla, the Cybertruck, and the Media But if she's expecting the media to actually do their jobs, she will be waiting a very long time. We're almost certainly going to have to wait for a new crop of media folks to acculturate from the non-MSM sources and let them become national news people before we start seeing good journalism again.
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Occasional Reader
1/3/2025 7:40:00 AM
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8
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In #5 vxbush said: even though this comment was in reference to Afghanistan In fairness, that important presentation on Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" came in on time and on budget. Success!
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Occasional Reader
1/3/2025 7:45:21 AM
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9
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In #7 vxbush said: I miss Winston Churchill: How old are you?! : ) But on that related subject: Look at this mumble mouthed laughable attempt at a hit piece on Musk at the Beeb: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxdzng92lno Musk is “misinformed”… but we can’t really say exactly how. And of course, zero mention of the demographics of these grooming gangs.
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Occasional Reader
1/3/2025 7:46:28 AM
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10
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Meanwhile, here I am still slowwwwly recovering from a post-Christmas sinus infection. Also: Why do I have the theme music from the 80s TV show "Simon & Simon" running through my head this morning?
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vxbush
1/3/2025 10:10:24 AM
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11
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In #9 Occasional Reader said: Musk is “misinformed”… but we can’t really say exactly how. And of course, zero mention of the demographics of these grooming gangs. Note what Streeting said: "But we're willing to work with Elon Musk who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries tackle these serious issues. "If he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, we'd welcome that." Why do I assume that he wants Musk to give the UK government full editorial control over X? Because that's what it sounds like. Or at least work as closely with Five Eyes as Twitter did before.
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vxbush
1/3/2025 10:10:46 AM
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12
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In #10 Occasional Reader said: Also: Why do I have the theme music from the 80s TV show "Simon & Simon" running through my head this morning? Infection got into your brain? ///////
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Occasional Reader
1/3/2025 11:59:23 AM
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13
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In #12 vxbush said: Infection got into your brain? Heh. Perhaps. That said, it wasn't a bad show... came on right after Magnum, P.I. on Thursday nights, IIRC. (Or right before?)
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vxbush
1/3/2025 12:40:05 PM
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14
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In #13 Occasional Reader said: Heh. Perhaps. That said, it wasn't a bad show... came on right after Magnum, P.I. on Thursday nights, IIRC. (Or right before?) I don't recall, mostly because I wasn't into either show. So I read the headline that Speaker Johnson didn't win the first ballot, and then I turned around and the next time I looked, two congressmen changed their votes so Johnson could say he did win on the first ballot. It's all about the posturing and image, it seems.
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buzzsawmonkey
1/3/2025 12:55:48 PM
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15
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Reply to vxbush in 14: Speaker of the House, gavel in his hand
Ready to do business with the same old band
Gives a warm handshake, keeps everything on track
Never turns down offers of a small kickback
Glad to do a friend a favor
Doesn't cost me to be nice
But nothing gets you nothing
Everything has got a little price! ---"Les Miserables" adapted to modern times
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vxbush
1/3/2025 5:43:26 AM
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1
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Did the FBI finally find their right-wing supremacist they have been searching for? According to the FBI, agents found what they're calling the largest stockpile of "finished explosive devices" in the history of the agency at the home of 36-year-old Isle of Wight County resident Brad Spafford. It appears that Spafford has been on their radar for a while. In 2023, a friend of his reached out to authorities, stating that he had "disfigured his hand in 2021 while working with explosives." He allegedly lost three of his fingers at that time. Newsweek reports that "The informant also reported that Spafford had voiced support for political assassinations and was stockpiling weapons and ammunition. Following the failed assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump in July, it was reported that he told the informant he 'hoped the shooter doesn't miss Kamala [Harris].'" He also reportedly told a neighbor that "missing children in the news had been taken by the federal government to be trained as school shooters." He allegedly used pictures of Joe Biden for target practice. On December 17, the FBI arrested Spafford on one charge of possessing an illegal unregistered short-barrel rifle. The agency executed a search warrant for his 20-acre farm, bringing in bomb technicians to help. Bombs and materials for making bombs were found in his garage, as well as in the house in a backpack — the home Spafford shares with his wife and two children. He also had a vest with bombs preloaded. Authorities also found Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), a "highly sensitive explosive compound that is of interest to terrorists," according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Newsweek reports that the HMTD was found in a jar next to food in the freezer. Total number of bombs found: 150. Some of the materials were so dangerous they could not be transported safely and were detonated on site. The end of the article notes that the government has been watching this guy for about two years, and there was "no evidence or allegations that Mr. Spafford committed or attempted to commit any act of violence." Motivation?
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