tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46430069238879498362012-01-05T00:45:39.663-05:00A blog about current events, the military, society, technology, entertainment and anything else that comes to mind.Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.comBlogger421100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-55911529709026632252010-09-14T02:33:00.003-04:002010-09-17T21:08:22.870-04:00

This Thursday, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is scheduled to discuss the New Strategic Arms Reduction (START) Treaty, a nuclear arms control agreement signed by President Obama and Russian President Medvedev in April of this year. The proposed treaty reduces the US and Russian nuclear arsenals and reinstates on-site inspections. In order to become a binding treaty, New START must

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-72570327499010330222010-08-14T01:49:00.004-04:002010-08-14T12:00:40.776-04:00

Being in the midst of trying to get a manuscript (that's what you call a book before it gets accepted) published and having spent so many years analyzing the changes in industries as a result of disruptive technologies, I thought I'd share a view on how I think novel publishing -- particularly the part about signing new authors -- will change in the near future. The gatekeeper rules For those

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-42742571784563302952010-07-08T19:48:00.003-04:002010-09-15T02:06:08.114-04:00

The never-ending, often public debate about the reliability of the main US rifle/carbine (the M16/M4) was back in the news with an article from the New York Times ("Examining the Complaints About American Rifle Reliability").  We've looked at this issue before, specifically when the supposed replacement, the XM8, was suddenly abandoned (see this previous post) and when the Army announced the

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-66586965124419035082010-07-01T12:29:00.002-04:002010-09-15T02:06:49.282-04:00

With all the problems with the economy and constant news of floundering US companies that require government bailouts, it's nice to hear of a good story like Ford Motor Co. (Ford) and its recent $4 billion debt repayment. If you don't recall, Ford is the only American car maker that didn't take government cash to stay afloat. Instead, it incurred massive debt. Its apparently sage financial

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-82466342870294238692010-06-30T16:15:00.107-04:002010-09-15T02:07:04.351-04:00

When you think of Wonder Woman, do you have visions of Linda Carter in tight spandex and accessorized with gold arms guards? If so, time to get that image out of your head, at least for the short-term. Yesterday, DC Comics, the creator of Wonder Woman (as well as the much more popular Batman and Superman), announced via a blog post that arguably the most well-known female comic book character is

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-13128530449646081602010-06-14T11:08:00.001-04:002010-06-14T11:11:36.068-04:00

An article in the New York Times today offered up the possibility that life in Afghanistan could be fundamentally altered due to the discovery of massive deposits -- "nearly $1 trillion" worth -- of important minerals, such as iron, copper, and lithium (used in, for example, the high-tech batteries of all your favorite portable consumer electronics gadgets, including the iPod nano, Nintendo DSi,

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-17728034224799545322010-06-04T11:22:00.000-04:002010-06-04T11:22:56.966-04:00

A recent article in the New York Times detailed a study conducted by two professors at New York University and Cornell on the nutritional value of various dog foods. For anyone with a pet pooch, sticker shock from buying fancy dog food is a common experience. Despite our love for our domesticated wolves, it sometimes seems hard to believe the claims on the packaging -- many of the descriptions

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-41008441430267374252009-09-13T00:16:00.034-04:002009-09-14T01:10:39.346-04:00

At some point in the debate about both the morality and effectiveness of "enhanced interrogation techniques," the Bush Administration and its supporters euphemism for what many would call torture, you have to decide who you will believe. Those who claim to have knowledge and experience, and those that do. Retired generals bluntly, publicly call out Cheney and his views Over the last year, former

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-7841371888949279642009-09-04T21:36:00.007-04:002009-09-13T03:55:29.246-04:00

President Obama's upcoming speech to the school children of America has become a major hot potato for school administrator's across the country, largely as a result of the campaign of conservative politicians and media pundits to force schools not to show it. Those against showing the address claim the speech is a thinly veiled attempt by the president to promote his "socialist agenda" to

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-63102248872996118722009-09-03T15:15:00.055-04:002009-09-13T03:26:52.990-04:00

While it is obvious that the Internet connects people with diverse and often niche interests, sometimes you have to stumble upon an article and the subsequent discussion of its content to truly see that there is a group of people out there that will be interested in almost any topic imaginable -- or unfathomable. A recent find illustrates this point: An in-depth analysis of the role and specific

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-7681700925365395702009-06-12T23:24:00.069-04:002009-06-17T01:52:47.958-04:00

If you lean to the political right, you are probably not a Stephen Colbert fan -- he's the Comedy Central comedian who analyzes the news and provides analysis in the character of an over-the-top, egocentric, conservative media personality (see his Comedy Central show site here). This week, he taped his four shows in Camp Victory in Baghdad Iraq as part of a USO tour.Highlights from the limited

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-87073049819275860942009-06-11T18:16:00.024-04:002009-06-15T16:28:01.647-04:00

During the recent Bush tenure, a common administration concern was about the rise of a new caliphate -- a united, regional, if not global, Muslim entity that could threaten the security of the West and the rest of the non-Muslim world. While many thought this fear was foolish at the time, the ongoing presidential election in Iran is a example of why that will never happen.Islam has two major

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-48940345692199394562009-01-02T00:29:00.005-05:002009-06-15T16:28:51.700-04:00

For parents with young children, finding a movie that both the kids and adults can enjoy is a treasure. That formula of appealing to the young and old is what has driven Pixar's, now part of Disney, success. But while families are looking for entertainment, the studios are looking for dollars and profits. That's where movie trailer manipulation comes in.It's never as good as the trailer Movie

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-40778097729845739512008-12-22T00:35:00.009-05:002009-06-15T16:29:28.293-04:00

With the American military stretched thin with deployments in Iraq (150,000 troops; see this article) and Afghanistan (30,000 troops), the addition of 92,000 more troops to the military seems to make sense (Defense Secretary Gates recommended this increase in January of 2007; see his testimony to the House Armed Services Committee). But with the likely drastic draw down of the American military

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-17713928674872567802008-12-21T16:32:00.002-05:002009-06-15T17:00:46.125-04:00

Vice President Dick Cheney cannot be accused of being a man of little conviction. In an interview with the Republican-friendly Fox News (on the Fox News Sunday program with Chris Wallace), the current but soon to be former VP did not back down on many of his strongly held beliefs -- beliefs, such as the power of the executive in times of crisis, the role of the Vice President, and the legitimacy

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-58977936118239252152008-12-11T15:41:00.007-05:002009-06-15T16:31:13.626-04:00

If a trip to your local motor vehicle registry wasn't enough of a pain, it turns out that you may not even be able to smile when you finally wade through the lines to get your picture taken. According to a story in the Times of Northwest Indiana, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is not going to let drivers smile any more for their licenses.The smile ban is not because driving is a

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-38536170268445452122008-09-28T18:11:00.026-04:002010-07-08T18:40:23.381-04:00

Is it finally the end of the road for the M16 (and its replacement, the shortened, carbine version called the M4)? The weapon system's iconic status has already been assaulted by our own military (from a design perspective, that is). The signature carrying handle of the M16 is hardly ever on display these days, and the plastic butt stock and the smooth barrel guards are rarely seen except when

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-6339006195128530472007-04-03T18:15:00.002-04:002010-07-08T18:32:19.247-04:00

In 1967, the ubiquitous M16 rifle, with its iconic built-in carrying handle, became a standard weapon of the US military. Astonishingly, 40 years later, the US military continues to rely on the same basic design for its main infantry weapon. Are the decisions -- some political, some based on physics, and some based on prevailing military viewpoints -- that led the Air Force and then the Army and

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-28642342101770109252007-03-25T15:50:00.003-04:002009-06-15T16:30:32.314-04:00

Since the 9/11 attacks, the Bush Administration and US federal, state, and local law enforcement have been extremely aggressive in going after any and all perceived terrorist threats. Having missed or not acted on the plethora of warning signs of the 2001 attacks, American security and intelligence organizations do not want to overlook, misplace, or fail to share potentially crucial evidence of a

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-62526915739081637682007-02-15T16:48:00.043-05:002010-08-13T17:00:33.540-04:00

Just how much does a typical four-year private college education cost? How much is it worth? The cost of college tuition continues to rise each year -- partly driven up by the students and their families -- but the US government reports that those degrees are still worth the effort and expense. GWU sets the pace Last weekend, a New York Times article reported that George Washington University

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-73921338281104442362006-11-29T21:44:00.013-05:002009-06-16T17:06:51.577-04:00

A semantic battle has been waged over the last week as to whether Iraq is in the midst of a civil war. The stakes are perceived to be high, with both supporters of the Bush Administration's strategy in Iraq and opponents of the strategy understanding that the acceptance of an ongoing Iraqi civil war would further erode public support as well as the military and political justification for the

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-61393163649725422292006-10-22T16:24:00.013-04:002009-06-16T17:01:40.981-04:00

The first Gulf War was major turning point for women in the US military. The need for female soldiers, along with their excellent performance, prompted changes under the Clinton Administration in 1993 and 1994 that enabled women to take on more dangerous roles in the military that they had been previously denied. For example, women were allowed to become fighter pilots and to work on

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-88823083473247743272006-07-14T01:06:00.022-04:002010-09-15T01:48:01.323-04:00

In August of 2000, President Bush -- then Governor and presidential candidate Bush -- gave his acceptance speech at the Republic National Convention. Six years later, it is interesting to compare some of what he promised with what he has delivered. While no one would argue that the September 11 terrorist attacks would not have altered the plans of any president in 2001, Bush did make some

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-28820068704105647832006-07-05T01:13:00.038-04:002010-09-15T01:42:38.851-04:00

On the 4th of July -- no doubt as a deliberate slap at the US government -- North Korea conducted a series of missile tests. In total, seven missiles were launched, including one intercontinental missile -- a potential future threat to reach the the United States if its range and accuracy is improved -- called the Taepo Dong 2 (which exploded shortly after launch). According to an article from

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-62199902279357940092006-06-27T01:33:00.020-04:002010-09-15T01:39:19.459-04:00

In Chicago last week, Cheney gave a speech in which he, among other things, ridiculed Senator Kerry for his flip-flopping over support for the Iraq conflict: "Democrats and Republicans, obviously, are heavily engaged in the debate, as it should be. We've reached the point where a number of well known Democrats, including their most recent presidential nominee, talk about setting a firm deadline

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-32158733774965304832006-06-25T21:15:00.045-04:002010-09-17T21:33:10.692-04:00

While the Bush Administration and its supporters dislike any comparison between the Vietnam War and the current Iraqi conflict, there are interesting comparisons between the presidential rhetoric used to support both efforts. While there are many differences between the wars -- for example, there is no single enemy to negotiate with in Iraq -- the language  and justification for continuing these

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-3533371395850739122006-06-23T20:55:00.039-04:002010-09-17T21:07:10.261-04:00

Two stories broke today that illustrate a major issue facing the US today: The government's desire to tap into and analyze digital communications and data. Whether you support the specifics of how the President and his team have and continue to go about accessing and analyzing digital records, tapping into these feeds and databases is necessary to investigate and prosecute those planning on

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-15594375667187071812006-06-22T19:51:00.034-04:002010-08-12T21:37:57.690-04:00

Many people have speculated that the Bush Administration is largely directed by Vice President Cheney. He was strongly in favor of invading Iraq, he was central in trying to shoot down the anti-torture Congressional legislation, and his office is in the middle of the Plame CIA leak case. So what does Cheney, so critical to US foreign and domestic policy creation and execution, think these days?

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-2804502036114387042006-06-20T01:59:00.024-04:002010-09-16T02:09:50.320-04:00

While the life of a surviving combat veteran goes on, they don't ever forget what they experienced. When watching HBO's excellent World War II miniseries, Band of Brothers, it's amazing to hear veterans say how their memories of combat and the death of friends are crystal clear some 50 years later. And watching HBO's recent Iraq War documentary, Baghdad ER, it is clear how combat and the trauma

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-50812783105163458782006-06-19T01:24:00.011-04:002010-09-16T01:29:27.524-04:00

On this Sunday's Face the Nation on CBS, Senator Joseph Biden, a Democrat from Delaware, made a comment that illustrated why Democrats are unable to effectively counter the President and the Republicans and capture the enthusiastic support of the American public. Details from Biden's own biography demonstrate his role and influence in the Senate and the Democratic Party: " . . . was first elected

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-34628477995335461922006-06-18T01:18:00.016-04:002010-09-16T01:23:21.812-04:00

By law and tradition, the President, no matter how much or little he wins by in electoral terms, is the leader of the United States and of all Americans. But when President Bush continually says that "America" wants to do something, is he being honest? To understand the point of this question, we should look at the recent Presidential elections results and current polls to see if America really

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-37454611114020688352006-06-18T01:07:00.004-04:002010-09-16T01:17:07.284-04:00

Despite the screwup and scandals of the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress, the Democrats have not been able to provide a clear vision of why they want to take over the House or Senate this fall. We know they would like to take one or both over because a majority in either would mean they would have control of the committees, and control means they can investigate all sorts of

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-32264310697101753992006-06-16T00:56:00.028-04:002010-09-16T01:06:25.547-04:00

Mr. Smith, Jimmy Stewart's do-good movie politician, had a tough time in Washington in 1939, and he would once again be both amazed and ashamed today at how and why our Congressmen and Senators do what they do. The ongoing war in Iraq is an incredibly important issue, not just in geopolitical terms, but in terms of the lives and health of the soldiers, contractors, and civilians directly in harms

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-1459575024946149922006-05-09T19:41:00.001-04:002010-08-12T19:43:33.268-04:00

I'm not a huge fan of simply pointing to other posts without adding value, but an article by Cenk Uygur is worthy of making an exception. The post was exceptional in its clarity. Cenk manages to make it quite obvious and clear as to what the media should use as a guiding principle: objectivity. If you want to apportion the blame for why America has so many problems right now, and why so many of

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-58183059310878930892006-05-03T19:34:00.003-04:002010-08-12T19:40:57.735-04:00

To the left and right alike, Stephen Colbert's performance at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner on April 29, 2006 was a big deal. If you are liberal leaning, you might say he's was hysterical, or you might say he wasn't that funny, but he was courageous. If you are right leaning, you probably think he was not funny, a jerk, or extremely offensive. Mostly likely, all three.

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-56084149852351456622006-01-30T22:02:00.001-05:002009-06-15T22:03:40.768-04:00

The Bush Administration is adamant that spreading democracy -- particularly in the Middle East -- will lead to a more stable and safer world. But what happens when people, given the chance to vote, vote for a group the Administration doesn't believe is in the best interest of a more stable, safer world? And what happens when we learn that the US government had no idea that outcome would occur?To

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-86733334743927497132006-01-06T21:56:00.006-05:002009-06-15T22:01:30.500-04:00

Despite signing the recent appropriations bill (H.R. 2863, the "Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006") that included the McCain-sponsored amendment to ban the use of torture, President Bush doesn't feel that the new law binds his hands -- or those of his interrogators -- from using any

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-159357014416365282005-11-30T21:35:00.013-05:002009-06-15T21:55:03.377-04:00

With popular support for the war in Iraq dwindling, the casualty count rising daily (four military personnel were reported killed on November 30), and recent criticism of the White House's strategy by decorated Marine Vietnam veteran and Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, President Bush and his advisors are attempting to retake the offensive in the PR war.On Wednesday, November 30, the White

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-86869063112825854972005-10-06T21:31:00.003-04:002009-06-15T21:34:40.586-04:00

Yesterday, the Senate voted overwhelmingly in support of an amendment to a military appropriations bill to regulate how the military can treat its prisoners. Led in part by Republican Senator John McCain, a prisoner of war in Vietnam for over 5 years who was repeatedly mistreated/tortured, the amendment's goal is two-fold: 1) To ban "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;" and 2) to

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-51749417630366446052005-10-06T21:24:00.004-04:002009-06-15T21:30:04.000-04:00

On October 6, President Bush delivered a speech that outlined why America was fighting the War on Terror in general, and fighting in Iraq in particular. Given the Administration's declining poll numbers, the speech was an important event. Rather than relying on the right or left to interpret the Administration's strategy and goals, let's examine the President's own words (note that some of the

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-6984555690125310722005-08-24T21:21:00.003-04:002009-06-15T21:23:56.326-04:00

There is little debate that the U.S. just can't order its troops, contractors, OGA personnel (i.e., CIA-types), and others to immediately pack their bags and leave Iraq. We've created a huge mess, and the vacuum created by a quick exit – without a properly trained, equipped, and motivated indigenous force in place to replace our personnel – would spell disaster for the already suffering Iraqi

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643006923887949836.post-81754250026119850192005-06-01T21:18:00.004-04:002009-06-15T21:20:54.459-04:00

It's incredibly annoying that some of those in the Right Wing have managed to re-define patriotism. This new brand of patriotism tolerates no dissention. It promotes blind loyalty and labels anyone not conforming to its views as a liberal at best, or a traitor at worst.What's is so annoying is that: 1) this is an obvious attempt to bury criticism; and 2) that people – both Red and Blue staters –

Tom Rhinelandernoreply@blogger.com1