About
Captain Ed is a father and grandfather living in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, a native Californian who moved to the North Star State because of the weather. He lives with his wife Marcia, also known as the First Mate, their two dogs, and frequently watch their granddaughter Kayla, whom Captain Ed calls The Little Admiral.
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The Crows Nest
Would Early Primaries Allow More Donations?
Jim Geraghty at The Campaign Spot believes that candidates will benefit if primaries and caucuses get pushed into 2007. A loophole in campaign finance regulation appears to allow an extra $2,300 per donor for candidates if those elections are held this year. Be sure to check out Jim's analysis, and the surprising candidate that may benefit the most.
When Tom Met Jeralyn
One of the interesting aspects of politics is finding out that opponents are people, too. Jeralyn Merritt of TalkLeft met Rep. Tom Tancredo backstage at NBC's studios, and found him more likable than she had anticipated. Perhaps it was their mutual interest in Dog, The Bounty Hunter ...
Joe Lieberman A Right-Wing Nut?
That's what CAIR says, according to Joe Kaufman. He has a link to a CAIR official's blog post that calls Lieberman, along with John Bolton, former CIA director James Woolsey, and the Heritage Foundation's Peter Brookes as "extremists". Affad Shaikh also calls Dick Cheney a "fat bastard of a liar," apparently not meant as a pop-culture reference to the Austin Powers movies. (via Let Freedom Ring)
Broadband Homelessness
The Japanese have made homelessness more efficient, and more Net-friendly, too. Their Internet cafés have become homeless shelters for the struggling manual-labor sector. The problem has grown into such a problem that government intervention will shortly become a political priority.
Found My Law Firm
Power Line links twice to this story regarding an attorney at Faegre & Benson who refused to become a victim and helped capture a very dangerous man. Keith Radtke is a partner in the firm as is Power Line's John Hinderaker. Radtke is listed in satisfactory condition after getting shot in the back, but that didn't keep him from locking up his attacker in a wrestling grip until police could arrive. I don't know about you, but that's the kind of man I'd want as my counsel ....
Don't Click That YouTube E-mail
The latest in spam seems to be redirections from YouTube links in e-mail to IP addresses without domain names. They attempt to entice people by making it seem that they have been inadvertently YouTubed. I'm sure most people can see through this scam, but just in case, you've been warned ....
Rick Moran Escapes The Floods
Rick Moran has kept us up to date on his travails along the Algonquin River. Yesterday, the police showed up to get him evacuated before the river flooded his home -- but today, Rick finds that a minor miracle has taken place, and that his house survives ... at least for now. Keep Rick in your prayers, and keep checking in at Right Wing Nut House for updates.
Rule 1: Drag The Corpse On Over First
If I've learned anything in four years of blogging, don't try to be out in front of the death rumors, especially with the villains of the world. Saddam died a hundred deaths before we caught him alive in his spider hole, and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi almost as many before his demise last year. Osama may or may not be alive, but everyone's avoided speculating on his fate for a while now. Maybe Val at Babalu Blog will get luckier with his "Castro Is Dead" story. We all hope so. I'll wait for the announcement ....
Hobbs Choice
Volunteer Voters is holding its annual "Best of Nashville" on-line polls, and one of the categories is for the best political writer. Our friend Bill Hobbs, now posting at Newsbusters, and he'd like his on-line fans to cast their votes. Drop by and put one in for Bill if you get a chance!
Murtha Getting Backlogged On Apologies
Gary Gross of Let Freedom Ring sees another case collapsing on the Haditha charges. He's called for Murtha to apologize earlier, and adds another reason to the tally.
No Such Thing As 'Moderate' Islam?
Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan told a television interviewer that he finds the label "moderate Islam" offensive. Shrink Wrapped has a lot more on this, but at least in the same interview Erdogan acknowledged that "radical Islam" exists, and that it's been a catastrophe. Be sure to read the whole post.
MS-NBC Gets Punk'd
Power Line has a great post on a lack of journalistic effort on the part of MS-NBC. In covering the Michael Vick story, they reported on what they thought was Al Sharpton's website proclaiming Vick's innocence. I guess Alex Johnson and two other MS-NBC reporters couldn't bother to read the title bar of the site, which proudly proclaims it as a "parody site".
New Instapundit Podcast On Pharmaceuticals
I just caught this e-mail from Glenn Reynolds about his new podcast with Richard Epstein, the author of Overdose: How Excessive Government Regulation Stifles Pharmaceutical Innovation. Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but the topic is important enough to make sure I carve out time for it tomorrow. Get their first and tell me what I'm missing ....
Fed Trying A 'Stealth Easing'?
The Federal Reserve seems to have conducted a quiet campaign to steady markets that started spinning out of control, according to King Banaian at SCSU Scholars. He thinks that the Fed has conducted a "stealth easing". Be sure to read his explanation and follow his lnks.
A Shameless Bit Of Sel-Promotion
Gateway Pundit and Val at Babalu Blog note a crass PR move by Hugo Chavez. Venezuela has responded to Peru's eathquake disaster with food shipments -- and with Hugo's smiling picture on the cans. He also uses the tuna-can label to undermine President Garcia of Peru, who narrowly defeated Chavez' pal Ollanto Humalla, whom the labels extol for his "solidarity" with Chavez.
Tacky beyond belief.
Comments (10)
Posted by Carol Herman | August 15, 2007 9:21 PM
Even with Saudi's "express visa" program; I don't think these trained hyenas can be passed over borders all that quickly. Sure, they can hide out the way the human cargo's do, coming across from Mexico. But you'd be surprised. It's not for the novice.
Tora Bora sounds like a likely destination. They've got the caves. And, the pink spray on the walls from the last time, have probably faded out.
Actually, Afghanistan is a "drug warriors" world. Just like Southern Lebanon. Please, don't believe what you read in the papers!
Afghanistan's major export is "poppy." Opium.
While Lebanon hosts the best hash-hish business in the world. People swear by their "white" variety. And, everything to do with the IDF? They're long gone. The money "industry" stays put.
Sometimes, I think the muzzies go from kissing the floor fives times a day, to drug trafficking. And, what we need to find is the "balance."
Can't wipe out the drug trade. Can't wipe out cockroaches, either.
What we can do in Afghanistan, is pot-hole some of those super roadways we put in to move arsenal. And, the drug traffickateers marvel at our "ingenuity." Oh. And, we also supply the markets.
Drugs can pour through our borders faster and better than people.
Posted by Bill M | August 15, 2007 9:27 PM
"Earlier this week, news came out that the terrorist camps had emptied. The assumption was that the terrorists had dispersed around the world. Maybe they crossed the border back into Tora Bora to escape the Pakistanis? It should be an interesting operation, in any case."
This was my first thought when I heard about this operation. It is possible in many ways, not least of which is that it's a difficult area to breach. It also has the advantge of being a place we have already dealt with. In the terrorists' minds, this might mean that the allies might not be paying close attention to the Tora Bora area. If that was the thought, then, oops, that didn't work out so well.
It will be interesting to watch what happens. Presumably there is a somewhat target-rich environment there to attract this operation. Let's hope so anyway, 'cause there won't be any restrictions on air attacks beyond trying to avoid civilian casualties (do you hear that Obama?). If our guys see a nice fat terrorist target, no need to worry about whether it's in Pakistan or not. Bombs on target time.
Posted by Eric | August 15, 2007 9:33 PM
The first thing that I always wonder when I hear reports like this is, "is it Osama?"
Wouldn't that be great.
God bless our troops and the Afghan forces and keep them safe.
Posted by Tim Porter | August 15, 2007 9:48 PM
I doubt that it is Osama but I agree, that would be the best outcome possible. More than likely, intel has identifed some targets that are fresh and ripe. Bombs away.
God bless our troops and God bless America
Posted by ExUrbanKevin | August 15, 2007 10:02 PM
Wait, we're attacking with foot soldiers not dropping bombs? And we're going after terrorist camps, not civliians?
Does Obama know about this, and would it make any difference to him if he did?
Probably not.
Posted by Proud kaffir | August 15, 2007 10:10 PM
ExUrbanKevin:
My thoughts exactly.
Eric:
I have a feeling that Osama was retired some time ago, although I don't know if he is still alive or not. (I don't imagine Al Qaeda has a great pension plan.) The mad pediatrician probably forced OBL out in a terrorist power struggle.
Posted by Del Dolemonte | August 15, 2007 10:24 PM
If Ozzie bin-Laden were still alive, he could have easily proved it by simply making a video where he holds up a recent Western newspaper front page with a relevant headline. But we never saw him holding up any newspapers showing 9/11.
Even holding up a sports page (like 2004, "Red Sox Win First World Series in 86 Years") would have done the trick.
As for the attack tactics for Tora Bora, it seems to me that they may want to try some of their newer MOAB bombs. Or even their bunker busters.
In fact, they could even try using a tactical nuclear weapon, just to see how it would work out in a combat situation above ground. After all, we've only been testing our nukes underground for decades, and we've never dropped a nuke over 15,000 foot tall mountains.
I would imagine that the amplification of such a nuclear bomb burst sandwiched between such tall peaks would no doubt send most of them tumbling down, and at the very least render those within range without either eyesight or hearing.
Posted by Steffan | August 15, 2007 11:29 PM
I can dream that they'll catch OBL. Odds are, he died some years ago, during the last carpet-bombing.
I can dream. We can dream.
"Darkness beyond twilight...."
Posted by TBinSTL
| August 16, 2007 3:43 AM
We have the advantage of having thoroughly explored and mapped the whole complex this time so their shouldn't be any bolt holes and escape routes that will be overlooked.
Posted by hunter | August 16, 2007 6:35 AM
This operation would be a great opportunity for the kid in the race, Barak Obama, to 'clarify' some of his irresponsible and ignorant statements regarding our military and what they do.
God bless our troops and grant them swift victory, and confusion to our enemy.