I always get a chuckle out of the folks who say "some scientists" question global warming... because the US NAVY sure as hell doesn't have any question about it.  In fact, it looks like they are positioning to ask for a whole new fleet to police the newly opened seas!

Consider this recently declassified report:

It's called "Naval Operations in an Ice Free Arctic"

"John Ryan Dennison was a shining light..."

When a young man's story opens by celebrating his life in the past tense,  don't expect a happy ending.   Unfortunately, not all stories worth telling have happy endings.  That doesn't make them any less important.  

Look past Ryan's megawatt smile and you may notice a glint of metal on his chest.   It is subtle and easily missed.  It's a decoration that doesn't call attention to itself, yet speaks volumes.  

John Ryan Dennison was more than merely a graduate of West Point, as if that distinction could ever be characterized as "merely" an achievement...

In Sunday's Washington Post, Zach Goldfarb reviews the political staff's prognostication skills.  The article makes some good points, but raises serious doubts about their ability to analyze data.

In July, the [Post] political staff came up with a list of eight questions that would frame the campaign. Over the past four months, individual articles -- which remain online here -- looked at races where the bellwether questions were most vividly on display.

I give the Post credit for intellectual honesty.  Unfortunately, it appears they have trouble reconciling the data with their preconceived notions.  They also have trouble counting to eight, so maybe we shouldn't expect too much too soon.

 Here's the point they keep dancing around:  We have a mandate.  Unlike the "moral mandate" of 2004, this mandate for change is broad, but not deep.  If we deliver real change, we can make this durable.   Since this is Sunday, I will stick to clickable graphics.   This one is from The New York Times and shows the Senate victory adjusted for population.  There are plenty more below the fold....

When you examine the data, there is only one word that accurately describes the midterm results.  The word is MANDATE.  When you look at the turnovers at the federal and state level, it wasn't even close.  Republicans got ZERO. Zip. Nada. Zilch. Nuthin. Not.A.Single.One.

55% of Americans voted against Republicans running for Congress.
59% of Americans voted against Republicans in Senate contests.
62% of Americans voted against Republicans running for governor.

Adding insult to injury, Independents broke 3 to 2 for Democratic candidates.

This thumping will leave a mark.   Bush might have avoided Icarus' fate if he had spent more time in the reality-based world.  The Decider Icarus can make all the noise he wants about bi-partisan intentions.    No one is listening.   Here's the beauty of this victory: Armed with a popular mandate that spans the nation, our job is simple.  We have to keep the Corrupt Bastards grounded in  reality.   Below the fold are a few suggestions that should help put cement shoes on the neo-cons, their apologists, shills, and cronies.

The RNC launched their new ad campaign with a lot of PR.  It is an ad (available on their web site which is just pure fearmongering.  The whole point of the ad is There are terrorists who want to kill your family! Boogity Boogity Booooo.....

They never mention their failure to capture these terrorists, or Dubya's flip-flopping on hunting down OBL (dead or alive...don't think about him...on the hunt...it's difficult...we know exactly where he is ...we have no idea where he is...etc.)  They certainly don't mention their role in creating the newest generation of terrorists.  Heck, they have stopped even pretending they are going to capture or kill these terrorists.  After all, why kill a meal ticket?

Why do I say that? Because browsing the rest of the RNC site (down at the bottom of the page on the right) is a poll... and in that poll we learn what REALLY scares Republicans.  The results of this official RNC poll are clear.  Republicans fear accountability more than terrorists.  Details on the flip....

Although the Washington Post chose to bury the story on page A18, we all know (at least here) this Executive has now brought new meaning to the term, Executing Authority.  Unfortunately, the corporate media has enabled this by constantly referring to his signing of "terrorist interrogation legislation" and never once referring to his wholesale destruction of the Bill of Rights.

After all, what does it mean to say you have freedom of expression, the right to bear arms, freedom from unreasonable seizure, the right to speedy trial, trial by jury, the right to avoid self-incrimination, the right to petition, right to equal protection, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment when "no court, justice, or judge" can comment on your disappearance?

In these dark times it is encouraging to note we are not alone in our concern.   Here is what our friends at the John Birch Society have to say about the new face of Compassionate Conservatism:

Like a lot of other folks I hopped over to various news sources the second I heard NK had passed the point of no return.  However, it appears all the sources cited are simply quoting claims.  One anonymous source in SK is  quoted as citing seismic data showing an event registering 3.5 on the Richter scale.  That's a problem as you will see later.

Basically, we are looking for seismic data to show there was a nuclear blast.  That data is easy to get.

If that sucker is big enough to register a 4 on the Richter scale, I found a way we can all follow this story in real time from our own PCs!  (UPDATE: A seismic event in North Korea showed up on my PC around 04:30 UTC registering 4.2 on the Richter scale from  01:35 UTC).  That is about 10x what the SK source cited and makes it a little less than 1 kiloton.     HOWEVER I am not sure the real time telemetry backs up either claim.   I have uploaded telemetry from nearby Inchon Korea, as well as Beijing and the Solomon Islands.  In all cases, you see the Tonga quakes earlier in the day, but nothing around the time or after for the claimed NK blast.

Many years ago, I went to Taos, New Mexico and found myself standing outside an adobe church much like the one Stieglitz photographed in his famous picture.  I walked across the road to find a good angle for a photo.  After I took my picture, I realized I was standing in the entrance of a modest cemetery, so I wandered in.

About half way to the back, I noticed most of the head stones were very small.  Then I looked at the dates on the headstones and understood why.  Most of the dead were children.  As I turned around towards the entrance I saw all the dead children I had walked past without noticing.  It was very disturbing.  I got out of there as fast as I could and pushed it out of my mind.

I haven't thought about that for almost 20 years.

The Foley pedo scandal ate up so much bandwidth most people don't even know Baghdad is under a daytime curfew.  Therefore, it's no surprise this shocking exchange on FOX News fell completely off the table.  It's so tasty, I just had to pick it up, transcribe it, and share it around.  This is a dog bites man kind of story.

Shep Smith is a popular FOX News anchorman, yet even this avid supporter of the war, Bush, and all things conservative finally got so enraged, he stomped Bill Kristol like a grape.  Talk about making Kristol whine.   Shep started off calling this administration's policies horrifying and repulsive and it went downhill from there.  By the end of the segment, Shep was holding Bush responsible for any deaths that occur in Iraq between now and the mid-term elections!  In so many words!  On FOX NEWS!  This is Must See TV.  Transcripts and links to this "come to Jesus" talk are below the fold.  

Emily Perez had a passion for books.  She loved to read.  In 2001, she graduated from a public high school outside of Washington DC in an area known mostly for gangs, drugs, death and despair.  Emily was straight-A student.   She could have attended any university she chose.  She chose West Point.

Getting admitted to West Point is no easy feat. First, you need to be nominated for consideration -- usually by your senator or congressional representative. Then you are evaluated in three areas: academic performance, demonstrated leadership potential, and physical aptitude.

Emily was a leader among leaders.  She was the first black woman to serve as corps commander sergeant major at West Point.  She graduated in the top 10% of her class.  In spite of all that promise, this story does not have a happy ending.  

By now you have probably heard about the Princeton Video that shows yet again how easy it is to compromise the Diebold systems.  Here is a picture of our heroes: Dr. Felten and his students, Feldman and Halderman

As you can see, not all patriots are firebrands from central casting.  They are normal folks like you and me.  And that is important because Diebold is starting to push back... and it is going to take normal folks like you and me to help our heroes keep Diebold's feet to the fire.  Let's look at where Diebold is vulnerable and how Diebold is trying to defend itself ...

I'm a technically savvy guy.  I've had my own PC since the 8088 days when DOS was putting the final nails in the coffin of CP/M and Leading Edge was getting flak for cracking the compatible wars wide open.  I was online before BIFF stole his brother's Commodore 64.  Before spam.  Before nuking. Before Gopher. I know the answer to the UNIX riddle, "Why a mouse?"  (actually there are two surrealist punchlines to that joke). I even know the plural for VAX (hint:it's not VIXEN).  

When it comes to computers, I know Jack. So trust me when I tell you, "To err is human, to really $#@#!!*& things up you need a computer."  I say all that to underscore the fact that my discomfort with electronic voting machines is not borne of ignorance.  My contempt is a direct result of my familiarity with the technology.  

I have got some bad news for you....

Everyone is all excited the president admitted we have secret prisons.  Now that this administration and its apologists are busy fessing up to stuff they used to deny, claiming credit for stuff they didn't do, laying blame where it doesn't belong and asking us to blindly trust them to get things right while they keep doing exactly what they used to say they weren't doing...  all I want to know is:  Who do they think they are kidding?  

Here's my problem...actually two problems...actually three problems...well more than three, but for now I will only focus on two.....

The Republican echo chamber attacks anyone who disagrees with their madness and derides them as pawns of the HollywoodLiberalElite®.  Never mind the fact Hollywood entertainers hold more clout in Republican policy circles. Facts are tedious, boring things. Besides, a few well timed jokes about Michael Moore's weight and you can keep folks laughing and distracted for days.  

That difference in approach captures the basic problem with public discourse.  We want to talk substance, they want to talk personalities.  Like it or not, people prefer their approach. There is no point denying human nature; we need to embrace reality and use it to our advantage.

Fortunately, this election season the Republicans have provided a perfect opportunity for us to beat them at their own game.  I'm talking about the Corrupt Bastards Club.  Here's the best part... you can play too.

I remember when Richard Pryor dropped the n-word from his routine.  It was after he went to Africa.  He realized there weren't any over there...even though the continent was chock full of black folk.  He came back and decided to label himself, his brothers and sisters in a more dignified and respectful way.

What we call ourselves says a lot about how we view ourselves and how we want others to view us.  

We do the same thing with political labels.  Democrats become "Liberals" become "progressives" become "reality-based."  Republicans have gone from calling themselves "Conservatives" to being members of the "GOP," the "Party of Lincoln," or more recently, the "Corrupt Bastards Club."  This is not an epithet I am hurling around like "fascist" or "liar."  I wish I had thought of it... but I didn't.  This is a term Republicans used among themselves behind closed doors...