YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME

The NFL isn’t going to allow the military Color Guard to stay and watch the Super Bowl after the opening ceremonies?

My youngest Marine called me this morning. In the course of the conversation he made mention of being part of the Color Guard for the ceremonies at the Super Bowl. He has been part of other Color Guards at other games and has been able to enjoy the entire game after presenting the Colors. HOWEVER, this will not be the case this time. The 12 man/women color guard will be presenting the Colors and then will be escorted out of the stadium and therefore not allowed to see the game. Steven and the 11 others are quite upset about this and have asked that I see if I could contact someone and have that changed.

Well, count me out of the television audience if this isn’t changed.

POST INAUGURATION -- SOME THOUGHTS

The Fox analysts are going though their thoughts. Mine? Three things struck me.

First, it seemed to me that President Obama used his speech to dampen the expectations of his supporters, both domestic and foreign. There is no single element to the speech that leads me to that conclusion; rather it is embedded in the tone of the entire speech.

It also seemed that the inauguration attendees recognized it as well, as there were relatively few interruptions for applause.

Second was this warning: "We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you." Again, it seemed to me that it was directed as much to the extreme left within the US as to those without.

Third was this tribute to our military: "We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves."

Continuing, he said "And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all." Right or wrong, it seems to me that he was chiding the Democratic left for being anti-military.

The full transcript is here.

LIVE BLOGGING THE INAUGURATION

1240: It's over. Barack Obama is now President of the United States.

1235: The benediction -- more in line with what the crowd expected, I think. The crowd applause was the largest I heard.

1230: Now it's poetry time ... a sop to the "true believers" in my opinion. My wife disagrees.

1225: President Obama's speech is over. Althouse is a bit negative, I think.

1201: The crowd is shouting "O-ba-ma!" but it was quickly stilled. Well, he seems to be making the right statements ... certainly less partisan than I had expected; also less negative. He's promising a lot; now arguing that the American people can do it.

The crowd is quiet; I don't think that Obama is telling the true believers what they wanted to hear.

"We will not apologize for our way of life." Not what the nutroots wanted, I think.

1200: The concert is over; Chief Roberts is about to administer the oath. Obama fumbled the oath; but no matter -- he's now the President. "Hail to the Chief" is being played; now it's time for him to speak.

1154: Biden is being sworn in. Justice Stevens administered the oath; Joe Biden is now Vice-President of the United States. Now a "symphony" to introduce the next President.

1150: Pastor Rick Warren is delivering the invocation. Well done.

1145: Shadow and Daisy watch the inauguration.




0900: The traffic in Manassas is surprisingly light. WTOP, the local news and weather radio station is reporting 21 degrees in Washington, with wind chill down to the teens and possible snow flurries later this morning. Metro is reporting over 350,000 people carried; parking garages are at capacity as far out as Springfield/Franconia and Vienna/Fairfax (the end of the lines in Virginia). Entrances along the east side of the Mall have already been closed.

It looks like inauguration goers have a choice -- to attend the inauguration or to attend the inauguration parade, but not both. The parade route is limited to 350,000, and may already be at capacity.

0830: The weather is cold, but clear. The crowd estimate is for about 1.5 million by noon. Metro is reporting over 150,000 carried since opening this morning. Interesting comment by Fox News: "This election has been about change. So far the change is in Obama."

BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

On Camp Liberty.
Unfortunately I never managed to get to the races ....

CHRISTMAS AT CAMP VICTORY

The entrance to JCCS-1, where I worked, is decorated for the Christmas party.

The Operations Department. That's me at the far right.

And yes, Santa did make a stop to visit the JCCS-1 crew!

RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM IRAQ

Flying out of Baghdad enroute to Kuwait late at night, I was struck by how dark the landscape beneath the aircraft was. One could see the lights of the cities, towns, and villages, such as they are, but nothing -- absolutely nothing -- in between.

Contrast that with flying over even the most desolate parts of the US. Not only are the cities and towns visible from the air, but there is always traffic on the roads and highways in between.

That suggests to me that the greatest differentiator between first-world and third-world countries is roads. Inter-city roads. Perhaps part of the greatness of the United States can be attributed to the Eisenhower Interstate Highway system.

INAUGURATION FEVER

Just for curiousity, I drove by the Manassas Regional Airport to see how many business jets were in town for the inauguration. Here are a few of the fifteen or so I counted at the two terminal areas.
I'd be curious to know how much the owners paid for their carbon offsets. And to whom ....

KILROY WAS HERE

Anyone besides me remember the old "Kilroy was here" graffiti?

Shadow does a very good Kilroy imitation.

SATURDAY NIGHT CAT BLOGGING

Our JCCS-1 cat mascot. Coal black and very friendly, she would visit our building on Camp Victory about twice a week. Obviously not feral, we think she must have found a "tunnel" through the wall that surrounds the camp.

Here she is again, checking out the DFAC (dining facility) food I offered her.

MOSQUE AT CAMP VICTORY

Taken November 8, 2008 at sunset from outside my "office."

[UPDATE] The mosque is within the Victory Base Complex (VBC). The mosque and grounds that surround it are maintained but off-limits to Coalition personnel.

INAUGURATION? OR CORONATION?

Washington DC is essentially shut down for the upcoming coronation, er, inauguration of President-elect Obama.

If you live in Virginia, as I do, and work in DC, you're essentially out of luck getting to work on Tuesday since all (repeat, all) the bridges connecting northern Virginia to DC will be closed on Tuesday. My own company (in Alexandria, not DC) is recommending all employees work at home and implementing VPN access to the company intranet.

I've lived in the Washington area for three inaugurations, attended one, and never before have I seen this level of restriction on movement. I could perhaps understand the restrictions if there were credible threats, but there has been nothing in the news, and the authorities are all saying that they are just trying to "manage traffic efficiently."

It strikes me that the Democrats just want to party, and party-crashers, like the poor slob just trying to get to his day job, are unwelcome.

I hope I'm wrong.

UPDATE: “With Barack Obama’s approval ratings in the 70s and his visage plastered on every shop window and Metro card in Washington, it’s hard to remember that 58 million Americans voted for the other guy.”

CHU View

The view from my CHU (Coalition Housing Unit; a two-room trailer). The concrete barriers, known at T-walls, are roughly 12 feet high and completely surround the trailer.

The T-walls are only 2-3 feet from the trailer, and the only entrance is through the slit, which is protected by another T-wall.

This is the high-dollar district at Camp Victory, as these trailers are "wet" (they have a shared bathroom). Most of the military and civilian contractors have "dry" housing - three rooms per trailer and two persons per room.

BACK FROM IRAQ

Back from my second tour as an analyst at Camp Victory, the bottom line is this: we won; Iraq won; the terrorists lost.

The only remaining question is if it will stay won. If the US opts for a conditions-based, phased withdrawal, it will stay won. If not, I won't go so far as to guarantee chaos, but it would be the way to bet. Iraq is still fragile.

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE ...

He's baack ...

"A VOTE FOR OBAMA ..."

(Camp Victory, Iraq) Roger L. Simon had a post at pajamasmedia.com titled “Obama and the media: it’s not the bias; it’s the dishonesty.” Commentor cfbleachers (comment #59) had this to say:

What does all this mean? I simply can’t piece together an answer that doesn’t give rise to more questions.

I don’t know what to believe, other than to say…I’m not convinced of anything I’m being told and am growing ever more suspicious of what I am not being told, what is being hidden and what is being done with the Left-handed Monkey Wrench that the Grass Curtain Plumbers are using on the truth.

Massive voter registration fraud, massive campaign financing…with serious and dangerous circumvention of safeguards?

Repeated, consistent and haunting connections with some of the most virulent haters of America; these haters attack on the salt of the earth small town folks and “flyover country” residents; an even more frontal assault on the Constitution; a “spread the wealth” economic distribution plan; an open suggestion that a “fairness doctrine” be imposed to shut down talk radio and possibly other dissenters; an outline to drastically curtail the military budget and reduce our ability to defend militarily against foreign enemies; replacing that role instead with a “private civilian army” not constrained by oversight of the military…instead reporting directly to the civilian Commander?

Drown out opposing or dissenting voices? Kick them off the plane and shut them down on the airwaves? Take the property of the dissenters and give it to the loyal party
workers? Indoctrinate schoolchildren and have them chant slogans and sing songs to the leader? Paramilitary exercises and “calls to action”, orders to “get in their faces” and browbeat your own parents and grandparents?

The media suddenly and almost completely consumed by a lack of curiousity, it ceases to defend “the little guy”…but instead attacks them with a ferocity heretofore
reserved for national politicians. They goosestep their way to salute the private seal, the absence of the flag, the Che Guevara poster.

Let me summarize:

1) Strip the military of funding and reduce its manpower and ability to defend;

2) Strip the access of dissenters by kicking them off the plane, refusing access via the airwaves if they ask tough questions, institute a “fairness doctrine” to eliminate their voice on radio, possibly more on the way with the Internet.

3) Strip the capital and property and begin to redistribute those funds and property to party loyalists;

4) Attack the constitution, insert judges not elected by the people as operatives in redrafting it to suit the policies and procedures which the people never voted to approve.

5) Build a civilian army of loyal party members, in a new revolutionary guard against enemies…whomever they may be.

6) Take away the 2nd amendment rights of the people, by force, if necessary…because they “cling to guns and religion”. Not sure if religion is going to be allowed to “cling” to at this point, or if religious theater and theopolitics will be advanced.

7) Replace traditional symbols with new ones…the flag is the “wrong” kind of patriotism…but personal seals, wall sized portraits, a personal flag for the Leader are the “right” kind. Posters of fellow revolutionaries appears to be ok as well.

8) Nationalized healthcare, nationalized banking and finance, nationalized insurance, nationalized 401k’s, nationalized homeownership, nationalized energy, nationalized education, nationalized agriculture and food production.

9) Elections rife with voter registration fraud and political operatives blocking investigation into the massive, overt and clear attempts to rig an election for one candidate with ties to the offending organizations. Jimmy Carter will be called in to announce that the elections are “fair”.

10) Massive evidence of campaign finance irregularities, foreign influence and laundered money, in order to buy more votes. Control from an outside agency or country is hidden and denied.

11) Louder and more vicious attacks on Jewish people popping up as a “gutter religion”, the “cause of massive suffering”, the “reason there is no peace”. A team is assembled to “reduce the Zionist influence”.

If I was going to start a revolution…I certainly couldn’t pick a better groundwork or foundation than this

I can’t think of any better reasons for voting for McCain-Palin.

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM

Shadow’s World will be on hiatus for at least two months as I have accepted a temporary assignment in the Iraq theater of operations. Posting will be intermittent at best.

SPREAD THE WEALTH

It seems to me that the people who want to “spread the wealth” are exactly those who are unable – or unwilling – to create it.

AUTUMN LEAVES

Metz Middle School, Manassas, VA, about 3 pm.



The trees are just beginning to turn in Manassas. For the most part, green is still the color of the day.

FREE SPEECH FOR ME, BUT NOT FOR THEE

Bravo, Instapundit! Very well said. Read it all, then click on all the links.

MARKET UPDATE

Note the change in scale.














So far it's only paper money - but sometime in the near future I'm going to need to convert it to real money.