The Jolly Roger Isn't So Jolly When He's Somali

I always feel bad when someone following their passion in life loses it in the pursuit. Such it is with the four Americans killed today by Somali pirates.

That being said, I can't help but wonder what ever possessed them to leave the relative safety of a flotilla in waters known to be swarming with pirates. It's not like these incidents never occurred.

What makes it even worse is the fact that U.S. Navy forces were trailing the captured yacht. Isn't it time to get more aggressive with the pirates? They've gotten smug in their attitudes because most often they get the ransoms they demand. Fortunately, few hostages are murdered. It was not to be the case this time and I wonder if it will embolden them further. After all, it takes a chunk of change to keep the hostages alive and well during negotiations which cuts into profits!

I also wonder if because the sailors were maritime missionaries they felt they would not be harmed. What a naive way to think when dealing with the unscrupulous, and certainly non-God fearing, pirates.  Or maybe they felt safe because the waters are heavily patrolled.  Considering it's vastness, still naive.

Of one thing we can be sure.  The Somali government is not going to fall to the demands of it's people.  There is no government.  That being the case perhaps it's time for the international community to re-examine the manner with which these thugs are handled.

All the sailing skill and bibles on board in the world are not going to save you from the determined and equally skilled pirates when the good guys, four warships and an aircraft carrier, can do no  more then follow as a deterrence.

Nineteen pirates were involved in this hijacking.  Thirteen were "detained".  I wonder what, if anything, will happen to them.  The one pirate we've managed to charge, convict and sentence to 33 years in prison must be smiling.

Ethics? What's That?

ethics |ˈeθiks|

plural noun1 [usu. treated as pl. ] moral principles that govern a person's or group's behavior : Judeo-Christian ethics.• the moral correctness of specified conduct : the ethics of euthanasia.2 [usu. treated as sing. ] the branch of knowledge that deals with moralprinciples.

I was actually surprised to find this word in my online dictionary.  Any dictionary for that matter.  It seems to be all but forgotten in the mess unfolding in Wisconsin.

The situation there has gone far beyond whether or not you are pro-union.  It's dealing with ethical behavior on all counts.  First the legislators for running out on their obligation - tending to the business of the people.  Think what a mess the entire country would be in if every time one party or the other skipped town because they didn't have the votes to get their way.  It's bad enough as is.


Then there are the teachers who are breaking the law by calling in sick so they can attend the protests rather than teaching.  I've already had my say about what their actions are teaching the children under their charge. 


Now there is a new wrinkle.  Doctors have arrived on the scene to write notes for the protesters verifying they are indeed ill.  By most counts that constitutes fraud but when questioned some of the more smug have ready answers and challenges for the reporters.  One being the consultations are between doctor and patient and therefore privileged.  Never mind neither have seen the other before nor are likely to again! 


The other being that the protesters are obviously under stress which could be considered a medical condition.  I'd be under stress too if I were blatantly breaking the law and worried about who might see me.


Every once in awhile happenings occur which make me feel every bit of my age and very much out of step with today's world.  This is such a case.  The doctors' actions are the final straw.  I cannot find any reasonable explanation that makes any of the above behaviors acceptable.


It makes me wonder where this country is headed.  Law makers who hide rather than stand up for what they feel is right, win or lose.  Teachers who lie.  Teachers who walk away from their students.  Doctors who are willing to commit fraud openly and publicly.  No wonder there is so much in medicare!


Ethics.  With so many new words becoming common place in our vocabulary, wouldn't it be nice if there was still a place for some old classics?  Twitter.  Tweet.  Social networking.  Somehow, to me, they lack the good solid feel of a word like "ethics".  Say it.  See what you think.

Greed Is NOT Good!

I will say, right off the bat, I am not pro union. The situation in Wisconsin, and spreading, makes me mad. Mad that the public sector, including teachers, are so greedy they refuse to recognize they are part of our fiscal problems.  They are not being asked to make a huge sacrifice.  Only to pay a share of their pension costs and benefits.  Both of which are extremely rich when compared to the norm.  How else do you describe it other than greed?

Even more then with their monetary demands is the fact that the teachers are taking to the picket line.

Oh, the fuss they make when a snow day has to be taken. We have to have the children in the class room so many days of the year. It's the law. The hypocrisy!

It's against the law for teachers to strike. Yet there they are. Not only breaking the law by striking, but lying about it to boot by calling in sick! These are teachers. We pay them to teach our children. And what are the kids learning? That it's okay to break the law when it hits the pocket book? That it's okay to lie when it hits the pocket book? Every last one of the should be fired. The parents should demand it and the school districts should enforce it.

Then there is the political side of the issue.  The governor ran on bringing the unions into line.  And he has the votes in the legislature to do it.  So what do the Democrats do rather than their job?  Run out of state and hide hoping to force a concession from the governor.  Stay in session and vote!  It's your job.  The state should dock your pay every day you're absent!

The final degradation is the President taking sides in a state issue by having his  pro union organizers get involved.  He is way out of bounds.

I have no problem with an organization that works for the best interests of its members, but when they over reach in tactics and the results are harmful to others, then it needs to be addressed.  Such is the way it is with unions today.  Are those richer benefits really worth the millions they add to deficits?  Are the tactics used to obtain them really the way your business should be conducted.  Can you really be proud of either?

This is really a case where the "haves" are thumbing their nose at the needs of  the "have nots."  It's not pretty.  Unfortunately, it does seem to be American.

Chris Christie Interests Me

He's one of the new breed of politician we've all been waiting for. One not afraid of taking on the old school pols or the unions. Both need doing. How successful he'll be remains to be seen, but I'm seeing more newly elected governors following his lead. We all ought to be watching them evolve.

I don't know much about him yet. The biggest negative is his switch from pro-choice to pro-life.  Not the stand particularly, but whether or not it's purely for political expedience from a man who seems not to care.

He's being touted as a Presidential candidate for 2012. He has said no again and again. We've heard it all before from so many we tend to question the sincerity. After all, he is a politician.

What interests me about his denial is how he said it,

There are people who will run just because they see the opportunity. And I'm not stupid. I see the opportunity. That's not a reason to run for President.

You have to believe in your heart and your soul that you're ready to be President. And I don't believe that about myself right now."

Thinking of all the potential candidates readying themselves, including our current President, I wonder if any of them ever looked at running quite that way. Here is a first term governor, a mover, both liked and disliked depending on what is basically your level of greed. He is fighting for the financial survival of his state. He is tenacious and tough. Just what we need in the Presidency. Yet he sees himself as not ready. How refreshingly honest.

My tendency these days is to be suspect yet I don't want to be. I want to believe in that honesty and the strength behind it. Yes, Chris Christie interests me. I'm going to keep an eye on him.

The Mid-East As A Golden Opportunity

The continued uprisings against middle eastern depots is a tremendous opportunity for the U.S. and it's democratic allies.  The question is if we'll take it or lay an egg!

I'm not sure we even recognize the possibilities.  That's because I see no leadership coming from the U.S. that can be interpreted as support for the people.  It's more like lip service.

Warning the leaders to get ahead of the actions of their people is fruitless. They're not afraid of us because we never spell out consequences and even if we did we'd probably not carry through.

Just look at the countries in play! We've been actively engaged with some for years yet they remain the same.  It worries me that a government as weak as the one ruling Pakistan can still manipulate us.  Consider our state department employee currently under arrest.  Getting him released should have been a slam dunk yet he still remains in custody.

Afghanistan speaks for itself.  A weak, corrupt government is running roughshod over us.

When was the last time you heard of any U.S. involvement with Mauritania or Libya? Yet all are undergoing a degree of political upheaval.

We, nor our allies, can or will send in troops to protect the people.  What we can do, however, is ramp up the sanctions so they really hurt.   We've seen what a few days of protesting did to Egypt's productivity.  It ground to a halt.  If it ground to a halt in all the countries and sanctions prevented the corrupt officials from doing an end around, it would soon begin to show an effect.

Of course it would be hard on the protesters.  But then life already is.  That's why they are protesting.  Somehow I expect we could rally them to help squeeze the life from their leadership.

We found a way to back Iraq in the Iraq/Iran war.  In this day and age can we not find a way to aid civilians against their military and governments?  I don't know.  There was a time I think we could and would have.  Now I'm not so sure we have the will and talk is cheap.  It comes from a weakened CIA and lack of feet on the ground.  NBC has more for heavens sake!

We're not trusted by those very civilians because we've supported the governments for so long.  Yet, if we want to regain their respect, and future cooperation, we've got to do something meaningful.  We can't fight their wars for them, but we can we not supply them and help them organize as we're supposedly doing in Afghanistan?

Perhaps I'm over simplifying.  There is always a price to be paid.  If I were writing the equation it would be simple.  People minus corrupt governments equal peace plus stability.

It's too bad America is weak in math.  Or maybe it's me.