Thursday, September 19, 2013
Maybe we issue too many secret clearances?
The Washington Navy Yard massacre was perpetrated by a contractor holding a secret clearance. Such clearances are supposed to be issued only to people worthy of holding positions of great trust for the United States. Clearly a homicidal maniac is not such a person. Within a few days the news media turned up derogatory information that should have disqualified him from a security clearance, and in fact for holding any kind of defense related job. Obviously the security vetting failed in Aaron Alexis' case.
It probably comes down to too many clearances to be processed with too little time and too little manpower. Because today, everything is classified and every one needs a clearance just to go to work. And work backs up if the clearances aren't granted. In sort, rampant over classification of everything, means nothing is protected. If everything is classified, then nothing gets extra protection.
Many years ago I was an avionics maintenance officer on America's newest hottest jet fighter. In those days, only a few things that would assist an enemy in jamming the fighter's radar were classified. Everything thing else, fire control, IFF, guided missiles, radar, IR, electronic navigation, data link, gyros, you name it, was unclassified. The enlisted men who repaired and overhauled the aircraft systems didn't need clearances. The technical orders (aircraft manuals) were unclassified, the troops could carry them around, out to the flight line, to the chow hall, where ever, without keeping them under lock and key.
Years later I was working on the Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), a clever arrangement of cameras and computers that could spot the launch of anti aircraft missiles and warn the pilot. The computer would get on the aircraft intercom and cry "Missile, Missile, Missile" into the crew's earphones. On the Common Missile Warning System EVERYTHING was classified. All the technicians needed a Secret clearance just to enter the building. The guys that swept the floor needed clearances. All the manuals were classified and kept in safes. Guys worked on the equipment from memory, since the manuals were too highly classified to be allowed out on the workbench. New guys couldn't start work until their clearances came thru. Which could take months and months. We always had half a dozen new guys just sitting around waiting for clearances so we could put them to work.
In actual fact there was nothing in the CMWS shops that would have done the enemy any good if he had gotten to it. The system worked off the light given off by the rocket motor, there is nothing you can do to change that. The electronic boxes were all programmable logic arrays and microprocessors. You need the source code in order to figure out how they worked, to either duplicate them or figure out how to fool them. There was no source code in our shops, we couldn't read it, and didn't need it. New boxes coming off the line were bench tested. If they failed bench test we changed chips until they worked. No source code needed.
If CMWS classification been reduced to the level we had on the F106 fighter program, it would have reduced the number of clearances a lot. If we looked thruout the defense department, we could find a LOT of overly classified programs. We could save money and tighten security all in one simple reform,
"He who defends everything defends nothing". Old military aphorism probably from Frederick the Great. "He who classifies everything defends nothing". New military aphorism from yours truly.
If we had fewer clearances to process, perhaps we could take the time to investigate each case and deny clearances to homicidal maniacs.
It probably comes down to too many clearances to be processed with too little time and too little manpower. Because today, everything is classified and every one needs a clearance just to go to work. And work backs up if the clearances aren't granted. In sort, rampant over classification of everything, means nothing is protected. If everything is classified, then nothing gets extra protection.
Many years ago I was an avionics maintenance officer on America's newest hottest jet fighter. In those days, only a few things that would assist an enemy in jamming the fighter's radar were classified. Everything thing else, fire control, IFF, guided missiles, radar, IR, electronic navigation, data link, gyros, you name it, was unclassified. The enlisted men who repaired and overhauled the aircraft systems didn't need clearances. The technical orders (aircraft manuals) were unclassified, the troops could carry them around, out to the flight line, to the chow hall, where ever, without keeping them under lock and key.
Years later I was working on the Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), a clever arrangement of cameras and computers that could spot the launch of anti aircraft missiles and warn the pilot. The computer would get on the aircraft intercom and cry "Missile, Missile, Missile" into the crew's earphones. On the Common Missile Warning System EVERYTHING was classified. All the technicians needed a Secret clearance just to enter the building. The guys that swept the floor needed clearances. All the manuals were classified and kept in safes. Guys worked on the equipment from memory, since the manuals were too highly classified to be allowed out on the workbench. New guys couldn't start work until their clearances came thru. Which could take months and months. We always had half a dozen new guys just sitting around waiting for clearances so we could put them to work.
In actual fact there was nothing in the CMWS shops that would have done the enemy any good if he had gotten to it. The system worked off the light given off by the rocket motor, there is nothing you can do to change that. The electronic boxes were all programmable logic arrays and microprocessors. You need the source code in order to figure out how they worked, to either duplicate them or figure out how to fool them. There was no source code in our shops, we couldn't read it, and didn't need it. New boxes coming off the line were bench tested. If they failed bench test we changed chips until they worked. No source code needed.
If CMWS classification been reduced to the level we had on the F106 fighter program, it would have reduced the number of clearances a lot. If we looked thruout the defense department, we could find a LOT of overly classified programs. We could save money and tighten security all in one simple reform,
"He who defends everything defends nothing". Old military aphorism probably from Frederick the Great. "He who classifies everything defends nothing". New military aphorism from yours truly.
If we had fewer clearances to process, perhaps we could take the time to investigate each case and deny clearances to homicidal maniacs.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
So what's a hand tool now a days?
Being a guy, I like tools. I have a wood shop and a lot of auto mechanical tools for working on the car. Actually, a fair selection if I do say so myself. So when one of those Amazon ads popped up, I clicked on hand tools, just to see what was to be had.
Surprise. Not much in the way of real hand tools for sale. A lot of survivalist throwing axes (tomahawks) and big fighting knives for those getting ready to go back to nature after the bomb. Civilian versions of the Army entrenching tool. Some genuine toys, like Bilbo Baggins' sword. What do you do with that, other than hang it on the wall in the man cave? Small sets of tools for beginning homeowners in neat plastic boxes. Other sets with pink handles for beginning lady homeowners.
No wood chisels, no hand planes, no drills or drillbits, no sets of screwdrivers. No squares of any kind. No saws. No sets of wrenches, other than socket sets.
In short, not many real tools, a lot of silly stuff.
Surprise. Not much in the way of real hand tools for sale. A lot of survivalist throwing axes (tomahawks) and big fighting knives for those getting ready to go back to nature after the bomb. Civilian versions of the Army entrenching tool. Some genuine toys, like Bilbo Baggins' sword. What do you do with that, other than hang it on the wall in the man cave? Small sets of tools for beginning homeowners in neat plastic boxes. Other sets with pink handles for beginning lady homeowners.
No wood chisels, no hand planes, no drills or drillbits, no sets of screwdrivers. No squares of any kind. No saws. No sets of wrenches, other than socket sets.
In short, not many real tools, a lot of silly stuff.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Cellulosic Ethanol
President Bush introduced the idea back maybe 10 years ago. Back then the greenies were pushing ethanol (drinking alcohol) as a motor fuel, it was supposed to save the planet. For some reason the carbon dioxide created by burning alcohol didn't contribute to Global Warming, where as the carbon dioxide from gasoline did.
Anyhow the greenies convinced Congress to require motor fuel to contain 10% ethanol. Trouble is, you have to make ethanol from corn, which is food, which is responsible for the drastic rise in food prices since the ethanol mandate took effect.
And so, some greenie claimed that you could make ethanol from waste, the chaff from wheat, the cobs from corn, brush clippings, wood and woody plants. And the Bush administration tried. Congress added a mandate to add "cellulosic ethanol" to motor fuel. Only nobody has been able to make ethanol from garden trimmings yet, so EPA is raising the price of gasoline by fining oil companies for not adding cellulosic ethanol of which there is none to be had.
And, I doubt that there ever will be any cellulosic ethanol. Cellulose (wood) is the result of a billion years of plants evolving a material that is inedible to animals. And it works. I may have deer eating my vegetables, but you don't see 'em eating the siding off my house. Or the cord wood off my woodpile. Inedible to animals means no digestive juices or stomach acids can turn wood into sugar. And the animals have been evolving digestive juices and stomach acids for as long as the plants have been evolving inedible wood. This says to me that wood, and woody plant stems cannot be turned into sugar, or alcohol, by anything. The plants have won. With the exception of termites, no animal can eat wood. Which is a good thing, if wood were edible, there would be no forests. Animals would eat the trees right down to the ground.
Anyhow the greenies convinced Congress to require motor fuel to contain 10% ethanol. Trouble is, you have to make ethanol from corn, which is food, which is responsible for the drastic rise in food prices since the ethanol mandate took effect.
And so, some greenie claimed that you could make ethanol from waste, the chaff from wheat, the cobs from corn, brush clippings, wood and woody plants. And the Bush administration tried. Congress added a mandate to add "cellulosic ethanol" to motor fuel. Only nobody has been able to make ethanol from garden trimmings yet, so EPA is raising the price of gasoline by fining oil companies for not adding cellulosic ethanol of which there is none to be had.
And, I doubt that there ever will be any cellulosic ethanol. Cellulose (wood) is the result of a billion years of plants evolving a material that is inedible to animals. And it works. I may have deer eating my vegetables, but you don't see 'em eating the siding off my house. Or the cord wood off my woodpile. Inedible to animals means no digestive juices or stomach acids can turn wood into sugar. And the animals have been evolving digestive juices and stomach acids for as long as the plants have been evolving inedible wood. This says to me that wood, and woody plant stems cannot be turned into sugar, or alcohol, by anything. The plants have won. With the exception of termites, no animal can eat wood. Which is a good thing, if wood were edible, there would be no forests. Animals would eat the trees right down to the ground.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Plastic ScotchBrite vs Brillo
Believe it or not, ScotchBrite plastic pads cut thru baked on crud better than Brillo. It also polishes rust off iron castings better than steel wool. Surprising that plastic cuts better than steel, but there you have it.
Media Shield law same-same as a Title of Nobility
I'm against the "Shield Law" thing.. All men are created equal, which means newsies don't get special privileges at law that ordinary citizens do not enjoy. Also, a federal shield law is half way toward a federal license to do journalism. Next they will say publishing anything political is a violation of the election laws unless you are a federally recongnized (licensed) newsie. And then they pull licences for their political opponents (Fox).
Plus I don't see any reason why newsies should not be required to testify in court, and even reveal their sources in serious (felony) cases. Newsies are citizens too (really, they are) and when their testimony could put a school shooter, a child molester, a mafia don, or a crooked politician in jail, they ought to testify.
Plus I don't see any reason why newsies should not be required to testify in court, and even reveal their sources in serious (felony) cases. Newsies are citizens too (really, they are) and when their testimony could put a school shooter, a child molester, a mafia don, or a crooked politician in jail, they ought to testify.
Friday, September 13, 2013
So what is Putin trying to do?
Two weeks ago, Obama was about to take a big hit when Congress rejected his call for Authorization for the Use of Military Force, 21st century jargon meaning declaration of war. Then, in response to an unplanned remark by John Kerry at a news conference in Europe, Putin jumps up and sells a face saving compromise to the world. Syria will turn its chemical weapons over to a neutral party and the US won't do missile or air strikes on Syria. The Americans love the idea, the Administration loves the idea 'cause now they don't have to suffer Congressional defeat, Congress loves it because they don't have to be mean to Obama, the voters love it because they never wanted to get mixed up in Syria at all. Talk about a win-win. Everybody in America wins.
What's in it for Putin? Sure, he gets a lot of favorable publicity, and gets to write an Op-Ed in the NY Times, but all this is kinda light weight stuff. Old Joe Stalin would not have been impressed unless the deal brought more land under Russian sovereignty, more countries into the Soviet block, or destroyed enemy armies in battle. I don't see that happening here.
I think Putin would have done better to leave Obama hoist by his own petard (big mouth). Had Putin done nothing, Congress would have voted down (or trash canned) the authorization for the use of military force. That's a big hit. Obama would have either backed off on Syria, or pressed on without Congressional approval, neither of which would have come out well for Obama.
Far as I can see, Putin bailed Obama out of a deep deep hole.
I wonder why.
What's in it for Putin? Sure, he gets a lot of favorable publicity, and gets to write an Op-Ed in the NY Times, but all this is kinda light weight stuff. Old Joe Stalin would not have been impressed unless the deal brought more land under Russian sovereignty, more countries into the Soviet block, or destroyed enemy armies in battle. I don't see that happening here.
I think Putin would have done better to leave Obama hoist by his own petard (big mouth). Had Putin done nothing, Congress would have voted down (or trash canned) the authorization for the use of military force. That's a big hit. Obama would have either backed off on Syria, or pressed on without Congressional approval, neither of which would have come out well for Obama.
Far as I can see, Putin bailed Obama out of a deep deep hole.
I wonder why.
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