The Pakistani Boogeyman

"A U.S. drone attack targeting militants in Pakistan's troubled northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan has killed six of them, media reports quoting intelligence officials said.  It was the fifth such attack by pilot-less U.S. aircraft in the area in the past 17 days."
SOURCE: RTT News

"For a White House that has been seeking a new relationship with the Islamic world, the prospect of another terrorist plot that appears to be connected to Pakistan will present a series of complicated -- and politically treacherous -- issues to confront."
SOURCE: The Washington Post

Is it a coincidence, or do we always find a culprit sourced from the country that we want to justify military action against?  The "Christmas Day Pants Bomber" was from Nigeria, but somehow we immediately set our targets on Yemen.  Is it a coincidence that Yemen sits just south of our major oil supplier, Saudi Arabia?  It also has the Gulf of Aden off its coast where large oil tankers and pirates hang out?  Have you heard of the Bab El-Mandab?  Take a moment to understand the "chokepoints".
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cabs/World_Oil_Transit_Chokepoints/Background.html

Now we confirm a Pakistani male linked to the Times Square incident.  For the past month, we've been bombarding Pakistan with missiles fired from our military drones.  Is there a correlation?

"How con-VEEN-ient!"
The Church Lady - Saturday Night Live

Is The Pizza Man Even Safe?

A few blocks from my office last weekend, the owner of one of our favorite NY pizza parlors was shot in the stomach as he was walking through an apartment complex. He was carrying all of the store's cash after closing.

The Chicago Times reports, "At 110 robberies as of last week, bank heists are up 25 percent this year compared with the same time in 2005 with 88 robberies. Last year was a record-breaking year with 230 heists. But this year, the FBI is noticing another record: one in four of the robberies are "takeover robberies," in which the bandit pulls out a weapon and takes over the bank rather than quietly presenting a note."

The pirates continue to kidnap ships and tankers in the Gulf of Aden.

"During the contraction phase of the cycle, the "have nots" will seek what they feel entitled to from the "haves". This will likely occur on all scales. As the mass social mood continues to shift down, what protective measures will be taken by governments and individuals to protect themselves?"
Random Roving - November 24, 2008