People who make themselves obnoxious to the Washington-Wall Street axis of power tend to get in trouble on sex charges (Spitzer, Assange, and Strauss-Kahn). So, when investigative reporter Michael Hastings, who had brought down the top general in Afghanistan, died last June in a car crash in nice part of Los Angeles, I actually left the house to visit the scene.
In person, while still somewhat puzzling, it looked less suspicious than in pictures online. Brave guys, I guess, are often brave about bad driving, too.
Interestingly, blogger Paleo Retiree of Uncouth Reflections (and formerly of 2Blowhards, the best arts and culture blog of the previous decade) had been a good friend of Hastings. Here he interviews brother Jonathan Hastings about the late Michael Hastings.
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Many thanks for the link, much appreciated. Mike Hastings was full of all kinds of energies, ambitions and drives, and he burned very bright at a very young age. (He may have been one of Steve's "hypomanics.") I don't know how his brother Jon managed to be so loving and appreciative yet clear-eyed and candid in our interview about Mike, but he did. I'm awfully glad some people will get to read the interview, because I think it's (thanks to Jon) a great portrait of a fascinating guy.
As much as I enjoy a good conspiracy theory, this case sounds like a tragic accident, nothing more. While it's uncommon for cars to erupt in flames after frontal impacts it's not unheard-of.
Peter
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2013/nov/21/how-to-be-underdog-and-win/
PS. Did Gladwell's star fall a bit cuz word got around that he originally wanted to include Palestinians into the new book?
Don't know about Assange but there is no question the other two let down their fellow males by indulging in humiliating levels of moral failure with regard to the other sex. (This happens equally often in each sex but usually the more well-known ones are male). Also, is there any credible argument that Michael Hastings, who I hope repented before he died, did not, at almost the level of a Shakespearean villain, betray the expectations of camaraderie among decent and courageous men in his betrayals of confidence and his "bringing down" of a general and his closest staff? If I am wrong I apologize. Also, either he was driving at a homicidally reckless speed or he was murdered. There is no other alternative that I can think of.
Obama has been purging generals not with his program since day one. Not even Clinton had so much disdain for the military. Indeed Wall Street, SWPL, women, and Hollywood seem to hate hate hate the military.
So Hastings was a convenient tool. But rest assured McChrystal would have been dumped for another reason.
Arrow of power? It points to the Obama purges ongoing. Really the military is just a glorified set of bellhops now. Even the Marines are dressed that way and gay narriage etc. shiw who is in charge and has power. Hint its not the guys being purged or wearing bell hop uniforms.
"Brave guys, I guess, are often brave about bad driving, too."
Your earlier post about Usain Bolt supports this.
Your earlier post about Usain Bolt supports this.
Not necessarily. Blacks tend to speed and drive recklessly.
I believe Jonathan Hasting's interview tips the evidence toward a "non-conspiracy theory" being most likely to explain the fatal fiery crash.
For details, see my recently updated post "What Burns Faster, Memories or Flames?", at the Feral Firefighter blog.
My post begins with a tribute to MH (quotes about Andi & Elise, extensive quotes from others) and is followed by a detailed discussion of the car crash, the LAPD & Michael Krikorian's (LA crime reporter whose 1st novel "Southside" was released yesterday) investigations, and media coverage.
I believe that Jonathan Hasting's interview tips the evidence toward a "non-conspiracy theory" being most likely to explain the fatal fiery crash.
For details, see my recently updated post "What Burns Faster, Memories or Flames?", at the Feral Firefighter blog.
My post begins with a tribute to MH (quotes about Andi & Elise, extensive quotes from others) and is followed by a detailed discussion of the car crash, the LAPD & Michael Krikorian's (LA crime reporter whose 1st novel "Southside" was released yesterday) investigations, and media coverage.
By the way, inbreeding seems to be a big problem in the most secessionist province from Spain.
"While it's uncommon for cars to erupt in flames after frontal impacts it's not unheard-of".
Are automobile engines flying 50 yards from the sight of impact also not uncommon? The suspicious deaths of Gary Webb and Danny Casolaro have made me very curious whenever reporters who are making waves for those in power die in accidents or suicides.
Whiskey points out the recent stories about the Obama military purges.
I'm reminded of the Venona revelations and that scene on Air Force One in "Independence Day".
In the movie the evil cabinet member admits that there is an Area 51 and that the President was not told about it.
Could anything like that be true? I mean the 'keeping the President out of the loop' part - not the little green men part.
Yes, yes, yes. We know that Omar Bradley did not trust Harry Truman because of Harry Dexter White and other assorted pinkos (as they were called then)in the White House. He never told Truman that we had broken the Russian codes and had compromised their US spy network. Truman never knew that we knew.
Zoom forward to today. We have a President who is or was a Muslim at the time we are in a war of sorts with Muslims. Furthermore all Obama's foreign policy seems to be rather pro-Muslim. In the Cold War such people were called Com-Symps.
So what would a US general who swore to uphold the Constitution do? I think there's a good chance that the Joint Chiefs have secrets from the President and contingency plans. If not, I'm disappointed in them.
I imagine that the Obama administration has had their own thoughts along this line, and are quietly trying to oppose it. The Joint Chiefs may have thought Bill Clinton was a fool but they wouldn't have worried that he was a traitor. To not at least entertain the idea that Obama has other loyalties would seem to be a dereliction of duty for anyone in military intelligence.
Albertosaurus
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