The light-blue-suiters want that pesky federalism-thingy to GO AWAY.

This article in MarineLink.com doesn't say so but the author is a retired Coastie. Rawther conspicuously missing from MarineLink are articles by mariners who've been boarded by Commissar and Gauleiter wannabes wearing USCG uniforms.

Reaction to the College bubble

Which is proceeding as Dr Glenn Reynold's has forseen. Reynolds also notes that there are some college majors which are well worth the time; effort; and expense. Here's one: Engineering. Here's an alternative:

The Engineering Candidate Hawsepipe (TECH) program is a comprehensive training program for selected high school graduates who want to pursue careers as seagoing marine engineers.
Is this for me? Candidates must meet the United States Coast Guard (USCG) medical requirements for a licensed engineer, and demonstrate high standards of academic achievement and engineering aptitude.  Recruiting for the inaugural class is now complete and the next class convening date will be announced in due course.  Interested personnel should complete the registration form (link below) and we will contact you when the next class is scheduled.

There is a shortage of marine engineers. Why? Because there's a shortage of engineers. Almost all engineers. Degreed engineers from the maritme academies, therefore, have LOTS of alternatives.

A group of companies and a couple of maritime unions to the rescue:

American Maritime Officers (AMO), the largest union of US licensed merchant marine officers and the Seafarers International Union (SIU), the largest union of unlicensed mariners are working together on this project with the purpose of providing selected candidates with the opportunity to proceed on a marine engineering career path and help fill the current shortage of marine engineers.  The program targets high performing recent high school graduates with an interest in the merchant marine and mentors them during intense training onboard ship and ashore.

Nope, it's not a college, it's technical education

The TECH program will take approximately 2.5 to 3 years to complete and has nine (9) phases. The phases can be viewed here.

Here's the best news: you actually get paid by this program, tuition, room and board are free

Fees, compensation and benefits while in the TECH program.
There are no tuition or room and board fees for this program and all transportation costs incurred in completing the program are covered, provided the individual agrees to complete the program successfully and sail as a licensed engineer for AMO upon completion.
There are, however, limited fees to be paid by the candidate for the following (financial assistance may be available if required):

• Medical and dental examinations associated with the application process and USCG physicals
• TSA and USCG fees to obtain TWIC and USCG MMC
• Uniform fees for initial phases of the program
• Transportation costs to STAR Center (Ft. Lauderdale) for initial program orientation
• Union dues as a member of Seafarers International Union and applicant candidate of AMO upon transition

While in the program TECH candidates will receive a limited stipend during certain shoreside training portions and all apprentice engineering assignments onboard ship. In addition, individual medical benefit coverage will be provided to the TECH candidate through the SIU and AMO

You have to sail for three years after graduating from the program. Is that a catch? Well, 3rd Assistant Engineers start off at $60 - $80,000 per year.

Redistribution

Comes now Mickey Kaus who's bemused that the press is (n.b. finally) tumbling to the fact that Obamacare takes from some and gives to others.  In a word, redistributive.

Also sprach der Noo Yawk Times:

The idea is basically that Obamacare is secretly (“shhh!” says Tim Noah) redistributive. Obama can’t use the term lest he scare the right, says Harwood. And if youre going to be redistributive, well, there have  to be losers

And here the good-deed-dooers run up against the hard rules of the USA: if you want to raise a bunch of money, you end up increasing taxes on people who don't consider themselves rich.  They really don't. 

Dr. Jonathan Gruber (health economist at MIT) claims opposition to this redistribution is just “a convenient tool for Republican opponents who would fight the law anyway.”

The whole thing's here: http://dailycaller.com/2013/11/25/3-problems-with-todays-obamacare-excuse/#ixzz2ll1srLoB

Sebelius Describes Federal Government As 'Our Federal Family' | CNS News

Big sis/ Big Brother... they're all family!
Sebelius Describes Federal Government As 'Our Federal Family' | CNS News

Confederate flag will fly along I-95 - Richmond Times-Dispatch: City Of Richmond

I'm going to pick nits: what will fly, assuming the Times-Dispatch got the dimensions right, is the Confederate Naval Ensign.  The Confederate battle flag is square; further, the "Confederate Flag" -- the flag of the Confederate States of America -- looks nothing like either of the above.
IOW, these yahoos are trying to make trouble, not honor history; because I don't think they're big CSN fans.
Confederate flag will fly along I-95 - Richmond Times-Dispatch: City Of Richmond

Yep, sailing permanently twists your mind.

Instapundit, a/k/a Professor Glenn Reynolds of the University of Tennessee's Law School, posted a link to cleaning advice published in Popular Mechanics (for which he also writes).  He also added a hint passed onto him by a maid -- t'is good advice, don't get me wrong -- but he ended the post with:

"She offered the trick in lieu of a fee, and it’s a great one."

Ahem.  what would you think?

War; Speak Truth to Power (swiped from www.JerryPournelle.com)

Go back a few years. Imagine a CIA plot to get Iran which considers us the Great Satan and hates us, to declare war on al Qaeda and expend blood and treasure on exterminating al Qaeda – which long ago declared war on us, and which is the most easily defined enemy in our War of Terror. Imagine that al Qaeda might be induced to expend its resources fighting Hezbollah and Iran. Imagine that we could get our enemies to fight each other using whatever weapons they could muster, and expend their blood and treasure on exterminating each other, so that neither had very much to spend on killing Americans.
Come to the present, where that is happening. Israel after careful consideration has stayed out of the Syrian civil war on the grounds that the Assad Family has kept the peace with Israel for decades, while al Qaeda attacks Israelis. Imagine that somehow the trick has been made to work, and our enemies fight each other in a war in which the United States has no describable national interest.
Now imagine that having achieved that result we decide to enter the war.

http://www.jerrypournelle.com/chaosmanor/?p=14231