Random Observations 2015.08.11

Following below, in no particular order, are several news stories that caught my eye today.

This is why I drink.

State of emergency called in Ferguson after gunfire mars protests

Protesters blocked rush-hour traffic in both directions on Interstate 70 near the Blanchette Bridge in Earth City Monday evening.

Aerial footage from a KTVI (Channel 2) helicopter showed lines of protesters joining hands to block the highway as drivers sat in their cars, or got out to watch and wait. Protesters also set out barricades to help block traffic. One driver nosed an SUV through the line of people, with a protester kicking at the vehicle's door as the SUV pushed against protesters.

"One driver nosed an SUV through the line of people..." - nosed, hell. I'd have put the pedal to the metal and run over the SOBs, then sued them for the damage to my vehicle. Protest all you want, but stay the f**k out of my way.

Meanwhile, St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger has declared a state of emergency and turned oversight of the Ferguson situation over to County Police Chief Jon Belmar, in the wake of at least three shooting incidents overnight Sunday.

Tell me again about the 'peaceful protesters.'

Earlier in the day, police arrested 57 protesters in St. Louis who were demanding the dissolution of the Ferguson Police Department.

"demanding the dissolution of the Ferguson Police Department" - Drug dealers, muggers, and break-in artists, no doubt.

Shortly before 1 p.m., more than 50 protesters climbed over the barricades that had been set up outside of the courthouse and sat down, locked arms and began singing and chanting.

United States Attorney Richard Callahan said in a statement that 57 people were arrested. He estimated the total number of protesters as being between one and two hundred protesters...

All this crap and publicity for "between one and two hundred protesters"?!? Talk about blowing things out of proportion.

On the other hand, the next two stories downplay what should be trumpeted from the rooftops.

Clinton Signs Court Statement That She's Turned Over Emails

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says in a sworn statement submitted to a federal judge on Monday that she has turned over all emails reflecting official government business.

Like anyone should believe what hillary says, sworn statement or not.

The statement, which carries her signature and was signed under penalty of perjury, echoes past public statements that Clinton has made in the last few months regarding her private email account.

Clinton has said she exchanged about 60,000 emails in her four years in the Obama administration, about half of which were personal and were discarded. She has said she turned over the other half to the State Department.

She's putting a lot of faith into the belief that those deleted emails can't be recovered. Jeez, I hope the tech weenies prove her wrong.

Next is a great example of how the mainstream media spins news stories.

What The Colorado Waste Water Spill Tells Us About Mining Contamination

Scientists grappled with the consequences of a spill of toxic wastewater on Monday, one day after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that an accident had led to 3 million gallons of mining runoff flowing into a river in Colorado used for drinking water. But researchers who study water resources in the region say the spill, while significant on its own, is just the latest example of the much broader problem of water contamination from mining processes.

Personally, I think it's the latest example of how the feds mismanage things and then coverup the mismanagement (see: abuse, IRS; Benghazi, State Dept., etc.) but what do I know.

Finally, we have an ironic but feel-good story that highlights the good that America can, and often does, do.

Marines Help With Typhoon Relief in Saipan

U.S. Marines and sailors have been helping local and federal agencies in Saipan with relief efforts since Aug. 7, after Typhoon Soudelor struck the island Aug. 2-3...

More than 48,000 people live on Saipan, the largest island of the 300-mile archipelago that makes up the Northern Mariana Islands...

Marines and sailors from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the USS Ashland, a forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship in the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group, have been working since they arrived in Saipan to distribute relief supplies there...

What makes this ironic is the history of the Marines and Saipan.

On June 15, 1944, during the Pacific Campaign of World War II (1939-45), U.S. Marines stormed the beaches of the strategically significant Japanese island of Saipan, with a goal of gaining a crucial air base from which the U.S. could launch its new long-range B-29 bombers directly at Japan’s home islands. Facing fierce Japanese resistance, Americans poured from their landing crafts to establish a beachhead, battle Japanese soldiers inland and force the Japanese army to retreat north. Fighting became especially brutal and prolonged around Mount Tapotchau, Saipan’s highest peak, and Marines gave battle sites in the area names such as “Death Valley” and “Purple Heart Ridge.” When the U.S. finally trapped the Japanese in the northern part of the island, Japanese soldiers launched a massive but futile banzai charge. On July 9, the U.S. flag was raised in victory over Saipan.

And that's just about the last time the U.S. flag was raised in victory.

Sigh...