My book about my dad and The Manhattan Project

I'll be closing Planet California down for a while to research and write the book I've been contemplating for twenty years: the story of my father and his involvement with the world changing Manhattan Project.

Much of the material I'm seeking is available through The Freedom of Information Act, while much more must be gathered through personal interviews. I wish I hadn't waited so long, frankly, as many of the people I need to talk to are gone now. I also plan to travel to the place of my birth, Hanford, Washington, one of the three Manhattan Project production sites, for the intense experience of feeling and knowing by putting my feet on that ground again after 57 years. My sister, who is fifteen years older than I, will go with me.

Dad wasn't forthcoming, obviously, about his job, thus, the reason for the need for so many outside questions. I admit it may sound odd to many of my readers that I have only just found out in the last few years of my father's FBI agent training at Quantico. We didn't speak of Dad's job, even after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and into the Cold War years when Dad was transferred to another high security job in Kansas City, Missouri in 1949. There were many middle-of-the-night phone calls that were not discussed.

My father's story is one that deserves telling. He was the oldest of eight in a family of yeoman Indiana corporate farmers, a high school and college four-letter athlete, state champion athletic coach and beloved teacher. He had a beautiful, brilliant and educated wife (also a teacher) and two fine children. Things went swimmingly except they were absolutely without money. No one had money.

Then he made a dramatic, painful jump to private industry from the love of his life--teaching--made out of economic necessity, not choice. No more painting barns or schlepping his entire family to work in the steel mills in Gary during the summers for the man with two degrees and a nice job the rest of the year. He had to find other work. He did...in about 1939. Right down the road at DuPont, the folks who put the security into The Manhattan Project...in about 1942, when a flat organizational democracy of scientists were running riot with their loose lips and riling against the constraints of national security to the point of chaos and jeopardy. It was at this point my father became a part of the project and my entire family moved from Indiana to temporary barracks housing in Richland, Washington.

I hope to write this story such that it instructs and allows my grandchildren to grasp the greatest generations' early motivations, patriotism, hardships, dreams and sense of honor. I'm driven also by the ideal of setting the record straight by demonstrating just who was involved with this critically important phase of world history. After all, it wasn't all Einsteins, Oppenheimers, Groves, Fermis (our neighbor) and Tellers who did this deal. Real people put this thing together. My father was one of them.

Until the book, without so much as a working title, is much further along...

thanks for the read.

Dissecting the GOP; it's a filthy job but somebody's gotta do it.

I can't stop myself. We need a nasty post postmortem.

Sarah Palin
I got hate mail when I spoke about how Palin needed to study. However, I never said I wanted her for president, I don't think. I did say, IF she wanted to BE president, she needs to probably consider boning up on everything.

After all the knuckledragging sexist men and snobbish women (like they have anything to be snobbish about) finished with her, she has become something of a joke and thus likely will become another political casualty of history. There's probably little that can give Republicans added value now that she's trying her own PR.

By the way, her public relations is NOT working.

John McCain
What can I say? I believe his age was the enemy for Independents and the youth vote. Palin also became an issue.

George W. Bush
Is he drinking again? Where the hell is he?

Dick Cheney
Where is he? Where's the leadership?

Oh, I forgot. It never existed.

Mike Huckabee
This man is probably the biggest opportunist who ever came into 21st Century Presidential Republican politics. He talks the talk; but walking's another matter. He also will be a liability if we are stupid enough to be duped again by his candidacy.

Fred Thompson
Over.

Rudi
How I wish.

Mitt Romney
He's never looked so good.

As for all the new kids on the block: there seems to be an abundance of literate, attractive governors and congress people out there who have experience and charisma enough to take the lead in our party.

The governors seem to have the ability, because of their executive experience, to put programs together (except for that dolt, Schwartzenegger) which will attract the new voters that we MUST collect to win elections.

We have to change. Period. It's all in the numbers. Otherwise, we're over.

Thanks for the read.

Sarah! Take Dr. Krauthammer's advice.

"Mrs. Palin needs to go back to Alaska for two years and read everything she can (paraphrased)." Charles Krauthammer on Fox News--last week.


Dr. Krauthammer brings up a point which bears her attention, if Governor Sarah Palin wants to be president of the United States. I believe she needs to do as he suggests, and give herself over to the scholarship of international policy and leadership. Leaders are indeed born, but most success depends on knowledge of the subject matter, not luck and personality.

It may take three or four hours a day of nothing but reading think tank white papers and gobbledygook about Persian history or about the background of Poland and Russia's relationship over the past few years. She needs to know where the Fifth Fleet hangs out. She has to read Janes; she's got to see the German and French papers, Financial Times, Russia Herald everyday; Cato, AEI, American Heritage, Al Jazeera, Mhimi and so many who can give her every morsel she needs.

(How I'd love to be on the readings selections committee.)

Sometimes, just having enough knowledge, even a generalist's one, is enough to spur important questions of her subject matter experts on staff. I know this as an ex technical writer. Every interview I had with a subject matter expert was better facilitated as a result of my own prior research and knowledge of the topic. Its efficiency and success depended upon my preparation.

Her obvious abilities--her intellect, her ability to respond without being defensive, and her confidence will be enhanced and so would her image--especially to women. Sarah should have received more votes from women. I wonder if it really was the abortion issue that stood in their way...or the fact that they just didn't trust her.

It takes one to know one. I'll risk letting out a secret, but most women know that many of us fake life until the day we die. We're just good at it, as a gender, as procreators; thus, our feelings, instincts and actions come from our gut, not always from our cerebral cortexes.

Who else but a woman with five children, including a special needs one, who has worked all her life, raised her children, has run a city, then a state, changed the direction from down to up in an impossibly difficult campaign with John McCain, turned on MSM when she got out of her commitment to McCain--and has recently sent a son off to war--who else could learn the ins and outs of what used to be INACCESSIBLE KNOWLEDGE?

Palin's power is on the increase; it would behoove her to arm herself, using her best asset--her political skill and instinct--and add to that a body of knowledge that will take her to the top. Her sophistication and knowledge of policy issues will only help her in the long run. We all know she's smart. Now we want her to show it.

One of the reasons Obama won over so many of the elite, which is important--sorry, but it is to a certain degree--is by his acquaintance with varying subjects which came from reading, reading and more reading. Sarah can do this with one kid on her hip, another pulling on her to take her to her cheerleading class, and cooking dinner all at the same time.

Not to mention, she is one great looking women, which never, ever hurts.

Thanks for the read.

Palin now defines herself...and maybe the GOP

(Psst! Check my son-in-law's new video out!)


Palin's honored her commitment to the Republicans who supported her and brought her into the limelight by doing what she was told. She did it mighty well, I believe.

She's no fool; she knew neuroses when she saw it in the McCain group. I imagine the back biting in Wasilla is pretty much the same as in the lower 48 considering it is humans who reside there. Maybe she's developed an internal system to handle the grief she gets. She's very good at defending herself against the powers that be, isn't she?

She's showing her mettle right this minute by standing up to the media and making herself available to them everywhere she goes. Her interviews are insightful, real and sincerely delivered. Today, she makes no bones about how poorly she was handled, but she refuses to blame or even cite John McCain as a problem. She's smart to do that.

She's a typical winner. Her internal strength is sometimes called cockiness. If she were a man, it would be called something entirely different--the name would connote trust and admiration.

How sad that both Democrat and Republican machines still cannot cope with real women in presidential politics. Both parties do their dirty work pretty much the same, I see.

Meanwhile, I hope that the anonymous parties who are spreading rumors about Palin never receive another consultancy fee again. I am ashamed that my donation money has paid their invoices.

Thanks for the read.

Hagel says draft may be unavoidable.

This is what I was worried about when old Joe Biden dropped the bomb about needing to support our new president in the first days of his administration. I thought then he was talking about reinstating a selective service system.

If Chuck Hagel, "Republican" Senator from Nebraska becomes Secretary of Something, this is great way to start his propoganda campaign "for" a draft by slowly frontloading the "bad" news.

I wonder how the Obama kids will feel then.

Unfortunately, the world is heating up more as governments now want to test the changed America. Russia has thumbed its nose at Obama, which must say volumes about Medvedev's (Putin"s) regard for our new prez. Meanwhile, Hugo Chavez and the Russians are new best friends; Cuba's waiting to get their land back (Gitmo); and if Obama doesn't renew the free trade agreement with Colombia, the open door to socialism is bound to occur there because of the fall of their economy.

That's just the beginning.

There's also the matter of continuing Bush's plans to have anti nuclear defense missiles in Poland. Obama states he doesn't want to have them there if they're not working. (They are working.) So, what will he do when Putin starts flexing more Russian muscle? Will he back down?

He won't have to cancel that Polish facility if he can start a new military draft. He won't have to worry about the troop level problems, he thinks, and he can start anew. Too bad he want to cut 25% of the Military's budget. That may have been a campaign lie.

Today is Veteran's Day.

Thanks for the read.

McCain needs to stand by Palin publicly

He got her into this mess; now he's got to get her out of it. That is, if he wants to show his honor.

Anonymous sources in the McCain-Palin campaign, which should give you pause, have made possibly slanderous, ugly statements about Mrs. Palin. This is the poorest form of post-election behavior and against all protocol and common courtesy.

I'm hoping Senator McCain will show his vice presidential pick the same courtesy he gave President Elect Obama in his concession speech. Moreover, a similar statement should come from Obama to counter the ridiculous over animation and racist slurs by his own people towards the rest of the country, including Joe the Plumber.

Enough. Enough. Enough.

It's over. Let's move on and leave Mrs. Palin alone. She did not lose the election for us; John McCain and his feckless, incoherent campaign lost it.

Thanks for the read.

Obama's Tax Plan

The really disturbing thing is that Faux News is trying to convince Americans that $250K a year is NOT rich?? Geez if all Americans were making that kinda money then we wouldnt have a housing crisis...

Becky--on a political message board, October 21, 2008


She has a point.

Think about it. If everyone who had taken out those terrible loans was making that kind of money, there's be no crisis!

The rest of what she says infers the class warfare that really requires no other discussion.

However, the tactics which are being utilized by the Obama people are tried and true methods, and they have had the luck so far.

It's disturbing to the point of sleeplessness that a person about whom we know so little--by his design--and about whom we know too much--the Ayres, Wright and Acorn connections, is nearing the presidency. I've told myself the American people won't put up with his big plans once they figure out what he's doing, it'll just be for a short time, like Jimmy Carter.

But, with the economy in the mess it's in...I don't have a lot of faith there will be a huge number of Americans who are "willing" to see through the Obama promises, considering all the goodies they're getting for supporting the guy.

There's always an end, though. Nothing's forever.

Thanks for the read.

Open letter to General/Secretary Colin Powell

Dear Mr. Powell,

As a fellow Republican who has always trusted your leadership and strength, your instincts to place country before personality and your demonstrated ability to get the military and state departments missions successfully accomplished, I ask in all respect that you listen to me.

I understand via the media, those "Infallibles," that you plan to endorse Senator Obama this weekend.

Someone in our party has to ask the question. If this is true, why?

Is your alleged impending decision to support your fellow man of color who comes, frankly, from the other end of the political spectrum when it concerns freedom and democracy a return to an instinctual Colin Powell, a brother, rather than a father or a leader? Are you tired of the Uncle Tom routine? I thought you were bigger than that, Sir.

But I'm worried that you've changed your whole personal/political paradigm to fit a Democrat's world view. When and why did that happen? How, Sir, can you even contemplate supporting a man like Barack Obama who preaches precisely the opposite of what you have defended and even fought for?

You've seen little despots before, General. Your tours of duty while serving the United States with great honor must have encountered those who would use their cult of personality to obtain power. He doesn't remind you of one, even when you read the G2, the real dope?

Evidently not. I think you're blinded by your own bias. But then, who isn't? That's why we have political parties--to bring ideas together from disparate sources and people.

You know, General Powell, I would've voted for you almost blindly also because you represent a standard that is exemplary for kids. Now? Your ambivalence to the obvious hate speech and agitation of race music and hip hop versus the evident slights you might have felt you endured during the Bush administration must be difficult to deal with.

And I'm presumptuous to make such an assay of your life. But, I do wish to confront your involvement in Republican politics and your inability to support them. At least, Lieberman became an Independent, a fair outcome to his disagreements with the left wing of his party.

In the meantime, I respect your reputation and its accompanying honor. I certainly mean no disrespect to your freedom of choice, regardless of party. I only hope he will accept my "helpful" exhortation as a peer in the same political party to think long about your endorsement for president.

By the way, Senator Obama's stand on the issues is the reason I won't vote for him; not because he's a black man. It's sad that this point must be made over and over again.

Thank you for your service.


And thanks for the read.

Obama's first instinct: attack and destroy Joe the Plumber

It's great to be here in Miami. Florida is a must-win state on November 4th, and with your help, we're going to win Florida, and bring change to Washington, DC. We had a good debate this week. You may have noticed-- there was a lot of talk about Senator Obama's tax increases and Joe the Plumber. Last weekend, Senator Obama showed up in Joe's driveway to ask for his vote, and Joe asked Senator Obama a tough question. I'm glad he did; I think Senator Obama could use a few more tough questions.

The response from Senator Obama and his campaign yesterday was to attack Joe. People are digging through his personal life and he has TV crews camped out in front of his house. He didn't ask for Senator Obama to come to his house. He wasn't recruited or prompted by our campaign. He just asked a question. And Americans ought to be able to ask Senator Obama tough questions without being smeared and targeted with political attacks.

John McCain speech today at political rally.




So, let me get this straight. Ask a question of a political person who has come to your neighborhood to campaign and this is what you get? Pilloried and categorized, put down and indicted for what? For asking an uncomfortable question?

Here's the problem: the Obama campaign is simply too quick to jump on the "disagree-ers." That is a dangerous, ominous sign of a group of people who won't take criticism or questions from a common citizen. It's as if one should be aware of participating in debate lest they be called crazy people, like the average guy in Ohio who told McCain he was mad as hell or a neighbor, like Joe the Plumber.

It doesn't matter where he is in his career path. None of it matters. What matters is there appears to be an entire mechanism in place to destroy ordinary people.

As I recall, the Bush administration has also been labeled as a group who couldn't take criticism and wouldn't listen. At least, though, they left you alone if you dared to complain about them.

It's hardly a tactic our founders would have approved of. Actually, it's shockingly un-American.

Thanks for the read.

Man of the Year: Joe the Plumber

God works in the strangest and the most humorous of ways. Could this be an October surprise? One of a few?

Steps forward a young man, the great stereotypical physique of the American construction worker, an ambitious single father of one who is working on his plumber's licensing exam. When Obama chose to walk Joe's neighborhood, standing quietly, then seeing an opportunity to talk to the Senator, Joe opens a dialogue about how his economic plan will help him, Joe: the plumber, the entrepreneur who is planning to buy his boss's plumbing business.

How can Obama's tax plan help him and his business?

Well, of course, it can't and it won't. The tax plan that Senator Obama has laid on many of the unsuspecting American public will dry up small businesses and thus kill jobs. Not all corporations are General Motors. Not only that, people who don't pay taxes will be getting money from the government. In addition, the tax break at $250, 000 is not true. People who are making between 90 and 125,000 dollars will be decimated with increased taxes.

It's just so simple, Barack. Why is it you Dems put a roadblock ahead of people who are trying to build businesses? There must be a boilerplate answer for this somewhere in those manuals; regardless, for the life of me I can't understand the concept of destroying small businesses with higher taxes during a recession. It's just too dumb for discussion. The fact that Obama has even brought it up is the only reason it is being considered as an alternative. By anyone except socialists, of course.

Moreover, we're seeing how Senator Obama's ACORN distractions have cost us all money. But, that's another issue for another time.

Gallup just announced a two-point race after last night's debate. Each time we're hitting Obama, it's on the chin. We musn't stop because of the race baiting and what a bunch of uninformed or on-the-take people say about us.

This is not over yet. These horses are between the third and fourth turn in a race that can go either way.

Just wait till they hit the stretch to the wire.

ACORN? What ACORN?

Odinga? Who's Odinga?

Senator Obama's response to Joe the Plumber that we should spread the wealth around stays with many of us, kind of like that icky fish you knew you shouldn't have even tried--mostly those of us who are worried about statism and taxation.

Joe the Plumber has a good head on his shoulders. He might even get some lasting fame out of this if he's strong enough to kick off the Obama thugs.

The girls will love him.

Thanks for the read.

I'm outta here for a deserved vacation.

Wahoo, ur, I mean, yahoo!

:)

See you in a month!

Sing for Obama

Hmmm. I don't like how this feels for some reason. I'm not sure why.

Watch this!

Sing for Obama

Have a great day.

Twelve California Democrats vote no on bail out.

They are:
Bacca, Becerra, Sherman, Raybal-Allard, Sancezes, Schiff, Solis, Stark, Thompson, Watson and Woolsey.

How 'bout that? Nancy can't even control her own state caucus.

Pass this on!

So...some of you Republicans (snobs) want Sarah to bow out, huh?

Before her debate?

Why? She's had a couple of bad spots, but give her a break. She's only been at this national level for a few weeks. She's got some rough edges, but many of them appeal to the very people we want on our side, people who believe the same way most Republicans do.

I have high expectations for Sarah on Thursday evening. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. Regardless, it wouldn't look too great for Senator McCain to just dump her...and I wouldn't want him to.

John McCain's instincts are pretty good. I think he's chosen a diamond in the rough who reminds him of himself when he was that age. There's nothing wrong with that!

Thanks for the read.

The Reform message is strong as McCain-Palin return to stump

Senator McCain looks rested and confident this morning.

Sure enough, he's on the stump--in Ohio--laying Obama out issue by issue--from Obama's silly laissez faire, casual attitude during last week's bail out talk to his inability to do away with his ideas to raise our taxes during this economic mess. As Senator McCain said about it, "he said he would suspend his plans for tax increases, etc."

McCain's new vigor and aggression is a relief after Friday's debate.

Sarah Palin, traveling with McCain, meanwhile has hit the stage like she owns it sounding like she has found her voice. She made a point of "announcing" that her job in the administration will be to lead America to energy independence. She told Ohioans and the rest of coal country that coal technology is the way of the future while reminding them Obama won't even consider clean coal technology.

Her demeanor is different somehow. I think she's been hammered on an anvil that either hardens or breaks the person. She's beginning to get a burnished look and a tiny patina of experience. As she defines herself, her public presentation is significantly improving.

John McCain's gamble to go back to Washington was a winner, as I predicted. We would've had an ACORN deal in the first or second draft of the bailout if John McCain hadn't brought the MSM cameras to the Halls of Congress and to the 100 or so Republicans (and some Democrats) who felt they were being overwhelmed and muscled. McCain gave them the exposure and leadership they needed at a time that was absolutely imperative.

Meanwhile, the Dems own the House. All they have to do to "save" all of us is pass the law. If it's life and death, why not just pass the darned thing? They caused this problem; now they get to take responsibility and Republicans who believe this is impractical and irresponsible policy shouldn't have to carry Barney Frank's water.

McCain is stomping on Obama now about his inaction and laid back attitude. As he said, "I, like my idol, Teddy Roosevelt, want to be in the middle of the fight. I don't phone it in."

Thanks for the read.

Obama's pals at NBC's Saturday Night Live

I don't know if we can overcome the popular myth makers who are taking so much trouble to try to destroy the Republican Party.

Our chances of winning the election might be slimming down as a result of the very effective anti Palin movement in the entertainment industry. Saturday Night Live, the children who make more money in one hour than my father ever did in his educated, experienced lifetime have been given the no-holds-barred okay from their corrupt management to go after Senator McCain and Governor Palin.

Last night's SNL was no exception. (I had to leave the room when my husband punched it in.) The vicious characterizations of Mrs. Palin and Senator McCain indicate a very odd arrangement that these out of touch entertainers have with the rest of us. They are unabashed in their belief they have the moral right to use their programming as pure propaganda. Fair? Not at all. Mean and ugly are more like it.

The rest of us just have sit and listen to it. You and I are pretty helpless considering our place in the media food chain. But that's free speech, isn't it?

Unless something happens to change the perception that we're bungling idiots, we're going to lose. Nevermind that the problems of the melt down in the banking and mortgage sectors of our economy are directed related to the policies and immorality of the Democratic Party as they placed people who didn't have money into homes.

Then the real idiocy--Democrats trying to run the country--will take center stage. If America can survive the Left's occupation of all three branches of our government (hopefully it will be a short reign), we can start again presenting our Republican principles to a more mature and experienced public.

If you think you're frustrated now with the government bail out and it accompanying politics and giveaways, just wait until Obama and Biden have lost us our security in addition. I just hope they don't get us all killed.

Meanwhile, I am angry this morning at my party. especially George Bush and, yes, at our candidates for allowing themselves to be defined by the sexists, ageists and racists in the media, especially on the entertainment side. Providing no effective defense against this barrage is their fault.

I'm afraid I've done all I can to help.

Thanks for the read.

Rep. Darrell Issa presents a solution to bail out mess

Darrel Issa, Republican Representative, has proposed a third way.

The Issa solution to the banking and mortgage crisis may not be just the only third way or shall we say a fourth and maybe even fifth? The point is there are others ways to fix this.

Thanks for the read.

L.A. Times shows McCain had cause to demand Chris Cox's resignation

In today's L.A. Times in the business section I found the following:

SEC faults itself in Bear debacle--The Securities and Exchange Commission failed in oversight of the Bear Stearns Cos. because the regulator knew the investment bank had "high leverage" and was too concentrated in mortgage securities before its forced sale to JPMorgan Chase & Co., the agency's inspector general said.

"It is undisputable that" the SEC "failed to carry out its oversight of Bear Stearns," Inspector General David Kotz said in a report. SEC staff was aware of "numerous potential red flags" but "did not take actions to limit these risk factors," he said.

So, while Obama was again floundering and attacking to distract people from reality, John McCain made the simple statement that "he would fire Chris Cox."

So would I!

Thanks for the read.

ACORN tries to gets its covetous hand in the pig trough

Revealing the Dems' insistence on including funds for this group from the bail out may be John McCain's and fiscal conservatives' biggest coup. Let's help him with it.

Most of us want reform. We have a perfect opportunity to show that we Republicans can take back the true GOP brand, regain momentum and put on a display of reform minded action before the world's eyes.

I've watched ACORN for years and wondered how they got away with some of their stunts. Anyway, this bears looking at and asking the question if this group, or any advocacy group for that matter, should be receiving taxpayer's money. If that is true, then The Red Cross should ask for at least 20% of the proceeds from this bailout. While they're at it, there's a little faith based battered women's shelter over here in my town that could use a lift.

ACORN by its very definition. mission and nature is full of dangerous, reckless and desperate types and will go to any length to get it done. Now that the Fox and some of the MSM is finally reporting about them--finally--there can be some discussion about Obama's "lofty" career as a community organizer.

These people are socialists. I don't want them near my tax money.

Please pass this the url to your friends and ask them if this is what they have in mind for a bail out. Do it fast. We're running out of time and now is the perfect chance to expose Obama for the extremist he really is.

http://www.acorn.org

McCain-Obama Debate anticlimactic

The more I see of Barack Obama, the more I realize how little he knows.

The more I see of John McCain, the more I realize how old he is. Last night was no exception. His lackluster performance on the economic issues might be based on a possibility of one or a combination of items.

First, he is struggling with presenting the fiscal conservative's POV for some reason. It's not because he doesn't understand the discipline; it's as if he has something under his hat, maybe a deal he's made with congressional Republicans to get this bail out thing into private hands, where it belongs...but just can't talk about it yet.

I expected more revelation from Senator McCain. He missed a few opportunities to drive home the point that conservatives make on daily basis that this plan is a terrible resolution and it smells like socialism. I wish he had been more forceful in that.

Secondly, I think he's tired. His lack of energy showed at the first part of the debate. Fortunately he picked up the tempo in passion and solutions as he used the best weapon in his arsenal--experience--when he talked about foreign policy.

I also wish McCain had used the antiBush message more effectively, which I presume is the real reason he went to Washington which is to show that the "McSame" message is wrong. Have you noticed the Obama campaign has stopped that message now? It no longer works.

My suggestion to Steve Schmidt, Rick Davis and Senator McCain is to put Palin out there to take up some of the slack. She's going to get her chops busted; that's part of it. But her principles and ideas are sound and she can be confident that she's representing a vast number of Americans. It's time to turn her loose and let it happen. No one can do this alone. This is not the time to hold her back.

How can Sarah campaign and study issues at the same time? I don't know. How does she raise five children and still run the state of Alaska?

Thanks for the read.