Dangerous Cooperation

The other day I caught a story on NPR about the “War on Terror.” Generally NPR stories do a pretty good job of laying out both sides of the issue. There are times their liberal bias spoils an otherwise neutral story, but it at least seems like they are trying to avoid being reflexively liberal. But this is beside the point. I merely meant to cite my source.

The segment involved a national security expert who was talking about the next big threat. He explained that the new trend in interdepartmental communication between the FBI, CIA, and the military is both helpful and dangerous. Helpful in its ability to coordinate our response to ‘typical terror,’ dangerous in the potential new forms of terror it could wreak on America.

Just like the system of ‘checks and balances’ between the three branches of our federal government, the CIA and FBI were purposely set apart to prevent the consolidation of too much power in one locus. “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Those that created the organizations knew that there would be temptations to abuse power. Keeping the agencies separate creates competition, competition fosters suspicion, and suspicion keeps everyone honest.

I wouldn’t argue the new cooperation is a terrible thing. But I am concerned about the long-term consequences of too much interdepartmental cooperation. I’m not much of a conspiracy theorist, but it is only a mater of time before a corrupt CIA agent meets a corrupt FBI agent and viola… nearly unlimited power. Each agent could play their agency off on the other. They could work together, covering each other’s tracks, diverting attention, wielding the combined power of their agencies.

One would hope that various levels of security clearance, internal structural safeguards, and other prophylactic measures would prevent cross-agency corruption. But humans are smart, shrewd, and calculating. It is only a mater of time before somebody abuses the new found culture of cooperation.

When it happens, I hope it only costs us money and not lives.

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Crocodile Hunter Dead at 44

It was only a matter of time...

He taunted numerous dangerous animals, especially large reptiles. It was only a mater of time before one of Mother Nature’s little critters rose up and fought back. I do not mean to make light of an untimely death, but this is the same guy who thought his infant child should be part of his “crocodile dancing” show. So pardon me if I do not sound all that reverent.

You play with fire…

Satisfying Violence

A man is capable of all kinds of monstrosities when he is backed into a corner. And trust me; this was not going to be pretty no mater how it went down. It seemed so senseless, yet so necessary.

I had promised myself I would never do it again. She, had promised me I’d never have to do it again. But there I was… faced with two choices I didn’t like.

Even though there were other options, I could not have lived with myself if I had taken an easy way out. No, not this time, this time it was going to have to be violent, dirty, and raw. I was going to have to roll-up my sleeves and get a little sweaty.

Could I ignore my own common sense? Was the violence necessary? What if somebody walked-in on me, and caught me mid-act? What would happen if I could not finish the job?

The questions swirled. But the time for questioning was over… it was time for action. I only had an hour to complete the act… precious little time.

I pulled out my hammer, unsure of where to begin, and brought it down leading with the claw… THUD. I knew instantly that I would have to find a better way. The hammer was only going to increase the gore. Hacksaw…? No a hacksaw would probably be worse.

Next, I tried a screwdriver. Perfect, I thought. Although I would be pressed for time, I knew that with a screwdriver I could be exacting and less sloppy. It wasn’t always easy, often I had to contort into unusual positions. But I made steady progress, carrying pieces out to the dumpster as I worked them free. Once I got rolling, I was able to work much quicker.

Soon the entire works was in the dumpster. Never to be seen again.

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Ambular is officially out of here old apartment. I just described “moving Ambular’s sleeper sofa.” It was heavy, bulky… a pain in the ass to move. It has caused heat exhaustion, bent toenails, and all forms of bumps and bruises.

The last time we moved it, we swore (hoped) it would be the last time. To make a long story short, Ambular tried to get rid of it, but no luck. The apartment needed to be vacated by the 31st and we don’t have a truck, so our options were limited. We would have to find some way to deal with it.

We tried, with Joe’s help to move it out by the dumpster. But on the way out the door it slipped and collided with Joe’s toe. Joe was wearing sandals… ouch. After that we debated leaving it versus tearing it apart and removing it piece-by-piece.

So yesterday, before I caddied, I went to the apartment with a hammer, a hacksaw, a screwdriver set, a drill, and a shop-vac. Some how, someway, I was going to dismantle the beast and get it out of the abode.

I was amazed at how tough it was to get started. Once I knocked-out the first corner it was pretty easy and somewhat enjoyable. It’s not everyday that you get to recklessly destroy a couch. I would have paid to have been able to do it when I was 12.

Man versus couch…

Man: 1
Couch: 0