Missions accomplished in New Orleans

Dateline: Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 6 May

Gave my little speech this morning as the first panelist in the first panel. Apparently, in his expo-opening speech last night, Joe Galloway, author of ìWe Were Soldiers Once and Youngî (Mel Gibson movie), admonished panelists not simply to engage in a love-in on the topic of Homeland Security but really to debate the big questions. Well, after my ten-minutes of speaking, the moderator declared that there certainly wasnít going to be any love-in following my ìcontroversial remarks.î

My remarks were meant to provoke discussion, but they were not out of context from my book. I simply donít believe in the Defense Department playing the ìhome game,î because I see it as a strategic loser.

Anyway, Proceedings editor Fred Rainbow was very happy with my talk, because he always wants these panels to have a little controversy, as the ìhappy consensusî is the bane of conference organizers who are always desperate to have their get-togethers remember for something more than everyone agreeing with everyone else. Here I thought that maybe my comments were a bit too over the line, but soon after the panel Fred came up and asked if he might publish the text in Proceedings. So I gave him an electronic copy and theyíll be sending me their edit with all deliberate speed.

I had asked Fred if he minded if I posted my speech already on my site and he said no. So the speech/blog is slated for publication as an article, and no matter how you trace that lineage, itís a first for me.

Signed about 25 books here at the expo, which was rather small by Naval Institute standards (the January one in San Diego is huge in comparison), but selling books is selling books.

So I cause some controversy, get a new article out of it, sign some books, and snatch six of those retractable security badge holder thingamabobsómissions accomplished all around.

Oh yeah I almost forgot. I got a call today from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and a unit there which is putting on a big defense industry conference down in Orlando later in May, concerning defense acquisition reform. They want me for the keynote evening dinner address and want to make my book available to the 600 or so senior business executives slated to be in attendance. Hmmmmm. That was a tough call, especially after they offered to pay my travel.

You gotta like it when the Pentagon itself starts helping you sell the Pentagonís New Map.

I donít think Iíll be turning down any conferences that say they want to arrange with Putnam to sell books on site. Sell 500 at a conference 200 times and thatís the first printing right there!

Now if I can just find 199 more conferences.

Actually, already have two others already lined up, so make it a mere 197.

This is really my last night away from home for a while and I canít wait for all this travel to end. I look forward to having my life be about something else again, like sleeping regularly with a beautiful woman.

Yes Vonne, that would be you.

Before anything else inappropriate bursts out, hereís the dayís catch from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal:

REFERENCES:

ìAs China Goes, So Goes Taiwan: Islandís Stock Decline Underscores Link to Mainlandís Economy,î by Dan Nystedt and Sabrina Kuo, Wall Street Journal, 6 May, p. C14.

ìBattle Shaping Up for Chinese Brewery: SABMiller counters a stake purchase by Anheuser in a huge market for beer,î by Chris Buckley, New York Times, 6 May, p. W1.

ìLow-Tech or High, Jobs Are Scarce in Indiaís Boom,î by Amy Waldman, NYT, 6 May, p. A3.

ìRestoring Our Honor: Itís time for Rumsfeld to go,î by Thomas L. Friedman, NYT, 6 May, p. A31.