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In Search of Intelligence at Our Intelligence Agencies
The whacky North Korean leader revealed a few things recently. One is that the country has learned how to make hydrogen bombs. The other is that our intelligence agencies don’t have much of what they are named for — intelligence. In other words, the agencies missed whacko’s H-bomb. They figured he was a few years […]
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The whacky North Korean leader revealed a few things recently. One is that the country has learned how to make hydrogen bombs. The other is that our intelligence agencies don’t have much of what they are named for — intelligence.
In other words, the agencies missed whacko’s H-bomb. They figured he was a few years away from this bomb.
This will make another plaque on the walls of the CIA. It will sit nicely alongside the plaque for missing the ICBMs of North Korea. Our intelligence guys assured us they would not arrive for years.
We ought to admit the obvious. That the only difference between the CIA and you is the money. You don’t know when the North Koreans will do something significant. Neither does the CIA. But they get paid to know nothing.
In the last few months we have seen transcripts of our president’s chats with foreign leaders. We know what President Trump and Mexico’s leader said to each other. We know the conversation between Australia’s leader and Trump.
Wow, somebody revealed the secret conversations of the leader of the free world? We had better catch that bird. Right. We have thousands of intelligence agents. Yet none of them know who leaked the conversations.
The Russians interfered with our elections. Yes, we have a dossier here … Wait a minute. We have emails here … Wait. Well, we have something around here somewhere that proves something or the other.
Yes or no, did Saddam Hussein have an active program for weapons of mass destruction? Our intelligence agencies said yes. The answer was no.
The intelligence agencies made similar screw-ups with Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. And with the results that would come from the uprisings in the “Arab Spring.”
The agencies bungled information that should have warned us of 9/11.
Imagine the boasting that must go on at reunions of the old agents. “You screwed up 9-11? That’s nothing. We missed the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was a biggie.”
“Wait a minute. You missed the collapse? We got the population of the Soviets wrong by about 20 million. Top that!”
How do we justify paying these intelligence guys? I mean what is the point of having these agencies and their army of agents? Surely, we could find better uses for the money. And if these agents are on tenure, maybe we could set them to painting the White House fence.
While they are doing that, they might stumble over the idiots. The ones who keep climbing over it on their stroll across the lawn to the White House. Thank you, Secret Service, — whose motto is “What happens in Washington … we’ll get back to you on.”
Here is another money-saving idea. We could hollow-out these intelligence agencies. Sack all the agents, the lot. But pretend that we still employ them.
Then, we could pay a couple of kids to use their IT skills to tell us what we need to know. They could hardly do any worse than the many intelligence agents for which we pay millions.
Or we could outsource all our intelligence gathering to the Israelis. They seem to know what is going on in the undercover world. We surely don’t.
The first thing they could reveal to us is where the North Korean generals get those stupid-looking hats.
From Tom…as in Morgan
Tom Morgan writes about political, financial, and other subjects from his home near Oneonta. You can write Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com. You can read more of his writing at tomasinmorgan.com
Enterprise Holdings (Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and National Car Rental) announced it has recently promoted AARON SMITH to area car sales manager of its Enterprise Car Sales dealership in the Syracuse area. He previously was Enterprise’s assistant sales manager for nearly three years, according to Smith’s LinkedIn page. Before that, Smith was an account executive for
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Enterprise Holdings (Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and National Car Rental) announced it has recently promoted AARON SMITH to area car sales manager of its Enterprise Car Sales dealership in the Syracuse area. He previously was Enterprise’s assistant sales manager for nearly three years, according to Smith’s LinkedIn page. Before that, Smith was an account executive for the firm in the Rochester region.
ADAM FUMAROLA has been appointed senior associate VP of real estate services and asset management at Syracuse University. He has more than 17 years of experience in managing multi-million-dollar commercial real-estate portfolios from both the business and legal perspective. Fumarola served as senior director at Raymour & Flanigan in Liverpool since 2013, where he was
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ADAM FUMAROLA has been appointed senior associate VP of real estate services and asset management at Syracuse University. He has more than 17 years of experience in managing multi-million-dollar commercial real-estate portfolios from both the business and legal perspective. Fumarola served as senior director at Raymour & Flanigan in Liverpool since 2013, where he was responsible for the management and operation of the company’s extensive portfolio of retail, industrial, and office-support properties. He joined Raymour & Flanigan as senior counsel for real estate and transactions in 2006, after previously serving as assistant general counsel at American Financial Realty Trust (n/k/a Gramercy Capital Corporation) in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Since January 2016, Fumrola has taught at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management as an adjunct professor, teaching real estate development at the James D. Kuhn Real Estate Center. He earned his law degree at the University at Buffalo School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in environmental public policy at Binghamton University.
Herkimer College has appointed GRACE V. ASHLINE as instructor of human services. She will teach human-services courses on-campus and online. Ashline was an adjunct instructor at Mohawk Valley Community College and also served as an MCP (mentoring children of prisoners) coordinator and support counselor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region; master’s of
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Herkimer College has appointed GRACE V. ASHLINE as instructor of human services. She will teach human-services courses on-campus and online. Ashline was an adjunct instructor at Mohawk Valley Community College and also served as an MCP (mentoring children of prisoners) coordinator and support counselor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region; master’s of social work intern at Ellis’ Community Day Treatment Program, Schenectady; prevention supervisor at Community Maternity Services, Albany; and director at the Youth Advocate Program, Albany & Schenectady County. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology/criminal justice from SUNY Albany and a master’s degree of social work, clinical concentration, from SUNY Albany.
PAUL ARVANTIDES has been hired as a business advisor for the Mohawk Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC). He owned and operated his own business for 12 years and managed all aspects of a revenue cycle management service company. Arvantides has working knowledge of business operations, staff management, human resources, contracts, QuickBooks, marketing, and advertising.
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PAUL ARVANTIDES has been hired as a business advisor for the Mohawk Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC). He owned and operated his own business for 12 years and managed all aspects of a revenue cycle management service company. Arvantides has working knowledge of business operations, staff management, human resources, contracts, QuickBooks, marketing, and advertising. He also has experience working in a family-run business, succession planning, and knowledge of mergers and acquisitions. Arvantides has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hamilton College and a bachelor’s degree from SUNYIT in health information management.
Mirabito Energy Products recently added two new employees to its workforce. MICHAEL PECHA will now serve as assistant safety manager. He has degrees in criminal justice and civil engineering and has worked as a police officer, public safety officer, and a building and fire code inspector. Mirabito hired STACY THATCHER as its new accounts payable
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Mirabito Energy Products recently added two new employees to its workforce. MICHAEL PECHA will now serve as assistant safety manager. He has degrees in criminal justice and civil engineering and has worked as a police officer, public safety officer, and a building and fire code inspector. Mirabito hired STACY THATCHER as its new accounts payable clerk. She has been a youth advocate worker as part of a therapeutic support staff and served as 2nd deputy clerk of courts for Susquehanna County.
Tompkins Financial Advisors announced that BOB CASE has joined the firm as wealth advisor. He is based at Tompkins’ office in Ithaca. Case brings 18 years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to joining Tompkins, he was a business banking relationship manager at M&T Bank. Case holds a master’s degree in business management and
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Tompkins Financial Advisors announced that BOB CASE has joined the firm as wealth advisor. He is based at Tompkins’ office in Ithaca. Case brings 18 years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to joining Tompkins, he was a business banking relationship manager at M&T Bank. Case holds a master’s degree in business management and a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Keuka College.
RUSSELL E. RUTHIG recently joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP as of counsel to the firm. He comes to Coughlin & Gerhart after more than 40 years as an attorney, currently practicing in Cortland. A graduate of Hobart College and Syracuse University College of Law, Ruthig was admitted to the bar in New York in 1974.
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RUSSELL E. RUTHIG recently joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP as of counsel to the firm. He comes to Coughlin & Gerhart after more than 40 years as an attorney, currently practicing in Cortland. A graduate of Hobart College and Syracuse University College of Law, Ruthig was admitted to the bar in New York in 1974. In addition to his practice of law in the Cortland area, he serves as a member of the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Third Judicial Department, is a member of the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Susquehanna Valley Presbytery, and is a court examiner of guardianship accounts for Cortland, Tompkins, and Tioga counties.
The Syracuse Crunch minor-league hockey team has hired LUKAS FAVALE as its new radio broadcaster. Favale, 25, joins the Crunch, the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning, full time after interning with the team from 2012 to 2014. He most recently served as the director of broadcasting and media relations for the Elmira Jackals
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The Syracuse Crunch minor-league hockey team has hired LUKAS FAVALE as its new radio broadcaster. Favale, 25, joins the Crunch, the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning, full time after interning with the team from 2012 to 2014. He most recently served as the director of broadcasting and media relations for the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL during the 2016-17 season before being hired as the director of broadcasting/account executive by the Adirondack Thunder ECHL hockey club. As the voice of the Crunch, Favale will broadcast play-by-play for all Crunch games on the team’s official radio station, ESPN Radio Syracuse, along with hosting “The Shootout Show” live at the War Memorial Arena following home games. He will also host the one-hour “Crunch Weekly” show at Tully’s Good Times with special guests on select Thursday nights throughout the season. Favale will also serve as the team’s official statistician and prepare all game notes while selling ticket packages, single-game tickets, and booking groups.

Utica Comets to host 2018 AHL all-star game, facility renovations continue
It marks the second time in four years that the newly renamed Adirondack Bank Center at Utica Memorial Auditorium will host the event, having also
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