Ten years ago today Apple opened its first two Apple Stores – the first in Tysons Corner, Virginia and the second in my former hometown mall, the Glendale, California Glendale Galleria.
My once and current local mall, the Maine Mall, opened their own Apple Store in September of 2008.
The UAE is putting together a secret mercenary army?! “Blackwater Founder Forms Secret Army for Arab State“.
This is the craziest shit I’ve read in a while:
The force is intended to conduct special operations missions inside and outside the country, defend oil pipelines and skyscrapers from terrorist attacks and put down internal revolts, the documents show. Such troops could be deployed if the Emirates faced unrest or were challenged by pro-democracy demonstrations in its crowded labor camps or democracy protests like those sweeping the Arab world this year.
A little later on:
People involved in the project and American officials said that the Emiratis were interested in deploying the battalion to respond to terrorist attacks and put down uprisings inside the country’s sprawling labor camps, which house the Pakistanis, Filipinos and other foreigners who make up the bulk of the country’s work force. The foreign military force was planned months before the so-called Arab Spring revolts that many experts believe are unlikely to spread to the U.A.E. Iran was a particular concern.
And this:
Mr. Rincón’s visa carried a special stamp from the U.A.E. military intelligence branch, which is overseeing the entire project, that allowed him to move through customs and immigration without being questioned.
Wow.
Paul Krugman had a good Op-Ed in Thursday’s New York Times: “Seniors, Guns and Money“.
Frighteningly:
In 2007, there were 20.9 Americans 65 and older for every 100 Americans between the ages of 20 and 64 — that is, the people of normal working age who essentially provide the tax base that supports federal spending. The Social Security Administration expects that number to rise to 27.5 by 2020, and 31.7 by 2025. That’s a lot more people relying on federal social insurance programs.
We’re in trouble.
I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t even think of this: “Indians say code name offensive but not surprising“.
The military used “Geronimo” as a code name for the operation to get Osama bin Laden.
Geronimo, of course, was the Native American leader who fought against Mexico and the United States for expansion into Apache lands, and who was famous for evading capture for decades.
I guess that last point is the salient one. Evading capture.
“We’ve been oppressed for so long, it just doesn’t matter anymore,” said Leon Curley, a Navajo and Marine veteran from Gallup, N.M. “The government does what it wants when it wants. The name calling is going to stay around forever. But when you think about it, this is an insult.”
It’s true.
Sigh.
The Maine Sunday Telegram really took a shot at Maine’s Governor Paul LePage today: “Our View: Gov. LePage acts like he’s in over his head“.
Key quotes are a-plenty, but here’s my favorite:
For the most part, the governor has surrounded himself with people who, like him, are novices to state government. He has filled his administration with people he is comfortable with, politically and personally, and excluded those who could augment his get-tough philosophy with experience, expertise and an occasional dash of common sense.
LePage doesn’t seem to take advice from anyone, much less from newspaper editorials, but we’ll offer some anyway.
The governor should recruit at least one adviser who can point him in the right direction, warn him when he’s about to make a mistake, counsel him when he’s in trouble. Maybe he could solicit advice from some former governors or other public officials – and act on it.
Wow.
Josh finally lives in Maine again
after four years at Boston University, a stint in Southern California with
Walt Disney Feature Animation,
and two years in Dubai, UAE,
where he created and wrote
Newlywed in Dubai.
