Presidential Decision Directive 67

I was thinking about whether our government is well-prepared for a catastrophic disaster (such as an attack by a giant spider from outer space)? It just happens that there are a large number of executive orders that lay out a plan for what they like to call, "Continuity of Operations" although my favorite term is much more direct: "Armageddon Plan"

Detroit Attacked By Giant Spider from Outer Space...

Thanks to the observtions of a few members from The Friends of the Book-Cadillac Hotel they snapped a photograph of Detroit being attacked by a giant spider from outer space. Of course, when the camera lense is clean you'll see the normal updated view of the skyline from a webcam mounted in Canada. No need to stock up on duct tape yet.

Kabul Tourist Brochure...

I doubt that the blog entry by Dave Schwarz of the St. Cloud Times will be used for any future Kabul, Afghanistan tourist brochure. The fifth paragrah says it all, "The smell of the city is one of the most difficult things to communicate, but I think it makes the strongest impression. It's like someone took a big pile of dried human feces, poured diesel fuel on it, set it on fire and turned on a fan. Standing on a street is like standing in front of that fan."

In Event of Moon Disaster...

The President is prepared for any event, including the destruction of an Apollo Moon mission. Read all four pages of the prepared speech: "Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace."

The White House Press Corps...

Professional journalists, especially those in the White House press corps, accept that their job in a democracy is to ask the difficult questions of those in power. It's something that I've never thought much about and just taken for granted; part of the checks and balances in our government. If someone lies about something (Watergate) the press will expose it.

The challenge is when the press is not given access to ask those questions or just ignored. The worst example is the fictional "Jeff Gannon" White House reporter.

Ignoring America...

Is it a problem when the Waco Tribune-Herald runs an article titled "Bush Defends Ignoring Protest"? Maybe not, considering that the administration has officially lowered its expectations on what can be achieved in post-invasion Iraq.

Or maybe worse that in June, 2005 it was announced that the insurgency was "in the last throes". Nope, probably it is the fact that the insurgents are now using "shaped charged" explosives which can rip through the armor on tanks.

Op-Ed Column...

The New York Times recently published an op-ed column by Frank Rich that cut to the core of the challenge facing our invasion of Iraq. It is difficult to read. Mirror sites are also available at Common Dreams (liberal) and Free Republic (conservative).