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Ask a Vet
Author: TriSec
Date: 07/31/2012 11:48:09
Good Morning.
Today is our 3,950th day in Afghanistan.
We'll start this morning as we always do; with the latest casualty figures from our ongoing war, courtesy of Antiwar.com:
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 2,061
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 1,048
We find this morning's Cost of War passing through:
$ 1, 357, 813, 400, 000. 00
Well, it's all about Afghanistan today. Let's first talk about money. We post a rolling total here that took a significant jump a ways back, primarily because the President decided to put it on the books instead of covering up the true costs. War is expensive and wasteful, but sometimes you run across a story that just makes you shake your head. Quick question - we all drive cars, do you lease or own?
The logistics of war require massive amounts of transportation. Sure, the important things can be sent very expensively by air, but the bulk of war material often travels by commercial container ship. Uncle Sam needed about 100,000 shipping containers to make war on Afghanistan. These run between $3,000 (used) and $5,000(new) each. Well, the government thought they'd be smart and lease the containers....but then they promptly forgot to pay them off, and now owe 610 million in late fees. If we bought all those containers new....well, you do the math.
So while we still squander lives and treasure, at least the "transition" plan is moving forward with all the speed government can muster. The current Marine commander in-country expects a rolling transition as we pull 23,000 troops out over the next two months. But still leaving 68,000 behind until 2014.
Finally this morning....as we ever-so-slowly leave Afghanistan, we should take a minute to look in the rear-view mirror at what we might be leaving behind. Sure, we've built a bunch of bases, maybe made some small improvements to the airport, and likely built up an embassy (albeit not as grand as the Iraqi Palace), and of course there's a lot of used up and damaged military equipment that will probably be "abandoned in place" (not our problem, right?). But every war leaves behind one legacy - land mines and other unexploded ordinance. Even today, almost a century later, French farmers are finding unexploded shells from WWI...and there's the occasional news in the US about found civil war explosives.
The late Princess Diana made it her life's work to get the countries responsible for the mines in the first place to contribute to their removal....I don't even know what's become of her organization these days. But should they exist, in Afghanistan alone, They've got a lot of work to do.
I'll close with a personal note, completely unrelated to Ask A Vet...I'll be updating this next. Do come by for a visit.
Today is our 3,950th day in Afghanistan.
We'll start this morning as we always do; with the latest casualty figures from our ongoing war, courtesy of Antiwar.com:
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 2,061
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 1,048
We find this morning's Cost of War passing through:
Well, it's all about Afghanistan today. Let's first talk about money. We post a rolling total here that took a significant jump a ways back, primarily because the President decided to put it on the books instead of covering up the true costs. War is expensive and wasteful, but sometimes you run across a story that just makes you shake your head. Quick question - we all drive cars, do you lease or own?
The logistics of war require massive amounts of transportation. Sure, the important things can be sent very expensively by air, but the bulk of war material often travels by commercial container ship. Uncle Sam needed about 100,000 shipping containers to make war on Afghanistan. These run between $3,000 (used) and $5,000(new) each. Well, the government thought they'd be smart and lease the containers....but then they promptly forgot to pay them off, and now owe 610 million in late fees. If we bought all those containers new....well, you do the math.
So while we still squander lives and treasure, at least the "transition" plan is moving forward with all the speed government can muster. The current Marine commander in-country expects a rolling transition as we pull 23,000 troops out over the next two months. But still leaving 68,000 behind until 2014.
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- The surge of U.S. Marines and other forces in southwestern Afghanistan has broken the Taliban's grip on a former stronghold, allowing coalition forces to begin turning over security to Afghans, commanders said.
"It will be a rolling transition to more training and advising and assisting and less of the counterinsurgency operations," Gen. James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, told USA Today during a short visit to Afghanistan. "The Afghan security forces will be in the lead and we'll be in support."
The transition comes as the United States plans to withdraw 23,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of September, leaving about 68,000 U.S. troops nationwide. The pullout was ordered by President Obama, who wants most combat forces out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Obama ordered a troop surge of 33,000 more than two years ago to reverse gains made by the Taliban. Many of those initial forces were Marines sent to Helmand province, a former Taliban stronghold and the world's leading poppy growing region.
The number of U.S. Marines in the Helmand region has declined to 13,000 from a peak of 21,000 last year. At the same time, the size of Afghan security forces in the region has grown to 15,000 soldiers and about 8,000 police.
The gradual shift of security duties in Helmand to Afghan forces will have implications nationwide, analysts said.
"This is a big test case for the future of Afghanistan," said Seth Jones, an analyst at the RAND think tank.
Finally this morning....as we ever-so-slowly leave Afghanistan, we should take a minute to look in the rear-view mirror at what we might be leaving behind. Sure, we've built a bunch of bases, maybe made some small improvements to the airport, and likely built up an embassy (albeit not as grand as the Iraqi Palace), and of course there's a lot of used up and damaged military equipment that will probably be "abandoned in place" (not our problem, right?). But every war leaves behind one legacy - land mines and other unexploded ordinance. Even today, almost a century later, French farmers are finding unexploded shells from WWI...and there's the occasional news in the US about found civil war explosives.
The late Princess Diana made it her life's work to get the countries responsible for the mines in the first place to contribute to their removal....I don't even know what's become of her organization these days. But should they exist, in Afghanistan alone, They've got a lot of work to do.
The hulking old tanks, left to rust when Soviet forces pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989, still packed a threat when Albert Whittington arrived.
Whittington, an ordnance and explosives specialist with the Baltimore district of the Army Corps of Engineers, clambered through dozens of Red Army tanks, trench-digging vehicles, bridge-laying equipment and other derelict machinery at the Pul-e-Charki military base east of Kabul.
His mission: Find any unexploded ordnance, unused ammunition and other materials still capable of maiming or killing.
Whittington, 39, has spent the past year working to make Afghanistan safer from one of the deadly legacies of war.
More than three decades of conflict in Afghanistan — from the Soviet invasion of 1979 through the civil war of the 1990s to the U.S.-led invasion after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 — have left the impoverished farming country one of the most heavily mined in the world.
"Basically, Afghanistan has been contaminated with unexploded ordnance by the full range of actors," said Elena Rice, a program officer with the United Nations Mine Action Service.
Whittington, an Army veteran who lives in LaPlata, has seen material in Afghanistan from "most of the major countries" — Britain, Russia, China, the United States — and many smaller nations.
They have left the country with 6,000 known hazardous areas, danger zones that disrupt farming, housing, resettlement and development in 1,900 communities across Afghanistan, according to the U.N. agency.
Speaking by telephone from the capital, Kabul, Whittington described a typical explosion.
"Kids, they'll be out playing ball and they'll come across something neat and shiny," he said. "They go over to play with it, and the next thing you know, they drop it and it goes boom — and you have children that are injured, or worse."
The United States, which began working in the 1990s to clear Afghanistan of the explosive remnants of war, is the largest donor in the international effort to eliminate the threat within a decade.
The U.S., the United Nations and others have paid to train 14,000 Afghans to identify, safely handle and dispose of unexploded ordnance, Rice says. If there is continued funding, she says, the work is on schedule for completion in 10 years.
For now, the weapons continue to kill. An average of 33 people per month were injured or killed in Afghanistan last year by such munitions. More than half the victims were boys ages 7 to 14.
I'll close with a personal note, completely unrelated to Ask A Vet...I'll be updating this next. Do come by for a visit.
Comments:
Order comments Newest to Oldest Refresh Comments
Comment by 
BobR on 07/31/2012 12:08:05
BobR on 07/31/2012 12:08:05
all that money... all those lives... for what?
Comment by 
Raine on 07/31/2012 12:17:49
Raine on 07/31/2012 12:17:49
Glad to see you got thru the night ok, Tri. 
Comment by 
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 12:51:29
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 12:51:29
Morning
Comment by 
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 12:58:52
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 12:58:52
Phew! I hate IE. When it opens a page running a lot of scripting here at work, it will totally lock up. Had to shut it down and restart it.
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 13:01:41
It was this very story that caused the afore mentioned lock up. I heard about this on the NPR mosheen. :RMS: Nice!
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 13:01:41
Quote by TriSec:
Keep it Klassy, Mitt!
It was this very story that caused the afore mentioned lock up. I heard about this on the NPR mosheen. :RMS: Nice!
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 13:02:38
America, fuck yeah! Freedom! Yellow ribbon magnets made in China! :fist pump:
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 13:02:38
Quote by BobR:
all that money... all those lives... for what?
America, fuck yeah! Freedom! Yellow ribbon magnets made in China! :fist pump:
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 13:08:29
Raine on 07/31/2012 13:08:29
This is why I think that Congress will act on repealing the Bush tax cuts BEFORE the election.
Democrats, including Obama, insist that they will postpone the spending cuts only if Republicans agree to increase taxes on the wealthy to help reduce federal borrowing.
The issue is also a dividing line in Virginia, which is reliant on the federal government’s largesse more than any other state.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 13:16:12
Raine on 07/31/2012 13:16:12
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 13:19:01
yep, it would sink the VA economy and that would not look good for their golden boy O'Donnell
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 13:19:01
Quote by Raine:
This is why I think that Congress will act on repealing the Bush tax cuts BEFORE the election.Democrats, including Obama, insist that they will postpone the spending cuts only if Republicans agree to increase taxes on the wealthy to help reduce federal borrowing.
The issue is also a dividing line in Virginia, which is reliant on the federal government’s largesse more than any other state.
yep, it would sink the VA economy and that would not look good for their golden boy O'Donnell
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 13:21:33
I heard him on WTOP this morning -- I think he is leaning towards seeing the Tax cuts expire. I was shocked!
Raine on 07/31/2012 13:21:33
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
This is why I think that Congress will act on repealing the Bush tax cuts BEFORE the election.Democrats, including Obama, insist that they will postpone the spending cuts only if Republicans agree to increase taxes on the wealthy to help reduce federal borrowing.
The issue is also a dividing line in Virginia, which is reliant on the federal government’s largesse more than any other state.
yep, it would sink the VA economy and that would not look good for their golden boy O'Donnell
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 13:28:10
It's surprising, but if NoVA economy tanks its going to show that he's not the great gov that he likes to showcase himself as. IMO NoVA has been keeping the rest of the state out of the hole - we've had the low unemployment and the housing market stayed pretty steady (even with counties like Prince William getting hit hard - but I think some of that PW did to itself with the anti-immigrant legislation)
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 13:28:10
Quote by Raine:I heard him on WTOP this morning -- I think he is leaning towards seeing the Tax cuts expire. I was shocked!Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
This is why I think that Congress will act on repealing the Bush tax cuts BEFORE the election.Democrats, including Obama, insist that they will postpone the spending cuts only if Republicans agree to increase taxes on the wealthy to help reduce federal borrowing.
The issue is also a dividing line in Virginia, which is reliant on the federal government’s largesse more than any other state.
yep, it would sink the VA economy and that would not look good for their golden boy O'Donnell
It's surprising, but if NoVA economy tanks its going to show that he's not the great gov that he likes to showcase himself as. IMO NoVA has been keeping the rest of the state out of the hole - we've had the low unemployment and the housing market stayed pretty steady (even with counties like Prince William getting hit hard - but I think some of that PW did to itself with the anti-immigrant legislation)
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 13:30:41
This is from the Washington Times, I know but....
Raine on 07/31/2012 13:30:41
Quote by Raine:I heard him on WTOP this morning -- I think he is leaning towards seeing the Tax cuts expire. I was shocked!Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
This is why I think that Congress will act on repealing the Bush tax cuts BEFORE the election.Democrats, including Obama, insist that they will postpone the spending cuts only if Republicans agree to increase taxes on the wealthy to help reduce federal borrowing.
The issue is also a dividing line in Virginia, which is reliant on the federal government’s largesse more than any other state.
yep, it would sink the VA economy and that would not look good for their golden boy O'Donnell
Republicans, he said, were optimistic that the “supercommittee†established through the deal would be able to forge a bipartisan deficit-cutting agreement. But it didn’t, triggering $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts that will be split between defense and non-defense spending if Congress fails to find common ground before the end of the year. That does not bode well for Virginia, which is home to a high number of defense contractors and military bases.
(snip)
While Mr. McDonnell’s willingness to consider cuts to defense is out of sync with Mr. Romney’s plans, budget hawks say that if the presumptive GOP nominee is serious about fulfilling his campaign pledge to balance the budget by 2020, without raising taxes, then the defense budget cannot be a sacred cow.
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 13:35:38
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 13:35:38
It would be nice to actually hear the caller 
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 13:36:25
it would be nice if I could hear Jenny.
Raine on 07/31/2012 13:36:25
it would be nice if I could hear Jenny.
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 13:41:42
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 13:41:42
blog mind meld 
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 13:53:22
Raine on 07/31/2012 13:53:22
Quote by wickedpam:
blog mind meld
Comment by 
TriSec on 07/31/2012 14:05:16
TriSec on 07/31/2012 14:05:16
Heh. Well, I haven't taken a bath in years. (waits for snide remarks to die down.)
With the line and port on my chest, I think that might be easier than showering today.
With the line and port on my chest, I think that might be easier than showering today.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 14:10:38
Light some aromatic candles. Pour a good cocktail, play some music and enjoy... that is how us girls do it....
Raine on 07/31/2012 14:10:38
Quote by TriSec:
Heh. Well, I haven't taken a bath in years. (waits for snide remarks to die down.)
With the line and port on my chest, I think that might be easier than showering today.
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 14:13:58
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 14:13:58
Is it just me or is the whole leaking operation secrets for political gain thing that Romney is on about fake outrage? I mean the Bush administration would have never done that, right? :coughValeriePlamecough:
Comment by 
Scoopster on 07/31/2012 14:21:49
Scoopster on 07/31/2012 14:21:49
Mornin' all.. 
Welp, my appointment with the new doctor is in three weeks. They're mailing me the paperwork in advance so I have time to fill it out.. must be a lotta paperwork!
Welp, my appointment with the new doctor is in three weeks. They're mailing me the paperwork in advance so I have time to fill it out.. must be a lotta paperwork!
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 14:30:16
Raine on 07/31/2012 14:30:16
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 14:34:31
I got through the lead and went
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 14:34:31
Quote by Raine:
OK, I need help here.
When did IRAN become part of the 911 plot? This is why I ask.
I got through the lead and went
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 14:34:38
I scanned it - looks like he found them complicit in aiding the hijackers so they bear part of the burden of the crime
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 14:34:38
Quote by Raine:
OK, I need help here.
When did IRAN become part of the 911 plot? This is why I ask.
I scanned it - looks like he found them complicit in aiding the hijackers so they bear part of the burden of the crime
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 14:42:45
I believe everyone knows that it is laregly symbolic.
Raine on 07/31/2012 14:42:45
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:
OK, I need help here.
When did IRAN become part of the 911 plot? This is why I ask.
I got through the lead and went
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 14:44:14
based on what?
look, I didn't read the 911 report,I will admit, but this is just strange to me. Maybe I missed something along the way...
Raine on 07/31/2012 14:44:14
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
OK, I need help here.
When did IRAN become part of the 911 plot? This is why I ask.
I scanned it - looks like he found them complicit in aiding the hijackers so they bear part of the burden of the crime
look, I didn't read the 911 report,I will admit, but this is just strange to me. Maybe I missed something along the way...
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 14:52:45
I didn't read the 911 report either, so I'm out of the loop, but it they said the because Iran knew these people were traveling through their country instead of reporting them.
Seems like something I'd see on Law & Order
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 14:52:45
Quote by Raine:based on what?Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
OK, I need help here.
When did IRAN become part of the 911 plot? This is why I ask.
I scanned it - looks like he found them complicit in aiding the hijackers so they bear part of the burden of the crime
look, I didn't read the 911 report,I will admit, but this is just strange to me. Maybe I missed something along the way...
I didn't read the 911 report either, so I'm out of the loop, but it they said the because Iran knew these people were traveling through their country instead of reporting them.
Seems like something I'd see on Law & Order
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 14:59:59
I cannot stand politicians who KNOW better. Jindal KNOWS better.
Romney KNOWS BETTER.
Raine on 07/31/2012 14:59:59
Quote by Mondobubba:
Why Bobby Jindal is a giant douche bag.
Romney KNOWS BETTER.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 15:08:35
Raine on 07/31/2012 15:08:35
Tax talk is indeed getting interesting on the Hill.
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 15:13:28
It is just this base fricking pandering to the religious loons in the GOP base. It is so cynical.
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 15:13:28
Quote by Raine:I cannot stand politicians who KNOW better. Jindal KNOWS better.Quote by Mondobubba:
Why Bobby Jindal is a giant douche bag.
Romney KNOWS BETTER.
It is just this base fricking pandering to the religious loons in the GOP base. It is so cynical.
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 15:27:30
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 15:27:30
What are you so afraid of caller? Why do you need to carry a gun around?
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 15:28:02
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 15:28:02
idiot knows nothing about the due process of law 
Comment by BobR on 07/31/2012 15:31:05
This is the Republicans trying to get back at Democrats for the Plame case.
BobR on 07/31/2012 15:31:05
Quote by Mondobubba:
Is it just me or is the whole leaking operation secrets for political gain thing that Romney is on about fake outrage? I mean the Bush administration would have never done that, right? :coughValeriePlamecough:
This is the Republicans trying to get back at Democrats for the Plame case.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 15:37:09
Raine on 07/31/2012 15:37:09
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 15:50:46
Exactly! Is your life so full of fear of roaming gangs of (insert minority group of choice) robbing, raping or killing that you feel a need to carry a gun, or have guns in your house? Seriously how unsecure in your home or your quiet suburban neighborhood are you? Get real.
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 15:50:46
Quote by wickedpam:
What are you so afraid of caller? Why do you need to carry a gun around?
Exactly! Is your life so full of fear of roaming gangs of (insert minority group of choice) robbing, raping or killing that you feel a need to carry a gun, or have guns in your house? Seriously how unsecure in your home or your quiet suburban neighborhood are you? Get real.
Comment by TriSec on 07/31/2012 16:00:38
I collect knives...or edged weapons if you prefer. I own some Marine combat knives, a machete, some stilettos, and of course a mountain of pocketknives and multi-tools.
I used the machete twice for its intended purpose, bushwhacked a trail on Fort Mountain a lifetime ago, and cleared some brush in my grandma's backyard with it.
I carry a stiletto occasionally for show, but I usually only use the pocketknife to trim some fruit at lunch.
So yeah, I don't understand the obsession with concealed-carry, either. Fortunately, I don't need a permit to stick a knife in my pocket...yet.
TriSec on 07/31/2012 16:00:38
Quote by Mondobubba:
Exactly! Is your life so full of fear of roaming gangs of (insert minority group of choice) robbing, raping or killing that you feel a need to carry a gun, or have guns in your house? Seriously how unsecure in your home or your quiet suburban neighborhood are you? Get real.
I collect knives...or edged weapons if you prefer. I own some Marine combat knives, a machete, some stilettos, and of course a mountain of pocketknives and multi-tools.
I used the machete twice for its intended purpose, bushwhacked a trail on Fort Mountain a lifetime ago, and cleared some brush in my grandma's backyard with it.
I carry a stiletto occasionally for show, but I usually only use the pocketknife to trim some fruit at lunch.
So yeah, I don't understand the obsession with concealed-carry, either. Fortunately, I don't need a permit to stick a knife in my pocket...yet.
Comment by 
livingonli on 07/31/2012 16:17:51
livingonli on 07/31/2012 16:17:51
Good day, folks. Just noting the new "revelations" about Iran and 9-11 sounds like the same misinformation campaign that was used to convince people Saddam was involved with 9-11 and seems very dubious with all the neo-cons beating the drums for war with Iran.
Comment by livingonli on 07/31/2012 17:34:54
livingonli on 07/31/2012 17:34:54
Pap just described Rmoney as the ass-clown over in Europe.
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 19:29:08
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 19:29:08
Comment by Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 19:38:33
Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 19:38:33
Okay, I finally got Hartmann live on WCPT and they have Dr. Mike Newcomb. Did Thom have an emergency and they could not find anyone else on the planet with more talent, such as a dog that can bark out Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
Switching to Randi today.
Switching to Randi today.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 19:38:38
Raine on 07/31/2012 19:38:38
Who is filling in for Thom today? I thought it was supposed to be Karl.
Comment by livingonli on 07/31/2012 19:43:43
livingonli on 07/31/2012 19:43:43
Today is also supposed to be the day that Thom's RT show moves to 7 PM which makes his absence kind of odd unless he's focusing on that today although I have to guess the RT studio is not far from where the radio show is done. Free Speech TV still doesn't run the RT show until 9 PM because they repeat Democracy Now! at 7 PM (and 9 PM is the re-air time on RT).
Comment by wickedpam on 07/31/2012 19:43:50
Karl's Wed- Fri according to his FB
wickedpam on 07/31/2012 19:43:50
Quote by Raine:
Who is filling in for Thom today? I thought it was supposed to be Karl.
Karl's Wed- Fri according to his FB
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 20:04:27
FSTV runs the radio show live.
Raine on 07/31/2012 20:04:27
Quote by livingonli:
Today is also supposed to be the day that Thom's RT show moves to 7 PM which makes his absence kind of odd unless he's focusing on that today although I have to guess the RT studio is not far from where the radio show is done. Free Speech TV still doesn't run the RT show until 9 PM because they repeat Democracy Now! at 7 PM (and 9 PM is the re-air time on RT).
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 20:06:54
Raine on 07/31/2012 20:06:54
Dr. Mike Newcomb is filling in for Thom today.
Comment by Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 20:09:35
Normally, I would listen to Thom. However, Mike Newcomb is the fellow who had On Second Thought Radio which lasted three weeks after Nova M Radio folded. (He also had my position as a weekend board op at KNUV ended, which was political as the old station manager hired me. Later I saw on the Phoenix New Times web site that they brought some one in and she said in a post on On Second Thought closing that she was never paid.)
Newcomb later got KPHX 1480 to be progressive talk again, but it is low in the ratings. My friends in Phoenix agree with New Times writer Stephen Lemmons about Mike Newcomb being an acquired taste, rather like cigarettes that have been soaked in a urinal.
Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 20:09:35
Quote by Raine:
Who is filling in for Thom today? I thought it was supposed to be Karl.
Normally, I would listen to Thom. However, Mike Newcomb is the fellow who had On Second Thought Radio which lasted three weeks after Nova M Radio folded. (He also had my position as a weekend board op at KNUV ended, which was political as the old station manager hired me. Later I saw on the Phoenix New Times web site that they brought some one in and she said in a post on On Second Thought closing that she was never paid.)
Newcomb later got KPHX 1480 to be progressive talk again, but it is low in the ratings. My friends in Phoenix agree with New Times writer Stephen Lemmons about Mike Newcomb being an acquired taste, rather like cigarettes that have been soaked in a urinal.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 20:11:07
Wow... That waskinda awesome Will.
Raine on 07/31/2012 20:11:07
Quote by Will in Chicago:Quote by Raine:
Who is filling in for Thom today? I thought it was supposed to be Karl.
Normally, I would listen to Thom. However, Mike Newcomb is the fellow who had On Second Thought Radio which lasted three weeks after Nova M Radio folded. (He also had my position as a weekend board op at KNUV ended, which was political as the old station manager hired me. Later I saw on the Phoenix New Times web site that they brought some one in and she said in a post on On Second Thought closing that she was never paid.)
Newcomb later got KPHX 1480 to be progressive talk again, but it is low in the ratings. My friends in Phoenix agree with New Times writer Stephen Lemmons about Mike Newcomb being an acquired taste, rather like cigarettes that have been soaked in a urinal.
Wow... That waskinda awesome Will.
Comment by livingonli on 07/31/2012 20:11:57
But The Big Picture is done from the RT studios and he has to get over there for that show which are now only an hour apart.
livingonli on 07/31/2012 20:11:57
Quote by Raine:FSTV runs the radio show live.Quote by livingonli:
Today is also supposed to be the day that Thom's RT show moves to 7 PM which makes his absence kind of odd unless he's focusing on that today although I have to guess the RT studio is not far from where the radio show is done. Free Speech TV still doesn't run the RT show until 9 PM because they repeat Democracy Now! at 7 PM (and 9 PM is the re-air time on RT).
But The Big Picture is done from the RT studios and he has to get over there for that show which are now only an hour apart.
Comment by livingonli on 07/31/2012 20:15:14
livingonli on 07/31/2012 20:15:14
It looks like Harry Reid may have just dropped a bomb on Mittens if you are listening to Randi.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 20:21:09
Well, I do believe I mentioned it here first....
Raine on 07/31/2012 20:21:09
Quote by livingonli:
It looks like Harry Reid may have just dropped a bomb on Mittens if you are listening to Randi.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 20:25:18
Complete with a Harry Reid quote about JUST this very topic.
Raine on 07/31/2012 20:25:18
Quote by Raine:Well, I do believe I mentioned it here first....Quote by livingonli:
It looks like Harry Reid may have just dropped a bomb on Mittens if you are listening to Randi.
Complete with a Harry Reid quote about JUST this very topic.
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 20:33:18
What did I miss? :Omar Devon Little: Do tell!
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 20:33:18
Quote by Raine:Quote by Raine:Well, I do believe I mentioned it here first....Quote by livingonli:
It looks like Harry Reid may have just dropped a bomb on Mittens if you are listening to Randi.
Complete with a Harry Reid quote about JUST this very topic.
What did I miss? :Omar Devon Little: Do tell!
Comment by Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 20:35:17
Most people I know think that Jeff Farias, who pulled very good drive time ratings on KPHX 1480 while he was there, could out do Dr. Mike even if he had been without sleep for 48 hours and had a head cold.
Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 20:35:17
Quote by Raine:Quote by Will in Chicago:Quote by Raine:
Who is filling in for Thom today? I thought it was supposed to be Karl.
Normally, I would listen to Thom. However, Mike Newcomb is the fellow who had On Second Thought Radio which lasted three weeks after Nova M Radio folded. (He also had my position as a weekend board op at KNUV ended, which was political as the old station manager hired me. Later I saw on the Phoenix New Times web site that they brought some one in and she said in a post on On Second Thought closing that she was never paid.)
Newcomb later got KPHX 1480 to be progressive talk again, but it is low in the ratings. My friends in Phoenix agree with New Times writer Stephen Lemmons about Mike Newcomb being an acquired taste, rather like cigarettes that have been soaked in a urinal.
Wow... That waskinda awesome Will.
Most people I know think that Jeff Farias, who pulled very good drive time ratings on KPHX 1480 while he was there, could out do Dr. Mike even if he had been without sleep for 48 hours and had a head cold.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 20:43:45
This is what Randi was talking about.
I wrote this Blog, PROUDLY-- two weeks ago. here is an excerpt:
Harry Tipped his hand a few weeks ago. This is going to blow up. I am predicting this one.
Raine on 07/31/2012 20:43:45
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:Quote by Raine:Well, I do believe I mentioned it here first....Quote by livingonli:
It looks like Harry Reid may have just dropped a bomb on Mittens if you are listening to Randi.
Complete with a Harry Reid quote about JUST this very topic.
What did I miss? :Omar Devon Little: Do tell!
Saying he had "no problem with somebody being really, really wealthy," Reid sat up in his chair a bit before stirring the pot further. A month or so ago, he said, a person who had invested with Bain Capital called his office.
"Harry, he didn't pay any taxes for 10 years," Reid recounted the person as saying.
I wrote this Blog, PROUDLY-- two weeks ago. here is an excerpt:
There are rumblings that we may very well see that Romney hasn't paid income taxes AT ALL.
(snip)
Even Harry Reid seems to think this:His father, George Romney, set the precedent that people running for president would file their tax returns, let everybody look at them. But Mitt Romney can’t do that because he’s basically paid no taxes in the prior 12 years.
It's possible, there area lot of Corporate loopholes out there. You'll recall many major US corporations have paid less than zero in taxes. Mitt Romney is on-record as saying that corporations are people, so I think it is fair to make the conclusion that Bain, under the helm of Mitt Romney may not have paid taxes.
Harry Tipped his hand a few weeks ago. This is going to blow up. I am predicting this one.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 21:09:57
Raine on 07/31/2012 21:09:57
silencio?
Comment by Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 21:11:41
So, my question is, Will Mitt Romney survive to the nomination?
Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 21:11:41
Quote by Raine:This is what Randi was talking about.Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:Quote by Raine:Well, I do believe I mentioned it here first....Quote by livingonli:
It looks like Harry Reid may have just dropped a bomb on Mittens if you are listening to Randi.
Complete with a Harry Reid quote about JUST this very topic.
What did I miss? :Omar Devon Little: Do tell!Saying he had "no problem with somebody being really, really wealthy," Reid sat up in his chair a bit before stirring the pot further. A month or so ago, he said, a person who had invested with Bain Capital called his office.
"Harry, he didn't pay any taxes for 10 years," Reid recounted the person as saying.
I wrote this Blog, PROUDLY-- two weeks ago. here is an excerpt:There are rumblings that we may very well see that Romney hasn't paid income taxes AT ALL.
(snip)
Even Harry Reid seems to think this:His father, George Romney, set the precedent that people running for president would file their tax returns, let everybody look at them. But Mitt Romney can’t do that because he’s basically paid no taxes in the prior 12 years.
It's possible, there area lot of Corporate loopholes out there. You'll recall many major US corporations have paid less than zero in taxes. Mitt Romney is on-record as saying that corporations are people, so I think it is fair to make the conclusion that Bain, under the helm of Mitt Romney may not have paid taxes.
Harry Tipped his hand a few weeks ago. This is going to blow up. I am predicting this one.
So, my question is, Will Mitt Romney survive to the nomination?
Comment by Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 21:14:15
Will in Chicago on 07/31/2012 21:14:15
Oh, I love the title "His Fraudulency" for Rutherford B. Hayes
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 21:26:42
There really is no choice, is there? The convention will not be brokered, not as far as I can see. This is what they are stuck with.
He'll survive, the Media will keep propping him up. They'll keep appealing to the left and the Right -- all while forgetting independents.
Romney will be nominated. John McCain was too.
Raine on 07/31/2012 21:26:42
Quote by Will in Chicago:
So, my question is, Will Mitt Romney survive to the nomination?
He'll survive, the Media will keep propping him up. They'll keep appealing to the left and the Right -- all while forgetting independents.
Romney will be nominated. John McCain was too.
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 21:27:10
Ah yes. I do remember said blog. There is much discussion about what Mittens is hiding on his 1040s. That would be a big one, better that an absurdly low tax rate.
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 21:27:10
Quote by Raine:This is what Randi was talking about.Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:Quote by Raine:Well, I do believe I mentioned it here first....Quote by livingonli:
It looks like Harry Reid may have just dropped a bomb on Mittens if you are listening to Randi.
Complete with a Harry Reid quote about JUST this very topic.
What did I miss? :Omar Devon Little: Do tell!Saying he had "no problem with somebody being really, really wealthy," Reid sat up in his chair a bit before stirring the pot further. A month or so ago, he said, a person who had invested with Bain Capital called his office.
"Harry, he didn't pay any taxes for 10 years," Reid recounted the person as saying.
I wrote this Blog, PROUDLY-- two weeks ago. here is an excerpt:There are rumblings that we may very well see that Romney hasn't paid income taxes AT ALL.
(snip)
Even Harry Reid seems to think this:His father, George Romney, set the precedent that people running for president would file their tax returns, let everybody look at them. But Mitt Romney can’t do that because he’s basically paid no taxes in the prior 12 years.
It's possible, there area lot of Corporate loopholes out there. You'll recall many major US corporations have paid less than zero in taxes. Mitt Romney is on-record as saying that corporations are people, so I think it is fair to make the conclusion that Bain, under the helm of Mitt Romney may not have paid taxes.
Harry Tipped his hand a few weeks ago. This is going to blow up. I am predicting this one.
Ah yes. I do remember said blog. There is much discussion about what Mittens is hiding on his 1040s. That would be a big one, better that an absurdly low tax rate.
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 21:45:06
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 21:45:06
I've said this before and I will say it again. Romney should have been disqualified as a nominee based on his epic Youtube performance of four years ago. Filmed right here in Jacksonville with real black folks.
Comment by Raine on 07/31/2012 21:48:03
The GOP never cast him aside
Woofwoof.
Raine on 07/31/2012 21:48:03
Quote by Mondobubba:
I've said this before and I will say it again. Romney should have been disqualified as a nominee based on his epic Youtube performance of four years ago. Filmed right here in Jacksonville with real black folks.
The GOP never cast him aside
Woofwoof.
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 21:54:31
Mondobubba on 07/31/2012 21:54:31
Quote by Raine:Quote by Mondobubba:
I've said this before and I will say it again. Romney should have been disqualified as a nominee based on his epic Youtube performance of four years ago. Filmed right here in Jacksonville with real black folks.
The GOP never cast him aside
Woofwoof.
The video just shows off his worst traits, the cluelessness, the akwardness, the stiffness his, for lack of a better word, Romenyness.
Comment by livingonli on 07/31/2012 22:07:20
livingonli on 07/31/2012 22:07:20
I think if I had Romney's money I would just travel the world, help out the less fortunate and keep a low profile. At least I wouldn't make an ass of myself.
Comment by livingonli on 07/31/2012 23:01:34
livingonli on 07/31/2012 23:01:34
Thom's got a fill-in on RT too so something must have came up.
Comment by livingonli on 08/01/2012 00:58:38
livingonli on 08/01/2012 00:58:38
For those of us who have Sirius or XM, Lizz will be doing Michealangelo Signorile's show from 2-6 on OutQ 108 which means I might have to decide between her and Randi tomorrow.
Comment by livingonli on 08/01/2012 04:17:21
livingonli on 08/01/2012 04:17:21
RIP Gore Vidal! Just a week after Alex Coburn's passing, it seems like a loft of the minds of the left are leaving us.