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Saturday, April 24, 2004
Blinded or Blinders
I wasn't going to say anything about the sad, untimely death of Pat Tillman when his combat patrol unit came under attack in Afghanistan. I wasn't, because I really hadn't said anything about the hundreds of other military personnel who have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Tillman joined the Army and then the Rangers forces, out of his own sense of duty and obligation to the United States following September 11. He refused all interview requests, and he and his brother actually traveled from Arizona to Denver, Colorado to enlist so as to avoid being noticed. He did so because he did not want special treatment or to be treated like he was more special than any of the other men and women who are in the armed services.
Whether he wanted to or not, he was special. He was extremely bright and with an incredible force of will. He graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State and was the PAC 10 defensive player of the year in his senior season. He started as a walk-on at ASU to reach that point. He was only a 6th round NFL draft pick and became a starting safety for the Arizona Cardinals earning well over $1 million per year. He then did something few of us would be willing to do. He walked away from multi-millions for playing football to serve his country as a volunteer in the US Army. He volunteered to join the Army Rangers with full knowledge and expectations that he would certainly be sent into combat situations. He went willingly and with his eyes open.
So in my own logic, I was going to respect posthumously his wish not to be treated differently from the others. I wasn't, until I read John Ettore's rant. I like John. I find what he has to say interesting, and he has said some very nice things about my writing. I knew I wasn't politically aligned with him, but that is not a big deal. That is not a prerequisite to like somebody or read what they write.
John declares that Tillman died because of the Bush administration. John has made no secret of his hatred for Bush, but he seems to have lost it.
But this morning brings the even more haunting news of the death of a guy who will quickly become a much larger martyr to the savage arrogance of this ignorant gang that occupies the upper rungs of our government.
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Now, in death, he will offer one last incredible, mind-numbing service to his country: illustrating to even the dimmest among us that this war has been a disaster unique in American history, for which the architects must pay with their jobs and then their reputations, their names dragged through the mud of history as the bullies and cowards they are.
Tillman is a martyr and victim of Bush and "this war?"
Tillman was killed in Afghanistan where the US still is scouring for Al Queda and Taliban members, the US didn't just cut and run from Afghanistan after the US bombed and then removed the extremists who were running the country and allowing terror groups to operate freely.
The US was and is still trying to root out the forces there that would members of their own religion if they didn't believe the "right" way. Rather than any simple vengeance for 9/11, the US is still there with other Western countries trying to help the Afghani people rebuild their country and a government. Part of that job involves military combat. I don't think I'm splitting hairs when I say that it wouldn't matter who was in the White House at 9/11, the US would have gone into Afghanistan and would still be there.
I don't know what war John sees Tillman dying from. Either John mistakenly believed that Tillman was in Iraq. Or John is indicting the actions of the Bush administration for the entire war on terror. What is clear is that John has let himself be blinded by his hatred for the Bush administration.
Pat Tillman did not die from some sinister cabal of right-wing zealots who only seek to advance a military-industrial-oil-complex secret plan. He did not die because he was lied to by the US Government. Tillman did not die in the name of some great American empire expansion.
Tillman died from the weapons of an enemy. He died in combat. He decided to serve his country by joining the military and fighting the same people who cheered and supported slamming airline jets filled with passengers into buildings. He died doing what he believed was the right thing for him to be doing.
To say Tillman was a victim or martyr of the US government demeans the decision Tillman made of his own free will. It suggests Tillman was ignorant and suckered into making his choices. Tillman chose to join the Army. Tillman volunteered for Ranger training. Tillman made all of the choices that would put him in real action and risk. At any time he could have taken an easier path. He could have become a public face for the military, and avoided any risk. He chose to face it.
File Under: Estate Planning
The headline reads
Arafat Said Preparing for Possible Death
We all will die someday. Arafat seems to think his time is soon. He hopes it to be the glorious martyr's death -- no not the suicide bomber, err, martyr, death he and his party have encouraged.
On Saturday, an estimated 3,000 people gathered outside Arafat's West Bank headquarters in Ramallah. Smiling at times and raising his arms, Arafat pledged to stand strong in the face of the latest threats.
"I tell Sharon and his gang, 'The mountain cannot be moved by the wind,'" he said, using a phrase to show he will not give in to threats.
Behind the scenes, however, Arafat confidants said he was concerned about the latest threat.
"I met with Arafat this morning. He told me, 'I am a believer. My fate is martyrdom,'" said Abbas Zaki, a leading member of Arafat's Fatah movement.
A few thousand is the best they can muster now. Reads to me like more than a few Palestinians won't be that upset when Arafat kicks off.
My 'Burb Is Going Into Chaos
Shortly after we moved to Eastlake, a co-worker of my wife mentioned that she used to live there. The co-worker asked, "Is 'Dirty' Dan still the mayor?" He won't be after next Friday.
Dan DiLiberto, mayor of Eastlake since 1994, told city employees Friday that he will resign next Friday, blaming a heart condition that hospitalized him three times in the last six months.
DiLiberto, a third-term mayor, was known chiefly for two things: building a minor league baseball stadium and forming the 100-community member Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) to fight against electric and natural gas utility price increases.
The Lake County Captains play in a publicly built stadium that used questionable eminent domain procedures to get the land and then turned over significant other chunks for a song to private developers to build a yet to be determined project (maybe a hotel). The costs went over budget, and they still haven't been able to sell the naming rights.
NOPEC has resulted in no noticeable savings over First Energy, nor in keeping prices down. As an aside, I wonder how good the accounting practices have been for this "co-op."
As for his decision to retire before finishing out his term, this might have something more to do with it
DiLiberto, a councilman for 10 years before becoming mayor, said he found out this month that he can receive a full- disability state pension.
The city is in a major budget shortfall -- "deficit of $3.2 million, nearly one-fourth of its operating budget for the year" -- has recently laid off 19 employees, and has had state auditors combing the books for over a year.
The Plain Dealer has a timeline of his highlights. Some standouts
Nov. 1995 - The "Boulevard of 500 Flags" is dedicated to U.S. war veterans and puts Eastlake in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Now, I'm not trying to be insulting, but this "Boulevard" was a complete disappointment if you follow the signs to it. The "boulevard" is the access road to the city hall and the service buildings for the city. The flags go 3 or 4 deep and it is more of a parking lot area than a street. But now I understand, it was to get into Guinness.
2001 - DiLiberto, who topped out at nearly 300 pounds, has gastric bypass surgery, "stomach stapling," and eventually drops more than 100 pounds "My doctor said it was lose weight or die early," he said.
He's got to hope this doesn't end up in his obituary someday.
Upgrading
We're finally doing it. We're getting off of dial-up, and going with broadband. Not a cable broadband, because our cable provider, Comcast, sucks. They have raised the rates 2 or 3 times in the last 8 months, and it looks like we're going to go satellite in the next few months. That left going with DSL (SBC-Yahoo!) or through the satellite. That became easy when we learned that satellite broadband would be twice the price of DSL.
We get activated next week. I already have the modem and self-installation kit. I need to go out and get longer cables. The cables supplied work from the assumption that your computer is right up against a phone jack.
This means e-mail address changes, notifications and canceling my dial-up account -- after the DSL is up and running.
If anyone has gone through the DSL self-installation process, especially the SBC-Yahoo! system, any tips, warnings, hints or suggestions would be appreciated.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Features Not Bugs
Back at the end of February, there were several stories on how Palestinian factions seem to be positioning themselves for fighting amongst themselves as Israel pulls out of the West Bank and Gaza while the security fence is being built.
Now add in the Israeli targeting of Hamas leaders as they pull out, and according to some reports, things are already looking bad (via VodkaPundit).
But Hamas faces a larger problem. The Palestinian people are becoming disillusioned with the terror tactics. The main reason for the disillusionment is poverty. Before the current "intifada" (uprising) began in late 2000, some 20 percent of Palestinians lived in poverty. Now that figure is over 80 percent. Per capita income for Palestinians is about a thousand dollars (although 30 percent of that comes from foreign aid). Business investment in the Palestinian territories (and their 3.5 million population) is only about ten percent of what it was before the intifada. The Palestinian economy depends on Israel for jobs and trade. By sending suicide bombers into Israel, the movement of Palestinians and Palestinian goods into Israel was interrupted.
Hamas has cultivated support among Palestinians with their extensive social welfare operations. But this work is supported by charitable donations, and a portion of that money is diverted to terrorist operations. So, in the last few months, Israel has interrupted the flow of money to Hamas. This has resulted in social programs being stalled, or even stopped. Hamas has lost public support because of this. Palestinians are becoming less grateful to Hamas for helping them get through their poverty, and increasingly blaming Hamas for causing all the misfortune
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While popular support for Palestinian terrorists is declining, the terrorists themselves will not go away. Their inability to launch many suicide bomb attacks has not diminished the dedication of the remaining terrorists. But deprived of their much of their leadership and technical experts, there is greater risk that the terrorism will be more frequently turned against "disloyal" Palestinians. When the terrorists cannot strike out, they tend to look for internal enemies. Given the large number of Israeli informers in the Palestinian territories, and increasing number of Palestinians who do not agree with the terrorism tactics, Hamas and other terrorist groups have lots of potential victims close at hand.
You can decry the deaths of Palestinians at the hands of other Palestinians, but for Israel it's an easy choice. Either let them kill Israelis or let them turn on themselves.
This isn't a surprising development. I'm sure the Israeli government knew this sort of thing would/will happen as they withdraw. The economic problems will remain for the Palestinians, as Israel is not about to allow the influx of Palestinian workers into Israel, and there won't be real investment by foreign capital in the area when there is no real government protection and plenty of violence and corruption.
The Palestinians with their support for the violence, and their allowing Arafat to be in control have brought this on themselves.
Just Put it in Youngstown
Where they have the experience and graft already in place, and it's in the middle of the two.
I don't gamble too much. I find the restrictions silly and absurd, and seem more and more about preserving state controls and the interests in Vegas and Atlantic City. I like it, but it isn't a part of my life. It's always been pretty low on my list of things to do with my disposable entertainment income. So take my thoughts for what they're worth.
Whenever cities or even states start having severe money problems, you suddenly start to read a lot about possible casinos or slot machines at the racetracks. Funny thing, both Pittsburgh and Cleveland are looking to getting a casino to help generate some cash.
If both would somehow happen (and honestly, I'd be shocked if either actually made it through their respective state legislatures), it would make both sides even angrier. Their projections, surely include having people from the other city (about 135 miles away) come to the other's casino. Instead it would merely be further cannibalization of their own populace's entertainment dollar.
Clevelanders would probably be even more annoyed because a Pittsburgh casino would have a good chance of being developed with the help of Forest City Enterprises -- a Cleveland based real estate delopment company.
Thursday, April 22, 2004
And They Left the Cap Off the Toothpaste
Houseguests kicked out of Arafat's Ramallah headquarters.
Yasser Arafat forced 20 fugitives hiding in his West Bank headquarters to leave the premises early Thursday, fearing the Israeli army would invade the complex to grab them, one of the departing fugitives said.
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Last week, Israeli security officials summoned Ismail Jabber, commander of the Palestinian national forces, and told him if the fugitives were not forced out they would invade, and if necessary, pull them out of "Arafat's desk drawer," said a fugitive, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Following that, five of the fugitives left voluntarily. Overnight, at about 3 a.m., Arafat - under pressure from his aides to get rid of the fugitives due to signs Israel was preparing to invade the city of Ramallah - personally told the 20 remaining men to leave, the fugitive said.
He said they had left but were angry.
The fugitives had been there for months. How ungrateful of them.
Guess that means no chance Arafat will catch a bullet from accidental gunfire -- yet.
Time Waster for the Day
I'm fairly common
Charles is the #8 most common male name. 1.523% of men in the US are named Charles. Around 1865675 US men are named Charles! source namestatistics.comRich is the #611 most common last name. 0.019% of last names in the US are Rich. Around 47500 US last names are Rich! source namestatistics.comMy daughter is a little less so.
Angela is the #29 most common female name. 0.468% of females in the US are named Angela. Around 596700 US females are named Angela! source namestatistics.comThe wife comes in at #2319, to be one of 2550 with her first name.
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
I Don't Know
I've been getting a lot of hits for " Ben Roethlisberger jewish" for which I rank #7. All because his name and Jewish are mentioned on by blog in one week back in August.
I don't know.
Why don't you go ask him at his official web site -- yes, he already has one.
College Basketball Coaching Changes
St. John's and Georgetown have new coaches. My thoughts here.
Investigation is Such an Unfriendly Word...
In the ever growing firefighters contract for votes deal in Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., is looking into the matter but don't call it an investigation. Consider it just curiosity
Zappala described his office's efforts as an inquiry, stopping short of calling it an investigation.
U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan in Pittsburgh is also "reviewing the allegations."
Pittsburgh officials are turning over requested documents to both "inquiries."
DA Zappala says he is planning to interview the firefighters' union president, Joe King, today. That appears to be news to King's attorney.
Joshua Bloom, King's attorney, said he had no plans to allow his client to sit down with prosecutors until and unless one agency takes the lead in investigating the allegations.
"It's premature to have a meeting now. If one authority is going to investigate it, then at that time, we'll discuss having a potential meeting," Bloom said.
"Before my client meets with any authority, I think it's only fair that my client knows who's going to take charge in this investigation, and then at that time the parameters can be discussed," Bloom said.
If I seem too gleeful over all of this, it is not out of malice. It's just that in Pittsburgh (and Cleveland for that matter) people and ways of doing things have become so entrenched that it seems it takes criminal charges and fiscal crises to bring about any change to the typical way of doing things. The way things seem to be careening in Pittsburgh, I almost think there is a chance to break the old system a little more.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Pittsburgh's Mayor Murphy and the Firemen
As the informal investigations into the alleged quid pro quo of the deal Mayor Murphy gave the firefighters' union for an endorsement in the primary continue, the Mayor has finally spoken. His word -- deny, deny, deny:
"I am confident we did better than what an arbitrator would have done," Murphy said Monday, referring to the contract negotiations three years ago.
Later in the day, before the start of a community meeting at Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School in the West End, Murphy said he was not actively seeking the support of the firefighters' union at the time the contract was negotiated and that the pact was not a trade for votes.
They Mayor further argued that the deal wasn't as bad as it could have been.
The mayor said the value of the deal he negotiated with firefighters became even more apparent following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
"Does anybody really think that after Sept. 11, an arbitrator would have awarded a contract to firefighters that wasn't generous?" he said. "Especially considering the fact that they wouldn't have to take into account the city's finances when they make their decision."
A good argument if it was actually relevant to the time. The problem, was that the contract was made in March 2001, not around the time of 9/11. It's not like the negotiations would have dragged out until then.
Of course the man who made all of this happen, the firefighters union president, Joe King, has suddenly become less talkative and more reclusive. As he said a few days ago, "I won't let that happen to me again or the city again. I don't think it would be prudent on my part to grab all these economic conditions and starve everybody else." Of course, Dave Copeland, who has found his e-mail and phone jammed with angry calls after this column has a good point.
Murphy can't work a deal with King unless King agrees to go along with it. If King's allegations are true, it's clear that Murphy put his own interests ahead of the city's. But what does that say about King?
In releasing the letter, King called for the mayor to resign for the good of the city. But if King really cared about the city, maybe he'd consider giving the money back or, at the very least, renegotiating the contract which is plainly far too extravagant for the city's means.
Unions are often accused of being socialist organizations. Not so with the Pittsburgh firefighters union. In their quest to create a People's Republic of Pittsburgh, the firefighters have lost site of their goals of wage parity and safer working conditions and have instead focused on grabbing an ever increasing share of the pie.
But no one is allowed to question the actions of a group of city employees who now gobble up more than 70 cents of each precious dollar being spent by the city. It suddenly becomes a public safety issue, and anyone who would think of closing fire houses or bringing staffing levels down to a manageable level must be hell-bent on seeing the city go up in smoke.
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As a member of the city's pension board, Joe King should have been well aware of the city's financial problems well before the 2001 election. The question is, why did he accept those kind of expenditures?
For more firefighter fun, the state oversight board -- created by the Pennsylvania legislature, and separate from the Act 47 oversight board (I really need a scorecard and/or flow chart) -- has hired a consultant to study the fire bureau. The head of the consulting company has a bit of a past with the firefighters.
In a move that may rankle firefighters old enough to remember, Pittsburgh's financial oversight board is hiring a Dallas firm headed by Kevin Mellott, a former assistant fire chief who frequently banged heads with the firefighters union, to study the city fire department.
Mellott, who is chief executive officer of Erase Enterprises, was a controversial wunderkind who at age 29 was lured from his job in Chicago to head Pittsburgh's fire prevention division. Union members regarded him as an outsider who was too green to hold such an important post.
From 1986 to 1988, Mellott was one of two non-union assistant fire chiefs named under former Chief John Leahy and former Public Safety Director John Norton. Mellott's critics called him "Rambo" because he'd sometimes show up at fire scenes wearing military fatigues and carrying a pistol.
When Mellott was assistant chief, the Public Safety Department had just been organized, and fights between Fire Fighters Local 1 and non-union management were as frequent as they were fierce. Within weeks of his appointment, the union filed suit, demanding Mellott's removal and saying the hire violated civil service rules.
Mellott resigned two years after coming on board, taking a new job and citing a poor working relationship with then-Mayor Sophie Masloff. When Mellott quit, the fire union head at the time, Bernard Burns, said, "I don't think anyone will miss Kevin Mellott."
This keeps getting better and better. I just hope the unions and the people running Cleveland are paying attention to this. It's going to get almost as nasty here in a couple of years.
Liquor Sold in Ohio on a Sunday
And I would only have to drive about 200 miles to buy. I noted that it was approved in a Columbus suburb last month. This past Sunday, the store was selling liquor.
The store now may sell beer, wine and liquor from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.
Huffman's "is the first and so far the only contract agency that can sell spirituous liquor on Sunday in Ohio," said Matt Mullins, a spokesman for the Ohio Division of Liquor Control.
"Because this was a site-specific vote, we said we would abide by the voters' wishes," he said.
One of the first customers in line to take advantage of the Sunday sales was Brian Perera of Upper Arlington, who grabbed a copy of The New York Times and a bottle of scotch.
"It's convenient, just 71 short years after Prohibition," Perera said.
A state law was passed about 5 years ago allowing specific stores to petition the local election board for a ballot vote on allowing Sunday sales at specific sites. This was the first store to try. The vote was 85% in its favor.
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