Weekend Data Dump

Egypt suggested his media personalities not blast the decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem eventually. I guess Sisi has wondered just who made the Palestinians queen of the prom that makes their problems so much more important than every Arab state's problems, including Egypt's jihadi problem in the Sinai that bleeds into Egypt's core.

Some are more equal than others, comrades. How is setting up your own server obviously intended to bypass State Department security systems and procedures not punished?! How is that alone not a smoking gun?!

Joe Biden says of Howard Dean "Tell Howard I can take him physically, okay?" in response to Dean's statement that old leaders in Democratic Party should step aside. Yet Liberals don't explode in outrage at such a violent threat that is unpresidential in nature. Clearly it isn't a big effing deal for them.

From U-Boats to No-Boats. The sad tale of how all six expensive German submarines are all useless because of failure to spend the relatively trivial extra amount for sufficient spare parts. If that was the only sad tale about the German "military" it wouldn't be so bad. At sea they are capable. Stuck in port they have a technical term for them: "targets,"

I am amused that after Democrats complained that Trump is a celebrity president with no background to govern, Democrats are swooning over Oprah after one "speech" at a celebrity event. Mind you, I think Trump was a response to Obama who was a celebrity politician without a background to govern (no, I don't count 2 years in the Senate after a number of terms in the Illinois state legislature as background to govern). Trump was a Republican response to Democrat Obama and now Oprah is the Democrats' response to Trump. I'll repeat that I think it is good that America showed we would elect an African-American president. But I don't have to like the man's policies. I hope we will stop trying to out-celebrity the other side for presidential nominations.

On the other hand, would a President Oprah Winfrey have a press conference in which she promises our enemies, "You get a JDAM! You get a JDAM! You get a JDAM!"

Remember when we had to halt global warming to save the polar bears? Well, the polar bears are thriving. Does that mean the government should subsidize SUVs rather than electric vehicles?

The idea that American infantry need light tanks--oh, sorry, mobile protected firepower--to match Russian airborne light tanks is insane. Those American light tanks will be hit by enemy heavy tanks and will be flaming torches. Followed by the destruction of the leg infantry the light tanks are supposed to protect. The MPF won't be protected; won't have the firepower to defeat Russian tanks; and will be immobile flaming piles of junk when the battle is over. I almost literally weep at this idea.

If North Korea participates in the Winter Olympics in South Korea next month, plans to change the biathlon competition to one involving cross-country skiing and shooting down ballistic missiles will be cancelled. And really, it's an honor just to be invited. But seriously, is there really a chance because of North Korean participation to negotiate a deal that trades verifiable North Korean nuclear disarmament for guarantees that we won't try to change the regime? Nobody in the West wants North Korea or wants North Korea to have nukes, so it would be win-win for the West (which includes Japan and South Korea) and China, too. But would North Korea make that trade? And make it before our calculations tip to favor destroying North Korea's arsenal before it can reach American cities? After all this time such a hope seems too good to be true, honestly. I suspect North Korea just wants to stall American attacks with talks until it is too late. But I hate to miss a real opportunity. I'm glad I don't make these decisions.

California municipalities apparently use one climate model for suing oil companies for future climate change damages and another for getting people to loan them money. Fancy that. Tip to Instapundit.

Ah, tolerance! Yeah, there's a lot of that going on since the election of Trump. As I've long said, it is a crime against language that "liberal minded" is taken as a synonym for "open minded." Bonus for the description of the traditional liberal view of conservatives that I constantly heard on NPR when they had so-called debates on conservative views: "Republicans: evil or just too ignorant to know better?" And Hell, for progressives today you don't need to wait to airbrush history of badthink--you can edit it right out of your everyday work life! Ah, tolerance! But there is a sign of hope. You don't have to like Trump to like his policy results or to at least recognize that the policies are well within American debate parameters and not part of a Nazi/Confederate/KKK/Russian plot to subvert American democracy.

If Trump is truly creating a better business environment to end the low-growth rate we've experienced in the last 7 years or so, the bedrock of American military power will be shored up. In the long-run, that's more important than the latest gadget we produce for the military.

Strategypage notes that in 2017 that the Palestinians are losing the support of Arab governments. Like I've noted, people have started wondering just who voted the Palestinians as the queen of the victim prom.

Bias in polling language. Why is there no choice of simply "boycotting NFL games in protest of anthem kneeling?" Why add in "in support of Trump" language if not to polarize and reduce the number of people giving an anti-kneeling reason? My opposition to kneeling has nothing to do with Trump and I'd have never have said it was in defense of him. But the polsters sure do give a lot of nuanced options for the pro-kneeling reasoning, eh? And why even poll non-NFL fans to see why preexisting non-watchers don't watch? Garbage in, garbage out, I say. The poll doesn't "reveal" motives of NFL boycotters as much as it reveals the motives of the poll takers.

I'd worried about Thailand moving toward China. But given past growth that worked when in alliance with America, Thais seem to be having second thoughts about how that will work out.

Fighting cluster fire with cluster fire.

Is Afghanistan a war without end? I don't think so. It's a long war, to be sure. Although one point bolsters my belief that a surge in Afghanistan was unnecessary. In the end it was to fulfill a campaign pledge by Obama to focus on the "real" war in Afghanistan rather than the "war of choice" in Iraq. My objective is just to leave national and regional entities strong enough to keep the jihadis down without too much direct American help. And eventually to have the option of ending even that. But what is the alternative even if the war is endless? Let jihadis win and reestablish a sanctuary to attack us at home? Withdraw and nuke the place from orbit as the only way to make sure there is no threat?

Some wealthy liberal Westerners are just too stupid to live. Yeah, none of those woke dotards are allowed to lecture me on respect for science.

If Trump called certain poor countries "shithole countries," that was a diplomatic error needlessly insulting friends and allies. Although it would be unknown to them if not leaked to the media and so widely reported, so who did the harm? But it was hardly racist. Some countries really are awful places to live in and that is no criticism of the people unfortunate enough to live in those conditions. The fact that Africa's best and brightest come to America kind of demonstrates that, no? So a merit-based immigration policy would draw Africans of this caliber, wouldn't it? Which is fine by me. My criteria for immigration and citizenship doesn't rest on skin color or religion. Trump denies he said it the way it was reported, BTW.

I resent the faux Resistance and their inability to avoid turning the outrage dial to 11 for everything Trump related. But for that, the above paragraph would have ended after the first sentence

Seriously, who can doubt that there are a lot of countries that not even the most woke of our progressives would live in as a local lives if given the choice? Hell, I'd trade one-for-one any random resident of San Francisco for any random resident of a so-called "shithole country." I'm not defending the term, mind you (preferring "Third World Hell hole" as my go-to term for such countries). There is a reason that when two diplomats scream at each other they will say they had a frank and open exchange of views. Polite lying matters when you represent your country. So yeah, Trump shouldn't have used the term--and certainly shouldn't have trusted Democrats not to blab. I truly wish he could get a little self-control over his language. But the bi-coastal Left has treated flyover country with far more contempt for less reason than the alleged Trump utterance, making their outrage a little much to take. Really, I thought the term "shithole" was reserved for describing red states in flyover country. Get a grip, people. Trump unfortunately just added another chapter to the history (tip to Instapundit).

The amount of money I may save on taxes due to recent tax cuts may be "crumbs" to a wealthy person like Nancy Pelosi, but it matters to me. But I don't dine in restaurants that would use up all of that savings with one meal for two with a fine wine.

Yes, correct any problems that exist. But let's not forget that friendly air support with dumb bombs was something that our troops almost feared more than enemy fire. The bigger picture is that the Air Force has done a tremendous job--whether or not they are eager to focus on it, as the A-10 issue shows--in providing accurate fire support for troops in combat. Let me note that I have a tiny amount of Lockheed stock. That does not affect my judgment but I like to note that when it occurs to me if that company is part of the story.

Vieter in, Vieter out.  If you ever wondered why our Smart Diplomacy was so garbage-like during the Obama administration. These people were so inept that they had no idea how inept they were. The unfounded self esteem they have is mind boggling. And here's a reminder of an outrage by Iran the Obama administration overlooked to get their Nobel Peace Prize-justified shithole nuclear deal.

Climate change activists mocked skeptics of the global warming gospel who noted the recent extreme cold spell. The activists said that climate change actually predicts such cold snaps because of increased variability. Funny enough, the recent cold spell really was a fluke and had nothing to do with either climate change or lack of human-induced climate change.

We need  regime change in Iran. Yes. A lot of problems would be eased if Iran's mullah regime is overthrown. And as I've mentioned before in response to objections to regime change that it won't get rid of Iranian nukes, even if it is true that post-mullah Iran would still want nukes, the nature of the government matters inasmuch as I lose no sleep knowing that France has nuclear weapons.

India is leaning forward more along their border with China to prevent China from being able to establish positions across the line when nobody is looking.

Are companies like Google or Facebook wrong to discriminate against conservative users and views? I think so. Which is why I didn't jump on the defense of the wedding cake bakers for refusing to bake a cake for a gay couple, citing religious freedom. I'm highly annoyed the dispute became a matter of law and a major point of political debate. It should have been settled privately with a baker request that they not be required to violate their own views; and the customer respect for that and interest in rewarding another baker more disposed to a gay wedding. But push comes to shove, I support requiring the baker under law to supply any customer with a cake. It shouldn't be an issue for the law to resolve, but if it is, what can you do? Are we really willing to go down that path for everyone and not just Christian bakers? I don't think we want that.

Well that's pretty darned odd, you must admit. Tip to Instapundit. Also, Hypatia Stone would be a great stripper name, I think. But perhaps I've shared too much.

Liberals leaping to say Norwegians don't want to move America pretty much prove the point of Trump that Norway is a much better place to live than Haiti, for example. You won't see an article filled with statistics about why people living in Haiti don't want--or need--to move to America. Note that I don't trust those cited global comparison statistics that downgrade America without more information. I recall one health survey that basically measured how much the government controlled the health care system as a measure of quality. Wrong. I suspect the gender equality score includes such factors as laws requiring quotas of women in their parliament. But I quibble. I'm sure Norway is a fine place to live regardless of real ranking.

Trump is "slashing" the federal bureaucracy. In part this is coming into office at the right time. Early in the millennia, looking ahead to 2017 I considered seeking a job in Washington, D.C. as a second career path. Despite being older, I had read that based on age ranges in the federal workforce there would be a lot of retirements around this time and going forward. So that would be an opportunity. That plan didn't work out (in my experience, despite many life plans, my life followed different paths. Good paths, mind you. But not according to my plan of the time!). Anyway, just not hiring will reduce the federal workforce from normal attrition. Actively seeking to cut it will do more. Tip to Instapundit.

British naval aviation is returning. Although the plan is to only have one carrier in operation at a time, so the plan to not fully equip each carrier with a full air wing isn't a problem since the non-deploying wing can send planes to the deployed carrier in an emergency. And American Marine planes and pilots would be a reserve source in war, I suspect. But with the carriers representing such a high proportion of the shrinking Royal Navy, I worry that this is a false dawn of British seapower.

I hear the African Union is demanding an apology for Trump's "shithole" comment. He should do that. Although in an alternate world where diplomacy doesn't demand a simple apologiy, it would be funny given the faux outrage ginned up for political purposes (no Africans would have been offended if a Democrat hadn't run to CNN to tattle, which then broadcast the news 24/7) if the apology continued with, "Yes, your countries are all wonderful and so America is slashing all foreign aid to your governments which have made Africa great again!"

Hollywood is composed of sexual predators, victims of sexual assault, and active and passive enablers of sexual assault. Naturally the industry is posing as the hero of this tragic criminal enterprise story. I don't think people find this script believable. Acting! Brilliant! Thank you!

Or do you actually expect stars to be ripped out of the Walk of Fame any time soon?

Former President Obama is right as he recently said that you live on a different planet if you watch Fox News rather than listen to NPR. As one who has consumed both for a long time, I can confirm that this is true. Although I think the Earth broadcasts are from Fox.