The Best and the Brightest

This article describes the escalation of "moral waivers," which allow people to enlist who have felony convictions, etc. And just so you don't mistakenly think these are all petty crimes, this year's crop of moral waivers included:

The felons accepted into the army and marines included 87 soldiers convicted of assault or maiming, 130 convicted of non-marijuana drug offences, seven convicted of making terrorist threats, and two convicted of indecent behaviour with a child. Waivers were also granted to 500 burglars and thieves, 19 arsonists and 9 sex offenders.

I thought this part, in particular, was interesting:

The total number of moral waivers in the military reached 34,476 in 2006, or nearly 20% of all enlisted soldiers, according to the Palm centre at the University of California.

Recruits with felony convictions are more likely than other soldiers to drop out or be released from the military, often at a significant cost to the US government.

It really doesn't seem surprising that reports of terrible acts are occurring perpetrated by our soldiers when they feel perfectly free to perpetrate them at home.

And in other health news . . .

I'm just trying to keep y'all safe.

Boy? I See No Boy Here.

Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) might want to choose his words more carefully. When discussing Obama's actions during a recent "highly classified, national security simulation" Davis said, "I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button." Keeping it classy!

Gross National Product

I just ran across this quotation from Bobby Kennedy, and I thought I'd share:

Speech by Robert Kennedy, March 18, 1968, University of Kansas

"We will find neither national purpose nor personal satisfaction in a mere continuation of economic progress, in an endless amassing of worldly goods. We cannot measure national spirit by the Dow Jones Average, nor national achievement by the gross national product. For the gross national product includes air pollution and advertising for cigarettes, and ambulances to clear our highway carnage. It counts special locks for our doors, and jails for the people who break them. The gross national product includes the destruction of the redwoods, and the death of Lake Superior. It grows with the production of napalm and missiles and nuclear warheads . . . It includes Whitman's rifle and Speck's knife, and the broadcasting of television programs which glorify violence to sell goods to our country."

"And if the gross national product includes all this, there is much that it does not comprehend. It does not allow for the health of our families, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It is indifferent to the decency of our factories and the safety of our streets alike. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of public officials . . . the gross national product measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile; and it can tell us everything about America -- except whether we are proud to be Americans."

Source

No-Knock Raids

Long-time readers of this blog (Hi Jack!) know that I am not a big one for the "war on drugs." Turns out I'm even more down on no-knock raids resulting in death when the alleged drug dealer is schizophrenic or actually dealing in japanese maples.

In this case out of Seattle, an informer told police that a man was dealing pot, but it turned out to be japanese maples. When plainclothes police officers raided his home he opened fire, thinking police were the same people who had burglarized his home the week before. The man killed an officer, and is charged with first-degree murder.

"If a widespread pattern of [knock-and-announce] violations were shown . . . there would be reason for grave concern."
—Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, in Hudson v. Michigan, June 15, 2006.

Really? Well check out this interactive map over at the Cato Institute showing just how many botch-ups there have been. Here's just a sample from my home state:

George and Katrina Stokes.April 11, 1990—DC
In 1990, Washington, D.C. police crash through the front door of George and Katrina Stokes, who live in a high-crime area in the Southeast sector of the city.
The elderly couple is watching television when the raid begins. George Stokes is ordered to the floor at gunpoint, gashing his head as he falls. A terrified Katrina Stokes then falls down the couple's cellar stairs while trying to flee.
Police have the wrong address. The raid is captured on camera by a local TV news crew, who happened to be in the area covering a protest.
Sourced:
Tom Morganthau, Mark Miller, David A. Kaplan, Todd Barrett, and Lynda Wright, "Uncivil Liberties," Newsweek, April 23, 1990, p. 18.
Frank Wolfe, "Police hit wrong home in search for handgun," Washington Times, April 13, 1990, p. B3.

I really think we need to reevaluate our tactics, especially when the "crime" is nonviolent such as the possession of drugs. I understand that there are meanie, The Wire-style drug dealers out there who really won't think twice about messing up a cop. On the other hand, in my college days I knew a drug dealer or two who looked exactly like every other middle class college kid and the only thing they were packing was natty light.

Coupla Furniture Stores for Ya

Right now I am very much focused on furnishing my brand new humble abode. I'll admit it, I'm having serious commitment issues. On the positive side, I've discovered several really cute/cheap furniture stores in the DC area.

The first one is Reincarnations Furnishings. I love this place! They have tons of mid-century design crammed into two floors, making one hell of an interesting show room. I've been back at least five times and I can't decide what to get because I love it all. They're on 14th and Rhode Island, and there's a Seven-11 across the street (hey, gotta know where to get a slurpee in this town).

The next one is RCKNDY on U St. I'm not gonna lie, I might have the spelling wrong. It's on U between 15th & 16th (closer to 16th). It's a relatively new story with really eclectic pieces, also in the mid-century design arena. The owner is really cool, and he has interesting pieces you wouldn't find anywhere else. I loved the vase made from white porcelain guns.

Finally, there is Urban Retreat, which is a discount store out in Reston. They have all the same furniture as Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, etc. at half the price. I bought two chairs from them a couple years back, and they are both really well made. The only problem is I'm lazy and I hate hauling my cookies out to Reston. For the suburban dwellers, however, it's perfect.

Grapes and Apes

This Thursday I'm going to Grapes & Apes with some of my friends. It's a fundraiser for the National Zoo, but more importantly it's an open bar event. Fifty-five dollars gets you a gorgeous night at the zoo, light apps, and all the wine you can hold down. I feel my karma getting all sparkly already.

McCain't

You know what I look for in a presidential candidate? A really nasty temper, preferably with a dash of misogynistic expletives. Yeah, that's perfect.