Monday, August 11, 2008
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Book publisher Random House has joined the ranks of Westerners who censor themselves out of fear of Islamist violence: Shades of the Danish Cartoons: Random House in disgrace.
Although it has for some time been a division of German media giant Bertelsmann, Random House has been one of the distinguished names in American publishing since the halcyon days of Bennett Cerf. So it is particularly repugnant to see the company knuckling under to essentially the same reactionary, anti-democratic, anti-free speech forces that repressed the Danish cartoons. As we learned in the Wall Street Journal today, the company has decided not to publish Sherry Jones’ historical novel “The Jewel of Medina” about Mohammed’s child bride Aisha. The book was part of a $100,000 two-book contract with the author.
Although it has for some time been a division of German media giant Bertelsmann, Random House has been one of the distinguished names in American publishing since the halcyon days of Bennett Cerf. So it is particularly repugnant to see the company knuckling under to essentially the same reactionary, anti-democratic, anti-free speech forces that repressed the Danish cartoons. As we learned in the Wall Street Journal today, the company has decided not to publish Sherry Jones’ historical novel “The Jewel of Medina” about Mohammed’s child bride Aisha. The book was part of a $100,000 two-book contract with the author.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Pearl Harbor buddy.
Rex T. Barber was born in Culver, Oregon, on May 6, 1917.
He briefly attended Linfield College then transferred to Oregon State College where he majored in Agricultural Engineering. Barber enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September, 1940 and applied for pilot training. He won his pilot wings and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Lieutenant Barber’s first duty assignment was with the 70th Fighter Squadron at Hamilton Field, CA, where he initially flew Curtis P-40s and Bell P-39s. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, the 70th Squadron moved to Guadalcanal where the Squadron acquired twin-engine Lockheed P-38 Lightnings.
The most significant event of Rex Barber’s military career occurred in mid-April 1943. A coded Japanese message was intercepted, telling in precise detail the planned route and scheduled arrival for Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s flight to the island of Bougainville on the morning of April 18, 1943. Yamamoto served as Commander in Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was Japan’s foremost military leader and architect of the infamous December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Major John Mitchell, Commanding Officer of Barber’s squadron, the 339th Fighter Squadron, was selected to plan and lead a flight to intercept and to shoot down Yamamoto's plane. Four pilots had been designated to carry out the actual attack against Yamamoto’s bomber: they were Capt. Tom Lanphier, Lt. Rex Barber, Lt. Besby Holmes, and Lt. Ray Hine. The flight took off on schedule on April 18.
The question of who shot down Admiral Yamamoto has been disputed for several decades. The U.S. Air Force gave Lanphier and Barber each half credit. In 1997 the American Fighter Aces Association gave Barber 100 percent credit for shooting down the bomber carrying Yamamoto. In 1998 the Confederate Air Force recognized that Barber alone and unassisted brought down Yamamoto's aircraft and inducted him into the American Combat Airman Hall of Fame.
In all, Barber flew 110 combat missions from Guadalcanal. He transferred to China in early 1944 and flew another 28 combat missions in P-38s. During the course of the war, Barber shot down several more enemy aircraft. He also suffered injuries, but managed to evade capture, after his plane was shot down. Upon returning to the United States in January 1945, Barber test flew the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, the country's first operational jet fighter.
By the end of World War II, he was credited with five confirmed kills conferring "ace" status, sinking one destroyer, and three "probables," including what was likely the most notable aerial victory of the war - the downing of Yamamoto's plane. Barber was awarded the Navy Cross by Admiral Halsey, two Silver Stars, a Purple Heart, numerous Air Medals and a wide array of theater ribbons, campaign medals, and decorations from foreign governments.
He married Margaret, his partner-for-life, in Panama City, Florida in 1947. They had one child, Rex Jr. After more than 20 years of distinguished military service, Barber retired from active Air Force duty as a Colonel in 1961. He maintained an active interest in veteran organizations over the next 40 years.
Colonel Barber and his family returned to his hometown of Culver, Oregon, where he enjoyed a successful insurance career and served as justice of the peace and mayor. He was noted for never having missed a Little League ball game and as a person who would repeatedly take in stray kids.
Rex Barber died at home in Terrebonne, Oregon on July 26, 2001. His son noted that his father had enjoyed a good 84 years, then his "afterburner just flamed out on him."
He briefly attended Linfield College then transferred to Oregon State College where he majored in Agricultural Engineering. Barber enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September, 1940 and applied for pilot training. He won his pilot wings and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Lieutenant Barber’s first duty assignment was with the 70th Fighter Squadron at Hamilton Field, CA, where he initially flew Curtis P-40s and Bell P-39s. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, the 70th Squadron moved to Guadalcanal where the Squadron acquired twin-engine Lockheed P-38 Lightnings.
The most significant event of Rex Barber’s military career occurred in mid-April 1943. A coded Japanese message was intercepted, telling in precise detail the planned route and scheduled arrival for Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s flight to the island of Bougainville on the morning of April 18, 1943. Yamamoto served as Commander in Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was Japan’s foremost military leader and architect of the infamous December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Major John Mitchell, Commanding Officer of Barber’s squadron, the 339th Fighter Squadron, was selected to plan and lead a flight to intercept and to shoot down Yamamoto's plane. Four pilots had been designated to carry out the actual attack against Yamamoto’s bomber: they were Capt. Tom Lanphier, Lt. Rex Barber, Lt. Besby Holmes, and Lt. Ray Hine. The flight took off on schedule on April 18.
The question of who shot down Admiral Yamamoto has been disputed for several decades. The U.S. Air Force gave Lanphier and Barber each half credit. In 1997 the American Fighter Aces Association gave Barber 100 percent credit for shooting down the bomber carrying Yamamoto. In 1998 the Confederate Air Force recognized that Barber alone and unassisted brought down Yamamoto's aircraft and inducted him into the American Combat Airman Hall of Fame.
In all, Barber flew 110 combat missions from Guadalcanal. He transferred to China in early 1944 and flew another 28 combat missions in P-38s. During the course of the war, Barber shot down several more enemy aircraft. He also suffered injuries, but managed to evade capture, after his plane was shot down. Upon returning to the United States in January 1945, Barber test flew the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, the country's first operational jet fighter.
By the end of World War II, he was credited with five confirmed kills conferring "ace" status, sinking one destroyer, and three "probables," including what was likely the most notable aerial victory of the war - the downing of Yamamoto's plane. Barber was awarded the Navy Cross by Admiral Halsey, two Silver Stars, a Purple Heart, numerous Air Medals and a wide array of theater ribbons, campaign medals, and decorations from foreign governments.
He married Margaret, his partner-for-life, in Panama City, Florida in 1947. They had one child, Rex Jr. After more than 20 years of distinguished military service, Barber retired from active Air Force duty as a Colonel in 1961. He maintained an active interest in veteran organizations over the next 40 years.
Colonel Barber and his family returned to his hometown of Culver, Oregon, where he enjoyed a successful insurance career and served as justice of the peace and mayor. He was noted for never having missed a Little League ball game and as a person who would repeatedly take in stray kids.
Rex Barber died at home in Terrebonne, Oregon on July 26, 2001. His son noted that his father had enjoyed a good 84 years, then his "afterburner just flamed out on him."
Storm!
Crazy storm-
power went out, sirens going off, tornado warnings...scary.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/ticker/1091275,CST-NWS-storm05.article
Friday, August 01, 2008
Cine Magic
A photo of a Portland, OR second-run movie theatre changing its marquee from "Hancock" to "The Dark Knight." One hundred percent real; image via Mr. Mark Lisanti
Don’t Blame the Shorts. Blame the Longs.
Posted by Dennis K. Berman
We present, without comment, excerpts of testimony from a House Judiciary Committee hearing on short selling. The main actors: New York Congressman Frank Oliver, and New York Stock Exchange President Richard Whitney. The date: Feb. 24, 1932.
Posted by Dennis K. Berman
We present, without comment, excerpts of testimony from a House Judiciary Committee hearing on short selling. The main actors: New York Congressman Frank Oliver, and New York Stock Exchange President Richard Whitney. The date: Feb. 24, 1932.
Frank Oliver: Is it not a fact that the collapse in the prices and disappointment of the people is the main reason why they are blaming everything on the stock exchange?
Richard Whitney: Very likely; but that is a mere conjecture on my part.
Oliver: But the stock exchange has no agency and does not purport to have any to evaluate stocks.
Whitney: None whatsoever.
Oliver: When the stock collapsed from the high to the low, the public started to blame “the shorts” for that. Is that not a fact?
Whitney: I think from a hindside point of view, they blamed “the shorts.”
Oliver: They blamed the “shorts,” whereas, as a matter of fact, if the prices were inflated, they should have blamed the “longs” for having inflated them?
Whitney: And themselves.
Oliver: But instead of being logical about it, and blaming those who inflated prices, they blamed those who might have deflated them had they the power at that time–that is, the “shorts”?
Whitney: Yes.
Oklahoma Congressman Tom McKeown: Just talking as two citizens of a great country, you realize there is a good deal of feeling about people losing their money in stocks, just like there was about people losing their money in lands down in Florida. There is no law by which you can prevent people from speculating. They go ahead and think they can make money, just as they rush to the oil fields to get into the oil game, or to the gold mines to shovel gold.
Whitney: True.
McKeown: There is always a bitterness left following a condition of that kind. There is a great deal of bitterness in the country today on account of the losses on stocks in 1929….
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On Francisco Franco
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