Showing posts with label Protecting America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Protecting America. Show all posts

Friday, January 02, 2009

Port of Los Angeles' top priorities: pollution and diversity


The top priorities at the Port of Los Angeles might surprise you. If you guessed "detecting the presence of WMDs in containers entering the port" you'd be wrong. Green initiatives and diversity in hiring appear to be the key concerns. For starters, you don't have to be an actual U.S. citizen to join the Los Angeles Port Police (PDF).

Let me repeat that. To become a member of the Los Angeles Port Police, you do not need to be an actual U.S. citizen. Just having applied for citizenship is quite good enough, thank you.

And with one (1) day expedited testing, you too could become a member of the Los Angeles Port Police earning a starting salary of between $55K and $75K.

Sorry, but I need to repeat that one as well: one-day expedited testing lets you join the LA Port Police ASAP!

Port Police officers' range of duties include the safety and security of all passenger, cargo and vessel operations...

...Officers patrol the waterfront by boat, helicopter, automobile and bicycle; monitor vessel berthings to ensure safe docking; issue hazardous cargo and dangerous-goods permits; inspect vessels to guard against drug smuggling and pollution violations ([Ed: "pollution violations?"]); enforce local, state and federal laws; provide special training and general assistance to customer security operations.

But not to worry: Geraldine Knatz Ph.D., the port's top official, is on the case.

In January 2006, Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., became the first female executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. She oversees the daily operations... of the nation’s number one containerport.

Moving the Port of Los Angeles forward with an agenda that focuses on responsible Port growth and environmental leadership is an aggressive goal that Dr. Knatz has tackled from day one. Reducing air emissions, eliminating health risks and expanding capital development programs... are top priorities ...under the leadership of Dr. Knatz.

...Dr. Knatz was instrumental in the creation and implementation of the Clean Air Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy for reducing air emissions from port operations by roughly 50 percent over a period of five years... Earlier this year, her non-stop work ethic and persistence in implementing the Plan was a central topic chronicled in [a] National Geographic Channel television series...

Dr. Knatz previously served as managing director of the neighboring Port of Long Beach... and spearheaded a number of environmental initiatives, including development of the Green Port Policy... Dr. Knatz earned two degrees from USC: a doctorate in biological science and a Master of Science in environmental engineering. She also holds an undergraduate degree in zoology from Rutgers University.

Silly me. I thought the number one priority at the Port of Los Angeles was, say, preventing a frickin' containerized nuclear weapon from sailing into the harbor and detonating. Like, security?

A nuke could actually hamper your green efforts for, say, a thousand years or so, Dr. Knatz. But it's all about diversity -- not pragmatism!

What a frickin' disaster the state of California is. I say we kick 'em out of the Union. Who's with me?

Monday, December 29, 2008

Your end-of-year Reagan fix


Always inspiring.

The Reagan Wit
Reagan 2008 Tribute at RNC
"Tear down this wall"
Reagan Oval Office Farewell

Reagan advises Obama supporters
"Government is not the solution..."
Reagan on the age issue
Morning in America ad

Reagan responds to Sam Donaldson
Reagan's 1980 RNC Speech
Reagan's impromptu speech in 1976
Reagan in 1964

Monday, December 15, 2008

First FA-22 Fighters Delivered


Papa B sent this one along.

These are Great In-flight Photos of the F/A-22 as the first aircraft delivery was being made to Langley AFB in Va. Langley is to be first Operational AFB for the F/A-22. It is a very beautiful AFB, located in a picturesque location, as you can see in these photos, near Norfolk and Hampton, Va.

The Aircraft flying along with the F/A-22 in the last of these photos is the F-15, which will be replaced by the F/A-22. In actual in-flight (simulated) combat operations against the F-15, two F/A-22s were able to operate without detection while it went head-to-head against eight (8) F-15s. The F/A-22s scored missile hits (kills) against all the F-15 Aircraft and the F/A-22s were never detected by rither the F-15s or ground-based radar.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lewis said: 'The Raptor operated against all adversaries with virtual impunity; ground-based systems couldn't engage and no adversary aircraft survived'!





If their on-board locator is switched off rven our own satellites can lose track of them. They're the first military aircraft rver built that is equipped with a 'black-out button'... ehat that means is this... The best-conditioned fighter pilots are capable of maintaining consciousness up to in the vicinity of 15+ G. The Raptor is capable of making 22+ G turns. If someday an adversary builds a missile that is capable of catching up to one of these airplanes and a Raptor pilot sees that a strike is imminent, he hits the 'b.o.b.' and the airplane makes a virtual U-turn, leaving the missile to pass right on by. They know that in the process he'll temporarily lose consciousness, so the Raptor then automatically comes back to straight and level flight until he wakes up.

A Snopes search came up dry so it's gotta be right!

Ancient Rome and the Bailout Mentality


Tad DeHaven, writing at Cato @ Liberty:

[The Coburn] report’s cover has a picture of Santa Claus with dollars in his hand. It immediately reminded me of one of Chris Edwards‘ favorite books: Congress as Santa Claus, which was written by constitutional scholar Charles Warren in 1932. Toward the end, Warren cites a paragraph from a book comparing ancient Rome with the U.S. that’s worth reflecting upon:

Little by little, the State let itself be persuaded to do for each of its cities what it had done for Rome…. With a view to easing the misery of the urban proletariat, it took public works in hand in every direction, regardless of their utility. It distributed victuals free or at half price…. But all these schemes cost money...

The intensification of the evil was met by an increase in the dose of the very remedy which aggravated it — useless expenditure in the cities, ruinous taxes on agriculture. Matters went from worse to worse, until the system reached the limit of its elasticity, and the whole social fabric collapsed in a colossal catastrophe.  This is precisely the mistake which modern civilization must learn to avoid.

I suppose it's a little late.

Coburn releases the Pork Hall of Shame


Sen. Tom Coburn (R-NE) just released his 2008 Worst Waste of the Year "awards" (PDF), a dubious set of trophies honoring the most egregious abuses of taxpayer funds.


Federal agencies dedicated scarce dollars to the search for outer space aliens ($9.4 million), a retractable shade canopy ($2.4 million), training classes for casino workers ($784,000), voice mail for the homeless ($15,000), and a non‐functioning gas station shaped like an airplane ($9,000).

This was the case despite the fact that by the end of the fiscal year the federal government spent nearly $3 trillion, but racked up a $455 billion budget deficit – the largest in the nation’s history.1 If the surpluses from Social Security and Medicare are not included, the true federal deficit was $639 billion.2 The current national debt stands at more than $10.6 trillion, which must be repaid with interest.

Mississippi River Flood Memorial Plaza – Illinois ($200,000)
Residents of Alton will not easily forget the great flood their town experienced in 1993 after the federal government builds the town a flood memorial plaza. The only problem is that the plaza will be built in the middle of a flood plain. A $200,000 grant by the Department of Transportation will help the plaza feature a “sandbagger statue‐fountain, flagpole, drinking fountain, interpretive panels, limestone benches and trashcans.”105 While the town hopes that visitors will learn to appreciate the struggle that comes from floods, “The site is a stone's throw from the Mississippi when the river is within its banks, and often under water when the river floods.”

National Drug Intelligence Center – Pennsylvania ($39 million)
In 1992, Congress created, the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown to collect information on drug activity around the nation. Since then, though, it has been labeled a “boondoggle” and, according to U.S. News and World Report, “been rocked by scandal, and been subjected to persistent criticisms that it should have never been created at all.”76 Attempts have been made in recent years by the Department of Justice to shut down the center because of concerns related to duplication, overlap and wasteful spending. None of this stopped Congress from awarding NDIC $39 million in 2008.77 One former NDIC director said, “I recognized that a lot of reports were [awful], poorly written, poorly researched, and, in some cases, wrong.” [Ed: John Murtha's Pig]

2010 Decennial Census Bailout – ($210 million)
Since 2004, the Census Bureau has embarked on an effort to bring the 2010 Census into the 21st Century, but wound up in the 18th Century. One of the significant challenges facing the Census is the collection of information from 300 million Americans entirely by paper and pencil. To do so, the Bureau awarded a $600 million contract to the Harris Corporation to develop handheld computers that would help census takers collect data electronically. The devices were problematic from the start, and although they rely on basic technology found in nearly all cell phones, the agency was never able to get them working properly. When asked in 2006 whether it would be appropriate to have a backup plan in case the handheld computers did not work, then‐director Louis Kincannon responded, “They will work. They have worked. You might as well ask me what happens if the Postal Service refuses to deliver the census form.”93 Despite enormous cost overruns, the devices will only contain half of the functionality originally intended. As a reward, Congress gave the Census Bureau a $210 million bonus in the form of an “emergency” bailout.94 $800 million later, the 2010 Census will still be collected, not electronically but by paper and pencil, just like the first census over 200 years ago.

Transportation Enhancement Grants ($800 Million)
In 2008, more than $800 million in taxpayer funds were spent on “transportation enhancement” (TE) projects, such as bike paths, pedestrian facilities, museums, scenic routes, historic preservation, and greenery for roadside beautification.196 To pay for these frivolous projects, taxpayer dollars are siphoned from federal highway transportation dollars needed for critical infrastructure initiatives, such as road and bridge repairs.

First Tee Golf Program – South Carolina ($3 million)
Kids around the nation will be invited to learn and appreciate the game of golf through a $3 million grant from the Pentagon to First Tee.79 First Tee is a non‐profit organization that was founded to bring underprivileged youth off the streets and onto the golf course. When one member of Congress responsible for arranging the grant was asked what childhood golf had to do with the military, he responded that golf “helps you make generals and colonels.”

Kanjorski Center Parking Garage ‐ Pennsylvania ($5.6 million)
That the Kanjorski Center, a 32,000 square foot office building in Pennsylvania, has stood completely empty since 2005 did not prevent Congress from trying to funnel $5.6 million in transportation money to add a large parking garage to it.

Cleveland Botanical Garden Green Corps – Ohio ($517,000)
Fifty‐five teenagers are learning to plant vegetables and do landscaping through the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s “Green Corps,” a work‐study program that teaches teens to make salsa.

Free‐Bike Library – Colorado ($66,000)
A $66,000 federal grant to promote clean air has been used in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a “bike library” that allows local residents to check out bicycles for free. According to the Coloradoan, “demand for bikes has been so great, however, that the library is often empty,” leading to “shoving matches between riders over the free‐to‐borrow bikes.”

Training Classes for Casino Workers – Kansas ($784,000)
Good casino workers are hard to find in the Kansas City area, according to the Departments of Labor and Education. Both federal departments teamed up this year and gave $784,000 in grants to the Kansas City Kansas Community College for a new training program geared to assist workers that may seek employment in a nearby planned casino.

Voicemail for the Homeless -- Ohio ($15K)
While the homeless in Summit County struggle to find food, shelter and clothing, this Ohio community made sure they were not lacking in one essential service: voice mail. A $1 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will carve out $15,000 for the free voice mail service. Interestingly, the community spent only $10,000 of the same CDBG grant on transitional housing for “homeless single parents.”

St. Louis Zoo Bridge to Parking Lot – Missouri ($5 million)
The St. Louis Zoo will get a new pedestrian bridge linking its south gate to a parking lot across the street, compliments of a $5 million grant from the Department of Transportation.

Field Trips for School Teachers – Illinois ($918,600)
Field trips aren’t just for students anymore. Teachers from Illinois were given a grant of nearly $1 million by the Department of Education Teaching U.S. History program for vacations in the name of “continuing education.”

Inflatable Alligator and Under‐the‐Sea Waterslide – Texas ($367,000)
A preliminary report by the Texas Education Agency, released this past April, found that $367,000 in federal funds were misspent by the Cleburne school district. Audit officials became suspicious when, “The district did not provide lesson plans or other documentation to show how rental of an inflatable alligator and an under‐the‐sea water slide supported reading instruction.”

Tennis Courts and Artificial Baseball Field Turf – New York ($1 million)
In 2000, the Frank M. Charles Memorial Park received a federal grant of $1 million to upgrade its deteriorating facilities, but according to Dorothy McCloskey, president of the park’s oversight committee, “the money was wasted.” The problem, she insisted, was the park management’s “notorious inability” to perform routine maintenance, leaving the tennis courts and baseball fields in a state of disrepair. Taxpayers chipped in an additional $1 million grant this year to repair the tennis courts and to provide artificial turf for a baseball field.28 There is hope that this time will be different, “I’m not willing to see another million dollars wasted,” McCloskey said.

Portraits of Cabinet Officers ($167,290)
Even in the age of high‐resolution digital photography, numerous government officials prefer to have their likeness captured for posterity on the painter’s canvas. Nearly $170,000 was spent on just six portraits for the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the NASA Administrator, the Commandant of the Coast Guard and even the director of the National Cancer Institute.

FCC‐Sponsored NASCAR Events to Promote Digital Television Transition ($350,000)
Fans of NASCAR will not be left wondering how to watch their favorite races on television come February 2009 if chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Kevin Martin, has his way. Martin spent $350,000 of taxpayer money to advertise the nationwide transition to digital television...

Senate Restaurants Post Huge Loss ($2 million)
Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch? Certainly not the taxpayers who helped to subsidize lunches and snacks for Senators and their staffs in 2008. According to Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the committee that oversees cafeterias, Senate restaurants will post losses as large as $2 million in 2008, following a loss of $1.34 million in 2007.

“The check’s in the mail” – IRS Mailings for Rebate Checks ($42 million)
When Congress passed legislation this year giving every taxpayer a stimulus check, the Department of the Treasury felt recipients needed a little advanced warning. It spent nearly $42 million on a mailing to inform taxpayers not that their checks had arrived, but merely that they would be there soon.

Remounting “World’s Largest Mounted Fish” – New York ($135,000)
Following an absence of nearly a decade, a 32‐foot whale shark made a long‐awaited comeback at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum ‐ mounted on a wall, that is... David B. Schwendeman, taxidermist, thought otherwise and rescued the shark with the help of a $135,000 federal grant from the Save America’s Treasures program, noting that “taxidermy [is] the ultimate in terms of conservation and wise use of our natural resources.”

Lobster Institute – Maine ($188,000)
Lobster lovers everywhere were happy to have gotten their claws on federal funding in 2008. Taxpayers, with the help of the Maine congressional delegation, shelled out nearly $200,000 to help the Lobster Institute conduct research on Maine lobsters.

Redecorating Train Station – New Jersey ($1.9 million)
Rutherford Train Station in New Jersey was remodeled this summer with the help of a $1.9 million grant from the federal government. Funds for the project were earmarked out of the Federal Highway Trust Fund, ordinarily set aside for important road and bridge projects, and paid for by federal gas taxes... NJ Transit Executive Director, Richard Sarles, noted that the repairs were crucial because usage of the station had increased to 940 customers a day – a number he called “significant.” Besides, he added, “We [also] had federal funds available to do it.”56

Search for Alaskan Ice Worms – New Jersey ($326,733)
The National Science Foundation awarded a grant of more than $325,000 to Daniel Shain, professor at Rutgers University, to trek to Alaska in search of the elusive ice worm. Unfortunately, he and several students spent two weeks this August hunting through snow and ice for ice worms, only to come back empty‐handed.

Small Business Loans to Liquor Stores ($82 million)
The economic downturn may have strained the credit markets, making it tough for businesses trying to get a loan, but the federal government has made sure low‐interest rate loans are flowing for liquor stores. In 2008, the Small Business Administration guaranteed loans for 331 liquor stores, putting taxpayers at risk for more than $82 million in the event the loans default. This was great news for Spanky’s Liquor World, Pistol Pete’s Beef N’ Beer, and Wagon Wine Shoppe, each of which received government loans.

Bike Path Along Baton Rouge Levees – Louisiana ($1 million)
Even as Louisiana continues to rebuild its levees following the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Congress has made sure one priority project stays on track: a bike path along the Mississippi River levee.

Feasibility Study for Medical School that Will Not Be Built – Mississippi ($478,492)
While there are no plans to ever build an osteopathic medical school at Jackson State University (JSU), Congress funneled nearly half of a million dollars to study the possibility, anyway.

Microchips in Cactuses – Arizona ($???)
Thieves looking to nab a saguaro cactus in Arizona may have another thing coming if Jim McGinnis has anything to do with it. He’s the top “cactus cop” in town and plans on using National Park Service funds to implant microchips in selected saguaro cactuses to help him track them down if stolen from federal property.

The Unwanted Sidewalk – Kentucky ($1 million)
Residents of Lexington are upset about a plan to put sidewalks in front of their houses using a $1 million federal grant, arguing that they are not needed. Some on the city council say the sidewalks are essential for safety. Julian Beard, representing the area in question, insists, “I don't see foot traffic or anybody trying to create foot traffic there for any purpose.”

Statewide Barn Census – Vermont ($150,000)
Barn enthusiasts of all ages participated in a statewide barn census this year, volunteering to “roam across the Vermont countryside counting barns and collecting information and stories about them.”

Specialty Potatoes for High‐End Restaurants – Idaho ($298,068)
“Demand has gone way up for specialty potatoes, especially in restaurants,” so says Robert Tominaga, President of Southwind Farms, when discussing the 2008 crop.100 That is good news for him, since his farm grows a large variety of specialty potatoes, such as Russian banana fingerlings, red thumbs and ruby crescents, that it sells to high‐end restaurants. Despite its success, USDA officials decided that the potato farm was in need of taxpayer assistance...

This maddening list is just a small sample of the egregious and endemic abuses that Congress has foisted upon the American taxpayer. Coburn therefore recommends using USASpending.gov to hold government officials accountable.

If would-be politicians are looking for a template for successful campaigns, they could do a lot worse than to emulate Coburn's program to cut the ridiculous fat from the Federal Budget.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Radio silence


Via PJM, according to a U.S. Marine pilot:

In addition to communicating with the local Air Traffic Control facility, all aircraft in the Persian Gulf AOR are required to give the Iranian Air Defense Radar (military) a ten minute ‘heads up’ if they will be transiting Iranian airspace.

This is a common procedure for commercial aircraft and involves giving them your call sign, transponder code, type aircraft, and points of origin and destination.

I just flew with a guy who overheard this conversation on the VHF Guard (emergency) frequency 121.5 MHz while flying from Europe to Dubai. It’s too good not to pass along. The conversation went something like this…

Iranian Air Defense Radar: ‘Unknown aircraft at (location unknown), you are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.’

Aircraft: ‘This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.’

Air Defense Radar: ‘ You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!’

Aircraft: ‘This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send ‘em up, I’ll wait!’

Air Defense Radar: (no response … total silence)

Saturday, December 06, 2008

"Mission Accomplished!"


President Bush needs a new sign.

I guess "Choke on it, liberal b***hes" was rejected.

Ever hear the real story behind the Mission Accomplished banner that the liberal left used to tar Bush? It was hung by the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln after Saddam Hussein was captured. President Bush had about as much to do with that banner as Tim Tebow has to do with Guantanamo Bay.

Update: Commenter Jones reminds me that the banner was hung to signify the end of the mission for the crew of the Abraham Lincoln, not the capture of Saddam.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Michael Anthony Mansoor and the AWOL mainstream media


Papa B sent this in.

OOH-RAH................!!!

Where Was The Press Coverage?

Navy Petty Officer Mike Monsoor


PO2 (EOD2)(Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Mike Monsoor, a Navy EOD Technician, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for jumping on a grenade in Iraq , giving his life to save his fellow Seals.

During Mike Monsoor's funeral in San Diego, as his coffin was being moved from the hearse to the grave site at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, SEAL's were lined up on both sides of the pallbearers route forming a column of two's, with the coffin moving up the center. As Mike's coffin passed, each SEAL, having removed his gold Trident from his uniform, slapped it down embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin.

The slaps were audible from across the cemetery; by the time the coffin arrived grave side, it looked as though it had a gold inlay from all the Tridents pinned to it.

This was a fitting send-off for a warrior hero.

This should be front-page news instead of the crap we see every day.

Since the media won't make this news,

I choose to make it news by forwarding it .

I am damn proud of our military. If you are proud too, please pass this on.

If not then rest assured that these fine men and women of our military will continue to serve and protect.

God Bless our Troops

A lot of folks wonder why the mainstream print media is disappearing before our very eyes. The lack of coverage devoted to our heroes -- the men and women protecting America -- is certainly one contributing factor.

Earlier in the year, The Donovan covered Petty Officer Michael Anthony Mansoor.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Harry Reid's greatest hits


Remember this?

Odd how the mainstream media let that egregious morale-killer drop down the memory hole, ain't it?

But I'm betting The New York Times will feature Reid's despicable information warfare campaign against our own troops any day now.

Oh, and also his very public apology.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Monday, November 10, 2008

Happy Birthday, Marines!


Some motivational posters sent over by Master Gunnery Sergeant Kirk, reprinted here in recognition of the 233rd birthday of the Corps.








Update: KB listed the 233 reasons to love the Corps.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

U.S. Secret Service more visible than ever with the new President-Elect


The United States Secret Service appears to be taking a more aggressive security posture with the new President-Elect.

The London Daily Mail says that this was one of the trucks in the convoy that took P-E Obama to the gym a couple of days ago.

Update: Commenter Jay.Mac observes:

And look -- they're armed with the type of weapons that Obama wants to permanently ban for the rest of America because "such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets".

There goes the entire 25% snark allotment for this post.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Photo o' the day: a good heart


President George W. Bush embraces an employee of the Executive Office of the President Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008, after delivering remarks to his staff on the upcoming transition. Said the President, "...Over the next 75 days, all of us must ensure that the next President and his team can hit the ground running.'

Photo credit: White House -- Eric Draper.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Laser gunship hits $30 million bulls-eye


The USAF awarded Boeing a $30 million contract for the test deployment phase of the Advanced Tactical Laser.

The ATL is a C-130H aircraft fitted out with a 12,000-pound high-energy chemical laser module that would be used as a weapon against ground targets. It's the smaller sibling of the Airborne Laser, a highly modified 747 under development that packs a similar weapon but that would be used against ballistic missiles.

The Advanced Tactical Laser will use a rotating ball turret to fire its laser weapon at ground targets.

Where the 747-centric ABL is designed to fire its laser through a bulbous nose apparatus, the ATL totes a belly turret reminiscent of the manned versions used in some World War II bombers.

The new Extended User Evaluation contract marks the start of a transition for the ATL, which Boeing has been working on as an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration project. The EUE phase means another round of ground and flight tests, along with "hands-on operation" for the Air Force and other potential users.

Why use a laser when the Air Force already has a wide array of missiles and bombs at its disposal? (The standard gunship variant of the C-130 can already be equipped with 40mm and 105mm cannons.) "Little to no collateral damage," Boeing says, thanks to the laser weapon's "ultra-precision engagement capability." That is, think laser pointer with extreme prejudice.

In addition, the laser would presumably strike silently--no thump-thump-thump or rat-a-tat-tat.

It gives silent but deadly a new meaning.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Photos o' the day: Stuff the MSM Forgot to Show the Rubes



Spotted at Audiworld



I guess the media forgot to report that the largest re-enlistment ceremony in military history was held on July 4, 2008 at the Al Faw Palace in Baghdad (via Israpundit).

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The Patriot Micro Chip Breakthrough!


Master Gunnery Sergeant Kirk sent this one.

THE PATRIOT MICRO CHIP is intended to be implanted in terrorists.
The implant is specifically designed to be installed in the forehead.

When properly installed it will allow the implantee to speak to God.




It comes in various sizes:

The exact size of the implant will be selected by a well-trained and highly -skilled technician.

The implant may or may not be painless.
Side effects, like headaches and nausea, are temporary.
Some bleeding or swelling may occur at the injection site.

Please enjoy the security we provide for you.

Best regards,