Updates
June 16, 2014: two data points to connect. The first data point was supplied by the New York Times in the article linked down below which began:
It took only two days, though, for the fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria to issue edicts laying out the harsh terms of Islamic law under which they would govern, and singling out some police officers and government workers for summary execution.
With just a few thousand fighters, the group’s lightning sweep into Mosul and farther south appeared to catch many Iraqi and American officials by surprise. But the gains were actually the realization of a yearslong strategy of state-building that the group itself promoted publicly.The second data point: Hillary got "out" just in time.
It doesn't take a political scientist to connect those two dots. If the planning for "taking down" the legitimate democratically-elected government of Baghdad was in the works for years, and the Obama administration was doing nothing about it, surely everyone in the Mideast knew it, and certainly Bremer knew it, and certainly Hillary knew it. She got out just in time.
Original Post
I guess we will have to wait for the June Director's Cut to come out tomorrow.
****************************
Investment Potential In The Bakken
I did not know what to "headline" this link, but this is a very, very interesting story. As usual, because of the way such articles are written, it's a bit convoluted, but it's an important story for anyone interested in the Bakken. A big "thanks" to Steve for sending it my way. Regardless of what side of the issue you might be on with regard to CBR and its risks, this story has huge implications. MarketWired is reporting that:
Quantum intends to strip Bakken crude down to a Reid vapor pressure of 6 psi or lower and sell the separated gas liquids. The Tempe, AZ-based holding company also hopes to set up five micro-refineries modeled after a new joint project run by MDU Resources Group Inc. and Calumet Specialty Products Partners. Once completed, that diesel facility will mark the first new refinery built in the United States in nearly 40 years.
*******************************
LNG Fleets: The Tipping Point
The Houston Business Journal is reporting that:
Mark your calendar: June 13, 2014, may have just been the date that LNG reached the "tipping point" in the good ol' USA.
A more environmentally friendly "sea of brown" UPS vehicles are coming to Houston as the delivery giant introduces 1,000 liquefied natural gas trucks into its fleet — the largest fleet of LNG trucks in the world.
Nearly 60 LNG tractor-trailer trucks, or 18-wheelers, are coming Houston and 142 of them will be in Texas. About 100 other smaller LNG delivery vehicles also will be brought into Texas.
The new natural gas vehicles will replace diesel engine trucks and will displace more than 24 million gallons of diesel fuel annually.Great things may be happening in Russia, China, India, Japan, Germany with regard to renewable energy, but the US free-market capitalistic economy keeps moving along, making greater strides in energy, and in the process, widening the delta between the US and the rest of the world when it comes to energy. Memo to self: insert a copy of Mr Obama's speech, "You Didn't Build That" at some later date.
*******************************
A Note to the Granddaughters
I am home alone for a couple of weeks. My wife is out in California. I slept in late, but will join my daughter/son-in-law and granddaughters for a later lunch at a Mexican restaurant. Perhaps more on that later. It's my favorite Mexican restaurant at the moment.
I rode my bike to the nearest Starbucks this morning, where I am now. It is in a neighborhood grocery store (not Target) and generally not busy at all by this time in the morning. I was the only one there.
Nothing out of the ordinary, I simply walked up to the counter and told the barista, "a tall dark. And no room for cream."
His reply: "Was that 'leave room for cream'?" While he was punching in his code to open the electronic cash register.
I replied: "No, no room for cream. Thank you."
Then, the response that really put things into perspective: "Could I have your order again?"
"Yes, a tall dark."
It's gonna be a long day.
*************************************
I got home safely from Barnes and Noble last night with my new book purchases. I am thrilled with the purchases. (If anyone is really curious, and I doubt anyone is, I spoke of these books in an earlier post.)
When I got home I sat down to enjoy a late night watching some Blu-Ray DVDs. I started with Miami Vice, second season, last episode. Miami Vice was not particularly consistent; some good episodes; some not so good. Fortunately the visuals and the music provided some redeeming quality for even the worse episodes. This particular episode was quite good.
Then, unto Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious with Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. It's one of my favorites, and I try to watch it two or three times a year. Of course, my favorite remains Casablanca, and more often that not, I watch it while listening to the commentary by Roger Ebert. One can get a feeling for his commentary at his blog. Notorious also comes with two commentaries but last night I just watched the movie "in peace." Ms Bergman preferred to be photographed/filmed in left three-quarter profile. That preference was obvious in both Casablanca and Notorious. I never really "understood" the art of acting until I saw David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. Ever since that movie, my regard for successful actors has increased immensely. I just wish most of them would stay out of politics unless they actually ran for office. I wish more would run for office.
******************************
Summer Reading
Speaking of books, this probably won't make our older granddaughter any happier today: I just received a note from Amazon that they have shipped the book I ordered, Kumon: Pre-Algebra.
******************************
Dereliction of Duty
I see the New York Times got the headline wrong. "Dereliction of duty" would have been more accurate, but then again, this is the New York Times. It's hard to believe that the New York Times could put this story together in less than 48 hours; this suggests to me a lot of folks knew the background and were just waiting for "it" to happen.
It is a well-known fact that the large news organizations have obituaries written well in advance, so they can get them published within hours of a celebrity death, only having to fill in the last few details. If one looks at the New York Times story from that aspect, it is obvious this is the obituary of a democratically-elected government in a Muslim country. The obituary was written well before it was published today, just waiting for the final details to be filled in.
The Republic of Iraq
May 20, 2006 - June 12, 2014
But then again, this government lasted longer than most Italian governments.
Given the current state of the art in research tools available via the internet and associated search engines, many things that used to be painstakingly tedious to research are now relatively easily researched complete with expert comments. Any decent reporter today has the tools to research and publish a well cited article on almost any random topic of which the author had little or no previous experience in way less than 48 hours. You need to get out more Bruce :)
ReplyDeleteI won't argue. The best example of reporters writing about subjects on which they know nothing about are the out-of-state reporters writing on the Bakken. I've had lots of fun with their observations and prognostications.
DeleteRegardless, the "New York Times" article still reads like an obituary.... the opening paragraphs:
" ... some residents greeted them as if they were liberators and threw rocks at retreating Iraqi soldiers.
"It took only two days, though, for the fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria to issue edicts laying out the harsh terms of Islamic law under which they would govern, and singling out some police officers and government workers for summary execution.
"With just a few thousand fighters, the group’s lightning sweep into Mosul and farther south appeared to catch many Iraqi and American officials by surprise. But the gains were actually the realization of a yearslong strategy of state-building that the group itself promoted publicly."
To me, that sounds like this "thing" is all over (an obituary) except for the celebratory shooting. I don't think the US Army was given such a glowing report by the "New York Times" after Baghdad (finally) fell.
Anyway, enough of this. Time to get out and go biking.