Visiting the USS Iowa

Today my family had the opportunity to visit the USS Iowa, walk aboard and speak with WWII veterans, one of whom served on the ship.  It was an amazing opportunity.  I took our digital camera as well as the Blackberry (as a backup camera) fully charged.  We were only allowed to visit the area directly around Turret 1 and under the barrels of Turret 2, but you'll find no complaints from me.  There were a number of vets there to talk to the guests and give them information on the ship and it's history. 

 It was a little sad to see the condition that the exterior of the ship was in due to almost a decade in the nearby ghost fleet.  However, the guides tell me that the interior is in excellent shape and the exterior is really in better shape that it looks.

 The decking on the forward part of the ship is Douglas Fir, as opposed to the rear which retains a good amount of the original Teak decking.  Apparently for some reason they switch to the Douglas Fir in the 80's, I would imagine due to cost, and that has not stood the test of time like the Teak decking.

This is a view that I didn't think I would ever get in person.  Oh my...

This is Turret 2.  The red arrow barely visible on the side of the turret is pointing to where a 5 inch shore gun put a round directly on the turret during one of the battles in WWII.  All it did was dent the armor.  Turret 2 is now a memorial site, and as such I am told that the only members of the public that will be allowed to enter are the families of the sailors who died in the tragedy of April 19, 1989.

Soon, the USS Iowa will begin her last journey, a transit down the California coast to Berth 87 in the Port of Los Angeles.  Since the city of San Francisco decided to decline hosting the ship on the waterfront adjacent to the USS Pampanito, the bidding was reopened and the Pacific Battleship Center eventually was awarded the ship.  San Francisco's loss will be LA's gain.  I wish them well and I hope they do the ship justice. 

In addition, there were several other organizations in attendance with displays in an adjacent warehouse. 

A training cockpit from the Blue Angels.

A Sheridan tank from the Littlefield Collection, hosted by members of the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation.  That, by the way, is another amazing place to visit.  I wore out my camera and Blackberry batteries taking pictures on that trip. 

All in all, a great way to spend the afternoon. 

TSA Security Theater

I was reading an article today by Don Phillips, formerly of The Washington Post, which applied a sound fisking of the TSA and its VIPR program without getting obnoxious.  He points out a fact that most people are unaware:  The TSA cannot go onto private property without permission.  Unfortunately, the airports are long compromised, but the railroads, when presented with demands of unrestricted access on unannounced timetables, told the TSA where to go, how to get there and which horse to take.  I have always like the railroads, but now I love them.

Don linked to the TSA blog site where our freindly TSA Blogger Bob happily tells us what a great job the TSA is doing.  He also links to one of the more entertaining blog entries, where Bob admits that the VIPR team made a mistake but it was all for the safety of the travellers.  I am reminded of a routine used by Bobcat Goldthwait onstage about Ollie North's testimony in the Iran/Contra hearings:  "well, Senator, yes I did stab that puppy 42 times in the head, but when American Lives are at stake..." 

Blogger Bob, I gotta tell you, nobody really believes that you do the blog for the enjoyment.  You're paid to do it so that the TSA can attempt to present a positive face.  The comedic comments thrown in really don't do it any good.  Comedy is all about timing.  You need a new watch.  Point of interest: All of the weapons seizures happened just as often before the porno scanners because, well, metal detectors and x-ray machines allow the discovery of guns and knives just as well.  Since you don't swab every liquid container and just throw all offending containers in the garbage without testing, we all know it is just security theater, nothing more.  You are no more keeping me safe from terrorists than the unarmed security guard sitting at the front desk in my place of employment.

Tell you what, Blogger Bob, how about you start addressing the other points of TSA performance?  I'll give you the rundown and you can tell me about the grand job the TSA does based on these items:

1.  An agent working at the x-ray machine conveyor stole $5000 from a jacket going through the screening procedure, hid it in a blue latex glove and passed it off in a restroom.  The agent has been arrested and charged with grand larceny.  She was also suspended pending the investigation.
2.  Last month, an agent who worked searching checked luggage at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was suspended after the owner of a stolen iPad used the tracking feature on the device to locate it at the agent's home. Police found seven other iPads there.
3.  Also in January, authorities charged an agent at Miami International Airport with swiping items and luggage and smuggling them out of the airport in a hidden pocket of his work jacket. He was arrested after one of the items, an iPad, was spotted for sale on Craigslist.
4.  Two other former TSA agents at JFK were sentenced on Jan. 10 to six months in jail and five years' probation for stealing $40,000 from a piece of luggage in January 2011. The agents, Coumar Persad and Davon Webb, had pleaded guilty to grand larceny, obstructing governmental administration and official misconduct.
5.  Last year, a TSA supervisor and one of his officers pleaded guilty in a scheme that lifted $10,000 to $30,000 from passengers' belongings at Newark Liberty International Airport. A federal judge sentenced the supervisor, Michael Arato, to 2½ years in prison and his subordinate, Al Raimi, to six months of home confinement.

Those are just five points, which I know is just the tip of the iceberg.  I read the news and do keep up on the numerous news stories about the arrests of TSA officers.  And, please, try to address these without the condescending attitude that you use to discount the joke that is the behavior of the TSA agents operating in our airports today.

Sometimes it's too much, sometimes too little...

So I was entertaining writing another post on the Fast and Furious debacle and the obvious work that the current administration is putting into making the issue disappear.  However, I just can't say anymore than has already been said by others, so I'll just leave it in the hands of Issa and Grassley.

On the flip side, I read about two different approaches by law enforcement.  Both are interesting studies on modern law enforcement and what sometimes shows as good judgement by those in the profession. 

The first is in the sleepy town of Fitchburg, MA, where we find that the FBI can conduct a 2 year investigation and still manage to storm the wrong apartment.  In addition, the ideal implement the decided on for a quick entry to the apartment was a chainsaw. 

Let that sink in.  I'll give you a minute. 

Yes, apparently the FBI agents thought that a ram or sledgehammer was a little too light for this application, so the decided that cutting the door open with a chainsaw would be more expedient.  Having used a chainsaw many times, I am left speechless that this sounded like a good idea.  If the dangerous criminal that they were seeking (um, next door) was armed and they started with the sawing, he likely could have put several rounds into the federal lumberjack with a fair bit of accuracy, since the saw would show him where the target was.  Instead, all of the YEARS of meticulous investigation and planning put them at the wrong apartment terrorizing a mother and her 3 year old daughter.  The best part of the article is the FBI response: 

The FBI released a statement on Tuesday saying in part, “The agent repeatedly apologized for the mistake," and reimbursed her for the damaged door.

There should be a head (or six) on a pike for this, you arrogant ass.  Paying for the damage is the least you could do, not release a statement acting like she should be happy that you decided to visit that morning.

On the flip side, we wander over to San Diego, where apparently people bashing in your car and home windows with blunt objects does not require a police response because, well, your life isn't really in immediate danger.  I mean, yea, they showered you with glass in your living room and all, but did they actually threaten you? 

Folks, that right there is a perfect example of why you should not blindly rely on law enforcement to be there if you are attacked in your home.  Even in the best scenario, when seconds count they are minutes away.  Or, in this case, 13 hours for a phone call to take a report away.

It took a while...

For years, I have been an irregular member of the NRA.  The yearly membership, while not terribly expensive, some years just did not fit into the budget.  My wife is a lifetime member already, so I did not feel that the household was not represented.  However, it always disappointed me when I had to choose not to renew for the year.  Originally I signed up at a gun show at the Cow Palace and selected the option for the life membership in 40 payments of $25.  However, somehow that turned into a one year membership.  After that I just kept doing the yearly membership. 

Now mind you, it did take me a while to start participating as a member.  Many moons ago, before the intarwebs were invented by Al Gore and made popular by AOL, I had limited exposure to the NRA.  Generally, when I saw someone speaking who was listed as a representative for the NRA, they were not putting on the best face for the organization.  They were the steriotypical "everyone should own a machinegun" type with specks of froth at the corner of their mouth as they raved about gun laws.  While I appreciated many of the programs I had observed that the NRA provided, I had issues with an organization that couldn't get a spokeperson on camera that looked sane. 

Later (after I took journalism classes) I learned that the media exists to sell itself, not necissarily to actually present the truth.  They are there to present their version of the truth that will get you to buy their catbox liner or to watch their infomercial.  I have yet to see a news organization that will let facts get in the way of a good story.  I also started to look into the NRA and see actual spokespeople with calm demeanors and actual facts at their fingertips. 

Now I finally reached a point where money is not short.  The credit cards are clear, no lingering bills are hanging over our head and my company did well and issued bonuses.  So I had a choice, one of which was to possibly purchase another firearm.  I still lack a 1911, so I was anticipating purchasing one.  However, I chose differently and decided to finally purchase the NRA lifetime membership.  Yes, I could have spent far less, purchasing a 3 year membership and one of these with 10 spare magazines, but I decided that this was something who's time had come.  So, I finally plunked down the cash (well, really I clicked, 'cause its the internet and all) and purchased a life membership.  In 2 to 4 weeks I should have a shiny new card and a spring in my step.  Well, I'll have the card anyway...

Now I just have to work towards attending a convention.  I won't make it this year (so I'll have to live vicariously through JayG)but hopefully in the next few years I will have the scratch to make it to one.  Maybe they will hold one in my area.  Oh, wait, SF bay area...  Yea, I won't hold my breath.

They never will get it...

Dodd Calls for Hollywood and Silicon Valley to Meet

The real arrogance here is the view that these bills had to be done in secret, quickly so that the public did not have time to read it and react.  That is what they are disappointed about, that the people actually got to look at this and give their opinion.  It's like listening to the members of the European Union body when Ireland voted no on a referendum. 

Point of interest, when you have to sneak your laws in the back door and hope nobody notices until they are in place, you really should not be making or even suggesting laws.  Mr. Dodd, please do us all a favor and just quietly retire.  Or take a long walk on a short pier.  Either way you would be properly placed for any future legislative sessions.

Sometimes you have to take care of yourself first.

Giffords to finish 'Congress On Your Corner' before resigning this week

 Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords announced she will resign from Congress this week -- but not before finishing her "Congress On Your Corner" event that was interrupted by the shooting rampage that left six people dead and Giffords with a gunshot wound to her head.

I hope that Rep. Giffords continues with her recovery with continued amazing results.  I also hope that the peoplw of Arizona elect a new representative that has the same drive and determination that Rep. Giffords has shown.  While I know that she could have continued to hold office and likely would have been re-elected with no problems, she chose what some would call the difficult path, some the easy path.  I look at it as the right path, because she chose to take it.  It was not forced upon her.  I hope her path is as promising as her recovery has been.

Why is the financial world in the crapper?

Well, I would say that this is a perfect example:

Google revenues worse than expected

Google reported a 27% increase in revenues for the last three months of 2011, but even that was not good enough to meet Wall Street estimates, sending the shares tumbling.  Google shares fell 10% in after-hours trading to $575.  It reported 3-month revenues of $10.6bn (£6.8bn). Its net profit rose 6.4% to $2.7bn.

I saw this kind of idiocy when I worked at an internet auction company during and after the dotcom boom and bust of 2000.  When they would post their earnings, they would always beat their own estimates, as well as Wall Street's estimates.  However, everyone expected that.  After the announcement there would be a huge selloff and forecasts of doom.  Why?  Well, you see, they only doubled what Wall Street estimated.  The analysts expected them to triple it.  How dare they only double the earnings expected!

Now I am seeing the same silliness here and it just floors me.  For reference, lets put those numbers in perspective: 

"For the full year, Google reported a 29% rise in revenue to $37.9bn, with net profit up 14% to $9.7bn."

Got that?  Your financial advisers are disappointed in a net profit of $9.7 billion (with a B) dollars for the year.  From a company who's entire product line exists only as electrons and who made it big by first enabling you to happily find the best porn on the internet in the shortest amount of time.  I have always felt that the stock markets really have no basis in reality, and stories like this only further re-enforce my belief.