evolution

JD’s right, I am involved with what the report said. The report was conducted by the Kansas Health Institute (KHI) and commissioned by the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments (KALHD). Specific county data was left out of the report that was released due to security issues. I know that the information could probably be found — but why just lay it out for the bad guys? Think OPSEC (operational security).

A few things to remember about this report and the state of preparedness of Kansas.

1. The report was done for the fiscal year 2002. We made a lot of progress then and we continue to improve; I can’t specify (opsec), but you’ll have to trust me on this one.
2. Some premises were a little off in my opinion. Does Rawlins County need to prepare the same as Johnson County? In my opinion, no. Everyone knows where Johnson County is [It's the Kansas side of the KC Metro area. -ed]. For those without access to a Kansas map, Rawlins County is in far northwest Kansas. According to the census, it has more cattle than people.
3. We (anti-terrorism people) tend to speak in non-specifics to non-secure audiences. A public document of any kind is by nature not secure. Remember, it is that way to help insure your safety.

So, people of America, we who do this business daily are improving preparedness for your safety every day. While reports like this help to highlight our positives and negatives, we use them to aid our preparedness activities. My advice is to please not get too bent out of shape at these news reports and our seeming lack of answers to your questions. Remember, the country is at war, and will likely be for our entire lives.

The Lawrence Journal-World channels Ted “There is no threat but Bush” Kennedy: Report: Counties make strides in preparing for bioterrorism.

TOPEKA — State officials Friday released a report that says county health departments are making significant improvement in preparing for potential bioterrorism attacks.

But good luck trying to find out how an individual county health department is doing.

I’m glad the writer of this piece can afford to be so flippant about terrorism preparedness in Kansas. If you are a Kansan, and you think, “Nothing could happen here,” then you are sadly mistaken.

At least the reason the individual county information is not given is explained in the following lines:

The $165,000, 122-page report doesn’t identify the performance of specific counties, and state officials refused to disclose that information.

Information on which counties are doing a good job and which ones aren’t could help terrorists, said Richard Morrissey, acting director of health for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Incidentally, the report is right in the wheelhouse of evolution’s counterterrorism expert Michael. It’s quite likely that he had something to do with its production; I hope he will comment on this post and let us know what he can.

UPDATE [07.30.2004 09:43]: Michael did, in fact, have something to add.

… then count me out.

I’ll have the round-up on the Kansas 4th Congressional district (Wichita and surrounding environs), which is currently represented by Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R), another time. I heard this bit of news on the radio this morning which explains why I haven’t heard much about this race: Congressman Tiahrt’s son Luke took his own life last week, and will be laid to rest today.

Our condolences to the Tiahrt family during what must be trying times indeed.

The Emperor of Dirt has written his first State of the Union address, should he find himself standing in the House chamber someday.

The Lawrence paper is my favorite place to find almost news. The part I really enjoy is the daily man on the street interviews because it is as close as the paper can get to what Lawrence considers reality. Today’s question “What are you looking forward to at the Fair?” The Douglas County Free Fair where primarily 4-Hers go to present their projects.

I bring this up because some lady went off about the evils of competition and even brought the election/George Bush bashing into her anti-competition speech. Americans have already taken shots at the Boy Scouts, careful 4-H you could be next. I was a 4-Her so let me take a minute here. The 4-H motto is “To make the best better.” It is a testament to self-improvement. One of the ways to show improvement is through judging, in this case of projects or skills one completes. It is primarily competition against one’s self.

Competition isn’t neccessarily bad, except when weird parents make it so (beating refs and such). Healthy competition will boost morale and pride in people. It can also be a motivating factor to improve one’s finish.

My final comment to this lady and to others who do not like competition is — are you screwed, because life is a competition. Everything from trying to get a date, a job, or going shopping is a competition. See George C. Scott’s monologue as “Patton”: “Americans love a winner, and will not tolerate a loser…”

[Editorial note: This is the first in a series of guest posts by evolution's counterterrorism expert Michael. He is filling in for me until I get cable internet turned on in my new home. -j.d.]

This worries me. To think that an election may be swayed by lies of a man who himself says the movies is at best a political cartoon. Why then are we not budgeting more for the space program so we can land drillers on the coming asteroid to blow it up, or is Bruce Willis busy? Today’s times seem to be more filled with political infighting. It makes me wonder how close this is to the times of Andrew Jackson or even of the Founding Fathers with Federalist/Anti-federalist debates. Sean Combs is also working on registering people to vote, young people, I wonder where those will go. These are trying and dangerous times we live in my friend, I am afraid that the terrorists have done their work. We will be the final nail in the fall of democracy. Europe is already down the slippry slope, and with the election of a Spanish Socialist to head the EU it will likely continue.

Not that I am giving up on those freedoms that the Declaration of Independence and Constitution gave us but it seems that as a people we are more willing to give these away to the world and follow their control. UN people watching our elections, the longest standing free society in existence today — I say WHY? Wake up America! We are the protectors of ourselves, our nation, our way of life. The world would see us fail because of our ability to come from nothing to the greatest country on earth. We cannot subject ourselves to these folks. Stand up I say for America, her founding documents and principals, and for those we call our countrymen.

Michael, evolution’s counterterrorism expert, is going to be doing some guest posting duties until I get cable Internet turned on at my new home. I’ll be back on a limited basis until then.

Posting will be very light during the next week or two, as I get moved and then get the cable at my new place turned on, and run errands related to my new job.

Take a while and browse some of the archives.

I was picking through my referral logs this morning, and I noticed someone searched for “wagle KU wichita eagle”. I clicked the link in my logs, and the search revealed this editorial from the Wichita Eagle (which is State Sen. Susan Wagle’s home turf): Veto it, too: Second sex-class proviso as unnecessary as first.

When Gov. Kathleen Sebelius vetoed a proviso that would have yanked funding from a University of Kansas human-sexuality course, that should have been the end of it. Instead, lawmakers took a less-direct shot at the class before they adjourned last week — with a budget proviso requiring state universities to provide the Kansas Board of Regents with their policies on issues such as the use of “obscene” materials, sexual harassment and teaching about pedophilia in sex classes.

On the scale of legislative micromanaging, the second proviso is a vast improvement. But Ms. Sebelius should veto it, too, as another unnecessary attempt by lawmakers to meddle in academic freedom.

Besides, the crusading legislator behind the effort, Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, has more than made her point — that public universities have a duty to taxpayers to rein in or otherwise deal with professors whose teaching tools allegedly include obscenity, pornography and sexual harassment.

Too bad she made that point without using the system in place at state universities to handle complaints from students, parents and taxpayers. Ms. Wagle should have started by asking questions of KU social-welfare professor Dennis Dailey’s supervisors. Instead, she served up her incendiary accusations to the Senate and media, drawing undeserved national and even international attention to the state for its supposed intolerance not only for evolution but also sexual education. What a waste.

I doubt I could have said it better myself.