Why California voters should oppose Proposition 31.
Category Archives: Political Commentary
The Preference Cascade
Just in time for Halloween, a scary campfire story.
If you’re an Obama supporter, that is.
ITAR Reform
The session on it just finished at #ISPCS2012. As we go to lunch, the PA system starts playing “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
Candy Crowley
The analogy seems a little mild to me. It’s more like she let Obama commit a facemask on Romney, but he was still running toward the end zone, so she helped tackle him.
Binders
The Amazon reviews, by and for women.
I’m not impressed. I keep a bunch of supermodels in an accordion file, myself.
[Update a few minutes later]
Frank J.: “Binders of desperation.”
Mars Sample Return
In his valadictory address on his retirement from AIAA, Bob Dickman is proposing a $2B prize for one.
I think for that amount of money, if it were done privately, you could send a guy (or gal) to go get it.
[Update after lunch]
Clark Lindsey took notes of all of Bob Dickman’s space heresies.
ISPCS Morning Session
Clark Lindsey is across the room from me, live blogging it.
Fog Of War?
…or fog of lies?
Col. David Hunt has persuaded me that the attack was followed in real time not merely by the State Department but more than a hundred people in the White House situation room as well as in similar facilities within DoD and intelligence agencies. Logs [would have been] kept noting what officials entered these facilities, when they were notified, what decisions were requested/made, what was said by officials, etc., etc.
Col. Hunt paints this picture based not on direct knowledge but on his extensive knowledge of how these government agencies conduct crisis management operations. Obviously, in a six hour crisis there was plenty of time for all the various crisis management facilities to come on line, something that Col. Hunt depicts as happening pretty much instantly.
I am persuaded by this picture, and I think it leaves a dramatic — and much more damning — impression of the alleged confusion, passivity, and disengagement of the president.
Sounds about right.
A Meaningless Phrase
And yet there are never any consequences. Well maybe there will be some in three weeks.