Rob's Thoughts and Stuff

The CPB and misappropriating funds

2007-10-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Kelly forwarded me a buddies blog, and ragged me about not updating mine, so here is my latest rant.

One of the guys on my team listens to NPR out of UNC Chapel Hill. It is a very liberal station. I am not happy that my taxes helpp run WUNC. If it accepts federal funds, it should not have a PETA section of its office. Even if it is liberal, it should not represent the radical fringe of the left. So I went on to the GAO's website and dug through their numbers, and was very disturbed about where our money goes.

Department of the Treasury
Customs Service, Air and Marine Interdiction $198
Community Development Financial Institutions $115
Interagency Crime and Drug Enforce. Task Force $92
Total Department of the Treasury $405

Department of Veterans Affairs
V.A. Health Care Facilities Construction $398
Total Department of Veterans Affairs $398

Other Agencies and Activities
Agency for International Development $3,390
Assistance for Eastern Europe $402
Assistance for Former Soviet Union $484
African Development Fund $57
Appalachian Regional Commission $109
Commission on Civil Rights $9
Corporation for National and Community Service $433
Corporation for Public Broadcasting $425

National Endowment for the Arts $113
National Endowment for the Humanities $125

Federal funds make up 12.7 percent of WUNC’s(NPR, Chapel Hill) broadcasting and 83.3% comes from contributions. The station could make up the other 12% easily enough or reformat to make their broadcasting more cost effective. The federal funding for most stations probably operate on similar budgets. The CPB could fire Lehrer and Moyer who are no longer affordable for public broadcasting, besides the fact that they keep slipping farther and farther left in their stated views. Their worship of Noam Chomsky is sickening. This is not a national interest and is a program already mostly provided by private contributions and protected with a non profit status. Most of the public gets their news from privately owned networks or cable news programs.

The $425 million that funds PBS and NPR is more than the $398 million the federal government spends on Veteran Affairs. If the federal government were to end funding for the CPB and moved it to Veterans Affairs, the government could vastly improve its services and modernize hospitals which provide valuable aid and care to our national heroes. Veteran Affairs is a valid national interest and deserves this funding.

I would also like to end funding of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for Humanities and move this funding to the Department of the Treasury. The budget for the endowments totals $238 million while Customs Service, Air and Marine Interdiction only receive $198 million in federal funds. We are willing to pay artists who can not sell their wares without government intervention on their behalf, but we are not willing to fund the federal agency that runs the Coast Guard and properly secure our ports. I think good art will survive without the intervention of our federal government, but our ports will not secure themselves from terrorist.

Our representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives need to look through the budget and identify clearly the interests and responsibilities of the federal government and fund them and not fund every artist with a microphone or paint brush. We the People need a closer adherence to the principles outlined in the Constitution that limits the involvement of the federal government in our daily lives. The powers of the federal government are specifically enumerated in the Constitution. All other powers remain with the states. The powers limited to the states are specifically enumerated in the Constitution, and it only takes three lines.

The federal government spends too much of our money and on the wrong things.

Ending Racism in America

2007-06-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

There have been several events lately that have put the spot light on race based policies in the US. There was the beatings during the Juneteenth celebrations in San Antonio and Milwaukee. The beating in Austin led to the death of Hispanic man. Juneteenth is the celebration of the freedom of slaves in Texas. The other event was the courts striking down the policy in some areas to assign students to different high schools based on race. I firmly believe the best way to end racism is to eliminate all policies that have preferences or are race based in any way.
We have hate crime laws that increase the penalties and allow the federal government to take over the case if it was a crime committed on racial prejudice. The new hate crime legislation will make anything deemed homophobic a hate crime. We have already seen this in Oakland. The city of Oakland fired several women for hate crimes because they used the city email system to support a group who believe that a family composed of man and woman is healthier for kids. The city fired them and deemed the speech homophobic and hateful. At the same time, gay and lesbian organizations are allowed to use the city's email and bulletin systems to support their programs. By making racism and sexism a vague law that can suspend one type of speech in favor of another, they will try to legislate what ideas are acceptable in the public discourse. I bring up the case of the Juneteenth celebration because of the racial nature of the incident. It was an african-american celebration where a white man was beaten severely in Milwaukee and a Hispanic man was beaten to death in Austin. No one has sought to use the hate crime legislation to find the guilty parties. By nature, raced based legislation is not equitable.
In the name of diversity, some school districts have been busing students across town to ensure that schools are spilt more evenly by race. The concept the school system uses to end racism is to recognize there is a difference between races and assign students to school based on the students race. Students are students and they must learn the same material. We must recognize that all students are equally capable and assign them to schools on where they live. If we give a minority student an advantage in college admission by race, then we tell that minority group we do not believe they can succeed without government interference. Their may be some equity to the program if all minorities were covered. Affirmative action does not apply to Asians ending the illusion of supporting minorities.
Nothing in any of these legislation are equitable and only serve to create more racial tension in the country. If we are going to free ourselves from racism, then we must exclude race from legislation. There are still plenty of discrimination laws on the books. They can cover racist preferences in schools and the work place. Adding hate crime legislation to make a despicable murder more despicable is redundant and only serves to divide. Violent crimes are already hateful crimes. We do not have to legislate redundancy.

Fairness Doctrine?

2007-06-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

After Trent Lott's comment on Talk Radio, the Left has apparently declared open season on the format. The tool to destroy the main medium of conservatives is the concept of fairness and equal time. How can you argue with fairness and equal time? The left has always been good at couching the repression of free speech as cotton candy clouds and lollipop suns.
The idea that people should be able to preempt a talk show to ensure that they are able to air the other point of view. The left knows they will lose their sponsorship and will soon be off the air. The left loves to say that the conservative shows has "fixed" talk radio so they can not compete. The bottom line , of course being, is that liberals just can not compete in talk radio. Their have been several attempts at liberal talk radio, but they have all failed to secure advertising. They even tried starting their own channel on Sirius Radio, Air America. In the end, they were not able to secure sponsorship and failed. The way to cure the bane of their existence. Their dissenting voice is to legislate it away. Luckily, if they are able to pull off the legislation, I believe the high court will strike down the blazoned assault on free speech.
The next part of it is how limited the attack is. It is designed in such a manner to attack only conservative talk radio. Why should there not be a dissenting voice in the print media. Why not network news. The Big 3 have a decidedly liberal aspect. Televised and print media are vastly liberal. Where is my voice? I would like to preempt Katie Couric and get in my ideas. If the dissenting voice is a right to be protected, then it should be applied to all mediums. Talk radio shows are private intellectual property. This property is what needs protecting from disingenuous liberal politicians in an all out bid to repress free speech.
Getting rid of talk radio is part and parcel of the liberal plan to make America communist. Implement socialist programs and repress the dissenting voice.

SYTYCD

2007-06-21T19:39:00.000-07:00

I was going to post about the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act. So much of what we need done for the border security has already been funded. We just need to force the President to force Chertoff to implement the measures by building the payed for fence and higher the additional paid for border agents. This comprehensive bill and the 20 amendments the Senate will vote on is too much of a give and take, and does not accomplish the goal of securing the border.

Sooooo..........I was challenged to turn So You Think You Can Dance show from tonight into a political discourse. For background, the final two guys was a contemporary dancer and a very bender break dance guy. One guy is obviously formally trained and has put on great shows. The second guy has no formal training and has totally blown his partnered performances. So we are waiting to see who gets voted off, and they ensue into a long discussion on whether to keep the unique guy or the one who puts on great performances. They ended up voting off the good dancer and keeping the bendy one. I think it was a horrible call on the part of the judges.

The political part relates to good Marxist thought. The first dancer has a bevy of talent and the second dancer did not. So, from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. The first dancer has plenty of ability and put on great performances. He did not need the extra training he would receive on while on the show. He gave according to his ability. The second guy needed the extra dance training, and is allowed to remain on the show according to his need. I am glad to see we are entering into Marxism on a nationally televised competition. Ole Karl would be proud.

I think that is a successful use of the show for a political rant:p I am mostly mad that the second guys partner, Faina, as voted off because she was hot when she danced. He ruined her performance as a pair so she had to get voted on, and she gets voted off while the sucky guy remains. Back to the rant.......Carefully controlled social engineering never produces the social justice that is expected. The results are the opposite and the situation inevitably becomes more oppressive.

Worlds worst polluter?

2007-06-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,2106999,00.html

This is an article in the Guardian, a ultra left wing British publication, about china surpassing the US in carbon emissions. I am amazed the Guardian took time off from bashing the US to admit we may not be the big bad environmental bogeyman. China now has 8% more carbon released than the US. These are China' numbers as well. Unlike us, they do not count emissions from all of their vehicles or from the numerous fires in the coal mines that feed their power plants. This article uses the line "the worlds worst polluter." They base this term on carbon emissions alone.

My other concern is how much pollution are we ignoring in order to join the frenzy for the theoretical disaster ahead.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/02/0210_030210_TVdust.html

This article discusses the yellow dust cloud that is blown out of the steppes of western China. It is deadly to asthma sufferers in Korea and Japan, and even affects the air quality in Oregon. The article does not cover studies that the dust clouds contain heavy metals like sulfur and zinc. You never see articles on this kind of pollution. You also do not here of ship wrecks in the Malacca straits. http://bpms.kempen.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8894&Itemid=61

Liberals who are rushing to buy into man made global warming want to cripple the US economy in order to stop a process we are not even sure we are responsible for by using policies that have no tests to show they work will not consider more pervasive and obvious forms of pollution. Actors, like Leonardo DiCaprio, make blank statements that the US is the worst polluter in the world based on carbon, a naturally occurring substance when we breathe. In their rush to blame the US for all the worlds ills they ignore real problems with have actual solutions, but facing China takes heart. The claims of the left ignores the amount of cancer surrounding every coal burning power plant in China.

I only wonder what the long term affect of the left ignoring all the other forms of pollution to focus on carbon. We have always depended on the left pointing out our pollution and environmental issues. Now we have reached the point where we can only depend on the left to scream irrationally about carbon. Forget real visible pollution that poisons the air and causes cancer. That pollution does not make a good slogan on a T-shirt at a trendy Hollywood party.

Bias

2007-06-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

To me it seems that it is apparent everywhere. I often chide myself knowing that I am an Idealogue. I try to see the other point of view. I truly do. With articles today that Bob Barker supports Rosie taking over the Price is right shows the unquestioned support of far left bomb throwers. Despite some of her outrageous comments about 9/11 conspiracies and calling Soldiers like myself terrorists, she is still in the mainstream media. I do not support Anne Coulter getting regular spots on the networks, but they would never consider it anyway. I would still submit that Anne is farless mean spirited than Rosie is. Yet Rosie receives the unmitigated support of the networks. If there were any balance, they would include conservative bomb throwers like Anne. If the modern news was balanced and had a semblance of class, then neither would see one second of air time except to expose there fringe views.

I am not sure this is how I wish to start my blog again, but my wife will not listen to my soap boax speeches, so this is my place to vent.

Happy Days

2006-11-08T03:37:00.000-08:00

They really are happy days. Despite the stress of the current moment, nothing else matters because I have a wife that loves me and our new baby whatsitsname on the way. Everything after that is just not really all that important.

I am finishing up my last month of 20 months in command. I have decided after change of command inventories, I would rather not do comand again. Battalion identified our Rear D NCO one week before we left. We had 7 days to do the rear d inventories before we left, and our equipment sent over seas had left more than a month before so we could not easily compare notes. Since we have been in country, we have moved FOBs 7 times. We have never had a chance for refit between missions, and they wonder why we are having to dig through stuff and reconsolidate to figure out where things we never used in 11 months are. Add to that they are still only giving us two weeks to do inventories. In the rear, with less distractors you get 30 days. Add to that as well we are still doing QRF for the FOB and have now been tasked for construction on the new RSOI yard. Add to that we are trying to do customs and get our connexs loaded. We will have to do a RIP which we are still planning on. I never want to sign for $30 million + dollars again. Ever.

Outside of that, I will be home in a month and with my wife and our future kid. I have no injuries to accidents or enemy contact. I am taking 100+ healthy soldiers home to their familes(knocks on wood). IF I have a trailer at bragg we did not get transfered to my deployed hand receipt, does not bother me so much.

Pit Stop

2006-10-11T01:03:00.000-07:00

Waiting in Kuwait for my flight back to Afghanistan. It is a long process flying in between. Going back is hard on the heart, but it is easier knowing I will be back home in two months. Being 5/6th the way through, is a little easier. Things should be busy the last couple of months I should not have too much time to think about it.

I am glad I got to see the folks I did and am sorry I missed the rest. We should have a blow out at some point when I get back. I m sure I can talk Kelly into having a party at the house.

Another day in the Big A

2006-09-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

In the middle of refit, and I can almost smell the US. I can almost imagine not being dusty. I will be home two weeks from today. I get to old Kelly in my arms, pet the babies, eat good food, beer, real american coke, and a soft bed I am not bigger than. Its going to be a good two weeks.

We are doing inventories now. Trying to figure out what was stolen, lost, or just in the wrong CONNEX. One of my LE CONNEXs had the lock cut off when we got back to Sharana. It has been back here unattended since we left Zormat a month and a half ago. No telling when the lock came off. Battalion has been using our CP to hold finance, legal teams, and all the other entities the provide services to the base. Now we are missing stuff we left in our supply room. Not accepting responsibility for that. Since we are living in tents with no ECUs or electric on our own FOB so they could house Air Force guys in our old buildings, I am not going to get wound up since the responsibility for the loss belongs to battalion.
LEave will be a good time to renergize.

Winning the hearts and minds

2006-09-07T02:19:00.000-07:00

I was given one of those moments where you get to reflect on the impact of your actions. On my way from Ghazni back to Sharana, I passed a yound kid riding on a bike. The contractor we hired to pave the road between Ghazni and Sharana had just opened that section of road this last week. The kid on the bike was riding with no hands. He was waving and smiling at us. He was happy.

Two months ago, when we were wrapping up construction on the road from Zormat to Gardez, a youn guy rode by on his bike on a section of road we had just finished. I was checking the road to see if there were any mistakes and the compaction was to the proper ratio. The kid was making noises like a speeding car. As much of a poor road as it is by our standards, it is a great ride for them. It is small moments like this that give me satisfaction that what we do here may actually have some lasting impact on the development of Afghanistan.

That is one of the great things about being an engineer here. Unlike the infantry, I have a legacy I can point to on what I did for the Afghani people.

The Military friendly Media

2006-09-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

We recently had representatives from NBC here with us on FOB Warrior. They came through and told everyone how they appreciate our sacrifices and they want us to be safe. Then come the questions.

Do you feel forgotten because of the war in Iraq?

If we do, it because of bastards like you who are more concerned with trying to embarass the current administration by distorting the news from Iraq to influence the public against the prosecution of the war.

Do you feel justified in the prosecution of the War on Terror?

Yes, but I imagine by the time my quote makes it to the news, it will be chopped up so I say what you want me to.

The main stream media and the liberals love to say how they support the troops but are against the illegal wars of the administration. Then they sit there and wait for any mistake wether actually a mistake or not and prosecute and crucify the Soldier or Marine in the court of public opinion. They hope we do something they can construe as being wrong and say how bad the military is. They pray that public opinion goes back to the 70s model so they can call us baby killers in the media and get away with it. Fortunately for us on the ground, if they did go that far, the American public would do the crucifying.

I will never let the media go anywhere with my soldiers. The media loathes the military and would love a socialist state. That is of course until they got their wish and there was real crack downs on free speech. Then again the current media would not know free speech if it hit them in the face since they fire or yell down any dissension to the party line. They make up "evidence" against any conservative. NBC, CBS, ABC, and most of all CNN, can not tolerate any conservative voices. If they coud avoid it, they would not tolerate he military. Unfortunately the public not recognizes how wrong they were in the 70s and we shall not see a repeat of that behavior except for the far fringe left.

That is my rant for the day. I said they were non sensical ramblings.

A lazy day in the Big A

2006-09-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

I slept in this morning. I did not wake up until 6 AM local. I usually wake up by 0430 local. We have all but a couple of the big tasks accomplished, and we are starting later. It was a good morning to sleep in.

The problem I am currently having is my focus on R&R. After 9 months in country, being close to two weeks away, I can almost smell the unpoluted air, and imagine a day without dust. I plan on standing in the front yard shoeless just to have my feet in the grass. It has been so long since I have seen grass. Besides the big one of missing Kelly so much, the little things that add up to make you miss home that little bit more.

I need to do my reports and then get some breakfast.

Explaining my URL

2006-09-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have now been told that my url is a bit creepy. I thought it my be cause for comment when I made it, but it is part of my curse for having a common name and a complete lack of creativity on my part.

What is in a name?

I tried using Robdouglas, robertdouglas, robd, bigd, and a variety of other combinations. all taken. So I started to try to come up with something original and off the wall. No one on Earth is more off the wall than my OPs SGT, SFC Carver. The signature on his email is "Jump and Die Sappers." I decided no one had Jump and Die Rob as a URL. That is how the URL came to be. It is unique.

Hopefully, that may make a little more sense. Any one that knows SFC Carver, it makes complete sense.

A start

2006-09-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Well. I was reading through my friends blogs, and decided to start one myself. It will not take me too much time to jot down some quick thoughts. It will be the downloading pictures part that may exceed my laziness quota.

A quick update to where I am. We are wrapping up the contruction of FOB Warrior. Soon I will go back to Sharana, and then not long after that I move to BAF to head out on R&R. I can't wait to see Kelly after more than 9 months apart.

This is at least a start.