bbk

Welcome, I'm a few towns over myself.

I find the attitude and actions revolting like everyone else. Do I think its a sign of things to come? Maybe, but I doubt it. Push come to shove, the majority of people in this country, conservatives and liberals alike, will not stand for this type of stuff in our streets. Let's face it, the majority culture will do what it can to retain power. To retain that power, it will provide the means necessary to allow the sub-cultures so-called freedoms, but without ever allowing them to exceed the status quo. That majority culture has shifted from being a white person thing to a white, male thing, and now its whoever can maintain that status quo regardless of color/creed/sex/etc. Those that choose to not maintain the status quo are left in the cold, and while their incessant whining and moaning can be tiresome, what will they ever actually achieve if they don't clean up their acts and conform? Exactly, nothing. People can moan about socialism and despotism and every other -ism, but the same concepts that formed this country-- that molded this country-- and brought this country to the top will continue to power it... regardless of who the President (conservative or liberal) is and what change they hope to bring to this country. So, does this worry me? No, not really. Because these types of people who do not conform to the status quo will continue to live on the scraps and in the cold. Sure, they could present an immediate danger to those around them, but as a culture they will not really progress forward because this system will not allow it to. So, you can be totally pissed at them. Or, you can kick back, and chuckle at their short comings. I almost pity them-- not sympathetic, but pity.

As long as they're not (obviously) illegals or breaking the law, let them do whatever they want (for the most part...). Its what makes America, America-- that balance. Now, my only problem is definitely with the flag. Why in the hell hasn't there been more laws passed to protect a national symbol?

Same here. 24 in a month, though my back and neck tell me otherwise.

Ha! I've heard that last story before, but it never gets old-- stick measuring at its best. I'm no aviation nut, but nobody needs to be to be able to appreciate the SR-71. In a left turn of sorts, and my apologies if so. Anybody that played the campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 knows of the scene in space from the perspective of an astronaut (witnessing the nuke/EMP burst). Anybody that has seen the debut trailer for the new Call of Duty: Black Ops, there will apparently be a scene like that except from the perspective of a pilot in an SR-71! Should be interesting, and see, not totally off-topic.

Very nice find. I'm going to have to give it a full read as soon as I finish up this semester.

You gotta splain this to me. I don't get this particular line though the rest of it is crystal. http://www.spawar.navy.mil/sandiego/technology/mammals/ . But as kdp pointed out, the Hormuz can be wired to blow. Between the SSMs (Surface to Sea missiles) and deployment of mines, even if no ships are actually damaged, the harassment would most likely alter the course of action... and we've seen what happens in history when joint-service operations start falling apart. Next thing you know, someone gives the boots on the ground the all-clear, and they're landing on heavily fortified positions that were never addressed because other aspects of the operation were cut out. It sounds ridiculous, but history tells otherwise. As for the IRGC, I have heard that elements within the government itself (one rumor going as far as to name even the Ayatollah) are very unhappy with the amount of power the IRGC is amassing... worrying it could lead to a coup or worse. So, its understandable to see the people rise up. I just feel that the IRGC needs the support of the Iranian government, and vice versa, right now more then pursuing any speculative pursuits of their own that could cause any destabilization.

Bluntly, I cannot because I do not know what is classified and what is not classified currently. I'm in no position or mood to figure that out either. But I'll be vague so I'm not a total tease... Iran gets a lot of their tech and assets from others who are darn good at re-engineering... as for the Strait, there would be a massive dolphin shortage in the US... and as for Iran's strategy, its not how big, but how they use it. ETA: Kdp actually brought up good details. The choke would work (regarding the petro), but I'm not sure about the uprising of their population. There are rumors floating around that country that the IRGC is far more powerful/influential then intelligence communities thought. Understand that the Iranian Republic Guard is not just an arm of the military/Ayatollah, like what the SS was for Nazi. From what is known, IRGC is quite comprehensive and involved throughout most every facet of the Iranian society. Even if people rose up, retribution would be swift.

I don't think it's a good idea. The last thing you want is someone staking out your house and breaking in when you're not home to steal the guns. +1

If we're talking about anywhere in the wide-world, I'd go with Namibia, Mozambique, Madagascar, or Vanuatu. Realistically? I'm bugging in anyway, so, my current location is just fine.

Of course closing the Straits of Hormuz would piss off a lot of people in the region, but in open conflict with the United States, there's really nobody worse that they could tick off. There are measures in place, mostly static ones (meaning not their Navy) that would make it quite difficult to pass, possibly creating a kill zone. As for their SAM (surface-to-air) capabilities, they have more then I could name, and really it wouldn't behoove me to share specifics of that kind of information. But for reference, back during the Cold War, Moscow surrounded itself with a ridiculous amount of SAMs-- Tehran has done the same. As for their tech, its not as primitive as people think (I'd rather not get into details about that either), and is quite capable of defending against US systems. Saturation seems like it might work, but that would result in a lot of civilian deaths. In the case of Iran, civilian deaths would be far more costly then say civilian deaths in Iraq or Afghanistan, and would be detrimental in the overall effort.

I do it frequently myself. I realize that I'm typing a post that nobody else probably gives a s--- about, so I save the people the trouble :shhh:

I'm honestly surprised that Israel hasn't already taken action. A lot of experts were saying that Israel was waiting for the current US presidential administration to officially and openly admonish Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the other elements of the Islamic Republic of Iran (notably the Iranian Republic Guard). Obama did that a few months back, and all that's happened since was some tension between Israel and the US. I don't know how realistic it would be to involve ourselves in a conflict against Iran right now. The conflict would be far more conventional, and all of that defense spending would be put to use finally (and the world would witness the military might that asymmetric warfare doesn't allow right now). But even with the military might, the war-games that have already been played out don't guarantee a wiping of Iran, let alone a victory. The initial part of any campaign are the bombing raids, and most Iranian facilities and major cities are very, very well protected. Tehran is virtually untouchable (think Moscow during the Cold War years). As for even getting into position, that's a whole other slew of issues. Sure, there is access from the two contiguous land masses the US are currently active in. But to really get a foothold, I think the US would need an option to come in from the north. Another huge obstacle is the Straight of Hormuz. Iran has that choke point quite secure, as well as having SSM's lining their coast for coastal defense. So, as amazing as the US Navy is, there is only so much that can be done against defenses like those. Plus, the moment any action is taken against hard targets in Iran, the US could expect the number of proxy/terrorist attacks to increase against US and locals in both Iraq and Afghanistan-- as a means of distraction, but possibly even crippling depending on the number of resources re-allocated for open conflict against Iran. The ways around it? Well, the hardest part is gaining a foothold in the region because Iran's defense measures are that good. Once that initial defense is cracked, its just a matter of how fast can Iran get its ass-kicked. How that defense is cracked I'll not share because I'd rather not even think about walking that thin line Geraldo Rivera knows so well. ETA: I'm glad the US and its allies reacted that way for the record (to include France! ). A line in the sand has to be drawn... none of Iran's actions have been gestures of good will since forever. Whether we're talking of the elections awhile back, or the BS nuclear summit they held because we didn't invite them-- or the countless other reasons. Enough is getting to be enough.

Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings.

Yea, I'm aware. From the pamphlets, it seemed like only Retired/Disabled-Vets and Active/NG/Reserve got that discount. For the vets like me, I'm not retired or disabled (that I know of, maybe it'll crop up in 10+ years :? ), nor am I serving in any capacity anymore. I'm just a regular guy now. Plus, I don't mind paying my dues if its worth it-- and Range 14 is worth it IMO.

Hehe, I didn't ask about it... I'll be honest, I've never used any of that as a source of leverage. I don't think there's anything wrong with it at all, I just would rather depend on my own skin.

Really? I must have sneaked in there somehow because I only paid $60 myself a few weeks ago.

It all depends on how fast a boat is traveling... That's what raises the flags.

The problem with any type of covert movements is that they easily come to light, especially with the advent of modern news... most of these major news corporations have better capabilities and assets then the majority of intelligence agencies in the world. I would agree with the last statement made by the authorities that this smells like a lone wolf incident-- though, that would play right in the hands of the Dems right now anyway.

Haha, acronyms always make it sound serious! But you're right for the most part. Basing it off the reports, 2x5gal. containers filled + whatever gas was in the SUV, two propane cylinders, and the fireworks... well, I'm not sure how propane reacts with gasoline when detonated, but it could have definitely done some damage (considering the vehicle itself would act as shrapnel). But what is really the point of terrorist attacks? Not to kill or maim, but to terrorize. An explosion on Times Square, especially if a few people had been killed by it, would definitely do the trick. Another possibility is that this might be a dry run, but I doubt it. But in that thought, groups might be evaluating the response time/measures by authorities.

The information from last night's PC was pretty sketchy. The information since has been pretty eye opening, and this was definitely a legitimate concern. From the sounds of it, that SUV was rigged as a VBIED. As for the commercial grade fireworks, it might have been a half stick, or anything really to enhance the terror the explosion would have caused (a psychological thing, not physical).

Yea, the initial reports noted the license plate. In the press conference last night/early this morning said that the plate was from a truck that had been sent to a junk yard. Sources are also saying forensics have found prints. So, hopefully that will help a bit. Should be interesting how this ends up.

I don't see anything wrong with this approach. The article states numerous times throughout that the BSA is not shifting towards this type of environment, but is using this method to draw in a targeted group of children. Its not hard to believe that in the current day society many children have never had the chance to experience the outdoors; considering the number of broken families and fusion of technology and culture. By drawing these types of children in, who knows what might be achieved? Maybe some children won't be into all of the outdoors stuff... but maybe it'll open new worlds and opportunities (and futures) for many others. From a marketing standpoint, its brilliant by the BSA. It also speaks volumes of cultures being able to change with the times, or be left in the dust.

More information at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... Collection http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/01/ne ... stigation/ (an AP report) http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/05/02/tim ... tml?hpt=T1 --- News sources are reporting a bomb "scare" in Times Square. They're saying it happened early Sunday evening (the day is only about two hours old for reference as I type this), so the information is still coming in and needs to be confirmed. Fox News is reporting: CNN has not confirmed this yet, only stating: Apparently smoke was coming from a box inside a suspicious vehicle, and currently NYPD and the FBI are involved, with DHS and other elements on standby.

This has nothing to do with zombies at all, but I figure its worth sharing. If you have never seen Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove, its now available (for free of course) on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/watch/142698/dr-str ... e-the-bomb Enjoy a classic!