Volume 2 Issue 8
February 12, 2003
The Nation Panics
Greg's Disaster Preparation Tips, North Korea goes big time, and stay with the Swamp for all your Iditarod action!
Happy Birthday to Abe Lincoln. We need you, Abe. (Help prepare for his 200th: www.lincolnbicentennial.gov)!
So last night I went to the supermarket, and soon after walking in the door, I realized what a bad idea that was. I jokingly noted in my post yesterday that the combo of the constant snow here in the DC area and the new security alert would drive folks bonkers, and I was right. When I came to the aisle marked "water" there was row after row of empty shelves, with some overturned crates and litter. But no water. In the non-perishable food aisle, even getting a box of Mac & Cheese was a difficult task. That said, it seemed the other folks there at the supermarket were people like me getting stuff for dinner, and a few of us commented to each other on the Soviet-style market we were in. I suppose that the panickers came by early in the day...guess I'll have to go back later to stockpile my water supply. I also heard from folks who saw people with like 50 rolls of duct tape in their carts, and apparently the hardware stores were cleaned out too. Ah, nothing like a good old fashioned panic. Thanks to the federal government for sponsoring it. I'm sure your donors at Home Depot are grateful.
Speaking of these disaster prep tips (FEMA's Guide: http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/), I found many others kind of confused by the government putting them out. In addition to the ridiculousness about the plastic sheet and duct tape (you think that will keep radiation out? Then I have some prime real estate on the moon to sell you...), there was the bit about stockpiling your home...but they said nothing about your work. Um...people spend most of their time at work or school...shouldn't they have a 3-day supply of food and water for everyone, and large plastic sheets to boot? I know that we don't here at my federal government office. Well, actually, we do have the water cooler, so I guess we have enough water, but the food thing is another story. I guess we'll just have to fight over the vending machine. Oh wait, we don't have a vending machine. Well, I have a chocolate bar in my desk...guess we'll have to ration that out. I'll tell you when the troops arrive with the MRE's for us to store. But, I've decided that my "safe room" will be interior of a 2001 Mazda Protege, as it speeds out of town at 100 miles an hour. But I don't think I should wrap it in plastic.
On a totally unrelated note, I was looking at the stories about John Kerry (who apparently came through surgery A-OK), and noted that his spokesperson was Chris Lehane. While Lehane is apparently well respected, he was also Gore's spokesperson...and Gore never really handled the press too well. I must say, it really sours me on Kerry...even though they have handled his surgery pretty well. Just a note, stay tuned. On to the insanity...and it is insane today, check out the section below where Republican members of Congress (and Joe Liberman, a Republican in all but name) are calling for the US to attack France!
America on Alert:
Folks in DC panicked -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59412-2003Feb11.html
Troops and missile batteries have been deployed in DC again -
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/02/11/air.defenses/index.html
Maureen Dowd has her duct tape ready -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/opinion/12DOWD.html
The British are making fun of us, comparing "preparedness" efforts with the duck and cover drills of the 1950's and 1980's -
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-574650,00.html
In addition to the general alert, colleges and universities are worried as well. From today's Chronicle of Higher Education:
"Al Qaeda is looking at colleges and other poorly defended locations as possible targets for terrorist attacks, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation told a U.S. Senate committee on Tuesday.
"Multiple small-scale attacks against soft targets," including colleges and universities, Mr. Mueller said, "would be easier to execute and would minimize the need to communicate with the central leadership, lowering the risks of detection."
Mr. Mueller's comments mark the "first time a senior official has noted the likelihood that an institution of higher education would be a target," said Sheldon E. Steinbach, vice president and general counsel for the American Council on Education.
Colleges do offer tempting targets for would-be terrorists, Mr. Steinbach said -- besides sponsoring large sporting events, they house ingredients for biological and chemical weapons, and a few even have nuclear reactors. "
Now, my alma matter didn't have a nuclear reactor (that I knew of), but it did have a building designed to implode...
The Tape: Apparently the US blew sources when it revealed the newest Bin Laden tape hours before it aired on Arabic TV. Oh, and the government still believes he's dead, even though he's still making tapes -
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/US/binladen030212.html
Alerts all over the world: London is on high alert as well, with troops and tanks at the airports -
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/5159542.htm
In fact, the Brits almost closed Heathrow -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2397756,00.html
China is dealing with a strange virus, which most think is just a strain of flu. But... -
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/02/11/china.flu/i ndex.html
Coming soon: A new nuclear arms race! I have long commented that the dumb US policy of ignoring rouge nations with nuclear weapons like North Korea (and even submitting to blackmail!) while attacking nations that may or may not be developing them, like Iraq, would lead to dozens of small nations trying to get nukes and blackmail us. According to the CIA, I may have been right -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59498-2003Feb11.html
India tested its first cruise missile today -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2752971.stm
The Government is not monitoring this communication: Congress will pass a restriction on felon John Poindexter's office of "total information awareness" that says he can't use his spy technology on American citizens. Because John Poindexter has always obeyed the law. -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/politics/12PRIV.html
Here we go... You knew it was going to happen. A Republican Congressman from New York wants to take out France. Well, at least Paris is nice than Baghdad...-
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Congressman-France.html
He also said that he didn't care if he pissed off the French because they "are yesterday's people" -
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,78289,00.html
More seriously, House leaders are thinking of putting punitive tariffs on French products, mainly wine and water, as well as possibly pulling out of Germany. Gee, nice way to push your hegemony. Note Tom DeLay's snobbism at the end. What ever happened to friends disagreeing? Guess we'll be at war with them soon too. The Bush Foreign Policy: If we live through it, it's a miracle -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59326-2003Feb11.html
Oh, and in other crazy right-wingers today, the New York Sun carried an editorial over the weekend saying that opposition to a war in Iraq was treason, and the 1st amendment should be removed. Hmm...note to W: Perhaps fascism hasn't quite been stamped out yet -
http://slate.msn.com/id/2078455/
I love Baghdad in the Springtime: The US hopes to take out Saddam within 48 hours of the start of an Iraqi war, lest he becomes another Osama -
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-574703,00.html
Folks everywhere are also betting on when the war in Iraq will happen. No, I mean really betting, like betting who would win the Yankees game. -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/business/12CND-PORT.html
Greg's Pick of the Day: Thomas Friedman in the Times argues for a middle ground. Why, how sensible! -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/opinion/12FRIE.html
That Other Country: The International Atomic Energy Agency today found North Korea in violation of hoards of rules, regulations, and agreements, and referred the matter to the UN Security Council. I'm sure they'll take up the issue with the same vigor that they've dealt with Iraq. Yeah. Apparently, Russia was worried that doing this would piss off Kim Jong Il. We'll find out, won' t we? -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/international/asia/12CND-KOREA.html
And we may all really find out, since the CIA now thinks that North Korea has missiles capable of hitting the West Coast -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62592-2003Feb12.html
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/02/12/us.nkorea/i ndex.html
Sorry, George: Alan Greenspan has refused to get on board with Bush's latest tax cut plan, criticizing the plan yesterday before Congress:
Some have called it the "kiss of death" for the plan -
http://money.cnn.com/2003/02/12/news/economy/greenspan/index .htm
Greenspan pissed of some Republicans so much that some are calling on him to resign -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/business/12FED.html
Moving to Medicare, House Speaker Dennis Hastert called Bush's plan "inhumane", but later backtracked -
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0302120344feb12,1,4736860.story?coll=chi%2Dnewsnationworld%2Dhed
Anti-Valentine of the Day: And you thought I'd forgotten. Actually this one isn't too negative, but its about trying to find a decent place to eat out on Valentine's Day. I'm happy to have secured reservations at the bar at Dulles Airport for my Feb. 14 meal, which I'm sure will be quite enjoyable. -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/dining/12VALE.html?8hpib
Gouging the Public: AAA has accused the oil companies of price gouging, saying that there is no reason for the huge increase in gas prices over the last week -
http://www.msnbc.com/news/871534.asp?0cv=CB10
They also recommend that drivers hunt around an area for cheaper gas. This does work, while gas near me is around $1.80, I found a station only a mile or so out of my way that has it for $1.67 -
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/02/11/gas.price.hike/index.html
Greenspan's comments make it unlikely that there will be movement on the tax cut until the Iraq crisis has passed -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59515-2003Feb11.html
Got that? Scientists now have a map of the entire history of the universe, which will help them understand it better. I hope so, because I don't understand it much at all, but it's neat to read something like this now and again. What amazes me the most is that all known matter (i.e. atoms, people, things, planets, elements) makes up only 4% of the universe. Good luck finding the other 96%! -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/11/science/11cnd-cosmos.html
Stuck in Space: The crew of the International Space Station held its first press conference yesterday -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/11/science/11cnd-station.html
NASA yesterday released the tapes of the discussion among Mission Control during the crash -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/national/nationalspecial/1 2SHUT.html
Text of tapes -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/national/12STEX.html
NASA has also asked Russia to prepare another supply ship for the station, since they will need supplies that the shuttle would have taken up last month, specifically water. But...US law forbids us to pay Russia for things, since they supply Iran with nuclear technology. Something's going to have to give here -
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2003/02/12/012.html
Texas officials are looking into reports of sick animals that may have licked shuttle debris -
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/12/sprj.colu.sick.anim als/
Look Who's Running for President: Florida Senator Bob Graham is expected to file papers this week to raise money for a potential Presidential run, though he is not expected to make a final decision until April -
http://www.adn.com/24hour/politics/story/759781p-5485194c.html
Look Who's Running for President 2: Howard Dean may pick up strength in Iowa due to his anti-war stance -
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/shapiro/2003-02-11-hype_x.htm
Look Who's Running for President 3: John Kerry had successful prostate surgery today. Howard Kurtz attacks the media for laying into him though, which is strange since I though it was kind of restrained -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61402-2003Feb12.html
Kerry's doctor says everything is fine -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/12/politics/12CND-KERRY.html
Look Who should vote for President: Bill Clinton told a group of college students that if they had voted in 2002 and 2000, we wouldn't be in this mess. And he's right -
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-clinton12feb12,1,5592708.story?coll=la%2Dnews%2Da%5Fsection
Bad John Edwards Photo of the Day: Our intermenent feature returns. "Hey daddy look! It's a strange Southerner with no chance of winning the primary!" -
http://media.gatewaync.com/wsj/photos/specialreports/edwards /edwards13.jpg
Le Travails de Expos: So, finally soon DC may be able to get its own baseball team, as the Expos will not be in Montreal in 2004. Rob Neyer details why Orioles' owner Peter Angelos is wrong, and that DC can support a team -
http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/neyer_rob/1506813.html
FOX cons millions of Americans, aka Joe Millionaire: So...what's the big "twist" that will shock the nation next Monday? Remember, this is FOX, so nothing is off the table. If anyone has any good suggestions, let me know I'll mention some of the best -
http://slate.msn.com/id/2078412/
Russians Selling Underage Lesbian Sex: The newest foreign band in the US is t.A.T.u., supposedly made up of two Russian teenagers. Oh, and they're lesbians. Supposedly. -
http://slate.msn.com/id/2078409/
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2003/02/07/013.html
Oh, Lassie: The Collies are taking over the parks in Camden County, NJ. The county is releasing dogs to "put the fear of God" into Geese which have overrun some parks and are damaging the habitat -
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/new_jer sey/5161167.htm
Speaking of the Dogs: The famed Iditarod dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome has had to redo part of the race route after a strange occurrence...there isn't enough snow to hold the race on the regular course. In Alaska. In winter. Yeah, global warming ain't happening. -
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/02/12/iditarod.restart.ap/in dex.html
The Swamp finds the Iditarod dog race to be one of the least covered sports events out there, and considering all the press that the Westminster Dog Show got this week, I'm going to be giving you action updates from the Iditarod once it starts on March 1. If any readers out there are in Alaska and want to give "from the scene" reports, let me know! Here's the official website, where you can even buy your Iditarod garb -
http://www.iditarod.com/index.shtml
Have a great day!
Gregory S. Gadren
