Let the conspiracy theories begin...

From the WSJ:

The sudden, sharp decline by the Dow Jones Industrial Average shortly before 3 p.m. Eastern time today was triggered by a tabulation delay by Dow Jones data systems, which calculates the average. There was a temporary lag in calculation of the 30 large-stock average due to a surge in order flows as the market continued to tumble in afternoon trading, much like a clogged pipe. Just before 3 p.m., Dow Jones Indexes switched over to a backup system to calculate the average, which nearly instantly registered the huge move.

I can see it already: Haliburton made the computer system, which was installed by KBR, and run by Diebold. The explosion in Afghanistan was the way the VP signaled his cronies to begin the Ricochet Scheme. The President approved it, btw, to get NPR to stop talking about Iraq. It should make an interesting made-for-tv movie.

Follow up to the last post

The Weekly Standard has a great article about Blackwater. Jon, they are definitely an outfit you should check out.

Blackwater is a company most Americans first heard of when four of its contractors were murdered in Falluja, Iraq, in March 2004, and their bodies desecrated on camera. It is the most prominent of the private security contractors in Iraq. You might think of the North Carolina facility as Blackwater's Fort Benning or Quantico.

I sort of wonder why Boeing doesn't do the same sort of thing with refueling and airlift. I bet they could be really competitive, cost-wise, and provide some surge and flex capability for our aging fleet.

Fires of freedom still burning bright

My brother was my wing man at that point and as we took evasive maneuvers I heard him they were taking rounds. By the time I got turned around to see him he was gone. As I continued to look for his helicopter we were also shot down. I was able to land the helicopter in a small courtyard. I shut down the helicopter to assess the damage and to make sure my crew was ok. My crew was fine and the helicopter was shot up pretty bad but was able to fly the three to five minutes back to the Green zone.

...

It took about twenty minutes to locate the helicopter. It had been shot down in a small ally which made it very difficult to locate. By the time we found the helicopter two of the bodies were dragged out and into the street. The Army and our PSD team got there just in time before they could do anything with them. I landed at that location so I could make sure they were my guys. When I unzipped the second body bag that the Army had already put them in, I found my brother.

Just a reminder, there are still men out there dying. They are giving their lives for a noble cause that is greater than any one life: freedom. Many of them wear the uniform. Some do not.

When I was there, I was really impressed with the professionalism and skills of the Blackwater guys, as well as the Global, Bechtel and other teams. The skill and reflexes of the Brits on the Bechtel team saved my life, when our truck was hit by a VBIED at the Assasin's Gate. These are not 'Mercenaries', they are men who believe in what we are doing and risk their lives every day for their brothers. Sometimes literally.

Jim Webb needs a new speechwriter

We hoped that they would be right, that they would measure with accuracy the value of our lives against the enormity of the national interest that might call upon us to go into harm's way.

Enormity (Websters): an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act

Enormity (Cambridge): extremely evil act or the quality of being extremely evil

The origin of 'enormity' is similar to 'enormous,' that is, large in excess, though the meaning grew from the idea of being significantly departed from the accepted, moral norm. I really hope that he meant the significance or importance of national interest, and needs a new speech writer. The alternative is that he believes the national interest of this country has been evil since the time of the Korean conflict (which, despite his accolades to Eisenhower, is technically ongoing).

Just my $.02 on tonight's speeches... UPDATE Ok, a quick search shows that he does seem to know what the word means:

Webb said the enormity of what happened there is, "almost beyond description." But he says the government hasn't "really stepped forward to do anything about it."

Interesting...

Yet another military atrocity uncovered

So what does an explosive dog get in paradise? 72 fire hydrants, toilets with fresh water and bone that never gets chewed up? Beats me, but it seems like someone thinks this is an improvement on Black Jack Pershing's legendary plan.

I also wonder what kind of training an explosive dog really needs...

Another odd headline

Seems to indicate a deficit of plus-sized women in China. Interesting what makes news these days.

Odd leadline of the day

Last I checked, Hussein probably should not be counted toward the 'death toll', no matter how obsessed the mainstream media is with pointless comparisons.

Even more US atocities in Iraq

Of course, this might explain it...

Evidence of US Military Atrocities in Iraq

Hunting Report

So far this year:
1 pheasant
3 deer
1 elk
many memories...