What the Dumb Do, the Astute Will Dread

"People know who I am now," Edwards said Saturday after the West Columbia, S.C. town-hall meeting. Really? How many voters can name Edwards's law firm or the largest (billion dollar) law firms in the country? How many, on the otherhand, have heard of Halliburton?

This may help us non-lawyers to know who millionaire John Edwards actually is:

Columbia lawyer John Moylan is running Edwards' South Carolina campaign. source article.

Barnwell lawyer Terry Richardson, one of the state's wealthiest trial lawyers, is backing Edwards again.

S.C. Senate Democratic Leader John Land also backs Edwards. In 2004, Edwards got his campaign off the ground with donations from lawyers like Land and Richardson. His "base of support this time is tenfold what it was four years ago. He's in a very different place - a very different starting place," lawyer Moylan said.

Who are Edwards's Democrat competitors? Senator Hillary Clinton and B. Hussein Obama are both lawyers, of course, as are almost every Democrat candidate and too many Republicans.

Edwards is the only Southerner running among Democrats, whose last successful presidential candidates have all been Southerners. He appeals to certain constituencies, as evidenced by the exorbitant verdicts he extracts as a trial lawyer from juries of voters who elect presidents.

Edwards, remember, did surprisingly well in early primaries and caucuses of 2004.

Why are Americans so comfortable with 2% of the U.S. population holding well over 50% of elected offices? Could it be because lawyers hide bad news from us and tell us comforting, plausible lies (just as they do to convince juries).

Molten Eagle has been steadfast and bipartisan in opposition to lawyers in public office. In my opinion, nothing will weaken and defeat our military faster and erode our economy and public education quicker than the collegiality of lawyers in public office. We must each vote as we continue to see fit. This implies that are eyes be wide open and our minds engaged at least every so often. We have choices beyond admitted lawyers, those who hide that they are, and those who wish they were (apologies to Senator McCain, if he actually wants to be something besides a lawyer when he grows up).

USS Minneapolis-St. Paul Submarine Tragedy Avoidable Next Time?

A US Navy Submarines Forces Atlantic officials told 13News, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family members of the sailors who died today."

We honestly do not know yet the accompanying factors leading to the deaths of our two, unidentified brothers. Since the accident resulted in two deaths and the failure of two additional sailors to journey the Atlantic, we should expect three officers' careers to be adversely impacted by this event. The executive officer, the commanding officer and the officer of the deck are at automatic risk of admonishment, to say the least.

Small, inflatable dinghies operated by police escorts (due to security demands for U.S. subs) picked up the four, according to Officer Provan, spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police. NOTE: Since small dinghies operated well enough in waters rough to recover four submariners, it should be evident that deckhanding on submarines is akin to logrolling. A submarine on the surface is essentially a large log with a rudder that often loses steerage in rough conditions. This hazard has been well known to submariners for at least the last century.

Some questions immediately come to mind:

1) Submarines will usually submerge as soon as practicable for reasons of stealth, safety and mission. Why was the submarine not pre-rigged for dive at the relative safety of the dock? [Yes, valve and vent lineups, etc. can be down later, closer to actual dive time].

2) Submarine sailors over six feet tall have higher centers of gravity that potentially interefere with otherwise superb balance on rolling decks. How many of the sub's 4 deckhands who washed overboard were over six feet or taller? Were shorter deckhands spared? Shorter sailors make better deckhands due to their lower centers of gravity and natural balancing ability than taller males.

3) Were the four sailors involved in an unusual, mission-related activity? For instance, were they attempting to secure an unusual hull attachment? [This we will probably never learn].

Above thoughts are more than hypothetical. Certainly the sea state (47 mph gusts) beyond the safety of Plymouth harbor's large, concrete breakwater was known to someone on the submarine before its departure. Sean Brooks, a coast guard officer, had this description, "Because of the violent weather, they were frequently plunged below the waves," he said. "It then transpired that there were already two other guys in the water."

The two survivors would probably not have been rescued as quickly had it not been for the police escort, said Officer Provan. Imagine that. The small, inflatable dinghy, not a tug or helicopter, saved the day!

Errors in the Clemency Pleas for Saddam Hussein

We have heard pleas for Iraq to prevent the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, saying it would worsen sectarian violence in Iraq.

Retaliatory sectarian violence may be the wish of Baathist relics and other troublemakers, but since they were never powerful enough to free Saddam from imprisonment, they are equally powerless to agitate much more sectarian violence than already prevails. Although many with political motives would like to see worsening conditions in Iraq, the opposite is more likely.

We have even heard U.S. lawyers plead for clemency. Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, a member of Saddam's defense team, for one, said the decision Bush makes following an Iraqi court's rejection of Saddam's appeal "will have long-term consequences for the peace and stability of Iraq, and for the rule of law as a means to peace." Wake up, Mr. Clark, the rule of law in the new Iraq does call for Saddam's execution.

Time will prove that Molten Eagle was correct. Contrary to the opinion of a few CIA mis-intelligence analysts, Saddam will never be a martyr for anyone. His execution is a necessity representing his failure, not success, and providing deserved pause, not encouragement, to other despots in his neighborhood.

Mr. Clark, while your feeble defense tactic is all wrong, your summary is absolutely correct:
The decision Bush makes following an Iraqi court's rejection of Saddam's appeal "will have long-term consequences for the peace and stability of Iraq, and for the rule of law as a means to peace." Allah is likely to go along with Saddam's execution, Mr. Clark, and if Allah is willing, infidel lawyers like you are useless spit.

Submarines, Wormholes and More

The term wormhole was introduced by the American theoretical physicist John Wheeler in 1957. In astrophysics, a wormhole is a theoretical feature of topology representing a potential "shortcut" through space and spacetime. It is virtually impossible, however, to separate the concept or sciences of travel within inner and outer space.

Submarines exploit "virtual shortcuts" through seaspace and realtime. Instead of transiting many days to arrive within strike distance of a potential adversary, submarines are secretly pre-deployed near potential trouble spots (e.g. North Korea, Iran) and can even be routed under ice caps as polar shortcuts. To adversaries the net result is surprise due to sudden projection of awesome power. Ensuing attacks, if necessary, are often unimagined, much less detected, prior to dispensation. Whether or not relativity principles are inherent in such travel and weaponry is optionable.

During the Civil War, fully 93 years before Wheeler propounded his hypothetical concept, the Confederate vessel Hunley became the first submarine to successfully exploit a wormhole. The USS Housatonic, an 1800-ton steam powered sloop-of-war with 12 large cannon, was stationed 5 miles out to sea as a blockade to the entrance of Charleston harbor in the darkness of February 17, 1864. Lieutenant George E. Dixon and seven volunteers rammed a spar torpedo into Housatonic's hull. The torpedo was then detonated sending Housatonic and five of her crew to the bottom of Charleston Harbor in about five minutes.

Due to Hunley's success, continuous submarine development and strategic deployments became de facto for world navies. There was no longer anything hypothetical about the utility of submarines nor their ability to exploit wormholes.

There is little doubt of Dr. Wheeler's genious. He was also first to coin the term black hole in 1967. Perhaps Dr. Wheeler's relationship to submarines is unfinished, to say the least. Check out the opinion of this guy who lays it out here at an interesting Fourmilab (home of the Earth and Moon Viewer) web page.

[The foregoing has been reprised from Molten Eagle's Submarine Space Travel Analogies - Part I: Virtual Wormholes dated December 30, 2005]

Ahmadinejad - Walking the Plank on Submarine Timetable

It seems until the radical Islamic virus is routed, foreign relations will no longer be straightforward, and that is most unfortunate for voting citizens of free republics. When was the last time that our own government educated us correctly about its true goals, much less the rationale for them? Was I wrong about the fence with Mexico never being built? (Most of you still believe so, yet it would be a monumental failure, waste precious tax revenue and degrade U.S. relations with Mexico). Why has our government not explained this to us? Why has our government ( in both Democrat and Republican administrations) continually encouraged illegal immigration by lax border enforcement?

Iran will not be struck militarily by the U.S. whether a nuclear weapons capability comes to exist or not. Readers will recall my prediction that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being set up for a fateful airline disaster in the company of several of his foremost nuclear scientists. This outcome is merely contingent on a single travel opportunity which has yet to present itself. Even if Ahmadinejad is booted out of office (next paragraph), a fatal accident or sickness will permanently bar his re-election prospects.

Officially, of course, the U.S. State Department wishes Iranian voters would simply boot Mr. Ahmadinejad out of office and his fanatic puppet masters (clerics) with him. Again, the opportunity has not presented itself yet, although sentiments for a boot may finally be gaining some momentum.

Finally, there is a third-party, nuclear option. Suppose, just suppose, that an EMP nuke were exploded over Iran. Suddenly, the persistent madman is rendered a very unpopular head of the world's latest stone age country.

Who is the third party behind this plan? Not the U.S., U.K., Israel, Russia, China, France, etc. The world will be surprised by the strike, but in a world where governments explain so little, would an identity have to be revealed unambiguously? Unfortunately, no. Who will the candidates be? India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. What would they possibly gain? Besides political stability (instant weakening of the Al Qaida threat) there is the matter of a vital energy pipeline. All three of the candidates would have very good, plausible deniability. Saudi does not have the technology, for starters. Might India and Pakistan collaborate?

What about the timing of an EMP strike on Iran? As Molten Eagle explained to readers in August, Iran will not be in possession of a missile-deployable nuke prior to Israel's taking delivery of its Strategically Assured Second-Strike (modified AIP) submarines under construction in Germany. The final delivery and required crew training dates are obviously well-planned to be timely, but it seems they are still secret (if I am wrong on this, please advise).

Sleep well, Mahmoud.

More Submarine Medical Matters

Late last month, I had described two apendectomies performed in submerged WWII submarines by pharmacist mates (forerunner of Hospital Corpsman). Later, I came to learn that there had been three, not two, and according to this Wikipedia entry, eleven more since. By the time I reported to Seawolf, a medical officer (MD) had not been assigned for over a decade on non-FBM subs.

Submariners should have the deepest appreciation for this institution. NSMRL is conducting a study in cooperation with New York University to review the mortality of over 9,000 submariners who served from 1969 to 1982. Since 1986, enlisted submariners have been screened psychologically with SUBSCREEN. We rarely hear about the fine work done by NSMRL. This submariner could do a much better job writing about it than me. Yet, I will make a brief attempt to cover some very recent stuff.

First, listening to the radio today, I heard a fellow declare that he had been a recent submariner with a USNA (academy officer) in trouble with his CO for biting the ear off a civilian in a mean street fight (he did not make it clear for the rest of the audience when this alleged event happened). Perhaps some of you served with the same guy and can clarify? Personally, I did not appreciate the caller's sloppy characterization of a submariner officer.

Incidentally, while attending a navy school in Newport, RI, we used to play handball for lobster dinners. One of the regulars (from the Greenling) on the opposing team had his ear bitten off one night outside a lobster establishment after winning that night's game. He obviously did not complete the school. He was a great guy, too. I will not mention his name.

Next, the Naval Medical Research Center is overseeing a government-funded study of a blood substitute, Hemopure, that would be given to trauma victims. Many of them are expected to be young men under the influence of alcohol. The battlefield is too uncontrolled to do the research, an FDA spokeswoman said. story here

Finally, Thermonor AS, a Norwegian medical device company with a novel temperature management device to treat stroke, cardiac arrest and hypothermia, announced today that it will deliver five units of these unique devices to researchers at the Naval Submarine Medical Research Lab (NSMRL), Groton, Connecticut for evaluation. NSMRL research has focused on submarine survival, hypothermia and heat stress. story here

Interested? The book pictured above is available here at Amazon, of course, and many more are listed here to pick and choose from, if you are medically trained.

Submarines and Ingrowns

Back in January, we speculated on some serious, though humorous sounding, mis-steps in a PR campaign that came off more like an amateurish foreign navy effort than the US Navy's:

What other purpose could the GMA broadcast have served besides PR? That question was posed by a reader of USS Scranton (SSN 756) Whereabouts. He also made this comment:
The thing that I find truly hilarious is that most of the stock footage was of 688s, not even 688Is... much less of the Scranton. The EMBT blow footage Diana Sawyer comments on several times during the broadcast is of a boat with fairwater planes!

We replied:
Answering is easy; being affirmed correct is almost impossible due to the prevailing secrecy of submarine operations. Being labeled wrong, on the otherhand, is a given because the Navy has already told us what they (the CIA)
wanted us to know.

Subsequently, we have witnessed a planned reduction of Atlantic Fleet submarines due to decommissioning or transfers to Pacific Fleet ports. Political threats and espionage needs in the Atlantic arena are relatively insignificant, as we all know.

Molten Eagle suggests that you read about this routine, submarine-related, development effort Navy seeks to enhance undersea surveillance to optimize anti-submarine warfare operations and tuck it away for reference when and if a dastardly antagonist operating subs off our Atlantic coast is ever identified to the public. On the contrary, we may continue in our complacency. No questions, please.

Arcane History: the Silent War on Terror

Arcane History

May 21, 1964 - 1st lighthouse begins nuclear-powered operations (Chesapeake Bay). It was a test site of a STRONTIUM-90 FUEL CELL using a 60-watt radioisotope nuclear generator (RNG), 345 inches high, weighing 4,600 pounds, supplies continuous power for 10 years before refueling. Currently, the old (built 1908) lighthouse amid the cheapeake is SOLAR POWERED.

In November 2003, Two Strontium containing Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) used to power navigation beacons and lighthouses were ripped to pieces by unknown vandals in the area of Russia's Kola Peninsula. Damage was so severe that Murmansk Regional officials designated the incident as a "radioactive accident." The strontium-90 cores—with a half life of 26.5 years— were left at the sites of the navigation devices. They are highly radioactive—emitting some 1000 roentgens per hour—and local police officials and officials from the Murmansk Regional Federal Security Service, or FSB, said in interviews with Bellona Web that the suspects could well be dead or seriously ill.

In 2004, NTV reported that Murmansk authorities are removing all nuclear-powered lighthouses and replacing them with solar energy by 2005.

Photo Contest Announcement

Announcing a fun contest.

"I like the neat prize, and if you are a submarine enthusiast or military historian, so will you."
- Turtle Sailor (too old to blog these days)

"Wow, if I can ever figure out my dissertation topic, I want to enter this one." - Chapped (PhD hopeful)

"I can definitely relate to this prize." - PBS

"Not me, I wish it were an Ayn Rand cookbook; if I win, that's what I would trade it for!"
- Spaghetti Van Horn

Due to the highly successful Beach Submarine Photo Contest this past Summer, TheSubReport.com Presents for your Holiday Entertainment:

THE SUBMARINE CHRISTMAS PHOTOSHOP CONTEST

RULES
All entries must be in by 12:00 midnight est on Thursday December 14th. TheSubReport.com will post entries as received. Send your entries to eric@thesubreport.com. On Friday he will post a poll and we can all vote for the best one. Saturday, he will announce the winner.

Any kind of photo editing software can be used. The photo must be an altered photo including any type of Christmas/Holiday scene or subject, and a Submarine or Submarine Sailor. (Sorry, Nudity or sexually explicit photo’s will not be entered in the contest.)
Click here for the Contest Page and Current Photo Submissions
Here is the Prize which makes a fine Christmas gift for any Submariner.

Quick Quiz Time

As conscientious citizens of the world, can you recognize what entity the following, partial profile describes?

University of Texas School of Law '57
University of Wyoming Law School '58
Stanford Law School '52
University of California-Berkeley Law '58
Howard University Law School '60
Santa Clara University Law School '63
University of Virginia Law school '73
Indiana University law school '58
Yugoslavia Ambassador for Jimmy Carter
Secretary of Defense under Bill Clinton

Answer and more here.

Submariner Receives Predicted Sentence (Weinmann Part V)

So far, Molten Eagle's startling predictions regarding the espionage charges against Petty Officer 3rd Class Ariel J. Weinmann have proven true.

First, readers were advised on August 14th to expect disciplinary actions against more than one of the then Albuquerque crew. Then, in a Sept. 21st general court-martial in Groton, Lt. Robert J. Loomis III (ex-Albuquerque) pleaded guilty to desertion with intention to avoid hazardous duty and dereliction of duty.

Secondly, readers were advised on November 28th to expect a sentence of from 10 -15 years. Weimann pleaded guilty in Norfolk to espionage, desertion and other charges. He has received a 12-year sentence it was disclosed yesterday. The maximum was life without parole.

Next, readers were advised that Weinmann delivered sensitive biographical information to Islamic contacts for use in recruiting U.S. submariners to radical Islam. The DOD's ongoing cover-up has been embarrassingly obvious. A target country "X" will not be disclosed (unless Weinmann wants to serve a life sentence without parole, afterall). Stolen biographical information has been described as more than 30 secret files, including the personal files of submarine officers (source Kommersant) and as information, including military biographies with details such as nicknames, service history and childhood pets, from sources including the CIA and Department of State (source Hampton Roads Dailypress.com). Really, Weinmann had access to CIA sourced documents of officers? Does anyone really believe that, or that rather than religious preferences, such files included pets names? Someday the truth may be told. For now, my prediction is still on hold.

Weinmann told the judge during questioning about his pleas that he deserted in July 2005, because the service did not meet his expectations. "I had a very idealized view, basically what amounted to a World War II Navy," Weinmann said. Weinmann's statements were probably crafted to reinforce a popular perception of him as an immature youth with a parochial view of the world.

Interestingly, Weinmann pleaded not guilty to an espionage count accusing him of giving classified information to an agent of a foreign government in March 2005 in Bahrain (there is no Israeli embassy in Bahrain, by the way). This was possibly part of the DOD-approved plea agreement to cast suspicion only on non-Muslim countries.

LAST PREDICTION
Finally, in twelve years (less time off for good behavior perhaps) Molten Eagle expects Weinmann to convert to Islam in prison and emigrate to Canada, where he can join Muslim relatives and chums.

Disclaimer: I do not believe Muslim crew serving in the U.S. submarine service are dishonorable, that they should be profiled for extraordinary monitoring, or that they could be recruited by an Islamist state without prompt detection and removal. The Navy's normal surveillance procedures on the totality of submarine crews are nothing new, very covert and have probably been enhanced since 9-11. If salty line officers were still calling the shots instead of the current hierachy of JAG officers, dumb cover stories like this Weinmann debacle would never have seen the light of day, in my opinion.

Why Man-induced Global Warming May be a Noble Exercise, but it is a Feeble Concept

The planet Earth, its moon, Mars and their atmospheres reside in outer space, also called simply space. Over time, objects in space lose heat and become colder.

The natural state of empty, interstellar space is extremely cold. The temperature scale used in space, the Kelvin scale, starts at "absolute zero", which is the temperature equivalent to minus 459.7 °F. Water freezes at a temperature of +273 degrees Kelvin (32 °F).

According to NASA, a thermometer in darkest space would only read 2.7 Kelvin (minus 457 °F). The few degrees Kelvin above absolute zero is due to constant background radiation.

The surface temperature of Earth's neighboring planet Mars varies from lows of −220 °F during the polar winters to highs of up to 70 °F in summers[22]. The wide range in temperatures is due to thin atmosphere, which cannot store much solar heat. The mean distance of Mars to the Sun is about 228,000,000 kilometers. Earth is about 1/3 closer to the Sun at 150,000,000 kilometers, while Venus is about 1/3 closer to the Sun than even the Earth at about 108,000,000 kilometers, and much hotter (over 752 °F). The Earth is not getting closer to the Sun.

If nothing else happens to the Earth, in 4-5 billion years, the Sun will enter a red giant phase. Its outer layers will expand as hydrogen in its core is consumed, its core contracts and heats up. Helium fusion will begin when the core temperature reaches about 3×108 K. While it is likely that the expansion of the outer layers of the Sun will reach Earth's current orbit, recent research suggests that mass lost from the Sun earlier in its red giant phase will cause the Earth's orbit to move further out, preventing it from being engulfed. Earth's water and most of the atmosphere will still be boiled away, however. This will not be caused by mankind.

Islamic Pass Complete: Denmark to Bill Gertz "Hamstrung"

Bill Gertz of The WASHINGTON TIMES wrote a column today entitled Analysts: Bin Laden alive but hamstrung. Does the mental picture of notorius Islamic, quasi-prophet bin Laden arouse any humor in Denmark? Does anyone recall February's riot headlines over the Prophet Cartoons? Is Bin Laden immune because he is just a terrorist? We shall see what Muslims decide. Did Gertz deliberately invoke an offensive (ham) racist image? Certainly not, but it is now up to Sharia Muslims to exercise any cognitive skills instead of familiar riot habits.

Interesting explanation here: Although rare in the 1,400 years of Islamic art, visual representations of Muhammad were acceptable in certain periods. Today, his likenesses grace collections around the world, at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Edinburgh University Library, the British Museum and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France in Paris. ... Other Muslim activists said the images misrepresented the prophet by showing him as a terrorist, whereas he was a peace-loving man.

Advice to the hypocrites at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): be quiet, this time.

Submariner Secrets: de gustibus non est disputandum

Long before the general public ever heard about a Crazy Ivan, rigorous psychological profiles were sporadically required by the world's premiere submarine navies. Suspicions, if not outright evidence, that submarine volunteers must be insane are nothing new.

"You have to be experienced, highly trained, and match the psychological profile the Navy requires of its submariners (didn't know about that one, did you?). This process literally takes years and costs millions of dollars; only the cream of the crop make it." - Jon E. Dougherty, policy analyst.

When ex-submariner Jimmy Carter became U.S. president, such suspicions probably increased, but were quickly moderated to include his exceptional self-motivation (and some other stuff).

Individual submariner profiles are closely guarded (not only from us, but everyone else, we hope). What is not obvious is that submariners are repressed [c]ooks. Examples abound and apply regardless of age or nuclear training. Here is a very recent sampling:

Bothenook of the geezer's corner posted Sprengerle cookie recipes [does he mean Spring Girlie cookies?]. Insider secret: you can tell Bo' was a nuke because he mentions a step to eliminate any iodine taste from his recipe. I have tried some of his recipes before, and they were delightful!

Cookie from the Cook Shack-- Gab & Grub weighs in with his The Great Texas Chili Cook-off... Cookie has real cook experience, posts recipes often and says these might bring some tears to yur eye's... Here's Cookies' Insider secret: ...NEVER TRUST A SKINNY COOK ...

Gus Van Horn (an admitted alias) down in Texas, shares his Spaghetti Van Horn recipe with us. Gus introduces himself at parties with Hi! I'm Gus Van Horn! I'm a trial lawyer from west Texas! Before you try his recipe, WARNING #1: Gus makes it when his wife is in Chicago! WARNING #2: Insider secret: Gus reveals this about his spaghetti recipe I lost fifteen pounds in four months on this diet.

Some of you may be wondering what a well-adjusted personalty-type like myself has posted for favorite recipe. While I have published a few, none was politically correct. My favorite to date was this BEER ROASTED CAT (roof hare) recipe. Insider secret: The taste improves by substituting a teaspoon or two of curry for the cube of beef bouillon.

By the way, what does the latin phrase de Gustibus non est disputandum mean? It means There is no disputing about tastes.

Not all submariner recipes are as crazy as this Ivan. Will the real Crazy Ivan ever blow his own Horn? Somehow I doubt we will ever arrive at a good answer for this secret.

Can Voters be as Underhanded as Politicians?

If you never resided in the United States you may not understand the point of this post, so feel free to skip. Americans have grown accustomed to their national politicians lying to them about important issues, and that sad characterization applies to all political parties. While one side lies, you would think another would challenge the bilge to educate the public. In reality, politicians are of a single stripe: "We made it here and want to stay, so we promise each other to make only minimal waves, cover up the terrible truth, pursue our own wealth and get our fabulous salaries and pensions at taxpayer expense when we retire."

After many efforts, Vigilis finally found a paper to publish my underhanded effort to expose the truth and this will not be cast away by the telling of more lies of omission, or withholding another, harsh, political truth from American voters. Readership of the following has now been expanded to the civilian world outside the arcane realm of this ex-submariner's blog. In a few months, we may all finally read a related article by a columnist of stature, and it will probably quote a politician putting his career on the line. I am not seeking credit, I just want our military draft repaired before it is too late and to share the early wake-up call with you. Here is what has just been published where it is guaranteed to make waves:

There is almost zero chance that a draft will be reinstated until a serious flaw has been fixed. The draft most people have experienced or heard about was inadvertently wrecked by the EEOC, which appropriately invoked employment opportunities for minorities and females (an actual majority) since the draft was last utilized.

Although, due to inertia, today's Selective Service System still requires young men to register, there will be grievous inefficiencies if it is attempted. Here is why:

Whether in blue collar (police, firefighters, etc.) or in management-type jobs, women have made substantial inroads since the early 1970s. Mandatory conscription of only the male gender would be more than just politically incorrect nowadays, it would involve male forfeiture of fiercely competitive promotion prospects in the civilian workplace and invite substantial litigation. We witnessed the very opposite of this litigation ensue for decades as women felt they were being unjustly excluded from those very same promotion opportunities.

In consequence, women will have to be drafted along with men in any equitable draft, today. Here is the problem, however. If 25,000 combat infantry are required by the military (a realistic assumption at any point in time), selection of 25,000 physically and mentally fit conscripts will actually yield 12,625 women and 12,375 men. Legally, all would have to be drafted into the military, trained, and paid for equal durations. At most, less than half of the required combat infantry additions would have been made available. To get the 25,000 men needed, about 50,500 men and women would have to be drafted (from the civilian work force) under existing laws.

Hopefully, we understand how prohibitive such a draft would become compared to the last one. I know, you think women serve in combat roles, right? Wrong, current regulations prohibit women in most combat roles, even if they have volunteered, and most draftees certainly would not.

Today's draft is broken and short of the most dire national emergency (late in the game) would have to be fixed before it can realistically be considered.

Binnacle List: Lessons in Photo-Intelligence (Learning by Doing #3)

Well, holiday cards sometimes include inserts and readers know how seriously photo-analysis is attempted here. Critical comparison of his photos from March 2005 (photo at left) and currently (photo to right), might reveal some unwelcomed news about this mystery blogger. First, lets enumerate obvious differences between the two photos:

+ Political: Nationality changed
+ Economics: Newer Submarine
+ Status: Promotion (no longer wearing silly, red thing on belt, but notice present cap)
+ Physiological: Cranial capacity has grown slightly, and he matured (grew mustache)
+ Other: Consistently photographed at PD (periscope depth)

Tentative Conclusion: the subject has aged at a tremendous rate in a single year, probably due to the stress of political upheavals in the DRSP (Democratic Republic of South Park), wherever that is. The periscope depth thing could be a medical restriction consistent with the binnacle list. If psychological in nature, a depth restriction may also explain his bizarre, red belt ornament and cap.

Possible Confirmation: As recently as December 2004, subject submariner signed off 43% of his blogs (sample here) with the phrase "Going deep...". The phrase has more than a football connotation to submariners. The phrase denotes the best depth for submarines to avoid detection (commonly regarded as the sonic layer depth plus 100 meters (>300 feet). The fact that he no longer alludes to going deep certainly hints at some depth restriction.

No privacy rights were violated in composition of this posting. If you feel wronged (skewered) by the content of this educational piece, please follow the Law Advance link found at the top of this page to obtain economic assistance in the pursuit of litigation. Actually, the submariner used in this lesson is an honorable citizen, officer and a gentleman, so there is little outright chance he will sue me this time.