Ghost of BiB

Wouldn't they be able to sue?

It's become a game show? Didn't see that one coming. On FOX?

Wish I could. Enjoy yours.

I agree. But I'm curious as to who he kept in touch with. I've come to find out there is and has been a lot of connectivity over there that really surprised me. Not just Iraq. I had the opportunity to learn some things from a guy who grew up in Beirut, and some of the "bad bad guys" were childhood neighborhood friends, and he still has a lot of links.

Yeah, I guess you have to because they aren't on board with the proper agenda. We should only here from those who are. Would you see things the same way if a defector stated he had no doubt that there never were any WMD or programs?

I don't want propoganda either. I'd like to see some balance. IMO, our press, in general, puts the worst possible spin to anything we do involving this Islam/ME dilemma, or government at large. The Katrina business shaped a lot of opinion beyond our borders. News orgs in other countries, including AJ borrow from that coverage. Plus, because of sat TV and internet connectivity, millions now can get American media without it being picked up by another org. So, if anyone out there wants to compare coverages, they are getting the same message. Our own TV is telling Americans that Americans are bad, as in general that's all we see. CNN is on all over the world - often in the local language. It's easy for someone promoting an anti US agenda to point to this as a reference. There are few, if any images being broadcast to counter this - would someone in the region care to do so. If EVERYTHING were bad, I'd agree with you. But everything isn't. It probably never is. For example, I've seen very little coverage concerning the fact that the Shia have "had it up to here" with the AQ "insurgency" and desperately want them to go away. But from what media reports I see, it is appearing that the foreign involvement in the "insurgency" is generally successful from that perspective - as nothing contrary to that is being forwarded. This emboldens and helps as a recruiting tool - and it's not even the correct message. There's a lot of coverage given to things like photos of people wearing bags on their head, but little on the fact that it doesn't occur anymore (at least under those circumstances), shouldn't have occurred (whatever one's opinion is of it - it was really, really stupid) and that changes were made over it. Would it hurt to feature some successful reconstruction projects or maybe some Iraqi small businesses getting spun up with American help once in a while? Not newsworthy, because as CTM said - it's not bad news. And, as referenced above and in the original intent of this thread, the press seems to actually want to support them, not support us.

Well, maybe they shouldn't have sent Hasek. Done

I should get out and keep up more. I'm used to "natural", or at least the attempt. At what point did it become sexy to be an obvious fake? I missed that one. Silly me, I've always liked women - not media inspired cartoons. Take away the "lime light", makeup and put her in the neighborhood and most of the resident studlies would probably miss her, because we best lust after illusions.

Yeah, that's it. That is certainly where I was going. Did you attempt at all whatsoever to read what I wrote and consider before you posted?

She should have done her roots before the photo thing. Surprised her handlers missed that.

But, the profit mode... Me, being me, had I thought of it, I would have worked it out myself and split profits with the gym teacher. Bad shorts and all. Damn hindsight. Maybe I should start a what if QB thread? We just weren't that advanced in 1970 something, I guess. Not that advanced at the time, and now, slipping. Sigh... Always missing the window.

That's what I normally do, but there isn't any published guidance I can find. Honestly, haven't looked hard either. I inquired three times and then said screw it. I NOFORN about everything generally if any doubt. SAPs have more finite rules - and as I said, I generally don't go there in anything written and referenced. We as a rule are a lot more generic in our products.

I'm still trying to figure out how to tell Scraps that he's making my point for me. What have we become?

Whoopee (Twirls paper plate on finger).

And I was right there with you Jack.

They all look the same after a few pints of grnnpyth. Who talks to them, anyway?

I've drank with both of them. They are both Ieatcrayonz. Mystery solved.

Given our choices are usually bad and worse, were you doing that to get Gore, Kerry, or both? In hindsight, you think either or both are better choices?

Sure. Like I said, it's a matter of perspective, driven by culture. Now, combined with technology. Information is available now to people who couldn't get much information even a few short years ago. Their info was government controlled, and filtered. Despite the hatred, something everyone understands is the American concept of free press. Therefor, if it's American TV, it's the truth. IMO, that's a fundamental issue and a major problem with policy. We need to win an information fight, and we don't know how. How does one wage an informational campaign to promote western ideas (and more importantly, objectives) into a system where many of them are antithetical to their basic thinking? Hence, my problem with the press. THAT is where much of the opinion comes from, as it does here. Were our press to spend more time reporting successes instead of failures, some moods could be shifted simply because that is the bulk of information being presented. Certainly, most would be taken with a grain of salt, but some would get through. What we consider hostile coverage we for the most part create ourselves. Anyone have a good answer, I'll e-mail you a few addresses.

Gym Class

And, it's the Yak Dance season. I'm dressing up.

Gen. Ralston Nope, not the case. I was wrong. He was being promoted by Cohen, but for whatever reasons withdrew his own candicacy. I won't speculate on any back room conversations or conspiracies.

I thought Service Chiefs and Chairman were recommended by the WH, and approved by Congress, outside the normal service conventions. Guess I'll Google.

I'm just sitting back, waiting for the next 9/11 or whatever. It's not ours or anyone's fault, but our culture and free society are two of their best allies. Not just to the terror fellas, but to the more extreme Islamic society as a whole. It's a difference in cultures and perceptions that unfortunately for us, works to their advantage, and has to be taken into account with any dealings. That's why I get pissed with our own media from time to time. That is something that could be self policed and controlled to a degree, but there doesn't seem to be any sense of responsibility here to an understanding of the difficulties they can cause. One can still report, but I've YET to see an American media outlet in the last several years who doesn't spin things to create more news, or ratings. Here, whatever the "worst" way something can be presented is usually the way it's handled. Look how it drives opinions here? What do you think goes on in "Outer Buffoonistan"? Everyone in the world is watching and amused by our penchant for video self destruction.

Depends on who you were, I guess. Don't remember the details, but wasn't there some AF General who was supposed to be Chief of Staff or something and had to retire instead because he was dating while separated from his wife (had been separated for a couple years, as I recall - waiting on divorce to go through). For anyone who does know, was this ethics EO invoked at any point?