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Author: TriSec    Date: 11/19/2013 11:17:28

Good Morning.

Today is our 4,426th 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: 2,290
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 1,105

We find this morning's cost of war passing through:

$ 1, 490. 193. 925, 000 .00



Speaking of that cost of war, I'm sure you've seen the story that was circulating yesterday about newly-discovered epic waste at the Pentagon? It's becoming apparent that cooking the books is routine practice at the Navy Department, and probably the other branches of service, too.


LETTERKENNY ARMY DEPOT, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - Linda Woodford spent the last 15 years of her career inserting phony numbers in the U.S. Department of Defense's accounts.

Every month until she retired in 2011, she says, the day came when the Navy would start dumping numbers on the Cleveland, Ohio, office of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the Pentagon's main accounting agency. Using the data they received, Woodford and her fellow DFAS accountants there set about preparing monthly reports to square the Navy's books with the U.S. Treasury's - a balancing-the-checkbook maneuver required of all the military services and other Pentagon agencies.

And every month, they encountered the same problem. Numbers were missing. Numbers were clearly wrong. Numbers came with no explanation of how the money had been spent or which congressional appropriation it came from. "A lot of times there were issues of numbers being inaccurate," Woodford says. "We didn't have the detail … for a lot of it."

The data flooded in just two days before deadline. As the clock ticked down, Woodford says, staff were able to resolve a lot of the false entries through hurried calls and emails to Navy personnel, but many mystery numbers remained. For those, Woodford and her colleagues were told by superiors to take "unsubstantiated change actions" - in other words, enter false numbers, commonly called "plugs," to make the Navy's totals match the Treasury's.

Jeff Yokel, who spent 17 years in senior positions in DFAS's Cleveland office before retiring in 2009, says supervisors were required to approve every "plug" - thousands a month. "If the amounts didn't balance, Treasury would hit it back to you," he says.

After the monthly reports were sent to the Treasury, the accountants continued to seek accurate information to correct the entries. In some instances, they succeeded. In others, they didn't, and the unresolved numbers stood on the books.


But I suppose we shouldn't really be surprised. Let's take a brief look at one of my favorite whipping posts, the ol' Lockheed F-35 "Lightning II". I'm sure most of you aren't overly familiar with aircraft construction. There's something called the "Main Spar", which is the structural heart of any flying machine. It pretty much keeps the wings on, and is reasonably important. They can corrode and decay, generally with bad results. Fortunately, that isn't the issue this time, but once again there's something wrong with the plane. Add a few more dollars to that ol' price tag.


WASHINGTON — Cracks were found in the fuselage of a test model of the F-35B, the Marine Corps variant of the joint strike fighter, Defense News has learned.

The discovery will have no impact on flights occurring on any of the three F-35 variants, but will require that the test model be shut down for two to four months while inspectors look at the issue.

“During a late August 2013 inspection of the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) ground article used for durability testing, two minor cracks were identified in one of the ground article’s four primary wing carry-through bulkheads,” Kyra Hawn, an F-35 program spokeswoman, said in an Oct. 10 statement.

The cracks appeared after more than 9,400 equivalent flight hours, or roughly 17 years of flight time. The F-35 program of record requires a lifecycle of 8,000 hours per plane; the test vehicle will eventually go through a simulation of two lifetimes, or 16,000 hours.

In other words, while the cracks are hardly a good thing, this was a problem discovered after extensive stress testing designed to find such problems. That said, a fix will need to be introduced into the production line, as well as added to previously produced models.

“A combined effort by government and Lockheed Martin engineering teams is underway to address modifications to the bulkhead that will be incorporated into production and the fleet as part of the normal program concurrency process to ensure aircraft full life,” Hawn’s statement said.

Hawn added that the cost and time needed to retrofit fixes for the issue into the current F-35B fleet are unknown at the moment. About 50 of the F-35Bs will require retrofitted bulkhead repairs


Of course, no matter what kind of taxpayer waste is going on, there's always somebody that's going to be pocketing the difference. Remember Erik Prince and the lovely sub-contractor "Blackwater"? Well, looky who has a tell-all memoir out. Of course, none of the things done by his company were his fault.


MIDDLEBURG, Va.—Blackwater founder Erik Prince personifies the hidden hand in America's terror wars. His company secretly armed and maintained drones in Pakistan, trained CIA hit teams, and collected $2 billion as a government security contractor.

Mr. Prince said he looks back on that adventure as "13 lost years." The billions of dollars are gone now, and he blames the U.S. government.

After a series of federal investigations, government contract battles and critical congressional hearings, Mr. Prince sold Blackwater in 2010. Following continued controversy over his most recent pursuits while based in Abu Dhabi, Mr. Prince has returned to Virginia to write a new chapter of his life—as an entrepreneur buying oil, land and minerals in Africa

On Monday, he is also releasing a memoir, "Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror." It is his attempt to defend his work, challenge public perceptions of Blackwater and settle scores with a government he says made him a scapegoat when things went badly overseas.

Mr. Prince's rise-and-fall became emblematic of the shifting political currents since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

When al Qaeda struck the U.S. in 2001, Mr. Prince was a 32-year-old former Navy SEAL running a modest security training business he had built with family money in Moyock, N.C.

In his memoir, published by Penguin Random House's Portfolio Penguin, Mr. Prince says he provided the Central Intelligence Agency with links to Afghan warlords who helped the U.S. topple the Taliban and drive al Qaeda fighters into hiding. From there, Blackwater's business grew exponentially.


It sure must be a tough life being a government contractor, huh?
 

76 comments (Latest Comment: 11/20/2013 01:36:12 by Raine)
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Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 13:22:07
Good morning. Today's post just pisses me off.

And in other news, can someone be charged for abusing 911 in Florida? If so I think this is a classic case. Zimmerman called 911 to tell his side of he story. (audio at link)

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 13:33:15
Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 13:47:39
150 years ago.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.


Comment by wickedpam on 11/19/2013 14:00:46
Morning

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 14:12:10
you know, he's probably going to escape these charges as well. he's escaped all of these run-ins so far.

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 14:17:21
Quote by Raine:
Good morning. Today's post just pisses me off.

And in other news, can someone be charged for abusing 911 in Florida? If so I think this is a classic case. Zimmerman called 911 to tell his side of he story. (audio at link)



I can find out.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 14:27:30
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Good morning. Today's post just pisses me off.

And in other news, can someone be charged for abusing 911 in Florida? If so I think this is a classic case. Zimmerman called 911 to tell his side of he story. (audio at link)



I can find out.
I'd love to know because if the girlfriend isn't pregnant -- my understanding is that it's not an automatic felony charge.

He's a menace to society. I'm not trying to be hyperbolic here.


Comment by TriSec on 11/19/2013 14:44:44
Quote by Raine:
Good morning. Today's post just pisses me off.




Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 14:45:29
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Good morning. Today's post just pisses me off.

And in other news, can someone be charged for abusing 911 in Florida? If so I think this is a classic case. Zimmerman called 911 to tell his side of he story. (audio at link)



I can find out.
I'd love to know because if the girlfriend isn't pregnant -- my understanding is that it's not an automatic felony charge.

He's a menace to society. I'm not trying to be hyperbolic here.



Question asked of my friend the 911 dispatcher. I will let you know.

I agree totally with you. He is about 2 steps away from killing someone else.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 14:56:06
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Raine:
Good morning. Today's post just pisses me off.


I;m especially pissed that Erik Prince pretty much blames liberals for his woes. Phuck him.


Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 15:04:57



Sal's brighter than most people, I'll wager.

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 15:07:50
Do you want to be even more pissed off at Erik Prince? Read this.

Kai Ryssdal does try and make him squirm a bit. This might not come through in the transcript, but it did in the interview when I heard it last night.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 15:11:39

15 Ways to be Forever Alone.

http://s.quickmeme.com/img/19/19eab875e784bf8e06b931e6b142e21e44fdbeee13a037106b5099ea6a9a1ffa.jpg


Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 15:21:32
We have an answer:

I doubt they will do anything about that. If we arrested everyone who called 911 once for stupid shit, our jails would be more full of 911 abusers than drug users. 911 abuse starts getting looked at when someone calls 911 5 times in a couple hours for a mismade sandwich. Or 7 times in a day cause of baby mama drama.


Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 15:28:38
Quote by Mondobubba:
We have an answer:

I doubt they will do anything about that. If we arrested everyone who called 911 once for stupid shit, our jails would be more full of 911 abusers than drug users. 911 abuse starts getting looked at when someone calls 911 5 times in a couple hours for a mismade sandwich. Or 7 times in a day cause of baby mama drama.
Damn it.

He called for the specific reason to tell his side. HE didn't call for any of the reason listed above.




Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 15:32:54
Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 15:35:18
His son killed himself from what I understand -- deeds is in critical condition.

This is awful.


Comment by Scoopster on 11/19/2013 15:39:47
Quote by Raine:
His son killed himself from what I understand -- deeds is in critical condition.

This is awful.

Jeez... just read the link you posted - it mentions the son allegedly stabbed him.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 15:41:05
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Raine:
His son killed himself from what I understand -- deeds is in critical condition.

This is awful.

Jeez... just read the link you posted - it mentions the son allegedly stabbed him.
This is shocking and very sad.




Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 15:44:45
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
We have an answer:

I doubt they will do anything about that. If we arrested everyone who called 911 once for stupid shit, our jails would be more full of 911 abusers than drug users. 911 abuse starts getting looked at when someone calls 911 5 times in a couple hours for a mismade sandwich. Or 7 times in a day cause of baby mama drama.
Damn it.

He called for the specific reason to tell his side. HE didn't call for any of the reason listed above.





People misuse 911 all the freaking time. My dispatcher friend makes a very good point calling for the dumbest reasons. She has great stories though.

Comment by clintster on 11/19/2013 15:46:33
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Raine:
His son killed himself from what I understand -- deeds is in critical condition.

This is awful.

Jeez... just read the link you posted - it mentions the son allegedly stabbed him.
This is shocking and very sad.



I used to live in Deeds' district. When I was working for the newspaper in Lexington, I was sent with a reporter to photograph him giving his concession speech in the Attorney General's race in 2005 (his first loss to Transvaginal Bob). Seemed like a pleasant enough man. This just upsets me. A lot.

Comment by wickedpam on 11/19/2013 15:46:46
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Raine:
His son killed himself from what I understand -- deeds is in critical condition.

This is awful.

Jeez... just read the link you posted - it mentions the son allegedly stabbed him.
This is shocking and very sad.





it seems like his son may have had some issues.

~~thoughts and prayers for the Deeds family~~ Its sad when this happens to any family.

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 16:03:20
Quote by Raine:
His son killed himself from what I understand -- deeds is in critical condition.

This is awful.



That is just awful.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 16:05:29
Quote by clintster:
I used to live in Deeds' district. When I was working for the newspaper in Lexington, I was sent with a reporter to photograph him giving his concession speech in the Attorney General's race in 2005 (his first loss to Transvaginal Bob). Seemed like a pleasant enough man. This just upsets me. A lot.
Wow, Clint. I don;t know if I ever heard you mention that you lived in Virginia.

but yes, this is very upsetting. I hope he recovers.


Comment by clintster on 11/19/2013 16:06:05
On a lighter note, if you missed it, SNL had a sketch on "Weekend Update" based on the story of a Pennsylvania newspaper running a retraction of their negative review of the Gettysburg Address.



Comment by clintster on 11/19/2013 16:07:00
Quote by Raine:
Quote by clintster:
I used to live in Deeds' district. When I was working for the newspaper in Lexington, I was sent with a reporter to photograph him giving his concession speech in the Attorney General's race in 2005 (his first loss to Transvaginal Bob). Seemed like a pleasant enough man. This just upsets me. A lot.
Wow, Clint. I don;t know if I ever heard you mention that you lived in Virginia.

but yes, this is very upsetting. I hope he recovers.

Yep. 02-07. Ian was born there. I've been meaning to go back to visit but just haven't done it yet.

Comment by TriSec on 11/19/2013 16:22:40
Not knowing who Mr. Deeds is...nevertheless, the story blew me back in my seat. You just don't hear of things like that.

Especially since I was just reading up on Congressman Ryan at the Jonestown Massacre.

Sheesh.



Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 16:24:49
Quote by TriSec:
Not knowing who Mr. Deeds is...nevertheless, the story blew me back in my seat. You just don't hear of things like that.

Especially since I was just reading up on Congressman Ryan at the Jonestown Massacre.

Sheesh.

He was a Democratic Gubernatorial nominee running against Bob McDonnell in 2009.





Comment by clintster on 11/19/2013 16:25:17
Jeez, I really hate when Jim gets hold of the Kennedy conspiracy snausages.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 16:32:09
Quote by clintster:
Jeez, I really hate when Jim gets hold of the Kennedy conspiracy snausages.


I do as well. I don't really care about the conspiracy stuff in and of itself -- but he turns into a different person when talking about them. He's really confrontational -- almost aggressive about it.




Comment by Scoopster on 11/19/2013 16:33:15
Bob McDonnell's statement

Very poignant of him.. an unfortunate rarity.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 16:35:29
Quote by Scoopster:
Bob McDonnell's statement

Very poignant of him.. an unfortunate rarity.

I appreciate this. Good on him.

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 16:37:24
Quote by clintster:
Jeez, I really hate when Jim gets hold of the Kennedy conspiracy snausages.



Jim needs a copy of Reclaiming History. Stat.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 16:47:08
Comment by clintster on 11/19/2013 16:52:47


Oh God, this day is just not going well so far. God knows I have my issues with Katherine Harris, but this is something no one should have to suffer through.

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 16:58:06
If I may quote Raine:

So Tuesday, this is how it's gonna be?


Comment by TriSec on 11/19/2013 17:00:33
While the gentleman from Jacksonville and I have disagreed over the Kennedy Conspiracy Theory industry in the past, I believe that as it recedes further into history, it becomes less relevant.

To make a point of it:

"OK, great. There was a vast conspiracy to kill the President, and at least one CIA agent and a Mafia Don shot him and used Oswald as a Patsy to cover it up."

That's fantastic. So now what do we do about it, a half-century after the fact?

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 17:01:34
Quote by TriSec:
While the gentleman from Jacksonville and I have disagreed over the Kennedy Conspiracy Theory industry in the past, I believe that as it recedes further into history, it becomes less relevant.

To make a point of it:

"OK, great. There was a vast conspiracy to kill the President, and at least one CIA agent and a Mafia Don shot him and used Oswald as a Patsy to cover it up."

That's fantastic. So now what do we do about it, a half-century after the fact?



Well, since that didn't happen, NOTHING.

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 17:01:55
Comment by clintster on 11/19/2013 17:02:10
OK, at the risk of angering the gods of bad news, I will post this. Someone this weekend posted this on Facebook this weekend. I think someone needs to get this as a Blogger Joe present.

http://www.geekalerts.com/u/WineRack-Flask-Bra1.jpg


Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 17:02:33
Quote by Mondobubba:
If I may quote Raine:

So Tuesday, this is how it's gonna be?


I am a seer.


Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 17:05:01
Quote by clintster:
OK, at the risk of angering the gods of bad news, I will post this. Someone this weekend posted this on Facebook this weekend. I think someone needs to get this as a Blogger Joe present.

http://www.geekalerts.com/u/WineRack-Flask-Bra1.jpg
Good gawd that would totally break my back. Count me out. I already have issues with mah girls and the back.


Comment by TriSec on 11/19/2013 17:05:32
Quote by Mondobubba:



Well, since that didn't happen, NOTHING.



No, no. you've missed the point - this would have been great if it came out in oh, say....1965. In 2013, does it really matter anymore what actually happened, other than to satisfy history?

It's like when they dug up President what's-his-name to see if he was poisoned.

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 17:06:08
... altho ... I eagerly await the name of my blogger joe...

Comment by wickedpam on 11/19/2013 17:08:21
Quote by Raine:
... altho ... I eagerly await the name of my blogger joe...




eek! That's next week right?!

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 17:10:23
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Mondobubba:



Well, since that didn't happen, NOTHING.



No, no. you've missed the point - this would have been great if it came out in oh, say....1965. In 2013, does it really matter anymore what actually happened, other than to satisfy history?

It's like when they dug up President what's-his-name to see if he was poisoned.



No, I didn't miss the point. I made a subtle counter-point, people aren't letting go. On either side. Anyway, my side is right.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 11/19/2013 17:14:51
Good morning, bloggers!! I am busy with a few things here today.

I am sorry to hear about Mr. Deeds and Mr. Harris. It is going to be a rough day for two families.


Comment by Mondobubba on 11/19/2013 17:23:28
Quote by Raine:
Quote by clintster:
OK, at the risk of angering the gods of bad news, I will post this. Someone this weekend posted this on Facebook this weekend. I think someone needs to get this as a Blogger Joe present.

http://www.geekalerts.com/u/WineRack-Flask-Bra1.jpg
Good gawd that would totally break my back. Count me out. I already have issues with mah girls and the back.



Who wants body temp wine?

Comment by Raine on 11/19/2013 18:21:38
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by clintster:
OK, at the risk of angering the gods of bad news, I will post this. Someone this weekend posted this on Facebook this weekend. I think someone needs to get this as a Blogger Joe present.

http://www.geekalerts.com/u/WineRack-Flask-Bra1.jpg
Good gawd that would totally break my back. Count me out. I already have issues with mah girls and the back.



Who wants body temp wine?
Guys who want that chick?


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