The Cool Blue Blog

Season of Giving

Americans are generous people. In the course of this year alone, Americans have donated over $240 billion dollars to various charities with over 85% of households supporting non-profit organizations.

Many of us pajama folk who inhabit the blogosphere have taken up various causes but none unites us as much as Spirit of America and its efforts to raise money to "assist those advancing freedom and peace abroad". Bloggers get especially interested when Spirit of America calls upon us to raise money for Iraq and Afghanistan. And we are at it again.

I have mentioned before that Sissy Willis has been championing an effort to raise money for sewing machines for the women of Ramadi. If you are partial to this project, go here and help her help them.

But other bloggers have formed teams and challenged each other to see who can raise the most. One of these lead by John of Castle Argghhh! Fighting Fusileers for Freedom is looking for recruits and donations. So if you are so inclined, you can head over there and sign up and/or give what you can.

Another option is to join or donate to one of the teams listed here

Remember 100% of your donation goes to the project of your choice. Look at what we, together, have done in the past. Imagine what we can do now.

Thanks in advance for whatever you do.

The wisdom of crowds

Common Sense

Surprising new research shows that crowds are often smarter than individuals

By Michael Shermer

In 2002 I served as the "phone a friend" for the popular television series Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. When my acquaintance was stumped by a question, however, he elected to "poll the audience" instead. His choice was wise not only because I did not know the answer but because the data show that the audience is right 91 percent of the time, compared with only 65 percent for "experts."

Although this difference may in part be because the audience is usually queried for easier questions, something deeper is at work here. For solving a surprisingly large and varied number of problems, crowds are smarter than individuals. This is contrary to what the 19th-century Scottish journalist Charles Mackay concluded in his 1841 book, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, a staple of skeptical literature: "Men, it has been well said, think in herds. It will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one." This has been the dogma ever since, supported by sociologists such as Gustave Le Bon, in his classic work The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind: "In crowds it is stupidity and not mother wit that is accumulated."

Au contraire, Monsieur Le Bon. There is now overwhelming evidence, artfully accumulated and articulated by New Yorker columnist James Surowiecki in his enthralling 2004 book, The Wisdom of Crowds (Doubleday), that "the many are smarter than the few." In one experiment, participants were asked to estimate the number of jelly beans in a jar. The group average was 871, only 2.5 percent off the actual figure of 850. Only one of the 56 subjects was closer. The reason is that in a group, individual errors on either side of the true figure cancel each other out.

 

---

For a group to be smart, it should be autonomous, decentralized and diverse.

---

Daily Dish

Iran, who said they would stop enriching uranium for nuclear weapons, then said they wouldn't, then would, now says they'll only stop for a few months. The Captain is not so surprised.

Kofi Annan is disappointed that his son is likely involved in the Oil for Food scam while yet another scandal is revealed on his watch. William Safire has more on Mr Annan's troubles. Is it time for a Kofi break yet?

Conflict in the Ivory Coast appears to mark the end of the decolonization process for France. And even though we've had the video for a week, France is finally admitting it's troops did shoot into a crowd of civilians. Since the US wasn't involved, the media will likely not make a big deal about it. Meanwhile, back at home, French jihadists target potential jihadees.

Muslim extremists preach violence in Europe. "With a Koran in one hand and pistol in the other, the British rapper [Sheik Terra] calls for the murder of non-Muslims, including several world leaders, on a videotape." Nothing to see here, move along.

The outgoing Ukrainian president, Leonid Kuchma, is now lending his voice and calling for a revote as evidence mounts that there was blatant and widespread voter fraud. Hindrocket posts a firsthand account of goings-on in Kiev.

Cars stolen in Texas are smuggled across the border to Mexico and end up as car bombs in Iraq. How does this happen?

It appears the Medical Marijuana case before the Supreme Court has put Justices Kennedy and Scalia on the same side. Is this a sign of the appocalypse? Unfortunately it's the wrong side, in my opinion. Gina Holland thinks that the court will not take a Federalist view in this instance. Meanwhile, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philidelphia sides with Universities seeking to block military recruiters on campus. A large suit against car insurers was dismissed by the 11th Circuit. And all Guantanamo case motions have been divvied up between two justices, one a Carter appointee and the other a Bush appointee, much to the surprise of everyone.

Steve Gardner paid a price for speaking out. He's not complaining. But now that we know, perhaps we can do something?

A look at the blogosphere by an outsider who is now an insider.

British hotel chain offers free lodging to married couples whose names are Mary and Joseph. It's never too late to right a wrong, I guess.

Belly Dancers Against Bush are among those protesting against Bush in Canada today.

Utah law forbids cats and dogs from living together in the same house.

Watch out for the Hoola Hoop Pedestrian Crossing sign while driving today.

Robbery 101 - How to open doors.

A State's right

Today the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Raich v. Ashcroft.

The Raich side argues from a medicinal marijuana point of view:

For me and for thousands of others, this is a life or death issue. I'm very sick -- I suffer from an inoperable brain tumor, a seizure disorder, life-threatening wasting syndrome, severe chronic pain and other documented medical conditions -- but I'll be damned if I'm going to let the federal government prohibit me from improving my health with cannabis.

The other side could be represented by the Drug Free America Foundation. In their Amicus brief  to the Supreme Court they summarize their argument in this way:

There is still no proven medical value to the use of crude marijuana. This remains the unequivocal position of the Food and Drug Administration, which is charged by Congress with making this determination. The Appellate Court’s decision (finding a strong likelihood of success on the merits of appellants’ commerce clause claim) rests on its identification of a separate class of activities regarding the use of crude marijuana for personal medical purposes, such that this class of activities exists outside the scope of the class of drug-related activities reached by the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 801 et seq. Absent a legitimate and currently accepted medical use for crude
marijuana, the Appellate Court’s reasoning must fail, as it would therefore have no basis for establishing this separate class of drug use which is independent of the Controlled Substances Act.

Neither argument moves me and neither will move the Court, in my opinion. I think both of these arguments are for public consumption not, I hope, court consumption. The only thing that interests me is the State's Right issue and it will be that issue the court takes up....I hope.

The real question before the court has to do with the Federal Government's ability to interfere with laws that are state created. It is recognized that the Federal Government has the Constitutional power to regulate interstate commerce (Article 1 Section 8). Their ability to regulate drugs is based on this.

In brief, the facts of the case are these:

In 2002, DEA officers raided the Oroville California home of Diane Monson, who was growing marijuana in her garden to ease back pain. The raid was tied to a crackdown on medical marijuana

The state of California has legalized marijuana for a specific purpose and if no interstate transportation of the drug has occurred, the Feds should have no ability to arrest someone who is following state law, and not breaking a federal law.

I frankly don't care whether or not marijuana is useful for medical purposes. This argument was made and won and the democratically elected officials of the state of California legally enacted it into law.

I don't care whether or not marijuana is bad for you. Lots of things that are legal are bad for you. All that matters to me is that California weighed the evidence and made the law.

California's laws are not binding in other states. California did not legalize growing marijuana for sale in other states (and couldn't if they wanted to). The law only affects the people of California who, as adults and by means of the proper Democratic process decided its OK.

To me, it is clear that at one time the Congress thought this way regularly. The only reason I can imagine that the 18th Amendment (Prohibition) was passed was because it was the only way the Congress could prohibit States from being able to make and sell alcohol within their own State. When the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment all that was needed to be said could be contained in Section 1

"The eighteenth article of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed"

But no, it has a Section 2

"The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the UNited States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited."

So even though Congress made alcohol legal, you could not violate the laws of an individual state.

Again, why would the Federal Government even require the 18th Amendment if Congress could simply do what it has done with marijuana; simply declare it illegal?

The current Court has been friendly to Federalism and States Rights. It struck down the Violence Against Women Act because Congress attempted to use the Commerce Clause improperly. Congress' authority to regulate interstate commerce simply can not be used to justify anything and everything Congress wants to do.

We have hope. In the 1995 Lopez ruling, Chief Justice Rehnquist said "If we were to accept the government's arguments, we are hard-pressed to posit any activity by an individual that Congress is without power to regulate."

Justice Rehnquist was not sitting in Court today as he is battling cancer.

But I very much hope his spirit was there and the Court once again stands up for Federalism and State's rights and puts real limits on the power of Congress.

Freedom depends on Security

International Police Liaison Officers Helping Local Iraqi National Police to Serve

BAYJI, Iraq- While Soldiers’ training and equipment allows them to maintain security by force in the short term when necessary, the best and most effective long term solution is to turn the responsibility for security over to trained, equipped, and ready Iraqi Security Forces.  And while Soldier’s have been able to make substantial inroads in such areas as the training of the Iraqi National Guard, police work and the training of the Iraqi National Police (INP) is one area in which has proved more difficult.  While the Army’s Military Police (MPs) are better trained for such specialized work, there are already substantial missions for a limited number of MPs in theater.

One way in which Coalition Forces in Iraq are countering this difficulty is through the employment of contracted civilian International Police Liaison Officers or IPLOs, a solution that has previously met with success in areas such as Bosnia and Kosovo.  Working in close association with the Soldier’s of the First Infantry Division’s Task Force 1-7 (TF 1-7), these IPLOs in Bayji, Iraq, provide the required expert capabilities and are helping the Bayji and Sharqat Police to become a capable, professional law enforcement agency.

Back to the Future

Click to enlarge

UPDATE: OK so it's a hoax. But remember, if Dan Rather had done what I just did, he'd still be a highly paid anchor today.

Oh wait; he is.

Daily Dish

Tomorrow, President Bush will visit our neighbor to the North. A coalition of anti-war protesters, left-wing lawyers and anti-capitalists have decided to protest the visit and have not ruled out violent protest. Some want to indict the President for War Crimes. And while Kate reminds folks of the consequences should such an action be successful, Cicada reminds Canadians that what's good enough for Bush may just be good enough for Chretien, and Clinton... Besides, as Kate notes, Canadian courts have already refused to consider evidence that the war was illegal in the case of Army deserter Jeremy Hinzman.

The Captain notes that the UN needs to outlaw Terrorism or become irrelevent. But I think that barn door is already open and the horses are gone. 2Slick recounts the adventures of the 2-7 Cav (my son's old unit with which he spent some time in Kuwait before the war) in Fallujah. The Traceless Warrior has some thoughts on the Marine shooting there and about war in general. Meanwhile Germany is forced to confront their cheap labor choices.

Sudan expels the head of Save the Children for telling people the government dropped bombs in Darfur in violation of Sudanese law. Apparently, the dropping of bombs wasn't a violation of Sudanese law, but talking about it was. Actually, the guys lucky to still have his head...

Chrenkoff has a summary of Good News from the Islamic world.

The Boston Globe has a piece on the California Marijuana law case that will be argued before the Supreme Court today. We will see if this a Federalist Court as many have claimed. From my point of view, their support of Federalism has been spotty at best. The Birmingham News has a story on the Title IX case to be argued on Tuesday. George Will argues that Republicans should be careful about making changes that will curtail filibusters of the Presidents judicial nominations since filibusters are an effective way of protecting minority rights. And it is hardly the case that Republicans can claim the moral high ground with regards to thwarting Presidential judicial nominations.

President of college enrolls as a freshman to "to study the freshman experience in a way that would be impossible from the president's office". Hope he likes to party hearty.

Lions eat livestock. Farmers eat lion in a Zimbabwe barbeque.

MBA student invents glow-in-the-dark thong.

Illinois Governor rescinds a Department of Health program where colored and flavored condoms were being distributed free of charge to the public.

Fatima Khalil Hassan comes home

Little girl is welcomed back after medical treatment in US

FOB CALDWELL, Iraq – Fatima Khalil Hassan (14 months old) was welcomed back by family and friends at home in Iraq after spending six months in the United States for medical treatment.

Fatima and her mother, Baida Amer, flew from the U.S. over the last few days. Once in Iraq, she was flown into the Kurkush Military Training Base (KMTB) where she was driven back to her home in Mandali. She was treated for cancer and swelling she had on her neck. Baida said that her daughter’s disease started one month after birth. When asked what the doctors in the U.S. were doing for Fatima she said, “They gave her medicine and they wanted to conduct surgery, but she is too young for that now. So they gave me medicine to bring back to Iraq and when Fatima reaches five years old she will be taken back to the U.S. for surgery.”

Fatima and her mother stayed in the U.S. for six months. They said that they were treated very well and were able to live with a Muslim family which made their stay more comfortable. Baida Amer also said that they were provided anything they wanted. She said that the medical treatment was paid for by the U.S. Government. Fatima’s family and friends were waiting for her once she arrived at home.

Daily Dish

Iran says they'll stop uranium enrichment. Then says no we won't, yes we will, no we won't, yes we will...The Speaker of the Iranian Majlis claims the IAEA is discriminatory with regards to Iran. Sure; play the race card...

The Ukrainian parliament passes a resolution acknowledging widespread voter fraud. The Bush Administration has said that they do not accept the results as presented as being legitimate even though the apparent winner of the election is a close US ally. Captain Ed notes that this is evidence of the Administration's dedication to Democracy over expediency.

Joe Gandelman warns Democrats not to drink the Kool Aid, and Michelle points out that Maureen Dowd's best column to date was written by Ms Dowd's brother.

Social Security reform will likely highlight budget issues; in fact, the budget problems may very well aid it's passage.

The rising tide lifts all ships.

Sergent Major James Jordan (Michael's brother) decides to stay with his team when it deploys to Iraq. (courtesy of Powerline)

Red Tea, Instant Coffee, and fast food in Africa; the Traceless Warrior has it all.

Santas sleighed by police.

British bullies forced to wear blue plastic wristbands. That'll teach 'em.

"Buy Nothing Day" not catching on. Scheduling it for Black Friday probably didn't help.

Only in France could a movie filmed in France, in French, with French actors, writers and crew be deemed not French enough to participate in a French film award competition.

Naked lawyer fails to overturn misconduct ruling.

Barbie's midlife crisis.

Fallujah reconstruction

Fallujah Reconstruction Effort to Begin Soon

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2004 — The successful military operation in Fallujah, Iraq, needs to be followed by an equally successful reconstruction operation, and the United States and Iraq are poised to begin that effort perhaps within the next week or two, officials told Pentagon reporters today.

U.S. Marines are already cleaning up the city to prepare for the reconstruction effort, likely to cost as much as $100 million, said Ambassador Bill Taylor, director of the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office, during a videoconference from Baghdad.

He said he expects the first construction contracts to be awarded to local Iraqi companies within the next two weeks, depending on how quickly the last pockets of resistance are removed from the city. "The first thing that has to happen is the final military action needs to be completed," Taylor said.

The initial focus of the reconstruction effort will be on humanitarian assistance for Fallujah's residents when they return to their homes, Taylor said. Most residents left the city during the long buildup before the offensive there.

U.S. and Iraqi troops will tap into pre-positioned supplies to help meet residents' immediate needs. These include a 14-day supply of food and water, 2,000 health and comfort packages, a 90-day supply of first aid, medicine and water-treatment tablets, and 13,000 packages of toiletries. 

The next priority will be restoring essential services — electricity, water and sewer services — "so people can move back in, begin to repair and resume their lives — hopefully better lives without the extremists there," Taylor said.

So far, $8 million has been earmarked for water-supply improvements, $4 million to build four new schools and more funding for garbage trucks and other projects, according to Charles Hess, director of the Iraq Project and Contracting Office.

More money is likely to be required after civil-military teams finish surveying damage in the city, he said.

The U.S. government has identified "tens of millions of dollars" for the effort, and the interim Iraqi government has identified an equal sum, Taylor said. "We are still working together with them to figure out which projects we should do and which they should do," he said.

Hess said many of these projects were already started or about to begin when they were sidelined because of insurgent activity in the city. "Now it's a matter of just getting those contract entities back into position and getting them started up again," he said.

Taylor said it's important to move forward with these projects as quickly as possible, not only to ensure the city is ready for the January elections, but also to help return Fallujah to normalcy and generate work. Fallujah has long been a construction center in Iraq, and that the rebuilding will bring much- needed employment to the city, he said.

"In the long term, the economy needs to grow. People need to go back to work in jobs there," he said. "This will be as important as the military operation in order to consolidate the victory."

Hess said the reconstruction effort in Iraq is proceeding well. So far, $12.8 billion of the $18.4 billion in the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund approved by Congress has been committed, he said. Almost $9 billion of that is obligated through contracts — 4,500 of them with Iraqi-owned firms. In addition, $1.78 billion in funding has been dispersed.

Equally encouraging, Hess said, is the number of construction starts, now at 873, and expected to reach 1,000 by the year's end.

While security remains "a serious challenge," Hess said reconstruction effort is continuing steadily.

The goal, he said, is to improve Iraq's infrastructure, boost employment by hiring Iraqi companies, and help the interim Iraqi government build its ministries so they can take over the reconstruction effort in the future.