![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Two Thoughts
Feb. 23rd, 2011 10:52 amOn the hijacking of the S/V Quest
Per this transcript of a press conference, there were 19 pirates involved in the hijacking of the American yacht Quest. When the Somalis started shooting (by firing an RPG at a US destroyer) there were 15 live pirates and 4 hostages on the ship.
That's 19 people in a vessel no bigger than a single-wide mobile home. A home out in the middle of an open area and moving south. Rescue was never an option.
Also from the briefing, the area at risk of pirate attacks is equivalent to the United States east of the Mississippi river. The 20 or so ships in the region can't really cover that area. The solution lies on land. That solution will be neither quick, cheap or bloodless.
On health care reform
Another Federal judge has ruled that the individual mandate is constitutional. For those keeping track at home, that's 3 for Obama, 2 against. Don't worry - you won't hear a peep about this from any Fox News or any conservative web site.
Per this transcript of a press conference, there were 19 pirates involved in the hijacking of the American yacht Quest. When the Somalis started shooting (by firing an RPG at a US destroyer) there were 15 live pirates and 4 hostages on the ship.
That's 19 people in a vessel no bigger than a single-wide mobile home. A home out in the middle of an open area and moving south. Rescue was never an option.
Also from the briefing, the area at risk of pirate attacks is equivalent to the United States east of the Mississippi river. The 20 or so ships in the region can't really cover that area. The solution lies on land. That solution will be neither quick, cheap or bloodless.
On health care reform
Another Federal judge has ruled that the individual mandate is constitutional. For those keeping track at home, that's 3 for Obama, 2 against. Don't worry - you won't hear a peep about this from any Fox News or any conservative web site.
