Base10Blog
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
 
This Seems Harsh. Don't They Usually Just Get Fired?
"Next 'Apprentice' to Be Shot in Calif." - AP.
 
Just a Thought

Base10 is on his way to work now and it is shaping up to be a fine day. Temperatures should brush sixty degrees and the sun is shining. Why am I going into work again?

Never mind. Why complain? Even though Wednesday is the cruelest day--teasing with thoughts of the weekend while still being the middle of the workweek--the holidays are here and the weather is beautiful. Life is good.

There was no real sports action last night. Base10 knows the Islanders lost. And UNC lost to Illinois in a rematch of the NCAA basketball championship of last year.

A perusal of the football standings gave little to cheer about. The only other 2-9 teams aside from the Jets are San Francisco and Houston. Even the homeless Saints have more wins than us. Oh the humanity!

What will happen to the Saints? They will not be able to play in the Superdome next season and the league has already put together a patchwork of facilities for them similar to this year's arrangement. One cannot help but wonder whether they will try to relocate to Los Angeles.

While Base10's NFL season may be over until the draft, he still has the Rose Bowl. This should be a great weekend in college football. It's conference championship weekend and it looks great. USC plays rival UCLA and Texas plays Colorado. The 'Noles play Virginia Tech. And Georgia plays the surprising LSU. Saturday is looking fine.


 
What a Cruel Molecule!
"Molecule gives passionate lovers just one year" - Reuters.
 
Photo of the Day

washmonument4, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Well, this is the obligatory poor perspective photo of the Washington Monument. Like the other DC photos it was taken digitally with the EOS. Enjoy!


 
It's the Economy, Stupid
In spite of revisionist economic pundits, the truth is emerging. The US economy is growing at a very health pace. The last quarter's growth figures were revised up to an annualized 4.3%. This is in spite of high oil prices and hurricane Katrina.

Even the NY Times wrote this:
Gasoline is cheaper than it was before Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans. Consumer confidence jumped last month and new home sales hit a record. The stock market has been rising. Even the nation's beleaguered factories appear to be headed for a happy holiday season.

By most measures, the economy appears to be doing just fine. No, scratch that, it appears to be booming.

Of course, unable to see a silver lining without a storm cloud, the Times followed with:
[B]ut [the current growth] does not mean the broad economic picture next year will be even better. Indeed, the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development said today that the United States economy is likely to be a repeat of 2005. The O.E.C.D. projected that 2005 growth will settle at 3.6 percent, down from 4.2 percent in 2004. The O.E.C.D. also forecast 2006 growth at 3.5 percent, but other economists think that may be too optimistic.

Now investors, whose stock-buying had been fueling an end-of-year rally, fear that the latest positive figures will lead the Federal Reserve to take the punchbowl away by raising interest rates more than most analysts expected just a few weeks ago. In turn, that could further slow the housing market, dampen consumer spending and crimp corporate profits. "The two major concerns are the extent of slowdown in housing and how it can feed into growth and consumer spending," said Joshua Shapiro, chief United States economist at Maria Fiorini Ramirez Inc., a research firm in New York.

God forbid we report any straight economic good news under President Bush's watch!
 
And the Democrats Who Don't
Max Boot calls them the "white flag" Democrats. How true.
 
A Democrat Who Gets It
Sen. Joe Lieberman had a stirring op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal yesterday. He actually understands the importance of winning the war against Islamic terrorism. His article is definitely worth a read.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
 
TTLB Ecosystem

Why am I back to being a multicellular organism? I was a slimy mollusk for such a long time! Really, I wonder what gives? My page views and uniques are actually improving!


 
Football News

Last night, the Colts played an outstanding defensive game and routed the Steelers 26-7. Granted, Ben Roethlisberger was a little rusty after being out several weeks with a knee injury, but Base10 must say that the Colts looked really good.

The Colts move to 11-0 and the prospect of an undefeated season gets closer and closer every week. I don't know if the Colts can duplicate the '72 Dolphins, but if last night's game is any indication, look out Don Shula.

The key is balance, of course. The Colts under Tony Dungee are no longer a one-dimensional team that had to core 45 points to stay competitive. The booth noted that Dungee had only one player left on defense since he took over. I'd say this man knows a thing or two about "D".

In other football news, the Lions organization fired head coach Steve Mariucci. Mariucci had an abysmal record with the team in spite of having arguably the best receiving corp in football. The key, it seems is at QB, a position that Joey Harrington never grew into and one for which Jeff Garcia will probably be shown the door. The New York Sun suggested that Mariucci would be better off in college (coaching, not taking classes) and indicated Michigan was already interested. Of course, Mariucci is still owed about 12 million on his contract for the remainder of this season and over the next two more.

The question also becomes who is available to replace him? Dick Jauron, former Bears head coach, has been promoted to interim coach, but can you really see him landing the job?


 
Jets News

Well, it's not news really, but the mourning period after that loss Sunday night is over. It's time to look forward. Next week we face the Pats at Foxboro. Let's try to play them hard, boys.

Sunday's game was not a disaster. The defense played well and Brooks Bollinger actually looked like he knew how to run an offense and was able to move the ball. This makes you wonder whether they should have gone with him earlier, but that's the coach's
call.

With two wins, one cannot help but think about the future of the team. If they continue to tank, what direction should they go? The Jets have cap problems and some glaring needs:

QB - Pennington may not be the long-term solution at QB for thje team. I like him, but he may never recover from his current shoulder problems and has demonstrated himself to be injury prone. It wouldn't be a reach to take a quarterback in the draft, but at least one San Diego QB will be available this year and there will be other capable QB's out there in free agency. Fiedler is also an option if they want to wait a year to evaluate Pennington. The other reason I don't want them to pick a QB: the Jets are notoriously adept at picking busts at QB in the first round. Can you say Browning Nagle?

RB - Curtis Martin is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He is a terrific sports role model for kids and if I had a daughter I'd want her to marry him. That being said, he's done as an every-down back. Here's where they need to make a move. Forget Matt Leinhart, grab Reggie Bush in the draft if you can. Try to get Curtis Martin to stay as a backup (a Jerome Bettis type role might appeal to him), but make it clear that the team is going in a different direction.

Offensive Line - This unit is in sorry shape, but the return of Kevin Mawae next year should help solidify a group that has been playing together for a whole season. The Jets have to get some depth here in the draft.

Defensive Secondary - Overall, the defense is pretty good and will continue to be good next year. The biggest question mark is Abraham. Aside from that, the boys do need a little help at secondary. This can also be addressed in the draft.


 
Mets News

Several media sources are reporting that the Mets have signed ace closer Billy Wagner to a four-year deal making him the highest paid closer in the league--just eging out Mariano Rivera. If your interested, Wagner has an ERA of .154 and is probably worth the money.

This announcement came on the heels of the introduction of Carlos Delgado as a Met yesterday.

Mets GM Omar Minaya has really made some bold moves. One can only speculate about the Svengali-like influence he is able to exert on the formerly tight-fisted Mets ownership. Base10 just hopes that these players don't come to NYC to die, like so many others have before them.

The Mets have addressed two key needs: hittring and closing. Now they need a catcher. This turn of events can only indicate that the Mets are serious about making a run this year.


 
Photo of the Day

washmonument5, originally uploaded by base10blog.

In keeping with his Washington, DC theme, here is an image of the Washington Memorial from the Capitol Mall. Like the others it was taken digitally with the Canon EOS 20d. Enjoy.


 
Is This Really Ture?
Several media outlets are reporting that a 15 year-old Canadian girl who was allergic to peanuts died after kissing her boyfriend. The boy had just eaten a peanut butter snack.
 
Is this the Sound of a Bubble Bursting?
"Sales of existing U.S. homes drop 2.7% in October" - San Jose Mercury News.
 
More on Yesterday's Hero
There's more news on the police officer who was shot and killed in NYC yesterday. In spite of being mortally wounded, he continued to pursue his attacker.
 
More Proof
That Arlen Specter has lost his mind:

"Sen. Specter Defends Terrell Owens" - AP.

Does this mean Sen. Specter should be forced to employ a staffer who has publicly cursed and ridiculed him? The good senator obviously knows nothing about football.
Monday, November 28, 2005
 
Another Day

Base10 is on his way to work right now. It promises to be a beautiful day with the temperature posibly hitting sixty degrees. Base10 does have some work to do today, so posting may be sparse until tonight.

For tonight's entertainment, we have the Colts-Steelers matchup on Monday night football. While I do not have the schedule handy, this looks to be the most compelling MNF game for the remainder of the season. The big question, of course, is whether the Colts can go undefeated. The Steelers are hurting a bit, although Ben Roethlisberger (did I spell that right?) appears to be the starter. The problem for the Steelers is that their secondary is a little suspect. In any event, it should be a good game.


 
One More Hero

An NYPD officer was shot and killed in the early hours this morning. News sources this morning indicate the thug who did it has been captured. Base10's condolences go out to the officer's family.

Links later.


 
Photo of the Day

smithsonian, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is the interior of the Smithsonian Institute. It was taken with the EOS and altered slightly digitally. Enjoy!


 
Some Good News from Iraq
Not one but two mainstream media sources have published positive stories on Iraq. Read 'em while you can:

"Our accomplishments in Iraq make for long list" - Mary Laney, Chicago Sun-Times.

"The Iraq story: how troops see it" - Mark Sappenfield, CSM.
 
I'm Not Sure What To Make of This
Singapore authorities are scheduled to execute an Australian, Nguyen Tuong Van, convicted of heroin trafficking. While Base10 is against the death penalty in such situations, the left in Australia seems to have taken up this guy's cause as the poster-boy for human rights. I don't know. He is pretty unsavory. Anyway, the PM plans to attend a cricket match on the day of the execution and is taking some heat for it. The opposition left is calling for a moment of silence on Friday to commemorate the death. Many are opposed to this and the PM has ruled it out. This guy was not a national hero, after all.
 
No Joy in Mudville
Base10 is still mourning his beloved Jets loss last night to New Orleans. Final score: 21-19. The team actually played pretty well and Base10 blames some bad calls. More analysis on this when I've achieved some psychological distance. Sob.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
 
Pet Peeve of the Day

Base10 is having lunch at his local diner. He ordered a reuben. To those who may be reading this who are not in NYC, a reuben is a delicious sandwich made of rye bread, corned beef, sauerkraut and melted swiss. When the waitress brought it out however it was too big to eat as a sandwich. What's the point?

I don't want to complain about this diner in particular. It is very reasonably priced, the food is good and the service is spot-on. I've noticed many diners do this. You order a specialty sandwich and they serve it open-face style. It's a sandwich, people. It's bread with some meat and maybe cheese. You're supposed to pick it up with your hands. Purists should note that Katz's Deli, which probably has the best reuben in the city, serves theirs as a sandwich.

Alright, that's not much of a rant, but there it is.


 
Photo of the Day - Special Bonus Edition

washmonument3, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This was taken in the plaza around the Washington Monument. Is that a Buddhist monk with a digital camera? This really must be the twenty-first century!

This was taken with the EOS 20d and cropped.


 
Photo of the Day

washmonument2, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Here's another photo from Base10's recent trip to Washington. This is a view of the Washington Monument from the WWII memorial. Base10 must say that the WWII memorial is absolutely stunning and is well worth a visit if you're in the D of C. Anyway, this image was taken digitally with the Canon EOS 20d and cropped slightly.


 
NFL Today
New York City, which often does not get the best set of games on Sunday, will get some good matchups today. At one o'clock, CBS has the Patriots at the Chiefs and FOX will carry the Bears-Buccs game. At four o'clock, we get the Giants-Seahawks game, which is likely the game of the week and will be a big test for the Giants. At eight o'clock we are treated with the Jets-Saints matchup. Maybe the boys can win this one? Click here for a preview.

Good luck sports fans!
 
This Guy Should Be Ashamed of Himself
"Clark Arrives to Assist Saddam Defense" - AP.

Ramsey Clarke is a disgrace. As Salon describes him, he's the War Criminal's Best Friend.
 
College Football Wrap
There was much college football goodness over the holiday weekend. On Friday, Texas defeated Texas A&M 40-29 after getting a good scare in the first half.

Yesterday, Florida crushed Florida State 34-7. Florida State will still play for the ACC Championship (and a shot at the Orange Bowl) against Virginia Tech but after three straight losses--the last time that happened was 1983--fans can't be too confident.

In other news, Notre Dame won a squeaker in the last minutes of the game against a surprisingly good Stanford squad. Final score: 38-31. This means that Notre Dame will advance to the Fiesta Bowl.

We're in good shape for conference championships next week.
 
Ridiculous
Base10 is watching Meet the Press and is quite impressed with the level of smug self-righteousness exhibited by the panel. The facts--according to them: Iraq is lost, we must withdraw, Bush lied, and on and on...

Let's see some other views instead:

"A Fitting Address: The speech President Bush should give about Iraq." - James Q. Wilson.

"Middle East Surprises" - Jim Hoagland.

"Panic Is Not The Solution" - Fareed Zakaria.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

lincolnmemorial, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a photo taken at the Lincoln Memorial during Base10's recent DC trip. It was taken with the EOS 20d and the unsightly scaffolding around Honest Abe was removed in Photoshop. Base10 had never been to the Memorial before and he must say that the inscribed Gettysburg Address was awe inspiring. Enjoy.


 
So Long, Mr. Miyagi
Pat Morita, Japanese-American character actor most famous for his role in the "Karate Kid" films has passed away. Morita had roles in Sanford and Son, MASH, Happy Days, and The Odd Couple (remember that one?).
 
Cliff May Takes on John Murtha
Over at Townhall.com, Cliff May has a few questions for Rep. John Murtha. How about some answers, Congressman?
 
John McCain and the Economy
For a genuinely interesting read today, take a gander at Stephen Moore's column in the WSJ today about his interview with GOP presidential-hopeful John McCain. It's an interesting look at what the Senator will propose if he runs for president in an area that he normally does not have much to do with: economic policy.

The pluses:
He listens to Phil Gramm.
He believes in fiscal restraint.

The minuses:
He's soft on tax cuts.
He's willing to engage in class-warfare pandering.

If you're thinking about whether you could support the Senator for president, you have to read this. Moore paints Sen. McCain as a Theodore Roosevelt-type populist reformer. Base10 thinks he's right. It's not all good. But it's not all bad either.
 
Boston May Be Liberal
Massachusetts may be the most liberal state in the union. It may be willing to do business with America's enemies. Its capitol city, Boston, may be willing to drop the name "Christmas" from its Christmas tree.

But it still won't let its citizens buy beer at a convenience store on Thanksgiving. Activists should be offended. Prohibiting the sale of consumer goods on a holiday that celebrates imperialism over Native Americans? Outrageous!
 
Former Canadian Minister Fitted for Tin Foil Hat
This is just too good. PRWeb reports that Paul Hellyer, Canada’s Defense Minister from 1963-67, not only blames President Bush for global warming, terrorism, economic downturns, hurricanes and floods, but also sees the administration as a potential cause of intergalactic war. Really. He said this at a speech at the University of Toronto:
I'm so concerned about what the consequences might be of starting an intergalactic war, that I just think I had to say something. The secrecy involved in all matters pertaining to the Roswell incident was unparalled. The classification was, from the outset, above top secret, so the vast majority of U.S. officials and politicians, let alone a mere allied minister of defence, were never in-the-loop.

The United States military are preparing weapons which could be used against the aliens, and they could get us into an intergalactic war without us ever having any warning. The Bush administration has finally agreed to let the military build a forward base on the moon, which will put them in a better position to keep track of the goings and comings of the visitors from space, and to shoot at them, if they so decide.

Friday, November 25, 2005
 
Catholic Persecution
The estimable William F. Buckley has a disturbing article about persecution of Catholics and other Christians in North Korea and China. You didn't think this could still go on in the twenty-first century, but apparently it does.

Via RCP.
 
What the Boston Globe Thinks
Scot Lehigh, a Boston Globe columnist, thinks that Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld misled (actually he goes to rather great but lame lengths to distinguish "lied" from "misled") the American people about the war on Iraq. Yawn!

Except, Lehigh uses as his primary intellectual justification a report issued by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. While I'm not certain an organization carrying that moniker is anti-war, I'm willing to bet it is. This report, entitled "WMD in Iraq: Evidence and Implications" that conclusively proves (at least according to Lehigh) that the administration misrepresented intelligence in the lead-up to the Iraq war. (Again, yawn).

But apparently the Boston Globe doesn't think ordinary readers can use Google. A quick search turned up this article by Eric Pfeiffer in National Review that responded to the report back in January 28, 2004 when it was published. This is nearly two years ago, but at the time, Pfeiffer challenged this report for containing inconsistencies that CEIP had issued prior to January 2004. Could Mr. Lehigh find anything more recent? Did Mr. Lehigh answer any of the criticisms of the report pointed out by Mr. Pfeiffer? Take a guess. But don't take my word for it, read both and judge for yourself.
 
The Greatest Gift During the Holidays
Base10 is happy to report that Supreme Court Justice/Jackass Laura Blackburne is to be removed from the bench. According to the NY Post,

November 25, 200--On Tuesday, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct finally threw the book at Queens Supreme Court Justice Laura Blackburne, ordering her booted from the bench.

About time.

The commission acted more than a year after Blackburne helped a drug dealer avoid arrest for robbery by ordering court officers to escort him to safety out the back door of her courtroom. (He was nabbed, 12 hours later.)

Normally, it takes more than one incident to prompt the commission to fire a judge. But, as commission administrator Robert Tembeckjian said, "There are occasions when even a single act of judicial misconduct is so egregious that removing the judge from office is warranted."

And this, he added, "is such a circumstance." It certainly is.

To be sure, Blackburne isn't the only sitting jurist who probably needs to be shown the exit. (She can petition the state Court of Appeals to reverse the ruling.) But she's only the fifth Supreme Court justice since 1978 that the commission has tapped for removal.

Still, in this case, as the commission said, Blackburne "transcended the boundaries of acceptable judicial behavior." Her flamboyance — and arrogance — left commissioners no choice.

Actually, Blackburne is probably lucky she wasn't prosecuted for obstruction of justice or official misconduct. And how she ever got to be a judge is a mystery (save for her ties to key Queens Democrats). The Queens Bar Association found her unqualified. As head of the city Housing Authority under David Dinkins, she spent hundreds of thousands on expensive foreign junkets and to throw herself an "inaugural gala."

As a judge, her conduct was (to put it mildly) bizarre. She once cleared her courtroom, declaring that "the public part of the trial is over." Another time, she dismissed charges against an accused cop-shooter and freed him without bail.

Laura Blackburne is a menace who doesn't belong anywhere in public life, let alone the bench.

Good riddance.


Don't you love it when a corrupt public official gets fired right before the holidays?

Base10 wrote about the previous incidents here, here, here, and here.

Here's some coverage in the Times, Newsday, WCBS, and WNBC.

And here's another article in the NY Post where ex-Justice/still-Jackass Laura Blackburne's attorney accuses the police of setting her up. Ha ha.
 
Hell's Kitchen
Mrs. Base10 dragged took Base10 to the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market before football last Sunday. Base10 took a few pictures while there.




img117, originally uploaded by base10blog.


As you can see, you can buy anything at the Hell's Kitchen flea market, even this frightful bear. I wonder how they got it to stand still on the chair like that?





img116, originally uploaded by base10blog.


Or you can buy this wagon wheel. I guess the bear ate the people that were in the wagon.





img115, originally uploaded by base10blog.


There are, of course, more traditional wares for sale like those depicted here. I wonder who left that stool there?





img111, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This woman seemed a little tired. Of course, maybe she just had her eyes closed because of the afternoon sun. I think this is a fascinating photo.





img112, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This is about a 100% crop. She just has a wonderful face in B&W.





img112a, originally uploaded by base10blog.


Here's a 200% crop. How does she see out of those glasses?





img113, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This is another one of the stalls. It looks like this guy was selling furniture, but what is that giant blancmange-like thing in the center left of the picture? Is this guy trying to win at Wimbledon?





img118, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This guy saw my fancy camera as I walked by and practically begged me to take his photo. Base10 was happy to oblige.





img119, originally uploaded by base10blog.


Here's a closeup of this guy. This may sound like a silly thing to say, but black people--especially light-skinned blacks--take wonderful portraits in B&W.



Well, that's it for now. All photos were taken with the Mamiya 7II using Fuji Arcos 100 and scanned with the Epson 4990. I'm pretty impressed with the Fuji film. I have to try the 400 speed version.
 
Charles Johnson Takes on Antiwar Protesters
LGF's Charles Johnson notes that when a mere dozen protesters gather outside the President's ranch in Texas, the MSM considers it national news:

"It's Like the Vietnam Protests, Except Without the Protesters" - LGF.
 
Friday Tree-Rat Blogging

squirreldetail4, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is like a 300% crop of a picture of a tree I took in Juniper Park (not the same one I posted a few days ago, but close). This is a scan of a section at the scanners highest resolution. This is about the limit of the film and the scanner. I am very impressed with the sharpness of the lens in the Mamiya. The squirrel is barely visible in the original photo. What is it about squirrels, anyway? Shave the tail, and what have you got, really?


 
The WSJ Wonders...
The editheads over at the Wall Street Journal wonder at what point in time exactly did Jose Padilla, terrorist conspirator, became a symbol for the anti-war movement?
It's hard to pinpoint the precise moment when Jose Padilla became a liberal icon in the war on terror.

Was it June 2002, when President Bush, exercising the authority that other wartime Presidents have used, declared him an enemy combatant? Padilla had been arrested the previous month at O'Hare Airport, en route home from Pakistan, on allegations that he planned to detonate a dirty bomb in the U.S.

Or perhaps the moment was December of that year, when a federal judge in Manhattan ruled that the President has the constitutional authority to detain enemy combatants. Padilla's case has since bounced around the federal judiciary, and this September a three-judge panel on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that the President "unquestionably" has the right to detain a U.S. citizen who has taken up arms against his country. The appeals court invoked the precedent set by the Supreme Court last year in the Hamdi case, which concerned another American citizen being detained as an enemy combatant.

Somewhere along the way, Padilla became a symbol--not of the sort of threat we are up against in the war on terror, but as a victim of the U.S. government. A modern version of Sacco and Vanzetti, Alger Hiss or the Rosenbergs. Largely absent from the public debate over one man's rights has been any discussion of the rights of the rest of us--namely, the right to be protected against enemy attack.

 
Interesting
The Economist has an interesting article about the changing view of violence on the Arab "Street." For example, in Jordan in 2003, 43% of survey respndents thought violence against civilians was sometimes of often justified. Now, after the Amman hotel bombings, over 60% of respondents say that their opinion of al Qaeda have changed for the worse. The Economist concludes:
The jihadists who have made Iraq their playground may have lost their wider appeal, but they are not going to disappear. Yet there appears to be a growing consensus, within Iraq and outside, that the time has come to settle down and get on with life. A columnist in a Saudi daily, al-Sharq al-Awsat, Mashari Zaydi, suggests that Arabs have been torn by a struggle between two world-views, one hard, absolutist and aspirational, the other realist, compromising and practical. While the realist approach, he says, may not win all you want, the absolutist one risks losing everything you have.

Via RCP.
 
Victor Davis Hanson Twofer
VDH Part One: The good professor has an interesting piece in today's National Review this morning bemoaning the Democrat "Crying Game." He writes about Democrat anger at having to vote for the war and their attempt today at backpedaling:
Go back and read any of the statements of John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, or Jay Rockefeller about the dangers of Saddam Hussein and the need to take him out. Only then can you understand why the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly, with a strong Democratic majority, to authorize a war.

So up until now, Democrats had an embarrassing paper trail that in the era of Google searches made it hard to claim that the war was Bush’s alone and not their own. Indeed, as long as casualties were considered "tolerable" and the polls stable, most Democrats continued to talk in accordance with their own past votes and wanted to bask in the success of ending the Hussein nightmare.


VDH Part Two: In the Honolulu Advertiser (what a wonderfully named newspaper!) the doctor also writes about the link between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda, how it really existed, and how the media and the Democrats are trying to tell you it doesn't:
Almost every responsible U.S. government body had long warned about Saddam's links to al-Qaida terrorists. In 1998, for example, when the Clinton Justice Department indicted bin Laden, the writ read: "In addition, al-Qaida reached an understanding with the Government of Iraq that al-Qaida would not work against that government and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al-Qaida would work cooperatively with the Government of Iraq."

Then in October 2002, George Tenet, the Clinton-appointed CIA director, warned the Senate in similar terms: "We have solid reporting of senior-level contacts between Iraq and al-Qaida going back a decade." Seventy-seven senators apparently agreed — including a majority of Democrats — and cited just that connection a few days later as a cause to go to war against Saddam: " ... Whereas members of al-Qaida, an organization bearing responsibility for attacks on the United States, its citizens, and interests, including the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, are known to be in Iraq."


The estimable Dr. Hanson continues:
The theory behind all these messy and often caricatured efforts was not the desire for endless war — we removed by force only the two worst regimes, in Afghanistan and Iraq — but to allow Middle Easterners a third alternative between Islamic radicalism and secular dictatorship. No wonder that wherever there are elections in the Middle East — Afghanistan and Iraq — legitimate governments there have the moral authority and the desire to fight Islamic terrorism.

Americans can blame one another all we want over the cost in lives and treasure in Iraq. But the irony is that not long ago everyone from Bill Clinton to George Bush, senators, CIA directors and federal prosecutors all agreed that Saddam had offered assistance to al-Qaida, the organization that murdered 3,000 Americans. That was one of the many reasons we went into Iraq, why Zarqawi and ex-Baathists side-by-side now attack American soldiers — and why an elected Iraqi government is fighting with us.

As usual, the quotes don't do the articles justice. Read the whole thing.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
 
Happy Thanksgiving

Base10 is out with his in-laws getting ready to enjoy a turkey-induced tryptophan high. Football is on and the beverages are cold. What more could one want in a holiday? So let's take a few hours off from politics and terrorism and give thanks to whatever god you worship for all that you have. (Even secular humanists should give thanks to man's basic good nature).

Football, alas, leaves something to be desired. The Atlanta Falcons are desteoying the Lions by a score of 27-7 late in the fourth quarter. Base10 is supposed to meet the Base10 Brother a bit later for the next game.

Base10 wishes all his loyal readers a very happy holiday.


Wednesday, November 23, 2005
 
Bonus Photo of the Day

juniperfalltree, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a scene near by the previous post but taken with T-Max. Once again, I like the camera. Note the squirrels in branches.




juniperfalltreedetail, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a crop of the squirrel on the right. I'm very impressed with the detail. I didn't spot this, so notice the scratch on the film in the crop that's not visible in the original. What a scanner!


 
Photo of the Day

foliagejuniper, originally uploaded by base10blog.

I took this photo at Juniper Park using my new Mamiya 7II. I rarely do color, but I was quite impressed with the color on this and other shots. Enjoy the fall foliage! This was taken with Fuji 400 and scanned with the Epson 4990.


 
Jose Padilla

After more than two years in a military brig, Jose Padilla was indicted for terrorism offenses related to an al Qaeda plot to have him detonate a "dirty" nuclear bomb in a US city. (Although apparently, the indictment didn't specifically charge him with conspiring to make a "dirty bomb").

Today, his lawyer condemned the action as "politically motivated." Wait! Haven't you been arguing up until now that he was being held illegally and was entitled to his day in court? But perhaps you're right. Even though he is a US citizen he is still an enemy combatant and should be tried by a military tribunal. Dude, you can't have it both ways.

Links later.


 
Holiday Schedule

Base10 has still not quite decided whether to go into work Friday. In any event, prepare for light blogging over the holidays. Base10 did scan a couple of images and will post them later. He now has something to work on over the holidays!


 
The Rangers and Other Sports

Rangers fans will be pleased by last night's 3-2 win over Buffalo. At least there's one New York team doing well! (And I guess that other team that plays in the Meadowlands is doing well, too).

In NCAA football, Toledo played Bowling Green for the MAC championship. I point this out not because I have any allegiance to either team but for the fact that in the third quarter the score was 10-7 in Toledo's favor. A friend of Base10 had bet the under, which was set at an unbelievably high 64. Victory seemed assured, but it was not to be after a scoring frenzy in the second half. Final outcome: 44-41 in overtime. Wow!


Tuesday, November 22, 2005
 
Another Day Over

Base10 is out of work finally. Well, at least that's another one over. In any event, Base10 picked up the remainder of his film durinng his meal hour. I must say the Mamiya 7 took some stunning color photos. I didn't use anything outrageous either, just Fuji 400 C-41.

The chromogenic roll I took was okay. I am impressed by it's forgiveness. I badly under exposed a couple of shots and these seem to print okay. I've read this film scans well, so I'll keep experimenting.

The Fuji Arcos B&W was also pretty good. I thought the contacts were very contrasty. T-Max, I have to say, looked a little flat. I have to run some Agfa and Ilford through this beast to see how they turn out.

Base10 will try to scan and post something tonight, but no guarantees-he's very tired.


 
The Jets

Base10 is finally coming to terms with the Jets fateful loss to Denver where they were shutout in Mile High. Some observations:

1. It is a gut wrenching feeling when the third string quarterback has to come in. This is especially true when he is in reality the fifth-stringer after Pennington, Fiedler, Bollinger and Testaverde. What makes matters worse is that most fans (Base10 included) didn't know the guy's name is Kliff Kingsbury.

2. Our defense is going to be awesome next year. I say this only due to the shear amount of reps they're getting this year. They were on the field for something like forty-five minutes on Sunday. We're talking extreme conditioning.

3. The quarterback situation is so bad that even Base10 may to get a tryout. Unfortunately, the Jets offensive line is so bad, no QB would dream of taking the job. You'd have to be crazy.

4. Brooks Bollinger was knocked out of the game Sunday with a concussion. Yesterday, Herm Edwards said that MRI results are good and Brooks will get the start on Sunday. It's really bad when you need to give your quarterbacks a blow to the head to get them to start.

5. How many times can Justin Miller fumble on kick returns? Maybe we can get into the record books that way.

Okay, okay. Enough of the kvetching. This Sunday the Jets face New Orleans at the Meadowlands in the Sunday night game. Some of my colleagues have suggested a pool predicting the number of no-shows. Base10 predicts that if the weather is even a little cold or rainy, it will be a very sparse crowd indeed for a prime time game.

In other football news, Philly QB Donovan McNabb will be out for the season to get surgery for a sports hernia (ouch!).

Last night's Monday night matchup figured to be a snoozer. The Packers were playing the Vikings at Lambeau. A few years ago, this would have been game of the week. Today, with both teams in the sewer, it figured to be a disaster.

In actuality, it turned into a pretty good game. It was a tight game until the end. In the 4th, Minnesota was ahead 17-14. Brett Favre marched the ball up the field and got in position to score the tying field goal. The game is now tied right before the two-minute warning and all of a sudden, Minnesota's offense comes alive. They march up the field after a spectacular catch by Koren Robinson in the seam between the zones. The Vikes grind the clock and force all of Green Bay's time outs before they kick the go ahead figgy with three seconds on the clock. Once again, football fans were rewarded for staying up late.


 
Miscellany

Base10 is on his way to work right now and it is a dark and stormy day here in the Big Apple. It started raining last night and has not let up since. If anything it's gotten a little more blustery with some thunder storms. Base10 has to follow up on some training today so he will probably be pretty busy with light blogging. Base10 will try to post some stuff this evening after work.

Base10 is going in a little later than usual. He couldn't resist sleeping in a little this morning because of the chilly, rainy weather. As one of his colleagues once pointed out, "This is good sleepin' weather." Indeed, it is.


 
Happy Tuesday!

Base10 got some of his film back and must say that the Mamiya looks pretty impressive. The negatives are not quite as large as the 6x9, but they're still plenty big. Base10 has to admit that the autofocus on the Canon really spoils you for anything else. The split-screen rangfinder with the Mamiya is probably more accurate, but like I said, it's really easy to get used to AF. I had some C-41 rolls done too, but they won't be ready until tonight.

In other good photography news, I think I've learned to use my other lens with the Speed Graphic. The main lens for this camera is a Schneider 135mm which is slightly telephoto for this film format. But I also have a 65mm lens that fits it, but that's kind of the extreme wide angle limit for this particular camera. There were two sets of infinity stops, but the second set didn't work with wide lens. I did notice two marks on the focusing bed, so for the heck of it, I set the wide lens at this point and the camera seems to focus with the rangefinder. I can't wait to use it.

I have to say the finest negative I get seem to be with the Speed Graphic using Ilford film. This is funny, given all the high-end equipment Base10 has been purchasing recently. I think I have to stop fixating on the equipment so much. Sure, buy a couple of lenses, but don't forget that Ansel Adams and Edward Weston didn't use top-of-the-line equipment when they were making some of their most beautiful images.


Monday, November 21, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

img038, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Okay, Base10 is really scraping the bottom of the barrel today for pictures. This is a picture of Shea Stadium and the stylized outfielder that adorns the south gate. It was taken with the Speed Graphic with, I think, Ilford HP5 and scanned with the Epson 4990. Base10 might as well start thinking about the Mets, since the Jets look done for this season.

Fear not, photo fans. Base10 dropped off some film this morning that he took with the new Mamiya andis anxiously waiting the results!


 
Stupidity Blinds Journalist to Truth: US
"Hatred blinds U.S. to truth: Journalist" - Toronto Sun.

Chris Matthews once again proves he is an idiot. It also proves why he has one of the lowest rated political shows on cable. I dare NBC to publish the text of his remarks. They won't, of course.

 
Ralph Peters is Pissed!
In the NY Post today, Ralph Peters, a retired Army officer, has some harsh words for the Democrats and their push for an early withdrawal from Iraq:
There are plenty of more complex ways to lose a war, but none as reliable as just giving up. Increasingly, quitting looks like the new American Way of War. No matter how great your team, you can't win the game if you walk off the field at half-time. That's precisely what the Democratic Party wants America to do in Iraq. Forget the fact that we've made remarkable progress under daunting conditions: The Dems are looking to throw the game just to embarrass the Bush administration.

Forget about the consequences. Disregard the immediate encouragement to the terrorists and insurgents to keep killing every American soldier they can. Ignore what would happen in Iraq and the region if we bail out. And don't mention how a U.S. surrender would turn al Qaeda into an Islamic superpower, the champ who knocked out Uncle Sam in the third round.
Forget about our dead soldiers, whose sacrifice is nothing but a political club for Democrats to wave in front of the media. After all, one way to create the kind of disaffection in the ranks that the Dems' leaders yearn to see is to tell our troops on the battlefield that they're risking their lives for nothing, we're throwing the game.

Forget that our combat veterans are re-enlisting at remarkable rates knowing they'll have to leave their families and go back to war again. Ignore the progress on the ground, the squeezing of the insurgency's last strongholds into the badlands on the Syrian border. Blow off the successive Iraqi elections and the astonishing cooperation we've seen between age-old enemies as they struggle to form a decent government.

Just set a time-table for our troops to come home and show the world that America is an unreliable ally with no stomach for a fight, no matter the stakes involved. Tell the world that deserting the South Vietnamese and fleeing from Somalia weren't anomalies that's what Americans do.
While we're at it, let's just print up recruiting posters for the terrorists, informing the youth of the Middle East that Americans are cowards who can be attacked with impunity.

Peters is not a Bush apologist, either,
There's plenty I don't like about the Bush administration. Its domestic policies disgust me, and the Bushies got plenty wrong in Iraq. But at least they'll fight. The Dems are ready to betray our troops, our allies and our country's future security for a few House seats.
Surrender is never a winning strategy.

 
College Football Wrap
Base10 isn't quite ready for his recap of the pro version of the sport. The wound of the Jets defeat is too fresh. College football had some interesting developments Saturday.

First, Penn State defeated Michigan State 31-22 to lockup the Big Ten title. Joe Pa and the Nittany Lions are now ranked no. 5 and have locked up a BCS bid. There is much joy in Happy Valley.

Second, Georgia Tech stunned third ranked Miami by defeating them 14-10. What will happen to Miami in the BCS is now anybody's guess.

Third, USC squeaked by Fresno State 50-42 and likely retained their number one slot. It's looking like a Southern Cal-Texas Rose Bowl.

Fourth, Notre Dame soundly defeated Syracuse 34-10 and can get a BCS birth with a win against Stanford next week. No pressure, Charlie Weiss.

Looking forward, there are going to be some great games over the holidays. After basking in pro football during the day on Thursday with the Detroit-Atlanta game and the Dallas-Denver matchup, you can catch the West Virginia-Pittsburgh game at night. Then on Friday, tune in to Texas and Texas A&M at noon. Good games on Saturday include Florida-Florida State and Georgia-Georgia Tech.
 
Michael Barone Takes on John Murtha
Michael Barone--whom Base10 believes to be the smartest guy in American politcs--believes the Democrats are engaging in a "big lie" campaign by trying to rewrite the lead-up to the Iraq war.
 
Bill Cosby and Friedrich Hayek
Tom Bevan has an interesting item over at RCP. He quotes Russ Nieli comparison of Bill Cosby to economist Friedrich Hayek. This is worth a read just to see these two names in the same article.
 
Still Alive--Not Still Alive
"Iraq FM says checking reports Zarqawi may be dead" - Reuters.

"U.S. Officials Believe Zarqawi Not Killed in Mosul Gunfight" - WAPO.

This would be good news indeed if true. The Iraq insurgency could fall apart with Zarqawi dead.
 
Sad Holiday Story of the Day
Reuters is reporting that the last surviving soldier that took part in the Christmas Day truce of 1914 has died. The story of the Christmas truce is very interesting. German soldiers put down their weapons and started singing carols in their trenches. The British responded in kind. Eventually the two sides met and exchanged cigarettes and other memorabilia. They even played soccer.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

juniperflower4, originally uploaded by base10blog.

I'm pretty sure I didn't post this before, but this is an image of a flower taken with the Speed Graphic at maximum bellows extension. Note what I consider the rather attractive bokeh of the Schneider lens that this camera uses. Base10 ran a few rolls through his new Mamiya and will be getting some developed soon, so he'll soon have more POTD's to play with.


 
Could This Be The Tipping Point?
NY1 is reporting that unemployment is increasing in NYC. While this anouncement is way too late to help wanna-be mayoral candidate Freddy Ferrer, of striking importance is the decline in construction jobs. Is the real estate bubble popping? Could all of those experts advocating investment in real estate have been wrong? Or deliberately churning sales when all signs pointed this way? Time will tell.
 
Base10 Doesn't Want to Talk About It
The Jets lost 27-0 to the Broncos. This is now officially the worst season since Rich Kotite. More tomorrow on this. Base10 is fuming right now.
 
This Might be Good News
The AP in reporting that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may be dead.

This is likely untrue, or at least premature, but wouldn't it be wonderful if, as politicians scramble over the Iraq quagmire farce, our boys in uniform killed the ringleader? We can only hope.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
 
Jordan Bombing
Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said that his organization did not intend to bomb a Muslim wedding party in Amman last week. Instead, he said, they meant to kill Jews and Americans. Zarqawi also threatened to kill Jordan's very popular King Abdullah. This quote by the king a few years ago is strangely prophetic:
September 11 was a wake-up call for Muslims. It is not about East versus West. It is a conflict within Islam. We are the next target for extremists.

 
Congress Just Says "No"
Congress somehow found a spine over the weekend. In response to the irresponsible suggestion by Rep. John Murtha that troops be withdrawn from Iraq immediately. The Republicans said, in effect, fine, let's vote on it. The organized a vote on exactly Murtha's suggestion, a yes or not vote over whether troops should withdraw. The measure was defeated 403-3.

This was actually an excellent strategy on the part of the Republicans. Instead of allowing moderate Democrats to cosy up to the Cindy Sheehan/Moveon.org anti-war crowd, they forced a vote. Democrats were, of course, incensed. Base10 gets a kick out of Democrats shrill cry that Republicans are playing politics with national security. What the Dems fail to see is that they got out-played. Maybe this turn of events will cause the tone of anti-war politics to go down a bit, but I doubt it.

UPDATE: Tom Bevan has an interesing comment here. Apparently, only three Democrats voted their conscience.
 
Photo of the Day

woolworthpace, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a view south of Police Headquarters. The tall building to the right is the Woolworth Building. The squat structure to the left is Pace University. This was taken with the Yashicamat and scanned using the Epson 4990.


 
The Big Game

Today is the Harvard-Yale football game, "The Game" if you will. I don't think it's ever been televised before, but today, the WB has the broadcast live at noon. While it may not be as compelling as say the Ohio St.-Michigan matchup, the Game is an important tradition.
Indeed, Harvard and Yale have battled every fall for 122 years. Modern football, whether of the pro or college flavor, owes its very existence to this rivalry. The Game began when the roots of rugby, soccer andd football were blurred.

So boys, while you may not be playing for glory, you are playing amid the very roots of the game. Play hard. The football gods are watching. They wax nostalgic over Harvard-Yale. It is a game they remember as children.



UPDATE: Harvard-Yale is tied 24-24 in OT. Both teams just wrecked their chances for victory in the first possession.

UPDATE: Harvard won 30-24 in triple-overtime. Harvard has now won five consequtive years. Historical note: this is the first time triple-OT has happened in an Ivy League game.
Friday, November 18, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

rooseveltavenue, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a picture of the Roosevelt Avenue elevated train or "el." In this case it's the "7" train, used by many to travel to Shea Stadium. This was taken with the Yashicamat using, I think, T-Max and scanned with the Epson 4990. I put this image out there for non-New Yorkers who sometimes wonder why you would take a subway train and put it over the street.


 
If It's Friday...
There must be a Victor Davis Hanson column up at NRO. Prof. Hanson takes on fair-weather war supporters. You only have to read up to the second paragraph to get the tone:
This is the mantra of the extreme Left: "Bush lied, thousands died." A softer version from politicians now often follows: "If I knew then what I know now, I would never have supported the war."

These sentiments are intellectually dishonest and morally reprehensible for a variety of reasons beyond the obvious consideration that you do not hang out to dry some 150,000 brave Americans on the field of battle while you in-fight over whether they should have ever been sent there in the first place.

A fine piece, as usual, from the good doctor.
 
Democrat Amnesia?
Gerard Baker has an interesting analysis of Democratic sniping. He concludes that they must be suffering from amnesia:
The latest evidence that George Bush is a war criminal has apparently come this week with the acknowledgment that the US military used white phosphorus (WP) on enemy positions in Fallujah. This is deemed an outrage, something decent countries never do, yet more proof that the Bush-Cheney cabal is sedulously destroying the very foundations of American civilisation.

The discovery that American soldiers refer to WP cavalierly as “shake and bake” seems to have come as an additional shock to the easily agitated sensibilities of the critics. Can you believe men can be so callous as to refer to something so horrible in such a jocular fashion? They must be Nazis.

In fact, WP is not a chemical weapon, not even banned by any treaty to which the US is signatory. It has been used by the armed forces in all countries in wars for decades. Indeed, if you look up the roll of US Congressional Medal of Honour winners, you will discover that quite a few received this highest military decoration precisely because they used “shake and bake” to such successful effect.

The weapon’s purpose is to create a smokescreen that flushes the enemy out of foxholes, so that the attacker can get a better chance of shooting them or blowing them up with high explosives. I wait with resigned anticipation for the reports of shocking new evidence that the US has used “bullets” and “bombs” in its attacks on the enemy.

Baker has some other good examples. My comments don't do it justice.
 
Republicans in 2008
RCP has some interesting analysis of some polls over who will run for President for the GOP come 2008. The results are interesting, and not as obvious as the headlines would suggest. For example, on the surface:
The freshly released Diageo/Hotline poll has some interesting numbers on John McCain. The good news is that in a hypothetical '08 matchup McCain crushes Hillary 52-39 with 23% of Democrats saying they would vote for McCain. McCain also scored well when surveyed as an Independent in a 3-way race with Clinton and Jeb Bush, leading Republican analyst Ed Rollins to boast "According to these numbers, the GOP needs John McCain more than McCain needs the GOP."

But Tom Bevan notes that this McCain support is not very firm:
When asked "who represents what the Republican Party should stand for," Republican voters were evenly split between McCain, Condi Rice, and Rudy Giuliani. And then there's this:

In addition to the national sample, the Diageo/Hotline Poll studied an oversample of 100 registered Republicans to probe opinion on the party’s future and John McCain. Republicans are divided on who they would support in the 2008 presidential primaries, Giuliani, Rice, or McCain, (22%, 22%, 21%, respectively).

Very interesting, but as Bevan points out, you have to take polls this early with a high level of scepticism.
 
Michael Barone Takes on WAPO and the CIA
Michael Barone, considered by Base10 to be the smartest guy in American politics, has some thoughts on the revelation that Bob Woodward knew Valerie Plame's identity before the timeline anounced by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. He notes what is shaping up to be a dispute in the Post's newsroom:
But you could see this as a sort of partisan dispute. Woodward's reporting on George W. Bush, as is evident in his books, is seen by many critics as pro-Bush. In my view, he has taken Bush at face value, describing how the president makes decisions and taking Bush's own words seriously. Which is, in my view, the way it should be. Pincus's reporting, on the other hand, has relied heavily on critics of the Bush policies, including, it appears, sources in the CIA. It is obvious that cadres in the CIA—the folks around Valerie Plame who sent Joseph Wilson on his mission to Niger, the folks who authorized the publication of Michael Scheuer's "anonymous" book—have been trying to discredit and undermine support for Bush's policy of liberating Iraq. I suspect that Pincus takes the same view, though he could argue that his reporting was justified regardless of his own views: He was just reporting what others, with some knowledge of what they were talking about, were saying. I don't want to say that Woodward is pro-Bush and Pincus anti-Bush. But I can see how readers who don't know these men as well as I do would so conclude.

Barone goes on:
Bob Woodward first won his fame by exposing the lies of a White House that had attempted, unsuccessfully, to use the CIA to refute charges that its campaign committee had engaged in criminal activities. Now he comes forward, reluctantly it seems, to provide evidence that advances the case that the CIA tried to derail and delegitimize the policies that a White House was pursuing.

I recall that some years ago Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan argued that the CIA should be abolished, and I argued that that was a ridiculous and irresponsible position. As usual when Pat and I disagreed, Pat turned out to be right.

Is the CIA out of control?
 
Murtha's Disgrace
The media made much of Rep. John Murtha's call to withdraw immediately from Iraq. "Our military has accomplished its mission and done its duty, It's time to bring them home," he said.

Republicans, of course, responded:
We have nothing but respect for Congressman Murtha's service to his country," White House communications director Nicolle Wallace said Friday on NBC's "Today" show. "And I think he spoke from the heart yesterday. We happen to have a real serious policy disagreement with him."

Rep. Sam Johnson (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, a 29-year Air Force veteran who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for nearly seven years, called Murtha's position unconscionable and irresponsible. "We've got to support our troops to the hilt and see this mission through," he said.

"They want us to retreat. They want us to wave the white flag of surrender to the terrorists of the world," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.

The reason this is an issue is related in the tag to the story:
With a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, Murtha retired from the Marine Corps reserves as a colonel in 1990 after 37 years as a Marine, only a few years longer than he's been in Congress. Elected in 1974, Murtha has become known as an authority on national security whose advice was sought out by Republican and Democratic administrations alike. Murtha's shift from an early war backer to a critic advocating withdrawal reflects plummeting public support for a war that has cost more than $200 billion and led to the deaths of more than 2,000 U.S. troops.

Except, the story completely misrepresents the event. Murtha did the same thing a year and a half ago, as noted in Drudge:

Murtha: 'We cannot prevail in this war'
By The Associated Press
Friday, May 7, 2004


WASHINGTON (AP) -- A statement from a pro-defense Democrat that the Pentagon's current military strategy in Iraq makes the war unwinnable drew a sharp rebuke Thursday from Republicans, who accused Democrats of using the war for political gain.
The furor over the position taken by Rep. John Murtha, of Johnstown, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and top Democrat on the House Appropriations defense panel, highlighted the increasingly partisan divide over the current course and future of the war in Iraq.

"We cannot prevail in this war as it is going today," Murtha said yesterday at a news conference with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Murtha said the incidents of prisoner abuse in Iraq were a symptom of a problem in which U.S. troops in Iraq are undermanned, inadequately equipped and poorly trained.

Once again, the mainstream media assumes that its readers cannot do a Google search.
 
Source Says Source Ain't Source!
"Source: Cheney Isn't Woodward's Source" - ABC News.
 
From The One-Too-Many Metaphor Department
"Firestorm rages over lockdown on digital music" - AZ Central.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
 
Mets News

The Mets have been making some off-season noise shopping some players and signing some others. They just dealt Cameron to the Padres for another outfielder about whom I know very little other than he's a hitting prospect who didn't do much last year.

The rumor swirling around New York is whether the Mets are going to make a play for Manny Ramirez. God knows, the boys could use a big bat. Just one .350 hitter could really change the team's outlook for next season.


 
Jets News

Rumors are also swirling about Herm Edwards and his future with the Jets. A rumor surfaced prior to the Monday Night Football game that Edwards was being considered for the Chief's head coach position considering Dick Vermeil's imminent retirement.

This consideration should not be too surprising. Vermeil was Edwards long-time mentor and he got his start in the Chief's organization. Indeed, the Chiefs may see Edwards as the defensive kick they need, similar to Tony Dungee's effect on Indy.

Edwards held a press conference to dismiss the rumors--kind of. He said all his attention was devoted to the Jets and the season right now. But he also left open what could happen in the future.

Rumor also has it that Edwards is looking for a contract extension. He has two years left on his deal now. Of course, if Woody Johnson decides to go in a different direction, the Chiefs would probably have to surrender a high draft pick for Edwards.

This situation is hard to read. Johnson has previously been very supportive of Edwards, but Edwards homespun style of coaching is frustrating to fans. Edwards often seems lost in routine situations. Surrounded by good coordinators he seems capable. If one of the coordinators is not working out, he seems like he's going down with the ship.

To complicate matters, there's no obvious person that comes to mind to replace him. Unless the Jets promote from within--and you can make a compelling case for Donnie Henderson--there really is no head coaching prospect out there right now.

Time will tell. I don't think Edwards has done anything to show he deserves a contract extension. I could see Johnson putting Herm to the test next year.


 
Photo of the Day

bklynbridgetrees, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is an image of the Brooklyn Bridge from the plaza in front of the Municipal Building on Chambers Street. It was taken at dusk on an overcast day with the Yashicamat using T-Max film. The negative was cropped and scanned with the Epson 4990.


 
What Happened to This Story?
Former FBI director Louis Freeh writes about "Able Danger" in today's Opinion Journal. Did the 9/11 Commission ignore this information? Director Freeh is not satisfied:
Thomas Kean, the chairman of the 9/11 Commission, reacted to Able Danger with the standard Washington PR approach. He lashed out at the Bush administration and demanded that the Pentagon conduct an "investigation" to evaluate the "credibility" of Col. Shaffer and Capt. Phillpott--rather than demand a substantive investigation into what failed in the first place. This from a former New Jersey governor who, along with other commissioners, routinely appeared in public espousing his own conclusions about 9/11 long before the commission's inquiry was completed and long before all the facts were in! This while dismissing out of hand the major conflicts of interest on the commission itself about obstructions to information-sharing within the intelligence community!

Nevertheless, the final 9/11 Commission report, released on July 22, 2004, concluded that "American intelligence agencies were unaware of Mr. Atta until the day of the attacks." This now looks to be embarrassingly wrong. Yet amazingly, commission leaders acknowledged on Aug. 12 that their staff in fact met with a Navy officer 10 days before releasing the report, who "asserted that a highly classified intelligence operation, Able Danger, had identified Mohammed Atta to be a member of an al Qaeda cell located in Brooklyn." (Capt. Phillpott says he briefed them in July 2004.) The commission's statement goes on to say that the staff determined that "the officer's account was not sufficiently reliable to warrant revision of the report or further investigation," and that the intelligence operation "did not turn out to be historically significant," despite substantial corroboration from other seasoned intelligence officers.

 
Chemical Weapons
There seems to be a shrill cry, led mostly by the British tabloids, condemning the use of white phosphorus by US and UK troops. The use of this substance seems to be common. Compare the headlines:

"Propaganda nightmare of chemical hypocrisy" - Times Online.

"US forces used 'chemical weapon' in Iraq" - The Independant.

"US forces used 'chemical weapon'" - The Scotsman.

White phosphorus it seems is a conventional weapon that is widely used to produce smoke and to dislodge the occasional insurgent. The Pentagon categorically denies using the substance against civilians.

Base10 thinks that if you are going to be fighting US forces, you might get hurt really bad, wether it be by bullets or other munitions. That's the risk you take by picking up that gun. If white phosphorus can be used to destroy an enemy stronghold, shouldn't we use it instead of sacrificing one of our own troops? Then again, maybe we should go back to the old fashioned way--using flame throwers.
 
Smoke-Out
Today is the Great American Smoke-Out. Base10 tries not to get preachy about this, but smoking is no longer one of his vices. It is very hard to quit, but if you're thinking about it it probably means that you should try. I quit smoking four and a half years ago. Not a day goes by that I don't have a strong urge to have a cigarette. But you can do it if you try. Lots of people do, so don't give up.
 
Not so Good Allies
While Australia can be applauded for being a staunch ally, the same cannot be said of our own Congress. The Vice President called to account members of Congress who are trying to trumpet the fact that the administration lied about the intelligence leading up to the war.
The saddest part is that our people in uniform have been subjected to these cynical and pernicious falsehoods day in and day out. American soldiers and Marines are out there every day in dangerous conditions and desert temperatures … and back home a few opportunists are suggesting they were sent into battle for a lie.

Democrats, be more like Howards. And less like cowards.
 
Good Allies
Australian Prime Minister John Howard vowed that Australia would not be intimidated by a recent threat made by terrorists that it would be targeted if it did not withdraw troops from Iraq. He said:
We were a target long before Iraq. If anybody thinks that by pulling out of Iraq tomorrow we would dramatically and markedly reduce the terrorist threat they don't understand the mind of terrorists. There are some who believe ... to withdraw in the name of reducing the level of risk might in fact increase it because it would be seen as a sign of weakness and a sign that you could actually bring about changes in government policy if you lifted the threat level high enough.

Thank you for standing firm with us, Mr. Howard.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

mdflower, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Base10 is a bit busy today--and tired from working the night shift last night. Anyway, here's a photograph of a flower Base10 took while in DC using the Speed Graphic at maximum bellows extension. Negative scanned with the Epson 4990.


Tuesday, November 15, 2005
 
Light Blogging Today

Base10 is working a night shift today because of some pesky police event. With any luck at all, it will be over early. Base10 likes to do a 4x12 once in a while, but you can have doing them all the time. So, there will be little blogging for the remainder of the day.


 
How 'Bout Them Cowboys!

Sports fans who stayed up late to watch the Monday Night Football game were rewarded with some late fourth quarter excitement. Drew Bledsoe scored toward the end of the fourth quarter putting the Boys down six points. There were three minutes on the clock when the Eagles got the ball back. The Eagles get stuffed on the first down and Dallas calls a time out to stop the clock. We're all thinking that if the Cowboys can force three-and-out, they can get the ball back with about two minutes left. Donovan McNabb steps back to throw--interception under pressure and it's run back for a touchdown. Now the Eagles are losing 21-20 and they have to do something. McNabb gets knocked out with an injury, his backup puts them at about the Cowboy's 40 for a kick in the waining seconds. Certainly a long attempt, but not unheard of. David Ackers kicks it straight but the ball falls just short of the goal post by maybe a yard or two. Cowboys win and the Eagles are now 4-5 and wondering what happened
to their Superbowl run.

Of course, you missed all that if you went to bed earlier like a sensible person.

The Eagles may yet get their revenge on the Cowboys. The creep during the pregame quoted Jerry Jones as saying that he would take Terrell Owens. While it's true Bill Parcels might be the only coach that can tame him, be carefule what you wish for Mr. Jones. Besides, before TO reports to camp he'll probably have to fight a steel cage match with Keshawn Johnson or something.


 
Photo of the Day

junipertree2, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a closeup of a tree in Juniper Park in Queens. I took it with the Speed Graphic using Ilford HP5 at maximum bellows extension. I didn't do a measurement, but it seems like you can get something like 1:3 macro with the SG, which is pretty amazing considering it's a fifty year-old camera. Enjoy.


 
This is Interesting
Charles Krauthammer has an interesting analysis of the French riots. He looks to the future, and it doesn't look good:
The gendarmes have weapons. The kids they face in the street have mostly stones and Molotov cocktails. It is a mismatch. But it's the cops who are the heavy underdogs--the cops and the France that the cops alone represent in those burning godforsaken ghettos where most Frenchmen dare not go.

On the one side are the protester-arsonists, many if not most of them Muslim, whom the Interior Minister called racaille (rabble)--young, restless, violent, vibrant, angry, jobless, envious and fecund. And on the other side is an aged and exhausted civilization, the hollowed-out core of European Christendom, static, aging, contented, coddled, passive and literally without faith. Who would you think will win in the end?

 
Arab Double Standards
Dennis Prager complains that the Arab world seems to have a double standard when it comes to terrorist bombings. He writes in RCP:
Now there is widespread condemnation of Zarqawi's terror in Jordan. There is even a fear that the name of Islam will suffer. Unfortunately, however, it is only because Zarqawi was foolish enough to massacre Jordanian civilians, and not confine his massacres to Iraqis and non-Arabs. What has aroused Arab voices against Zarqawi has nothing to do with the immorality of blowing up people celebrating at a wedding -- it has to do with the immorality of blowing up Muslims celebrating at a wedding.

Nevertheless, it is possible that a moral awakening of sorts may be taking place in parts of the Arab world. The London Telegraph reports that "Munder Moomeni, a 38-year-old former soldier who lives next to Zarqawi's house, 13 Ramzi Street, described his former neighbour as 'a bastard.' 'By killing Jordanians here in Jordan, civilian Jordanians going to a wedding, they did something that not even a Jew would do,' he said."

That a neighbor and former supporter of Zarqawi publicly acknowledged that Jews would not engage in such terror may be a first step toward the moral awakening that the Arab world needs even more than oil revenues.

It may even come to realize the greatest truth regarding terror and evil: People who blow up Israeli weddings and cut Americans' throats are very bad people. And if you don't fight them, they will eventually blow you up, too.

I don't know if I completely agree with Prager, but he has a point.
 
Christopher Hitchens Takes on the Times
Guess who wins? Hitchens piece in Slate points out the ridiculous statement by
Dana Milbank and Walter Pincus:
But in trying to set the record straight, [Bush] asserted: "When I made the decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power, Congress approved it with strong bipartisan support."

The October 2002 joint resolution authorized the use of force in Iraq, but it did not directly mention the removal of Hussein from power.

Hitchens points out:
[T]he Iraq Liberation Act, during the Clinton-Gore administration, in 1998. That legislation—which passed the Senate without a dissenting vote—did expressly call for the removal of Saddam Hussein but did not actually mention the use of direct U.S. military force.

Let us suppose, then, that we can find a senator who voted for the 1998 act to remove Saddam Hussein yet did not anticipate that it might entail the use of force, and who later voted for the 2002 resolution and did not appreciate that the authorization of force would entail the removal of Saddam Hussein! Would this senator kindly stand up and take a bow? He or she embodies all the moral and intellectual force of the anti-war movement. And don't be bashful, ladies and gentlemen of the "shocked, shocked" faction, we already know who you are.

 
For This We Need Researchers?
"Researchers: Hops in Beer May Be Healthy" - AP.
Monday, November 14, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

dctree, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a tree in the Base10 Cousin's backyard located in an undisclosed location in the DC environs. Actually, it's funny what happened to this picture. I took this with the Speed Graphic and I bracketed three exposures. Unfortunately, I mistakenly exposed the middle exposure by removing the film back without the darkslide in place. I thought that would be okay for that frame, but it also exposed a third of each frame on either side. In one shot, I wrecked three pictures. (Easily made mistakes like this are why I bought the Mamiya). What to do? I did have two useable halves of two negatives. Why not use digital tools? I merged the two halves using Canon Photostitch and the image came out fine. Digital to the rescue! Enjoy.



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