Dallas Towers of Glass

I'm in Dallas for some business, and it is an amazing sight. Downtown is a sea of sparkling glass. All of it vulnerable to a truck or car bomb.

It's so green all the way from Houston - the grass is 3 feet tall on the sides of the road. Apparently its been hard to mow with all the rain. In fact it rained off and on the entire way here.

The Taliban are holding 22 South Korean hostages - at least 18 are women and they have already executed one and are threatening to kill more. Securing Afghanistan, the forgotten war, remains vital. The Taliban are worse than the creeps in Iraq. All of these groups thrive on the lack of education sources. Too bad we can't get a computer and the internet in these villages instead of schools that teach hate as education. Only education defeats ignorance.

I've been digging out prior TV videos I've made the past few years - including predictions of street fighting I made before the war, etc. some of which are now posted on YouTube, including this one from 2001 on the Anthrax attack. Remember that?

But I think a more likely scenario is a car bomb attack in the U.S. - it's a lot easier than a biological attack, which was most likely an American scientist terrorist not a foreign terrorist.

Apparently the parties are like two planets that don't touch: Democrats only want to focus on Iraq and Republicans only want to focus on the war on terror. I have news for each group: we, and the next President, will have to focus on BOTH. Because both could eat our lunch.

Back on the road tomorrow...

Weird Weather; Weirder News

We seem to be in a period of very weird weather and weirder news. As we grow web feet from the rain in Southeast Texas and our southwest U.S. burns, in Europe the weather is just as strange. England is having the most rain since records started in 1766, while Italy and Greece are fighting 100-plus record heat. In Iraq the temps are hitting 120 to 130!

Then we get news of astronauts FWI (Flying While Intoxicated), someone sabotaging a space station component, and Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne had an engine explosion that killed a couple people - not an expected or good thing in each case. Meanwhile two TV helicopters are so focused on a car chase they hit midair and kill both crews. Is it full moon yet?

Sports news is equally dispiriting. Doping in the Tour de France, football players engaging in dog fighting, baseball players getting "juiced" on steroids to win records.

And there is trouble back at the Red Mosque in Pakistan again today - more riots and another suicide bomber. It's Muslims killing Muslims, fighting for control of a country with nuclear missiles. Dictators are being replaced by religious extremists who are in many ways worse. Fake bombs going through airport security (and it won't even be full moon until Monday!).

Ummmm. Perhaps the idea of having a nip and leaving this planet with a bottle on the throttle is not that big a deal after all...beam me up Scotty.

And OK, I had to get my two cents in and threw my video hat in the ring for the upcoming YouTube/CNN Presidential debate.

Dust in Africa - Impact on U.S.

For a long time I have tried to get Americans to think outside the box - that events across the planet can and do have a direct impact on us.

Now it appears that dust storms over Africa have had the effect of cutting down on this year's hurricane season that impacts the majority of Americans who live within 100 miles of our coast - so far. And La Nina down off the South American coast has been less than expected. But yet the peak of the season isn't here yet. Anything is possible.

With polls showing more people now refusing to evacuate if there is a storm, many more are at risk if a "big one" strikes - since too few of them still have storm-proofed their homes or offices. Once a debris strike breaks a window, winds rush in and the quickest way out is taking off your roof. Glass and water damages is everywhere.

Your windows are your weakest link in riding out a storm.

In my opinion there is only one good way to avoid this disaster - protect your home (and office) castle by installing XO Armor. Keep the debris from breaching your windows - avoid glass on the kids and pets, water in your computer, mold and mess that follows.

But if a storm shows up, don't expect instant service. It takes a certified installer to do it right. It's not the cost - less than twice that of cheap tint that does nothing to protect you. It takes TIME to get it installed (and it comes in clear or tint too). Smart people will get it put on, or get in line to get it put on, now.

Time is not our/your friend with peak hurricane season running from mid August to November.

I'm not riding out a storm without XO Armor on MY windows. I know those dust clouds in Africa won't protect us from another Rita/Katrina forever. I live in the evacuation zone next to the coast...Clear Lake.

Terrorist Dry Runs at Houston's Airport?

Tell me why anyone stopped at a U.S. airport be carrying a brick of cheese with wires on top, so that it looked like a bomb but wasn't? Why would they pick places like Houston to see if they could get past airport security? And why would it involve people with no terrorism background?
Why would there be a "surge" of these weird types of "bombs that aren't." I don't know anyone who likes wires stuck in their cheese. And its odd that the cheese had density similar to high explosive material. Personally I prefer a good brie without batteries.

It's either the weirdest news (true enough) or something to really be concerned about. It's both.

I wonder who these people were involved carrying suitcases with strange combinations of cheese and wires. Did anyone ask them why they were carrying these bizarre devices?

As much as I'd like to review other national issues of import, this news tops all in its disturbing ramifications. It means that someone is planning something.

I want to know what the interrogations of the people caught with them yielded - and where are they now? What does our government know about these people and their whereabouts?

The First Arab Sitcom - Positive Sign for the future

A fascinating article in yesterday's Chronicle covered the first Arab Comedy channel. If there is a positive sign that all is not lost in the Middle East, this is it.

We could use more comedy in that part of the world. It has had enough tragedy in the last 2,000 years. What is interesting is that Saudis, for example, have always been consumers of American movies, etc.--not producers of entertainment. Now it is becoming a two-way street.

So there is a Saudi Jerry Seinfeld in the making. His next series: one on a retired President Bush who answers a "President Wanted" ad - for a country that turns out to be "Arabistan." That should be unique and coming soon to an Internet website near you.

I've found in my global travels that the citizens of Saudi, Syria, Iran and many countries around the world are cut off from news and programs from the outside world. Except the Internet has opened a window that never existed before. Half of Saudi is under 21. There are no public theaters, cinemas or parks--and little for them to do. Like the old Southern Baptists dancing is not allowed. So home grown comedy is new. I'd rather they be laughing at a local sitcom than watching jihadi movies.

The unique twist is that this hit Saudi TV series was never produced as a conventional TV sitcom --it was an Internet production watched on cell phones and computers, one of the first of its kind in this new age of global communications.

Look for more developments like this. Any move to open up communication in these closed societies --and the attempt at comedy--is a good thing and a positive development. We haven't seen much in the way of comedy video coming out of the Middle East. I'm ready for a Laurel and Hardy Taliban act to replace the religious extremists who grow up a diet on hate, not comedy. We have some of those in this country (in different religions) as well.

Standby for the adventures of Arabistan. Mr. Sikhan, the Saudi Seinfeld, good luck!

I end with this quote from a Pakistani writer: "People abroad admire Americans not because they back foreign dictators but because they believe that all men and all women are created equal. That concept cannot stop at the borders of the United States."

Houston's Risk as Terrorism Target

The Houston Chronicle's editorial today about Houston being high on the terrorist target list is accurate and on point. Houston is a key target because it is the heart of America's fuel source, its on the coast just up the road from where people smugglers regularly drop off economic and other illegal immigrants from cigarette boats equipped with GPS, and it would be easy to find a target in 5,000 square miles of space.

The problem is that sooner or later someone determined to get in will. We live in a glass world. And glass is the weakest link. Any explosion (or major hurricane) is going to shred it. The only solution is to have it converted into a form of safety glass with XO Armor, which is in a class by itself in its tested features. It held in test winds of 242 mph. Layered up it stops bullets. As ordinary hurricane film it also protects from bomb blasts.

I heard a Houston radio host and city council member, Michael Berry, was urging an invasion of Iran. It's proof that radio hosts with no international experience have no business influencing policy. Right now, 70% of Iranians hate their government as much as we do. But invading them would turn 100% of them against us. I'm sure Mr. Berry was also one who thought invading Iraq would result in them putting flowers in our gun barrels. All it did was generate more terrorists willing to blow themselves up wherever they can find Americans.

President Bush has finally decided to try to get an Israeli Palestinian peace process started. Regardless, the anger in the Middle East is already boiling over into England, etc. The best thing we can do is address our weakest link from future nature and made made disaster - put XO Armor on all public glass to keep it from becoming shrapnel in a future event.

The Secret of Being Calm in Age of Iraq/Terrorism

Above: A very calm Iowa duck

With reports of increased terrorism and the huge steam explosion today in New York making us all think about things we'd rather not think about, it is a nice distraction to watch the calming waters of Clear Lake. It is constantly changing. In doing so I noticed a couple ducks hanging out by the pool or taking a dip.

Nearly every day there are a couple ducks hang out at the pool below my apartment on the lake. They have become known as Mr. and Mrs. Duck. Sometimes they dip in the volleyball pool or take a swim in the main pool. For some reason they like drinking chlorine water.

But unfortunately, something has happened and Mrs. Duck today had a bad hobble from a leg injury of some kind. I was wondering if a nearby animal clinic had any know how on duck treatment, but then she flew off just before another squall rain hit. I'll be looking to see if she makes it back for some of that pool water.

Meanwhile on the other side of the planet it appears the ducks (and fish) in Japan may be glowing in the dark from the radioactive water released by the nuke plant knocked out by yesterday's earthquake. The good news is that North Korea is shutting down its nuke plant.

It shows that diplomacy can work in making the world a safer place. Invading Iran, as some are urging (the same ones who thought Iraqis would put flowers in our gunbarrels), won't do it. Besides, polls show that 70% of Iranians can't stand their own government and want more freedom and democracy. Invading would turn them against us. We don't need any more of that.

Invading Pakistan with our troops to get bin laden could lead to his capture/death - and easily result in control of Pakistan falling to radical Islamic groups allied to Al Qaida. That would be worse. We need to act smarter to keep from making things worse. Fixing Iraq will be as tricky as figuring out a way to fix Mrs. Duck's leg.

Latest Report: Al Qaida as Strong as pre- 9 11 and Focused on U.S.

The latest report says that Al Qaida is as strong as it was pre 9/11, and is focused on a hit on the U.S.

This threat will continue at least for the next three (3) years according to the report.

I maintain that your best offense in this war is a good defense --and the only real defense I know of is XO Armor. If an Al Qaida terrorist cell does denote a car or truck bomb next to your Houston-New York-Chicago-L.A, etc. office or house, it is certified to provide blast protection. It just passed a hurricane test in which it survived 240-plus mph winds - enough to defend against a Category 5 hurricane. It can help maintain structure support of glass buildings in earthquakes. It is bullet resistant. It is anti-burglar since it makes breaking and entering glass nearly impossible. It has passed the toughest hurricane and blast tests in the U.S.

I was at a commercial real estate lunch today in Houston, and was one of three of us talking about XO Armor's protection for those who live in glass houses/offices. When the speaker talked about his huge several block downtown project and its office tower, one table in the back chanted: "But does it have XO Armor?" LOL. No joke - it would protect their tenants. It would protect your kids. One house on a golf course has it - and a golf ball hit it while they were traveling. XO saved them from a lot of rain, mold, etc. damage that would have occurred while they were gone if the ball had broken a window not protected with XO Armor.

Check it out on my website - ask for a free quote.If you are a potential distributor worldwide, let me know. Or Email me for a video on how it works. The life it saves may be your own.

Weirdness at Natl Hurricane Center - Could Kill You

Left: Katrina

There is something really weird going on at the National Hurricane Center that affects the safety of millions of Americans who live within hurricane strike zones.

A new director comes in and says "Hey, we have a satellite dying and no replacement" and the reaction from the center staff is "So?"

Good grief, what are they thinking? Even a 10% loss in forecasting accuracy--which would happen without the satellite) is enough to affect millions. Imagine the difference between a Hurricane Center call for a Katrina-size storm striking rural Sabine --and instead it hits Houston or New Orleans. The same for Miami, etc..

So, they killed the messenger instead--the guy who made sense. I don't understand what is so hard about deciding to replace a dying satellite. At a result, tens of millions of people are at risk. If you don't mind the risk to your family, say nothing.

But if you want competence back in government, and a better hurricane warning system, let Congress know about it. The President has not exercised his authority to demand it, so leadership on this vital public safety issue falls to Congress.

Lunch with Hugo's Ambassador

Well, I didn't exactly have lunch with Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's controversial President, but I sat with at least a thousand people invited by the Greater Houston Partnership to the Westin Oaks for the lunch sponsored by Venezuela's Citgo - to hear the Ambassador talk about relations between the U.S. and Venezuela.

It was a free lunch (thanks to the people of Venezuela and owners of Citgo). They served steaks the size of a Volkswagen bug. Then the Ambassador took eons to basically say: "We are the biggest source of oil on this continent, you guys (the U.S.) are the biggest consumers. You need us. Things are different but we are no threat, so get used to it."

Then he said we basically needed to talk and work things out. End of lunch.

He made no mention of the nationalization of the oil companies, including Exxon, ConocoPhillips, etc. Nationalization normally causes production to decline as inefficient government bureaucrats (usually someone's friend) take over and technology and investment lags. How Chavez thinks that will help them is beyond me. And if there production drops it won't help us either.

Without energy independence, the U.S. has energy insecurity. Simple as that. We need a Manhattan project for energy independence by 2020 or similar goal. Without it, we remain subject to an unstable Mideast and the whims of individuals like Hugo Chavez, who considers Fidel Castro his role model.

If Mr. Chavez follows the Castro model, I wonder if the people of his country are ready to endure the same economic malaise Cuba has.

Pakistan: The Next Iran with Nukes?

This story is not getting much attention compared to Eva Longoria getting married and Al Gore's son driving a Prius at warp speed and living to tell about it, but it is far more important to our future security.

I have been to Islamabad, Pakistan where a fierce battle is now being waged to recover hostages from the "Red Mosque." This is potentially BIG for U.S. security. The terrorists have been trying to impose Taliban type control. You remember those guys right? The Osama friendly folks who don't let girls go to school and beat women for showing their faces. Even if the Taliban lose the battle of the Red Mosque they are gaining strength to take over the entire country of Pakistan --and its nuclear missiles.

This is big. Pakistan's nuclear missiles could fall under Taliban control if the current government goes down. And it could because the guy we back, President Pervez Musharraf, has let the Taliban run independent (and wild) in return for letting him maintain a military dictatorship. It is a deal-with-the-devil and eventually the Taliban friends of Osama bin laden --still hiding in Pakistan controlled mountains that Musharraf withdrew his military forces--will bring him down.

And THAT will spell an immediate Taliban version of Iran with nukes. Taliban controlling Pakistani nuclear missiles - within range of Israel, etc. is worse than Iran owning future nukes. The threat is immediate and significant.

We could be diluting Taliban control in Pakistan if we poured BILLIONS into education instead of arms - because without it the religious extremists are turning children into hate machines. That is dangerous for our future...I urge Congress to fund this new strategy to secure our future before these hate factories bring more death and destruction to our door...

Passing the Ultimate Test

Photo on right: At the World Trade center 1994 Post bombing

I've attached an excerpt from a press release sent out this week (think about Katrina and London/Iraq truck and car bombs while doing so):

"XO Armor, a new hurricane film for windows, just passed testing for “Miami Dade Large Missile.” That means it will protect offices and houses from debris penetration during a hurricane or bomb blast.

XO ARMOR is now the first and only film to glass application that passed the Large Missile Testing Criteria and does not require hurricane shutters to be applied in order to comply with the Florida Building Code.

In addition, XO exceeded the highest level of wind pressure for no shutters required. The highest level is 100 psi (pounds per square inch) which is equivalent to 160 mph winds. Our XO Armor windows tested to the maximum capacity of the lab’s equipment at 155 psi or 242 mph winds!"

Yep. In other words with this on your windows you have a chance of keeping your windows from being penetrated by debris strikes even if the winds are from a Category 5 hurricane.

It's certified. Contact me for a dealer list if you want it. If you want to know more about it, contact me.

The Rise of Intelligent Terrorists

It turns out that two the terrorists arrested for the London/Glasgow car bombs were medical doctors, who went to the UK on visas - possibly to practice terrorism instead of medicine. This is a strange, new twist.

One thing that the U.S. has going for it that England does not is our melting pot. In America, most Muslims (I met many during my Congress campaigns) are much like all other mainstream Americans. Not so in England and Europe. Over there Muslims live in segregated housing and don't mix much with everyone else. That "wall" between cultures becomes a breeding ground for extremism. Apparently, not even doctors are immune from that disease.

One TV reporter standing on a London street in front of a row of windows asked: "What would happen here if a car bomb went off?" The expert being interviewed said: "Massive damage."

People in the buildings would have been as vulnerable as those on the street to flying debris...