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Firing Of Carmen Aristegui May Reveal Much More.

03/17/2015 Score Card

In studying sociology I found a singular concept that almost works like a tool to uncover hidden knowledge. That concept is called “empirical indicator”. This means “what we see” thus “shows us” something else. The idea is that there can be one or more things that we can see but may actually stand for some hidden meaning. In sociology the examples given are typically things you might see in a person’s office may indicate their rank in the organization. If you see a potted plant, a rug, even a fire place in a person’s corporate office, each indicates a corporate ranking. Simply put, the more elaborate the office furniture and trappings, the higher the person’s status. The concept is based on common sense and we all had been using this concept well before sociologist put a name to it. When we see a person not dressed well, we may think that person is poor. The clothing a person wears may equate with how much money they have or not have.

This idea of empirical indicator can also be utilized in a lot of other ways. Let me propose, for your consideration, that we take this concept and try to see if it fits a political situation.

A prominent Mexico journalist, Carmen Aristegui, was fired from her job at MVS Radio. She revealed a number of political embarrassments committed by some top Mexican officials. One such revelation, that the current president, Enrique Peria Nieto may have used his powerful office for personal gain in real estate deals. Exposing this may have sent the ratings of the current Mexican president in a downward direction.

Now it is obvious conjecture that the president of Mexico exercised any influence in having Carmen Aristegui’s assistants dismissed. Obviously, attacking her directly would be way too revealing. Obfuscating the alleged pressure being applied to Carmen is better applied by sending her a strong message by having her close associates attacked, dismissed and hope she bows. She obviously got the message. She did not buckle and seems to have the tough stuff that we normally attribute to men. Mexico needs more tough people in power like her, that have good ethics and moral values. If she fades away, it will be a further loss for Mexico.

The empirical indicator I wish to suggest to you is that the alleged action taken against Carmen may stand for the fact of top Mexican corruption. So, not a potted plant or a fire place in an office but instead an action may stand for something way more important – top Mexican political corruption.

Ian Masters Radio Show Segment: The Magnificent Seven with Professor Lawrence Wilkerson

03/14/2015 Score Card

Lawrence Wilkerson, the former Chief of Staff to United States Secretary of State Colin Powell joins Ian Masters to discuss his article at The Huffington Post “The Magnificent Seven” What is shocking in the radio segment is Mr. Wilkerson is candid and seemingly honest in his evaluation of the Republican Party. The most shocking view that he puts forth is that one of the Republican Party’s problem with President Obama is black prejudice. I have suspected this for a long time but it seems that most everyone fails to talk about it. What is more shocking is Mr. Wilkerson’s prediction if the Republicans take the white house and keep exercising personal self serving policies that only enrich the Republican oligarchs, the United States will fall into decay.

[Update: December 7, 2017, Ian Masters has moved his web site and I found that this radio show segment is not available currently.] ~~Listen to the radio show segment “The Magnificent Seven”~~

E-mail from Score Card to Professor Wilkerson:

WOW! I listen to your segment with Ian Masters entitled “The Magnificent Seven” and you really come across as honest, intelligent and knowledgeable about what ails the United States. You really do not state your mind bluntly. I just love that. I have suspected for quite a long time that Republicans are prejudice against blacks. What is sort of disturbing, if true, is no one seems to want to mention this possibility. You are the first one to bring this up (in my world). Thank you again in a different perspective as it firms my blog approach (I am a blogger). I am really disturbed in contemplating that a large segment of the United States population is simply stupid and if so, what do you do with that problem? Thank you for sharing your views. I hope to hear more from you. Start a blog or better yet, write a current world situation book.

Professor Wilkerson’s reply:

Thank you for taking the time to wrote to me and to express your support and your views. Our Founders were concerned about the same matter, i.e., how does one keep the electorate–the people–knowledgeable, competent, and able to cast a smart vote, or even ensure that the candidates available are the right ones for the positions, local, state, and national. Thomas Jefferson actually stated that such was the reason he and others founded the University of Virgina and, as you may know, Jefferson had that founding put on his gravestone. It was one of his proudest achievements. Jefferson also was a slaveholder, one who had sexual relations with his dead wife’s half-sister, Sally Hemmings, a slave herself–sexual relations that led to several children. None of us is perfect, in other words. We just have to keep trying. I believe Jefferson was right about education. It is the most important answer to the question of how to keep a democracy sound. Ours is weak right now primarily because the people are weak–and they are weak primarily because there are so many among us who are ignorant, uneducated, and therefore vulnerable to the political charlatans like Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton.

Thanks again for writing.

Prof Lawrence Wilkerson

National Geographic: The War On Science

03/05/2015 Score Card

I have lived over seven decades and I am shocked at discovering, all of a sudden, and with proof, that a whole huge population of humane beings are utterly stupid. I have run into this view quite a few times by my acquaintances and friends saying this to me on occasion. They refer to this or that group in foreign countries. Let me be a bit more specific with one example that does not represent what my friends have told me but a singular instance, in this country, that really stands out in my mind. I go to a gym almost every day and the major makeup of the people who go to that gym are conservative, meaning they are a mixture of Republican and Libertarian. One person who is a friend of mine utterly refuses to believe in global warming. If you don’t believe in global warming, this blog post is about you. Well this guy cherry picks his examples from the most obscure Internet sources to try and verify his points. I could not figure out why someone who is in most every other way intelligent is so stupid about this subject. His family history sort of puts a light upon it.

Fast forward to March 2015, at COSTCO, I picked up the National Geographic magazine issue with the title “The War On Science” by Joel Achenbach. I open to page 30 and see the huge words “The Age Of Disbelief”. The article is a shock for me to read but at the same time a comfort that this mystery is explained of why some people seem so stupid. I really recommend this issue for you to read. The article is well written and makes a lot of very interesting points.

Here are some, not all, of the key points that I found interesting. I am drawn in these points because I am currently writing about why there are terrorists coming out of the Middle East and these points seem to explain part of that problem:

Personal experience trumps the facts. My friend, who refuses to accept global warming, had a father that hated unions because the union bosses were crooks. His father’s attitude toward politics may have tainted the son’s views. Thus, his father’s experience may have became his. Parents have a tremendous influence upon their children.
We look for evidence that confirms what we already believe. My friend would peruse the Internet trying to find justification for his preconceived notions about global warming. I found it quite amusing at his resourcefulness at finding “facts” that supported his beliefs.
“Our beliefs are motivated largely by emotion and the biggest motivation is remaining tight with your peers”. Wow. That was a surprise for me to take in. The author seems to extrapolate this premise from a study by Dan Kahan of Yale University. This sort of makes sense because I am really struck by reading the importance of tribalism in the Middle East. Tribalism appears to be one principal factor holding a whole host of nations backward and this is why this article seems important to my understanding of the Middle East problem.

In summary, the article tells us that reason and truth is secondary to our emotions, how we feel about a subject. It may seem that global warming denial and Middle East terrorism may have similar roots because both go against well thought out inspection and arguments. Stupid does rule for some people.

Updated: 3-6-19. National Geographic Magazine link removed due to time out error.

Keep Web Site Login Information Ready and Secure.

03/03/2015 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

I was drawn into helping a hair salon owner regain control of her web site. She had lost control of a prior site because she handed over the whole process to a person and then had some falling out. She was paying for the web site name registration and hosting fees but utterly failed to understand the importance of keeping the account information in her records. She lost the prior web site name because she could not communicate with the domain registration and hosting company. She had to start over and find another domain name and register it. I was called in to help her break into her second web site. She was about to lose control if it too. Thankfully, the person who set up her second web site chose HostGator. They are somewhat difficult to reach because the wait time on the phone to talk to someone can be quite long. But, once you are on the phone with one of their technical support persons, they can provide all the necessary information you need. My guess is, it took me less than ten minutes of technical support’s time on the phone to regain ownership of this women’s web site. Their technical support person was perfect in their conduct of helping their client.

I have two points to make in writing this post. The first is I wish to commend HostGator for providing very good support for their host services and their support for WordPress software. My second point is to tell you, the reader, that if you intend to start up a web site PLEASE follow the following suggestions listed below.

Record accurately the following information:

Domain name registration company name and web site address.
Domain name registration company billing information. (This is very important to keep track of because it proves to the company that you own the web site domain name. Do not delete the past two or more year’s e-mails from this company.)
Domain name registration company land line phone.
Domain name registration company login user name.
Domain name registration company login password.
Domain name registration company e-mail address if this has been activated. (My sister has a web site registered domain name and she knows that the company includes, as part of their name registration package, an e-mail service. She uses this web site domain name to get ONLY a personal e-mail account. If you enter the domain name for her web site you will see this:

“Welcome to namecheap.com. This domain was recently registered at namecheap.com. The domain owner may currently be creating a great site for this domain. Please check back later!”

I was totally surprised that my sister had the knowledge to do this. All her e-mail gets sent to her web site name except the web site does not exist, only the domain name and the cost is incredibly cheap.

I do not recommend GoDaddy for web site name registration because they are bloat, full of extra paid options that most people do not need. Most important for me is when I did my research, they had a less than impressive reputation for caving in to any legal query into who owns a particular web site. I use NameCheap to register my web sites. Their prices seem cheaper than GoDaddy. Their web site is less attractive and a bit clunky to use than GoDaddy.

Here is your second important list to write down some place secure:

Web site host company name and web site address.
Web site host company billing information. (This information is important to prove you own the web site. Keep all e-mails from the host company.)
Web site host company billing land line phone number.
Web site host company C-Panel web site address. (C-Panel is your host control panel in graphical user information (GUI) form and damned important for you to control).
Web site host company C-Panel login user name. (VERY IMPORTANT)
Web site host company C-Panel login password. (VERY IMPORTANT)
There are a whole long list of further information that your web site host company should send you by e-mail such as exact server address, FTP information and other information that may be specific to your web site. At the very least, know exactly how to gain access to your web site C-Panel.

After you have a web site name registered and then pay for hosting fees, typically for a year, you then have to decide what software to put up into your rented host computer hard drive. If you are starting out, this being your first time putting up a web site, I strongly recommend that you consider WordPress. I do not recommend that you host at WordPress but rather use a good host company and use their C-Panel to load the software. There are other packages that you can install from your C-Panel but WordPress, for me is pretty easy to use and has a lot of features. Take the time to research which software package might be the best fit for what your intentions are. Once you do the installation of the web site software, you can easily remove that software if you do not like it and switch over to another. You can even install two or more software systems into the same web site but in different sub directories. I have done this. I typically put WordPress into its own sub directory for text content. I can do a web site redirect to anyone who goes to the root directory which will result in them being sent to the WordPress sub directory. WordPress can show photographs but if I think I need a more robust photo gallery I put up another software package into a different sub directory and provide a link to it from the WP. The point I wish to make is when you install WordPress or any other software, they almost always include their own login. Treat this login with respect and care and do not share this information with anyone you do not trust. Write down the following information and keep it safe:

Software package login user name. (VERY IMPORTANT)
Software package login password. (VERY IMPORTANT)
Software package information such as the sub directory it is located in.

Once you have installed your main web site software that makes your web site look the way it does to your customers you can then add optional software packages that augment and enhance the operation of the main software. Each of these sub software installations may include their own logins. Make darn sure you write this information down.

Sub package login user name. (IMPORTANT)
Software package login password. (IMPORTANT)

You can some times add social networking links and these too need to be added to your web site document and recording.

You have a number of options for recording the above information. I strongly suggest that, at the very least, you copy from e-mail sent to you by any company the vital information and then paste each item into some text document. The reason for this is I have had to deal with some people who write down on a pad of paper some of this information and they totally fail to understand the importance of upper case, lower case, spaces, special characters, punctuation. In other words they screw up the login process. By doing the copy past method you remove the possibility for these humane errors will occur.

If you are a Macintosh computer user, consider using Keychain to hold this information because it is secure and comes with each computer you buy.

There are a lot of password safe software that you can buy. I currently use MSecure but I am not totally happy with it.

Once you have devised a reliable, easy to call up document with all the above information:

DO NOT LOOSE IT!
KEEP IS SAFE!
DO NOT SHARE WITH ANYONE unless they have a damned good reason to know. If you hire a web developer to create your web site, make darn sure you take charge of all the information listed above.

I mentioned before that I do like HostGator. I do recommend them for beginners using WordPress. What I do not like is that I can easily take over a web site if I get into the C-Panel. I would start out with HostGator and if you wish to gain slightly better security a few years later, look around carefully for another good host company. I am currently with LinkSky. Their C-Panel will not allow you to easily gain control of the web site which is even more reason to document well all the login information associated with your web site.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Weeks after I wrote the above blog piece, The Wall Street Journal did an article entitled Thieves Steal Company Web Addresses. The article does not take the same view that you need to keep safe your web site information but instead warns web site owners that there are criminals out there who can some times take your web site domain name away from you.

Command Decision, Chapter 1 Germany First

02/20/2015 Score Card

Command Decision
Chapter 1 Germany First: The Basic Concept Of Allied Strategy In World War II by Louis Morton

The following are points in the book that I found to some degree surprising and interesting. Actually, I have never read about how war plans are drawn up so this book was of interest for that reason alone. Beyond reading how the war plan process evolved another layer of very interesting insights were written about that I have never been exposed to. Below, I share most of my surprise reading moments.

The Color Plans, 1919 – 1938

Just after World War I, “of all the powers in Europe only Great Britain was theoretically in a position to engage the United States in a war with any prospect of success.” (P13) Actually, military planners contemplated Great Britain (once again) being our enemy?

Very early on the United States recognized Japan as a possible enemy. (P14) This threat was repeated over and over in this chapter in language that almost pushed this as a certain outcome.

Defense of the Philippines in case of war with Japan was virtually impossible (P14). This idea was repeated over and over in following pages.

War Plan Orange made no provision for landing on the Japanese home islands but to use “isolation and harassment”. (P14 & 15). It was also a bit shocking to read that our military realized that we would have to retreat to win.

Strategic Adjustment 1938 – 1940

Germany and Italy are mentioned as pending problems in addition to Japan. For me the mention of Italy so early in the military planning was not expected. (P20 – ).

Five rainbow plans were drawn up with or without help from other nations. The very idea that the United States planners thought we might have to take on both Japan and the Axis powers alone was a surprise. (P24). Good planning requires one to consider all possible situations but just reflecting upon the possibility of the United States going it totally alone was shocking to read.

The Critical Summer of 1940

There was a back and forth view that the if the United States was attacked that we would withdraw arms support to Great Britain. (P29)

It was the President of the United States that felt that Great Britain would not be defeated quickly and should be supported. (P30). For me, seeing a politician seemingly overriding his military for a better outcome was very interesting. (P31).

The US military sent observers over to England and quickly reported back that they were impressed with the country’s resolve. (P32).

A slightly shocking read came when the British did not ask for active help from the United States but only material support (P33).

Shift to the Atlantic, September 1940 – January 1941

It was stated before but I mention it here that the United States was to avoid conflict with Japan but “maintain American interests and defend American possessions in the Far East”. (P34) I was never made aware of our attitude toward Japan just prior to the war.

It was mildly interesting how the British kept insisting that the Americans put forces into Singapore “in any way convenient” but the Americans felt doing so served the interests of England and we were doing their dirty work for them. (P34, 35, 38).

“Plan Dog” was named because it was in paragraph “D” of a much longer document. It predicted that American security depended upon what happened to Great Britain and if she won against Germany we could win everywhere else (implying Italy and Japan). (P 35) This prediction was in a plan drawn up by Admiral Stark. He also seemed to predict American troops needed to help in Europe. (P36). He also down played the defeat of Japan. The conquest of Europe was way more important. (P36 – 37). This plan seemed to fit perfectly into both nations understanding and was adopted but not yet by the President.

A War Council was convened and the President felt the chances of going to war with Japan, “one chance in five”. The President felt there should be no curtailment of aid to Britain even if we were attacked in the Pacific. Over and over again there is consideration that the United States protect Latin America and it is sated again in this meeting. (P40).

A surprise, for me, was to read that the Commander of the Asiatic Fleet based in the Philippines could exercise discretionary authority to withdraw if attacked. (P40).

The Decision Is Made

A final war planning report known as the ABC-1 really spelled out that defeating Germany and Italy was of the highest priority and Japan was noted as not being of equal importance. This seemed to me to imply that a stalling game was in order toward Japan, if war was to break out. (P42).

The British once again promoted the importance of Singapore and the United States had written off the Philippines. (P43, 44) I really need to study why Singapore needed defending and the Philippines was not a candidate for defense. One factor was that the United States was “willing to face temporary loss of strategic positions like the Philippines and to risk substantial casualties initially rather than disperse their forces or adopt a purely defensive or delaying strategy.” (P43).

The United States wanted to avoid a long drawn out war and adjusted their planning to end the war quickly. (P43). This was a bit of a surprise that the military planners saw this as a doable option for them when Germany and possibly Japan were in attack mode. I had thought that the Allies were forced to react to events as they happened and could only later counter.

Another subtle surprise but made total sense was that both the United States and Great Britain would see to their own self interests and cooperate together when those interests were the same. (P44).

All of a sudden, the book reports that when British and American delegates drew up cooperation guidelines that “… maintenance of British and allied positions in the Mediterranean area” were agreed upon strategic objectives. I must have missed this concern in prior pages or did this just pop up? This report had to be sent up the chain of command for approval. (P45). Note that Rainbow 5 situation and ABC-1 requirements seemed to match (P45, P46). I found reading the Rainbow 5 bullet points seemed to be close to what I remember actually taking place during WWII. I have to congratulate the people who did the military planning over the many years and coming up with reasonable alternative plans to respond to a military attack.

Hidden in a long sentence was “the British Commonwealth (less Eire) …”. I had no idea that Ireland (Eire) was neutral during the second world war. (P45).

A really nifty explanation of this whole process of guessing the planning process outlined above was put forth in almost a smart ass way by an Army planner: “A plan must be formulated upon a situation and no prediction of the situation which will exist when such a plan can be implemented should be made.” (P46). [Sounds like something that Donald Rumsfeld would say.)

A rather curious statement was made on page 46. The statement put forth that “Rainbow 5 was neither a blueprint for victory nor a plan of operations.” It was only an objective and missions for more specific plans. Rainbow 5 was a broad overview of what next needed to be drawn up and the President needed to approve which he did not. Instead he asked for two war plans. (P46).

Because the President had not approved nor disapproved Rainbow 5 the Army would go ahead and plan out of what was stipulated in Rainbow 5. That was gutsy and smart of the Army but what followed was a bit of a shock for me (P47 last page of chapter):

Concentrate defense:

Alaska
Hawaii
Panama

Writing off as a potential loss:

Philippines
Wake
Guam

Book Review: Command Decisions

02/19/2015 Score Card Comments 0 Comment

I picked up one used book at a local used book store which I was not completely convinced I should buy was Command Decisions, published by the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Military, Washington, DC. This book attempts to write the history of the U.S. Army in World War II. During the next week I found that this book hard to put down for some really unusual reasons. On the one hand it was written in a dreary style and on the other it held a view that was very different and included information that was somewhat surprising.

Here are some of the book’s style points:

The book was incredibly dry in the writing style.
The book was from a command management, top down, view. The perspective is from the war planners, commanders and the reader seldom gets down to ground level to view the war action at unit level very much. Because so many movies and books are written at ground level this book was, for me, an interesting approach and part of its attraction.
I noticed that books written near when I was born and prior were annoyingly wordy. My father even lectured me in the same manner. This book was published in 1959 and followed this elder style of writing – too many words.
Every nuance of policy change seemed to be included which also added to the slow story pace. The reader really gets an appreciation of top commanders and politicians daily workings to devise war policy because the reader is told about every policy process. This, at times, minuscule examination seemed to really slow the progression of the war story but at the same time helps the reader to understand the duties of these top war managers.
What really captured my interest in the first chapter was some historical surprises. Not one but one after another surprise showed up in the telling of this history. The surprises varied by degree, as one would expect. Every person naturally understands a historical occurrence differently for a whole host of reasons usually out of schooling and reading. I will share with you each of my surprises that I find in this book in following posts.

Book Information:
Command Decisions, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Military, Washington, DC. Numerous authors contributed to writing this book.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 59-60007
Original copy sold by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D.C.
Hard cover, 565 pages but included maps bound to the binding and one large map in a back pocket that can be removed.
A free download copy can be obtained from this web page:https://history.army.mil/html/books/070/70-7-1/index.html
The organization that is offering this book for free is the U.S. Army Center Of Military History.

Updated January 22, 2022