In The News

A few newsworthy items:

First on the agenda is an old story, reported on the 26th of September, about the arrest of 28 construction and landscaping workers attempting to enter Fort Bragg NC on false ID's.

Fort Bragg, as you may know, is an Army base in southern North Carolina that proudly proclaims itself to be "Home of the Airborne and Special Operations" on it's website. The 101'st and 82'nd Airborne Divisions call Bragg home, as well as the 10th Mountain and the Dragon Brigade. All in all a place you would think would be pretty well guarded.

If they were coming to work at Bragg, pay attention here folks, that means their employers had contracts with the US Army. That's the US government folks. Illegal aliens are working for contractors who have contracts with the US Government. On the 28th of September 10 of these illegal aliens pled guilty to entering the US illegally, a misdemeanor. That's right, misdemeanor.

Do you still believe our government is serious about illegal immigration?

Item two, activists in Norfolk are upset that the Navy might be deploying to go into harm's way. Apparently Time Magazine speculated that a small battle group made up of a submarine and a handful of small ships will be going to the coast of Iran. The Nation says the Eisenhower battle group could also be heading to a confrontation with Iran when it deploys this month. This speculation is based upon reports from "a Navy source" that an as-yet unnamed cruiser or destroyer has been ordered to prepare for short notice deployment, along with the CNO's review of blockade plans.

What is more likely, however, (and I'm basing my speculation on having taken a few boat rides at Uncle Sam's request) is that the sub and small ships will be part of the Eisenhower's battle group, the "unnamed cruiser or destroyer" has been placed on short orders in case one of the Ike's group is not ready to deploy (we call that the "surge" vessel), and since the battle group is heading to the Gulf anyway to relieve the Enterprise's battle group it will be close to Iran.

Deploying ships is damned expensive, and deployment schedules are drawn up years in advance. Alterations and modifications are done, of course, but only if great need dictates.

As far as the CNO reviewing plans, that falls under the damned if you do and damned if you don't catagory. Failure to plan being a plan to fail, and all that. If the balloon goes up and the powers that be have not at least dusted off the plans they are faulted for that, if they do look the plans over they are accused of being confrontational. I would rather they looked over plans they didn't need than not look over ones they did.

Last on the docket, you can now go to the web home of Filthy to purchase a bobblehead Mohammed for $14.99. 10 percent of the profits go to his beer fund. Sounds like a worthy cause.

The picture, which has nothing to do with the post, is of East Broad Top locomotive 15 crossing Meadow Street, taken by me on August 20, 2006 during the Community Appreciation Weekend.