tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post7216441306459045966..comments2024-03-29T06:35:11.321-04:00Comments on The Elephant Bar: Pakistan has a problem. Hillary notices.Deuce ☂http://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-26034305128655629042009-10-31T18:57:02.185-04:002009-10-31T18:57:02.185-04:00Recent history in Pakistan is similar to events in...Recent history in Pakistan is similar to events in Iran during the rule of the Shah. Both leaderships were strongly backed by the US, and were involved in widespread repression or attacks on their own people. Both regimes followed policies that were deeply unpopular domestically. In Iran, this led the revolution of 1979 which created an Islamic Republic. Could something similar happen in Pakistan?<br /><br /><a href="http://watching-history.blogspot.com/2009/10/future-of-pakistan.html" rel="nofollow">http://watching-history.blogspot.com/2009/10/future-of-pakistan.html</a><br /><br />btw, nice template. :)Chris Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07305747866146613339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-64330702406731982662009-10-31T02:31:42.924-04:002009-10-31T02:31:42.924-04:00I quess I think some kind of official US military ...I quess I think some kind of official US military photos, no politicians involved, periodically released, would be a good way to go, if photos are an issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-14461056509459915162009-10-31T02:13:02.387-04:002009-10-31T02:13:02.387-04:00According to the guy who took over from Mark Levin...According to the guy who took over from Mark Levin tonight, the no photo policy was the result of an incident back in the Bush I time. Bush was giving a speech and the network kept dividing the screen with photos of Dover,etc. This ticked most everybody off, dems and reps alike, some of the relatives complained, etc, as a crass propaganda ploy, so a policy was put in place, no photos.<br /><br />No use of the dead for partisan propaganda.<br /><br />Until O broke this policy with a early morning visit, complete with newsmen, cameras, film crew, etc.<br />--<br /><br />It's possible the old building was dozed to save taxes, but I kind of doubt it. You'd still have some hefty taxes, you'd have given up the possibility of finding a good tenant, which is always possible, you'd have all the expense of dozing and cleanup. I will check on it periodically and see if some construction begins. This is an issue of major import here at the EB :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-34353376341760850202009-10-31T01:15:54.272-04:002009-10-31T01:15:54.272-04:00WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon will offer the H1...WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon will offer the H1N1 vaccination to detainees at the U.S. facility at Guantanamo Bay, officials there said Friday.<br /><br />The Pentagon made the decision based on U.S. government assessments that people held in detention facilities are at high risk for the pandemic, said Maj. Diana R. Haynie, a spokeswoman for Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, which is in charge of holding the suspected terrorists.<br /><br />"Detainees at JTF Guantanamo are considered to be at higher risk and therefore they will be offered the H1N1 vaccination," Haynie said.<br /><br />"JTF Guantanamo conducts safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees. As such, we must provide detainees the medical care necessary to maintain their health," she said.<br /><br />Base officials had not received the vaccinations and did not know when they were expected to arrive, Haynie said.<br /><br />Once the vaccinations are received, doses will be administered to active-duty personnel before being offered to detainees and others on the base, Haynie said.<br /><br />The vaccination is mandatory for all uniformed personnel, she said.<br /><br />The vaccinations will be voluntary for the detainees, who will be briefed on the virus and the vaccine prior to deciding whether to receive the latter.<br /><br />Some of the detainees have already voluntarily taken the seasonal flu shot, Haynie said.What is "Occupation"https://www.blogger.com/profile/08237879055691019968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-15286187962468505472009-10-30T23:29:47.883-04:002009-10-30T23:29:47.883-04:00Shine the light of day, truth and justice on those...Shine the light of day, truth and justice on those home coming through Dover. No need to hide them, as if to see them or photograph a casket some how dishonors those interred.<br /><br />Hiding them is dishonorable, allow or even promote the apathy and indifference to the results of policy that the absence of their visible existence as evidence allows.desert rathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02369546288659566961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-51818325810749655282009-10-30T23:25:04.434-04:002009-10-30T23:25:04.434-04:00Dozed, bob, because it had no economic value, and ...Dozed, bob, because it had no economic value, and the taxes were eating the owner.<br /><br />As an empty lot, the tax bill drops.<br /><br />Chances are better than even that nothing replaces it. At least for a while.<br /><br />Cost less to doze it than maintain it and pay the taxes.desert rathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02369546288659566961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-9729150282807458502009-10-30T23:18:53.325-04:002009-10-30T23:18:53.325-04:00I'm with Obama on this one. If we can send th...I'm with Obama on this one. If we can send them off to War, we can let them come home in the light of the day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-46764127700432131072009-10-30T22:58:10.519-04:002009-10-30T22:58:10.519-04:00Anonymous said...About that Dover Air Force photo ...<b>Anonymous</b> said...<i>About that Dover Air Force photo op, I was just reading it was 18 years ago a policy was put in place, no cameras....That policy though was considered to be a policy for the respect to the dead. Obama has now broken that policy, for a photo op.</i><br /><br />In the aftermath of the Midway debacle, the Japanese Navy had a similar policy, total ban on any information about the defeat. It took ten years for the barest sketchy details to filter out into Japan at large. When we die we like to know that someone, somewhere still thinks of us from time to time. Otherwise it will come to pass (Psalm 103:15) <i>"[15] As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more."</i>Teresitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05528002521904908827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-62974550147631990482009-10-30T22:21:08.376-04:002009-10-30T22:21:08.376-04:00Honduran deal in the works. I would have told the...Honduran deal in the works. I would have told the US to stick their interference up their ass; however, I don’t need the aid dollars.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/world/americas/31honduras.html?_r=1&hp" rel="nofollow">Zelaya on his way back</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-83794960623779711582009-10-30T21:39:47.977-04:002009-10-30T21:39:47.977-04:00The 'death panels' crap is back in the 199...The 'death panels' crap is back in the 1990 page screw America health bill.<br /><br />Grandma's time has come.<br /><br />I'm going to the Casino for a drawing, while I still have time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-67773578203447820942009-10-30T21:37:22.092-04:002009-10-30T21:37:22.092-04:00Whit, that old pizza building in Moscow, that I po...Whit, that old pizza building in Moscow, that I pointed out to you, it's gone. Bulldozed. Don't know what's going on. We already have a Baskin-Robbins. The wife is hoping for Dunkin' Donuts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-30203175621358060472009-10-30T20:54:27.168-04:002009-10-30T20:54:27.168-04:00Hell, I'm just tickled to death it's not &...Hell, I'm just tickled to death it's not "all of them."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-33312838822997219682009-10-30T20:52:11.572-04:002009-10-30T20:52:11.572-04:00I agree about the American entrepreneurial spirit ...I agree about the American entrepreneurial spirit which I think will continue as long as the anti-capitalist crowd doesn't prevail. Personally, I am not worried. I can grow and can veggies. My material needs are low.<br /><br />I may be wrong about the FDIC numbers. I recalled hearing that we are about a 1/4 of the way through the bank failures. As of 12 days ago, the FDIC had on its watch list, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204731804574385072164619640.html" rel="nofollow">416 banks with nearly $300 billion in assets.</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-17179395719381269012009-10-30T20:35:26.715-04:002009-10-30T20:35:26.715-04:00Whit, I've been where you're at. It was c...Whit, I've been where you're at. It was called, "The Carter Years." It seemed impossible that the Republic would survive in a "recognizable" form. The pendulum swung, and we got Reagan.<br /><br />We've, quite likely, got a pretty rough decade coming at us. But, in the long run it's still the United States. The stuff that made us great isn't going away. We're not going to forget how to innovate, or educate, or dodge the taxman. We've just got to get over a few "hurdles." If we can't jump'em, we'll crawl over'em.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-89687858505799329052009-10-30T20:34:17.858-04:002009-10-30T20:34:17.858-04:00Not in too many headlines...Not in too many headlines...Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1704463425633990052009-10-30T20:29:46.761-04:002009-10-30T20:29:46.761-04:0018 of 19 families DENIED BHO permission to photogr...18 of 19 families DENIED BHO permission to photograph Self/w Caskets!<br />1 agreed.<br />Probly why he was there for THREE HOURS!Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-46618355500247552232009-10-30T20:28:23.323-04:002009-10-30T20:28:23.323-04:00I've been pre-emptively denied the pleasure.
B...I've been pre-emptively denied the pleasure.<br />Bet you're wrong, tho.<br />...again!Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-30726424072170228852009-10-30T20:22:06.027-04:002009-10-30T20:22:06.027-04:00I just pulled 200 off the top of my head, Whit. D...I just pulled 200 off the top of my head, Whit. Doug would probably point to a more southerly location for my find, though. :)<br /><br />If they're figuring a couple hundred more, I'll defer. I doubt it, but I'll defer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-87382845049178911702009-10-30T20:04:38.772-04:002009-10-30T20:04:38.772-04:00After Americans lost $20 trillion in wealth and ar...After Americans lost $20 trillion in wealth and are left underwater and saddled with debt, does anyone really expect a recovery in the next ten years? How about for a generation? <br /><br />My question, still unanswered is have we tripped into a paradigm shift? Have we gone from a growth model economy to a poorer but less materialistic society? If so, what does that mean about a recovery?<br /><br />Then, of course, underlying all of this is the massive explosion of debt and the devaluation of the dollar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-59065629175938563012009-10-30T19:56:25.643-04:002009-10-30T19:56:25.643-04:00rufus said about bank closings:
I doubt we hit 200...rufus said about bank closings:<br /><i>I doubt we hit 200 this time around.</i><br /><br />Where did you get that optimistic number from. Going into Friday night, we're already at 106. We'll know tomorrow if there are more this week. The word is that nearly $300 billion worth of Commercial Real Estate Loans will mature each year for the next few years. Vacancy rates are soaring and Banks aren't lending. There is an expected Tsunami of failures. The FDIC expects to take out another two or three hundred banks. Granted that's not as bad as the Great one or the SNL bailout but this time around the global credit meltdown which Deuce pointed out early, early on is destabilizing a world recovery. I don't believe anyone has begun to address rebuilding the system. Right now, it's still at the 'pulling survivors out of the water stage.' Meanwhile, I get the feeling that the stockmarket is full speed ahead oblivious of the icebergs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-51456278192895498232009-10-30T19:50:04.094-04:002009-10-30T19:50:04.094-04:00Same with "rise" in home prices, Whit.
T...Same with "rise" in home prices, Whit.<br />They point to Case Schiller Median, but that just reflects than more sales are now being made in the medium price range rather than low price range of the last several months.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-43808041658080001102009-10-30T19:43:24.725-04:002009-10-30T19:43:24.725-04:00Happy Days are here, again.
Signaling the end of ...<a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Economy-grows-in-Q3-rb-243710096.html?x=0&.v=5" rel="nofollow">Happy Days are here, again.</a><br /><br /><i>Signaling the end of the worst recession in 70 years, the Commerce Department on Thursday said the economy expanded at an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the July-September period, snapping four down quarters with its fastest growth pace since the third quarter of 2007 and exceeding forecasts for a 3.3 percent rate.</i><br /><br />Down in the story:<br /><i>"The economy is entirely dependent on federal deficit spending at the moment. But the stimulus will not fade right away ... that means we can rely on solid growth continuing through the first quarter of next year," said Chris Low, chief economist at FTN Financial in New York.<br /><br />"Once the government steps aside, growth is likely to fall back to a 1-2 percent rate of growth."</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-20187498916897149652009-10-30T18:34:35.002-04:002009-10-30T18:34:35.002-04:00I've been there where the "ally" tho...I've been there where the "ally" thought they were fighting "our" war. I know how that turns out.<br /><br />I'll guarantee you, there's not ONE Pakistani out of 50 that would turn OBL in.<br /><br />Guys, they're Pakistani. We're Americans. They're Muslim. We're Christian. We're over there, "Killing Pakis" in Pakistan. You can bet, "Most" of them would like to "Kill" us.<br /><br />It's just wasted "money for Boeing, and Lockheed."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-81427718617717763092009-10-30T17:57:43.092-04:002009-10-30T17:57:43.092-04:00This site purports to have the most recent data on...This site purports to have the most recent data on<a href="http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/peo_mar_rat-people-marriage-rate" rel="nofollow"> Marriage rates by country</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-81541835812315783002009-10-30T17:51:29.162-04:002009-10-30T17:51:29.162-04:00All over the map:
I've been thinking about ou...All over the map:<br /><br />I've been thinking about our future with China and one thing I would like to throw out there is:<br /><br />The Chinese have a tendency toward enthusiastic nationalism, (something the US knows about). This could become problematic for us and the whirled in the coming years. <br /><br />I'm not sure about their capacity for compassion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com